What do you think?
Rate this book
The Midnight Hour #1
The Midnight Hour
When strange late-night letters start arriving at home, Emily's parents set off to investigate. But when her parents disappear completely and Emily is left home alone to face the weird strangers that begin to appear at her door, she takes all of the clues at her disposal and makes for the place where the letters came from -- the mysterious Night Post. What she'll discover is the secret world of the Midnight Hour -- a Victorian London frozen in time, full of magic and monsters.
Kept safe by an age-old agreement, the Night Folk have been exiled to a parallel world that can only be accessed by a selected few, including the mail carriers of the infamous Night Post that operate between the two worlds. Emily's parents are key players in keeping the Night Folk safe, but when the division of the two worlds is threatened, Emily must search for her parents while navigating this dark and unknown version of London.
Armed only with a packed lunch, her very sleepy pocket hedgehog, and her infamously big argumentative mouth, she must escape bloodthirsty creatures of the night, figure out her own family secrets, and maybe just save the world.
Kept safe by an age-old agreement, the Night Folk have been exiled to a parallel world that can only be accessed by a selected few, including the mail carriers of the infamous Night Post that operate between the two worlds. Emily's parents are key players in keeping the Night Folk safe, but when the division of the two worlds is threatened, Emily must search for her parents while navigating this dark and unknown version of London.
Armed only with a packed lunch, her very sleepy pocket hedgehog, and her infamously big argumentative mouth, she must escape bloodthirsty creatures of the night, figure out her own family secrets, and maybe just save the world.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2019
67 people are currently reading
3617 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Read
10 books83 followersBenjamin Read writes comics and makes films. He wrote the multiply award-nominated PORCELAIN: A GOTHIC FAIRY TALE, the silent comic BUTTERFLY GATE, and children’s book, NIGHT POST, as well as the TRUE GRIT and SUPER 8 comic adaptations. He also wrote and produced the films ARMISTICE and 500 MILES NORTH. He is one of the founder members of the Improper Books comics collective, and is fuelled principally by tea and whimsy. He is currently working on the rest of the Porcelain sequence, alongside writing his first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
August 23, 2019
Set in the creepy backdrop of Victorian London (and present-day), young Emily is shocked to find her parents disappearing without a trace and her life in total danger. To find them, she has to go back in time but face many monsters along the way. She needs to battle with evil in a bid to find out everything about her family’s past before the worst happens to them. I liked the story-line and the spooky Victorian setting. However, I just couldn’t connect to Emily as much as I would have liked. At times, she was a little whiny towards others which wasn’t my favourite aspect. The pacing did feel a little slow throughout, but towards the end, the action really did pick up. A good middle-grade read for younger readers!
January 6, 2020
Very good and imaginative MG Fantasy. Emily is immensely likable, funny, spunky and delightfully contrary. Bonus points for two loving parents.
June 20, 2020
RECENSIONE QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
Il popolo dei notturni è il primo volume della trilogia fantasy The Midnight Hour. È una lettura rivolta principalmente rivolta ai bambini a partire dall'età di 10 anni, ma anche a chi come me ama immergersi in un buon libro fantasy indipendentemente dal target. Protagonista della storia è una bambina di nome Emily che fin dalla prima pagina riesce a travolgerci con la sua intelligenza, perspicacia e con un umorismo spiccato che la aiuta a risolvere le situazioni difficili. È un personaggio impertinente ed esuberante, che mostra di essere capace di affrontare le avversità e i problemi che incontra. Un vero e proprio terremoto pronto a travolgere tutti, in qualsiasi momento. La sua estrema curiosità la porta a ficcare il naso ovunque, soprattutto quando delle misteriose lettere che arrivano nel cuore della notte spingono i suoi genitori a mettersi in viaggio per poi sparire. Emily così decide di fare affidamento sulle proprie capacità investigative e di mettersi sulle tracce degli indizi che i genitori hanno lasciato, giungendo così nel mondo della Posta di Mezzanotte, un luogo strano e segreto in