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Evernight #1
Evernight
Bianca wants to escape.
She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.
Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.
"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.
She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.
Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.
"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2008
About the author
Claudia Gray
87 books13.8k followersClaudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.
I live in New Orleans. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.
I live in New Orleans. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,526 reviews
May 1, 2010
Okay, so how shall I put this... I have a few... issues with this book. Kim is bothered.
First of all: I like subtlety. I like surprises. But altering your writing to deliberately hide something very important, never even hinting towards it even once and then suddenly go SURPRIIIIIISE! is not my idea of writing a good story. It would be the same thing if we suddenly find out Bianca has a penis. Vampires are mentioned once during an English lit class. Bianca bites Lucas and suddenly we learn:
- Everybody is a vampire
- Bianca has always been a vampire
- Bianca was born that way
And from then on the word 'vampire' is mentioned practically every other sentence. Also, what's up with the humans? They are supposed to be there to 'help the vamps adjust to the new world'. Which brings me to my next issue: The vamps act like they lived under a rock for most of their long lives. Yes the world changes, new inventions pop up left and right. But it doesn't happen overnight. If you need classes to learn how to use a microwave then I'm seriously doubting the intelligence of the average vampire. Yet they all act like they were zapped into this century. Gee, I'm 'only' 27 and I wonder how on earth I managed to learn how to 'operate' my iPod (that has no wireless connection because that's EXACTLY what I'd want to do on my tiny screen, check my email *eyeroll*) in such a short amount of time.
My other problem with the humans is why anybody would think it's a good idea to put a few walking and talking blood banks in the middle of a horde of hungry vamps. I know it's mandatory in this kind of books, Bianca and Lucas have to be complete opposites, but the only reason for them going to the same school is because the mix of vampires, schools and forbidden love is hot right now. Of course later we find out Bianca and Lucas are supposed to be archenemies, which makes it even more difficult for them to stay out of each other's pants.
What really bothered me is the explanation how Bianca can become a full vampire instead of a half-baked version of one. 'Oh you just slip into some old folks home and snack on the first sucker who looks nearly dead enough'. I'm sorry what? You'd still be taking a life, I'm sorry if being a vampire automatically comes with a god complex but it's still wrong to murder somebody.
And last but not least: There are 2 ways to become a vampire. You are born one or you are made. If a vampire bites you 'enough times' you become a vampire yourself. How many times is that exactly? 4 times? 10 times? 50 times? And does every time count or does this wear off like say if a vampire bites you 5 times in a short amount of time, does that effect a person in the same way as if it was done during a one year period? And how come Lucas suddenly learned a few vampire tricks himself? How are Bianca's powers transferred into him exactly? And for a vampire slayer you'd think he would be able do the math himself after she bit him so why did he get upset with Bianca when he found out what she was? He could have been playing dumb but he seemed genuinely surprised when she came out of the coffin.
I'm reading the sequel to this because I hope it gets better or at least better thought through.
First of all: I like subtlety. I like surprises. But altering your writing to deliberately hide something very important, never even hinting towards it even once and then suddenly go SURPRIIIIIISE! is not my idea of writing a good story. It would be the same thing if we suddenly find out Bianca has a penis. Vampires are mentioned once during an English lit class. Bianca bites Lucas and suddenly we learn:
- Everybody is a vampire
- Bianca has always been a vampire
- Bianca was born that way
And from then on the word 'vampire' is mentioned practically every other sentence. Also, what's up with the humans? They are supposed to be there to 'help the vamps adjust to the new world'. Which brings me to my next issue: The vamps act like they lived under a rock for most of their long lives. Yes the world changes, new inventions pop up left and right. But it doesn't happen overnight. If you need classes to learn how to use a microwave then I'm seriously doubting the intelligence of the average vampire. Yet they all act like they were zapped into this century. Gee, I'm 'only' 27 and I wonder how on earth I managed to learn how to 'operate' my iPod (that has no wireless connection because that's EXACTLY what I'd want to do on my tiny screen, check my email *eyeroll*) in such a short amount of time.
My other problem with the humans is why anybody would think it's a good idea to put a few walking and talking blood banks in the middle of a horde of hungry vamps. I know it's mandatory in this kind of books, Bianca and Lucas have to be complete opposites, but the only reason for them going to the same school is because the mix of vampires, schools and forbidden love is hot right now. Of course later we find out Bianca and Lucas are supposed to be archenemies, which makes it even more difficult for them to stay out of each other's pants.
What really bothered me is the explanation how Bianca can become a full vampire instead of a half-baked version of one. 'Oh you just slip into some old folks home and snack on the first sucker who looks nearly dead enough'. I'm sorry what? You'd still be taking a life, I'm sorry if being a vampire automatically comes with a god complex but it's still wrong to murder somebody.
And last but not least: There are 2 ways to become a vampire. You are born one or you are made. If a vampire bites you 'enough times' you become a vampire yourself. How many times is that exactly? 4 times? 10 times? 50 times? And does every time count or does this wear off like say if a vampire bites you 5 times in a short amount of time, does that effect a person in the same way as if it was done during a one year period? And how come Lucas suddenly learned a few vampire tricks himself? How are Bianca's powers transferred into him exactly? And for a vampire slayer you'd think he would be able do the math himself after she bit him so why did he get upset with Bianca when he found out what she was? He could have been playing dumb but he seemed genuinely surprised when she came out of the coffin.
I'm reading the sequel to this because I hope it gets better or at least better thought through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2016
Sorry, guys. I deleted this review because I basically explained the WHOLE damn story in it. It was back when I was a shit reviewer.
But thank you for all those who read and like it! I love you beautiful beings!
But thank you for all those who read and like it! I love you beautiful beings!
February 25, 2009
Rant: Every professional review of this book somehow mentions Stephenie Meyer and/or the Twilight series. Is it just me, or does that annoy anyone else seven ways to Sunday? I get that people want to allude to some of the bestselling series of vampire books ever, but saying "enjoyable (...) for fans of that other vampire series who need something to read while they wait for Breaking Dawn (Meyer, 2008)" (Kirkus) is downright insulting, as it implies that Evernight is no better than a placeholder. This angers me. But hey, I'm one to talk, huh, seeing as I'm about to do the same: The only comparison between the two books I think is appropriate to be made (and the only one I'll ever make) is that while it is Twilight's tagline that says "deeply seductive and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight is a love story with bite", Evernight is the book that fits that bill. I enjoyed Twilight, don't get me wrong, but let's call a spade a spade: Twilight is marketable fluff with a suspense subplot (and that's all it really is -- a subplot). And even so, the suspense is predestined to end in Happily-Ever-After Ville, so, without ever having a doubt of where it's headed, can we really call it suspense? Evernight, methinks, has real suspense "in equal parts" with romance.
Moving on, as this rant is getting too long-winded and distracting attention from the review itself.
Don't let the beginning of this novel get to you. This review (click -- beware of spoilers!) had a spot-on analysis of what was wrong with the first half; it channels my thoughts exactly. Basically, I felt like the beginning went one direction and then when the twist came, it veered another direction completely, and the two parts, together, were incomprehensible. When I discovered midway through the novel that Bianca already knew and accepted that she was a vampire, I was ready to hurl the book across the room. For one, it made no sense in synch with everything I'd learned up to the that point. If you were amidst an alien nation and you were one of the few humans in existence, wouldn't you think to yourself every once in a while, "Hey, I'm human. I live with aliens, but I'm still human. I know this because I don't look like an oversized zygote"? How could she not even think about her diet differences with humans? And for another thing, it was deceitful of Bianca to earn my sympathy through her lonely-girl gripes about not fitting in at Evernight when she was in the majority, species-wise. Added to this is the dragging narrative found in this first portion -- some of which, by this time, I didn't see the point in.
Now, judging by the fact this is earning four stars, something inside the book must've worked, correct?! Right you are. When I hit page 200-something and the catalyst finally appeared, I literally sat up on my bed and my eyes bulged out so much, I thought they'd pop out of my head. From there on out, a dozen little plot developments happened that changed the novel's progression in a way I didn't for a second see coming. For every boring moment in the first half, the second half offered an complex setup, quick pacing, and really, really great discoveries. I won't go too much in detail because I don't want to spoil anyone's reading experience, but I can guarantee you this: The plot? Brilliant. Enigmatic, but balanced, and very well thought-out.
Remember in my criticizing paragraph that I said some of the stuff in the first portion didn't make much sense to me? I meant Lucas's character (he seemed to me like a gratuitous lover-boy type), the sometimes over-the-top romance between Bianca and him, and a lot of details that made no sense whatsoever. It was all a set up. Nearly everything gets explained later on, and you can see the sheer genius behind this carefully strung story. I mean, I still don't get why Bianca knew she was a vampire all along when it would've been a much more groundbreaking move in the overall scheme of things to have her find out along with the reader the reality of the situation, and that's what robbed this book of an A-rating, but everything else?
FREAKING AWESOME.
This book is perfect for people sick of the tried-and-tortured vampires-are-oh-so-sexy books that seem to dominate the YA vamp-lit genre nowadays. I am not kidding when I say the ideas Claudia Gray introduced here are very original and engaging. I'm bashing my head in at the re-scheduling of Stargazer's release because I am desperately in the need to know what happens from here.
Get. This. Book. Ignore the first part, revel in the second part, and then come join the line of people awaiting Stargazer's launch, which is, of course, led by me. I'll bite anyone who tries to cut ahead and I can't guarantee I won't drain you while I'm at it.
Moving on, as this rant is getting too long-winded and distracting attention from the review itself.
Don't let the beginning of this novel get to you. This review (click -- beware of spoilers!) had a spot-on analysis of what was wrong with the first half; it channels my thoughts exactly. Basically, I felt like the beginning went one direction and then when the twist came, it veered another direction completely, and the two parts, together, were incomprehensible. When I discovered midway through the novel that Bianca already knew and accepted that she was a vampire, I was ready to hurl the book across the room. For one, it made no sense in synch with everything I'd learned up to the that point. If you were amidst an alien nation and you were one of the few humans in existence, wouldn't you think to yourself every once in a while, "Hey, I'm human. I live with aliens, but I'm still human. I know this because I don't look like an oversized zygote"? How could she not even think about her diet differences with humans? And for another thing, it was deceitful of Bianca to earn my sympathy through her lonely-girl gripes about not fitting in at Evernight when she was in the majority, species-wise. Added to this is the dragging narrative found in this first portion -- some of which, by this time, I didn't see the point in.
