What do you think?
Rate this book
Stranger Things #1
Suspicious Minds
A mysterious lab. A sinister scientist. A secret history. If you think you know the truth behind Eleven’s mother, prepare to have your mind turned Upside Down in this thrilling prequel to the hit show Stranger Things.
It’s the summer of 1969, and the shock of conflict reverberates through the youth of America, both at home and abroad. As a student at a quiet college campus in the heartland of Indiana, Terry Ives couldn’t be further from the front lines of Vietnam or the incendiary protests in Washington.
But the world is changing, and Terry isn’t content to watch from the sidelines. When word gets around about an important government experiment in the small town of Hawkins, she signs on as a test subject for the project, codenamed MKUltra. Unmarked vans, a remote lab deep in the woods, mind-altering substances administered by tightlipped researchers . . . and a mystery the young and restless Terry is determined to uncover.
But behind the walls of Hawkins National Laboratory—and the piercing gaze of its director, Dr. Martin Brenner—lurks a conspiracy greater than she could have ever imagined. To face it, she’ll need the help of her fellow test subjects, including one so mysterious the world doesn’t know she exists—a young girl with unexplainable, superhuman powers and a number instead of a name: 008.
Amid the rising tensions of the new decade, Terry Ives and Martin Brenner have begun a different kind of war—one where the human mind is the battlefield.
It’s the summer of 1969, and the shock of conflict reverberates through the youth of America, both at home and abroad. As a student at a quiet college campus in the heartland of Indiana, Terry Ives couldn’t be further from the front lines of Vietnam or the incendiary protests in Washington.
But the world is changing, and Terry isn’t content to watch from the sidelines. When word gets around about an important government experiment in the small town of Hawkins, she signs on as a test subject for the project, codenamed MKUltra. Unmarked vans, a remote lab deep in the woods, mind-altering substances administered by tightlipped researchers . . . and a mystery the young and restless Terry is determined to uncover.
But behind the walls of Hawkins National Laboratory—and the piercing gaze of its director, Dr. Martin Brenner—lurks a conspiracy greater than she could have ever imagined. To face it, she’ll need the help of her fellow test subjects, including one so mysterious the world doesn’t know she exists—a young girl with unexplainable, superhuman powers and a number instead of a name: 008.
Amid the rising tensions of the new decade, Terry Ives and Martin Brenner have begun a different kind of war—one where the human mind is the battlefield.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2019
1553 people are currently reading
17142 people want to read
About the author
Gwenda Bond
57 books1,216 followersGwenda Bond is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds, the Lois Lane YA series, and the romantic comedies Not Your Average Hot Guy, The Date from Hell, and Mr. & Mrs. Witch. She has a number of forthcoming projects, including a magical art heist book, The Frame-Up. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in Publishers Weekly, Locus Magazine, Salon, the Los Angeles Times, and many other publications.
She co-founded and chairs the nonprofit Lexington Writer’s Room, and lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, author Christopher Rowe, and a veritable zoo of adorable doggos and queenly cats. Visit her online at www.gwendabond.com or join her newsletter at www.gwendabond.substack.com.
She co-founded and chairs the nonprofit Lexington Writer’s Room, and lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, author Christopher Rowe, and a veritable zoo of adorable doggos and queenly cats. Visit her online at www.gwendabond.com or join her newsletter at www.gwendabond.substack.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,826 reviews
February 14, 2019
I can’t tell you this enough: Do not bother reading this book. Yes, that’s a hardcore heads up from one Stranger Things fan to another. It’s not what you hope it is. Not even a little bit.
Full ranty review to come on Youtube later this week.
If I were the sort of person to blatantly curse in my writing, this review would be riddled with four-letter words.
Suspicious Minds is a disaster of a book.
This is meant to be the backstory or Eleven’s mother during the MKULTRA experiments in 1969. I can promise you, whatever history your own mind has imagined for this character is going to be more fulfilling, exciting, and well-developed than the entirety of this 300 page novel. Stick to your own theories on the Stranger Things universe. There is nothing at all new in this book. It adds nothing to the grander ST storyline. In fact, I think it actually manages to take something away.
It is my opinion that the release of this novel is little more than a money-making scheme for the license holders. They know that fans will fall over themselves to get their hands on a copy. The fictional world and successful story within it already exist and an incredibly relevant, dedicated fanbase comes right along with it. It seems this book was made for the same reason as to why so many terrible movie sequels are made. It’s just guaranteed to make money. You can’t help but believe it will be good when you see it promoted because you already love the original work. You’re convinced it has to be even half as good as the content you fell in love with.
Trust me. It’s not.
I am absolutely shocked at the both the style and the writer they chose for this story. It seems they set out to please everyone, a tactic I’ve never known to go well. Have you? It simply doesn’t work.
Who is this novel for? It’s written so simply that it’s almost an offense to my intellect. Were they aiming this at middle grade readers? Twenty-somethings? Or mature adults? The people on the panel for this project don’t seem to have made that decision and it shows. In an effort to be something for everyone, it became nothing for no one.
I’m going to save the rest for a ranty youtube review and possibly a blog post because I have far too much to say.
This was extremely difficult to get through and an incredible disappointment for me. I’m a huge stranger things fan. I hoped this novel would add to the incredible world the Duffer brothers created. It did the opposite. After I’m done with my full review, I will do my best to pretend it never happened.
I should have just waited for season 3 of the show like a good, patient little nerd.
Full ranty review to come on Youtube later this week.
If I were the sort of person to blatantly curse in my writing, this review would be riddled with four-letter words.
Suspicious Minds is a disaster of a book.
This is meant to be the backstory or Eleven’s mother during the MKULTRA experiments in 1969. I can promise you, whatever history your own mind has imagined for this character is going to be more fulfilling, exciting, and well-developed than the entirety of this 300 page novel. Stick to your own theories on the Stranger Things universe. There is nothing at all new in this book. It adds nothing to the grander ST storyline. In fact, I think it actually manages to take something away.
It is my opinion that the release of this novel is little more than a money-making scheme for the license holders. They know that fans will fall over themselves to get their hands on a copy. The fictional world and successful story within it already exist and an incredibly relevant, dedicated fanbase comes right along with it. It seems this book was made for the same reason as to why so many terrible movie sequels are made. It’s just guaranteed to make money. You can’t help but believe it will be good when you see it promoted because you already love the original work. You’re convinced it has to be even half as good as the content you fell in love with.
Trust me. It’s not.
I am absolutely shocked at the both the style and the writer they chose for this story. It seems they set out to please everyone, a tactic I’ve never known to go well. Have you? It simply doesn’t work.
Who is this novel for? It’s written so simply that it’s almost an offense to my intellect. Were they aiming this at middle grade readers? Twenty-somethings? Or mature adults? The people on the panel for this project don’t seem to have made that decision and it shows. In an effort to be something for everyone, it became nothing for no one.
I’m going to save the rest for a ranty youtube review and possibly a blog post because I have far too much to say.
This was extremely difficult to get through and an incredible disappointment for me. I’m a huge stranger things fan. I hoped this novel would add to the incredible world the Duffer brothers created. It did the opposite. After I’m done with my full review, I will do my best to pretend it never happened.
I should have just waited for season 3 of the show like a good, patient little nerd.
September 23, 2019
3 to 3.5 stars
Are you a fan of Stranger Things?
Have you seen at least a season of Stranger Things?
Have you heard enough about Stranger Things from your friends or seen enough about it online that you think you understand what it is about?
If your answer is no, step slowly and quietly away from this review. No need to go on. No reason to read this book at all. This book is the very essence of connection to source material, and proceeding without knowledge of that material is folly.
Now . . . I see some of you are still here . . . good! Onward!
This is the Stranger Things origin story. What happened in Hawkins before season one? Look no further! Find out here!
Now, while I was excited to learn some more background from this universe, the story was a little bit mediocre. When putting it up against the awesomeness of the show, it is kind of plain vanilla. But, if you are looking for something to fill the void while waiting for season 4 (or whichever season is pending when you happen to be reading this), definitely check it out.
Note: I think my favorite part was that the author kept a focus on interlacing pop culture of the time. This one takes place in the late 60s and early 70s so there are lots of references to things popular at that time (i.e. Woodstock, Lord of the Rings, The Beatles, etc.) As a pop culture buff, that is one of my favorite things about Stranger Things, so I was glad to see it here.
Are you a fan of Stranger Things?