una Londra vittoriana congelata nel tempo, dove vivono creature magiche e mostruose, e dove lei dovrà orientarsi e fare attenzione alle insidie lungo il percorso. Man mano che i due mondi si intrecciano sempre di più, Emily deve scoprire la verità sulla sua famiglia e stare attenta ai pericoli. Cosa si nasconde in quel luogo? Il popolo dei notturni è una lettura avvincente e avventurosa adatta ai lettori di tutte le età, che ci accompagna nel cuore di un mondo inquietante ma al tempo stesso incantevole, dove bene e male non sono mai come appaiono. L’ambientazione è ben costruita, vivida e unica, senza diventare troppo inverosimile, rivelando man mano ogni segreto e rivelazione. È interessante scoprire gli esseri magici e le loro abilità, essere travolti dalle rivelazioni e seguire la coraggiosa Emily nella sua avventura per cercare di salvare i suoi genitori da un pericoloso nemico e nella sua evoluzione come personaggio lungo cui si rende conto di quanto loro siano importanti per lei. Conosceremo tanti altri personaggi secondari come il timido e coraggioso Tarkus, la madre di Emily dallo spirito libero, il padre “noioso” e tante altre creature gentili e sinistre, compreso il cattivo geniale della storia la cui personalità viene caratterizzata molto bene. Gli autori Benjamin Read e Laura Trinder con la loro scrittura scorrevole e curata hanno dato vita ad una trilogia unica e affascinante che ci insegna a non giudicare mai le persone dal loro aspetto esteriore e a conoscerle per capire chi sono davvero, e infine ad affrontare le paure con coraggio e con un pizzico di umorismo proprio come fa Emily.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
Il popolo dei notturni è il primo volume della trilogia fantasy The Midnight Hour. È una lettura rivolta principalmente rivolta ai bambini a partire dall'età di 10 anni, ma anche a chi come me ama immergersi in un buon libro fantasy indipendentemente dal target. Protagonista della storia è una bambina di nome Emily che fin dalla prima pagina riesce a travolgerci con la sua intelligenza, perspicacia e con un umorismo spiccato che la aiuta a risolvere le situazioni difficili. È un personaggio impertinente ed esuberante, che mostra di essere capace di affrontare le avversità e i problemi che incontra. Un vero e proprio terremoto pronto a travolgere tutti, in qualsiasi momento. La sua estrema curiosità la porta a ficcare il naso ovunque, soprattutto quando delle misteriose lettere che arrivano nel cuore della notte spingono i suoi genitori a mettersi in viaggio per poi sparire. Emily così decide di fare affidamento sulle proprie capacità investigative e di mettersi sulle tracce degli indizi che i genitori hanno lasciato, giungendo così nel mondo della Posta di Mezzanotte, un luogo strano e segreto in una Londra vittoriana congelata nel tempo, dove vivono creature magiche e mostruose, e dove lei dovrà orientarsi e fare attenzione alle insidie lungo il percorso. Man mano che i due mondi si intrecciano sempre di più, Emily deve scoprire la verità sulla sua famiglia e stare attenta ai pericoli. Cosa si nasconde in quel luogo? Il popolo dei notturni è una lettura avvincente e avventurosa adatta ai lettori di tutte le età, che ci accompagna nel cuore di un mondo inquietante ma al tempo stesso incantevole, dove bene e male non sono mai come appaiono. L’ambientazione è ben costruita, vivida e unica, senza diventare troppo inverosimile, rivelando man mano ogni segreto e rivelazione. È interessante scoprire gli esseri magici e le loro abilità, essere travolti dalle rivelazioni e seguire la coraggiosa Emily nella sua avventura per cercare di salvare i suoi genitori da un pericoloso nemico e nella sua evoluzione come personaggio lungo cui si rende conto di quanto loro siano importanti per lei. Conosceremo tanti altri personaggi secondari come il timido e coraggioso Tarkus, la madre di Emily dallo spirito libero, il padre “noioso” e tante altre creature gentili e sinistre, compreso il cattivo geniale della storia la cui personalità viene caratterizzata molto bene. Gli autori Benjamin Read e Laura Trinder con la loro scrittura scorrevole e curata hanno dato vita ad una trilogia unica e affascinante che ci insegna a non giudicare mai le persone dal loro aspetto esteriore e a conoscerle per capire chi sono davvero, e infine ad affrontare le paure con coraggio e con un pizzico di umorismo proprio come fa Emily.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
July 9, 2019
(4.5). I listened to this on Audible and I LOVED it so very much - I definitely think I’m learning to love middle grade fantasy. And the narrator of this was incredible and I’m definitely keen to listen to other books she’s read.
