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The Dark Side of Nowhere
Jason is having a bad day. The kind of day when you just don't feel like yourself. Only for Jason, it's not just a feeling. He really isn't himself.
Not any more.
Who is he? That's the problem. Jason isn't sure. And it's not just him. Everyone in town is acting weird. His friends. His parents. Everyone. Billington is usually such a normal town. As Jason is about to discover, nothing will ever be normal again.
Not any more.
Who is he? That's the problem. Jason isn't sure. And it's not just him. Everyone in town is acting weird. His friends. His parents. Everyone. Billington is usually such a normal town. As Jason is about to discover, nothing will ever be normal again.
185 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
78 people are currently reading
1348 people want to read
About the author
Neal Shusterman
90 books29.6k followersAward-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
October 25, 2018
What lay ahead was a lifetime of unexplored terrain, and I was more than ready to explore it and to find out who an what I was.Friends, it has been a few months since a book has made me feel like this. I devoured The Dark Side of Nowhere in a couple of hours and after finishing it I was left with the feeling of awe. I can't get this book out of my head. It is magical and exactly what I love about science fiction: the light that it casts on the darkest parts of our society through storytelling. The themes I picked up of otherness, political divide are hauntingly relevant to society today.
This is a book that I heard nothing about. No one recommended it to me, I haven't seen any reviews. It honestly just caught my eye when I was browsing on BookOutlet earlier this month. I've seen good things about this author's newer work and the synopsis caught my eye, so I bought it on a whim (along with 12 other books, shhh). I picked it up on a whim this morning when I went to my TBR bookcase and didn't refresh my memory before diving in. Going in blind without any preconceived notions of what to expect was absolutely refreshing.
The Dark Side of Nowhere is told in the first-person perspective of Jason, a 14 year old boy in a small and boring town. A little rebellious just to be something other than perfectly normal, he is finishing up his freshman year of high school when his world gets turned upside down. This is a twist on the coming-of-age story with the awkward early teenage years and not feeling like yourself. Here's the synopsis, because that is all I am going to say about the plot. 😈
The characters are all very well written and believable to the point that I feel like I know them. I really loved the main character Jason and his best friend Wesley: I felt how conflicted they both were in their own ways, and Jason's character development was fantastic. He is growing up and learning the lesson of who he is... and who he wants to be. It is interesting to watch him try to reconcile those two.
It's incredible the things you'll let yourself think... the things you'll let yourself do, when the right person gives you permission.One of the main reasons that I love science fiction can be summed up by this David Howe quote: "[g]reat science fiction forces us to look at who we are and ask the tough questions: where we are? where are we going? and what can we expect to find when we get there?" Neal Shusterman manages to capture this spirit of the genre perfectly here, exploring the ways that isolation and polarizing beliefs make it easier to categorize "outsiders" as The Other and breed feelings of superiority. How insidious it happens.
I don't know when I actually started thinking of myself as one of us instead of one of them [...] That kind of thinking grows inside you too slow to see, but too fast to stop - like the roots of a tree.These themes have been the root of conflict throughout human history and are timelessly relevant, but reading this book now in the age of algorithmic echo chambers, increased nationalism, and intense polarization was nothing less than haunting.
The thing about living in a private world, is that you've got nothing to feed on but the same thoughts and ideas bouncing forth at you from your friends. You sort of get locked in a feedback loop, and the things that start to sound normal and reasonable have no bearing on what's true.Shusterman has a way with words that captures the reader's attention and holds it from start to finish. The worldbuilding is superb, and he manages to explain the unexplainable in such a believeable way for the reader so they don't need to suspend disbelief to be drawn into the story. There are so many small details that helped paint such a great picture for me, but I really want to avoid spoiling the plot so I am going to refrain.
The book is very well plotted; the rising action is steady and super engaging as it builds to the climax. The writing style kept me on the edge of my seat, craving what would happen next and how things would turn out! The action goes until almost the very ending of the book and I was nervous that things wouldn't wrap up, but I was pleased with the ending. It is a little ambiguous, but not in a bad way - it leaves the future open to your own interpretation without making you feel like you read an incomplete story.