Have you seen at least a season of Stranger Things?
Have you heard enough about Stranger Things from your friends or seen enough about it online that you think you understand what it is about?
If your answer is no, step slowly and quietly away from this review. No need to go on. No reason to read this book at all. This book is the very essence of connection to source material, and proceeding without knowledge of that material is folly.
Now . . . I see some of you are still here . . . good! Onward!
This is the Stranger Things origin story. What happened in Hawkins before season one? Look no further! Find out here!
Now, while I was excited to learn some more background from this universe, the story was a little bit mediocre. When putting it up against the awesomeness of the show, it is kind of plain vanilla. But, if you are looking for something to fill the void while waiting for season 4 (or whichever season is pending when you happen to be reading this), definitely check it out.
Note: I think my favorite part was that the author kept a focus on interlacing pop culture of the time. This one takes place in the late 60s and early 70s so there are lots of references to things popular at that time (i.e. Woodstock, Lord of the Rings, The Beatles, etc.) As a pop culture buff, that is one of my favorite things about Stranger Things, so I was glad to see it here.
June 27, 2022
Sooooo....okay, I'm a big fan of Stranger Things. Naturally, I crave more while waiting impatiently for volume 2 to release. Which is why I decided to read some of the books. I will say this, if you are a fan, you get a bit more information into the past with Brenner and the lab. Leaving it at that to avoid spoilers. It is fun to get that extra bit digging into who is who and how this whole things started, BUT it is kind of slow and choppy. I would recommend it to fans, but I wouldn't really recommend to other people. I don't regret reading it, I enjoyed it. I just think it could have been better. The one time I will ever say the show is better than the book.
February 8, 2019
"What a beautiful little piece of evil."
Suspicious Minds is a prequel to the Stranger Things show, and the story focuses on Eleven's mom, Terry Ives. It's set in the late '60s / early '70s in Indiana, and whether this is a Stranger Things book or not, I found it to be an easy story to get invested in. Terry and her friends are likeable characters, and the story is occurring amidst the Vietnam War and everything else that was going on - yet with a Stranger Things spin that makes it even more fun.
I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to feel about this book, but Gwenda Bond did such a fantastic job, and I would definitely read more in this series from her. This book stands on its own well enough apart from Stranger Things, but it's also an excellent companion piece for the series. It doesn't add any serious details that we didn't already know; it just dives into the MK Ultra backstory and shows the path leading to Eleven. It ties in the series so well without it feeling contrived. Dr Brenner is a disturbing character, and the Hawkins lab is a horrifying place.
It's always an interesting experience to read a book when you already know how it ends. Terry has so much life and hope in the book, but we know what happens in the end from the show. It creates a very ominous environment, and I felt dread throughout so much of the book since I knew where it was heading.
I think this book can work for both fans of Stranger Things and people who are new to the series. It's so entertaining, and I feel like it has a great balance of new story and series tie-in. Thank you so much to Random House for sending me a copy of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds to review. I was very impressed with this introduction to the novel series, and I can't wait to read more!
Suspicious Minds is a prequel to the Stranger Things show, and the story focuses on Eleven's mom, Terry Ives. It's set in the late '60s / early '70s in Indiana, and whether this is a Stranger Things book or not, I found it to be an easy story to get invested in. Terry and her friends are likeable characters, and the story is occurring amidst the Vietnam War and everything else that was going on - yet with a Stranger Things spin that makes it even more fun.
I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to feel about this book, but Gwenda Bond did such a fantastic job, and I would definitely read more in this series from her. This book stands on its own well enough apart from Stranger Things, but it's also an excellent companion piece for the series. It doesn't add any serious details that we didn't already know; it just dives into the MK Ultra backstory and shows the path leading to Eleven. It ties in the series so well without it feeling contrived. Dr Brenner is a disturbing character, and the Hawkins lab is a horrifying place.
It's always an interesting experience to read a book when you already know how it ends. Terry has so much life and hope in the book, but we know what happens in the end from the show. It creates a very ominous environment, and I felt dread throughout so much of the book since I knew where it was heading.
I think this book can work for both fans of Stranger Things and people who are new to the series. It's so entertaining, and I feel like it has a great balance of new story and series tie-in. Thank you so much to Random House for sending me a copy of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds to review. I was very impressed with this introduction to the novel series, and I can't wait to read more!
January 15, 2020
Very interesting storyline. I love the show and after rewatching all 3 seasons for the 7th time I wanted something new from this world so I looked to see if they had any books I was so excited to see this. I get the ebook and read it in about 48 hours. It was so fun and interesting to read about I loved what the writer did with the storyline and characters and I really hope she writes more on it.
March 1, 2019
I love the Stranger Things TV series and was very excited to see that the universe was being expanded to include a series of novels and comics with Suspicious Minds being the first official prequel novel published in February 2019.
The themes that make the TV series so appealing are prevalent here though with a slightly skewed focus. Rather than a bunch of kids goofing around with Dungeons and Dragons, fighting monsters real and imagined, and having to contend with the horrors of the upside-down, Suspicious Minds takes the story back to the Hawkins Institute; a mysterious laboratory in which dangerous experiments are undertaken on the consenting and non-consenting alike for the betterment of evolution (trying to invoke superhuman abilities through unrealized potential).
There are some nice cameos from characters I won't name to avoid spoilers but will say that this novel (set in the late 1960's and early 1970's) leads in nicely to the series proper while also providing plenty of wiggle room for more stories set prior to season 1.
My rating: 4/5 stars. I like that fact the book has a different focus to the TV series while still being able to feel like a Stranger Things story (which, obliviously it is).
The themes that make the TV series so appealing are prevalent here though with a slightly skewed focus. Rather than a bunch of kids goofing around with Dungeons and Dragons, fighting monsters real and imagined, and having to contend with the horrors of the upside-down, Suspicious Minds takes the story back to the Hawkins Institute; a mysterious laboratory in which dangerous experiments are undertaken on the consenting and non-consenting alike for the betterment of evolution (trying to invoke superhuman abilities through unrealized potential).
There are some nice cameos from characters I won't name to avoid spoilers but will say that this novel (set in the late 1960's and early 1970's) leads in nicely to the series proper while also providing plenty of wiggle room for more stories set prior to season 1.
My rating: 4/5 stars. I like that fact the book has a different focus to the TV series while still being able to feel like a Stranger Things story (which, obliviously it is).
February 12, 2019
This was disappointingly unexceptional, the pacing was slow, the characters lacked character and the plot felt drawn out and uninspired. I hate to be so negative about the book as I love the tv show but it isn’t a particularly good book and I fail to see why it has so many high ratings on goodreads.
September 2, 2020
***4,5 stars***
Want to read
September 24, 2024pre-read
wait there's books
wait there's books
November 1, 2019
I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of this book set before the events that take place in the Stranger Things Netflix series. I mean, I love Stranger Things on tv, but would I love a book set before Eleven, Chief Hopper, and Dustin and Steve’s unlikely bromance hit the screen? I wasn’t sure.
We learn all about Eleven’s mom, Terry, who is a college student when she gets involved with Dr. Brenner and his human experiments for nefarious purposes. At first it’s the chance to do something good for the world which is currently sending its boys off to die in Vietnam that pulls her in, later it’s the friendships and strong bonds she develops with the other experimentees and the five year old little girl called 008 who is kept prisoner at the facility that keep her going back. As they all get in deeper and one of them starts seeing monsters, they come to realize that Dr. Brenner may be up to no good. No good at all! Terry starts snooping and gets herself in so deep she may never get out.
This book is less about monsters than it is about science experiments, unexpected friendships and uncovering a devious government project. It has engaging characters, is emotionally painful and lacks the humorous bits of the series but I did not want to stop reading. It’s a terrific addition to the series and a fascinating story all on its own and I highly recommend it.
We learn all about Eleven’s mom, Terry, who is a college student when she gets involved with Dr. Brenner and his human experiments for nefarious purposes. At first it’s the chance to do something good for the world which is currently sending its boys off to die in Vietnam that pulls her in, later it’s the friendships and strong bonds she develops with the other experimentees and the five year old little girl called 008 who is kept prisoner at the facility that keep her going back. As they all get in deeper and one of them starts seeing monsters, they come to realize that Dr. Brenner may be up to no good. No good at all! Terry starts snooping and gets herself in so deep she may never get out.