Now, judging by the fact this is earning four stars, something inside the book must've worked, correct?! Right you are. When I hit page 200-something and the catalyst finally appeared, I literally sat up on my bed and my eyes bulged out so much, I thought they'd pop out of my head. From there on out, a dozen little plot developments happened that changed the novel's progression in a way I didn't for a second see coming. For every boring moment in the first half, the second half offered an complex setup, quick pacing, and really, really great discoveries. I won't go too much in detail because I don't want to spoil anyone's reading experience, but I can guarantee you this: The plot? Brilliant. Enigmatic, but balanced, and very well thought-out.
Remember in my criticizing paragraph that I said some of the stuff in the first portion didn't make much sense to me? I meant Lucas's character (he seemed to me like a gratuitous lover-boy type), the sometimes over-the-top romance between Bianca and him, and a lot of details that made no sense whatsoever. It was all a set up. Nearly everything gets explained later on, and you can see the sheer genius behind this carefully strung story. I mean, I still don't get why Bianca knew she was a vampire all along when it would've been a much more groundbreaking move in the overall scheme of things to have her find out along with the reader the reality of the situation, and that's what robbed this book of an A-rating, but everything else?
FREAKING AWESOME.
This book is perfect for people sick of the tried-and-tortured vampires-are-oh-so-sexy books that seem to dominate the YA vamp-lit genre nowadays. I am not kidding when I say the ideas Claudia Gray introduced here are very original and engaging. I'm bashing my head in at the re-scheduling of Stargazer's release because I am desperately in the need to know what happens from here.
Get. This. Book. Ignore the first part, revel in the second part, and then come join the line of people awaiting Stargazer's launch, which is, of course, led by me. I'll bite anyone who tries to cut ahead and I can't guarantee I won't drain you while I'm at it.
December 7, 2016
Kindle freebie 12/7/16
Evernight is a YA paranormal romance. Just understand that going in. If you dislike that genre, it's unlikely that this'll be the book to change your mind. If you do enjoy PNRs, I think this is one of the better novels I've read of its sort. My reasons for liking this one better than most are extremely spoilerish. Really, I enjoyed it much more going into it blind than I would have Seriously, if you're interested in this book, don't read more Evernight reviews, and really don't go reading the synopses or any reviews for the later books. Just go into this one cold and enjoy it for what it is.
Just a word of warning: even though this book wasn't quite the usual run of the mill PNR, you've still got to deal with a YA romance in the oh-he's-so-hot-and-wonderful-and-if-I-can't-be-with-him-I-think-I'm-going-to-die sort of vein. I didn't mind it too much here, but it gets old fast. Also: Balthazar?
Since I pretty regularly fail to take my own advice, I went and dug through the blurbs and reviews for the rest of the books in this series (at least I did finish this book first), and I think I'm just going to quit with this book, even though this book's ending does kind of leave you hanging. I'll just have to imagine my own ending for the series.
Evernight is a YA paranormal romance. Just understand that going in. If you dislike that genre, it's unlikely that this'll be the book to change your mind. If you do enjoy PNRs, I think this is one of the better novels I've read of its sort. My reasons for liking this one better than most are extremely spoilerish. Really, I enjoyed it much more going into it blind than I would have Seriously, if you're interested in this book, don't read more Evernight reviews, and really don't go reading the synopses or any reviews for the later books. Just go into this one cold and enjoy it for what it is.
Just a word of warning: even though this book wasn't quite the usual run of the mill PNR, you've still got to deal with a YA romance in the oh-he's-so-hot-and-wonderful-and-if-I-can't-be-with-him-I-think-I'm-going-to-die sort of vein. I didn't mind it too much here, but it gets old fast. Also: Balthazar?
Since I pretty regularly fail to take my own advice, I went and dug through the blurbs and reviews for the rest of the books in this series (at least I did finish this book first), and I think I'm just going to quit with this book, even though this book's ending does kind of leave you hanging. I'll just have to imagine my own ending for the series.
October 10, 2010
Pretty much, I think this rating is going to come as a massive shock to... well, anyone who's ever read a review from me before.
The thing is, Evernight really isn't that bad. In fact, as far as sappy YA paranormal books go, it's not THAT bad.
I don't actually know what to do with myself. I kind of expected a REALLY painful and agonizing reading experience before I came on GR and vomitted vitriol into everyone's faces. I guess you're all spared of that... for now! *Cue evil laugh*
Evernight is the bastard child of Twilight and Harry Potter. If you can imagine that Harry Potter is the dignified, lovable parent and Twilight is the alcoholic but not-abusive-enough-to-warrant-removal parent then Evernight comes out somewhere in between. It aims, but ultimately falls short of being as dignified, full of solid characterization and whimsical as Harry Potter but neither is it angrily raiding the fridge for baloney and shouting at the cat to get a day job while dressed in a moomoo.
It even tries for an M. Night Shaymalan twist twice in the novel but neither one was actually of any great surprise. I will add in here, as Anila pointed out, that there is withholding of information from the first person narrative. Authors, don't do this - it's really annoying and crappy. Still, the book is not entirely archtypical of a genre so polluted with hastily spat out gibberish.
Bianca is actually intelligent. I don't mean the Wuthering Heights reading kind of intelligence although Wuthering Heights does warrant a mention in this book. Aside from actually being a geek and doing her homework, she speaks intelligently and forms opinions and makes comments that actually convinces me that this character IS intelligent. Unlike Luce from Fallen who is supposedly a straight A student who never cracks open a book and often has trouble forming a complete sentence let alone a complete thought.
Lucas as the love interest is okay. He's antagonistic and defensive yet also vulnerable and sweet. The lovey dovey aspect of this novel was actually what bored me the most. I just didn't actually believe that their love was anything more than "calf love". It was an incredibly childish and silly romance. Which is to be expected because Bianca and Lucas are childish and silly. Still, the only time I ever felt the chemistry was in their first meeting and after that, I felt like Gray was simply forcing them together because her plotline required it.
The writing was okay, the secondary characters were okay and the plot and pacing was alright.
Over all, it was a thoroughly average novel but I felt that the characterization of Bianca was what actually saved it from being a complete rip off of The Covenant or some other book like that.
I've been told the series does not improve with more books so I won't be reading the rest of this series but I do feel that as a novel, over all, I would rather a teenager read this than say Fallen or Evermore or Hush Hush.
And now there's nothing more to say other than the fact that I feel like I should go into hiding or something lest the GR police show up to arrest me and beat me because they keep saying that I'm resisting arresst even though I'm curled up on the ground sobbing while they play hackysack with my kidneys.
The thing is, Evernight really isn't that bad. In fact, as far as sappy YA paranormal books go, it's not THAT bad.
I don't actually know what to do with myself. I kind of expected a REALLY painful and agonizing reading experience before I came on GR and vomitted vitriol into everyone's faces. I guess you're all spared of that... for now! *Cue evil laugh*
Evernight is the bastard child of Twilight and Harry Potter. If you can imagine that Harry Potter is the dignified, lovable parent and Twilight is the alcoholic but not-abusive-enough-to-warrant-removal parent then Evernight comes out somewhere in between. It aims, but ultimately falls short of being as dignified, full of solid characterization and whimsical as Harry Potter but neither is it angrily raiding the fridge for baloney and shouting at the cat to get a day job while dressed in a moomoo.
It even tries for an M. Night Shaymalan twist twice in the novel but neither one was actually of any great surprise. I will add in here, as Anila pointed out, that there is withholding of information from the first person narrative. Authors, don't do this - it's really annoying and crappy. Still, the book is not entirely archtypical of a genre so polluted with hastily spat out gibberish.
Bianca is actually intelligent. I don't mean the Wuthering Heights reading kind of intelligence although Wuthering Heights does warrant a mention in this book. Aside from actually being a geek and doing her homework, she speaks intelligently and forms opinions and makes comments that actually convinces me that this character IS intelligent. Unlike Luce from Fallen who is supposedly a straight A student who never cracks open a book and often has trouble forming a complete sentence let alone a complete thought.
Lucas as the love interest is okay. He's antagonistic and defensive yet also vulnerable and sweet. The lovey dovey aspect of this novel was actually what bored me the most. I just didn't actually believe that their love was anything more than "calf love". It was an incredibly childish and silly romance. Which is to be expected because Bianca and Lucas are childish and silly. Still, the only time I ever felt the chemistry was in their first meeting and after that, I felt like Gray was simply forcing them together because her plotline required it.
The writing was okay, the secondary characters were okay and the plot and pacing was alright.
Over all, it was a thoroughly average novel but I felt that the characterization of Bianca was what actually saved it from being a complete rip off of The Covenant or some other book like that.
I've been told the series does not improve with more books so I won't be reading the rest of this series but I do feel that as a novel, over all, I would rather a teenager read this than say Fallen or Evermore or Hush Hush.
And now there's nothing more to say other than the fact that I feel like I should go into hiding or something lest the GR police show up to arrest me and beat me because they keep saying that I'm resisting arresst even though I'm curled up on the ground sobbing while they play hackysack with my kidneys.
October 7, 2016
Lucas only hesitated for a second. "Bianca, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Lucas?"
His eyes met mine. "I love you."
HA. That moment when you realize you love a TOTALLY cliche book that almost all your friends (And most of the community) hates. I literally am laughing right now because, really, what are the odds that everyone hates a book I love. It's crazy. But, frankly, I don't care. And, ya know, I'm almost done with the second and I don't QUITE get what everyone's bitching about.
Okay, so, it's unbelievable? Lmao, one word: Vampire. Is that word believable? No. So why is unbelievability a problem? Oh, it's cliche? Wait, I have the answer to that one, too! What's that word again? VAMPIRE. Oh, there is a wonderful guy who likes the quirky girl on top of the main boy she will clearly end up with....I'm sorry, but plenty of YA books use this little formula and I don't see near as much hate. OH, and lastly, people said it's boring. To which I say: FUCK YOU.