I loved this book so much and cannot wait to read another book by Shusterman! I found the plot to be something entirely unique, fast-paced, with fantastic worldbuilding and character development. If you are a fan of science fiction that casually explores the darkest parts of society without shoving a message down your throat, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Please read it so I have someone to talk about this book with.
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October 11, 2018
3.5 out of 5 Stars
I had no idea I would read this book in one sitting, even with its short length. if I were much younger, around pre-teen or so, this would've been one of the best reads of my life. And I would love to see more people read this book, outside of Neal Shusterman's more mainstream series: Unwind and Scythe. This book does have good messages and topics of discussion woven in the science fiction. A very underrated author that hasn't disappointed.
I had no idea I would read this book in one sitting, even with its short length. if I were much younger, around pre-teen or so, this would've been one of the best reads of my life. And I would love to see more people read this book, outside of Neal Shusterman's more mainstream series: Unwind and Scythe. This book does have good messages and topics of discussion woven in the science fiction. A very underrated author that hasn't disappointed.
April 5, 2016
[3.5 Stars] The messages that this novel portrays are incredibly important. It focuses on the dangers of ethnocentrism which is obviously important for people to inform themselves about, and I truly believe this book belongs in the 8th grade classroom. It brings up many points to have serious conversations about morality and our perceptions of what's "right". It also touches on interracial couples briefly and a couple of other smaller things like being careful what you wish for.
However, as an actual story, this didn't totally do it for me. I think it should have been expanded a bit more and some things fleshed out. The important messages were very heavy-handed with only a thin veil of science fiction to differentiate it from a lecture almost. I would have preferred some more science to the fiction. It's super face-paced and I finished it in one sitting, so I'm definitely happy I got to this novel sooner rather than later. I recommend it for people interested in the messages above, but I'd change the expectations of people who think this is going to have any large focus on a mystery or an in-depth built-up science fiction setting.
However, as an actual story, this didn't totally do it for me. I think it should have been expanded a bit more and some things fleshed out. The important messages were very heavy-handed with only a thin veil of science fiction to differentiate it from a lecture almost. I would have preferred some more science to the fiction. It's super face-paced and I finished it in one sitting, so I'm definitely happy I got to this novel sooner rather than later. I recommend it for people interested in the messages above, but I'd change the expectations of people who think this is going to have any large focus on a mystery or an in-depth built-up science fiction setting.
November 23, 2018
I chose to read this because it's 1. by Shusterman, 2. SF for young people, and 3. the mysterious title. Shusterman did deliver a substantial and intriguing SF story, but I still don't understand the title. I didn't realize this was one of his earliest books while I was reading it, and so I did blink at a couple of awkward instances of syntax. Too bad there's no sequel(s) but I'm glad Shusterman is still writing other work. He's always creative, funny, fresh, and smart and I will keep reading...
... even when the title says 'dark' and the blurb says 'thrilling' and those are words that tell me to skip the book....
... even when the title says 'dark' and the blurb says 'thrilling' and those are words that tell me to skip the book....
June 2, 2009
If I were 13, I would give this book five stars. That's meant to be a compliment, as that is who it is written for. This book would have been the perfect escape for me when I was a teenager: turns out I'm really not who I think I am (and I never thought I was) and I'm not necessarily happy with who I really am (never really was) and that knowledge could be used to impress a girl in the end (I won't divulge all the daydreams I had as a kid, but they almost always ended with my oddities somehow really impressing the girls...). I must admit that the 13-year-old part of me really enjoyed this little escape.
Then you get to dry, boring, intellectual side of me that really just felt like this story wrapped up too tight in the end. Thinking back on my childhood, this was not the book I needed because, at the time, what I needed to know was that there is no tight endings. Instead, there's life. I'm not sure if that's what Shusterman needed to do in this particular story, but if he had, the intellectual side of me might have given this book 5 stars.
Then you get to dry, boring, intellectual side of me that really just felt like this story wrapped up too tight in the end. Thinking back on my childhood, this was not the book I needed because, at the time, what I needed to know was that there is no tight endings. Instead, there's life. I'm not sure if that's what Shusterman needed to do in this particular story, but if he had, the intellectual side of me might have given this book 5 stars.