This book is less about monsters than it is about science experiments, unexpected friendships and uncovering a devious government project. It has engaging characters, is emotionally painful and lacks the humorous bits of the series but I did not want to stop reading. It’s a terrific addition to the series and a fascinating story all on its own and I highly recommend it.
May 15, 2021
I literally squealed with delight when I saw this book hit the shelves because what could be better than a Stranger Things book?! Stranger Things is one of my all time favourite tv shows and to see it in book form is a dream come true. And I’m glad to say it did not disappoint, it was absolutely perfect in fact! I really loved that it was a prequel to the show, getting to see how it all started was amazing and not to mention heartbreaking and shocking. It really fits well with the tv show and is a great companion to it, I could picture it all in my head so perfectly! This is definitely a MUST read for any Stranger Things fan, especially while we’re rotting away waiting for the next season.
October 4, 2021
Książka wydaje się być wyjątkowo przeciętna. Spodziewałam się czegoś więcej, zwłaszcza, że serial uwielbiam, a otrzymałam rozwleczoną wersję tego, czemu w produkcji netflixa wystarczył jeden odcinek.
Nie wiem, czy to kwestia okoliczności, humoru, czy historia po prostu jest słaba.
Nie wiem, czy to kwestia okoliczności, humoru, czy historia po prostu jest słaba.
May 26, 2019
This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Video review to come.
Stranger Things is a little television show made by a little company called Netflix. The series aired in 2016 and became an instant hit, spawning an endless valley of merchandise. It is to the point now that you could theme your entire home with Stranger Things merch if you really wanted to. And now you can add some Stranger Things to your library with Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds, a prequel novel focusing on Terry, who you may remember is Eleven's mother from the Netflix show.
This book takes place in the late '60s to the early '70s and begins with Terry participating in a study at Hawkins National Laboratory. She and her fellow test subjects believe this study is simply for college credit and a little extra cash, but it seems there is more to these tests than what they initially expected. Hawkins Lab, as well as the mysterious Dr. Brenner, is full of secrets, secrets that Terry and her new friends must uncover before their lives are left in ruin.
Before I say anything else, let me state the obvious: Do not read this book unless you are already a fan of the show. I shouldn't even have to say this, but I read a review here on Goodreads from a woman saying that she had never watched the show and didn't get its appeal, so she picked this book up to see what the hubbub was all about. Don't be this stupid. If you haven't watched the show and are at all curious to check it out, then just go watch the show. If you read this prequel novel first, it will spoil the show for you, in more ways than one.
I, personally, am a huge fan of Stranger Things. It has absolutely everything I want from a show, and more. Aliens, monsters, kids on bikes, a small town, telekinetic powers, top-secret lab experiments, emotion, heart, characters you grow to love, and the 1980s, with all its commercialism and neon lights. I adore it. I believe it is one of the best shows on TV right now. So, I'm pretty darn excited for this new book series. Even though this first entry in the series didn't do it for me, I'm still pumped to read the others.
Unfortunately, yes, you did read that correctly. Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds was not the book I hoped it would be, and the reason is that it is simply... bland. The story doesn't go anywhere. As a fan of the show, I already knew where it was going, but I hoped it would at least answer some questions, fill in the blanks. And it did that, just not in an interesting way. It starts at point A and goes to point B. That's it.
One of the driving forces of Stranger Things is its big heart and the realistic way that the characters interact with one another. This book just doesn't have that. Also, Dr. Brenner is barely present. He was another reason why I wanted to read this book, to get in his head and find out more about him. He was an interesting character in the show, but he didn't have much time to shine. Sadly, this book doesn't give him that much time either.
Another weird issue I had with this novel is the LSD testing Hawkins lab was doing on their test subjects. Every week, Terry and her friends are pumped full of acid to uncover any hidden abilities they may have. Every week. But do any of the subjects encounter a single health complication due to the drug? Not one. I know this isn't the focus of the book, but it feels unrealistic to me.
Overall, I don't feel like this was a good starting place for the new Stranger Things book series. The next book, however, is written by a different author and focuses on Hopper and Eleven's time together between seasons one and two. I have a lot of questions about that time, so I'm hoping that book delivers! I'll request it and let you creeps know what I think. Until then, read this book if you must, but adjust your expectations accordingly.
Stranger Things is a little television show made by a little company called Netflix. The series aired in 2016 and became an instant hit, spawning an endless valley of merchandise. It is to the point now that you could theme your entire home with Stranger Things merch if you really wanted to. And now you can add some Stranger Things to your library with Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds, a prequel novel focusing on Terry, who you may remember is Eleven's mother from the Netflix show.
This book takes place in the late '60s to the early '70s and begins with Terry participating in a study at Hawkins National Laboratory. She and her fellow test subjects believe this study is simply for college credit and a little extra cash, but it seems there is more to these tests than what they initially expected. Hawkins Lab, as well as the mysterious Dr. Brenner, is full of secrets, secrets that Terry and her new friends must uncover before their lives are left in ruin.
Before I say anything else, let me state the obvious: Do not read this book unless you are already a fan of the show. I shouldn't even have to say this, but I read a review here on Goodreads from a woman saying that she had never watched the show and didn't get its appeal, so she picked this book up to see what the hubbub was all about. Don't be this stupid. If you haven't watched the show and are at all curious to check it out, then just go watch the show. If you read this prequel novel first, it will spoil the show for you, in more ways than one.
I, personally, am a huge fan of Stranger Things. It has absolutely everything I want from a show, and more. Aliens, monsters, kids on bikes, a small town, telekinetic powers, top-secret lab experiments, emotion, heart, characters you grow to love, and the 1980s, with all its commercialism and neon lights. I adore it. I believe it is one of the best shows on TV right now. So, I'm pretty darn excited for this new book series. Even though this first entry in the series didn't do it for me, I'm still pumped to read the others.
Unfortunately, yes, you did read that correctly. Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds was not the book I hoped it would be, and the reason is that it is simply... bland. The story doesn't go anywhere. As a fan of the show, I already knew where it was going, but I hoped it would at least answer some questions, fill in the blanks. And it did that, just not in an interesting way. It starts at point A and goes to point B. That's it.
One of the driving forces of Stranger Things is its big heart and the realistic way that the characters interact with one another. This book just doesn't have that. Also, Dr. Brenner is barely present. He was another reason why I wanted to read this book, to get in his head and find out more about him. He was an interesting character in the show, but he didn't have much time to shine. Sadly, this book doesn't give him that much time either.
Another weird issue I had with this novel is the LSD testing Hawkins lab was doing on their test subjects. Every week, Terry and her friends are pumped full of acid to uncover any hidden abilities they may have. Every week. But do any of the subjects encounter a single health complication due to the drug? Not one. I know this isn't the focus of the book, but it feels unrealistic to me.
Overall, I don't feel like this was a good starting place for the new Stranger Things book series. The next book, however, is written by a different author and focuses on Hopper and Eleven's time together between seasons one and two. I have a lot of questions about that time, so I'm hoping that book delivers! I'll request it and let you creeps know what I think. Until then, read this book if you must, but adjust your expectations accordingly.
July 13, 2019
'Stay strange.'
I recall that this first Stranger Things tie-in novel debuted on The New York Times bestseller list, much as the Star Wars novels invariably tend to do. The point, I suppose, is that the vast interest in such pop-culture phenomena bleeds over into books, which is not a bad thing. The world always needs more readers.
(Remember that after The Return of the Jedi, Star Wars was pretty much kept alive by the Old Canon books, with Disney now having wiped the slate clean, and producing instead a lot of quite crappy New Canon tie-ins. But that is another story.)
I was intrigued enough by the idea of this Stranger Things novel – the back story of 11’s mom, set in the turbulent 1960s, and the genesis of the Hawkins Laboratory – to want to give it a bash. Great idea; debatable execution. How much art has failed according to that maxim, I wonder?
This is by no means a bad book. As I’ve said, there are a lot of crappy tie-in novels out there, with some of the most execrable coming from the Star Trek universe, IMHO. But it could have been so, so much better.
I think part of the problem is Gwenda Bond is unsure what audience the book is aimed at. It deals with some pretty heavy issues – the Vietnam draft and protests, the government LSD experiments at the time – but Bond glosses over these issues with a YA soft focus. This saps the strength from the narrative, which by the time you reach the heart-rending ending, you realise has been quite a harrowing tale.
I enjoyed a lot of the ‘period detail’, which is a strength of the television show as well. Unfortunately, the characterisation is rather weak, which sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate between some of the large cast, especially the women.
