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Weekend
The dream became a nightmare.
The weekend in Mexico sounded like a dream vacation. Four guys, five girls - and a gorgeous oceanside mansion all to themselves. It should have been perfect.
Except nothing was going the way they'd planned. There was the girl upstairs fighting for her life. The phone lines that went dead. And the explosion in the garage that could have killed them all.
But not even that prepared them for what happened next. Because while they were getting some sun, someone else was getting revenge - and the terror wouldn't stop until the weekend was over.
The weekend in Mexico sounded like a dream vacation. Four guys, five girls - and a gorgeous oceanside mansion all to themselves. It should have been perfect.
Except nothing was going the way they'd planned. There was the girl upstairs fighting for her life. The phone lines that went dead. And the explosion in the garage that could have killed them all.
But not even that prepared them for what happened next. Because while they were getting some sun, someone else was getting revenge - and the terror wouldn't stop until the weekend was over.
230 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
30 people are currently reading
1698 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Pike
262 books5,479 followersChristopher Pike is the pseudonym of Kevin McFadden. He is a bestselling author of young adult and children's fiction who specializes in the thriller genre.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
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October 28, 2025
My new drug: Christopher Pike books.
Welcome to another edition of: the kids aren't alright.
SPOILERS
Shani, Angie, and Kerry are three high school seniors driving from Santa Barbara to Mexico for a fun weekend with their classmates. Two sisters, Robin and Lena, own a house in Mexico and have invited their closest friends to join them. I use the term 'close friends' loosely, as Shani's inner thoughts reveal that there is quite a bit of drama within that circle. Lena and Kerry hate each other because Lena stole Kerry's boyfriend. Both Lena and Kerry are problematic, and Shani reflects that she doesn't fully trust either of them. Relatable.
Lena, while no one can definitively prove it, is believed to have sabotaged Kerry's performance at the school gym, which led to Kerry's humiliation and was one of the reasons her boyfriend left her for Lena. Lena's sister, Robin, is Shani's best friend and experienced a tragic accident a month after Kerry's embarrassing performance. The details remain unclear, but she suffered a severe accident, lost both kidneys, and now requires dialysis. Two other key members of the group are Park and Sol. They truly are a pair of diamonds. Park is a close friend of Shani, and it's puzzling why the girls continue their friendship with him since he broke up with Robin, unable to cope with the consequences of her accident, and is now in a relationship with Angie. Sol was Kerry's boyfriend who left her for Lena and is the cool/tough guy of the group. The author's portrayal of his Mexican heritage made me cringe, but I had to remind myself that this was written in 1986, and it could have been much worse.
If you can't keep up with all the drama and the past and present relationships, that's fine; neither can I.
Additional members of this unusual group include Bert, the well-meaning but dim-witted jock, and Flynn, who transferred from England and who all the girls swoon over.
We finally find out what happened to Robin. A party was held at Angie's place, where everyone indulged in drinks except for Robin. Robin didn't want to drink, but she gave in to peer pressure. She had a beer and then fell asleep. They assumed her sleepiness was due to her lack of experience with alcohol, but the reality was far more serious. Kerry also started feeling unwell. At the hospital, it was revealed that both Robin and Kerry had been poisoned. Kerry was fortunate enough to recover since she had ingested only a small amount of the poison, but Robin's condition was critical. She survived the ordeal but lost both of her kidneys, and unless a compatible blood relative can be found to donate a kidney (as Robin was adopted), her life hangs in the balance.
Strange things keep happening in the house.
Shani appears to be the smartest one in the group, but then she decides to head out alone for a hike in the desert wearing sneakers (and taking no water with her), ends up lost, and tumbles down a hill. Oh, and she keeps overlooking all the sketchy stuff Flynn pulls and makes out with him because he's a hot British guy. Okay, I'm not going to pretend this isn't relatable.
The conclusion has a vibe reminiscent of 20th-century American soap operas. There are multiple people accountable for the chaos, and the hilarious part is that each one acted independently with their own motives. Just picture the three Spiderman meme where they point fingers at each other. I figured out who poisoned Robin and the motive from the very beginning, and I also figured out which two characters were secret siblings; it's pretty obvious, but some details still surprised me.
Kerry was the one who poisoned Robin, but the poison was actually meant for Robin's sister, Lena, who had stolen Kerry's boyfriend (in case you needed a reminder). Kerry felt guilty, but not guilty enough since she also attempted to sabotage Robin's dialysis machine to make it seem like Lena couldn't take care of her sister. The ironic part? It wasn't Lena who ruined Kerry's performance by switching her pants; it was Angie. And she did it because those faulty pants were meant for Robin, not Kerry. Why did Angie do that? Well, she wanted to humiliate Robin, hoping that Park would dump her since she had a crush on him. None of these girls heard the term 'buds over studs' and it shows.
Flynn, whose real name isn't Flynn, is actually Robin's long-lost brother. Both Lena and Flynn were causing chaos for everyone, but I won't dive into that because it's a long, absurd, semi-believable, semi-crazy tale, and I am exhausted.
None of the characters are truly bad people; they're just stupid and petty. Robin receives a transplant from her long-lost brother and survives. She is the only character I truly connected with, and I think the author made a mistake by not making her the narrator instead of Shani and Park.
This is the least creepy Pike book I've read, but that's due to the characters' stupidity, which made it hard for me to take them seriously. I still had a good time, mainly because their idiocy was quite entertaining. I suppose I shouldn't be too critical of them—after all, I shouldn't expect privileged teens from Santa Barbara in the 80s to possess any survival skills.
This book has the funniest line I've ever seen in a horror novel. Park knew intellectually that he should turn and run, but his upper-class, manicured body would not cooperate. HIS UPPER-CLASS, MANICURED BODY. Ok, dude.
Then this happened: The snake, bent on Caucasian meat...
I was literally dying from laughter. This was the chapter where I realized that Park was the most clueless and funniest character I have ever encountered in literature. I should have caught on sooner when he compared himself to Ryan O'Neal's character in Love Story (even though Ryan never abandoned his sick wife, unlike Park). He does experience some character growth by asking Robin to take him back and giving up Harvard for her. Ryan O'Neal would be proud.
Welcome to another edition of: the kids aren't alright.
SPOILERS
Shani, Angie, and Kerry are three high school seniors driving from Santa Barbara to Mexico for a fun weekend with their classmates. Two sisters, Robin and Lena, own a house in Mexico and have invited their closest friends to join them. I use the term 'close friends' loosely, as Shani's inner thoughts reveal that there is quite a bit of drama within that circle. Lena and Kerry hate each other because Lena stole Kerry's boyfriend. Both Lena and Kerry are problematic, and Shani reflects that she doesn't fully trust either of them. Relatable.