October 31, 2013
I did like this book to some degree but I also found it a bit tedious to read. Some reviewers have called the story complex or complicated. While the details of the story are a bit more complex than other books of this type, I wouldn't characterize the overall plot in that way. What I did find complex and, at times a bit difficult to follow, was Shusterman's development of the characters, especially the dialog between characters. Some of the conclusions that the protagonist and other characters come to, based on the events that have transpired, seem a bit far reaching.
I found the suspense of the story held my interest but the end was a little anticlimactic and begging for a sequel.
I found the suspense of the story held my interest but the end was a little anticlimactic and begging for a sequel.
June 20, 2015
Finished it in one night. It was another fantastic read by Neal Shusterman, one that I couldn't put down. It chilled me and made me laugh a little but also made me wonder...
It's not just a spooky tale, or a sci-fi thriller.
A story about humanity.
A great book all in all and great characterization. Amazing descriptions that leave just enough to the imagination and plenty of twists and turns.
It's not just a spooky tale, or a sci-fi thriller.
A story about humanity.
A great book all in all and great characterization. Amazing descriptions that leave just enough to the imagination and plenty of twists and turns.
April 4, 2020
What can I say? I freaking love Neal Shusterman!!!! I would buy the man's grocery list at this point!
This was a great little book. As always Shusterman gives a memorable story with amazing characters.
This was a great little book. As always Shusterman gives a memorable story with amazing characters.
September 17, 2021
It was ok, but it felt unfinished.
May 28, 2016
3.5 stars
I’ve been in bad mood of gargantuan proportions lately. Call it stress, call it sheer exhaustion or just general grumpiness - whatever it is isn’t helping my reading mood. I’ve slumped into a small but persistent batch of three star reads. Nothing too bad, but enough that I couldn’t help but feeling irritated. The Dark Side of Nowhere came at the perfect time. I don’t know what I expected from this book, but it looked nice and short and rather deliciously creepy when I picked it up. And after the surprise that was Bruiser in late March, I was keen for something else Neal Shusterman-y.
The writing style made me want to cry. I don’t know how, but Shusterman has the most marvelous way of getting his characters, making them so damn real and realistic that it is almost impossible not to see a part of yourself printed on the page. While Jason wasn’t particularly likable at first, you couldn’t help but appreciate his stubborn refusal of the commonness of his life. Maybe it’s just me, but I could understand his frustration and his desire for more - more of what though, no one knows. As the story progressed, the writing just grew and grew. Everyone now and again I’d come across a phrase that I just had to stop and reread. It was just so casually poignant, and stole my breath. Shusterman’s writing style is effortlessly gorgeous and it just makes me want to consume everything that he’s ever penned.
The actual story was a little up and down - definitely not my favourite aspect of the book as a whole. The opening line definitely drew me in, and the first fifty or so pages had me on my toes. There was obviously some suspicious happenings, and the suspenseful atmosphere was done perfectly - it had me begging to know more. Then umm, things got weird... Look, it wasn’t bad. I actually really liked that it took such a unique turn to really made the book its own. It kept me reading too. I made me crave knowing what would happen next, how everything would turn in the end. And that brings me to the ending… I honestly think that the story could have been drawn out a little bit more? My edition is only 230 pages or so. It wouldn’t be drastic to draw it out a bit - make the ending more climactic, the final situation more drastic, make it a true do-or-die moment. I think that would have made the story really end with a bang. The way it went out was a little… soft, for my liking,
But overall? I thought this story was truly unique and so damn wonderfully written. The characters had me invested in the story, and the plotline had me intrigued. I’d probably pitch this as Project Firebird meets I Am Number Four.
I’ve been in bad mood of gargantuan proportions lately. Call it stress, call it sheer exhaustion or just general grumpiness - whatever it is isn’t helping my reading mood. I’ve slumped into a small but persistent batch of three star reads. Nothing too bad, but enough that I couldn’t help but feeling irritated. The Dark Side of Nowhere came at the perfect time. I don’t know what I expected from this book, but it looked nice and short and rather deliciously creepy when I picked it up. And after the surprise that was Bruiser in late March, I was keen for something else Neal Shusterman-y.