Yeah, sorry not sorry. This book is no less boring than a million books on my feed people are rating 5 stars. And all the 5 star beauties I see being criticized and rated one and two just make my blood boil. So, when it comes down to it, this book made me happy in this difficult time for me, and that's all I could ever ask for. Plus, HELLOOOO atmosphere. Totally Halloween around here and this book pulled me deeper into the fall season. I'll take it.
With my autumn wreath candle burning and the crisp air outside (all I'm missing are my red leaves), this book pulled me into the best mood I've been in since Nugget's impending birth announcement. It's been tough, FOR REAL, so a book that makes me happy is like a light shining at the end of a dark tunnel (or, if you want to be really bleak, as I have been, for months-a cave) and I am holding onto it with all I have. Yes, Crooked Kingdom made me VERY happy-but, as for something lighter, this is hitting the spot.
"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you. And eventually they would."
He was protecting me? That would have been endearing, if it hadn't been crazy. "You know, I don't think I have any social cred for you to damage."
"Don't be so sure."
"Don't be so stubborn."
From the first moment Bianca stumbled into the woods to find the quirky and sly Lucas, I was hooked. This book wasn't perfect by any means, but there is just something so....fun....about going through your oldest TBR books and finding a gem no one is talking about. No fandoms are attacking each other like the Leigh Bardugo crowd (me, I love this crowd personally hehe), the Sarah J. Maas assassins (this one? Not so much), and the V.E. Schwabbies (again, can I give a shout out to my homies?). My point is this: Yes, I'm sure if I'd have done extensive research (cough, Pea, cough) I'd have known all the twists and each new turn. But I chose not to do that, choosing to blindly jump into an older book with low expectations. I knew vampires were mentioned, but I had no idea who was one. I didn't know what each character represented or what the outcome would be. For once, the feed was as silent as a mouse and I enjoyed my book-in a world of a solitude.
I gasped twice, people-TWICE. And it's so funny, because, this book was obviously a little silly. And I should have caught on quicker than I did-I kept telling people, man this bitch is obsessed lol But as it turns out? Not so shocking. So, needless to say, would this have made me AS happy had I known the two things that made this the most interesting? Perhaps not. But that's the beauty of an older book-it's like a ghost, people don't care anymore.
I can see why, I GUESS, people said this was boring. It was just a school, they just attended class, and they went about every day mundane activities. But, actually, some of my favorite books center around mundane high school activities-in fact, they are even better in the end. The reveals are more shocking, the fight scenes perhaps more breathtaking, and the betrayals more stark. For some, this book is a nightmare. For me, I would categorize it under my favorites. Not since Twilight have vampires excited me so much.
Lucas should've run out of there that instant. Instead he stared at me through the glass and slowly unfolded his hand opposite mine so that our hands were pressed againts the pane of glass, fingers to fingers, palm to palm. We each move closer, so that our faces were only inches apart. Even with the stained glass, window between us, it felt as intimate as any kiss we'd shared.
So, you know, I could keep bashing the butthole GR police, but instead I'll end it here. Some people liked Lucas very little and thought Balthazar was the one for Bianca-I am inclined to disagree. I loved B, I really did, but Lucas had my heart, and forbidden love will always be my favorite, And, frankly, I loved that this wasn't a love triangle. How could people NOT find this refreshing? And Lucas? He ADORES Bianca...and I just found the 'first love' aspect so sweet. Sue me, I'm a hopeless moronic romantic. I am already basically done with book two, and while I don't know what will happen over four books, I am grateful this is an easy, fun read to embark on during the week. I will likely have it all done by Saturday. It's just so great to be back. :)
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September 15, 2018
¿Sabéis esa sensación cuando termináis de leer un libro de sí pero no? Pues eso. En general la historia me ha gustado, así como los personajes, perooooo la relación entre Bianca y Lucas me ha parecido 'ajena'; lejana, con unos sentimientos entre ellos que no he logrado sentir. Es más, voy a leer el segundo sólo por Raquel y Baltasar....
December 13, 2008
I didn't like this book for a few reasons, but the biggest one is probably that it was so...weird. In a bad way. I mean, like they go through half the book and they make her out like she doesn't know anything about what’s happening at the school, and then BANG, all of a sudden, well she knows everything, and had all the time... its just weird. Plus I thought her character was poorly made. First she's all shy and stuff, but then she's like not, and then she is, and so on. And she meets Lucas ONCE, and I don't know if you all believe in love at first sight, but seriously! She's like dreaming about how much she loves him, and she's suppoed to be shy?? It seemed so forced, like the author knew what she wanted in the end, and in the begining, and a few places in the middle, but she couldn't think of anything to go between the places she had planned out. Anyway, I didn't even finish it because I decided I had better things to do... It was boring and unreal, even for a fantasy book. Hope other people can enjoy it more than I did...
November 25, 2008
Evernight, by Claudia Gray, pseudonym of Amy Vincent, starts out with an okay plot, but the choppy writing and barf-y love story make it seem like the worst Twilight rip off possible.
The gothy setting combined with the suspicion and eerie-ness of the students are lost on the reader when they realize that the main character, somehow "failed to mention" the minor detail of BEING A VAMPIRE. Of course, this is merely an easy way for Miss Gray to reveal in the middle the detail that keeps the story moving, despite the fact that it's lazy to try to patch together a story that way.
Claudia Gray does little justice to a plot with potential. She navigates her way through the story with all the deftness and skill of a drunk sea captain steering a flooded ship through a hurricane. And that makes for one huge disappointment.
The gothy setting combined with the suspicion and eerie-ness of the students are lost on the reader when they realize that the main character, somehow "failed to mention" the minor detail of BEING A VAMPIRE. Of course, this is merely an easy way for Miss Gray to reveal in the middle the detail that keeps the story moving, despite the fact that it's lazy to try to patch together a story that way.
Claudia Gray does little justice to a plot with potential. She navigates her way through the story with all the deftness and skill of a drunk sea captain steering a flooded ship through a hurricane. And that makes for one huge disappointment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2008
I had to stop this book halfway through. Why? Because I feel like it broke a basic agreement with the reader. When I'm reading a first person narrative, I trust that I'm seeing the world through the character's eyes. In this case, part way through, we find out that the author has pretty heavily been editing the character's words to keep us from seeing that...(start spoilers)...
she's a vampire. Now, it seemed that the character wasn't editing her own words, because being a vampire is just a way of life for her. She doesn't really care. But the author is editing her words, limiting what we see, to trick the reader into thinking she's not a vampire. I'd say it was definitely intentional, not just badly written, that the author wanted to surprise the reader with a shocking revelation.
Now, from the beginning, I knew the main character was going to become a vampire. It's obvious, it follows the conventions of the genre, etc. But I thought she was going to discover it, not that she'd known all along. No, part way through she kisses a boy and then drinks his blood, and then she's like "Huh, mom and dad always told me drinking human blood was different than cow blood." That angered me. This could have been an interesting book about a girl who knows she's a vampire, one of the few children born to vampires. But instead the author thought she needed to trick us and hid this from us at the beginning. I just couldn't read it past that point. I tried, but my anger was too strong to get through many more pages. I would have enjoyed a book about a girl trying to figure out where she exists in the world of vampires, who's in love with a human boy. That could have been fascinating. Or if the author had moved out of first person and into third where she could reasonably hide the fact that the main girl is a vampire from us, I could have accepted that. But the way it played out? Nope, does not work for me. I was willing to overlook some of the stereotypical elements, the things that didn't quite make sense (Huh, so we're suddenly inviting humans to go to school at a vampire academy? Okay.....), because I was still enjoying the ride and enjoying like I do most high school dramas.
But no. Then she broke my trust and what I consider the rules. And I just can't pick up this book again.
Anyone else read it? I'd love to know what you thought.
she's a vampire. Now, it seemed that the character wasn't editing her own words, because being a vampire is just a way of life for her. She doesn't really care. But the author is editing her words, limiting what we see, to trick the reader into thinking she's not a vampire. I'd say it was definitely intentional, not just badly written, that the author wanted to surprise the reader with a shocking revelation.
Now, from the beginning, I knew the main character was going to become a vampire. It's obvious, it follows the conventions of the genre, etc. But I thought she was going to discover it, not that she'd known all along. No, part way through she kisses a boy and then drinks his blood, and then she's like "Huh, mom and dad always told me drinking human blood was different than cow blood." That angered me. This could have been an interesting book about a girl who knows she's a vampire, one of the few children born to vampires. But instead the author thought she needed to trick us and hid this from us at the beginning. I just couldn't read it past that point. I tried, but my anger was too strong to get through many more pages. I would have enjoyed a book about a girl trying to figure out where she exists in the world of vampires, who's in love with a human boy. That could have been fascinating. Or if the author had moved out of first person and into third where she could reasonably hide the fact that the main girl is a vampire from us, I could have accepted that. But the way it played out? Nope, does not work for me. I was willing to overlook some of the stereotypical elements, the things that didn't quite make sense (Huh, so we're suddenly inviting humans to go to school at a vampire academy? Okay.....), because I was still enjoying the ride and enjoying like I do most high school dramas.
But no. Then she broke my trust and what I consider the rules. And I just can't pick up this book again.
Anyone else read it? I'd love to know what you thought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2016
Evernight, book one of Claudia Gray's supernatural YA romance series, provides worthy entertainment to its readers. I enjoyed the book but I also can't overlook its flaws.
First I want to address how utterly overused the plot and setting are. I will write a simple 'Oh I have seen these settings before!' check list:
(1) Gothic, gloomy private school. Check.
(2) A heroine who was shy, socially awkward and had zero self-confidence. Check.
(3) Two hot boys who wanted the heroine's affection. Check.
(4) One mean-spirited Queen Bee in school. Check.
(5) One nice, popular guy who is liked by everyone. Check...okay, can we stop having popular guy who's liked by everyone in YA books!?
(6) Dramas at Prom Night. Check. Okay, can we just stop having dramas at prom nights?
(7) New girl in a new school setting. OH! It seems like there can't be a YA book without this 'new student in a new school' setting!
Okay, I know wise authors can create extraordinary books with the most overused settings, still Miss Gray's creation has left many things to be desired.