Lena, while no one can definitively prove it, is believed to have sabotaged Kerry's performance at the school gym, which led to Kerry's humiliation and was one of the reasons her boyfriend left her for Lena. Lena's sister, Robin, is Shani's best friend and experienced a tragic accident a month after Kerry's embarrassing performance. The details remain unclear, but she suffered a severe accident, lost both kidneys, and now requires dialysis. Two other key members of the group are Park and Sol. They truly are a pair of diamonds. Park is a close friend of Shani, and it's puzzling why the girls continue their friendship with him since he broke up with Robin, unable to cope with the consequences of her accident, and is now in a relationship with Angie. Sol was Kerry's boyfriend who left her for Lena and is the cool/tough guy of the group. The author's portrayal of his Mexican heritage made me cringe, but I had to remind myself that this was written in 1986, and it could have been much worse.
If you can't keep up with all the drama and the past and present relationships, that's fine; neither can I.
Additional members of this unusual group include Bert, the well-meaning but dim-witted jock, and Flynn, who transferred from England and who all the girls swoon over.
We finally find out what happened to Robin. A party was held at Angie's place, where everyone indulged in drinks except for Robin. Robin didn't want to drink, but she gave in to peer pressure. She had a beer and then fell asleep. They assumed her sleepiness was due to her lack of experience with alcohol, but the reality was far more serious. Kerry also started feeling unwell. At the hospital, it was revealed that both Robin and Kerry had been poisoned. Kerry was fortunate enough to recover since she had ingested only a small amount of the poison, but Robin's condition was critical. She survived the ordeal but lost both of her kidneys, and unless a compatible blood relative can be found to donate a kidney (as Robin was adopted), her life hangs in the balance.
Strange things keep happening in the house.
Shani appears to be the smartest one in the group, but then she decides to head out alone for a hike in the desert wearing sneakers (and taking no water with her), ends up lost, and tumbles down a hill. Oh, and she keeps overlooking all the sketchy stuff Flynn pulls and makes out with him because he's a hot British guy. Okay, I'm not going to pretend this isn't relatable.
The conclusion has a vibe reminiscent of 20th-century American soap operas. There are multiple people accountable for the chaos, and the hilarious part is that each one acted independently with their own motives. Just picture the three Spiderman meme where they point fingers at each other. I figured out who poisoned Robin and the motive from the very beginning, and I also figured out which two characters were secret siblings; it's pretty obvious, but some details still surprised me.
Kerry was the one who poisoned Robin, but the poison was actually meant for Robin's sister, Lena, who had stolen Kerry's boyfriend (in case you needed a reminder). Kerry felt guilty, but not guilty enough since she also attempted to sabotage Robin's dialysis machine to make it seem like Lena couldn't take care of her sister. The ironic part? It wasn't Lena who ruined Kerry's performance by switching her pants; it was Angie. And she did it because those faulty pants were meant for Robin, not Kerry. Why did Angie do that? Well, she wanted to humiliate Robin, hoping that Park would dump her since she had a crush on him. None of these girls heard the term 'buds over studs' and it shows.
Flynn, whose real name isn't Flynn, is actually Robin's long-lost brother. Both Lena and Flynn were causing chaos for everyone, but I won't dive into that because it's a long, absurd, semi-believable, semi-crazy tale, and I am exhausted.
None of the characters are truly bad people; they're just stupid and petty. Robin receives a transplant from her long-lost brother and survives. She is the only character I truly connected with, and I think the author made a mistake by not making her the narrator instead of Shani and Park.
This is the least creepy Pike book I've read, but that's due to the characters' stupidity, which made it hard for me to take them seriously. I still had a good time, mainly because their idiocy was quite entertaining. I suppose I shouldn't be too critical of them—after all, I shouldn't expect privileged teens from Santa Barbara in the 80s to possess any survival skills.
This book has the funniest line I've ever seen in a horror novel. Park knew intellectually that he should turn and run, but his upper-class, manicured body would not cooperate. HIS UPPER-CLASS, MANICURED BODY. Ok, dude.
Then this happened: The snake, bent on Caucasian meat...
I was literally dying from laughter. This was the chapter where I realized that Park was the most clueless and funniest character I have ever encountered in literature. I should have caught on sooner when he compared himself to Ryan O'Neal's character in Love Story (even though Ryan never abandoned his sick wife, unlike Park). He does experience some character growth by asking Robin to take him back and giving up Harvard for her. Ryan O'Neal would be proud.
June 4, 2018
Christopher Pike excelled in entertaining and swiftly moving thrillers for older young adults who were a bit more worldly. In this early effort from 1986, an involving story-line emerges within a narrative with steady movement. Pike keeps us turning pages to discover not only what happened in the past, but what’s going to happen now. Readers shouldn’t think too hard about this one, or many of Pike’s entertaining thrillers, any more than they should films like Scream, or I Know What You did Last Summer. You just enjoy the fun ride. And that is exactly what Weekend is, a thrill ride.
Robin and Lena Carlton live in a beach house on Point Eugenia in rural Mexico. Their adopted father is a wealthy record mogul. Robin is very ill, with failing kidneys. Every one of the young adults headed for Mexico by invitation after graduation, feels guilty about Robin’s situation. It seems they were all at the party where the “accident” involving Robin’s condition happened. Even though police could not prove it was intentional, each of the kids wonders if it was. This includes Shani Tucker, Robin’s best friend; Bert, the affable one; Sol, the barrio wolf among sheep at Hoover High; Lena, who stole Sol from high-strung and sometimes strung-out Kerry Ladd; Park Jacomini, who after the accident, dumped Robin for Angie; and a relative newcomer from England, dreamy Flynn Powers, Shani’s crush.
We get most of the narrative through the eyes of Shani, and Park. It’s fun to “watch” Pike peel back the layers as two separate groups approach Mexico. There was a prank that Kerry feels was perpetrated by the more sophisticated — and bitchy — Lena, who is the polar opposite of her sweet sister, Robin. Tension builds as they arrive, and everyone begins wondering why no one else from class has arrived. Lena may have had the wrong date on the invitations, making them arrive later. But is that true? These are kids with a lot of history, and Pike does a great job with their interactions. Sure, there are some stereotypes, but everyone who went to high school will recognize at least two or three of these personalities, because they ring true.
In chapter five, Pike gives us the flashback we’ve been waiting for, showing us the party from November at the heart of this supposedly dream weekend in Mexico. The author makes the kids real in that they aren’t always likable, and at other times we sympathize with them. It’s not clear who to root for, or even whether any of them can be ruled out as suspects. A couple of things seem obvious, but then is that so obvious that it must be a red herring? Finally there’s an explosion, and one of the group is dead. A tragic accident, or revenge? And still, why hasn’t anyone else arrived? If someone wants revenge, they’ll need to find out who put Robin out of action that night in order to save their own hides. With this group of friends, it may not be so easy.