The writing style made me want to cry. I don’t know how, but Shusterman has the most marvelous way of getting his characters, making them so damn real and realistic that it is almost impossible not to see a part of yourself printed on the page. While Jason wasn’t particularly likable at first, you couldn’t help but appreciate his stubborn refusal of the commonness of his life. Maybe it’s just me, but I could understand his frustration and his desire for more - more of what though, no one knows. As the story progressed, the writing just grew and grew. Everyone now and again I’d come across a phrase that I just had to stop and reread. It was just so casually poignant, and stole my breath. Shusterman’s writing style is effortlessly gorgeous and it just makes me want to consume everything that he’s ever penned.
The actual story was a little up and down - definitely not my favourite aspect of the book as a whole. The opening line definitely drew me in, and the first fifty or so pages had me on my toes. There was obviously some suspicious happenings, and the suspenseful atmosphere was done perfectly - it had me begging to know more. Then umm, things got weird... Look, it wasn’t bad. I actually really liked that it took such a unique turn to really made the book its own. It kept me reading too. I made me crave knowing what would happen next, how everything would turn in the end. And that brings me to the ending… I honestly think that the story could have been drawn out a little bit more? My edition is only 230 pages or so. It wouldn’t be drastic to draw it out a bit - make the ending more climactic, the final situation more drastic, make it a true do-or-die moment. I think that would have made the story really end with a bang. The way it went out was a little… soft, for my liking,
But overall? I thought this story was truly unique and so damn wonderfully written. The characters had me invested in the story, and the plotline had me intrigued. I’d probably pitch this as Project Firebird meets I Am Number Four.
March 10, 2022
"Gli alieni sono tra noi" è un romanzo per bambini/ragazzi di genere sci-fi che volevo leggere da tantissimi anni.
L'autore è già conosciuto in Italia, perché si tratta di Neal Shusterman, lo stesso della trilogia distopica/sci-fi YA di Falce.
La collana del battello a valore era una delle mie preferite quand'ero più piccolo, ma non sono mai riuscito a recuperare tutti i volumi, voglia che mi è venuta solo quest'anno.
Sicuramente sono cresciuto per questo genere di libri, però ogni tanto mi piace immergermi e leggere con gli occhi del passato.
Jason è un quindicenne che da un giorno all'altro scopre che tutto ciò che conosce non corrisponde alla realtà, perché lui è un alieno.
La rivelazione avviene qualche pagina avanti nel libro, nonostante il mistero sia subito intuibile, anche perché il titolo originale rispetto a quello italiano non fa presagire di trovarci a leggere una storia di questo tipo, anche se comunque ci sta.
Vediamo però una storia particolare, il punto di vista degli alieni che arrivano sulla terra per cercare di conquistarla.
In questo libro è trattato il tema (in maniera molto superficiale e leggera) come quello dell'accettazione di sé stessi, che è comunque un bel messaggio.
Alcune parti mi hanno stupito, altre le ho trovate più banali e scontate, ma si tratta di un libro per bambini, quindi è normale.
Mi ha ricordato vagamente il film "Super 8" oppure il film d'animazione della Dreamworks "Home - A casa".
Avrei voluto leggerlo ai tempi delle medie per godermelo meglio, ma è comunque un racconto che mi ha fatto riflettere e, soprattutto, immedesimare nei discorsi che recentemente faccio con un mio amico, in cui parliamo di alieni, pianeti, stelle e più in generale del mistero dell'universo e dell'esistenza stessa.
L'autore è già conosciuto in Italia, perché si tratta di Neal Shusterman, lo stesso della trilogia distopica/sci-fi YA di Falce.
La collana del battello a valore era una delle mie preferite quand'ero più piccolo, ma non sono mai riuscito a recuperare tutti i volumi, voglia che mi è venuta solo quest'anno.
Sicuramente sono cresciuto per questo genere di libri, però ogni tanto mi piace immergermi e leggere con gli occhi del passato.
Jason è un quindicenne che da un giorno all'altro scopre che tutto ciò che conosce non corrisponde alla realtà, perché lui è un alieno.