Our 'heroine', Bianca is a lame, immature character, at the beginning she ran away from her parents in a halfhearted attempt to protest against being forced to go to Evernight Academy. Her attempt to flee doesn't even last longer than a few hours. I admit it's one of the most immature actions I've ever seen from a YA character. Come on! Is she a five years old kid or something!?
Bianca also fell in love with Lucas after meeting him and chatting with him for just once, and then she is obsessed about him, moaning and mooning over him when Lucas didn't talk to her. My reaction to that is "Okay, girl. He isn't talking to you, Get .Over. It! Get .A. Life!" I mean, the whole drama with Lucas makes Bianca look like a five years old instead of a teenager.
I know. I'm 10 years older than the targeted audience of this book, still I'm damn sure a lot of teenage girls out there will also find Bianca's behaviors immature and silly.
Then we follow Bianca through a series of school dramas, meeting her new roommate and making friends among students. We are also told that there was a group of 'Evernight type' gorgeous, rich students who look down at the ordinary kids. Bianca was torn between staying on the Evernight type's good side and making friends with those ordinary kids. The stern, forbidding headmistress, Mrs. Bethany is also being introduced to us.
It's also hinted by Bianca and one of the ordinary students that something isn't right with the school and the Evernight type students, but the secret would only be revealed latter.
I have to admit I know what this secret is even before I read Evernight (I stumbled upon book 2 of the series first so I know what's going on in book 1), so the 'surprise' isn't really as surprising to me as it should have been. And it probably maims my enjoyment of reading a little.
I think, if I read this book without knowing anything about it beforehand, I would have truly been surprised by the major plot twist because I could hardly see it coming, still after the surprise washed over, then I would have felt so utterly cheated.
*major plot spoiler warning*
So here is the major plot twist, in the middle of the book, we are informed that many students and all of the teachers in Evernight were in fact vampires, which included Bianca herself and her parents.
Okay, that's when I'm truly unable to suppress my disbelief.
The entire book is narrated by Bianca's first person viewpoint but at the first half of the book, the word 'vampire' is never in her thoughts and she never mentioned her parents were drinking blood at dinners. How come?
I understand Miss Gray wants to give us a surprise, but it doesn't work when she used first person perspective to narrate her book! What kind of vampire/half-vampire goes through an entire day, a whole week and even months with no thoughts concerning her own true identity and her parents' vampiric behaviors ever crossing her mind? Did she have a filter in her brain to filtrate every thought about vampire? Instead I feel such plot device is stupid and I feel cheated.
And after the secret is revealed, all of a sudden the words 'vampire' and 'blood' popped up from Bianca's thoughts all the time without any break, it only confirmed my suspicion that the absence of those words in Bianca's thoughts in the first-half of the book is a pure plot device, plain and simple.
Here's a humble suggestion: if Miss Gray wants to hide the true identity of her main character, next time would she please write her book with a third person viewpoint.
Plus we also get the 'vampires going to highschool for eternity' BS.
It's reasoned that young-looking vampires can choose to go to Evernight Academy in order to learn how to deal with the modern time and pretend to be ordinary humans. I admit that it is a good idea to let vampires deal with the issue of adjusting to the modern society (Anne Rice had addressed this issue before) still I hate the idea of immortals going to freaking highschool in order to learn how to deal with the change of time. This idea sucks. Why would immortals endue living in dorm. always wearing uniform and taking orders from headmistress and teachers for eternity!?
Plus, I want to point out that I can't think of a bigger advertisement to tell vampire hunters that "VAMPIRES HERE! COME AND GET US!" than naming your vampires school "Evernight Academy".
Secondly, in the Vampire Academy series, at least the vampires who go to school are actual teenagers, adult vampires got jobs and had a life instead of staying in school forever, for crying out loud!
Eventually Lucas found out Bianca's true identity, but after spending his holiday going back to meet the other Black Cross (vampire hunters group) members and Bianca sending an email to plead her case during the holiday, Lucas just came around, accepting his girlfriend was a vamp and then proclaimed his unchanging love to Bianca after he went back to Evernight!? What the hell!? So we are supposed to believe Lucas, a vampire hunter who had been taught to hate vampires for his whole life, would suddenly realize vampires aren't all bad and evil so easily? Just for one email? Unbelievable.
*end of plot spoiler*
To sum up, I'm okay with this book but I don't think there's any special or unique about it. It keeps you reading no matter what, and it can serve well as a guilty pleasure. The parts about Lucas' true identity being revealed and the ending are pretty nice, too. If you could overlook the flaws in characters, the romance and setting, and if you were willing to overlook some eye-popping cliches and plot devices, you can enjoy the book just fine.
First I want to address how utterly overused the plot and setting are. I will write a simple 'Oh I have seen these settings before!' check list:
(1) Gothic, gloomy private school. Check.
(2) A heroine who was shy, socially awkward and had zero self-confidence. Check.
(3) Two hot boys who wanted the heroine's affection. Check.
(4) One mean-spirited Queen Bee in school. Check.
(5) One nice, popular guy who is liked by everyone. Check...okay, can we stop having popular guy who's liked by everyone in YA books!?
(6) Dramas at Prom Night. Check. Okay, can we just stop having dramas at prom nights?
(7) New girl in a new school setting. OH! It seems like there can't be a YA book without this 'new student in a new school' setting!
Okay, I know wise authors can create extraordinary books with the most overused settings, still Miss Gray's creation has left many things to be desired.
Our 'heroine', Bianca is a lame, immature character, at the beginning she ran away from her parents in a halfhearted attempt to protest against being forced to go to Evernight Academy. Her attempt to flee doesn't even last longer than a few hours. I admit it's one of the most immature actions I've ever seen from a YA character. Come on! Is she a five years old kid or something!?
Bianca also fell in love with Lucas after meeting him and chatting with him for just once, and then she is obsessed about him, moaning and mooning over him when Lucas didn't talk to her. My reaction to that is "Okay, girl. He isn't talking to you, Get .Over. It! Get .A. Life!" I mean, the whole drama with Lucas makes Bianca look like a five years old instead of a teenager.
I know. I'm 10 years older than the targeted audience of this book, still I'm damn sure a lot of teenage girls out there will also find Bianca's behaviors immature and silly.
Then we follow Bianca through a series of school dramas, meeting her new roommate and making friends among students. We are also told that there was a group of 'Evernight type' gorgeous, rich students who look down at the ordinary kids. Bianca was torn between staying on the Evernight type's good side and making friends with those ordinary kids. The stern, forbidding headmistress, Mrs. Bethany is also being introduced to us.
It's also hinted by Bianca and one of the ordinary students that something isn't right with the school and the Evernight type students, but the secret would only be revealed latter.
I have to admit I know what this secret is even before I read Evernight (I stumbled upon book 2 of the series first so I know what's going on in book 1), so the 'surprise' isn't really as surprising to me as it should have been. And it probably maims my enjoyment of reading a little.
I think, if I read this book without knowing anything about it beforehand, I would have truly been surprised by the major plot twist because I could hardly see it coming, still after the surprise washed over, then I would have felt so utterly cheated.
*major plot spoiler warning*
So here is the major plot twist, in the middle of the book, we are informed that many students and all of the teachers in Evernight were in fact vampires, which included Bianca herself and her parents.
Okay, that's when I'm truly unable to suppress my disbelief.
The entire book is narrated by Bianca's first person viewpoint but at the first half of the book, the word 'vampire' is never in her thoughts and she never mentioned her parents were drinking blood at dinners. How come?
I understand Miss Gray wants to give us a surprise, but it doesn't work when she used first person perspective to narrate her book! What kind of vampire/half-vampire goes through an entire day, a whole week and even months with no thoughts concerning her own true identity and her parents' vampiric behaviors ever crossing her mind? Did she have a filter in her brain to filtrate every thought about vampire? Instead I feel such plot device is stupid and I feel cheated.
And after the secret is revealed, all of a sudden the words 'vampire' and 'blood' popped up from Bianca's thoughts all the time without any break, it only confirmed my suspicion that the absence of those words in Bianca's thoughts in the first-half of the book is a pure plot device, plain and simple.
Here's a humble suggestion: if Miss Gray wants to hide the true identity of her main character, next time would she please write her book with a third person viewpoint.
Plus we also get the 'vampires going to highschool for eternity' BS.
It's reasoned that young-looking vampires can choose to go to Evernight Academy in order to learn how to deal with the modern time and pretend to be ordinary humans. I admit that it is a good idea to let vampires deal with the issue of adjusting to the modern society (Anne Rice had addressed this issue before) still I hate the idea of immortals going to freaking highschool in order to learn how to deal with the change of time. This idea sucks. Why would immortals endue living in dorm. always wearing uniform and taking orders from headmistress and teachers for eternity!?
Plus, I want to point out that I can't think of a bigger advertisement to tell vampire hunters that "VAMPIRES HERE! COME AND GET US!" than naming your vampires school "Evernight Academy".
Secondly, in the Vampire Academy series, at least the vampires who go to school are actual teenagers, adult vampires got jobs and had a life instead of staying in school forever, for crying out loud!
Eventually Lucas found out Bianca's true identity, but after spending his holiday going back to meet the other Black Cross (vampire hunters group) members and Bianca sending an email to plead her case during the holiday, Lucas just came around, accepting his girlfriend was a vamp and then proclaimed his unchanging love to Bianca after he went back to Evernight!? What the hell!? So we are supposed to believe Lucas, a vampire hunter who had been taught to hate vampires for his whole life, would suddenly realize vampires aren't all bad and evil so easily? Just for one email? Unbelievable.
*end of plot spoiler*
To sum up, I'm okay with this book but I don't think there's any special or unique about it. It keeps you reading no matter what, and it can serve well as a guilty pleasure. The parts about Lucas' true identity being revealed and the ending are pretty nice, too. If you could overlook the flaws in characters, the romance and setting, and if you were willing to overlook some eye-popping cliches and plot devices, you can enjoy the book just fine.
July 7, 2009
I was surpised to realize that I completely enjoyed myself with this book. It is somewhat of a Romeo & Juliet story of star-crossed lovers whose families are enemies, but with vampires.