This was a blast from the past, incredibly entertaining. I couldn’t stop reading, and had great fun. The climax is exciting, and the twist, while not totally unexpected, does add to the wonderfully cheesy but adorably satisfying aftermath. Fun not only for the audience at which it was originally aimed, but also those who like a retro ‘80s blast once in a while, Weekend is a great beach book, or a good one to curl up with on a rainy night. Terrific fun, and highly recommended!
Robin and Lena Carlton live in a beach house on Point Eugenia in rural Mexico. Their adopted father is a wealthy record mogul. Robin is very ill, with failing kidneys. Every one of the young adults headed for Mexico by invitation after graduation, feels guilty about Robin’s situation. It seems they were all at the party where the “accident” involving Robin’s condition happened. Even though police could not prove it was intentional, each of the kids wonders if it was. This includes Shani Tucker, Robin’s best friend; Bert, the affable one; Sol, the barrio wolf among sheep at Hoover High; Lena, who stole Sol from high-strung and sometimes strung-out Kerry Ladd; Park Jacomini, who after the accident, dumped Robin for Angie; and a relative newcomer from England, dreamy Flynn Powers, Shani’s crush.
We get most of the narrative through the eyes of Shani, and Park. It’s fun to “watch” Pike peel back the layers as two separate groups approach Mexico. There was a prank that Kerry feels was perpetrated by the more sophisticated — and bitchy — Lena, who is the polar opposite of her sweet sister, Robin. Tension builds as they arrive, and everyone begins wondering why no one else from class has arrived. Lena may have had the wrong date on the invitations, making them arrive later. But is that true? These are kids with a lot of history, and Pike does a great job with their interactions. Sure, there are some stereotypes, but everyone who went to high school will recognize at least two or three of these personalities, because they ring true.
In chapter five, Pike gives us the flashback we’ve been waiting for, showing us the party from November at the heart of this supposedly dream weekend in Mexico. The author makes the kids real in that they aren’t always likable, and at other times we sympathize with them. It’s not clear who to root for, or even whether any of them can be ruled out as suspects. A couple of things seem obvious, but then is that so obvious that it must be a red herring? Finally there’s an explosion, and one of the group is dead. A tragic accident, or revenge? And still, why hasn’t anyone else arrived? If someone wants revenge, they’ll need to find out who put Robin out of action that night in order to save their own hides. With this group of friends, it may not be so easy.
This was a blast from the past, incredibly entertaining. I couldn’t stop reading, and had great fun. The climax is exciting, and the twist, while not totally unexpected, does add to the wonderfully cheesy but adorably satisfying aftermath. Fun not only for the audience at which it was originally aimed, but also those who like a retro ‘80s blast once in a while, Weekend is a great beach book, or a good one to curl up with on a rainy night. Terrific fun, and highly recommended!
December 28, 2024
"I've got to get you a snake".
Weekend by Christopher Pike
My original review is below. Just a quick update:
I ADORE this book. Pike was -- and for all I know still is -- the biggest YA writer when I was growing up. I devoured his stuff.
I adored much of it. This is tied with "The eternal enemy" as my favorite.
Someone reviewed "Eternal enemy" and remarked it was an adult book wrapped in a YA cover or YA marketing, something like that. That's what I'd say about "Weekend."
Someone ELSE suggested a different title -- "The dove and the eagle." I agree! Weekend does not do it justice.
What makes this story stand out is the emotional depth, the spiritual aspects that Pike EXCELS in. This quality is also present in another of his best books, "Last Act."
This is the only Pike book however, that I reread every few years as I did yesterday. It is that good.
Question: why are so many of Pike's old books so hard to get in kindle format?
Mt original Review is below.
What has happened to Robin?
Weekend is a fun and really interesting YA Mystery.
Other then "The Eternal Enemy" this maybe Pike's best book. Weekend is a great book with an unforgettable cast of characters.
So the plot involves Robin, who is ill. The reason she is ill, is because awhile ago, at a party, among her closest friends she drank a beer. One beer. That beer caused her to become violently ill and it is revealed that insecticide was found in it. Robin lived, but barely and now she is hooked up to dialysis and needs a kidney transplant if she is to survive.
Now, quite a bit later, from the original party, the same group of friends are reuniting in a luxury home in Mexico. The police had labeled the whole thing with Robin an accident. But nobody believes that. Nobody.
And during this weekend, among this group of friends, the truth will be revealed. But at what cost?
So I loved this book. I loved it for the characters, all of whom were original and any of whom could have been the culprit. Literally everyone had a motive even though Rob in herself is sweet as a Dove and has never hurt anyone in her life.
I also loved the atmosphere. Taking place in Mexico lends the book a tropical atmosphere that works quite well.
So all of the story, except what is told in flash backs takes place during this weekend.
Animals play a role as well. Birds and even snakes..hence my quote above. If you read the book, my quote will make sense.
I loved the exquisite symbolism of the birds and other animals used throughout the story and felt that added strongly to the story line.
And what I really liked were the characters themselves. It was tough to figure out who the guilty party was.
Highly recommended for an interesting and fun YA mystery read.
Weekend by Christopher Pike
My original review is below. Just a quick update:
I ADORE this book. Pike was -- and for all I know still is -- the biggest YA writer when I was growing up. I devoured his stuff.
I adored much of it. This is tied with "The eternal enemy" as my favorite.
Someone reviewed "Eternal enemy" and remarked it was an adult book wrapped in a YA cover or YA marketing, something like that. That's what I'd say about "Weekend."
Someone ELSE suggested a different title -- "The dove and the eagle." I agree! Weekend does not do it justice.
What makes this story stand out is the emotional depth, the spiritual aspects that Pike EXCELS in. This quality is also present in another of his best books, "Last Act."
This is the only Pike book however, that I reread every few years as I did yesterday. It is that good.
Question: why are so many of Pike's old books so hard to get in kindle format?
Mt original Review is below.
What has happened to Robin?
Weekend is a fun and really interesting YA Mystery.
Other then "The Eternal Enemy" this maybe Pike's best book. Weekend is a great book with an unforgettable cast of characters.
So the plot involves Robin, who is ill. The reason she is ill, is because awhile ago, at a party, among her closest friends she drank a beer. One beer. That beer caused her to become violently ill and it is revealed that insecticide was found in it. Robin lived, but barely and now she is hooked up to dialysis and needs a kidney transplant if she is to survive.
Now, quite a bit later, from the original party, the same group of friends are reuniting in a luxury home in Mexico. The police had labeled the whole thing with Robin an accident. But nobody believes that. Nobody.