La rivelazione avviene qualche pagina avanti nel libro, nonostante il mistero sia subito intuibile, anche perché il titolo originale rispetto a quello italiano non fa presagire di trovarci a leggere una storia di questo tipo, anche se comunque ci sta.
Vediamo però una storia particolare, il punto di vista degli alieni che arrivano sulla terra per cercare di conquistarla.
In questo libro è trattato il tema (in maniera molto superficiale e leggera) come quello dell'accettazione di sé stessi, che è comunque un bel messaggio.
Alcune parti mi hanno stupito, altre le ho trovate più banali e scontate, ma si tratta di un libro per bambini, quindi è normale.
Mi ha ricordato vagamente il film "Super 8" oppure il film d'animazione della Dreamworks "Home - A casa".
Avrei voluto leggerlo ai tempi delle medie per godermelo meglio, ma è comunque un racconto che mi ha fatto riflettere e, soprattutto, immedesimare nei discorsi che recentemente faccio con un mio amico, in cui parliamo di alieni, pianeti, stelle e più in generale del mistero dell'universo e dell'esistenza stessa.
February 15, 2018
Jason on normaali teini pikkukaupungissa, jonka vanhemmat ovat kertakaikkisen tylsän normaaleja. Kun Jasonin ystävä kuolee, alkaa Jason kiinnittää huomiota siihen, että hänen ympärillään alkaa tapahtua kaikenlaista outoa ja ihmiset alkavat käyttäytä oudosti. Ennen pitkää Jason vihitään mukaan erityiseen joukkoon, joka ulos päin väittää olevansa oma seurakuntansa. Yhdysvalloissa sellainen ei herätä yhtään epäluuloja. Joukko kokoontuu kaupungin hylätyssä osassa, jota koko muu kaupungin väki välttelee. Ennen pitkää tilanne alkaa eskaloitua, eikä mikään ole enää ennallaan.
Tämä on hyytävä kirja salaisesta juonesta, nuorten ihmisten johtamisesta ja ennen kaikkea inhimillisyydestä joukossa, jossa inhimillisyyttä ei arvosteta. Eräs suurimmista lempikirjailijoistani Neal Schusterman on jälleen kirjoittanut aivan omanlaisensa jännärin, joka pitää otteessaan aivan yllättävään loppuunsa saakka.
Tämä on hyytävä kirja salaisesta juonesta, nuorten ihmisten johtamisesta ja ennen kaikkea inhimillisyydestä joukossa, jossa inhimillisyyttä ei arvosteta. Eräs suurimmista lempikirjailijoistani Neal Schusterman on jälleen kirjoittanut aivan omanlaisensa jännärin, joka pitää otteessaan aivan yllättävään loppuunsa saakka.
August 7, 2017
*3.5
Uh...
1. This is a really good book. I'm not going as far to say that it is great, but really good.
2. Can get kinda confusing at parts.
3. Sometimes I thought the writing was absolutely terrible, and the plot was all messed up, but THE END THO.
4. I would never, in a hundred years, say that this is better than unwind.
Uh...
1. This is a really good book. I'm not going as far to say that it is great, but really good.
2. Can get kinda confusing at parts.
3. Sometimes I thought the writing was absolutely terrible, and the plot was all messed up, but THE END THO.
4. I would never, in a hundred years, say that this is better than unwind.
Read
November 26, 2023While on a quest to find some R.L. Stine Fear Street books in a used bookstore, we found this little sci-fi thriller by Neal Shusterman. Both Brent and Jonas discovered Scythe this summer so we’re all now fans of Shusterman. It’s hard to deny…the man is talented!
March 30, 2019
This is a really amazing story of what it means to be human. It gets confusing sometimes with how many time jumps there are, but overall it's an amazing book and I'd recommend it to anyone
November 21, 2021
Not my favorite one of Neal’s books but I still really enjoyed it.
March 28, 2018
This book is more on the juvenile side of young adult. Although that's not surprising since this book was written in 1997.
This book centers around Jason. He is usually a little rebellious because he feels like his life is so predictable and boring.
Then Grant, the school security guard gives Jason a special looking bb gun. Things start getting weird. Then we find out
This book centers around Jason. He is usually a little rebellious because he feels like his life is so predictable and boring.