And then there is Dr. Martin Brenner. Here he is even more of a cipher than he is the television series, if that is possible. At least Matthew Modine injects some creepy subtlety into the role; in the book, he just comes across as a sadly bland James Bond villain.
I recall that this first Stranger Things tie-in novel debuted on The New York Times bestseller list, much as the Star Wars novels invariably tend to do. The point, I suppose, is that the vast interest in such pop-culture phenomena bleeds over into books, which is not a bad thing. The world always needs more readers.
(Remember that after The Return of the Jedi, Star Wars was pretty much kept alive by the Old Canon books, with Disney now having wiped the slate clean, and producing instead a lot of quite crappy New Canon tie-ins. But that is another story.)
I was intrigued enough by the idea of this Stranger Things novel – the back story of 11’s mom, set in the turbulent 1960s, and the genesis of the Hawkins Laboratory – to want to give it a bash. Great idea; debatable execution. How much art has failed according to that maxim, I wonder?
This is by no means a bad book. As I’ve said, there are a lot of crappy tie-in novels out there, with some of the most execrable coming from the Star Trek universe, IMHO. But it could have been so, so much better.
I think part of the problem is Gwenda Bond is unsure what audience the book is aimed at. It deals with some pretty heavy issues – the Vietnam draft and protests, the government LSD experiments at the time – but Bond glosses over these issues with a YA soft focus. This saps the strength from the narrative, which by the time you reach the heart-rending ending, you realise has been quite a harrowing tale.
I enjoyed a lot of the ‘period detail’, which is a strength of the television show as well. Unfortunately, the characterisation is rather weak, which sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate between some of the large cast, especially the women.
And then there is Dr. Martin Brenner. Here he is even more of a cipher than he is the television series, if that is possible. At least Matthew Modine injects some creepy subtlety into the role; in the book, he just comes across as a sadly bland James Bond villain.
December 2, 2020
Όπως εκατομμύρια άλλοι άνθρωποι ανά τον κόσμο, είμαι αρκετά μεγάλος φαν της σειράς Stranger Things (ντροπή μου που δεν έχω δει ακόμα την τρίτη σαιζόν, αλλά θα το κάνω σύντομα!). Πλοκή, χαρακτήρες, ατμόσφαιρα, ποπ κουλτούρα, όλα αυτά τα ωραία έχει η τηλεοπτική σειρά. Όσον αφορά το βιβλίο, ποιοτικά δεν φτάνει το επίπεδο της σειράς, αν και φυσικά είναι άδικο να συγκρίνεις μήλα με πορτοκάλια: Απλά, εντάξει, δεν γίνεται να βγάλεις από το μυαλό σου ότι εκεί έξω υπάρχει μια φοβερή τηλεοπτική σειρά. Λοιπόν, εδώ παρακολουθούμε την ιστορία της μητέρας της Έντεκα, που όντας μια έξυπνη και ανέμελη φοιτήτρια έμπλεξε με το Εθνικό Εργαστήριο Χόκινς και τα πειράματα του Δρα Μπρένερ, στα πλαίσια του προγράμματος MKULTRA. Βρισκόμαστε στα τέλη της δεκαετίας του '60, αρχές δεκαετίας του '70, με τον πόλεμο στο Βιετνάμ να είναι ακόμα στα ντουζένια του, τον άνθρωπο να έχει πατήσει στη Σελήνη και το θρυλικό φεστιβάλ του Γούντστοκ να μένει στην ιστορία. Η αλήθεια είναι ότι δεν συμβαίνουν και πάρα πολλά πράγματα στην πλοκή -ή κάτι που δεν είχαμε φανταστεί-, όμως η παρέα των νέων που γίνονται πειραματόζωα στα χέρια του Μάρτιν Μπρένερ, σίγουρα έχει το ενδιαφέρον της. Η γραφή είναι καλούτσικη και λειτουργική αλλά όχι κάτι το φοβερό και το τρομερό, οι χαρακτήρες μάλλον ήθελαν λίγη παραπάνω δουλίτσα (ας πούμε εγώ ήθελα να μάθω περισσότερα για τον Μάρτιν Μπρένερ), ενώ υπήρχε και ένα θέμα με τον ρυθμό της πλοκής, που σε σημεία σκάλωνε κάπως. Θα έλεγα ότι βασικά προσόντα του βιβλίου είναι η όλη ατμόσφαιρα, το ανατριχιαστικό σκηνικό του Εργαστηρίου Χόκινς και οι ποπ αναφορές. Γενικά πέρασα καλά και μπορώ να πω ότι το ευχαριστήθηκα σε μεγάλο βαθμό, απλά όσοι έχετε λατρέψει τη σειρά μην έχετε τις προσδοκίες στον Θεό γι' αυτό το βιβλίο.
Want to read
September 30, 2018IT'S A STRANGER THINGS NOVEL AND WE HAVE A COVER
(read the first chapter here! https://ew.com/books/2018/09/27/stran...)
(read the first chapter here! https://ew.com/books/2018/09/27/stran...)
February 13, 2019
I'm going to be blunt with this, because I had such high expectations going into it, and felt so utterly let down by it that I am glad I marathon listened to it over three days. (Spoilers abound, you’ve been warned)
This is a very wordy novel with not a lot to say. What was pitched to us as a peek into the backstory of Eleven's conception/birth and of what MKUltra experiments led to the catatonic Terry Ives we meet in Season 2 was more like the framework of an "original" work that was adjusted to contain the Stranger Things universe.
Our story begins with Brenner’s entrance to the Hawkins laboratory which has become an integral part of the ST lore. We get a small glimpse of his relationship with Kali in the form of him getting her set up and comfortable in her new home. We are also introduced to the cold, calculating Brenner that we know and love from the show. This will however rapidly change.
Enter Terry Ives, a very average university student posing as her roommate to make a quick $15 ($100+ when adjusted for inflation) a week undergoing psychological testing on her college campus. She is obviously quickly found out, but inexplicably allowed to continue participating in the study. Enter also: A very stilted and awkward depiction of college students engaging in mild use of drugs and alcohol. Any time drug use is brought up within the story, we are given very ABC Afterschool Special descriptions and word usage, as well as depictions of behavior that push the limits of suspension of disbelief. Within the first chapters of the book we are berated with things to remind us that we are /IN/ the 60s. The moon landing, Nam, the draft lottery, Terry being treated with little respect for being a woman on her own, the draft lottery, the sheer absurdity of a woman of color being admitted to the Biology program at the university, the draft lottery. Have I mentioned the draft lottery? Because nearly every chance she gets, the author smears on foreshadowing that grows tired by the third time in a single chapter.
In short order we are introduced to our main cast of characters, none of whom are really developed until the final act of the book. These characters are all participants in Brenner's studies, each displaying a talent which he manipulates via application of LSD treatments and acquisition/regurgitation of knowledge.
From the beginning, only the accidentally admitted Terry has anything to show for it, though the others’ skills eventually emerge.
Alice is used to fairly gracefully dip our toes into what we know to the the Upside Down, as well as introducing the Demogorgon and Demodogs. Not much is done with this knowledge, other than occasionally reminding us that it is there. Her real time to shine is when she can capitalize on her visions, and use them to the gain of the team.
Gloria’s skills include the memorization and compartmentalization of facts (coordinates mostly), but while this is never used to further the plot, she is taught various “Superhero*” skills that do help. (*one of her defining traits is being a fan of comics, which is actually quite nice and used well)
Ken never truly comes into his own until the final pages of the book. He is the only male in the experiments, and while we are told along the way that he is a psychic, he is more like a precog in that he “gets a feeling” regarding certain events or actions, whether already passed or future. This comes in handy multiple times, allowing him to ultimately bring Terry a shred of hope regarding her stolen baby girl.
Outside of the laboratory testing we also get to know Terry’s boyfriend. Barely. There is a specific scene where Terry mentions that Andrew “turned out to have a personality” after all, but we as readers never get to see it. Andrew is mostly distilled into a grab bag of anti-Vietnam tropes. He spends a large quantity of time passively protesting the war, including an active protest that becomes the lynch-pin for his unceremonious disposal. He is also incapable of entering a scene without some combination of cracking a beer for himself and offering it to anyone else in the room.
