The Hollow People (The Promises of Dr. Sigmundus, #1)

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The Hollow People (The Promises of Dr. Sigmundus #1)

by Brian Keaney (Goodreads Author)

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50 · rating details · 518 ratings · 76 reviews

ON THE SINISTER ISLAND where strict obedience to the laws of the mysterious Dr. Sigmundus holds sway, dreaming will get you locked up and branded a lunatic, a danger to society and to all who know you. In this doomed and repressive place, two teens that were never meant to meet or share their dreams, cross paths and set in motion that which rips them from the lives they we...more

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published September 25th 2007 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

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Jan 07, 2012 Rebekah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dante, a bottom-tier kitchen boy at a psychiatric prison on the island of Tarnegar, meets Bea, a physician� s daughter, and reveals a secret. Despite receiving the drug Ichor, he still dreams. Although the promises of Dr. Sigmundus say that dreams are the sign of an unfit mind, Bea begins to question the teachings as she ponders her place in society. In this dystopian novel, several central themes emerge including dreams, social equity, and simulated realities. Glimpses into Bea and Dante� s dai...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Steph rated it 4 of 5 stars

To check out my full review, check out my blog: http://feistylittlewoman.wordpress.co...

On the island of Tarnagar, dreaming labels you as a dangerous lunatic. They lock you up in the asylum if you are defiant or let your imagination run wild. The community that lives on the rest of the island praises the mysterious, unseen man named Dr. Sigmundus. They believe he saved them from being like the barbaric, violent people who came before them many years ago. The people here lead peaceful lives as lo...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Nicola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, no-longer-own

Reason for Reading: I love dystopian fiction and books that are set in asylums; this fitting both descriptions was a must read.

Tarnegar, is an island community that houses the insane from the rest of the population in this country where dreaming is forbidden, adults (14 and over) take a drug to make them stop dreaming and comply quietly to any authoritative figures. Questioning the wisdom of any part of this society could have you banded a lunatic and thrown into the asylum. Dante is an orphan w...more Reason for Reading: I love dystopian fiction and books that are set in asylums; this fitting both descriptions was a must read.

Tarnegar, is an island community that houses the insane from the rest of the population in this country where dreaming is forbidden, adults (14 and over) take a drug to make them stop dreaming and comply quietly to any authoritative figures. Questioning the wisdom of any part of this society could have you banded a lunatic and thrown into the asylum. Dante is an orphan whose mother was a lunatic and killed herself by jumping off the roof of the asylum. He now works as a kitchen boy, but the drug has never taken away his dreams. Bea Argenti is a middle-class girl, daughter of two junior doctors, who will be turning 14 soon but questions the use of the drug and does not want her dreams to go away as she has been dreaming for a long time about a strange ruined city. The two meet and start to figure out that their society is based on lies and perhaps the time has come for someone to stand up for the truth.

I loved this dystopian novel! The idea of controlling society with drugs has been done many times before, perhaps starting with Brave New world, but it is a realistic thought-provoking idea that is not beyond the realms of possibility. Dante is a wonderful character and I liked him from the beginning; his background and character are fleshed out as the story progresses. This is definitely his story. Bea on the other hand has not been as fully developed, and she felt more like a sidekick, a female element to satisfy the 'need' for one. Personally,l I don't think there is a need for a male/female partnership/relationship for a good story but perhaps she will have more of a point to the plot in the next book. I loved the asylum half of the story, very creepy! Then the story progresses far beyond that level, more character's are introduced and the plot takes on many more levels while remaining a very dark and atmospheric tale of a future controlled by a madman. There is a science fiction element to the story that at first seems more magical than scientific and I wondered where it was going. I like fantasy so that's not necessarily a bad thing, but the book did remain in the scientific world while having this quasi-science/magic element that had me stumped of whether the series was going to turn into fantasy. But at the end, the Author's Note qualifies that there really was, historically, a scientist who did many experiments in the field of the subject matter used in the story. This made me appreciate the story more when I had finished. I look forward to continuing the series but do hope that we see a return to the asylum at some point.(less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Mónica Silva rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Este é um livro que entretém, não é propriamente marcante mas proporcionará ao leitor uns momentos agradáveis de leitura.

A estória não aspira a nada de novo na literatura, mas o conceito de uma sociedade em que sonhar é proibido é bastante aliciante. Contudo, esta parte poderia ter sido mais desenvolvida. Na verdade, este primeiro volume carece de algumas explicações sobre o mundo em que a estória se desenrola.