The characters are sweet, secretive, and charming at the same time. I loved Lucas throughout the entirety of the book, while it took me a little while to adjust to Bianca. However, once I did I felt that the pairing of these two characters was meant to be!
I ended up being surprised twice during this book, which is exceedingly difficult for authors to do with me. It is very rare for me to be truly surprised. The fact that this author managed what very few authors do...just enhanced the book for me.
I fully recommend reading this book. I read it in one day, because I simply could not put it down. I intend to begin the second book in the series tomorrow!
The characters are sweet, secretive, and charming at the same time. I loved Lucas throughout the entirety of the book, while it took me a little while to adjust to Bianca. However, once I did I felt that the pairing of these two characters was meant to be!
I ended up being surprised twice during this book, which is exceedingly difficult for authors to do with me. It is very rare for me to be truly surprised. The fact that this author managed what very few authors do...just enhanced the book for me.
I fully recommend reading this book. I read it in one day, because I simply could not put it down. I intend to begin the second book in the series tomorrow!
February 21, 2011
Evernight is set in a very Vampire Knight setting, and is about a girl who is secretly a vampire (yeah right) who falls in love with a boring, uninteresting, controlling Romeo-wannabe and that's it.
Yes, that's it. There is no plot other than that.
This book managed to meet all of my expectations: It blew.
Now some of you may ask me why I bothered reading a book that I knew I wouldn’t like, right? Well the answer is simple: I’m a masochist. I’m somebody who faps over how terrible books are, and who enjoys bitching about them later on and warning people about how terrible this book really is.
The so called romance was of course once again bland, not to mention disgusting. Bianca has ONE conversation with Lucas about running away and changing her mind and soon after begins to gush over him because he’s so handsome and pretty and bla bla fucking bla. Bianca and Lucas have nothing in common, neither of them have personalities (Oh wait, they are both clichéd and love old movies and books because the author tried to make her teens unique just like any other YA author these days. You’re not fooling anybody, kids!), and both have no reason to love each other than the fact that Bianca is pretty and Lucas is hot.
Lucas is a lame asshole who apparently thinks he has the right to decide what’s good and what isn’t for Bianca. You do not stalk a girl because you think she can’t realize when she is in danger and when she isn’t, and you don’t treat her like she’s your property. You do not think you know better than her and the people who raised her, and you don't insult her family when you don't know squat about them. You do not 'protect' her from her own friends, and when she tells you she's okay, she's not too stupid to realize she isn't. Because believe it or not, she's actually right for once.
And the funny thing is, Bianca actually manages to realize that he is doing said things. She actually tells him ‘Look, don’t be so protective, just be there.’ which was a surprise. I didn’t expect that much brains from Bianca. But her whole lust for Lucas made no sense.
And of course like all good YA romances we have the third love interest hunk guy who is just there to be the other love interest, and his name is BALTHAZAR. And guess what? He's another surfer dude.
But, like Jacob from Twilight and Tony from Infinite days, he was a nice guy. Annoying sometimes and devoid of unique characteristics, but nice. He was someone who deserved to be the main love interest. He was kind, treated Bianca with nothing but respect, and was never cruel to her. But Bianca for some reason doesn’t deem him worthy enough to make out with. But Bianca just uses him as a rebound for Lucas when she and Lucas have a sort of falling out, which was disgusting of her. Also he kinda disappeared for a long time. I don't remember why. I guess Claudia Gray lost interest in him.
Now Bianca wasn't the worst YA heroine I have ever had to be in the mind of. Yes, she is stupid and needy and whiny and judgmental. But she doesn't find the controlling things that Lucas does romantic at all. She also doesn't view sex as sinful or terrible, which was also a surprise. But even those pros about her character aren't enough to make her likable or even a good character. She's still just a one dimensional silly little girl. In fact, a box of tissues has more complexity than any of these characters.
A lot of the book felt as though the author didn't bother thinking through any of her characters, or even the story itself. It was as though she just went 'Okay, uh... shit, uhm... Bianca is like... oh Lucas! She's gonna be in love with Lucas. He's gonna be nice and... uh oh, they fight later on! Yes they do! Okay, uhm... more drama. Oh, random surfer guy! I just loved Evermore's surfer guy character! Alright, in he goes! Uhm... so like, Bianca is in love with Lucas... uh... conflict! Bianca is, like a vampire... and... uh... Lucas.... doesn't like that... but everything is okay later!' and it just tends to continue like that. The plot is only focused on the drama of the so called 'love' story. Everything else is sort of thrown in randomly to the point that I just couldn't care anymore.
As for the plot twists, they blew harder. They were so ridiculous. Maybe it would have helped if the vampires were ACTUALLY VAMPIRES. But like every other YA vampire book, this author didn't bother doing anything with vampires or even doing the slightest bit of research. Bianca is a vampire. Ooooh dramatic.
And don't bitch at me for not censoring spoilers. You know why I didn't? Well, let me tell you something about the series.
The publishers of Evernight and the sequels are not the brightest bulbs when it comes to marketing strategies. What am I talking about, you say? I'll tell you:
EVERY BLURB OF EVERY EVERNIGHT BOOK REVEALS WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PREVIOUS BOOK. ALL THE PLOT TWISTS ARE ALREADY REVEALED ON THE BLURB OF THE NEXT BOOK.
I already knew Bianca was a vampire and that Lucas was a vampire hunter before I read this because I heard of the blurb of the second book. Yeah, not very clever of the author or the publishers. But even without that the plot twists would have been ineffective. They were just so silly and not at all developed. Drama because of the revelation doesn't count as development.
Evernight, despite the fact that it didn't suffer from as many flaws as so many other YA books out there, is still just a tacky, overly-dramatic teen angst story thrown into a school of vampire pussies that glorifies stupid teen lust as being true wuv. There is nothing original about the concept. It's pretty much a Twilighted version of Vampire Knight, which is basically about the same thing, except done by an author who knew how to research and actually develop her characters and vampires.
And yes, I do unfortunately own a copy of the book. But it was only 2 dollars down at a local Vinnies store, and I hate reading books online. But Evernight wont get a spot in my bookshelf.
Ever.
It doesn't even deserve a spot in my bookshelf. But it does make a good coaster for my drink.
Yes, that's it. There is no plot other than that.
This book managed to meet all of my expectations: It blew.
Now some of you may ask me why I bothered reading a book that I knew I wouldn’t like, right? Well the answer is simple: I’m a masochist. I’m somebody who faps over how terrible books are, and who enjoys bitching about them later on and warning people about how terrible this book really is.
The so called romance was of course once again bland, not to mention disgusting. Bianca has ONE conversation with Lucas about running away and changing her mind and soon after begins to gush over him because he’s so handsome and pretty and bla bla fucking bla. Bianca and Lucas have nothing in common, neither of them have personalities (Oh wait, they are both clichéd and love old movies and books because the author tried to make her teens unique just like any other YA author these days. You’re not fooling anybody, kids!), and both have no reason to love each other than the fact that Bianca is pretty and Lucas is hot.
Lucas is a lame asshole who apparently thinks he has the right to decide what’s good and what isn’t for Bianca. You do not stalk a girl because you think she can’t realize when she is in danger and when she isn’t, and you don’t treat her like she’s your property. You do not think you know better than her and the people who raised her, and you don't insult her family when you don't know squat about them. You do not 'protect' her from her own friends, and when she tells you she's okay, she's not too stupid to realize she isn't. Because believe it or not, she's actually right for once.
And the funny thing is, Bianca actually manages to realize that he is doing said things. She actually tells him ‘Look, don’t be so protective, just be there.’ which was a surprise. I didn’t expect that much brains from Bianca. But her whole lust for Lucas made no sense.
And of course like all good YA romances we have the third love interest hunk guy who is just there to be the other love interest, and his name is BALTHAZAR. And guess what? He's another surfer dude.
But, like Jacob from Twilight and Tony from Infinite days, he was a nice guy. Annoying sometimes and devoid of unique characteristics, but nice. He was someone who deserved to be the main love interest. He was kind, treated Bianca with nothing but respect, and was never cruel to her. But Bianca for some reason doesn’t deem him worthy enough to make out with. But Bianca just uses him as a rebound for Lucas when she and Lucas have a sort of falling out, which was disgusting of her. Also he kinda disappeared for a long time. I don't remember why. I guess Claudia Gray lost interest in him.
Now Bianca wasn't the worst YA heroine I have ever had to be in the mind of. Yes, she is stupid and needy and whiny and judgmental. But she doesn't find the controlling things that Lucas does romantic at all. She also doesn't view sex as sinful or terrible, which was also a surprise. But even those pros about her character aren't enough to make her likable or even a good character. She's still just a one dimensional silly little girl. In fact, a box of tissues has more complexity than any of these characters.
A lot of the book felt as though the author didn't bother thinking through any of her characters, or even the story itself. It was as though she just went 'Okay, uh... shit, uhm... Bianca is like... oh Lucas! She's gonna be in love with Lucas. He's gonna be nice and... uh oh, they fight later on! Yes they do! Okay, uhm... more drama. Oh, random surfer guy! I just loved Evermore's surfer guy character! Alright, in he goes! Uhm... so like, Bianca is in love with Lucas... uh... conflict! Bianca is, like a vampire... and... uh... Lucas.... doesn't like that... but everything is okay later!' and it just tends to continue like that. The plot is only focused on the drama of the so called 'love' story. Everything else is sort of thrown in randomly to the point that I just couldn't care anymore.
As for the plot twists, they blew harder. They were so ridiculous. Maybe it would have helped if the vampires were ACTUALLY VAMPIRES. But like every other YA vampire book, this author didn't bother doing anything with vampires or even doing the slightest bit of research. Bianca is a vampire. Ooooh dramatic.
And don't bitch at me for not censoring spoilers. You know why I didn't? Well, let me tell you something about the series.
The publishers of Evernight and the sequels are not the brightest bulbs when it comes to marketing strategies. What am I talking about, you say? I'll tell you:
EVERY BLURB OF EVERY EVERNIGHT BOOK REVEALS WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PREVIOUS BOOK. ALL THE PLOT TWISTS ARE ALREADY REVEALED ON THE BLURB OF THE NEXT BOOK.