And during this weekend, among this group of friends, the truth will be revealed. But at what cost?
So I loved this book. I loved it for the characters, all of whom were original and any of whom could have been the culprit. Literally everyone had a motive even though Rob in herself is sweet as a Dove and has never hurt anyone in her life.
I also loved the atmosphere. Taking place in Mexico lends the book a tropical atmosphere that works quite well.
So all of the story, except what is told in flash backs takes place during this weekend.
Animals play a role as well. Birds and even snakes..hence my quote above. If you read the book, my quote will make sense.
I loved the exquisite symbolism of the birds and other animals used throughout the story and felt that added strongly to the story line.
And what I really liked were the characters themselves. It was tough to figure out who the guilty party was.
Highly recommended for an interesting and fun YA mystery read.
May 1, 2020
3.5 stars
I've always been a big fan of Christopher Pike - as a reading machine teenager I gobbled his stuff up like candy. Most of his stuff still wows me as an adult, but while this was a good book, it doesn't fully hold up to my standards anymore.
A group of young adults go to visit their rich friends for a weekend of fun, drinking, and just joking about orgies that never happen. The two sisters who own the cabin are a blended group - one is a the too-pretty-to-be-true girl who can grab any man she wants, while the other is a sweet and ailing sister who is the victim of a poisoning the last time the friends got together. We have to go through her frequent kidney dialysis, and can I just say that's not a fun thing? Kidneys always bugged me, so I can sympathize with anyone who has to go through that.
'Weekend' loved to freak me out with snakes too. Rattlers are everywhere - in the first few chapters, later, and then with the ending in a big way. *Shudder* I HATE snakes, especially vipers. The ending scene was especially bad and nightmare worthy, I can't imagine much that would be worse. I'm not sure Pike was realistic with some of the snakes, though. I don't think they drip brown stuff from fangs, but who knows, they're creepy enough without it.
The first part of the book was almost dull because the gang drives and talks, stands around and talks, gets together and talks, and then is in the cabin awhile...talking. I know Pike wanted to set up the mystery that happened before, show the characters and their connections to each other, set the stage so to speak, but it would have been nice to have something jarring in between to keep the interest. The book got much better when the actual mystery part happened where they were confronted again about that awful party that went oh-so-wrong a year ago.
The ending is a little weak just because it was a bit unrealistic being so happily ever after for the characters. I expect this was because Pike was sticking true to the age level of this novel and needed to have something like that neatly wrapped up, but still it bugged me about one of the characters being let off so easily about the 'big, bad thing' they did.
Overall it's a good book and as usual, Pike shows his creative mental ability to show a twisted story a hand at a time, holding a lot of cards back until he reveals the full flush. His parable with the Dove, Eagle and Snake was also awesome, that small twist he puts in a story that makes it stand out as unique.
I've always been a big fan of Christopher Pike - as a reading machine teenager I gobbled his stuff up like candy. Most of his stuff still wows me as an adult, but while this was a good book, it doesn't fully hold up to my standards anymore.
A group of young adults go to visit their rich friends for a weekend of fun, drinking, and just joking about orgies that never happen. The two sisters who own the cabin are a blended group - one is a the too-pretty-to-be-true girl who can grab any man she wants, while the other is a sweet and ailing sister who is the victim of a poisoning the last time the friends got together. We have to go through her frequent kidney dialysis, and can I just say that's not a fun thing? Kidneys always bugged me, so I can sympathize with anyone who has to go through that.
'Weekend' loved to freak me out with snakes too. Rattlers are everywhere - in the first few chapters, later, and then with the ending in a big way. *Shudder* I HATE snakes, especially vipers. The ending scene was especially bad and nightmare worthy, I can't imagine much that would be worse. I'm not sure Pike was realistic with some of the snakes, though. I don't think they drip brown stuff from fangs, but who knows, they're creepy enough without it.
The first part of the book was almost dull because the gang drives and talks, stands around and talks, gets together and talks, and then is in the cabin awhile...talking. I know Pike wanted to set up the mystery that happened before, show the characters and their connections to each other, set the stage so to speak, but it would have been nice to have something jarring in between to keep the interest. The book got much better when the actual mystery part happened where they were confronted again about that awful party that went oh-so-wrong a year ago.
The ending is a little weak just because it was a bit unrealistic being so happily ever after for the characters. I expect this was because Pike was sticking true to the age level of this novel and needed to have something like that neatly wrapped up, but still it bugged me about one of the characters being let off so easily about the 'big, bad thing' they did.
Overall it's a good book and as usual, Pike shows his creative mental ability to show a twisted story a hand at a time, holding a lot of cards back until he reveals the full flush. His parable with the Dove, Eagle and Snake was also awesome, that small twist he puts in a story that makes it stand out as unique.
May 1, 2023
snakes!! so many snakes!! i didn't realize this would be a horror novel about snakes!!!
after reading pike's slumber party, i wanted to check out this one, his only other point horror title. i didn't realize that for the first half, weekend is basically the same novel as slumber party, except the group of friends is stuck in a remote mansion on a beach in mexico rather than in a remote mansion on a snowy mountain. in both novels, the group of friends is haunted by a horrible event that happened at a party years before and which left one member of their group disabled/disfigured. and in both novels, it's very unclear who can be trusted...
thankfully, around the halfway mark things start to shake up. (SPOILERS)
i appreciate that this book is significantly more bonkers than slumber party, which is itself only semi bonkers. some of the reveals here are very predictable, but others are too bizarre for me to foresee, so it was a blast to read.
oh, and we're in mexico, so we have the usual dose of racism you'd expect from a 1980s YA paperback. the latino character of the group is a dangerous bad boy who carries a knife, some racist slurs are thrown around, and there's the stereotypical indigenous wise man, who is described as "indian."
there's a lot of bad stuff... not a fan of the casual racism or of the snakes. but overall this book is supremely entertaining!!
after reading pike's slumber party, i wanted to check out this one, his only other point horror title. i didn't realize that for the first half, weekend is basically the same novel as slumber party, except the group of friends is stuck in a remote mansion on a beach in mexico rather than in a remote mansion on a snowy mountain. in both novels, the group of friends is haunted by a horrible event that happened at a party years before and which left one member of their group disabled/disfigured. and in both novels, it's very unclear who can be trusted...
thankfully, around the halfway mark things start to shake up. (SPOILERS)
i appreciate that this book is significantly more bonkers than slumber party, which is itself only semi bonkers. some of the reveals here are very predictable, but others are too bizarre for me to foresee, so it was a blast to read.
oh, and we're in mexico, so we have the usual dose of racism you'd expect from a 1980s YA paperback. the latino character of the group is a dangerous bad boy who carries a knife, some racist slurs are thrown around, and there's the stereotypical indigenous wise man, who is described as "indian."
there's a lot of bad stuff... not a fan of the casual racism or of the snakes. but overall this book is supremely entertaining!!