As personagens, apesar de por vezes um pouco unidimensionais, acabam por se tornar env...more

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Jan 24, 2009 Rafaela rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-during-2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Confesso. Pesquei este livro na FNAC e não o larguei, só porque vi a palavra "asilo" no resumo. Estava a entrar na fase de revisão de uma das minhas histórias, passada na sua maioria numa destas instituições, e quis saber como é que outros autores lidam com o tema.

Verdade: não lidam. O senhor Brian ignora o asilo, ignora tudo e mais alguma coisa, ignora as regras básicas da escrita decente. Primeira página: descrição física, psicológica e passado do protagonista. Bem, obrigada! *inserir ironia a...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Kristina rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really had no intention of finding this book when I went to the library, but, needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

The title of the book really caught my eye and so did the cover because it looked so dismal, dark, and a bit creepy. The title of the book really does describe the whole book, unlike some books where the title has nothing to do with the book.

I gave this book a 3/5 stars rating for various reasons. Though I enjoyed it fairly well, there were some good and bad aspects of...more
I really had no intention of finding this book when I went to the library, but, needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

The title of the book really caught my eye and so did the cover because it looked so dismal, dark, and a bit creepy. The title of the book really does describe the whole book, unlike some books where the title has nothing to do with the book.

I gave this book a 3/5 stars rating for various reasons. Though I enjoyed it fairly well, there were some good and bad aspects of the book. A couple of things that I liked about the book was the concept of dreams, fears, hallucinations, insanity, the human mind, and reality. The plot itself was pretty steady, though slow at some points. But I think Brian Keaney did that in order to allow the reader to really connect with the characters either on an emotional level or just connecting in general. I liked the fact that it was a book I didn't expect to like. The dialogues shared by the characters have great messages to them. The themes carried throughout the plot were consistent and constant.

I would also consider the book a "dystopian" because it is a world in which government (created by Dr. Sigmundus) is the main factor in the people's lives. So much so that the people are bent to the government's will, and, henceforth, become "hollow". The main setting of the book is the asylum in this place called Tarnegar where these two characters, Dante and Bea, live.

You are first introduced to Bea and Dante in the first two chapters. Their personalities as characters throughout the story really made me feel like they were real people and not some "mary jane" type of characters. Their relationship felt like a genuine friendship and I felt as if they truly and genuinely liked each other as people. It wasn't a "love at first sight" type of deal. (Which you see so much of in Young Adult books.) So it was a very refreshing feeling to read about characters who didn't change entirely just because they found someone they cared about. Their friendship is carried throughout the book very well and I found it easy to read whenever they were in a scene together. Their relationship is not over-powering.

Now onto some things that I didn't enjoy. I didn't enjoy the fact that there were some characters you met and eventually grew on you, and then, they were never mentioned again in the plot whatsoever. That element in the book discouraged me and it didn't feel full circle for me. I only assume that they may be mentioned again in the next installment. There were elements in the book that were sort of "out there" for me, but I did think that they were fascinating and very intriguing; Being a person who loves the mind, dreams, reality, and asylums.

The book has scenes of true courage, elements of "finding one’s self", and how powerful the mind can be and how it can be manipulated or controlled. Overall, I thought the book was a fairly good read. It did seem a bit "middle grade" for me at points but maybe I needed to read something like that. I wouldn't immediately recommend it because the book didn't exactly change my life. I mean, it was a very interesting read and I have never read anything like it before. It was a little impressionable, I liked a few elements in the book, but overall it was an "okay" type of read. I don't regret reading it but at the same time I could have lived if I didn't read it.

I am unsure if I am going to continue on to the next installment. But overall, I enjoyed this book.
(less)

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Apr 28, 2013 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ce livre, je l'ai acheté il y a plusieurs années sur une brocante. C'était la période à laquelle on commençait à beaucoup parler de la collection Black Moon et, bien que je n'avais jamais entendu parler de ce roman, il ne m'en a pas fallu plus pour l'acquérir.

C'est donc un bouquin que j'ai entamé sans trop savoir de quoi il était question et sans rien en attendre de particulier. Et on peut dire que la pioche aura été bonne !