Brenner suffers the most in this story. Throughout most of the events of “Suspicious Minds” he does not act anything like the man we are introduced to in the opening pages. A man who commanded an entire room was suddenly transformed into a man who missed obvious misdirections, and truly had no control over the staff he was supposed to be in command of. There are constant plot holes forged when Brenner attempts to discipline a staff member by firing, which is never followed up on, and the author never takes even a second to explain how he’s keeping this people bound to their NDA’s. Desperate to reclaim the personality that the Duffers have conditioned me to, I chose to believe he executes them and writes them off as casualties of war. A man who was steely and kept you on your toes in the show was reduced to a fist-shaking Lex Luthor by the end of this novel.
The final thing that feels completely mishandled and a bit story breaking is Terry’s pregnancy. We are not introduced to even an inkling that Terry might be pregnant until well into the second trimester. Even then, it is a one-off exchange between Brenner and an orderly following a blood draw done on Terry. Not once does anyone suspect anything may be “up” with her, nor does she experience symptoms for most of the book. Shortly before the “Big Reveal”, she begins to complain that none of her pants fit and she’s switched exclusively to skirts (Never commented on by other characters including her roommate). By the time the secret is blown wide open to Terry herself, no one around her believes she could have possibly been pregnant all along.
All in all I wanted to like this novel. I was thrilled to receive something to expand the universe of ST. But I was let down so badly by what was essentially a YA Novel for grades 8-12. It didn’t fit the tone or the storytelling style of the source material, and felt like it was more foreshadowing than actual content. In closing, nobody skips Tom Bombadil unless they want to miss out on the experience of a wordy novel with a wordy point to make. I can only hope we go up from here.
This is a very wordy novel with not a lot to say. What was pitched to us as a peek into the backstory of Eleven's conception/birth and of what MKUltra experiments led to the catatonic Terry Ives we meet in Season 2 was more like the framework of an "original" work that was adjusted to contain the Stranger Things universe.
Our story begins with Brenner’s entrance to the Hawkins laboratory which has become an integral part of the ST lore. We get a small glimpse of his relationship with Kali in the form of him getting her set up and comfortable in her new home. We are also introduced to the cold, calculating Brenner that we know and love from the show. This will however rapidly change.
Enter Terry Ives, a very average university student posing as her roommate to make a quick $15 ($100+ when adjusted for inflation) a week undergoing psychological testing on her college campus. She is obviously quickly found out, but inexplicably allowed to continue participating in the study. Enter also: A very stilted and awkward depiction of college students engaging in mild use of drugs and alcohol. Any time drug use is brought up within the story, we are given very ABC Afterschool Special descriptions and word usage, as well as depictions of behavior that push the limits of suspension of disbelief. Within the first chapters of the book we are berated with things to remind us that we are /IN/ the 60s. The moon landing, Nam, the draft lottery, Terry being treated with little respect for being a woman on her own, the draft lottery, the sheer absurdity of a woman of color being admitted to the Biology program at the university, the draft lottery. Have I mentioned the draft lottery? Because nearly every chance she gets, the author smears on foreshadowing that grows tired by the third time in a single chapter.
In short order we are introduced to our main cast of characters, none of whom are really developed until the final act of the book. These characters are all participants in Brenner's studies, each displaying a talent which he manipulates via application of LSD treatments and acquisition/regurgitation of knowledge.
From the beginning, only the accidentally admitted Terry has anything to show for it, though the others’ skills eventually emerge.
Alice is used to fairly gracefully dip our toes into what we know to the the Upside Down, as well as introducing the Demogorgon and Demodogs. Not much is done with this knowledge, other than occasionally reminding us that it is there. Her real time to shine is when she can capitalize on her visions, and use them to the gain of the team.
Gloria’s skills include the memorization and compartmentalization of facts (coordinates mostly), but while this is never used to further the plot, she is taught various “Superhero*” skills that do help. (*one of her defining traits is being a fan of comics, which is actually quite nice and used well)
Ken never truly comes into his own until the final pages of the book. He is the only male in the experiments, and while we are told along the way that he is a psychic, he is more like a precog in that he “gets a feeling” regarding certain events or actions, whether already passed or future. This comes in handy multiple times, allowing him to ultimately bring Terry a shred of hope regarding her stolen baby girl.
Outside of the laboratory testing we also get to know Terry’s boyfriend. Barely. There is a specific scene where Terry mentions that Andrew “turned out to have a personality” after all, but we as readers never get to see it. Andrew is mostly distilled into a grab bag of anti-Vietnam tropes. He spends a large quantity of time passively protesting the war, including an active protest that becomes the lynch-pin for his unceremonious disposal. He is also incapable of entering a scene without some combination of cracking a beer for himself and offering it to anyone else in the room.
Brenner suffers the most in this story. Throughout most of the events of “Suspicious Minds” he does not act anything like the man we are introduced to in the opening pages. A man who commanded an entire room was suddenly transformed into a man who missed obvious misdirections, and truly had no control over the staff he was supposed to be in command of. There are constant plot holes forged when Brenner attempts to discipline a staff member by firing, which is never followed up on, and the author never takes even a second to explain how he’s keeping this people bound to their NDA’s. Desperate to reclaim the personality that the Duffers have conditioned me to, I chose to believe he executes them and writes them off as casualties of war. A man who was steely and kept you on your toes in the show was reduced to a fist-shaking Lex Luthor by the end of this novel.
The final thing that feels completely mishandled and a bit story breaking is Terry’s pregnancy. We are not introduced to even an inkling that Terry might be pregnant until well into the second trimester. Even then, it is a one-off exchange between Brenner and an orderly following a blood draw done on Terry. Not once does anyone suspect anything may be “up” with her, nor does she experience symptoms for most of the book. Shortly before the “Big Reveal”, she begins to complain that none of her pants fit and she’s switched exclusively to skirts (Never commented on by other characters including her roommate). By the time the secret is blown wide open to Terry herself, no one around her believes she could have possibly been pregnant all along.
All in all I wanted to like this novel. I was thrilled to receive something to expand the universe of ST. But I was let down so badly by what was essentially a YA Novel for grades 8-12. It didn’t fit the tone or the storytelling style of the source material, and felt like it was more foreshadowing than actual content. In closing, nobody skips Tom Bombadil unless they want to miss out on the experience of a wordy novel with a wordy point to make. I can only hope we go up from here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2020
edit:
The more I think about it, the more I like this book. It was fun; I enjoyed it a lot. And the characters were actually really cool. I'm keeping my rating at 4/5 stars, but after stepping away I can better consider how good this book was.
original review:
I don't really love reading books like this, like Star Wars books. It's always awkward to try to judge a book when its world and characters already exist. But this one was cool.
I'll just say it: I don't love Stranger Things. It's cool, it's fun, but I just don't have that appreciation for it everyone else seems to have.
The writing in Suspicious Minds is very bad. It's very clinical, very matter-of-fact. If this wasn't in the Stranger Things world it would probably be getting fewer stars.
I did find myself getting attached to the characters, although I did know how everything would end. I wished that this was a standalone book instead of a prequel to the TV show so that we could actually hope for a genuine happy ending.
The closing line isn't great. The author went with the easy, predictable ending instead of trying to be more creative about it.
Suspicious Minds isn't bad, but it suffered badly from the writing. I do kinda hope there's a sequel, though, because there are several characters in here I want to see again.
4/5 stars.
The more I think about it, the more I like this book. It was fun; I enjoyed it a lot. And the characters were actually really cool. I'm keeping my rating at 4/5 stars, but after stepping away I can better consider how good this book was.
original review:
I don't really love reading books like this, like Star Wars books. It's always awkward to try to judge a book when its world and characters already exist. But this one was cool.
I'll just say it: I don't love Stranger Things. It's cool, it's fun, but I just don't have that appreciation for it everyone else seems to have.
The writing in Suspicious Minds is very bad. It's very clinical, very matter-of-fact. If this wasn't in the Stranger Things world it would probably be getting fewer stars.
I did find myself getting attached to the characters, although I did know how everything would end. I wished that this was a standalone book instead of a prequel to the TV show so that we could actually hope for a genuine happy ending.
The closing line isn't great. The author went with the easy, predictable ending instead of trying to be more creative about it.
Suspicious Minds isn't bad, but it suffered badly from the writing. I do kinda hope there's a sequel, though, because there are several characters in here I want to see again.
4/5 stars.
May 19, 2019
3.75/5
I’m a huge Stranger Things fan so when I found this book without even knowing its existence I bought it immediately!!