Then Grant, the school security guard gives Jason a special looking bb gun. Things start getting weird. Then we find out
August 25, 2022
Okay what is a 60-year-old woman doing reading young adult books -one after another?
One answer is I am scouting books for my young nephew and niece. The other answer is Neil Schusterman! This guy is a really good writer! Book after book he tackles really complicated and difficult issues with bravery and a truthful gentleness to his characters.
So good stories and good reads!
One answer is I am scouting books for my young nephew and niece. The other answer is Neil Schusterman! This guy is a really good writer! Book after book he tackles really complicated and difficult issues with bravery and a truthful gentleness to his characters.
So good stories and good reads!
June 23, 2008
Jason is bored with his town and his parnets - who are about the dullest people on the Earth. Then he discoveres that everything he thought he knew was true is a lie including himself. A great book full of high tension as Jason struggles with what is right and what is wrong. A great exploartion that sometimes to do right you do have to take a stand aganist the majority. Powerful.
December 20, 2012
1. The plot had a lot of good action in it and it was about teens. It moved slowly, i didn't like some parts of it. It was very interesting at the end.
2. Jason and Grant. Jason is the main character in the book. Grant is the leader of Jason.
3. Friendship it shows how friends are there for each other and how they care and take care of each other.
2. Jason and Grant. Jason is the main character in the book. Grant is the leader of Jason.
3. Friendship it shows how friends are there for each other and how they care and take care of each other.
July 5, 2013
This book was excellent.
I loved how it kept me on my toes a lot of the time. Though, some things were predictable, others made me go "WHAT?!". That was great.
The characters served their purpose. I liked Jason, he was a strong protagonist. The others were alright. The story is the most important part of this book. It was great. Highly recommend this author, he's a great storyteller.
I loved how it kept me on my toes a lot of the time. Though, some things were predictable, others made me go "WHAT?!". That was great.
The characters served their purpose. I liked Jason, he was a strong protagonist. The others were alright. The story is the most important part of this book. It was great. Highly recommend this author, he's a great storyteller.
February 10, 2010
THE BEST FRIGGIN BOOK IN THE WORLD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 25, 2016
A bit weird, but really well done. Mystery/scifi/coming of age novel.
But man Shusterman knows how to write.
But man Shusterman knows how to write.
September 20, 2022
Some great themes here on leadership, aggression and empathy
March 26, 2020
Wow. Wow, wow, wow.
I shouldn't be surprised to love a Shusterman book so much, but I hadn't expected to enjoy this one as much as I did. I mean, the synopsis is so vague, I really didn't know what to expect from this, other than some sort of sci-fi elements to come into play eventually. Once it got there, the book really took off like a rocket. (Hehe.)
Ever since I read Unwind six years ago (gosh, has it been that long, already?), I've been a fan of Neal's. He's like the master of the skill I have been taught over and over again over the years - show don't tell. He builds these fictional universes with visuals rather than explanations. This book didn't have quite the amount of original vocabulary as some of his other ones, but even then, you were able to see Billington without being told, "It's a small town where nothing exciting ever happens." You were able to see the alien creatures based on the way they were described, even if Jason claimed he wasn't quite sure how to. You could see the chase scene as it took place, feel the rain on your skin as Jason did, and the muddy ground beneath your feet.
Like I said in some of my updates, Neal is my God, both as a reader AND an aspiring writer. I both admire his talents so much and hope to have even just a shred of them someday. He's just so, so good.
And I do have to say, since I read Unwind first (though Unwind was actually published after this book), I kind of saw a little of Connor in Jason. The way he took on this leadership role of the Transitionals and stood up to Grant - they're both just two boys who don't like playing by the rules. Even Rowan would fit into their club quite nicely. I guess that's just a pattern for how Neal writes his male leads. And I mean that as a positive, I love seeing the similarities between the three of them. And they each still have enough distinct traits to set them apart from one another too. They don't blur together in any way.
If you're like me and you love Neal's books or you've hit a reading slump (as I had just before this), read this book. It's a relatively quick read that'll keep you hooked until the very last scene. Exactly what I needed to get excited about reading again.