May 14, 2011
I'm thirty but I've been a huge fan of Pike since I was a teenager and as much as I love Young Adult fiction I haven't read him in a while so this was a nice treat after so many years. I still remember all the novels I read from him and I simply loved his Last Vampire series so after all that time I'm happy to read his stuff again, a bit silly and naïve here and there but solid when it comes to intrigue while still being fun and intense at the same time! Weekend is the author's second novel and I didn't even know that until I looked it up, quit good for a second time publishing something! His books tend to be thriller like with a supernatural element and the `who did it' that echoes Agatha Christie mixed in with some Stephen King like imagination when it comes to creating his villains. Pike is great at shocking endings, I remember a few that were simply stunning (Road to Nowhere, The Immortal, Monster)even writing a review makes me want to read him again, I'm itching to re-read The immortal since I have it as an ebook, the previous read was from a library that I visited with a passion as a teen.
Weekend is about a group of teenagers who drive out to a mansion in Mexico where their ailing fiend lives with her sister and father. A year ago Robin was poisoned and almost died, left with a bad kidney she's a slave to her dialysis machine but she still wants her friends over to celebrate whatever she has left of life, unfortunately someone in the group doesn't seem content on letting things be and bizarre incidents start happening, the four guys and five girls realize that one of them is the same person who was responsible for getting Robin sick during that one party a year ago, even Robin doesn't want to believe that it really was someone she knew but when people start to die everyone starts to look suspicious, the weekend begins, whoever makes it to the end is the lucky one!
This was one heck of a mystery and I kept changing my mind about a thousand times, a great read especially during a slow weekend! The desert heat, cool ocean, luxurious mansion, fighting couples, ahhh teenager life, better to read about than re-live hehe.. Good stuff!
- Kasia S.
Weekend is about a group of teenagers who drive out to a mansion in Mexico where their ailing fiend lives with her sister and father. A year ago Robin was poisoned and almost died, left with a bad kidney she's a slave to her dialysis machine but she still wants her friends over to celebrate whatever she has left of life, unfortunately someone in the group doesn't seem content on letting things be and bizarre incidents start happening, the four guys and five girls realize that one of them is the same person who was responsible for getting Robin sick during that one party a year ago, even Robin doesn't want to believe that it really was someone she knew but when people start to die everyone starts to look suspicious, the weekend begins, whoever makes it to the end is the lucky one!
This was one heck of a mystery and I kept changing my mind about a thousand times, a great read especially during a slow weekend! The desert heat, cool ocean, luxurious mansion, fighting couples, ahhh teenager life, better to read about than re-live hehe.. Good stuff!
- Kasia S.
August 22, 2018
After he’s debut novel ‘Slumber Party’ Pike returns with similar theme as a secret is revealed amongst a group of teenage friends whilst away on a reunion trip.
I really liked the mystery element of this one more. I felt that once it was revealed what had happened to Robin the previous year, the story really started to get interesting.
The group confront each other with the various accusations is some of the best scenes in the book.
I found the characters to be far more interesting in this one too. It’s not quite the Pike novels that I remember as a teen, but it’s always interesting to read an authors early work and see their progression.
Highly entertaining!
I really liked the mystery element of this one more. I felt that once it was revealed what had happened to Robin the previous year, the story really started to get interesting.
The group confront each other with the various accusations is some of the best scenes in the book.
I found the characters to be far more interesting in this one too. It’s not quite the Pike novels that I remember as a teen, but it’s always interesting to read an authors early work and see their progression.
Highly entertaining!
March 17, 2015
This is a reread, but it was so long ago I didn't even remember the plot. Great little mystery. I had no idea who poisoned robin, so this kept me going. Really enjoyed the story with the birds. So much symbolism and a great ending as well. I just got like 30 pike books and he used to be a favorite author next to RL Stine. I plan on reading a book or 2 a month since they are short and hopefully get to pass them on to my kids someday. They are too little to enjoy them right now.
January 8, 2008
read for Christopher Pike book club.
Now THIS is starting to feel more like the Pike I remember. Random supernatural allusions, usually with no rhyme or reason, and stories that require an extra helping of suspension of disbelief.
It is so much like Slumber Party that one wonders if Pike just took his old outline, crossed out some key words and replaced them with others. ("instead of a winter landscape...Mexico!) More dead-but-oops-not-really characters, making the total body count for both books still zero...Pike I guess warming up to actually doing in a character.
The characters themselves are slightly more fleshed out, though slightly being a key word there. They still have varying degrees of loathing for one another despite being ostensibly good friends, and seem to have both excruciatingly dated taste in music and entertainment (Beach Boys and the Pretenders?). This is also one of those books where the entire dilemma could be quickly solved by the presence of a single cell phone, though I suppose the book is slightly too old for that. It's also interesting to see that each book has the "evil hottie" character, one so sexually salacious (at age 17!) that they will willingly strip naked and proposition a "friend"'s boyfriend "just because they can". Though I found it mainly funny back when I was younger, I now wonder at Pike's ideas of what is sexy and alluring, and his fear of female sexual aggressiveness (the main "good girl" character - always a virgin.)
Now THIS is starting to feel more like the Pike I remember. Random supernatural allusions, usually with no rhyme or reason, and stories that require an extra helping of suspension of disbelief.
It is so much like Slumber Party that one wonders if Pike just took his old outline, crossed out some key words and replaced them with others. ("instead of a winter landscape...Mexico!) More dead-but-oops-not-really characters, making the total body count for both books still zero...Pike I guess warming up to actually doing in a character.
The characters themselves are slightly more fleshed out, though slightly being a key word there. They still have varying degrees of loathing for one another despite being ostensibly good friends, and seem to have both excruciatingly dated taste in music and entertainment (Beach Boys and the Pretenders?). This is also one of those books where the entire dilemma could be quickly solved by the presence of a single cell phone, though I suppose the book is slightly too old for that. It's also interesting to see that each book has the "evil hottie" character, one so sexually salacious (at age 17!) that they will willingly strip naked and proposition a "friend"'s boyfriend "just because they can". Though I found it mainly funny back when I was younger, I now wonder at Pike's ideas of what is sexy and alluring, and his fear of female sexual aggressiveness (the main "good girl" character - always a virgin.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2015
Oh, what a difference 10 or 15 years makes, LOL. I still liked this book, but there were seriously ridiculous things going on that I would never in a million years believed had I not been 13-15 years old when I first read this. Still . . . Flynn Powers is super dreamy . . . *swoons*
September 3, 2016
This is my first novel by Christopher Pike and I have to say, I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. I didn’t think I would like anyone else’s old mystery novels besides R.L. Stine, but Pike’s novel, Weekend, has really grabbed my attention.