It turned out to be a very interesting prequel for me even if there’s actually nothing that new to know.
It still was a good add to the whole ST universe and we definitely get to know more what happened before the Eleven “era”.
Nice characters and very easy plot, maybe too easy sometimes?! But it didn’t bother me much.
I know novel number two will be released soon and I’m definitely looking forward to it 😌
I’m a huge Stranger Things fan so when I found this book without even knowing its existence I bought it immediately!!
It turned out to be a very interesting prequel for me even if there’s actually nothing that new to know.
It still was a good add to the whole ST universe and we definitely get to know more what happened before the Eleven “era”.
Nice characters and very easy plot, maybe too easy sometimes?! But it didn’t bother me much.
I know novel number two will be released soon and I’m definitely looking forward to it 😌
February 4, 2019
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2019/0...
Suspicious Minds was not quite what I expected, but it turned out to be a wonderful read that gave a great backstory on Eleven’s mom, and how Eleven came to be in Dr. Brennar’s care and more about the origins of Dr. Brennar’s crazy experiments and meddlings with the natural world. Pretty much it was full of lots of the things we’ve wondered about since the show started.
Terry Ives is a college student in the 1960s and while there is a lot of turmoil in the world at this time, she is somewhat sheltered in her college life, but she wants to feel like she is doing something more, something more meaningful. It’s this desire that gets her tangled up with Dr. Brennar, whose research project seems like an honor to participate in and “important” in some way to her. She basically signs on to be a human guinea pig for a study that she really knows nothing about.
As the study progresses, Terry definitely starts to see signs that maybe everything is not quite as on the up and up as she first thought, and that there might just be cause for concern. I quite enjoyed Terry and her friends, and genuinely felt concern for her friends as they found themselves entangled in Dr. Brennar’s dark web.
A couple of things about this book that were not quite what I expected. First, I think I expected a bit more of a horror vibe while reading that, which it’s not. It feels more like an urban fantasy. , or urban fantasy with a science fiction slant? Is that a thing? I also think that all gets a bit blurry with things like this. The creatures can make it very much feel more fantasy. The science behind how they get there will make it feel more science fiction. But it’s the style of the prose that makes reminds me most of urban fantasy. What there is not is a that really creepy, scary foreboding quality that makes a book horror. This is by no means a negative, just was different from what I expected.
Overall, I found this to be a fun read that gave a great backstory for Eleven’s mom. If anything, I wish there was a bit more so I look forward to see what the next Stranger Things book brings!
Suspicious Minds was not quite what I expected, but it turned out to be a wonderful read that gave a great backstory on Eleven’s mom, and how Eleven came to be in Dr. Brennar’s care and more about the origins of Dr. Brennar’s crazy experiments and meddlings with the natural world. Pretty much it was full of lots of the things we’ve wondered about since the show started.
Terry Ives is a college student in the 1960s and while there is a lot of turmoil in the world at this time, she is somewhat sheltered in her college life, but she wants to feel like she is doing something more, something more meaningful. It’s this desire that gets her tangled up with Dr. Brennar, whose research project seems like an honor to participate in and “important” in some way to her. She basically signs on to be a human guinea pig for a study that she really knows nothing about.
As the study progresses, Terry definitely starts to see signs that maybe everything is not quite as on the up and up as she first thought, and that there might just be cause for concern. I quite enjoyed Terry and her friends, and genuinely felt concern for her friends as they found themselves entangled in Dr. Brennar’s dark web.
A couple of things about this book that were not quite what I expected. First, I think I expected a bit more of a horror vibe while reading that, which it’s not. It feels more like an urban fantasy. , or urban fantasy with a science fiction slant? Is that a thing? I also think that all gets a bit blurry with things like this. The creatures can make it very much feel more fantasy. The science behind how they get there will make it feel more science fiction. But it’s the style of the prose that makes reminds me most of urban fantasy. What there is not is a that really creepy, scary foreboding quality that makes a book horror. This is by no means a negative, just was different from what I expected.
Overall, I found this to be a fun read that gave a great backstory for Eleven’s mom. If anything, I wish there was a bit more so I look forward to see what the next Stranger Things book brings!
May 4, 2019
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This book is a prequel to the popular television series that is on Netflix. In this one, we get the story of how Eleven's mother gets involved with Martin Brenner who is the doctor that believes he is "Papa" to Eleven during the first season.
I enjoyed this novel and one can tell that the author is either a fan of the series or has done her homework. She set a goal of making this out to be like the series and she accomplishes that while throwing out various easter eggs. We get a group of friends that is investigating a mystery but this group contains pre-adults instead of preteens. We also get the nostalgic factor throughout but instead of the 80's it is the late 60's. I like the idea of the book trying to being similar to the show but it wasn't just as resonant. I was there for the 80's and getting to see it through a preteen's eyes once again hits home. The nostalgia from this book did not have the same impact personally for me.
This book does not contain the supernatural element or monsters like the demogorgon. It touches upon them but it is a look into the humans as the monster and this is in the form of Martin Brenner. Even though we see this in the show he was overshadowed by the demogorgon as the antagonist. The look into his character was the highlight of this novel.
For a first tie-in novel for a show that I truly enjoy this was a solid book. I do think this is intended for people who have seen the show. People who have not watched the show will probably not enjoy it as all the tie-ins will be missed and as a result be a little bored by this offering.
This book is a prequel to the popular television series that is on Netflix. In this one, we get the story of how Eleven's mother gets involved with Martin Brenner who is the doctor that believes he is "Papa" to Eleven during the first season.
I enjoyed this novel and one can tell that the author is either a fan of the series or has done her homework. She set a goal of making this out to be like the series and she accomplishes that while throwing out various easter eggs. We get a group of friends that is investigating a mystery but this group contains pre-adults instead of preteens. We also get the nostalgic factor throughout but instead of the 80's it is the late 60's. I like the idea of the book trying to being similar to the show but it wasn't just as resonant. I was there for the 80's and getting to see it through a preteen's eyes once again hits home. The nostalgia from this book did not have the same impact personally for me.
This book does not contain the supernatural element or monsters like the demogorgon. It touches upon them but it is a look into the humans as the monster and this is in the form of Martin Brenner. Even though we see this in the show he was overshadowed by the demogorgon as the antagonist. The look into his character was the highlight of this novel.
For a first tie-in novel for a show that I truly enjoy this was a solid book. I do think this is intended for people who have seen the show. People who have not watched the show will probably not enjoy it as all the tie-ins will be missed and as a result be a little bored by this offering.
September 2, 2019
Okay what can I say - but I am enjoying Stranger Things - the mix of 80s nostalgia (yes I am that old) and good old monster movie had be entranced from the first episode, when I saw that they had tie in novels on the way I was intrigued to say the least.
Now after reading the first book (so far there are two - there may be more I do not know) I must admit I was not disappointed but at the same time it didnt totally re-ignite my passion for the series.
You see this is a prequel and like all prequels you know how it ends since you know how the original story begins. True you can argue that the journey is what matters and to be honest I would consider myself one of those people - there is also the fact that there is a long enough gap between the end of this book and the start of the TV series that you are not too sure if that is all that happened.
Plus there are a number of loose ends that at the very least you can let play out in your imagination and so spin off all sorts of other tales.
So yes the author has tried to avoid the fate set out in the TV series and yes to a degree Gwenda succeeded but really how car can you stray.
So in short this is a book for the fans -those who want to know it all and certainly at the end of the book there are no secrets to be had however what you do get is a sense of completion and for that I enjoyed the book.
Now after reading the first book (so far there are two - there may be more I do not know) I must admit I was not disappointed but at the same time it didnt totally re-ignite my passion for the series.
You see this is a prequel and like all prequels you know how it ends since you know how the original story begins. True you can argue that the journey is what matters and to be honest I would consider myself one of those people - there is also the fact that there is a long enough gap between the end of this book and the start of the TV series that you are not too sure if that is all that happened.
Plus there are a number of loose ends that at the very least you can let play out in your imagination and so spin off all sorts of other tales.
So yes the author has tried to avoid the fate set out in the TV series and yes to a degree Gwenda succeeded but really how car can you stray.
So in short this is a book for the fans -those who want to know it all and certainly at the end of the book there are no secrets to be had however what you do get is a sense of completion and for that I enjoyed the book.
March 4, 2019
"'Monsters,' she said., 'of course my brain has them.' As long as they stayed in there, everything would be all right. Wouldn't it?"