Tout de suite, l'auteur nous plonge dans l'ambiance en mettant en place...more Ce livre, je l'ai acheté il y a plusieurs années sur une brocante. C'était la période à laquelle on commençait à beaucoup parler de la collection Black Moon et, bien que je n'avais jamais entendu parler de ce roman, il ne m'en a pas fallu plus pour l'acquérir.

C'est donc un bouquin que j'ai entamé sans trop savoir de quoi il était question et sans rien en attendre de particulier. Et on peut dire que la pioche aura été bonne !

Tout de suite, l'auteur nous plonge dans l'ambiance en mettant en place un décor plutôt lugubre (comme le laisse présager la couverture d'ailleurs). Le monde dans lequel il nous plonge est vraiment original. J'espère trouver plus de détails dans les prochains tomes (il s'agit d'une trilogie) car j'ai tout de même eu l'impression que beaucoup de choses sont survolées.

Tout aussi rapidement, les deux personnages principaux, Dante et Bea, nous sont présentés. Ils m'ont tous les deux immédiatement paru sympathiques. Par la suite, nous faisons connaissance avec d'autres protagonistes tout aussi chouettes et là aussi, j'espère que la suite permettra de faire plus ample connaissance avec eux car ici, l'accent est vraiment mis sur Dante.

C'est un roman qui se lit vite et bien. L'écriture est agréable et le rythme est très bon. Des secrets nous sont révélés au fur et à mesure que nous avançons dans notre lecture. Nous allons de surprise en surprise dans cet univers très particulier. Néanmoins, si on n'a pas le temps de s'ennuyer, j'ai trouvé que le tout manquait un peu détails, de profondeur.

Pour terminer, j'émets une grosse réserve sur la qualité de la relecture. Je ne soulève généralement pas le fait qu'un livre comporte une faute de frappe ou même une faute d'orthographe / de grammaire car tout le monde peut laisser passer une erreur mais dans ce cas-ci, je les ai trouvées très nombreuses. Cela m'a même dérangée dans ma lecture car je ne peux pas m'empêcher de tiquer à chaque fois que mes pauvres yeux en rencontrent une. D'autant plus que le roman est court... C'est dommage !

En quelques mots

Malgré le manque de profondeur et de nombreuses fautes de relecture, cette lecture fut une excellente surprise. L'univers et les personnages sont intéressants et les rebondissements sont bien présents. J'ai hâte de pouvoir me plonger dans la suite !(less)

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Oct 02, 2011 Alashua rated it 3 of 5 stars

i actually liked this book but the cover suggestes a horror which it was not and personnalyi am happy because it would have scared the shit out of me. This book has an interesting concept but it was something that i had done before. The characters were good but before the romance started ( in the last few pages) i thought the characters blended together, they were quiet and focused and dark ect. It would have made the book much more interesting if the characters had had more depht, it would have...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Delilah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Este livro não é daqueles que nos marcam, mas é uma boa leitura, que me satisfez muito, logo, dou-lhe quatro estrelas.
Em Tarnagar é proibido sonhar. Quando se chega a uma certa idade, é feita uma cerimónia, onde o/a jovem recebe a Ícor, que é suposto acabar com os sonhos. Para Dante, os sonhos nunca acabaram, nem mesmo depois da Ícor, porém não pode contar a ninguém, pois seria dado como louco.
Bea é privilegiada por ser filha de médicos, contudo ela questiona tudo o que a rodeia – algo que os se...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Katlyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

There is very little in the way of horror in this novel, as the cover might suggest, except for a psychological horror of a country where imagination, creativity, drive and initiative have been cunningly manipulated from the populace for decades. This is perhaps best understood when examining the reactions and experience of Beatrice whose process of disillusionment is rife with disbelief and uncertainty as an adolescent brought up in such a fabrication, especially contrasted with Dante's far les...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

good concept. at age 14, everyone starts taking weekly shots of a mind/emotion/ambition-numbing drug, Ichor, in a society's pursuit of peace. everyone has a permanent place in this society, and nobody climbs any social/corporate/financial lader of any kind. on the darker side, every one seems to have the mental capacity to be petty, superstitious and extremely nosey. one small incident can be a scandal that negatively impacts the rest of someone's life, both personal and professional.
a couple...more

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Sep 22, 2009 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, science-fiction

Ages 10+ (a past suicide, shock therapy)

Truthfully, I just read this because I thought it had the potential to be a halfway decent booktalk for smartypants 5-6 graders and after as summer of reading high-school type books brimming with fuckwords, I am abs. desperate in that area.