I shouldn't be surprised to love a Shusterman book so much, but I hadn't expected to enjoy this one as much as I did. I mean, the synopsis is so vague, I really didn't know what to expect from this, other than some sort of sci-fi elements to come into play eventually. Once it got there, the book really took off like a rocket. (Hehe.)
Ever since I read Unwind six years ago (gosh, has it been that long, already?), I've been a fan of Neal's. He's like the master of the skill I have been taught over and over again over the years - show don't tell. He builds these fictional universes with visuals rather than explanations. This book didn't have quite the amount of original vocabulary as some of his other ones, but even then, you were able to see Billington without being told, "It's a small town where nothing exciting ever happens." You were able to see the alien creatures based on the way they were described, even if Jason claimed he wasn't quite sure how to. You could see the chase scene as it took place, feel the rain on your skin as Jason did, and the muddy ground beneath your feet.
Like I said in some of my updates, Neal is my God, both as a reader AND an aspiring writer. I both admire his talents so much and hope to have even just a shred of them someday. He's just so, so good.
And I do have to say, since I read Unwind first (though Unwind was actually published after this book), I kind of saw a little of Connor in Jason. The way he took on this leadership role of the Transitionals and stood up to Grant - they're both just two boys who don't like playing by the rules. Even Rowan would fit into their club quite nicely. I guess that's just a pattern for how Neal writes his male leads. And I mean that as a positive, I love seeing the similarities between the three of them. And they each still have enough distinct traits to set them apart from one another too. They don't blur together in any way.
If you're like me and you love Neal's books or you've hit a reading slump (as I had just before this), read this book. It's a relatively quick read that'll keep you hooked until the very last scene. Exactly what I needed to get excited about reading again.
April 21, 2019
The Dark Side or Nowhere is quite an interesting book. Not gonna lie, it didn't turn out to be what I thought it was gonna be. It was a bit out of the place? It left me with a lot of questions even after finishing it. While it did keep me interested in the story, the story itself was very weird. I found a lot of plot points that could've been corrected/edited to make the book better, which is why I am giving it three stars.
Howeverrr, the character were very fun to read about. The main character has a great sense of humour which is quite refreshing. Safe to safe these teenagers weren't exactly your typical reckless stupid ones, which I'm super grateful for. I don't expect anything less from Neal anyway.
It also brought me out of my reading slump because of how smoothly it was written. Neal's storytelling skills are so smooth. He always awakens my love for reading. Whenever I am in a reading slump, I can always turn to his books to get me out of it.
I have to admit Neal has written books wayyy better than this one. While it was still fun to read, the story could've used more brainstorming. Neal has become much much better at writing books now. This is one of his earlier works. So I can tell how much he has improved as an author :)
Howeverrr, the character were very fun to read about. The main character has a great sense of humour which is quite refreshing. Safe to safe these teenagers weren't exactly your typical reckless stupid ones, which I'm super grateful for. I don't expect anything less from Neal anyway.
It also brought me out of my reading slump because of how smoothly it was written. Neal's storytelling skills are so smooth. He always awakens my love for reading. Whenever I am in a reading slump, I can always turn to his books to get me out of it.
I have to admit Neal has written books wayyy better than this one. While it was still fun to read, the story could've used more brainstorming. Neal has become much much better at writing books now. This is one of his earlier works. So I can tell how much he has improved as an author :)
February 4, 2024
Some writers are great at making their readers really think, while others create intense story action that grips the reader tightly and never lets go. Neal Shusterman is richly blessed on both these scores.
Jason Miller, caught living in the middle of the ostensibly bland town of Billington, feels a deep need to break free from his mundane life. He gets his wish when a closely guarded secret about his friends and himself is revealed, and the town's teenagers suddenly have a wild new life course charted for them. Jason must adjust to the new practical and ethical concerns that now bombard him.
As Jason discovers more about the transformation affecting himself and the other teens, he sees there is a dark side to the utopia he has been sold. The stakes raise and Jason's life is put at risk when he dares to defy the powerful new order. Whatever happens next, nothing can ever be the same again.
"Sometimes we make our alliances not by the shape and color of our flesh but by the convictions of our heart."