Are you slowly rotting away while waiting for the next season of Stranger Things like me? If so, this first official novel may take the edge off temporarily. Suspicious Minds tells the backstory of Terry Ives. Sound familiar? That's right, Eleven's mother! It's set during 1969 in Hawkins, Indiana. Dr. Brenner is conducting LSD experiments under a covert operation called Project MKUltra. Terry signs up to become a test subject along with her friends Gloria, Alice and Ken. They undergo just.. fucking awful, terrible things at the hands of the manipulative Dr. Brenner and his quest to research the full extension of the human mind.
As viewers of the television series, we already know the ending of Terry's story. To be able to go back in time and have some of the mysteries surrounding her unveiled (including the identity of Eleven's father), while this feeling of apprehension lingers in the background was interesting.. and more than a little gut-punchy.
My favorite thing about this book is that the women are front and center! They are the primary focus in the story, which is so fucking refreshing. Each character feels fully-realized, rather than wooden background figures.
Unfortunately, I didn't find that similar level of nostalgia that I feel for the television series in this book. A lot of that has to do with the time period, which is one that wasn't super captivating for me. I found myself longing for more of the 80's!
Stranger Things means the world to so many people, myself included. It's one of those rare things that feels like it was made for all of us. It's just so fucking special!
I've watched both seasons multiple times and will probably dive in for another rewatch before season three premieres in July! It's like wrapping myself up in a comfortable sweater. IT JUST FEELS SO DAMN GOOD!!
I will read anything set within the Stranger Things world! Clearly I'm not the only one. I was happy to find out that there will be at least one more tie-in novel coming out this year, Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher. The focus this time around? My boyfriend, Jim Hopper. YES PLEASE!!!
(Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me over a copy!)
Are you slowly rotting away while waiting for the next season of Stranger Things like me? If so, this first official novel may take the edge off temporarily. Suspicious Minds tells the backstory of Terry Ives. Sound familiar? That's right, Eleven's mother! It's set during 1969 in Hawkins, Indiana. Dr. Brenner is conducting LSD experiments under a covert operation called Project MKUltra. Terry signs up to become a test subject along with her friends Gloria, Alice and Ken. They undergo just.. fucking awful, terrible things at the hands of the manipulative Dr. Brenner and his quest to research the full extension of the human mind.
As viewers of the television series, we already know the ending of Terry's story. To be able to go back in time and have some of the mysteries surrounding her unveiled (including the identity of Eleven's father), while this feeling of apprehension lingers in the background was interesting.. and more than a little gut-punchy.
My favorite thing about this book is that the women are front and center! They are the primary focus in the story, which is so fucking refreshing. Each character feels fully-realized, rather than wooden background figures.
Unfortunately, I didn't find that similar level of nostalgia that I feel for the television series in this book. A lot of that has to do with the time period, which is one that wasn't super captivating for me. I found myself longing for more of the 80's!
Stranger Things means the world to so many people, myself included. It's one of those rare things that feels like it was made for all of us. It's just so fucking special!
I've watched both seasons multiple times and will probably dive in for another rewatch before season three premieres in July! It's like wrapping myself up in a comfortable sweater. IT JUST FEELS SO DAMN GOOD!!
I will read anything set within the Stranger Things world! Clearly I'm not the only one. I was happy to find out that there will be at least one more tie-in novel coming out this year, Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher. The focus this time around? My boyfriend, Jim Hopper. YES PLEASE!!!
(Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me over a copy!)
March 31, 2019
Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond is not nearly as good as the tv series, but it's still a solid prequel. But then again, the tv series does set an incredibly high bar, doesn't it? Anyway, this first prequel novel follows 11's mother as she undergoes experiments at the lab and up to the point where she gives birth to 11. I enjoyed getting to know Terry a little more in this novel especially while she's right in the middle of everything. I'm definitely interested in continuing this prequel series.
September 24, 2019
Very disappointing. I had barely no expectation, I just was curious because I enjoy the TV shows (even if it's also going downhill...), but I still was disappointed. Very thin story, stupid characters like it's almost impossible to be that dumb, the ambiance wasn't that good either, we didn't feel the period of time as well as we do in the TV shows (it could have happen mostly in any time period...) and it just didn't bring much to the experience. I won't continue and I wouldn't recommend it!
February 12, 2023
If you are at ALL a fan of Stranger Things, you need to read this prequel about El's mom and the other test subjects, also gives more insight into Eight. Definitely enjoyed this and the evilness of Dr. Brenner still made me cringe. Now I want to go re-watch Season's One and Two again before Three is out!
4 Stars
4 Stars
May 10, 2020
I applaud Gwenda Bond for bringing Stranger Things to book form. I am sure that writing
Suspicious Minds
was a huge challenge, in that the Netflix series has such a huge following. Bond definitely did not stray too far from the source material. For this reason, some may be disappointed. As a fan of the show, I enjoyed reading the book.
Suspicious Minds
does take us behind the curtain and provide some facts that were not revealed in the show, but it is a seamless flow. A third of the way through I was held by a line that seems to be an underlining theme throughout the entire series (book and streamed):
"Small victories barely mattered in such big wars".
March 11, 2019
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/03/09/...
For those of us who can’t get enough of Stranger Things, the good news is that Random House has partnered up with Netflix to publish a number of books based on the hit sci-fi horror web show. Of these, Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond is the prequel novel featuring Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives, who has been a figure shrouded in mystery ever since the series began. If you’ve ever wondered how she became a test subject in the government research program into the supernatural and paranormal, this book will reveal the story and more.
Suspicious Minds opens in the year 1969, and from Woodstock and the moon landing to the Manson murders and war in Vietnam, it was an eventful summer for the youth of America. For a group of college students in the heartland of Indiana, however, life is about to get even more interesting. After learning of the paid volunteer opportunities offered by the psychology department on campus from her roommate, Terry Ives decides to take part in a research experiment in the hopes of earning some extra cash. There, she meets others who have been selected for the program, including Alice, Gloria, and Ken.
But within the research facility known as the Hawkins National Laboratory, Terry soon suspects that not all is as it seems with the experiment or with its director, Dr. Martin Brenner. As she and her fellow test subjects are made to undergo more demanding and unsettling tests, Dr. Brenner also grows more controlling and tight-lipped about the exact nature of his research. Then, there are the children. One day, Terry happens to meet a little girl in another wing of the building, whose files identify her simply as Eight. The presence of other records indicates the possibility of even more kids kept behind the locked secretive doors of the facility, and Terry and her friends are determined to find out why.
The good news is, whether you’re a diehard fan of Stranger Things or someone who has never seen a single episode, pretty much anyone can pick up and enjoy Suspicious Minds. Because it is a prequel that takes place well before the events of the show, no prior knowledge is strictly required, though of course if you are familiar with the series you will get much more out of the references and other little Easter eggs thrown into the narrative. No surprise perhaps, but one of my favorite things about this book was getting the chance to meet Kali as a little girl.
However, make no mistake, Suspicious Minds also offers up a completely brand-new experience. We are thrown into another era, the late 60’s in this instance, where the country is a very different place than the 80’s setting of the show—socially, culturally, economically, and politically. Bond has done her homework, ensuring that her story feels at least historically convincing. Furthermore, instead of focusing on a group of middle school protagonists, this novel follows an older crowd—college-aged, to be exact. This not only puts Terry Ives at the right age when all this went down, it also serves to make this book more appealing to a wider audience, i.e. older viewers of the show who might find a “new adult” book more palatable than a YA label.
That said, I can’t help but wonder if this desire to please everyone may have contributed to the story’s general lack of focus. There are times when our 19-to-20-year-old characters seem to act, think, and speak like preteens, or certain sections of the book that droned on and on about the sentimental dramas of youth without adding anything relevant to the overall plot. I also thought the first half of the novel was also better written and organized than the second half, which felt a little rushed and messy—a pattern you see often with an author who has a pretty solid idea of what the beginning and end of their book should look like, but struggles to connect them with everything that happens in between.
Still, despite its flaws, Suspicious Minds was a fun read that offered me exactly the right kind of enjoyment and escapism. I wouldn’t say that it’s absolutely essential for Stranger Things fans in that it won’t reveal any great secrets or hidden plans for the series, but what this novel manages to do is what all tie-ins should—that is, provide more background history into the original’s story and world. If you’re like me and that’s the sort of thing you’re into, I highly recommend giving this novel a go, especially since there’s plenty in it to appreciate if you like the show.
