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mrsbooknerd's review against another edition
1.0
‘Black Rabbit Summer’ had all the right ingredients to make a smashing cake novel. Add a reunion of old friends who have long gone their own ways, a dash of alcohol and drugs, a pinch of murder and a swirl of odd disappearances… it all sounds like the recipe for a perfect crime/thriller.
So what the heck happened?!
The plot was torturously slow and lacked any real tension. There was one key event at the fair, and after that it became a monotonous series of Pete sneaking out, getting into trouble, coming home and restarting the cycle. We weren’t really involved in the police procedural; we weren’t really involved with the killer’s story. All we had was Pete. Pete the moron.
Pete who was told on multiple occasions that he should keep out of the investigation and stay at home. Pete who was passionate about finding his friend – guilty conscience – but constantly lied to anyone who could have offered him help. Pete who constantly put himself into dangerous situations without any thought of consequences. I mean, the kid was an absolute moron. Were we supposed to like him?
Not that any of the other characters were all that likable. Paul, Eric, Nic and Wes were all awful. They were so suspicious from start to finish that I don’t know how Pete could remain so ignorant of their involvement with each other, and the murder. There was absolutely no subtlety at all. They reeked of suspicion.
I can’t even remember the name of the reality star. She was such a small part of the story at the start, that I don’t know how she came to have a more satisfying ending than Raymond. No one cared what happened to her because all we cared about - through Pete – was Raymond. So much energy and time went into worrying about Raymond and then the book just ends. It was all so pointless. It wasn’t clever, it wasn’t mysterious and it wasn’t a cliff-hanger. It was ridiculous.
So, our recipe has blended a slow plot with unlikable characters and a dash of unsatisfactory ending, but what would really add some depth of flavour to this book…? I know! How about… I literally don’t even know what this was about or why it was incorporated into a standard crime novel. I can’t even begin to guess. Again, it was pointless.
Pointless, pointless, pointless.
So what the heck happened?!
The plot was torturously slow and lacked any real tension. There was one key event at the fair, and after that it became a monotonous series of Pete sneaking out, getting into trouble, coming home and restarting the cycle. We weren’t really involved in the police procedural; we weren’t really involved with the killer’s story. All we had was Pete. Pete the moron.
Pete who was told on multiple occasions that he should keep out of the investigation and stay at home. Pete who was passionate about finding his friend – guilty conscience – but constantly lied to anyone who could have offered him help. Pete who constantly put himself into dangerous situations without any thought of consequences. I mean, the kid was an absolute moron. Were we supposed to like him?
Not that any of the other characters were all that likable. Paul, Eric, Nic and Wes were all awful. They were so suspicious from start to finish that I don’t know how Pete could remain so ignorant of their involvement with each other, and the murder. There was absolutely no subtlety at all. They reeked of suspicion.
Spoiler
Wes and Eric must have been the least subtle story, but Pete seemed surprised to have it revealed. Really, Pete. Really?I can’t even remember the name of the reality star. She was such a small part of the story at the start, that I don’t know how she came to have a more satisfying ending than Raymond. No one cared what happened to her because all we cared about - through Pete – was Raymond. So much energy and time went into worrying about Raymond and then the book just ends. It was all so pointless. It wasn’t clever, it wasn’t mysterious and it wasn’t a cliff-hanger. It was ridiculous.
So, our recipe has blended a slow plot with unlikable characters and a dash of unsatisfactory ending, but what would really add some depth of flavour to this book…? I know! How about…
Spoiler
A black rabbit that talks to people through their thoughts?! And how about, when the real rabbit is slaughtered and its head is cut off and impaled on a fence post for absolutely no reason, a ceramic rabbit takes over talking to people?! Genius.Pointless, pointless, pointless.
cjade177's review against another edition
2.0
I picked this up because the blurb made it out to be a fast paced coming of age story with a few thriller twists and turns. It wasn't that. It took an interesting theme - i.e the funfair, with its accompanying darkness and air of intrigue - and just did nothing much with it. A lot of it felt Donnie darko esque, with Pete having these random visions and thoughts that were only vaguely explained. But the funfair part was exciting, and had so much potential, but the author sidestepped throwing us into the heart of the action, which would have been so much better! The book got really boring especially around the middle, with overly dense police scenes. And it isn't the sort of book you can enjoy in small doses. The twist didn't hit, and the end conclusion was both depressing and underwhelming, not really leaving you feeling satisfied. The dialogue was good, the characters were believable and I liked some of the imagery. But it just wasn't for me, so unfortunately I can't recommend.
lawnis04's review against another edition
1.0
It started out interesting but it felt like the author was trying to be too obvious with the clues as to who was guilty and who wasn't. Like he treated us like we were too dumb to figure it out. I will admit I didn't quite figure out the murder, but all the other things they were wondering were so blatantly obvious. And the ending felt like a rip off. Like Brooks was trying to be original but he just left it unfinished.
saragrochowski's review against another edition
5.0
Title: Black Rabbit Summer
Author: Keven Brooks
Publisher: Chicken House (Scholastic)
Date Published: 2008
Genre: Young Adult
Main Themes: Missing persons, Friendship, Growing up, Drugs and Alcohol
Pages: 488
Plot (from book jacket):
"As kids they were tight. Now they've grown up - and apart. Before going their separate ways for good, they decide to get together one last time.