Theme:
Hatred
Revenge
Supernatural
Mysterious
Relationships / Friendships
Characters:
The characters are all different. There are seven recently graduated teens going down to Lena and Robin’s vacation house in Mexico. I really like Kerry, Lena, and Bert personalities.
Bert→ is the guy who always makes everyone in the group laugh. He has a easygoing personality and is easy to get along with.
Lena→ is the badarse in the group. She hides her feelings behind a tough exterior and is always confident in herself.
Kerry→ is the crybaby in the group (sorry Kerry). She tries to be tough but she was nothing but a whiny baby who likes to complain.
My least favorite character would have to be Angie. She was boring and annoying; kind of plain.
The story was in third point of view following two characters in different chapters—Shani & Park.
Style/Setting:
Christopher Pike is creative. Just when I thought I figured out the plot, Pike turned it around and shocked me. There was a killer plot twist (ha! no pun intended). This was a fun read and kept me thinking as I continuously tried to figure out the mystery.
I really wish I had more to read about these characters. I was sad to see this book come to an end. This would have made a great series.
I’m looking forward to reading more books by Christopher Pike. It’s time to branch off from R.L. Stine mystery books and check out other authors (no offense to you Mr. Stine. I will forever be a fan of yours). :)
Lesson Learned? Watch your back
**Recommended
Rating:
Book Cover: 0.1
Character Development/Plot: 3 out of 3
Interest: 1 out of 1
Imagery: 0.9 out of 1
Total: 5.0 stars
Theme:
Hatred
Revenge
Supernatural
Mysterious
Relationships / Friendships
Characters:
The characters are all different. There are seven recently graduated teens going down to Lena and Robin’s vacation house in Mexico. I really like Kerry, Lena, and Bert personalities.
Bert→ is the guy who always makes everyone in the group laugh. He has a easygoing personality and is easy to get along with.
Lena→ is the badarse in the group. She hides her feelings behind a tough exterior and is always confident in herself.
Kerry→ is the crybaby in the group (sorry Kerry). She tries to be tough but she was nothing but a whiny baby who likes to complain.
My least favorite character would have to be Angie. She was boring and annoying; kind of plain.
The story was in third point of view following two characters in different chapters—Shani & Park.
Style/Setting:
Christopher Pike is creative. Just when I thought I figured out the plot, Pike turned it around and shocked me. There was a killer plot twist (ha! no pun intended). This was a fun read and kept me thinking as I continuously tried to figure out the mystery.
I really wish I had more to read about these characters. I was sad to see this book come to an end. This would have made a great series.
I’m looking forward to reading more books by Christopher Pike. It’s time to branch off from R.L. Stine mystery books and check out other authors (no offense to you Mr. Stine. I will forever be a fan of yours). :)
Lesson Learned? Watch your back
**Recommended
Rating:
Book Cover: 0.1
Character Development/Plot: 3 out of 3
Interest: 1 out of 1
Imagery: 0.9 out of 1
Total: 5.0 stars
May 20, 2019
I can't believe how Pike has already developed such a self-assured voice in this, his sophomore effort. It is intense, impassioned, and poses an enigmatic twin mystery at its very core. Who tried to kill poor Robin in an ill-fated party held just a year ago? And with the mounting tension, uncanny incidents, and confrontations plaguing this ill-starred reunion, could another death be in the offing?
I like how the characters here are more vivid than in most books of the same genre, and are not hard at all to sympathize with. The heated drama brewing under the sultry Mexican sun is intriguing and the twists leading to that stunning climax are inspired. I find the ending very much satisfying - again one of the best among the retro YA horror books that I've read. I'll definitely be revisiting this book again.
I'm rating this gem 7.5/10 or 4 stars out of 5.
I like how the characters here are more vivid than in most books of the same genre, and are not hard at all to sympathize with. The heated drama brewing under the sultry Mexican sun is intriguing and the twists leading to that stunning climax are inspired. I find the ending very much satisfying - again one of the best among the retro YA horror books that I've read. I'll definitely be revisiting this book again.
I'm rating this gem 7.5/10 or 4 stars out of 5.
May 20, 2019
Pike's second book and very similar to his first (SLUMBER PARTY) except instead of being really, really cold it's really, really hot and people are dying of poison instead of being burned to death.
February 8, 2020
I chose to read Weekend for my March Re-Read Challenge. It has been damn near close to twenty years since I last read this book. I was only twelve or thirteen at the time and Christopher Pike was one of my favorite authors. I have to be honest I didn't remember much about the plot or the characters in Weekend. When I got the book, I was shocked to see how short it was. It is a little bit smaller than a category romance, ending at 230 pages. I guess when your younger books can seem a lot bigger. I cringe to think of what Harry Potter must look like to middle school aged kids. Anyway, back to the task at hand. I am curious to see what my thoughts are now for the books I when I was younger and less experienced in my reading tastes.
On to the plot: For the seniors of Hoover High School in Santa Barbara California, graduation is almost upon them. Shani along with a group of her closest friends have been invited to spend the weekend in Mexico relaxing seaside at Robin and Lena's vacation home. What was supposed to be a fun weekend with the boys, turns into something more sinister when strange, bad things start to happen.
The first thing that comes to mind for me is that, yes the book is still quite an enjoyable read. The characters are vivid and detailed. Pike does a great job with the dialogue between characters. There is plenty of humor. Some of it might veer on the immature side, but over all I think most adults would be able to relate to it. Where I really think this book excels, is with the subtle approach to creating the atmosphere and slowly revealing the mystery. Every thing is short and to the point, which makes for a fast, entertaining read.
One thing that I thought I remembered from when first reading this book, was that there was more romance to it. After reading it as an adult and reading adult romances, I can see that there really wasn't much to the relationship between Shani and Flynn. To be honest it was barely touched on at all. The suspense was much more the focus. One other thing that really bothered me was how the villain was punished after the big reveal. The kids decided to take matters into their own hands, and it all seemed very unrealistic.
It was really fun to read a blast from my past and see how it resonates with the "me" of today. It's nice to reach back to that inner child every now and again. I definitely think I will find the time to read another YA book. Seeing as how they are so short, it should make for easy reading.
On to the plot: For the seniors of Hoover High School in Santa Barbara California, graduation is almost upon them. Shani along with a group of her closest friends have been invited to spend the weekend in Mexico relaxing seaside at Robin and Lena's vacation home. What was supposed to be a fun weekend with the boys, turns into something more sinister when strange, bad things start to happen.