Is this going to be a book that any kid will pick up? No. The cover gives it a horror feel, and it is decidedly not. What I found is another addition to the collection of adventure/dystopia for younger readers. More so...more

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Dec 11, 2009 Miriam rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: someone who hasn't read much dystopian fiction

Shelves: ya, science-fiction

This was not Gothic horror as I rather expected from the cover, but a fairly standard dystopian tale of a country where all adults are given Ichor, a drug which destroys dreams, imagination, and initiative. The setting will probably seem more interesting to younger readers who aren't already familiar with the dystopian classics. However, careful readers of any age will probably notice some logical flaws, especially contradictions in the implicit timeline of Dr. Sigismundus' reign.

Also, I feel th...more

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May 05, 2010 Diane rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: washyarg

Book three in the trilogy set in a dystopian world with evil characters trying to rule everyone, monsters that lurk waiting to consume everything, strange portals that transport people through mirrors, into hell, and back to life through the “resurrection field”. It’s a short fantasy that will probably appeal to those who have read the first two, but definitely does not stand alone. I found the character names and places too difficult to follow. The world Keaney has created is certainly intrigu...more

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Oct 16, 2008 Jessica Camara rated it 4 of 5 stars

An interesting story about a dystopian society...book two will be coming out in December and as the reader is left with a complete cliffhanger and many unanswered questions...I will be picking that up!

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Feb 26, 2012 Lacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

It is a good book and it keeps me guessing.

I have a theory that this book takes place in Italy. Every name in the book is Italian (Beatrice, Dante, Ezckiel, etc.). Also, in the beginning it's mentioned that to the north of their "perfect" little community are mountains that separate them from barbarians. Could those mountains be the Alps?

Some things were a bit obvious. For example, anyone could tell Dr.Sigmundus isn't really alive or something to that sort.

I found the perfect picture of what I...more

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May 02, 2013 Marco rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reads, fantasy, young-adult

It has interesting ideas. All different from what I've read and I liked it.

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Jul 02, 2011 Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have just finished re-reading this book, and have to say once again I enjoyed it greatly.

The reason I am re-reading this book is because I had put off reading the third book in this series for a long time (years actually) and when I finally went to read it, I couldn't remember several key parts of the plot from the first two books, and I was very bothered by the ending that I had to go back to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

So with that said:

Once again I really love the characters Keaney...more

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Nov 03, 2009 Terri rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, children-and-young-adult

Dystopian fiction with a similar premise to Lois Lowry's The Giver -- a controlled population that isn't allowed individual thought. I wanted to like this book, but I didn't find anything terribly fresh and it didn't grab me enough to make me want to continue with the series. Pales in comparison to others of its type. Perhaps the target audience (YA) will not view it with my jaded eye. I did enjoy the cover art and illustrations by Nicoletta Ceccoli though.

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Jul 14, 2012 Giota Papadimakopoulou rated it 3 of 5 stars

Όταν γύρισα και την τελευταία σελίδα αυτού του βιβλίου, αναστέναξα με ανακούφιση. Η ανάγνωσή του με κατέβαλλε, αισθάνθηκα ιδιαίτερα κουρασμένη, πράγμα που δε μου συμβαίνει συνήθως, ακόμα κι όταν κάποιο βιβλίο είναι τελείως βαρετό. Μη βιάζεστε να βγάλετε συμπεράσματα όμως. Ο λόγος που αισθάνθηκα αυτή την κόπωση, καθαρά πνευματική, είναι πολύ συγκεκριμένος και έχει δύο προεκτάσεις. Η πρώτη εξ' αυτών, το γεγονός ότι δεν αισθανόμουν πραγματικά, βαθιά και απόλυτα σίγουρη ότι είχα κατανοήσει το μυθιστ...more Όταν γύρισα και την τελευταία σελίδα αυτού του βιβλίου, αναστέναξα με ανακούφιση. Η ανάγνωσή του με κατέβαλλε, αισθάνθηκα ιδιαίτερα κουρασμένη, πράγμα που δε μου συμβαίνει συνήθως, ακόμα κι όταν κάποιο βιβλίο είναι τελείως βαρετό. Μη βιάζεστε να βγάλετε συμπεράσματα όμως. Ο λόγος που αισθάνθηκα αυτή την κόπωση, καθαρά πνευματική, είναι πολύ συγκεκριμένος και έχει δύο προεκτάσεις. Η πρώτη εξ' αυτών, το γεγονός ότι δεν αισθανόμουν πραγματικά, βαθιά και απόλυτα σίγουρη ότι είχα κατανοήσει το μυθιστόρημα αυτό εις βάθος, φέρνοντας ξανά και ξανά στο μυαλό μου στοιχεία τα οποία ίσως να ήταν σημαντικά κι εγώ, δεν είχα καταφέρει να αποκρυπτογραφήσω. Η δεύτερη είχε να κάνει καθαρά με τον προβληματισμό στον οποίο βυθίστηκα, έναν προβληματισμό που σχετίζεται, όχι μόνο με τις ικανότητες που μπορεί να έχουμε και να μην γνωρίζουμε αλλά, με το που μπορούμε να φτάσουμε προκειμένου να τις κατακτήσουμε.