Just like old times.
Just the five of them.
Saturday night.
Nicole asked. How could Pete say no?
But the past hurts, personal histories, soon surface, and the party's over. The group splinters off into the darkness. Into the noise and heat and chaos of the summer carnival.
Days later, a girl goes missing. And each of them is a suspect in her disappearance. Pete doesn't know what to believe. Could one of their own, one of the old gang, be a killer?"
I want to start out by mentioning that I usually don't read books narrated by guys. I don't really know why, but usually I just don't feel as connected to the novel. That said, Black Rabbit Summer might be one of my favorite books. It was absolutely stunning! There was just something so ridiculously deep about it. It might have been the narrator or Brooks himself, but this book simply shines.
It wasn't what I expected really, it was much more than the jacket description lets on. I related to the characters in this book so well. I could see each and every character as someone from my life - someone I went to school with.
The plot involves a bit of a mystery and I honestly had no clue how it would be resovled. There were clues at first, but I had no clue how it would all end up fitting together.
Here is a quote that I read, then went back and reread because I loved it so much (Page 404):
"As I stepped over to the den and crept through the door, I wondered if that's what it was all about. Friends. People you know. People you used to know. People you think you once knew, but you probably never did. You probably knew just part of them, the part of them that was your friend. And the rest, the parts of them that you didn't know - the twisted parts, the untrue parts, the parts you are seeing now - well, back then you just ignored them. But now you can't. Because now you can see it all, and now you know that "back then" wasn't all wonderful and innocent. It was just a time and a place, just like every other time and place. The only difference now is that the things - the people - that belonged to the old time and place aren't here anymore, and things that aren't here anymore don't hurt anymore. The only things that hurt are the things that hurt right now."
Ratings (out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 50/50 (A)
I loved this book - READ IT! I will definitely be looking into Kevin Brooks' previous books (Lucas, Candy, Being, The Road of the Dead, and more)! I've heard that Lucas is really amazing as well...
Author: Keven Brooks
Publisher: Chicken House (Scholastic)
Date Published: 2008
Genre: Young Adult
Main Themes: Missing persons, Friendship, Growing up, Drugs and Alcohol
Pages: 488
Plot (from book jacket):
"As kids they were tight. Now they've grown up - and apart. Before going their separate ways for good, they decide to get together one last time.
Just like old times.
Just the five of them.
Saturday night.
Nicole asked. How could Pete say no?
But the past hurts, personal histories, soon surface, and the party's over. The group splinters off into the darkness. Into the noise and heat and chaos of the summer carnival.
Days later, a girl goes missing. And each of them is a suspect in her disappearance. Pete doesn't know what to believe. Could one of their own, one of the old gang, be a killer?"
I want to start out by mentioning that I usually don't read books narrated by guys. I don't really know why, but usually I just don't feel as connected to the novel. That said, Black Rabbit Summer might be one of my favorite books. It was absolutely stunning! There was just something so ridiculously deep about it. It might have been the narrator or Brooks himself, but this book simply shines.
It wasn't what I expected really, it was much more than the jacket description lets on. I related to the characters in this book so well. I could see each and every character as someone from my life - someone I went to school with.
The plot involves a bit of a mystery and I honestly had no clue how it would be resovled. There were clues at first, but I had no clue how it would all end up fitting together.
Here is a quote that I read, then went back and reread because I loved it so much (Page 404):
"As I stepped over to the den and crept through the door, I wondered if that's what it was all about. Friends. People you know. People you used to know. People you think you once knew, but you probably never did. You probably knew just part of them, the part of them that was your friend. And the rest, the parts of them that you didn't know - the twisted parts, the untrue parts, the parts you are seeing now - well, back then you just ignored them. But now you can't. Because now you can see it all, and now you know that "back then" wasn't all wonderful and innocent. It was just a time and a place, just like every other time and place. The only difference now is that the things - the people - that belonged to the old time and place aren't here anymore, and things that aren't here anymore don't hurt anymore. The only things that hurt are the things that hurt right now."