The first thing that comes to mind for me is that, yes the book is still quite an enjoyable read. The characters are vivid and detailed. Pike does a great job with the dialogue between characters. There is plenty of humor. Some of it might veer on the immature side, but over all I think most adults would be able to relate to it. Where I really think this book excels, is with the subtle approach to creating the atmosphere and slowly revealing the mystery. Every thing is short and to the point, which makes for a fast, entertaining read.
One thing that I thought I remembered from when first reading this book, was that there was more romance to it. After reading it as an adult and reading adult romances, I can see that there really wasn't much to the relationship between Shani and Flynn. To be honest it was barely touched on at all. The suspense was much more the focus. One other thing that really bothered me was how the villain was punished after the big reveal. The kids decided to take matters into their own hands, and it all seemed very unrealistic.
It was really fun to read a blast from my past and see how it resonates with the "me" of today. It's nice to reach back to that inner child every now and again. I definitely think I will find the time to read another YA book. Seeing as how they are so short, it should make for easy reading.
October 20, 2019
The last book in my Point collection. Kind of bummed because I suspected these books had never been read. This was the first of the books (the longest in the collection) that now shows signs of wear after I read it (a few creases in the spine).
It was a fun book, probably the best in the set of four I read. You can see Pike hitting his stride here. He’s starting to infuse his work with a bit of the supernatural here, and there’s a bit of literary analysis tying things up at the end. Pike got meta up in here.
The story itself was enjoyable. Good balance of setting and character building. Good work keeping the mystery alive, though the mystery did take a back seat at times to other things going on in the story.
I really wish I had read more when I was younger. I spent my early teens playing guitar, looking at comics, and obsessing over music, which I still love. But man, I really wish I would have read these when they were at the height of their popularity. Something tells me I’d likely be a better writer (and maybe a better person) for it.
It was a fun book, probably the best in the set of four I read. You can see Pike hitting his stride here. He’s starting to infuse his work with a bit of the supernatural here, and there’s a bit of literary analysis tying things up at the end. Pike got meta up in here.
The story itself was enjoyable. Good balance of setting and character building. Good work keeping the mystery alive, though the mystery did take a back seat at times to other things going on in the story.
I really wish I had read more when I was younger. I spent my early teens playing guitar, looking at comics, and obsessing over music, which I still love. But man, I really wish I would have read these when they were at the height of their popularity. Something tells me I’d likely be a better writer (and maybe a better person) for it.
April 22, 2024
2,5*
Unfortunately this one has not been my favorite Christopher Pike.
A group of friends are spending the holidays together in Mexico and they are about to discover that one of them is hiding a secret. One of them poisoned a friend.
The way the characters are introduced at the beginning is quite abrupt and confusing. I also did not enjoy how some of the girls were described.
Moreover the story only starts getting interesting in the second half and to be honest I know that Pike loves to combine subgenres of horror and his books can get a bit weird but this one was a bit messy for me.
Overall I enjoyed the second half but was still very disappointed in general with the plot and the characters.
Unfortunately this one has not been my favorite Christopher Pike.
A group of friends are spending the holidays together in Mexico and they are about to discover that one of them is hiding a secret. One of them poisoned a friend.
The way the characters are introduced at the beginning is quite abrupt and confusing. I also did not enjoy how some of the girls were described.
Moreover the story only starts getting interesting in the second half and to be honest I know that Pike loves to combine subgenres of horror and his books can get a bit weird but this one was a bit messy for me.
Overall I enjoyed the second half but was still very disappointed in general with the plot and the characters.
February 7, 2020
Popsugar reading challenge A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name
Around the world in 52 books A book that can be read in a day
Around the world in 52 books A book that can be read in a day
June 24, 2022
I love this book. I re-read it every few years. It is Christopher Pike teen horror at its best. Very cheesy, but with some mystery and a great cast of characters.
Now I think I should re-read Remember Me...
Now I think I should re-read Remember Me...
March 22, 2017
ONE FREAKING STAR.
Convoluted and ridiculous.
Never again, Mr. Pike. Never. Again.
Convoluted and ridiculous.
Never again, Mr. Pike. Never. Again.
May 27, 2019
These early Chris Pike books are just so dumb. I don’t know if I hate them, or if they are so bad that I like them? Tough call.
September 5, 2019
I love Christopher Pike and have been re-collecting his books on eBay after having lost my copies over the years. This one shows trademark Christopher Pike themes - spirituality, sexuality, and, just like Slumber Party centers around a group of teens trapped in an isolated location with a secret shared past in which one of the friends caused severe harm to one of the others, but that friend's identity has remained a secret. Now it's about to be exposed. While Slumber Party was set in a ski lodge, Weekend is set near the beach in Mexico. A nostalgic, fun and fast-paced read! Teens in the 1980s were oh-so wicked.
September 21, 2025
i have decided to rate it 1 star before having the ending slowly redeeming some if its value. Characters at the beginning was lifeless, the stereotypical image of college teens we saw on tv in the 90s.
Things began unfolding towards the end of the book and we knew whodunnit later on. The funny part was that, in some way Pike wanted a perfect happy ending after all the many thrillers he had written. In fact it was so happy that the characters had forgiven the cuplrit, Kerry who spiked poison on a drink that caused the Robin the loss of both kidneys half dead, and that her twin brother had to sacrifice a kidney to save her life. The cost? Two person lost their kidneys because of the irresponsible act of the brat of a teenager. There were no consequences to her act except for her emotional guilt of which, I aforementioned was forgiven by Robin's close families. And her confession was agreed to be kept a secret. As if a loss of kidney was a light loss that it was fine that heinous was just fine. Robin got a kidney, yay, let's drink to that and forget everything that had happened.
Perhaps Pike had taken a happy ending way too far to delight readers at the end.
Things began unfolding towards the end of the book and we knew whodunnit later on. The funny part was that, in some way Pike wanted a perfect happy ending after all the many thrillers he had written. In fact it was so happy that the characters had forgiven the cuplrit, Kerry who spiked poison on a drink that caused the Robin the loss of both kidneys half dead, and that her twin brother had to sacrifice a kidney to save her life. The cost? Two person lost their kidneys because of the irresponsible act of the brat of a teenager. There were no consequences to her act except for her emotional guilt of which, I aforementioned was forgiven by Robin's close families. And her confession was agreed to be kept a secret. As if a loss of kidney was a light loss that it was fine that heinous was just fine. Robin got a kidney, yay, let's drink to that and forget everything that had happened.
Perhaps Pike had taken a happy ending way too far to delight readers at the end.
October 28, 2021
Ok, I've been collecting Pike's old novels for the past three or four months and now it's time to start a Pike marathon. I hope I'll be able to read all of his novels by the end of 2023. It's a long time but I don't want to be overwhelmed by him. I printed a checklist I made myself and I'll slowly read my way till his last book. I've read some of them but others will be new for me.