I already knew Bianca was a vampire and that Lucas was a vampire hunter before I read this because I heard of the blurb of the second book. Yeah, not very clever of the author or the publishers. But even without that the plot twists would have been ineffective. They were just so silly and not at all developed. Drama because of the revelation doesn't count as development.
Evernight, despite the fact that it didn't suffer from as many flaws as so many other YA books out there, is still just a tacky, overly-dramatic teen angst story thrown into a school of vampire pussies that glorifies stupid teen lust as being true wuv. There is nothing original about the concept. It's pretty much a Twilighted version of Vampire Knight, which is basically about the same thing, except done by an author who knew how to research and actually develop her characters and vampires.
And yes, I do unfortunately own a copy of the book. But it was only 2 dollars down at a local Vinnies store, and I hate reading books online. But Evernight wont get a spot in my bookshelf.
Ever.
It doesn't even deserve a spot in my bookshelf. But it does make a good coaster for my drink.
December 2, 2016
(This book is 3 1/2 stars worth)
Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay...WTF WAS THIS??
I will try to sum up my reaction in Gif:-
FIRST 10 %
I'm patiently waiting for there to be a point in all this...
...25%...
...35%...
I cant believe this IS A LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT STORY!!
...40%...
I have better things to do...
...50%....
"what...wha..what was THAT??!! she was..she...she was IT all along??"
...65%...
TELL HIM ALREADY!!
...80%...
....Love is in the air!!
...95%...
HE HAS SKELETONS IN HIS CLOSET???
100%
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW FUCK NOW I JUST HAVE TO BUY THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT??
Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay...WTF WAS THIS??
I will try to sum up my reaction in Gif:-
FIRST 10 %
I'm patiently waiting for there to be a point in all this...
...25%...
...35%...
I cant believe this IS A LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT STORY!!
...40%...
I have better things to do...
...50%....
"what...wha..what was THAT??!! she was..she...she was IT all along??"
...65%...
TELL HIM ALREADY!!
...80%...
....Love is in the air!!
...95%...
HE HAS SKELETONS IN HIS CLOSET???
100%
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW FUCK NOW I JUST HAVE TO BUY THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT??
September 6, 2015
Holy. Freakin'. COW.
I've been enjoying the reading I'm doing as research for the agents I'd like to query about my own novel. I liked this book more than most from the beginning. It hooked me right in. But it was just a pleasant read, one I was going to give a resounding thumbs-up on Goodreads and then get on with my life.
And then I got about halfway through.
I've read good YA novels. I've read fun paranormal works. And I've read some great surprise endings (the twist in the last Hunger Games novel blew me right out of the water).
What I haven't encountered in as long as I can remember is a stunning surprise MIDDLE.
I literally jaw-dropped. Had to run down the hall and tell my husband (since I knew he wouldn't be reading it, so it's not like I was ruining it for him) what this writer had pulled off.
I'm not telling you any more. I stayed up late to finish this book and then checked my library's online catalogue to make sure that there were sequels. (There are three -- woohoo!) So I'm tired.
Just read it. I don't care how old you are, or if you're a boy or a girl. Read it and see if the middle trips you the way it did me.
Claudia Gray is so good, I'm almost not even jealous.
I've been enjoying the reading I'm doing as research for the agents I'd like to query about my own novel. I liked this book more than most from the beginning. It hooked me right in. But it was just a pleasant read, one I was going to give a resounding thumbs-up on Goodreads and then get on with my life.
And then I got about halfway through.
I've read good YA novels. I've read fun paranormal works. And I've read some great surprise endings (the twist in the last Hunger Games novel blew me right out of the water).
What I haven't encountered in as long as I can remember is a stunning surprise MIDDLE.
I literally jaw-dropped. Had to run down the hall and tell my husband (since I knew he wouldn't be reading it, so it's not like I was ruining it for him) what this writer had pulled off.
I'm not telling you any more. I stayed up late to finish this book and then checked my library's online catalogue to make sure that there were sequels. (There are three -- woohoo!) So I'm tired.
Just read it. I don't care how old you are, or if you're a boy or a girl. Read it and see if the middle trips you the way it did me.
Claudia Gray is so good, I'm almost not even jealous.
December 10, 2016
A newly transferred student, Bianca Olivier, doesn't want to be in Evernight Academy. She feels like an outcast and finds other students brilliant, competitive and intimidating. When she tries to escape, a mysterious and attractive guy, Lucas Ross, stumbled her way. They easily get along with each other but he warned her not to get close with him. Despite his warnings, she's drawn to him and nothing can stop her for being with him. As their secrets unfold, the connection between them might set apart and loyalties are going to be tested.
Unfortunately, I didn't like this book. I wasn't hooked with the story and the heroine is very annoying. Bianca is an immature, reckless, clingy and whiny heroine. I can't stand her obsession on Lucas as she keeps talking about him. I think she needs to more important things than love life. Most of the characters in this book are bland except Balthazar More. I'll give this series a chance and pick up the sequel when I'm in the mood. Crossing my fingers there will be an improvement.
Unfortunately, I didn't like this book. I wasn't hooked with the story and the heroine is very annoying. Bianca is an immature, reckless, clingy and whiny heroine. I can't stand her obsession on Lucas as she keeps talking about him. I think she needs to more important things than love life. Most of the characters in this book are bland except Balthazar More. I'll give this series a chance and pick up the sequel when I'm in the mood. Crossing my fingers there will be an improvement.
Shelved as 'wishlist'
July 25, 2021Coming up next on the Nenia Throwback YA Roster! I bought this from a thrift store because of a negative review LOL. What can I say? Rant reviews make me want to click buy buttons, real and virtual.
August 8, 2014
Damn but I hated this series. I found it completely ridiculous! I couldn't even finish the second book!
For god's sake the plot is boring, the characters idiotic and the heroine... I want to kill the heroine!
Bianca is actually a baby, and I don't mean the fact that she is 16, I mean that she is a naive, whiny, scared little girl who makes one bad decision after another!
We also have the "admirers".
Bachelor No1, "Lucas"... Lucas thinks himself a protector! Oh, but he is gorgeous! My cousin is gorgeous too, that does not a hero make!A brainwashed teenager, as ignorant as he is boring!
Bachelor No 2 "Balthazar". The guy is centuries old and he still wants a teenage girl with insecurity issues!
The fact that in the second book both of them run from friends and family in order to be together instead of standing their ground kind of tells us what kind of personalities we are reading about! Sure all heroes can't be perfect but these ones are as far from it as they come!
For god's sake the plot is boring, the characters idiotic and the heroine... I want to kill the heroine!
Bianca is actually a baby, and I don't mean the fact that she is 16, I mean that she is a naive, whiny, scared little girl who makes one bad decision after another!
We also have the "admirers".
Bachelor No1, "Lucas"... Lucas thinks himself a protector! Oh, but he is gorgeous! My cousin is gorgeous too, that does not a hero make!A brainwashed teenager, as ignorant as he is boring!
Bachelor No 2 "Balthazar". The guy is centuries old and he still wants a teenage girl with insecurity issues!
The fact that in the second book both of them run from friends and family in order to be together instead of standing their ground kind of tells us what kind of personalities we are reading about! Sure all heroes can't be perfect but these ones are as far from it as they come!
October 25, 2010
What I like:
>The book has vampires and vampire hunters in it.
>The book has an interesting love triangle.
>I love Lucas.
>It wasn't boring and a nice quick read.
>Truth is it's hard to put the book down.
>I love that the story has twists in it.
What I don't like:
>Lacks originality, the plot is a mix of Twilight (average girl goes to new school, falls for hot, mysterious guy) and Vampire Knight (love story between a vampire and a vampire hunter).
>Cheesy dialogues that made me want to puke.
>I hate Bianca sometimes but at least she's more tolerable than Bella Swan.
>I think the story could have been better if it has good dialogues.
I could have rated it higher if I haven't watch Vampire Knight yet.
Note: Vampire Knight is an anime okay, if you haven't watch this and you like Evernight, you better watch the anime/read the manga because it was way better than this one!!!
>The book has vampires and vampire hunters in it.
>The book has an interesting love triangle.
>I love Lucas.
>It wasn't boring and a nice quick read.
>Truth is it's hard to put the book down.
>I love that the story has twists in it.
What I don't like:
>Lacks originality, the plot is a mix of Twilight (average girl goes to new school, falls for hot, mysterious guy) and Vampire Knight (love story between a vampire and a vampire hunter).
>Cheesy dialogues that made me want to puke.
>I hate Bianca sometimes but at least she's more tolerable than Bella Swan.
>I think the story could have been better if it has good dialogues.
I could have rated it higher if I haven't watch Vampire Knight yet.
Note: Vampire Knight is an anime okay, if you haven't watch this and you like Evernight, you better watch the anime/read the manga because it was way better than this one!!!
March 28, 2018
OK!! I am shocked!! I was reading and reading! I reached chapter 7 and then BOOM!! The story was leading to some point but I am not sure I get what is going on! How could Bianca not know that she was a vampire?
Ok! She knows but she is confusing me!
Another shocker is Chapter 15!! Lucas is a Vampire Hunter!!! I knew something was wrong when he said to Bianca:"Don't ask me to do this. Don't give me that chance." But this I wasn't expecting! Great Book! I liked that there is a character named Dana just like me ;)
Ok! She knows but she is confusing me!
Another shocker is Chapter 15!! Lucas is a Vampire Hunter!!! I knew something was wrong when he said to Bianca:"Don't ask me to do this. Don't give me that chance." But this I wasn't expecting! Great Book! I liked that there is a character named Dana just like me ;)
May 25, 2014
Opening Line: “It was the first day of school, which meant it was my last chance to escape.”
This had been sitting on my bookshelf for a couple of years. I guess I bought it during the whole Twilight/vampire craze, I don’t remember. Anyways I finally got around to reading it and it took me ages to get through although I can’t quite put my finger on why? Could be that I’m just done with this type of story, you know teens and angst and high school drama with a side of vampires, plus this was just missing… something. It also has a couple of huge twists, like game changing twists so that you have to rethink everything and that kind of annoyed me.
The first half of this is also fairly slow going, while our heroine adjusts to her new school; it did pick up later on but with yet another major twist. Claudia Gray sure likes to shake things up and keep you guessing. By the second surprise revelation however I was ready for just about anything. I did like the ending, a little heartbreaking but with hope, leaving a great opening for the next instalment. In all honesty I probably would have enjoyed this more if I’d read it back when I bought it.
Bianca Oliver doesn’t fit it in, finding herself enrolled in the eerie and elite Evernight boarding Academy. I mean all the students are beautiful here; rich and polished and well-travelled, just about everything she is not. Bianca is a self-confessed homebody, awkward in her own skin and much happier with her books and parents then the outside world. When her parents both take teaching positions at Evernight (as if she didn’t already have enough reason to be singled out by the other students) she is reluctantly forced into the world, stuck at this strange gothic academy.
There is a definite “in” crowd at Evernight with her gorgeous, perfect (and kinda bitchy) roommate being one of “them” On her first day (as she contemplates running away) Bianca meets another outcast, Lucas. He is a total mystery and hot in that RPatz sort of way. Lucas is also suspicious of everyone at school and weirdly concerned for Bianca’s safety. Of course no Vampiric YA romance is complete without a love triangle so enter Balthazar (I love that name) he is the safe one, the sure one, the one that Bianca should be with but of course the one she tosses over for bad boy Lucas.
Wow I can’t really say much else here because of all the shocks, surprises and downright twistiness involved in this plotline. I will say that Evernight is not what it seems but for that matter neither are any of its students.
I can tell you that I enjoyed the romance, ill-fated lovers and all that and Bianca didn’t annoy me, as some teen heroines tend to do. She was actually relatable (for a while) I also really enjoyed some of the Vampire lore and specific world rules created here. Head mistress Mrs. Bethany also became one of my surprise favourite characters; she is super scary and kinda awesome all in one. Cheers
349jb3
This had been sitting on my bookshelf for a couple of years. I guess I bought it during the whole Twilight/vampire craze, I don’t remember. Anyways I finally got around to reading it and it took me ages to get through although I can’t quite put my finger on why? Could be that I’m just done with this type of story, you know teens and angst and high school drama with a side of vampires, plus this was just missing… something. It also has a couple of huge twists, like game changing twists so that you have to rethink everything and that kind of annoyed me.
The first half of this is also fairly slow going, while our heroine adjusts to her new school; it did pick up later on but with yet another major twist. Claudia Gray sure likes to shake things up and keep you guessing. By the second surprise revelation however I was ready for just about anything. I did like the ending, a little heartbreaking but with hope, leaving a great opening for the next instalment. In all honesty I probably would have enjoyed this more if I’d read it back when I bought it.
Bianca Oliver doesn’t fit it in, finding herself enrolled in the eerie and elite Evernight boarding Academy. I mean all the students are beautiful here; rich and polished and well-travelled, just about everything she is not. Bianca is a self-confessed homebody, awkward in her own skin and much happier with her books and parents then the outside world. When her parents both take teaching positions at Evernight (as if she didn’t already have enough reason to be singled out by the other students) she is reluctantly forced into the world, stuck at this strange gothic academy.
There is a definite “in” crowd at Evernight with her gorgeous, perfect (and kinda bitchy) roommate being one of “them” On her first day (as she contemplates running away) Bianca meets another outcast, Lucas. He is a total mystery and hot in that RPatz sort of way. Lucas is also suspicious of everyone at school and weirdly concerned for Bianca’s safety. Of course no Vampiric YA romance is complete without a love triangle so enter Balthazar (I love that name) he is the safe one, the sure one, the one that Bianca should be with but of course the one she tosses over for bad boy Lucas.
Wow I can’t really say much else here because of all the shocks, surprises and downright twistiness involved in this plotline. I will say that Evernight is not what it seems but for that matter neither are any of its students.
I can tell you that I enjoyed the romance, ill-fated lovers and all that and Bianca didn’t annoy me, as some teen heroines tend to do. She was actually relatable (for a while) I also really enjoyed some of the Vampire lore and specific world rules created here. Head mistress Mrs. Bethany also became one of my surprise favourite characters; she is super scary and kinda awesome all in one. Cheers
349jb3
January 3, 2010
::SPOILER ALERT::
Before anything else, I'm just going to get this part out of the way...
So I'm reading this book, and for awhile there I was wondering why it had so many bad reviews? I was having a lot of fun with the world, the characters and the charming love story.
Then...chapter 8 happened!
Seven chapters into this story, we view Bianca as a shy 16 year old kid. She's mad at her parents for bring her to Evernight, a bordering school that her parents will be teaching at. She doesn't think she belongs in a school that is rich with people who see them selves better then everyone else. In fact, she knows she doesn't belong. Never the less, she's got good parents who only want the very best, and Evernight is the best. Bianca is your typical loner, but she was just like your average everyday gal...
I always knew this was a vampire book, but the way it was delivered was just...wrong!
Chapter Eight? Bianca just bit into Lucas? So I'm expecting her to just Freak-The-Hell-Out! But no, no, we find a Bianca who knew that she was a Vampire, All.A.Long!! In fact, she new her parents, the same snotty kids that went to Evernight and even the teachers were all, indeed, Vampires?!? No clues, hints, nothing mentioned in the previous 7 chapters before? Just nothing!
The entire tone of the book was completely different. It was so misleading, it felt like doing a U-turn on on-coming traffic!
To say that I was baffled is an understatement. I had to put the book down to mentally prepare myself to read it in a completely different way. I have no idea what the author was trying to accomplish my confusing readers this way, but now I understand where a lot of bad reviews come in.
But with that said, I still really just liked this book. A lot. I liked the storyline. It almost has an underline sameness to my favorite manga/anime Vampire Knight (but VK was way better). The pace was a bit slow, but I liked it cause I was already invested in the story anyways.
The writing was well done, it pulled me into the world (both times) and I just couldn't help loving Bianca and Lucas. And all that they stood for.
What would you do if you were in love with someone who was suppose to be your sworn enemy?
Call me a sucker, but this is my kind of paranormal happy!
Looking forward to Stargazer, and hoping that there isn't another loop that will mess me up:P
Before anything else, I'm just going to get this part out of the way...
So I'm reading this book, and for awhile there I was wondering why it had so many bad reviews? I was having a lot of fun with the world, the characters and the charming love story.
Then...chapter 8 happened!
Seven chapters into this story, we view Bianca as a shy 16 year old kid. She's mad at her parents for bring her to Evernight, a bordering school that her parents will be teaching at. She doesn't think she belongs in a school that is rich with people who see them selves better then everyone else. In fact, she knows she doesn't belong. Never the less, she's got good parents who only want the very best, and Evernight is the best. Bianca is your typical loner, but she was just like your average everyday gal...
I always knew this was a vampire book, but the way it was delivered was just...wrong!
Chapter Eight? Bianca just bit into Lucas? So I'm expecting her to just Freak-The-Hell-Out! But no, no, we find a Bianca who knew that she was a Vampire, All.A.Long!! In fact, she new her parents, the same snotty kids that went to Evernight and even the teachers were all, indeed, Vampires?!? No clues, hints, nothing mentioned in the previous 7 chapters before? Just nothing!
The entire tone of the book was completely different. It was so misleading, it felt like doing a U-turn on on-coming traffic!
To say that I was baffled is an understatement. I had to put the book down to mentally prepare myself to read it in a completely different way. I have no idea what the author was trying to accomplish my confusing readers this way, but now I understand where a lot of bad reviews come in.
But with that said, I still really just liked this book. A lot. I liked the storyline. It almost has an underline sameness to my favorite manga/anime Vampire Knight (but VK was way better). The pace was a bit slow, but I liked it cause I was already invested in the story anyways.
The writing was well done, it pulled me into the world (both times) and I just couldn't help loving Bianca and Lucas. And all that they stood for.
What would you do if you were in love with someone who was suppose to be your sworn enemy?
Call me a sucker, but this is my kind of paranormal happy!
Looking forward to Stargazer, and hoping that there isn't another loop that will mess me up:P
April 30, 2019
English
I thought that I would not like this kind of books, in addition to the bad reviews it has, but luckily I read it to realize that I was wrong.
It is a book that reads quickly because it is very entertaining, it does not bore at any time.
I highlight the wonderful twists of plot that left me speechless and the incredible ending that kept me in tension at all times and I loved it because I did not expect it at all. It is a very unpredictable book.
Of course I will continue with the saga.
Español
Pensaba que no me iba a gustar este tipo de libros, además de las malas críticas que tiene, pero menos mal que lo leí para darme cuenta de que me equivocaba.
Es un libro que se lee rápido porque es muy entretenido, no aburre en ningún momento.
Destaco de él los maravillosos giros de trama que me dejaban boquiabierta y el increíble final que me mantuvo en tensión en todo momento y me encantó porque no me lo esperaba para nada. Es un libro muy impredecible.
Desde luego voy a continuar con la saga.
I thought that I would not like this kind of books, in addition to the bad reviews it has, but luckily I read it to realize that I was wrong.
It is a book that reads quickly because it is very entertaining, it does not bore at any time.
I highlight the wonderful twists of plot that left me speechless and the incredible ending that kept me in tension at all times and I loved it because I did not expect it at all. It is a very unpredictable book.
Of course I will continue with the saga.
Español
Pensaba que no me iba a gustar este tipo de libros, además de las malas críticas que tiene, pero menos mal que lo leí para darme cuenta de que me equivocaba.
Es un libro que se lee rápido porque es muy entretenido, no aburre en ningún momento.
Destaco de él los maravillosos giros de trama que me dejaban boquiabierta y el increíble final que me mantuvo en tensión en todo momento y me encantó porque no me lo esperaba para nada. Es un libro muy impredecible.
Desde luego voy a continuar con la saga.
July 30, 2009
Compulsively readable. Like, went to go buy the next book that night but they didn't have it at Dolly's...Will drive into SLC tomorrow for the sequel. Is that so wrong?
February 27, 2020
Entertaining
Rating 3.5 stars. Right from the start this story takes off. When everything kicked off it was quite entertaining. Well now that lots of secrets are out in the open, I'm curious as to how this story will continue. So I'll definitely will continue because I need to know. LOL
Rating 3.5 stars. Right from the start this story takes off. When everything kicked off it was quite entertaining. Well now that lots of secrets are out in the open, I'm curious as to how this story will continue. So I'll definitely will continue because I need to know. LOL
March 21, 2023
3.5⭐️ Well, I didn't know what to expect from this book? It's a very easy read (must be noted that I'm not the target audience) and doesn't require too much concentration to read. The characters are solidly written, and the setting of the world was really well thought out. But. . . . . This book/series isn't going to leave a lasting impression on me, I don't think.
August 19, 2016
Aviso : la reseña tiene un spoiler (no es grave, pero es spoiler al fin) que oculté debidamente.
Encontré pocas cosas que me gustaron de este libro, pero son lo suficientemente buenas (desde mi perspectiva, claro está) como para que no pasara a integrar mi lista negra de una sola estrella. Es un 2.5 que no quise redondear hacia arriba porque he leído inicios de series mejores. Una equiparación hubiera sido algo injusta.
Bianca es una chica de dieciséis años a la que se le ocurre fugarse de la escuela en donde sus padres (que además son profesores en el mismo lugar) la anotaron por su bien, porque ya no sabe en qué idioma decirles que no quiere asistir allí. A tres o cuatro páginas de haberse escapado, se produce el primer encuentro con Lucas Ross. Como se imaginarán, la muchacha se obsesiona con él después de sólo haber conversado durante cinco minutos. Además, tiene pelo broncíneo. Imposible no enamorarse de él, ¿no? Así que terminan volviendo a la escuela y después los capítulos giran en torno a tres temas: 1) Lucas, 2) la marginación de los alumnos nuevos y diferentes y 3) Lucas.
No hay sorpresas, y ese es uno de los puntos débiles. El giro que da la trama cuando sucede lo que sucede para que todo se revele es forzado y, por ende, brusco. Algunas cuestiones que se presentan como agujeros en el argumento después terminan siendo claves de un segundo a otro, algo que hizo que pensara si eso estaba calculado por Gray desde el primer momento o si ella misma se dio cuenta de sus incoherencias e intentó salvarlas como pudo. Me inclino a lo segundo porque soy desconfiada.
La narración en primera persona la lleva Bianca. Para poder dar una idea de las consecuencias que esto tiene en el libro, podría decir que es igual a leer la perspectiva de una Bella Swan un poco más irritante. Las frases repetitivas, sobre todo las relacionadas con el aroma de Lucas y las sensaciones que él le produce, cansan. No es un buen recurso para un libro que casi carece de momentos entretenidos y tiene demasiadas escenas cliché. La escritura no me pareció muy buena (hay una exageración en el uso de palabras que supuestamente usan los más jóvenes), pero tampoco fue un desastre.
Lo que me gustó tiene relación con dos personajes que mencioné mucho en mis status: Balthazar y Raquel. Balthazar no tiene muchas vueltas, porque desde que aparece uno capta que es el tercero en discordia. Pero no molesta, tiene las mejores frases de la novela (si es que hay algunas) y lee a Henry James. Raquel, por otro lado, despertó mi curiosidad desde el minuto uno. No es la típica amiga enérgica de la protagonista, ni siquiera genera un balance con ella. Raquel es la verdadera rara de la escuela y tiene más matices que Bianca, así que espero que en la continuación de este libro tenga más protagonismo. Hay muchos personajes que deambulan y que pueden “levantar” el libro, pero necesitan que la autora los desarrolle. Porque, siendo sincera, Bianca y Lucas son insoportables y planos. Muy planos.
En conclusión, Medianoche es un libro que acumula muchas fallas en los lugares en donde se podría haber diferenciado de otras historias de este género. Es predecible, los personajes principales no aportan ninguna originalidad y la trama cobra interés cuando aparecen personajes periféricos. A pesar de todo esto, quise darle una oportunidad a Adicción con la esperanza de una mejoría. Veremos.
Encontré pocas cosas que me gustaron de este libro, pero son lo suficientemente buenas (desde mi perspectiva, claro está) como para que no pasara a integrar mi lista negra de una sola estrella. Es un 2.5 que no quise redondear hacia arriba porque he leído inicios de series mejores. Una equiparación hubiera sido algo injusta.
Bianca es una chica de dieciséis años a la que se le ocurre fugarse de la escuela en donde sus padres (que además son profesores en el mismo lugar) la anotaron por su bien, porque ya no sabe en qué idioma decirles que no quiere asistir allí. A tres o cuatro páginas de haberse escapado, se produce el primer encuentro con Lucas Ross. Como se imaginarán, la muchacha se obsesiona con él después de sólo haber conversado durante cinco minutos. Además, tiene pelo broncíneo. Imposible no enamorarse de él, ¿no? Así que terminan volviendo a la escuela y después los capítulos giran en torno a tres temas: 1) Lucas, 2) la marginación de los alumnos nuevos y diferentes y 3) Lucas.
No hay sorpresas, y ese es uno de los puntos débiles. El giro que da la trama cuando sucede lo que sucede para que todo se revele es forzado y, por ende, brusco. Algunas cuestiones que se presentan como agujeros en el argumento después terminan siendo claves de un segundo a otro, algo que hizo que pensara si eso estaba calculado por Gray desde el primer momento o si ella misma se dio cuenta de sus incoherencias e intentó salvarlas como pudo. Me inclino a lo segundo porque soy desconfiada.
La narración en primera persona la lleva Bianca. Para poder dar una idea de las consecuencias que esto tiene en el libro, podría decir que es igual a leer la perspectiva de una Bella Swan un poco más irritante. Las frases repetitivas, sobre todo las relacionadas con el aroma de Lucas y las sensaciones que él le produce, cansan. No es un buen recurso para un libro que casi carece de momentos entretenidos y tiene demasiadas escenas cliché. La escritura no me pareció muy buena (hay una exageración en el uso de palabras que supuestamente usan los más jóvenes), pero tampoco fue un desastre.
Lo que me gustó tiene relación con dos personajes que mencioné mucho en mis status: Balthazar y Raquel. Balthazar no tiene muchas vueltas, porque desde que aparece uno capta que es el tercero en discordia. Pero no molesta, tiene las mejores frases de la novela (si es que hay algunas) y lee a Henry James. Raquel, por otro lado, despertó mi curiosidad desde el minuto uno. No es la típica amiga enérgica de la protagonista, ni siquiera genera un balance con ella. Raquel es la verdadera rara de la escuela y tiene más matices que Bianca, así que espero que en la continuación de este libro tenga más protagonismo. Hay muchos personajes que deambulan y que pueden “levantar” el libro, pero necesitan que la autora los desarrolle. Porque, siendo sincera, Bianca y Lucas son insoportables y planos. Muy planos.
En conclusión, Medianoche es un libro que acumula muchas fallas en los lugares en donde se podría haber diferenciado de otras historias de este género. Es predecible, los personajes principales no aportan ninguna originalidad y la trama cobra interés cuando aparecen personajes periféricos. A pesar de todo esto, quise darle una oportunidad a Adicción con la esperanza de una mejoría. Veremos.
February 8, 2017
I enjoyed this!
I have seen this around the book store a couple times, but didnt really think anything of it. Then one day my mom saw the newest one in the series, and said "Sarah this one look good". Of course I knew that there where three more ahead of that one so I went and picked it up. Glad I did.
For me there where 3 twists in this book. The two that happened at once, the third later on. I was pretty shocked actually. I did suspect the vampire thing though. Bianca is likeable, I didn't mind being in her head. Lucas was more interesting to me, he was mysterious like you never knew what was going on in his head. Bianca and Lucas' relationship seemed believable to me and I liked that even though they shouldnt be together because of what they are that wouldn't stop them.
As for the secondary characters I liked Balthazar the best. He was kind to Bianca from the beginning and stayed her friend even after she choose Lucas. (not that she was ever going to pick Balthazar). I want to know more about him and his past so I'm quite interested in the book Claudia Grey is writing about him!!
I have seen this around the book store a couple times, but didnt really think anything of it. Then one day my mom saw the newest one in the series, and said "Sarah this one look good". Of course I knew that there where three more ahead of that one so I went and picked it up. Glad I did.
For me there where 3 twists in this book. The two that happened at once, the third later on. I was pretty shocked actually. I did suspect the vampire thing though. Bianca is likeable, I didn't mind being in her head. Lucas was more interesting to me, he was mysterious like you never knew what was going on in his head. Bianca and Lucas' relationship seemed believable to me and I liked that even though they shouldnt be together because of what they are that wouldn't stop them.
As for the secondary characters I liked Balthazar the best. He was kind to Bianca from the beginning and stayed her friend even after she choose Lucas. (not that she was ever going to pick Balthazar). I want to know more about him and his past so I'm quite interested in the book Claudia Grey is writing about him!!
June 2, 2010
Surprisingly, I really enoyed this book. It was almost on the edge of eyerolling, but was rescued just in time.
Bianca, an awkward, shy young teenage girl, begins the year at a new school where she meets Lucas, a mysterious boy with bronze hair that warns her away from him while yet another dark haired and muscular boy, Balthazar, whom she thinks of as only a friend, is also interested in her. Sound vaguely familiar?
Bianca spends too much time thinking about Lucas, almost to where I was starting to think is this all there is to this book and then, close to halfway through, the story completely changes direction and from that point on, it takes off and the story is different and exciting.
The characters are interesting and intriguing and the twists in the second half of the book are great. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Bianca, an awkward, shy young teenage girl, begins the year at a new school where she meets Lucas, a mysterious boy with bronze hair that warns her away from him while yet another dark haired and muscular boy, Balthazar, whom she thinks of as only a friend, is also interested in her. Sound vaguely familiar?
Bianca spends too much time thinking about Lucas, almost to where I was starting to think is this all there is to this book and then, close to halfway through, the story completely changes direction and from that point on, it takes off and the story is different and exciting.
The characters are interesting and intriguing and the twists in the second half of the book are great. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 14, 2009
I'm stunned. I was expecting something along the lines of the House of Night series, but this was much different. I haven't read a book that had such a good twist in it in a long time. I thought I had a pretty good grip on what was happening in the story, but midway through the author pulled the rug out from underneath me! Excellent! Can't wait to read the next one.
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