Ratings (out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 50/50 (A)
I loved this book - READ IT! I will definitely be looking into Kevin Brooks' previous books (Lucas, Candy, Being, The Road of the Dead, and more)! I've heard that Lucas is really amazing as well...
curiousmadra's review against another edition
5.0
I remember I crapped myself while reading this book
imhidinginabook's review against another edition
5.0
I dove into ’ Black Rabbit Summer’ completely blind and was pleasantly surprised. The novel weaves between themes of suspense, mystery and coming-of-age. Its unsettling tone is definitely its strongest point. An unexpected gem.
cousinrachel's review against another edition
Didn’t connect to the characters and there was far too much use of italics. I’ll wait for the movie.
aliceperspeculum's review against another edition
5.0
First of all, let me just say that I could not put this book down. I read it in two sittings, which would have been one had it not got to around 5am at the end of the first one.
The mystery of the book is intriguing and well-constructed, and the solution very satisfying and (to me) not at all foreseen. The way that Brooks tantalisingly drops hints and clues as Pete’s drug-addled mind does its very best to comprehend everything is exciting and is a lot to do with why this book is so un-put-downable.
Another of the other reasons that I couldn’t stop reading this book was its beautifully realised characters. Each one has their foibles and their good sides and there’s a lot of commentary on how well we really know the people we choose to call our friends. Pete realises over the course of the book how little he knows many of the others and through him we learn more and more about each of them, even seeing the better sides to the most detestable of characters. Pete himself is very likeable and believable, especially in the way he is so fiercely protective of Raymond and the stupid decisions he can’t help but make, making me want to scream at him each time he decided to lie about something.
This is my first Kevin Brooks novel and I have to say that I adore his writing style. It flows beautifully and the prose is very readable and at times surreal, helped along by Pete’s flashbacks to the drugs he took, while the dialogue is completely realistic.
I honestly can’t think of a single thing to fault in this book. I daresay I will be reading some more Kevin Brooks in the future.
The mystery of the book is intriguing and well-constructed, and the solution very satisfying and (to me) not at all foreseen. The way that Brooks tantalisingly drops hints and clues as Pete’s drug-addled mind does its very best to comprehend everything is exciting and is a lot to do with why this book is so un-put-downable.
Another of the other reasons that I couldn’t stop reading this book was its beautifully realised characters. Each one has their foibles and their good sides and there’s a lot of commentary on how well we really know the people we choose to call our friends. Pete realises over the course of the book how little he knows many of the others and through him we learn more and more about each of them, even seeing the better sides to the most detestable of characters. Pete himself is very likeable and believable, especially in the way he is so fiercely protective of Raymond and the stupid decisions he can’t help but make, making me want to scream at him each time he decided to lie about something.
This is my first Kevin Brooks novel and I have to say that I adore his writing style. It flows beautifully and the prose is very readable and at times surreal, helped along by Pete’s flashbacks to the drugs he took, while the dialogue is completely realistic.
I honestly can’t think of a single thing to fault in this book. I daresay I will be reading some more Kevin Brooks in the future.
heyericamay's review against another edition
4.0
I recently remembered I read this book, but forgot what it was about and such. So, I decided to venture into the reviews, which were all following some sort of status quo: vote two stars, rave about Raymond, call the rest of the book total shit, etc. However, I will have to go against this, because as soon as I remembered the plot, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia and instantly said, "I really liked this book." I loved Pete as a character, maybe even more than I liked Raymond. The book was realistic; as shown by the comments before mine, a lot of people complained that SPOILER Raymond was never found. Unfortunately, when teens are reported as missing, they don't just come back. The author obviously describes that Raymond's a bit of a nut, so that should be a pretty good reason as to why he's gone. Brooks gave his characters an eerie sort of freedom -- Raymond is a mystery and the essence of him lingers on after you turn the final page. For those who loved Raymond and hoped to see him return (or something), you were filled with anticipation and anxiety, much like a worried parent. You hoped to find some sort of news, but it never really came. Everything felt like a hint, but the hints never went anywhere. In my eyes, Raymond is represented as the kid who's always there for you, but is also neglected and therefore never appreciated until he is gone.
For anyone looking to read this book, you really should. Ignore the 2-star ratings! Kevin Brooks is brilliant, and the novel is both haunting and sexy, wrapped in an enigma. It really wouldn't hurt to give it a read (:
For anyone looking to read this book, you really should. Ignore the 2-star ratings! Kevin Brooks is brilliant, and the novel is both haunting and sexy, wrapped in an enigma. It really wouldn't hurt to give it a read (:
thisgrrlreads's review against another edition
3.0
I got stalled halfway through this book because Kevin Brooks' writes such creepy stories where nothing is off limits. Death, suicide, drugs, rape, you name it, it's a possibility and it can get depressing. This book was no different, except I liked the narrator more than usual. Our main character, Pete, is a caring boy with an understanding set of parents who gets mixed up in something weird (of course he does, it's Kevin Brooks!) and acts as only a caring boy is able to do. I won't say any more because my least favorite part of all Kevin Brooks books is having them spoiled which, fortunately, I avoided this time around. The only piece of advice I have is not to read the last 50 pages of the book by yourself, late at night, before you go to sleep.