Για πολύ λίγα βιβλία το τελευταίο διάστημα έχω ισχυριστεί κάτι τέτοιο όμως, νομίζω ότι οφείλω να το επισημάνω προς αποφυγήν πάσης φύσεως παρεξήγησης ή παρανόησης όσων ειπωθούν παρακάτω. Το βιβλίο αυτό δεν είναι εύκολο και απευθύνεται όχι μόνο σε απλούς λάτρεις του φανταστικού αλλά, σε εκείνη την μερίδα αναγνωστών η οποία είναι πρόθυμη να προβληματιστεί και να πάει την σκέψη της ένα βήμα παραπέρα. Αν δεν ανήκετε στην κατηγορία αυτή, τότε ίσως καλύτερα να μην το επιλέξετε και γιατί όχι, ίσως είναι καλύτερο να μην διαβάσετε παρακάτω. Αν συνεχίζετε, πάρα πολύ ωραία αλλά, αν κάψετε εγκεφαλικά κύτταρα, σαν εμένα καλή ώρα, δεν φέρω καμία ευθύνη. Αλλά ποιος ξέρει, μπορεί να σας αρέσει αυτή η αίσθηση 'καψίματος' όσο αρέσει και σε 'μένα. Γιατί καλή η φαντασία όμως, όταν στηρίζεται σε μια λογική πέρα από τα συμβατικά όρια, τα πράγματα είναι ακόμα πιο ενδιαφέροντα.

Βρισκόμαστε λοιπόν σε μια εποχή όπου οι πολίτες των διαφόρων πόλεων μιας χώρας, ζουν κάτω από ένα παράξενο καθεστώς. Σε κάθε τι, ακόμα και στην ίδια τους την ύπαρξη, υπάρχει μια κλίμακα η οποία καθορίζει την ιεραρχία, την δύναμη, την θέση σου στην κοινωνία, από τα ανώτερα μέχρι τα κατώτερα στρώματα, χαρακτηριστικό μάλιστα που κληρονομείται από γενιά σε γενιά. Από όποια τάξη κι αν προέρχεσαι, δεν μπορείς να ανέβεις αλλά ούτε και να κατέβεις, ακόμα και αν το θέλεις αφού, δεν υπάρχουν περιθώρια που να σου επιτρέπουν να το προσπαθήσεις. Όχι πως θα το ήθελε κανείς θα μπορούσε να το πετύχει αφού, αυτή είναι η ιδέα με την οποία ανατρέφεται και γαλουχείται, κάνοντάς τον να υπακούει τυφλά στο κατεστημένο. Παράλληλα, στα δέκατα τέταρτα γενέθλιά του, κάθε πολίτης θεωρείται ενήλικας και με μια καθορισμένη τελετή, αρχίζει να λαμβάνει το Ιχώρ, δημιούργημα και προσφορά του Δόκτορα Σιγμούνδου, αρχηγού και καθοδηγητή όλων όσων βρίσκονται στα εδάφη που ελέγχει, που δεν τους επιτρέπει να κάνουν κακές και βίαιες σκέψεις, προκαλώντας έτσι το χάος, την αναρχία και την εγκληματικότητα.

