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whatyoutolkienabout's review
4.0
I was sent a copy for a book tour hosted by Henry Roi PR. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #JoKaplan #WhenTheNightBellsRing #HenryRoiPR #BookTourReview #BlackTide #Ad
Review
When The Night Bells Ring is my first book by Jo Kaplan and I have to say it was really enjoyable and the perfect read for Autumn. Part survival horror, part ancient evil horror, part dystopian, part climate horror and part western horror it has a lot of boxes to tick and I have to say it does it rather well. Set in a future ravaged by fire and drought we follow The Dust Devils, two climate refugees ride their motorcycles across the wasteland of the western US. They stumble across an old silver mine and ghost town, descending into the cold darkness of the caved-in tunnels in desperate search of water. Inside the two women find Lavinia Cain’s diary, a settler who had searched for prosperity in the late 1860s. But Lavinia and the settlers of the town discovered something monstrous that dwells in the depths of that mine, something that didn’t want greedy prospectors disturbing the earth. Whispers of curses and phantom figures haunt the diary and now, 150 years in the future the two women who are trapped and injured realise they’re not alone and there is no easy way out.
I really enjoyed this one. The duel timelines worked well but I would have liked a bit more of the Dust Devils. Sometimes it felt like a bit of their plight wasn’t highlighted as much as it could have been, maybe I just like seeing characters suffer. That said I enjoyed the fact that generally the novel centres around four characters as it were, two in the past and two in the present. I felt Kaplan captured the suspension and wonder of the old West in the diary entries and I enjoyed the parallels between them as well.
The horror and suspense for me was good and not badly executed but I would have liked a little more build up and a little more exploration of the ‘evil’ but that is purely subjective on my part and the novel is still a brilliant horror. It has elements of the Descent in there and I did enjoy the idea of helplessness of the Dust Devils being trapped wondering if the mine or what lurks there will get them first. The ending was good but a little unsatisfying to me. Still it had a lot of things I did enjoy, particularly the unique monsters/evil that lurked in the mine and the idea of the dystopian scorched earth. All in all it is a solid 4 stars from me and if you love movies like the Descent this is one I think you will enjoy!
Review
When The Night Bells Ring is my first book by Jo Kaplan and I have to say it was really enjoyable and the perfect read for Autumn. Part survival horror, part ancient evil horror, part dystopian, part climate horror and part western horror it has a lot of boxes to tick and I have to say it does it rather well. Set in a future ravaged by fire and drought we follow The Dust Devils, two climate refugees ride their motorcycles across the wasteland of the western US. They stumble across an old silver mine and ghost town, descending into the cold darkness of the caved-in tunnels in desperate search of water. Inside the two women find Lavinia Cain’s diary, a settler who had searched for prosperity in the late 1860s. But Lavinia and the settlers of the town discovered something monstrous that dwells in the depths of that mine, something that didn’t want greedy prospectors disturbing the earth. Whispers of curses and phantom figures haunt the diary and now, 150 years in the future the two women who are trapped and injured realise they’re not alone and there is no easy way out.
I really enjoyed this one. The duel timelines worked well but I would have liked a bit more of the Dust Devils. Sometimes it felt like a bit of their plight wasn’t highlighted as much as it could have been, maybe I just like seeing characters suffer. That said I enjoyed the fact that generally the novel centres around four characters as it were, two in the past and two in the present. I felt Kaplan captured the suspension and wonder of the old West in the diary entries and I enjoyed the parallels between them as well.
The horror and suspense for me was good and not badly executed but I would have liked a little more build up and a little more exploration of the ‘evil’ but that is purely subjective on my part and the novel is still a brilliant horror. It has elements of the Descent in there and I did enjoy the idea of helplessness of the Dust Devils being trapped wondering if the mine or what lurks there will get them first. The ending was good but a little unsatisfying to me. Still it had a lot of things I did enjoy, particularly the unique monsters/evil that lurked in the mine and the idea of the dystopian scorched earth. All in all it is a solid 4 stars from me and if you love movies like the Descent this is one I think you will enjoy!
brontesmovingbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rebelkiss's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Um, I’m buying a copy to own. Told in dual timelines, it starts with the world being a wasteland. People suck and have destroyed the planet, no shock there. 2 women are making their way across the dessert to reach potential salvation. They encounter an old abandoned town and this the adventure begins.
I was hooked right from the start. I loved the dual time lines. Only 4.5 because I wanted a bit more from the ending
Um, I’m buying a copy to own. Told in dual timelines, it starts with the world being a wasteland. People suck and have destroyed the planet, no shock there. 2 women are making their way across the dessert to reach potential salvation. They encounter an old abandoned town and this the adventure begins.
I was hooked right from the start. I loved the dual time lines. Only 4.5 because I wanted a bit more from the ending
gothgirls_readingnook's review against another edition
3.0
New rule no matter what don’t go into a mine.
I loved the eerie aspect and the finding of the journal that gave the towns history.
I didn’t like how it was two girls in a cave the whole book. It would have been cool to see the girls explore the housing and hear the bells while sleeping and give it more of that creepy aspect.
To where they have to run into the mines to “stay safe” and then the rest has happened.
I loved the book for the friendship of the girls and how they wanted a better life. The book was a decent read and I did enjoy but I wish I had gotten more out of it.
I loved the eerie aspect and the finding of the journal that gave the towns history.
I didn’t like how it was two girls in a cave the whole book. It would have been cool to see the girls explore the housing and hear the bells while sleeping and give it more of that creepy aspect.
To where they have to run into the mines to “stay safe” and then the rest has happened.
I loved the book for the friendship of the girls and how they wanted a better life. The book was a decent read and I did enjoy but I wish I had gotten more out of it.
gothgirls_readingnook's review against another edition
3.0
New rule no matter what don’t go into a mine.
I loved the eerie aspect and the finding of the journal that gave the towns history.
I didn’t like how it was two girls in a cave the whole book. It would have been cool to see the girls explore the housing and hear the bells while sleeping and give it more of that creepy aspect.
To where they have to run into the mines to “stay safe” and then the rest has happened.
I loved the book for the friendship of the girls and how they wanted a better life. The book was a decent read and I did enjoy but I wish I had gotten more out of it.
I loved the eerie aspect and the finding of the journal that gave the towns history.
I didn’t like how it was two girls in a cave the whole book. It would have been cool to see the girls explore the housing and hear the bells while sleeping and give it more of that creepy aspect.
To where they have to run into the mines to “stay safe” and then the rest has happened.
I loved the book for the friendship of the girls and how they wanted a better life. The book was a decent read and I did enjoy but I wish I had gotten more out of it.
sony08's review
3.0
This was OK, little spooky but I really disliked the narrator and found it hard to concentrate. I don't think audiobooks are for me.
greyreads's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25