April 4, 2020
This was a thoroughly different read for my son and I! So much of magic and fantasy that it was truly engrossing in the first half. However due to everything going on we took a very long time to finish this and perhaps weren’t able to truly do it justice.
Read
March 9, 2020Just what lurks within the stroke of midnight?
When Emily's family starts receiving strange letters, her curiosity peaks. Her parents set off to investigate them, only to vanish. As things only get increasingly odd, Emily knows she must find them. Equipped with a family keepsake, a hedgehog, and a few sandwitches, she follows the trail of clues they've left, only to stumble into the weird and secret world of the Midnight Hour. In this dark, magical, alternate version of London stuck in Victorian times, her journey to save her family may be far more perilous than she ever expected.
A story of magic, monsters, and might. What happens within a world that lives within the stroke of midnight.
Trigger warnings for fatphobic comments, swearing, and violence.
A huge thank you to Chicken House, Benjamin Read, and Laura Trinder for my ARC give away win! All opinions are my own.
Feisty and a bit dramatic, Emily got far more than she bargained for when she tried to save her parents. Infusing the story with a lot of humor, her snarky, ever contrary "gob" both put her in and helped her out of many predicaments. Even though the young girl could be a bit of a brat, she had a truly good heart as she tried her best to save her parents and everyone she came to care about in the Midnight Hour. Courageous, sarcastic, and true to herself, I grew to adore Emily.
From her different but caring parents, to Hog, a hedgehog with an attitude, to helpful Tarquin, to an array of kind and sinister creatures, Emily never lacked company within the Midnight Hour. Emily and her free-spirited mother and "boring" father may have had some horrible family spats, but it was clear that they loved each other as they looked for all of the small ways to show each other love. The Featherhaugh's and their family secrets became even more enticing as the book went on. Darling Hog was a sweet, constant comfort, there for Emily when no one else was. Timid but valiantly brave, Tarquin put a smile on my face every time he was on the page. Full of playful banter, he and Emily made a great pair, even if he tended to get the short end of the stick as he helped Emily traverse through the creepy streets. Monsters and legends of old hid around every corner. Good and bad alike some of them easily conjured versions of themselves that sprang off the page, but others stayed completely one-dimensional.
The clock may have stopped in this alternate version of Victorian London, but magic and monsters kept on ticking. It was quite the adventure following Emily as she raced through thoroughly spooky streets, aided by some mystifying new friends and pursued by some literally power-hungry others. Eeriely beautiful and vividly depicted, the world of the Midnight Hour haunts my mind long after I shut its pages. The internal workings of this middle grade novel took a little while to get used to, but it's well worth it to keep reading because Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder have penned a fast, funny, and action packed fantasy. Pulling on old lore, Emily, her family, the plot, and the world itself never stopped expanding in ways that completely mesmerised me. Truly surprising and utterly satisfying, the plot got thicker and thicker as more pages passed. However, some of the most key plot points seemed to be dropped out of nowhere, and I wished there would've been more nuance about it. Yet, I can't wait to see how this story of family secrets, new friends, magical trinkets, and good and evil play out in the sequel. Whimsically terrifying and delightful, The Midnight Hour will transport all those who open it's pages.
Don't wait until the stroke of midnight to start this adventure!
When Emily's family starts receiving strange letters, her curiosity peaks. Her parents set off to investigate them, only to vanish. As things only get increasingly odd, Emily knows she must find them. Equipped with a family keepsake, a hedgehog, and a few sandwitches, she follows the trail of clues they've left, only to stumble into the weird and secret world of the Midnight Hour. In this dark, magical, alternate version of London stuck in Victorian times, her journey to save her family may be far more perilous than she ever expected.
A story of magic, monsters, and might. What happens within a world that lives within the stroke of midnight.
Trigger warnings for fatphobic comments, swearing, and violence.
A huge thank you to Chicken House, Benjamin Read, and Laura Trinder for my ARC give away win! All opinions are my own.
Feisty and a bit dramatic, Emily got far more than she bargained for when she tried to save her parents. Infusing the story with a lot of humor, her snarky, ever contrary "gob" both put her in and helped her out of many predicaments. Even though the young girl could be a bit of a brat, she had a truly good heart as she tried her best to save her parents and everyone she came to care about in the Midnight Hour. Courageous, sarcastic, and true to herself, I grew to adore Emily.