Και μπορεί να αναρωτιέστε τώρα που ακριβώς βρίσκεται το κακό σε μια χώρα σαν αυτή... Μα φυσικά στο γεγονός ότι κανένας από τους πολίτες της δεν έχει προσωπικότητα, ελεύθερη βούληση, ανεξάρτητη λογική, πνεύμα και ικανότητα να πράττει. Δεν έχει φαντασία, στερείται δημιουργικότητας και το σημαντικότερο όλων, έχει πάψει να ονειρεύεται. Με άλλα λόγια, μιλάμε για μια ρομποτική κοινωνία, όπου τα πάντα λειτουργούν καλοκουρδισμένα, ελεγχόμενα από ένα και μόνο άτομο και για το καλό και μόνο του ανθρώπου αυτού αλλά και για την δύναμη και την εξουσία που έχει στα χέρια του. Σκοπός του δεν είναι η δημιουργία μιας ειδυλλιακής και ειρηνικής κοινωνίας αλλά, μιας κοινωνίας καθ' όλα υποταγμένης, ανίκανης να εναντιωθεί στα θέλω και στα πιστεύω ενός, απόλυτου άρχοντα ο οποίος ωστόσο δεν διστάζει να χρησιμοποιήσει τα μέσα που φαινομενικά καταδικάζει, προκειμένου να πετύχει τον σκοπό του και να διατηρήσει τον έλεγχο.

Ο Brian Keaney μας συστήνει έναν τρομακτικά ομαλά ρυθμισμένο κόσμο. Αντιλαμβανόμαστε ότι η αρμονία μέσα σε αυτόν δεν είναι τίποτα άλλο από μια ψευδαίσθηση και ανατριχιάζουμε στην ιδέα του απόλυτου ελέγχου, της ολοκληρωτικής καθυπόταξης και της αδυναμίας ή ακόμα χειρότερα, της έλλειψης πάσης επιθυμίας για αντίσταση. Επιπλέον, έχουμε μια καλή εισαγωγή στον κόσμο της οδυλικής ενέργειας, η οποία μας προκαλεί να την ανακαλύψουμε και πολύ περισσότερο, να εξερευνήσουμε, τόσο τις δυνατότητες που αυτή προσφέρει, όσο και τις δυνατότητες που έχουμε εμείς οι άνθρωποι, σε συσχέτιση πάντα με την δύναμη της σκέψης και την αλληλεπίδραση αυτής με κάθε τι υλικό στον κόσμο. Ξέρω, ακούγεται λίγο μπερδεμένο και σε καμία περίπτωση δεν θα ισχυριστώ πως δεν θα μείνετε με απορίες αλλά, ας μην ξεχνάμε ότι πρόκειται απλά για το πρώτο μέρος μιας πολλά υποσχόμενης τριλογίας, την οποία και αδημονώ να συνεχίσω.(less)

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Feb 15, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-print, 1st-in-series, dystopian-apocalyptic, fiction, in-storage, read-2012, sci-fi-fantasy-paranormal, young-adult

I have this absolutely ridiculous, probably unhealthy love of dystopian fiction. If it takes place in a nasty-sounding society with lots of crazy government and crazier people in charge of it -- I'm so there. If it's futuristic-y, or science fiction-y, or fantasy-y [ugh, I know, but I had to keep the pattern up] -- then I'm there in 1/2 the time. So, I feel like I should get that disclaimer out of the way because I've been reading a LOT of dystopian fiction lately. It's like I'm on a major pessi...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Sensitivemuse rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I first picked up this book I thought it was from the paranormal genre. Then I took a closer look and it was an interesting blend of dystopia with some paranormal characteristics. I really did enjoy the dystopia aspect of the book. Dreams are taboo and you’re sent to the asylum if you have one and talk about it. It was an interesting idea and concept. However the pace was a little slow for me and it took me longer than usual to finish this book (despite its short length).

The theme and setti...more When I first picked up this book I thought it was from the paranormal genre. Then I took a closer look and it was an interesting blend of dystopia with some paranormal characteristics. I really did enjoy the dystopia aspect of the book. Dreams are taboo and you’re sent to the asylum if you have one and talk about it. It was an interesting idea and concept. However the pace was a little slow for me and it took me longer than usual to finish this book (despite its short length).

The theme and setting certainly had a good dark tone to it. It’s set in an asylum for the most part and when an extremely ‘dangerous’ inmate arrives that’s all the excitement that happens in the asylum. The mystery surrounding Dante and his past was good and connections were slowly being revealed. I really did like Dante as a character and the story does surround on his development as a character. Bea is more like a female sidekick to the story and although she has her own story arc as well it’s not as interesting as Dante’s.