—The Dark Side of Nowhere, P. 185
Neal Shusterman is that rare author whose every written word is worth reading, and The Dark Side of Nowhere is a solid novel I would give two and a half stars.
Jason Miller, caught living in the middle of the ostensibly bland town of Billington, feels a deep need to break free from his mundane life. He gets his wish when a closely guarded secret about his friends and himself is revealed, and the town's teenagers suddenly have a wild new life course charted for them. Jason must adjust to the new practical and ethical concerns that now bombard him.
As Jason discovers more about the transformation affecting himself and the other teens, he sees there is a dark side to the utopia he has been sold. The stakes raise and Jason's life is put at risk when he dares to defy the powerful new order. Whatever happens next, nothing can ever be the same again.
"Sometimes we make our alliances not by the shape and color of our flesh but by the convictions of our heart."
—The Dark Side of Nowhere, P. 185
Neal Shusterman is that rare author whose every written word is worth reading, and The Dark Side of Nowhere is a solid novel I would give two and a half stars.
January 29, 2021
I didn't find this one of Shusterman's best books but it was still enjoyable. I think I would classify this as more of a middle grade thriller than young adult. If you are looking for a clean, little bit creepy book, this would be a good one to try.
The main character finds out there is something different about him when he is given a glove from a man from town and told to keep it a secret. It appears to be a glove that can shoot ball bearing. But Jason is so excited about the glove that he can't keep it to himself and tells a girl who is also in his class. As time goes on, he realizes she is probably the last person he should have shown. Other friends of his also have this glove as he slowly discovers.
There is also an old decrepit small town just behind their town. Old Town is rumored to have gone under after a plague killed most of the people in the town. But when they investigate the ruins of the town, they find a picture in one of the houses that looks exactly like a classmate of theirs and the questions just keep coming. What happened to the town, the people, and what is happening to Jason?
The main character finds out there is something different about him when he is given a glove from a man from town and told to keep it a secret. It appears to be a glove that can shoot ball bearing. But Jason is so excited about the glove that he can't keep it to himself and tells a girl who is also in his class. As time goes on, he realizes she is probably the last person he should have shown. Other friends of his also have this glove as he slowly discovers.
There is also an old decrepit small town just behind their town. Old Town is rumored to have gone under after a plague killed most of the people in the town. But when they investigate the ruins of the town, they find a picture in one of the houses that looks exactly like a classmate of theirs and the questions just keep coming. What happened to the town, the people, and what is happening to Jason?
October 22, 2024
Actual fever-dream of a book. Not unreadable, for the most part digestible, just so tonally and narratively all over the place oh my god it became a headache at some points. This book was unpredictable in a bad way, nothing a single thing could lead you to guess where it was going to go (because it was so disjointed) red herrings everywhere.
I only have 2 Shusterman books left on my Shusterman binge but I physically cannot, I must take a break. I have done ENOUGH.
I will never talk down upon the unwind series, I think it is one of the most well-written, polished, and cohesive series I have ever read. Love it w all my heart. But outside of it, I’ve noticed Shusterman has a pattern of creating books with super promising concepts then barely touching on the concepts or ideas and spending the entire book focusing and expanding on things the reader doesn’t care about, why did I spend the entire book reading about Jason’s stupid alien society dynamics, we knew he was being manipulated, we knew alien = bad, why did I have to sit with that for 200 pages then quite literally let the narrative jump ship in the past 20 pages. Sigh. Oh well, it’s over fr
I only have 2 Shusterman books left on my Shusterman binge but I physically cannot, I must take a break. I have done ENOUGH.
I will never talk down upon the unwind series, I think it is one of the most well-written, polished, and cohesive series I have ever read. Love it w all my heart. But outside of it, I’ve noticed Shusterman has a pattern of creating books with super promising concepts then barely touching on the concepts or ideas and spending the entire book focusing and expanding on things the reader doesn’t care about, why did I spend the entire book reading about Jason’s stupid alien society dynamics, we knew he was being manipulated, we knew alien = bad, why did I have to sit with that for 200 pages then quite literally let the narrative jump ship in the past 20 pages. Sigh. Oh well, it’s over fr
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