From her different but caring parents, to Hog, a hedgehog with an attitude, to helpful Tarquin, to an array of kind and sinister creatures, Emily never lacked company within the Midnight Hour. Emily and her free-spirited mother and "boring" father may have had some horrible family spats, but it was clear that they loved each other as they looked for all of the small ways to show each other love. The Featherhaugh's and their family secrets became even more enticing as the book went on. Darling Hog was a sweet, constant comfort, there for Emily when no one else was. Timid but valiantly brave, Tarquin put a smile on my face every time he was on the page. Full of playful banter, he and Emily made a great pair, even if he tended to get the short end of the stick as he helped Emily traverse through the creepy streets. Monsters and legends of old hid around every corner. Good and bad alike some of them easily conjured versions of themselves that sprang off the page, but others stayed completely one-dimensional.
The clock may have stopped in this alternate version of Victorian London, but magic and monsters kept on ticking. It was quite the adventure following Emily as she raced through thoroughly spooky streets, aided by some mystifying new friends and pursued by some literally power-hungry others. Eeriely beautiful and vividly depicted, the world of the Midnight Hour haunts my mind long after I shut its pages. The internal workings of this middle grade novel took a little while to get used to, but it's well worth it to keep reading because Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder have penned a fast, funny, and action packed fantasy. Pulling on old lore, Emily, her family, the plot, and the world itself never stopped expanding in ways that completely mesmerised me. Truly surprising and utterly satisfying, the plot got thicker and thicker as more pages passed. However, some of the most key plot points seemed to be dropped out of nowhere, and I wished there would've been more nuance about it. Yet, I can't wait to see how this story of family secrets, new friends, magical trinkets, and good and evil play out in the sequel. Whimsically terrifying and delightful, The Midnight Hour will transport all those who open it's pages.
Don't wait until the stroke of midnight to start this adventure!
August 13, 2022
4,25 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover
Spannende en fantasierijke jeugdroman voor liefhebbers van magische avonturen. Vol spanning, magie en een zoektocht.
Midden in de nacht wordt er bij Emily thuis een geheimzinnige brief bezorgd. Daarop vertrekt haar moeder naar een onbekende bestemming, en ze komt niet meer terug. Wanneer ook Emily’s vader verdwijnt, is er maar één ding dat Emily kan doen: haar ouders zoeken.
Een bloedstollende tocht dwars door de nacht, opgejaagd door een wezen dat rechtstreeks uit een nachtmerrie lijkt te zijn gekomen, leidt haar naar een deur die alleen om middernacht opengaat.
Vanaf dat moment is Emily op zichzelf aangewezen, in een onbekende wereld vol magie. Maar wie kan ze vertrouwen?
Emily vond ik een geweldig goed en sterk karakter in een nieuwe fantasiewereld waar je zo in stapt!
Spannende en fantasierijke jeugdroman voor liefhebbers van magische avonturen. Vol spanning, magie en een zoektocht.
Midden in de nacht wordt er bij Emily thuis een geheimzinnige brief bezorgd. Daarop vertrekt haar moeder naar een onbekende bestemming, en ze komt niet meer terug. Wanneer ook Emily’s vader verdwijnt, is er maar één ding dat Emily kan doen: haar ouders zoeken.
Een bloedstollende tocht dwars door de nacht, opgejaagd door een wezen dat rechtstreeks uit een nachtmerrie lijkt te zijn gekomen, leidt haar naar een deur die alleen om middernacht opengaat.
Vanaf dat moment is Emily op zichzelf aangewezen, in een onbekende wereld vol magie. Maar wie kan ze vertrouwen?
Emily vond ik een geweldig goed en sterk karakter in een nieuwe fantasiewereld waar je zo in stapt!
July 4, 2020
Признавам си че имах очаквания към книгата, може би заради анотацията макар и толкова кратка, но все пак обещаваща едно интересно и доста странно приключение. И за мое съжаление очакванията ми не се оправдаха и останах леко разочарована.
Всичко започва когато майката на Емили заминава за някъде, обаче за къде не се знае, след няколко дни и баща й заминава за да търси майка й. Емили остава сама и тогава започва уж интересната част. След известно объркване и чудене какво да прави за да върне родителите си, Емили решава да започне да ги търси сама. През това време обаче нещо или някой започва да я следи, нещо което я надушва и иска да й навреди.
Разбирам че Емили е дете което изведнъж изгубва родителите си и в последствие разбира че не е просто обикновен човек и съдбата й е отредила съвсем други неща и все пак постоянното и мрънкане ми дойде малко в повече.