Towards the ending of the book it got more interesting, except for a certain sequence where after re-reading the passage for about 3 times I’m still wondering what in the world happened. The cliffhanger though was very good and it does entice the reader to go search for the second one. I’m not sure if I’m going to pursue this series further. Although interesting and different when it comes to dystopian novels out there, the pace was just too slow for me and it just got a little too strange at the end. Plus, the cover is very very deceiving. You would expect to get a gothic horror novel but end with a dystopian world where dreams are illegal. Not a bad trade off, but with a slow start and slow moving pace this might deter readers (or not).

So, I’m not sure if I would recommend this book to others as I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I would say pick this up if you want to read something that’s a little different from the rest of the dystopian novels out there. Otherwise, take it or leave it. (less)

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Apr 30, 2009 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, dead-parent, dream, dystopia, fiction, magic, teen, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Dante is a kitchen boy in Tarnagar, an island asylum where his mother, an inmate, died. Bea is the daughter of one of the asylum's doctors, and she is on the verge of her coming-of-age ceremony, where she will first take Ichor (a government-created chemical that reduces violence in people). When a mysterious and dangerous patient is brought to Tarnagar, Dante and Bea's paths cross, leading them to a dangerous escape and a movement fighting against the enigmatic Dr. Sigmundus, leader of their cou...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Julie M. Prince for TeensReadToo.com

The first installment in THE PROMISES OF DR. SIGMUNDUS trilogy, THE HOLLOW PEOPLE introduces readers to a kitchen boy and lowly servant. Dante is the least important of all the people on Tarnager, the fortress-like island where he was raised. Since his mom, a dangerously insane criminal, committed suicide when he was a baby, Dante has had no one to care for, and no one who cares for him. That is, until he crosses paths with Beatrice.

The daughter o...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Lady Knight rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, science-fiction, dystopian-post-apocalyptic

This book never really draw me in and I had to struggle to finish it. Dante was likable enough and the son-of-a-lunatic-turned-kitchen-boy-in-an-asylum 'thing' was interesting enough, but once Bea, Dante, and Ezekial reached the ruined city it was all just kind of downhill from there. The ending in particular was horrendous (view spoiler), and I have no interest in carrying on with the series despite the fact that early on t...more

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Nov 07, 2010 Kelly Z!(: rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 15, 2013 Márcia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite

"Hollow People" is a book about hope. In Tarnagar, those who dream are considered crazy and put in an asylum. Dante is the boy who serves meals to the asylum's patients but no one cares about him except Bea. They share a secret: they can dream and what they see is a city, destroyed but at the same time alive.Their lives change when a new patient comes to the asylum. He tells them that the city of their dreams exists. Non-stop adventure in an alternate world with a touch of paranormal and dystopi...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Ana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

A história não é nada de extraordinário e não é particularmente cativante; faz parte de uma trilogia mas confesso que me dou satisfeita por ter lido apenas o primeiro livro uma vez que não fiquei com grande curiosidade relativamente ao que se irá passar nos restantes.

A versão portuguesa, no que diz respeito à qualidade da tradução, deixa um pouco a desejar - gralhas e verbos mal conjugados levam a que por vezes as frases percam o seu sentido.

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Oct 24, 2007 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dante and Bea are pushed together through their minor rebellious acts against the controlling influence of Dr. Sigmundus. By the use of a mind altering substance which is doled out to every person over the age of 14, Sigmundus and his followers are able to remove undesirable characteristics like acts of rage or other violent tendencies, but also individuality, creativity, and drive. Dante and Bea find themselves immune to the substance, and are "set free" when they join with a radical group know...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Uele Nayo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Even though when I went to the library I wasn't searching for this book, when I picked it up I thought it would be interesting and a good read. I really enjoyed this book and the characters that were presented. I read it about two years ago, but I think that I would still enjoy it today. I hope there are more books of the series out lol. I definitely recommend to anyone who wants to read a good book.

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About Brian Keaney

Brian is an award-winning children's author. He has written seventeen novels which have been translated into thirteen languages. His most recent novel for children, The Magical Detectives and the Forbidden Spell is published by Orchard Books. He lives in South East London.

More about Brian Keaney...

Books by Brian Keaney

The Cracked Mirror (The Promises of Dr. Sigmundus, #2)

The Resurrection Fields (The Promises of Dr. Sigmundus, #3)

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