Weekend starts slowly but I love the way it ens. I also like Shani as the main character but I think I've always been fascinated by Bert: he's a weird guy, but in the positive sense of the word. As I've written before, I love how Pike's characters seem to be alive.
I've read the book for the first time in 1994 probably. I re-read it in English in my 20s and I could still recall details from the plot. And it's weird for me, since I mostly forgot what I had read yesterday.
Now I have to decide: on to Cheerleaders: Getting Even or to The Tachyon Web?
Weekend starts slowly but I love the way it ens. I also like Shani as the main character but I think I've always been fascinated by Bert: he's a weird guy, but in the positive sense of the word. As I've written before, I love how Pike's characters seem to be alive.
I've read the book for the first time in 1994 probably. I re-read it in English in my 20s and I could still recall details from the plot. And it's weird for me, since I mostly forgot what I had read yesterday.
Now I have to decide: on to Cheerleaders: Getting Even or to The Tachyon Web?
January 14, 2012
I thought about reviewing this book by challenging questionable plot points and analyzing the deeper meaning of the old man's parable in the context of the creation myths of the world, dissecting the family relationships and romances as one would the great tragedies of Shakespeare. Where would you place the character of Bert on a scale of Sancho Panza and Steinbeck's Lenny? Do the rattlesnakes in this novel represent the same thing as Didion's rattlesnakes? Is Sol a Latino Holden Caulfield?
But I'm sure that's all been done before by more serious academics than myself, and so I leave you with this passage, which I feel best sums up the author's existential theme:
"Define 'have gotten together,'" he said.
Lena reached for her Playgirl magazine. "There's a picture in here're that defines it perfectly."
"Come on," Park said, impatient, his ego bruised.
"I'd check out Lena's picture if you really want to--" Shani began.
Poetry!
But I'm sure that's all been done before by more serious academics than myself, and so I leave you with this passage, which I feel best sums up the author's existential theme:
"Define 'have gotten together,'" he said.
Lena reached for her Playgirl magazine. "There's a picture in here're that defines it perfectly."
"Come on," Park said, impatient, his ego bruised.
"I'd check out Lena's picture if you really want to--" Shani began.
Poetry!
April 20, 2022
This is a vast improvement over Slumber Party even if it shares some plot outline. The major improvements include: the characters are likable (for the most part) and actually feel like friends, Shani is a balanced, intelligent and empathetic protagonist to follow, the mystery and suspense at the heart of the story was actually confounding up until the end, plus Pike brought in his token spiritual and existential depth. He also did the thing YA genre boundaries probably forced on him and turned what could have been a more malicious villain revelation a little gray and wishy-washy, topped off with a ridiculous epilogue. Oh well. It's still pretty damn readable and fun.
May 18, 2019
Perfect pick me up on a rainy afternoon.
February 13, 2018
I *LOVED* Christopher Pike when I was a kid. I think I was probably in seventh or eighth grade when I started reading them? I just remember reading tons of them, and loving the lurid pulpyness of them. It's all backstabbing and murders and supernatural nonsense. I loved that the characters felt more like real kids my age than most other teen horror that I'd read (no disrespect, Fear Street). These were kids who drank, were interested in more than chaste hugs and hand holding.
Weekend was his second book, but this was my first time reading it. I think young Roybot would have probably given this four stars, but I'm sticking with three and a half. The setup is very And Then There Were None, in a way; nine teens celebrating their graduation with a party at the remote vacation home of a classmate whose sister had a devastating accident prior to the events in the book. Or was it really an accident? (Spoiler: It was definitely not an accident.)
Obviously, the plot largely focuses on the "who caused the 'accident' and why?" element, but there's plenty of teenage drama surrounding who likes who and who cheated or didn't cheat and who pulled a humiliating prank on someone else and etc.
It's actually a lot more entertaining than I'd have expected, but there are definitely some elements that I think would have strained even young Roybot's ability to suspend disbelief. An awful lot of these kids are carrying around weapons, and it's hard to see how some of these kids are in the same social circles. Also:
That aside, this was a pretty fun trip down nostalgia lane.
Weekend was his second book, but this was my first time reading it. I think young Roybot would have probably given this four stars, but I'm sticking with three and a half. The setup is very And Then There Were None, in a way; nine teens celebrating their graduation with a party at the remote vacation home of a classmate whose sister had a devastating accident prior to the events in the book. Or was it really an accident? (Spoiler: It was definitely not an accident.)
Obviously, the plot largely focuses on the "who caused the 'accident' and why?" element, but there's plenty of teenage drama surrounding who likes who and who cheated or didn't cheat and who pulled a humiliating prank on someone else and etc.
It's actually a lot more entertaining than I'd have expected, but there are definitely some elements that I think would have strained even young Roybot's ability to suspend disbelief. An awful lot of these kids are carrying around weapons, and it's hard to see how some of these kids are in the same social circles. Also:
That aside, this was a pretty fun trip down nostalgia lane.
June 27, 2024
I’m on a roll lately with reading nostalgia authors and books. When I was in highschool and college? I devoured Christopher Pike; he’s still one of my favorite authors! This isn’t my favorite of his books, I totally saw the twist coming, but it was still good fun to read! A group of high school friends head to Mexico after a tragic accident leaves one friend, Robin, with kidney failure and a dim prognosis. It’s still unclear how she was poisoned, but one thing is sure; she was. This weekend is a chance to spend time with her while she’s still alive, though her sister Lena doesn’t let them get super close to her.
We’re taken for a ride with new loves and ex-loves, revenge plots, mystery, and a whole lot of finger pointing. In the end, the truth wasn’t really that far fetched, but the future looks a lot brighter. So yeah, this was clean fun, nothing to write home about, but I really connected with the characters, about as equally as I wanted to slap them all in the face at any given point.
We’re taken for a ride with new loves and ex-loves, revenge plots, mystery, and a whole lot of finger pointing. In the end, the truth wasn’t really that far fetched, but the future looks a lot brighter. So yeah, this was clean fun, nothing to write home about, but I really connected with the characters, about as equally as I wanted to slap them all in the face at any given point.
May 25, 2020
I'm doing a chronological re-read of Christopher Pike's YA novels, and this is the third. While it's not as original and intriguing as many of his later books, it's the first one I've found really compelling. Definitely an improvement over the first 2. The storyline concerning the Indigenous man is an eye roller, but it was '86 and the term cultural appropriation probably didn't exist yet. Looking forward to moving on with Pike's books!
March 20, 2019
One of my favorite books from my teen years. Maybe because of my age, but I never saw the twists and turns. Also it has that bit of light sex appeal that was super edgy when you're young.
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