След като Емили отива във пощенската станция където по-принцип работи баща й, тя попада на някои интересни факти и още по-интересни и особени хора. От там и ще започне нейното разследване за намирането на родителите и и разкриването на това коя е всъщност.
В последствие тя разбира че има цял един свят за който никой не е подозирал и то свят който се намира в самия Лондон, където живее и тя. И всичко започва с този Полунощен час и камбаната на Биг Бен, в един паралелен свят живее Нощния народ само че в епохата на кралица Виктория и бих казала че този народ е доста странен.
Проблема ми е че останах с чувството че авторите са вмъкнали прекалено много неща, които пък момичето трябваше да разбере и в същия момент, не мисля че всичко беше развито до степен да се разбере историята на този Нощен народ. Подаваха се от време на време някакви откъслечни и половинчати неща, които лично мен ме затормозяваха и не мога да кажа че успях да вляза в същността на историята им. От там няма й как да разбера к��я всъщност е Емили. Също така ми се искаше и малко повече информация да има за този Полунощен час и какво всъщност представлява.
Сега нека да кажа й какво ми хареса, защото има и такова. Хареса ми това че паралелния свят се развива по времето на кралица Виктория. Имаше няколко интересни и забавни случки, които успяха да ми задържат любопитството и да дочета книгата. Разбира се няма да изненадам никой когато каза че в тези ситуации, главен участник бе Ежкинс - домашния любимец на Емили. Много забавно и смешно таралежче, което разведряваше обстановката със забавни приказки и деиствия. Имаше хумор и доза магия, но имаше и доста странности.
И третото нещо заради което разочарованието ми не е пълно, са последните 50-60 страници. Развръзката на историята изведнъж се разгърна, случваше се нещо значимо и Емили се промени, спря да мрънка, осъзна че тя е човека от който зависи спасението на Нощния народ и нейните родители.
Видях че ще има още книги, признавам си не знам дали ще е поредица, дуология или трилогия, но само заради тези неща които ми допаднаха, бих дала шанс и на следващата. И остава да се надявам да ми обори сегашното мнение, което е доста смесено.
Колкото до корицата, тя е много красива. Може би е една от любимите ми за годината, когато става въпрос за корици, все пак е свързана със моята обична Англия.
"Емили нямаше домашни любимци.
- Животните не са предмети, които човек да притежава - заявяваше майка й винаги когато тя започваше да моли за кученце."
--- --- --- --- ---
Благодаря Ви, за отделеното време!!!
Всичко започва когато майката на Емили заминава за някъде, обаче за къде не се знае, след няколко дни и баща й заминава за да търси майка й. Емили остава сама и тогава започва уж интересната част. След известно объркване и чудене какво да прави за да върне родителите си, Емили решава да започне да ги търси сама. През това време обаче нещо или някой започва да я следи, нещо което я надушва и иска да й навреди.
Разбирам че Емили е дете което изведнъж изгубва родителите си и в последствие разбира че не е просто обикновен човек и съдбата й е отредила съвсем други неща и все пак постоянното и мрънкане ми дойде малко в повече.
След като Емили отива във пощенската станция където по-принцип работи баща й, тя попада на някои интересни факти и още по-интересни и особени хора. От там и ще започне нейното разследване за намирането на родителите и и разкриването на това коя е всъщност.
В последствие тя разбира че има цял един свят за който никой не е подозирал и то свят който се намира в самия Лондон, където живее и тя. И всичко започва с този Полунощен час и камбаната на Биг Бен, в един паралелен свят живее Нощния народ само че в епохата на кралица Виктория и бих казала че този народ е доста странен.
Проблема ми е че останах с чувството че авторите са вмъкнали прекалено много неща, които пък момичето трябваше да разбере и в същия момент, не мисля че всичко беше развито до степен да се разбере историята на този Нощен народ. Подаваха се от време на време някакви откъслечни и половинчати неща, които лично мен ме затормозяваха и не мога да кажа че успях да вляза в същността на историята им. От там няма й как да разбера к��я всъщност е Емили. Също така ми се искаше и малко повече информация да има за този Полунощен час и какво всъщност представлява.
Сега нека да кажа й какво ми хареса, защото има и такова. Хареса ми това че паралелния свят се развива по времето на кралица Виктория. Имаше няколко интересни и забавни случки, които успяха да ми задържат любопитството и да дочета книгата. Разбира се няма да изненадам никой когато каза че в тези ситуации, главен участник бе Ежкинс - домашния любимец на Емили. Много забавно и смешно таралежче, което разведряваше обстановката със забавни приказки и деиствия. Имаше хумор и доза магия, но имаше и доста странности.
И третото нещо заради което разочарованието ми не е пълно, са последните 50-60 страници. Развръзката на историята изведнъж се разгърна, случваше се нещо значимо и Емили се промени, спря да мрънка, осъзна че тя е човека от който зависи спасението на Нощния народ и нейните родители.
Видях че ще има още книги, признавам си не знам дали ще е поредица, дуология или трилогия, но само заради тези неща които ми допаднаха, бих дала шанс и на следващата. И остава да се надявам да ми обори сегашното мнение, което е доста смесено.
Колкото до корицата, тя е много красива. Може би е една от любимите ми за годината, когато става въпрос за корици, все пак е свързана със моята обична Англия.
"Емили нямаше домашни любимци.
- Животните не са предмети, които човек да притежава - заявяваше майка й винаги когато тя започваше да моли за кученце."
--- --- --- --- ---
Благодаря Ви, за отделеното време!!!
August 14, 2020
Supertoffe en originele wereld. Beetje Nevermoor-like, maar eigenlijk leuker :-D
Read
September 17, 2021A truly enjoyable book with a concept that I have never read before - secret magical London stuck in time. Rich imagery, entertaining characters that are dynamic, and a promising start to a new series!
June 15, 2020
Unite la prospettiva di una grande avventura nella Londra vittoriana alla presenza di creature fatate e potete star certi di aver catturato la mia attenzione. Con queste fantastiche premesse mi sono buttata senza indugio nella lettura de Il Popolo dei Notturni, e sono felice di dirvi che ho divorato il romanzo nell'arco di due notti: adoro quando una storia mi cattura al punto da trascinarmi tra le sue pagine! La trama è molto avvincente e racconta di Emily che, dopo la misteriosa scomparsa dei genitori, si ritrova a viaggiare, attraverso un magico ufficio postale, verso una Londra vittoriana in cui il tempo si è fermato al dodicesimo rintocco del Big Ben. In questa Londra, popolata da mostri e creature fantastiche, farà la conoscenza di personaggi davvero bizzarri, folli e originali: il Popolo dei Notturni. Ovviamente i pericoli non mancano, ed è stato davvero divertente accompagnare Emily alla ricerca dei suoi genitori. Pagina dopo pagina la nostra giovane protagonista verrà a capo di alcuni misteri legati alle origini della sua famiglia ed è stato intrigante mettere insieme i pezzi, man mano che la trama si definiva e i nodi venivano al pettine. Questa Londra di Mezzanotte popolata da vampiri, animali parlanti, orsi giganti e streghe ovviamente è solo l'inizio del viaggio di Emily, ma state certi che lasciarsi trascinare in questa folle ricerca è questione di poche pagine, vi catturerà subito e non riuscirete più a chiuderlo!
"Nella sua immaginazione, una Londra senza automobili ed esseri umani normali avrebbe dovuto essere tranquilla, invece era l’esatto contrario. La Londra di Mezzanotte era un unico grande fermento."
Come avrete capito ho trovato questo primo volume della serie un buon romanzo per ragazzi, ha tutte le carte in regola: una trama avventurosa, misteri da risolvere, personaggi originali e una narrazione serrata e avvincente. Lo stile mi è piaciuto molto, scorrevole e semplice, ma che riesce a tenere incollato alle pagine anche un lettore adulto, e ammetto di aver riso più di una volta grazie alla lingua tagliente di Emily e ai suoi esilaranti battibecchi con il povero Tarkus, il giovane allievo agente che avrebbe il compito di arrestarla, in quanto intrusa, ma che invece si ritrova ad essere trascinato insieme a lei in questa pericolosa avventura. I discorsi in particolare mi hanno piacevolmente colpita, in genere tendo a trovarli macchinosi o poco realistici - sono pignola, lo so - in questo caso invece mi sono piaciuti molto. Nel complesso, quindi, è stata una lettura veloce e divertente, impossibile non lasciarsi coinvolgere! Come unica pecca, per così dire, posso citare solo il fatto che il popolo dei Notturni, per i miei gusti, a volte è stato fin troppo bizzarro! Può sembrare un controsenso me ne rendo conto, ma per quanto io apprezzi il Fantasy, tendo a preferire le creature magiche più classiche, diciamo così. Oggetti animati e animali parlanti vanno leggermente oltre il mio gusto, ma se da un lato non lo trovo un vero e proprio difetto del libro - parliamo di un elemento perfettamente in linea con la storia e ben gestito - dall'altro ho voluto farlo presente, in quanto l'aggiunta di queste folli figure mi hanno spinta a scalare di mezza stella il voto finale del romanzo e mi sembrava giusto motivare la mia scelta. Ripeto, è solo un dettaglio e l'ho trovato comunque ben inserito nella storia, è verosimile e non infastidisce, ma purtroppo non è un elemento che io personalmente amo molto, tutto qui. Detto questo, Il Popolo dei Notturni ha riempito di magia un paio delle mie nottate, strappandomi ben più di una risata. Ho apprezzato molto gli spunti di riflessione che offre, in particolare quelli legati alla famiglia, e sono curiosissima di scoprire come proseguirà la storia di Emily. Qualcosa mi dice che le sue disavventure nella Londra di Mezzanotte non sono ancora finite!
"Nella sua immaginazione, una Londra senza automobili ed esseri umani normali avrebbe dovuto essere tranquilla, invece era l’esatto contrario. La Londra di Mezzanotte era un unico grande fermento."
Come avrete capito ho trovato questo primo volume della serie un buon romanzo per ragazzi, ha tutte le carte in regola: una trama avventurosa, misteri da risolvere, personaggi originali e una narrazione serrata e avvincente. Lo stile mi è piaciuto molto, scorrevole e semplice, ma che riesce a tenere incollato alle pagine anche un lettore adulto, e ammetto di aver riso più di una volta grazie alla lingua tagliente di Emily e ai suoi esilaranti battibecchi con il povero Tarkus, il giovane allievo agente che avrebbe il compito di arrestarla, in quanto intrusa, ma che invece si ritrova ad essere trascinato insieme a lei in questa pericolosa avventura. I discorsi in particolare mi hanno piacevolmente colpita, in genere tendo a trovarli macchinosi o poco realistici - sono pignola, lo so - in questo caso invece mi sono piaciuti molto. Nel complesso, quindi, è stata una lettura veloce e divertente, impossibile non lasciarsi coinvolgere! Come unica pecca, per così dire, posso citare solo il fatto che il popolo dei Notturni, per i miei gusti, a volte è stato fin troppo bizzarro! Può sembrare un controsenso me ne rendo conto, ma per quanto io apprezzi il Fantasy, tendo a preferire le creature magiche più classiche, diciamo così. Oggetti animati e animali parlanti vanno leggermente oltre il mio gusto, ma se da un lato non lo trovo un vero e proprio difetto del libro - parliamo di un elemento perfettamente in linea con la storia e ben gestito - dall'altro ho voluto farlo presente, in quanto l'aggiunta di queste folli figure mi hanno spinta a scalare di mezza stella il voto finale del romanzo e mi sembrava giusto motivare la mia scelta. Ripeto, è solo un dettaglio e l'ho trovato comunque ben inserito nella storia, è verosimile e non infastidisce, ma purtroppo non è un elemento che io personalmente amo molto, tutto qui. Detto questo, Il Popolo dei Notturni ha riempito di magia un paio delle mie nottate, strappandomi ben più di una risata. Ho apprezzato molto gli spunti di riflessione che offre, in particolare quelli legati alla famiglia, e sono curiosissima di scoprire come proseguirà la storia di Emily. Qualcosa mi dice che le sue disavventure nella Londra di Mezzanotte non sono ancora finite!
July 19, 2022
Set in London - one of my favorite places! A wondrous fantasy world is created and the characters are rich. Not sure if I completely like the main character; she's a little too mouthy for my taste, but I guess that is the point.
February 29, 2020
Middle grade книга за смело момиче, изчезнали родители и смъртоносни опасности във викториански Лондон? My cup of tea exactly! Е, Дороти си имаше за компания кученцето Тото, няма да издавам кой и какво е спътник на нашата Емили от „Полунощният час” (изд. „Дуо Дизайн”). Шеметно приключение в адски необичайна обстановка и магически свят, в който ще ви се прииска да останете още дълго след последната страница от романа на Бенджамин Рийд и Лора Триндър. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...