Audiobook Comments: At first, I felt that narrator Kristen Sieh’s voice was a little off (too peppy, too young) for the kind of book I thought this was going to be, but as the story revealed more of its nature and the “new adult” vibes, this discordance became less and less. I ended up being generally pleased with her performance and overall thought this audiobook was a very light and easy listen.
For those of us who can’t get enough of Stranger Things, the good news is that Random House has partnered up with Netflix to publish a number of books based on the hit sci-fi horror web show. Of these, Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond is the prequel novel featuring Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives, who has been a figure shrouded in mystery ever since the series began. If you’ve ever wondered how she became a test subject in the government research program into the supernatural and paranormal, this book will reveal the story and more.
Suspicious Minds opens in the year 1969, and from Woodstock and the moon landing to the Manson murders and war in Vietnam, it was an eventful summer for the youth of America. For a group of college students in the heartland of Indiana, however, life is about to get even more interesting. After learning of the paid volunteer opportunities offered by the psychology department on campus from her roommate, Terry Ives decides to take part in a research experiment in the hopes of earning some extra cash. There, she meets others who have been selected for the program, including Alice, Gloria, and Ken.
But within the research facility known as the Hawkins National Laboratory, Terry soon suspects that not all is as it seems with the experiment or with its director, Dr. Martin Brenner. As she and her fellow test subjects are made to undergo more demanding and unsettling tests, Dr. Brenner also grows more controlling and tight-lipped about the exact nature of his research. Then, there are the children. One day, Terry happens to meet a little girl in another wing of the building, whose files identify her simply as Eight. The presence of other records indicates the possibility of even more kids kept behind the locked secretive doors of the facility, and Terry and her friends are determined to find out why.
The good news is, whether you’re a diehard fan of Stranger Things or someone who has never seen a single episode, pretty much anyone can pick up and enjoy Suspicious Minds. Because it is a prequel that takes place well before the events of the show, no prior knowledge is strictly required, though of course if you are familiar with the series you will get much more out of the references and other little Easter eggs thrown into the narrative. No surprise perhaps, but one of my favorite things about this book was getting the chance to meet Kali as a little girl.
However, make no mistake, Suspicious Minds also offers up a completely brand-new experience. We are thrown into another era, the late 60’s in this instance, where the country is a very different place than the 80’s setting of the show—socially, culturally, economically, and politically. Bond has done her homework, ensuring that her story feels at least historically convincing. Furthermore, instead of focusing on a group of middle school protagonists, this novel follows an older crowd—college-aged, to be exact. This not only puts Terry Ives at the right age when all this went down, it also serves to make this book more appealing to a wider audience, i.e. older viewers of the show who might find a “new adult” book more palatable than a YA label.
That said, I can’t help but wonder if this desire to please everyone may have contributed to the story’s general lack of focus. There are times when our 19-to-20-year-old characters seem to act, think, and speak like preteens, or certain sections of the book that droned on and on about the sentimental dramas of youth without adding anything relevant to the overall plot. I also thought the first half of the novel was also better written and organized than the second half, which felt a little rushed and messy—a pattern you see often with an author who has a pretty solid idea of what the beginning and end of their book should look like, but struggles to connect them with everything that happens in between.
Still, despite its flaws, Suspicious Minds was a fun read that offered me exactly the right kind of enjoyment and escapism. I wouldn’t say that it’s absolutely essential for Stranger Things fans in that it won’t reveal any great secrets or hidden plans for the series, but what this novel manages to do is what all tie-ins should—that is, provide more background history into the original’s story and world. If you’re like me and that’s the sort of thing you’re into, I highly recommend giving this novel a go, especially since there’s plenty in it to appreciate if you like the show.
Audiobook Comments: At first, I felt that narrator Kristen Sieh’s voice was a little off (too peppy, too young) for the kind of book I thought this was going to be, but as the story revealed more of its nature and the “new adult” vibes, this discordance became less and less. I ended up being generally pleased with her performance and overall thought this audiobook was a very light and easy listen.
October 8, 2022
الأحداث البطيئة في البداية أضرت بالرواية بشدة!
صدر مؤخراً الموسم الرابع من مسلسل #stranger_things المسلسل الأكثر مشاهدة علي#نتفلكس #Netflix أكثر من مليار مشاهد حول العالم!
هل تعلم أن في رواية تدور في نفس العالم أسمها #عقول_مرتابة من تأليف جويندا بوند و من ترجمة شيرين هنائي ؟
وإصدار دار #كيان_للنشر_والتوزيع
الرواية تنتمي علي عالم المسلسل مش العكس.
المسلسل كان اولآ ثم الرواية كاستثمار للنجاح.
نفس العالم، القدرات الخارقة، الوحوش، العالم الموازي.
لكن في ما قبل أحداث الموسم الاول من المسلسل.
تعالي تراجع الرواية و نعمل مقارنة سريعة بينها و بين المسلسل.
#كوكب_الكتب 🌍
#العراف 😎
https://youtu.be/bavXq2-z8Io
صدر مؤخراً الموسم الرابع من مسلسل #stranger_things المسلسل الأكثر مشاهدة علي#نتفلكس #Netflix أكثر من مليار مشاهد حول العالم!
هل تعلم أن في رواية تدور في نفس العالم أسمها #عقول_مرتابة من تأليف جويندا بوند و من ترجمة شيرين هنائي ؟
وإصدار دار #كيان_للنشر_والتوزيع
الرواية تنتمي علي عالم المسلسل مش العكس.
المسلسل كان اولآ ثم الرواية كاستثمار للنجاح.
نفس العالم، القدرات الخارقة، الوحوش، العالم الموازي.
لكن في ما قبل أحداث الموسم الاول من المسلسل.
تعالي تراجع الرواية و نعمل مقارنة سريعة بينها و بين المسلسل.
#كوكب_الكتب 🌍
#العراف 😎
https://youtu.be/bavXq2-z8Io
July 16, 2019
Mit SUSPICIOUS MINDS hat Gwenda Bond ein Prequel zur Erfolgsserie STRANGER THINGS geschrieben, in dem sie erzählt, wie Elfie dem Mad Scientist Brenner und seinem Projekt MKULTRA in die Hände gefallen ist.
Handwerklich solide erzählt punktet der Roman mit seinen vier jungen Protagonisten, die als echte Sympathieträger konzipiert sind und sich auf ein Forschungsprojekt einlassen, dessen Hintergrund sie lange Zeit nicht einmal ansatzweise erahnen. Besonders Vielschichtig wirken sie als Persönlichkeiten allerdings nicht, dafür sind sie oft erstaunlich arglos und willfährig.
Ich bin gut in den Roman reingekommen, fand dann aber, dass sich die Handlung recht zögerlich entwickelt und auf der Stelle tritt. In diesen Phasen ist der Roman angewiesen auf die Zuneigung seiner Leser zum Personal. Erst auf den letzten 50 Seiten nimmt er dann Fahrt auf und entwickelt kurzfristig Spannung.
Den Charme der Netflix-Serie hat das Buch nicht, aber als Schmöker für Zwischendurch ist es okay.
(Und da es - zumindest in der Fernsehserie - um Nerds geht, ein kleines Bekenntnis in Klammern: dass Glorias Lieblings=Superheldin Jean Grey ist, fand ich richtig klasse)
Handwerklich solide erzählt punktet der Roman mit seinen vier jungen Protagonisten, die als echte Sympathieträger konzipiert sind und sich auf ein Forschungsprojekt einlassen, dessen Hintergrund sie lange Zeit nicht einmal ansatzweise erahnen. Besonders Vielschichtig wirken sie als Persönlichkeiten allerdings nicht, dafür sind sie oft erstaunlich arglos und willfährig.
Ich bin gut in den Roman reingekommen, fand dann aber, dass sich die Handlung recht zögerlich entwickelt und auf der Stelle tritt. In diesen Phasen ist der Roman angewiesen auf die Zuneigung seiner Leser zum Personal. Erst auf den letzten 50 Seiten nimmt er dann Fahrt auf und entwickelt kurzfristig Spannung.
Den Charme der Netflix-Serie hat das Buch nicht, aber als Schmöker für Zwischendurch ist es okay.
(Und da es - zumindest in der Fernsehserie - um Nerds geht, ein kleines Bekenntnis in Klammern: dass Glorias Lieblings=Superheldin Jean Grey ist, fand ich richtig klasse)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,826 reviews