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A review by rowanwhitethornbae
Nightfall by Penelope Douglas
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
(a little bit of character analysis)
WARNING!:
Emory Scott
Emory Scott is one of my new favorite characters because her character had so much depth and she was just so amazing in general. I know there is a lot of hate surrounding her character and it makes me so mad, because when the betrayal happened and all the times she was mean was because she had so much going on in her life. In the flashbacks, she was a 16 year old girl who was forced to be perfect and facing an abusive brother at home. She has to assume all the roles a mother would play such as baking snacks, cooking meals, doing chores around the house. This is already so much for a teenager but then you have to add on the pressure of keeping her grandmother safe and healthy. Although, she couldn't provide funds for her grandmother, she watched her, she took care of her and she loved her. Everything, Emory did was in the intent of helping her grandmother such as not leaving Thunder Bay, betraying the horsemen, quitting the band because her grandmother got worse etc. With all this weight on her she also had to attempt to please her brother who was impossible to please, which always resulted in her getting beaten up, and abused by him. She was lonely and suffering, which is why her coping mechanisms were being rude. Especially to a jock who is known to be a player, and considering her past of course she had trust issues. It doesn't mean she doesn't love Will any less she just didn't know how to love him. Pushing away people was what she did best and so I don't blame her for anything. When she spent her entire life looking out for herself how could she rely on Will to help her and her grandmother if she didn't sign that plea deal for the horsemen. I also don't think the horsemen had to right to be so rude to Emmy (except Damon, I loved him and Emmy) because they all did messed up things and all managed to forgive each other, but when someone else does something all of a sudden its unacceptable? I liked how Damon stood up for her because they both bonded over their trauma but the way everyone treated Em on the train had me in so much pain for her. I seriously loved her character and relate to her in some ways, so when I hear people slander her character, yet adore Damon I'm in shock. I'm so happy Em has Will to look for when she needs protection now though because she's been on her own for so long she deserves happiness.
William Grayson iii
I LOVED WILL! He is definitely my favorite horsemen, because he is this happy, jokester who hides all his pain behind drugs and alcohol and always tries to make everyone happy. HIGH SCHOOL WAS SO PRECIOUS, AND THE WAY THAT HE OBSESSED OVER EMMY FOR OVER A DECADE WAS THE BEST THING IN THE ENTIRE WORLD! Will fell in love with a guarded girl and honestly he pushed her sometimes which is good but he had to see that at times the more he pushed the more she was going to push him away. Nonetheless, his character had me sobbing in pain when he talked about how he indulged in drugs and alcohol because that was the only way he could feel happy and keep up a happy façade to other people. He wanted to please those he loved including Em even when he was mad at her for betraying them. I honestly think that Em and Will are perfect for each other and I love them so much that they are one of my new fav couples ever.
Plot
The plot was kind of all over the place but it was one of the better plots throughout the series. And I think a lot of my enjoyment was the angst between Will and Em and the past chapters because a lot of the plot was really confusing sometimes. One thing that makes me mad is how the horsemen always blamed other for going to jail when in reality it was their actions. Nonetheless I love all of them I just hated how they blamed Rika then jumped straight to blaming Em. This plot was pretty interesting tho, with the whole setting in Blackchurch and figuring out the entire plan which created this 4 book series. Can I just say Alex really annoyed me this books. Like how she slapped Em, knowing she was a survivor or abuse and how she kept pushing herself in between Em and Will's problems. (I can go on forever on how much she made me mad) Lastly, I would like to talk about how Will and Em were robbed in their own book. They DESERVED SO MUCH MORE TIME TOGETHER ALONE!!!! But nonetheless the spice scenes were ok such as the gym room scene (will forever live in my head), the greenhouse scene, and we cant forget Will and Em on the school bus. I liked the spice scenes in the present it just felt so awkward considering how they were always around people and also how Will and Emmy's relationship sort of diminished the more they mentioned Will and Alex. I like Alex's character before this book but the constant repetition of Alex and Will just made it a bit of the luster between Em and Will seem not as strong as when they were in high school. Which is completely understandable since they changed but the book was supposed to focus on Will and Emmy rekindling that yk. I stll loved their relationship, A lot I just had to add that in.
I felt so much pain in this book, for Will and especially for Em. I think my heart was aching the ENTIRE BOOK. Emmy's thoughts really had me on the verge of tears a lot of the times and Will his love for Emory had me on tears. I think I just concluded that I LOVE EMMY! SHE WAS THE BEST GIRL, buttt I also really Love Rika, Banks and Winter too. I loved the family created through the Horsemen (found family trope) and how Damon had THE ABSOLUTE BEST REDEMPTION ARC! ALSO CONSIDERING HOW MUCH HE HELPED EMMY WITH BUILDING THE GAZEBO AND GIVING HER THE KEY TO THE CARFAX ROOM. Damon was hilarious this entire book and I ADORE HIS CHARACTER! I also loved the bond formed between Micah, Rory and Emmy. This book series has become I really good escape for me and I literally finished it all in a week and I'm soo sad to say goodbye but I have too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse