| Title | : | A Drop of Night |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0062289926 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780062289926 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 439 |
| Publication | : | First published March 15, 2016 |
Or so she thought.
But nothing is as it seems, and the teens soon find themselves embroiled in a game far more sinister, and dangerous, than they could possibly have imagined. An evil spanning centuries is waiting for them in the depths. . .
A Drop of Night Reviews
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A Drop of Night actually proved to be a pretty interesting book.
If you like a bit of everything in speculative fiction, then this book might just strike your fancy. It definitely has some drama, history, mystery, and a whole lot of science fiction and thriller, and I daresay that the book was able to mesh them well. Even though there were so many elements altogether, it never felt muddled or out of place or all over the place. And to be honest with you, for a book of this kind, that's rare.
Do take note - it's not perfect. But it did try and it tried really well.
What are you to do when you receive a letter - out of nowhere - inviting you to help a team explore a newly-discovered underground castle in France? A castle made centuries ago that would surely be a treasure trove of wonders, mysteries, and secrets? Of course, you wouldn't accept it without looking who is behind the excavation - and so you research and you find out that it's sponsored by one of the most influential families in the world, the Sapanis. So without telling your parents because of your strained relationship with them, you go off with four other teenage strangers, to literally meet the adventure of your lives.
Except, of course, you didn't expect it to actually be a very, very, very shady affair.
As a science-fiction thriller mixed with a bit of historical, this was pretty good. We're introduced to the Butterfly Castle that is filled with traps and mazes and gothic interior architecture that sounds just as mesmerizing in paper as you would imagine it in real life. Literally fighting for their lives, they try to evade not just the traps and the superhuman trackers, but also a third party in the midst that seem to have motives of his own. You don't find me usually on my toes, but this one effectively made me almost rip the pages out in my wanting to know what happens next. What are they going to find in the next room? Will they find enemy or foe? Why is there a picture of them in a particular room? Why is the castle full of traps at all, and why are they there in the first place?! Why did these people use an excavation as a lure to get them into this place?!
You're probably wondering - did these teenagers really accept this invitation and the events that led them this far without questioning anything? Unfortunately, I've read a fair amount of YA thrillers where teenagers have done just that, so it was such a pleasant surprise to see Anouk, the heroine in this story, being a very self-aware main character. From start to finish, her mind was continuously working, thinking, trying to figure out about the whys and the hows. She started feeling suspicions when they don't even stop by immigration to get to their plane. She started thinking later why they would want five random teenagers in such a big excavation site when they don't even have experience in that field at all? And where are the scientists, the journalists surely filming this, and everyone else?
Anouk is the number one reason why I enjoyed reading this book- it's not just the ordinary thriller where the writing is flat and monotonous and unexciting. Anouk's dark humor and sarcastic and cynic way of viewing things is heavily seen in the writing, and it gives you a different way of approaching thrillers where it is usually from a third person point of view. Seriously, just her side comments sometimes makes me laugh, and the way she talks about the dangers makes you feel it in your very bones, too.
However, the book is not perfect.
While I did say that this book is not at all muddled, some may feel disappointed at the sudden redirection the book takes in the latter part of the book. If you're hoping to read a book about teenagers trapped in an underground castle-maze with creepy people monitoring them, then later only to be redirected to some sort of science fiction madness... yeah, it did strike me as odd, too. The atmosphere in the first part is definitely different compared to the second, especially with all the Frankenstein elements going on. There are even talks of existential and philosophical crises, ala Persona style (if you're aware of that game, that is... because usually, the villain in that game talks about how the world must end because the majority of the people are already bad and/or there is way too much malevolence in the world).
To some, this may seem "out-of-nowhere". To some, this may be "all over the place". But even though I was surprised, Anouk's narration was consistent althroughout and that made all the difference to me. -
You know when a book is objectively not very good, but you’re still trash for it? Yeah. This is a new favorite book. I loved this pile of weird mishmash and easy plot devices.
Concept: ★★★★★
Actual plot: ★★
Surprises: ★
Personal Enjoyment: ★★★★★
A Drop of Night holds literally all of my favorite things. Welcome to my den of weird plot devices, underground labyrinths, twisted aristocracy, crazy old mansions with trap rooms, cat and mouse chases, the supernatural, and a heavy dose of 1700s France (ugh, Versailles, I am here for it).
This is the story of a bunch of teenagers being told that they have been chosen to break ground on a one-of-a-kind archaeological dig underneath a 1700s French manor house. Supposedly, there is a "shadow palace" built entirely underground beneath the manor. Like Versailles, but underground.
UNDERGROUND. (claps hands vigorously with enthusiasm)
Obviously, this is extremely hoaky from the start. But our main character doesn't care about that (thankfully) and decides to go to the manor house and join the team.
She and the group of teenagers are immediately drugged—turns out the teens are still the guests of honor, but for a very different reason.
Said teens then "escape" into the underground Versailles-like mansion.
But there is a twist: something else lives in the mansion, and it's coming for them.
Now they're trying to escape by fleeing bizarre palace historical rooms with extremely modern traps, while also trying to avoid the supernatural thing that is coming after them.
Oh, and there are these bloody ghost-like beings that keep appearing in random rooms and calling our main character by a different name.
Oh, and there are also these past timeline entries from 1700s France regarding the daughter of the man who built this underground palace. Turns out, things were creepy even then.
As you can tell from my ecstatic review, this was a fantastic read. I read it in almost one sitting. It is the best kind of thing for my reading tastes, and honestly would appeal to anyone who can watch House of Wax and As Above, So Below (horror films: one hoaky, one underground scary) with equal joy.
BUT it's a three star because:
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If I think about the whole plot of this book, I might give my usual wtf face because it's kinda weird in a way that makes you think this is the first time that someone do this
I don't have anything negative to say about the book which is a first because I'm the Queen of Negativity but I love this. I like how you don't know what's going on, what the fuck is moving in that corner and what will be the ending.
Top 3 things that made me like the book are:
1. The heroine.
2. The fuckery
3. How this book was written.
The heroine
I don't know how to describe her in a way that will perfectly describe her grouchiness, how she hates everyone and what a bitch she is.
Person: Hi! I want to be your friend.
Heroine: Go fuck yourself.
See? I like her.
The Fuckery
Like dundundunduuuuun. Why the hell are the lights off? What the fuck is moving down there? Who is it? What is it? Da fuuuck! Run for your lives!!!
How the book was written.
Ha. No spoilers. That's part of the charm of this book. I'm not sure if this half-assed review will convince you to read the book, but if you want something a bit different and kinda scary book, grab
A Drop of Night.
"Shh. He is close. "
"Who?"
"L' homme papillon. -
2,5* ; Ich weeeeeiß nicht.. Ich fand die Charaktere alle irgendwie eher flach und sonderlich originell war die Story auch nicht unbedingt, obwohl das glaube ich die Intention war. Den Schreibstil fand ich ganz angenehm & wenn man einmal drin war, kam man auch ganz gut voran. Das Ende fand ich aber so unglaublich unbefriedigend, das ist sehr frustrierend 😂
-
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
“And a man is standing in the corner. Bleeding. Watching us.”
This was a YA thriller/mystery story about 5 teens lured to an underground palace, who then find themselves trapped in a sinister way.
I did like Anouk as a character, and she did come out with some funny lines, but she was also a bit prickly at times, and it took time to really understand her. I did start to get where she was coming from a bit more when the truth behind her home situation was revealed.
The storyline in this was part mystery, part thriller, part horror, part fantasy all mashed up together, and I did appreciate the minor-creepiness when we got it, and the perceived threat, even if the fantasy aspect didn’t really do it for me. This was quite a difficult one to guess what was happening though, and it reminded me a bit of the film ‘The Cube’ with the booby-trapped rooms. The pace was a little slow for me though, and I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I expected to.
The ending to this was okay, and things did end reasonably happily, there was just something that stopped me from loving this one though.
6 out of 10 -
Das gruseligste Buch das ich je gelesen habe 😝😅
-
A Drop of Night was an interesting and creepy read. The story is told in two different timelines. The first timeline tells the story of Aurélie who is living in the late 1780. Her father is building a palace beneath his palace and it will harbor a dangerous secret. The second timeline is the story of Anouk in present day. Anouk just found the perfect way to get away from her family. She was invited to join an elite group of students to help unearth a palace from the French Revolution, The Palace of Butterflies, just outside of Paris. Both of them are in for really big surprise when they discover what is lurking underground.
This story mostly follows Anouk as she began her adventure. She gets this letter and starts the testing to become part of this expedition. This letter basically gives her the chance of a lifetime to travel to Paris, all expenses paid. She should be excited at the opportunity. She isn’t. She is the type of girl to question everyone. Her only reason for taking the invitation to the expedition was for the chance to get away from her family. Anouk is a girl with a chip on her shoulders. It wasn’t clearly explained why, but I understood her anger. She is an angsty young adult, so she doesn’t really need a reason to be aloof and anti-social. It may be the reason she was chosen for this project. Maybe.
Once they get into the palace, nothing is what it seems. There is deception and Anouk and her fellow students are hunted. The scenes are pretty scary. I have to admit, I didn’t know who to trust. Things happen in this book that remind me of random dreamscapes so haunting they keep you from falling back asleep.
I think the historical timeline added a lot to this story. The things Aurélie went through have a direct impact on present day Anouk. I thought the flips through time were very well done. Admittedly, I didn’t understand everything that was going on with Aurélie all the time. I just got this overwhelming sense of foreboding in her parts of the story. I also understood that she was a bit helpless in her situation. Anouk is a lot like Aurélie and as the book progressed I totally understood why. Anouk starts with just the right attitude to become a leader among her peers. Anouk is the one who steps up and takes control.
At first, I didn’t understand how the two timelines connected. I was certain it was because of the place Anouk was going to be exploring. It was the same palace that Aurélie lived in. That connection would have been enough, but no. It was something much more implausible. I found that if I didn’t try to make complete sense out of things, the story flowed well. There were a lot of questions that came up in this story that just didn’t get an answer.
The problems I had with this book weren’t enough to keep me from reading it. Some of it was confusing, and I didn’t get the reasons for some events, but I kept reading. I loved the creep factor of this story. There is definitely something very paranormal and wrong in the palace underground. A Drop of Night was a creepy mystery. This story took me by surprise and is unlike most of the YA I have read. -
I received review from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
The main problem that I have with this book is how misleading the synopsis is. After reading the synopsis, I thought this was going to be an contemporary adventure book, but instead I got a fantasy horror book. As a result, I was thrown off-guard and wasn't able to completely appreciate the novel.
If I was given enough warning on what this book is really going to be about - which I can't tell you because it might become somewhat of a spoiler (I'm not really sure.) - I might not have picked this book up because I generally don't enjoy these types of books. But if I still chose to read this, then I wouldn't have been as confused as I was when I was reading this, and I would actually be able to appreciate the story.
That said, after learning what this book is really about, I tried to change my mindset to finish the novel. And I must say, I do appreciate the unique plot. The writing style is unique and the novel is well-paced. It's as interesting as I thought it would be, only in a different manner. I really liked their teamwork and the friendships that blossomed. However, I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters. I imagine that I would enjoy this better as a movie than as a book, but I also might be creeped out by it haha!
Overall, this just seriously not what I expected. I don't fully blame the book nor the author for the low rating, but I blame the misleading synopsis because I would not likely have picked this up otherwise. However, I cannot fully say that I regret reading this book, because I really love the idea. -
Die junge New Yorkerin Anouk, Adoptivkind einer wohlhabenden Familie, war auf den besten Schulen und hat die besten Voraussetzungen, versteht sich aber überhaupt nicht mit ihrer Familie. Als ein Unternehmen junge Leute sucht, um in Frankreich einen mutmaßlichen unterirdischen Palast zu erkunden, besteht sie alle Eignungstests und ergreift die Chance, ohne die Eltern zu informieren. Am Flughafen trifft sie auf weitere vier Jugendliche, die ausgewählt wurden. Doch kaum sind die fünf im Chateau in Frankreich eingetroffen, scheint irgendetwas nicht zu stimmen. Man will den Jugendlichen offenbar an den Kragen. Sehr schnell überstürzen sich die Ereignisse.
Nach seinem zweibändigen Debüt um die „Seltsamen“ hat Stefan Bachmann sich bereits im Teenageralter zurecht einen Namen gemacht. Mir persönlich hatte der zweite Teil nicht mehr so gut gefallen wie der erste, aber ich mochte die Geschichte doch genug, um die Karriere des jungen Schriftstellers weiterverfolgen zu wollen.
Mit dem Jugend-Mystery-Thriller „Palast der Finsternis“ kann Bachmann leider nicht an die Qualität der Vorgängerwerke anknüpfen. Waren die „Seltsamen“ originell und Zeugnis einer überbordenden Fantasie, enttäuscht „Der Palast der Finsternis“ mit einem hanebüchenen Plot und einer 08/15-Mysterystory um ein paar Jugendliche, die mich in ihrem Verlauf doch etwas an die Edelstein-Trilogie von Kerstin Gier erinnerte (allerdings ohne deren Witz). Ich weiß, dass viele Leser ein Problem mit der Protagonistin Anouk haben, die zunächst tatsächlich unausstehlich zu sein scheint. Hierfür schafft Bachmann allerdings einen erklärenden Hintergrund, den ich für durchaus interessant halte, und Anouk macht im Verlauf des Romans eine erkennbare Entwicklung durch, die nicht sehr originell, aber passabel ist. Außerdem muss ich Bachmann zu Gute halten, dass er auf die für Jugendromane typische und oft kitschige Lovestory verzichtet. So viel zu den positiven Seiten des Buchs. Stilistisch ist das Buch nicht bemerkenswert, liest sich gut. Der Plot erweist sich leider als sehr unglaubwürdig und ab einer gewissen Stelle vorhersehbar, die übrigen Charaktere sind blass, die Motive klischeehaft. Der Roman endet mit einer kitschigen Note.
Ich will Stefan Bachmann hier keineswegs fertigmachen. Er ist noch sehr jung und es ist verständlich, dass er mit dem Nachfolger für seine beiden ersten Romane etwas ganz anderes vorlegen wollte. Doch hier ist meiner Meinung nach schon die Prämisse problematisch, sie bietet nicht viel Spielraum für eine glaubwürdige Handlung. Ich hoffe, dass Bachmann mit seinem nächsten Werk wieder mehr überzeugen kann. -
Auf „Palast der Finsternis“ von Stefan Bachmann wurde ich schon beim Anblick der Leseprobe neugierig. Das Cover sieht so herrlich düster-unheimlich aus und sowohl Titel als auch Klappentext klangen mindestens ebenso verheißungsvoll. Ich liebe gute Gruselgeschichten – auch wenn ich sie nicht abends vor dem Einschlafen lesen kann. Doch tagsüber sorgen sie für genau die richtige Dosis Gruselfaktor. Am liebsten sind mir klassische und gradlinige Storys, mit Spukhäusern und seltsamen Erscheinungen. Barbara Erskine ist eine Autorin, deren Romane teils diese Richtung einschlagen. In „Palast der Finsternis“ schreibt Bachmann nun über einen unterirdischen Palast und Räume, in denen sich Abgründe auftun – ich fühlte mich extrem angesprochen.
Tatsächlich nimmt die Geschichte auch einen entsprechend von mir erwarteten Verlauf. Fünf Jugendliche gelangen in besagtes Schloss und erleben so einige finstere Dinge, die ich mir nicht zu sehr im Detail vorstellen mochte. Der Autor beschränkt sich jedoch nicht nur auf sonderbare Begegnungen und unerklärliche Vorkommnisse, sondern baut zusätzlich noch eine Art Abenteuer-Parcours mit ein, so dass für ausreichend Action gesorgt ist. Schlussendlich ist „Palast der Finsternis“ meinem Empfinden nach eine Mischung aus „Indiana Jones“ und „Die Fünf Freunde“ oder wahlweise „TKKG“. Einige Elemente erinnerten mich auch sehr stark an den Film „Cube“ aus dem Jahr 1997, in dem eine Gruppe Menschen in einem aus Würfeln bestehenden Gebäude erwachen und einen Weg nach draußen suchen. Dabei begegnen sie in jedem Raum neuen tödlichen Fallen und Gefahren.
WIR SIND IRGENDWIE LÄCHERLICH. WIE EINE GRUPPE ÜBEREIFRIGER SÖLDNER IN EINEM BILLIGEN SCIENCE-FICTION-FILM, DIE SICH MIT HAUSHALTSGEGENSTÄNDEN BEWAFFNEN. (SEITE 131)
Diese Assoziationen entzogen dem Roman leider ein wenig seine Wirkkraft. Nichtsdestotrotz gibt es vieles, was diese Geschichte einzigartig macht. Zum einen wären das die Rückblenden in die Vergangenheit, durch die der Leser mehr über den Ursprung des Palastes erfährt. Hier erzählt Aurélie, die Tochter des Adligen, der den Bau des Palastes beauftragt. Sie ist ein sehr sympathischer Charakter, ein liebenswerter und mutiger Sturkopf. Zudem ist diese zweite Zeitebene unerlässlich, um die gesamte Tragweite des Geschehens zu verstehen.
Aufgelöst werden die Zusammenhänge erst ganz am Ende der Geschichte. Bis dahin wird der Leser getrieben von Ahnungen, doch letztendlich war ich doch sehr überrascht. Stefan Bachmann hat sich etwas einfallen lassen! Einziger kleiner Wermutstropfen: Gegen Ende wurde mir alles doch ein wenig zu verrückt und wirr und blutig. Die Geschichte beginnt wunderbar subtil mysteriös, das verliert sich etwas im weiteren Verlauf.
„ANGENOMMEN, WIR LASSEN UNS NICHT MEHR EINSCHÜCHTERN UND UNTERNEHMEN ETWAS, ANSTATT NUR SCHREIEND DURCH DIE GEGEND ZU RENNEN?“
„ICH GLAUBE, SCHREIEND HERUMZURENNEN WAR EIN ZIEMLICH AKZEPTABLES BENEHMEN UNTER DEN GEGEBENEN UMSTÄNDEN“, ERWIDERT JULES. (SEITE 275/276)
Gut gefiel mir wiederum, dass zwischen Mystery und Horror noch Raum für Emotionen bleibt. Diese gefühlvollen Momente hat Stefan Bachmann sehr harmonisch in das große Ganze eingebunden. So hat mich beispielsweise Aurélie’s Schicksal sehr berührt und beinahe zu Tränen gerührt. Angenehm entwickelte sich auch Anouk, die mir anfangs durch die Bank weg unsympathisch war. Sie zeigt sich im Palast von einer anderen Seite, so dass ich Verständnis für sie entwickeln konnte. Am besten war aber die Dynamik der Jugendlichen untereinander, die sich in dieser Extremsituation wiederfinden und irgendwie damit zurechtkommen müssen.
Fazit
Stefan Bachmann bietet dem Leser in „Palast der Finsternis“ eine spannende Geschichte voller Mystery und Horror. Die Charaktere sind anfangs etwas sperrig, bringen letztendlich jedoch sehr viel Emotionalität mit rein. Leider waren mir einige Ideen nicht ganz neu, dennoch funktioniert der Roman gut, unterhält und bietet eine kurzweilige Zerstreuung. Eine lange nachwirkende Geschichte ist es für mich nicht – doch muss es das immer sein? -
Schlechtestes Buch, das ich dieses Jahr komplett gelesen habe.
Der Klappentext ist völlig irreführend, die Geschichte umso mehr und vor allem die Auflösung am Ende ist irgendwie so platt, platter geht es fast nicht mehr! Ich habe einen Mystery Thriller erwartet und eine Fantasy Horror Geschichte bekommen.
Ach ja und die Charaktere sind auch durchweg unsympathisch, vor allem die Protagonistin. Gegen Ende wird dann ihre Geschichte erzählt und man soll wohl Mitleid mit ihr haben...nee, hatte ich nicht. War so ein typisches Klischee, das erklären sollte, warum Anouk so vermurkst ist.
Ich ärgere mich auch, dass ich 18 Euro für so einen Mist ausgegeben habe und mich von dem sehr schönen Cover habe blenden lassen. -
This was a book that, for me, I thought was best to go in completely blind to. I had no expectations for this book when I started it and it completely blew me away! The twists and turns throughout the entire book were incredible. I swore up and down that I knew the way things were going to go and then something else would happen or be revealed surprising me. I loved all the characters in this novel, the setting was creepy yet awe inspiring, and this book took me to places I would have never even dreamed of! A little heavy hitting towards the end but for me that made this book even more amazing!
Longer review coming soon! -
A Drop of Night was an adrenaline soaked thrill-ride from almost the beginning. While at first, I couldn't find any connection to any character, and just couldn't stand one, by the middle of the story I was rooting for them all. Stefan Bachmann has created an incredibly unique, intense YA thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, heart-pounding.
I feel like so many of the books that I have reviewed lately have been almost impossible to talk about without revealing spoilers, and A Drop of Night is no exception. Almost every aspect of this story is an important piece to the entire puzzle, and I don't want to ruin it for anyone. I can tell you that there are two stories happening simultaneously in these pages, and they are each equally important. The history of this family, and this secret underground palace, is woven between the pages of the present day story of five teens brought to see and research this palace for the first time. Both stories intertwine, and make the other better.
The characters in this story span 200 years and there isn't one that doesn't have his or her place. They range from Anouk, one of the teens brought in for the expedition, who has a massive chip on her shoulder, to Perdu, a man who doesn't remember who he is. There is a cocky jock, a sweet as ice cream girl, a quiet and reserved teenage boy and a fun-loving and silly teen boy. They each were important to this story, and brought something different to the table, They were all well thought out, much-needed characters, and whether I loved or hated them, they were wonderfully written.
While all of the little elements of this book were wonderful, the best by far is the world-building. The underground palace is a character in its own right. Traps, tricks, mazes and mirrors, this place is world-building gold.I couldn't get enough of the descriptions of each room, and could have read more and more about it, happily. It is a truly impressive work, this underground palace!
A Drop of Night was not at all what I expected, and I loved it all the more because of that. If you like thrill rides, stories with pulse-pounding action scenes, and stories that will pull every emotion to the surface, this one is absolutely for you. I am so glad that I took a chance on this book. I can promise it won't be the last of this authors stories that I dive right in to! -
I give this book a 3.5 stars (seriously why isn't half stars a thing yet)
I did like the book, but I wouldn't say I loved it. I'd define the book as more YA Horror than mystery, and there is a lot of creepy scenes in the books and not gonna lie I read it one night before bed and had a hard time falling asleep because of it haha
The characters are pretty forgettable, the only one I enjoyed were the main character and Lily. The book is definitely intriguing enough to keep you reading to find out what happens, but not enough to suck you into the story. Overall I do think this was a super unique read which is a plus and a quick one also. -
Zu manchen Büchern gibt es gar nicht viel zu sagen, denn sie tun genau das, was man sich von ihnen erhofft – sie bieten gute Unterhaltung.
Zu diesen gehört auch „Palast der Finsternis“: böse Schurken, wahre Helden, ein bisschen Fantasy, ein bisschen Horror und ganz viel Abenteuer.
Die Idee ist gut und von der ersten Seite an mitreißend.
Es liest sich angenehm flüssig und auch wenn die Charaktere nicht sehr komplex sind, so macht es dennoch Spaß, sie auf ihrer gefährlichen Flucht durch den unterirdischen Palast zu begleiten.
Ein Buch nicht nur für Jugendliche, das sich bei einem Preis von 18 Euro gut als Geschenk eignet, um das Taschengeld ein wenig zu schonen -
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
2 stars? 3 stars? Can't decide which one.
I don't know, it's just that I couldn't connect with any of the characters or fully appreciate the convoluted plot.
Review will be posted near the release date.
Update: scanned the book briefly and honestly I can't be bothered. It's just weird. Not good weird, mostly bad weird, but tbh a lot of confusing weird. minus 1 star -
I'm sorry, but what was this supposed to be? Horror? Thriller? Because I didn't feel either of them. This is a book about five teenagers who go through hell, yet the reader stays as emotionally detached as possible. I didn't care one bit about these characters and their fate.
And you know what? I think horror movies need to pull you in in some way, even if it's only a need to find out who the sadistic bad guys are in the end, or because you sympathize with the characters and want them to get out safely. Neither was the case here. And it wasn't very thrilling either, because nothing ever made sense, I mean it, nothing. Some few things are revealed way towards the end, but at that point, I was already too far gone to care at all.
All this even though I hate high hopes for the novel. I read the premise, immediately liked it and bought it, and as I read the first few chapters, I was hooked. I really liked the story, the main characters Anouk and Aurélie, but as soon as the real action starts, there was a distance. And I blame that on the fact that everything went down so blasé and underwhelmingly. Anouk and the other four teenagers are whisked to France, have dinner and then are drugged right away. They wake up and escape into the torture chamber/underground dungeon. All of this happened in the first 10-15% and it just happened too suddenly. Usually, I complain about expositions that take too long, but this one wasn't fleshed out at all. I need some time to get a grip on the storytelling, get a feel for the characters, get used to the story, but nope. The pacing was jerky and jarring and it remains that way all throughout the novel.
At this point, it all starts to become pretty repetitive, too. Okay, so there are trap rooms scattered all throughout this hidden underground palace, and all the characters ever do is try to find an exit in which they traverse through this suicidal landscape and try not to die. It was a bit exciting for the first two rooms maybe, but after that, the poison gas or mirror labyrinths just weren't fun anymore and got boring instead. There are some connections that you make really early on, at least if you have half a functioning brain, such as that Anouk looks like a carbon copy of Aurélie from 1790 and thus, is either her reincarnated or a direct descendant from her, or what Perdu's identity is, as well as Dorf's. It's really not that big of a mystery and then Bachmann pulls this out at the very end like it's a huge, shocking reveal. It's not. And yet, then there are other questions that are either never answered at all or answered really vaguely and not satisfyingly. Such as, what role did Miss Sei play in this whole ordeal? (falls under the first category) or what are these tracker things, and also, what is l'homme papillon? (category two). The reason for why these teenagers were kidnapped was also very far-fetched as well, because no actual scientific explanations were given. Normally, I just roll with it, but since the rest of the novel made so little sense as well, it was really hard to do that.
The characters, oh, the characters. They were very two-dimensional and not even very interesting at that, even though almost all of these kids are geniuses (I think?) and have already graduated college at, like, 17. Yet there's not a lot of characterization, there are these sequences throughout the book where the characters tell each other a bit about themselves in case they die, so they won't be forgotten, but it just came across as some lazy excuse to add at least a little bit of depth to the otherwise shallow characters, and even though the main, POV character makes bitter remarks about her parents and childhood the whole fucking novel it's not revealed until 73% through why that even is, and by then, I was just really annoyed by her hateful attitude towards everyone and everything, even if her past was indeed shitty. And yeah, as I already said, I didn't care about any of them and it would have left me very cold if any of them would have died. Which is kind of a problem for a horror novel, because you're supposed to want the characters to make it out alive, you're supposed to root for them! And I didn't.
And then there's the historical aspect, the chapters that are told from Aurélie's point of view, who is the daughter of a marquis during the French revolution and kept prisoner in the underground palace for her own safety. Her chapters had some interesting peaks here and there, but all in all, it wasn't too exciting reading about her being locked up for ages. Literally, that's all her chapters are about. I thought maybe we would get a nice historical side story and setting as a bonus, but no. There's nothing about the French revolution, nothing about the setting revealed because Aurélie is only sitting around in her one room. Yeah ... wow, I know. Sounds thrilling, doesn't it?
All in all, this was a novel that seemed to be full of potential at first, but it quickly brushes all of it off and creeps along at a boring snail pace. It's not scary, it's not suspenseful, it does nothing. Nothing, I tell you.
This review also appears on my blog. -
Es las sich schnell, aber die Basis für die Geschichte empfinde ich irgendwie nicht als gelungen und dann wurde es krampfhaft in das Zeitgeschehen eingefügt. Ich glaub, als Kurzgeschichte hätte das richtig geil funktionier.
-
Reading this book is like entering the Twilight Zone while sleepwalking. Uhm, I know. Weird right? Like wtf because that doesn’t even make sense. Which I think is my first reaction after finishing the 400+-page book. I was like, what just happened with the story and more importantly – what have I just read?
I thought the blurb was promising enough and it’s gonna be a YA-thriller more inclined with The Maze Runner route but the whole thing was just mysterious. Mysteriously odd that is.
Seventeen-year-old Anouk was invited to France along with other kids to help excavate a vast, underground palace buried a hundred feet below the suburbs of Paris. Only, the people behind the project are keeping secrets from them and the things that unravel may just change the things Anouk thought she knew about herself.
The beginning was actually quite promising because of its fast-paced narrative via Anouk but the moment they went underground, everything just went berserk. I mean that literally regarding the story and its characters. It’s like, what’s the point of all these running around the underground palace? I mean, I understand what the brothers are trying to do but say, the whole thing went through – then what?
I just didn’t enjoy it because I don’t see the point of the bad guys if ever they succeeded. Not for me. Not this one. Sorry.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars -
Chapters read: 22
I read way more of A Drop of Night than I usually read on a DNF. I really liked the start, pleasantly surprised by Anouk's voice. She's the sort of outspoken female character I love, and I was impressed with Bachmann's writing of her. Even then, I had some issues, like my completely lack of interest in the historical plot line.
Flash forward a bit, the actual plot starts, resulting in me being more and more bored, which isn't a good sign. Basically, the moment they met "Perdu," my interest took a downhill. It's clearly going to a paranormal place, and, while I get how they marketed it, when I start something that's not paranormal/fantastical and then TWIST all the weird shit is that it feels like such a cop out.
I'm just not invested anymore, so I'm setting A Drop of Night aside. -
Uff! Auch wenn der Anfang wirklich super holprig war, hat es sich auf jeden Fall gelohnt weiter zu lesen. Nach den ersten 100 Seiten war ich total in der Story drin und es wurde super spannend! Es ist wirklich krass wie "harmlos" die Story angefangen hat und sich dann immer krasser entwickelt und die unterschiedlichen Charaktere trotzdem ihren Humor behalten haben. Anouk fand ich super witzig teilweise. Generell ist das Buch sehr sehr düster und man hat so viele Fragen zwischendurch und es ist so spannend mitzuverfolgen wie die Jugendlichen versuchen aus den unterschiedlichen Räumen zu fliehen etc., ich konnte das Buch teilweise echt nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.
(danke nochmal Simon fürs ausleihen <3) -
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I... don't completely understand this book. There were certain things I enjoyed about it, and then certain things that I simply didn't get. Parts got incredibly confusing, and took some turns that I both kind of saw coming, but still had no clue about why they were coming. I know that may not be super helpful, but remember, I am a little lost myself. And also, spoilers.
The Good:
The historical part was fabulous. There were short chapters from 1789-1790 dispersed throughout the book, kind of talking about some of the history of these tunnels.
The suspense was pretty great. I legitimately didn't know what was going to happen in this underground chaos!
I felt the darkness and claustrophobia of the setting, and I thought it was done really well. While I couldn't always picture the rooms themselves, I still had a solid grasp on the overall feel of the underground, dark confinement.
It's an old underground palace. That in itself is a win, right?
Not so good:
The aforementioned confusion was, well, confusing. See, this wasn't just about this underground palace. There were all kinds of people involved, and random other groups of people who may have been on the side of that first group (I can't tell you any of that, of course), and I really started getting lost. Literally and figuratively- because I also could not keep the layout of this place and all the rooms straight. The characters kept bouncing from one place to the next, and the way it was narrated made me feel like I was supposed to know where the hell Anouk was talking about. But I never did. So in my head, I would substitute whatever room Anouk was talking about for "Random Room". Because I was getting basically too lost.
The characters weren't as developed as I'd have liked. Especially since they are trapped down there together, I kind of needed to like them. Anouk started off as this awful, whining girl, and then like, one chapter in does a complete one-eighty and starts pulling everyone together. And the guys... the only actual thing different among them were their names.
Only one dude thought that none of this made sense. Because the very first question I asked myself as they all went to this underground chamber of creep was "who exactly thought that any of this was on the up and up?" Anouk didn't exactly tell her parents, so that I could understand. But the others, whose parents were like "yep, this sounds zero percent weird"? Nope. Even Jules, one of the random guys, wondered why everyone was so chill about this:"'D'you think it's strange they're letting teenagers into a find like this? I mean, they could have gotten some veterans. Famous art historians or something. Doesn't it strike you as odd?'I squint at him. 'No.'"
Definite Parent-in-YA Syndrome. I mean, see above. They let their kids go off to... whatever. Like "Sure honey, go meet the strange man in the limo who won't tell us why you're going to France. See you in a few weeks, send a postcard!" How about no?
I felt like there were a lot of loose ends. It wasn't an open ending or anything, but there were so many questions unanswered in my mind, I think because there was a lot of different things going on in the story. Often, one was still left somewhat unanswered when some new thing came to light.
Bottom Line: I think if this was more coherent and a bit more developed, it could have been a huge win. It's still an intriguing premise, and the history stuff was very enjoyable. But overall, it lost me in the confusion.
*Copy provided by publisher for review
**Quotes taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change. -
Lesson #1 - Don't read A Drop of Night alone.
Lesson #2 - Don't read alone at night, especially right before bed.
Lesson #3 - Just.. don't read it alone, okay?
A Drop of Night was so much more than I was expecting. It's a genre-mashing thrill ride that took my imagination to new heights. I swear, my body was covered in goosebumps while reading this book. There were times when I would shudder and set the book down because I was wholly freaked out. But yet, I loved it.
We actually get two stories told parallel together that are equally important. We see the events between 1789-1790 that started it all, and then we get the present; 5 teenagers thrust together in an underground palace fighting to live. It flowed nicely, never giving us a dull moment or time to breathe.
Anouk was strong-willed, tough and borderline unlikable. She has that unrealistic narration I like in thrillers, too. Her sass and dark humor made light on some of thescary partsdarker situations and how she handled everything with bravery was to be admired.
It was hard to connect to Anouk, well all the characters really, on the level that I like to. But after finishing and thinking about it, this wasn't necessary for me. It doesn't take a strong connection to root for a group of teenagers to live. To bite your nails in anxious anticipation because every room has a trap and you aren't sure who will survive. While yes, at times their actions and lack of thought process frustrated me to no end - I mean who wouldn't assume something shady is probably going on when going to France alone? - I was rooting for them from the start and their development with each other was nice to read. They still bicker and frustrate each other but a bond was formed in the process.
The ending took a turn I didn't see coming - which isn't saying much with the twists A Drop of Night had within its pages. I was hoping for more, but this is all me and wanting to know about THE AFTER. That's not the story, though, and considering all the different ways it could have went, leaves much to my imagination. And.... to keep me up at night.
All in all - I loved it! A Drop of Night is unique with its blend of genres and creeptastic shenanigans. It's ability to hook from page one and keep me up at night, speaks volumes in my book. I highly recommend it!
I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.<.i> -
In A Drop of Night, Stefan Bachmann gives me the James Rollins/Cabin in the Woods mash-up I didn't even know I wanted. It's creepy and gory and a little bit nuts, and hugely, hugely fun.
Anouk Roijer-Peerenboom - on the spelling of whose last name I promise you will not be tested - fakes the signature of her inattentive adoptive parents on the permission forms for a once in a lifetime opportunity to join four other gifted teenagers in France to explore the long-forgotten underground Palais du Papillon. Upon arrival, things go from weird to worse, and Anouk and the others find themselves trapped below ground in a structure that's half riddle, half death trap. As their numbers dwindle, Bachmann smartly cuts back and forth between Anouk's present peril and that of 18th century Aurelie du Bessancourt, who fled into the Palais her father built to escape the horrors of revolution only to discover there are terrors greater than the Terror.
Discussing the plot any further is virtually pointless, as A Drop of Night is more interested in its horror homages - including reveling in its massive debt to Cube - than in aspiring to any kind of real depth. Anouk is prickly without being completely unlikeable, and the other characters are just differentiated enough for you to remember who's been picked off and who's still amongst the living. The deadly setting is brilliantly realized, the flashbacks lush with aristocratic detail, and the science absolute hogwash (though, as in the best Rollins, extrapolated to the point of fantastic fun). There's some slight narrative wobble at the end, but it felt more like the car of a rollercoaster settling back into the track at the conclusion of the ride than anything else. I, for one, can't wait to take this wild ride again when it makes the inevitable transition to fantastically B horror movie. -
Der Roman Palast der Finsternis, welcher von fünf Jugendlichen handelt, die einen unterirdischen Palast erforschen sollen, hat mich sofort angesprochen und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht.
Die Geschichte, erzählt in zwei Strängen, einmal von Anouk, einer wirklich interessanten Protagonistin, die mir trotz oder vielleicht gerade wegen ihrer sarkastischen, zynischen und intelligenten Art sympathisch ist und von Aurelie, die mit ihrer Familie im Palast zu Zeiten der Revolution gelebt hat. Diese geteilte Erzählweise macht die Geschiche durch ihre zwei Perspektiven besonders spannend wandlungsreich, so dass ich mich nie wirklich gelangweilt habe.
Eine tolle Protagonistin, eine Geschichte voller Spannung und Überraschungen und dazu noch der historische Kontext, machen diesen Roman zu einen der besten, die ich seit langer Zeit gelesen habe. -
this was such a solid horror book. it was creepy, i liked the ending (), the writing was great AND there was no stupid teen romances, just a friendship due to shared trauma that will last a lifetime :-)
-
I don’t even have the time nor the patience to process my frustration right now.
Okay. Imagine a book about teenagers who secretly get flown across the country to solve a mystery of a hidden palace. That sounds interesting, doesn't it? That's probably why this book was sold with a similar synopsis.
But you know what this book really is? It's 400+ pages of dumb children fumbling around in the dark. That's it. That's the plot. That's literally it.
This is DEFINITELY this year's second installment of: I READ THIS BOOK SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
See below for SPOOOOOILERS.
But seriously, I'm going to discuss the ending, so don't scroll unless you've realized already this book is not great and not worth reading. I may save you a day's worth of reading that you can use to focus on other, better books. Continue reading at your own discretion--I've done my due diligence here.
Here's the thing, the premise is actually super interesting. The problem is that this book's goal could have been accomplished in 250 pages. We didn't need 400+. Half the time, the kids are LITERALLY just walking around in the dark and describing rooms.
A second gripe I have with this book is the fact that all of the descriptions are written rather poorly. That may seem a little harsh, but I could barely picture any of the rooms in my head. When your whole plot revolves around an underground palace in the dark, you should probably describe the palace in a way I can picture it. Hell, I never even figured out what shape it was, how big it was, how many floors there were.... But the author was sure to let us know there were a lot of f-ing mirrors.
Not only that, but the reveal was garbage. The main guy who organized the trip for these teens is actually 2 centuries old and used this elaborate trip to lure them into a palace so he could kill them to maintain his own life, because SURPRISE, they're all actually related. Yes. That's literally the plot twist. It was bad.
Imagine reading for 350 pages, and THAT'S the plot twist. And then they all just end up walking away like it's no big deal. And also, there are other people in the palace that aren't dead, but they also aren't alive. And something about a "Butterfly Man," but AGAIN. Not thoroughly fleshed out AT ALL. But again, there are MiRrOrS everywhere. That was a VERY specific plot point that was really hammered home.
I just didn't enjoy this. It was such an interesting premise, I'd almost like to see it tried again. It toed the line between zombie horror and murder mystery. It just could have been so good, and I think that's why I'm the most annoyed, here.
Although, this book was semi spooky. Also, Anouk was an unapologetic bitch--a total breath of fresh air (if you liked that she was unapologetically awful, DON'T WORRY, she becomes friendly and kind in the end and completely ruins her own persona LOL). And the story was pretty original and unlike anything I've read before.
Still..... You're probably safe in skipping this one.
-
Das war ziemlich cool. Ich mochte das Setting und die Charaktere sehr. An manchen Stellen war es mir jedoch etwas zu wirr und ich konnte dem Verlauf nicht immer gut folgen. Das Ende fand ich allerdings sehr gelungen.
Würde Hollywood einen Film daraus machen, könnte das richtig episch werden. -
2,5
Großartige Idee, aber der Verlauf der Geschichte hat mir nicht gefallen :( Auch die Auflösung nicht. -
Expedition Papillon – Mystisch, geheimnisvoll und literarisch gelungen
Jungakademikerin Anouk und vier weitere Jugendliche erhalten die Einladung, den seit der Französischen Revolution verschütteten Palast der adligen Familie Bessancourt in Paris zu erforschen.
Als sich die Jugendlichen zum ersten Mal am Flughafen treffen wird deutlich, dass die personelle Zusammensetzung der Gruppe nicht verschiedener hätten sein können. Erste Befindlichkeiten stören die Atmosphäre der Gruppe, bevor sie ohne Sicherheitscheck und Passkontrolle First-Class nach Frankreich fliegen.
Bereits kurz nach dem sie das Palais betreten, das einst als Versteck der Familie Bessancourt erbaut wurde, spüren sie, dass das Experiment unter merkwürdigen Voraussetzungen steht und sie vor dem größten Abenteuer ihres Lebens stehen. Noch können sie die Gefahr nicht erkennen, aber je mehr Türen sie in dem alten Schloss öffnen, umso mehr müssen sie erkennen, dass sie sich tief am Abgrund befinden.
Der Autor:
Stefan Bachmann, geboren 1993 in Boulder/Colorado, lebt in Zürich, wo er seit seinem 11. Lebensjahr das Konservatorium besucht (und dort inzwischen den Bachelor in den Fächern Orgel und Film-Komposition absolviert). Sein von der Liebe zu Steampunk, Charles Dickens und C.S. Lewis’ ›Chroniken von Narnia‹ inspiriertes Debüt, ›Die Seltsamen‹, war ein Riesenerfolg in den USA und auch in Deutschland. (Quelle: Diogenes Verlag)
Reflektionen:
Stefan Bachmann hat mich sprachlich sehr beeindruckt. Schon nach wenigen Seiten genoss ich jeden Satz seiner ungezwungen und besonders leichtfüßigen Art zu schreiben. Außergewöhnliche Formulierungen, ein Hauch von Poesie ineinander verschmelzend mit einem modernen, umgangssprachlichen Ausdruck und zarten Metaphern, waren ein besonderes Leseerlebnis.
Stefan Bachmann hat die jugendlichen Charaktere der Projekt-Kandidaten ausdrucksstark und intensiv gezeichnet, auch wenn manche Figuren blasser erschienen als andere.
Das Experiment ist eine wahre Herausforderung an die Gruppe der Jugendlichen. Interessant gezeichnet sind die Konflikte, die die Kandidaten untereinander austragen. Die Geschichte kitzelt sie bis aufs Blut, so dass sie ihr jeweiliges Schneckenhaus verlassen müssen und emotionale Reaktionen damit auslösen. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt hat der Autor jeden gewöhnlichen Plot bereits hinter sich gelassen. Lösung des Rätsels und die Befreiung von der Gefahr kann nur erfolgen, wenn sie gemeinsam das Ziel erkennen und gemeinsam agieren.
Die Jugendlichen öffnen nach und nach Türen im alten Palais, denn sie suchen den Ausgang, um der schwelenden Gefahr zu entkommen, die sie zunächst absolut nicht einschätzen und einordnen können. Stefan Bachmann versteht es, den Leser in die Welt der Geschichte zu ziehen und er kreiert eine düstere und geheimnisvolle Stimmung, die dafür sorgt, dass die Spannungskurve kontinuierlich anwächst. Hinter jeder Tür lauert eine Gefahr, die das Leben der fünf absolut bedroht. Die fünf Kandidaten haben jedoch keine Chance, dahinterzukommen warum sie überhaupt ausgewählt wurden.
Abwechslungsreich und spannungsfördernd pointiert Bachmann die Perspektiven, die zwischen dem Hier und Jetzt der Gruppe und den Schlossbewohnern zur Zeit der Französischen Revolution wechseln, so dass die Zeitsprünge die Handlung bereichern und interessanter gestalten.
Trotz, dass mich Stefan Bachmann literarisch schwungvoll überrascht hat und mich seine skurrile Geschichte in den Bann ziehen konnte, war ich es irgendwann leid, dass sich die Story nicht kontinuierlich weiterentwickelt hat. Ich war das Türenöffnen im Schloss fast ein bisschen leid, obwohl sich hinter ihnen explosive Gefahr und Abenteuer verbarg, da einzelne Szene zu ausschöpfend erzählt wurden. Ich empfand Längen und vermisste Futter für eine fundierte Handlung.
Den Roman kann man nicht eindeutig einem Genre zuordnen. Gekonnt vermischt Stefan Bachmann Mystery-, Fantasy-, Thriller- und Horror-Elemente. Es wird blutig, aber alles in Maßen, so dass auch der Romanleser, plötzlich helle Freude über den Thrill des Romans empfinden kann.
Fazit und Bewertung:
Palast der Finsternis von Stefan Bachmann
Stefan Bachmann erzählt eine außergewöhnliche Geschichte, in einem leichtfüßigen und ungezwungenen Stil. Außergewöhnliche Formulierungen, ein Hauch von Poesie ineinander verschmelzend mit einem modernen, umgangssprachlichen Ausdruck und zarten Metaphern, waren ein besonderes Leseerlebnis.
Die Geschichte erzählt von fünf Jugendlichen, die sich auf das Projekt einlassen, ein verschüttetes Palais zu erforschen. Doch sie erwartet das größte und gefährlichste Abenteuer ihres Lebens.
Trotz ein paar empfundener Längen empfehle ich diesen Roman sehr gern.
©nisnis-buecherliebe.de