September 10, 2024
In this book you'll find out why it is always good to carry a hedgehog around.
The protagonist - a very feisty girl named Emily - is looking for her parents in an alternate version of Victorian London.
I did not expect much but I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading the book!
The protagonist - a very feisty girl named Emily - is looking for her parents in an alternate version of Victorian London.
I did not expect much but I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading the book!
March 29, 2020
Fantastisch! Ein magisches Abenteuer voller abgedrehter Fantasyelemente, die ich so noch nie kombiniert gesehen habe: von Postzustellern auf fliegenden Fahrräder bis hin zu Unglückspennies und aus Müll bestehenden Damen ist alles dabei. Emily ist dabei eine vorlaute Heldin, deren große Klappe in gefährlichen Situationen entweder großes Selbstvertrauen vortäuschen oder sie so richtig in Schwierigkeiten bringen kann.
Witzig, abenteuerlich und ganz schön schräg! Ab ca 10 Jahren, aber auch für Ältere geeignet. Die Geschichte ist in sich abgeschlossen, aber so angelegt, dass sich ein neues Abenteuer anschließen kann.
Witzig, abenteuerlich und ganz schön schräg! Ab ca 10 Jahren, aber auch für Ältere geeignet. Die Geschichte ist in sich abgeschlossen, aber so angelegt, dass sich ein neues Abenteuer anschließen kann.
January 30, 2023
Need sequels ASAP ☺️
March 4, 2019
IN SUMMARY:
A truly fun adventure. THE MIDNIGHT HOUR is pacy, fantastical, fun, and sure to entertain and engage readers of all ages.
MY THOUGHTS:
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR is a roaring adventure between our world and the landscape of a supernatural Victorian London at the peak of night. Though the voice is clunky and juvenile and relied on telling over showing at key moments, the story carries its own charm and whimsy that you can't help but enjoy yourself. The cast of characters is huge and wildly varied, from your regular mortals to vampires, demonic bears, and even the personification of language and music itself, and there's something for everyone to enjoy.
What really sold THE MIDNIGHT HOUR for me was the superb world-building. Unique, fun, vivid, and quirky without being too farfetched. The whole concept of the Midnight Hour, the Night Post, and how it all ties together within the plot were excellently crafted and highly entertaining to read.
(For anyone curious, you should definitely check out THE NIGHT POST by the same authors, which a wonderfully illustrated tale about a Night Post postman (the dad?) doing his job. Highly recommend, and it got me thinking more about the world.)
With more polish and practice, I'm certain this series will take off. If you're looking for a light-hearted but high-stakes adventure, this should be your tbr.
WILL I READ ON? Yes!
ARC sent by Chicken House Books in exchange for an honest review. This title released 7th February 2019.
LAST REVIEW
MY THOUGHTS:
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR is a roaring adventure between our world and the landscape of a supernatural Victorian London at the peak of night. Though the voice is clunky and juvenile and relied on telling over showing at key moments, the story carries its own charm and whimsy that you can't help but enjoy yourself. The cast of characters is huge and wildly varied, from your regular mortals to vampires, demonic bears, and even the personification of language and music itself, and there's something for everyone to enjoy.
What really sold THE MIDNIGHT HOUR for me was the superb world-building. Unique, fun, vivid, and quirky without being too farfetched. The whole concept of the Midnight Hour, the Night Post, and how it all ties together within the plot were excellently crafted and highly entertaining to read.
(For anyone curious, you should definitely check out THE NIGHT POST by the same authors, which a wonderfully illustrated tale about a Night Post postman (the dad?) doing his job. Highly recommend, and it got me thinking more about the world.)
With more polish and practice, I'm certain this series will take off. If you're looking for a light-hearted but high-stakes adventure, this should be your tbr.
WILL I READ ON? Yes!
ARC sent by Chicken House Books in exchange for an honest review. This title released 7th February 2019.
LAST REVIEW
January 12, 2019
This middle grade fantasy tells the story of a girl named Emily as her parents vanish into the world of the Midnight Hour (a Victorian London frozen in time, where lots of weird and wild magical creatures live) and she must set off to save them, accompanied only by a runaway mouth that lands her in trouble a lot, a hedgehog and some sandwiches. I initially struggled a little to understand the world and what it was, which made it slightly tricky for me to get into the book, but I really started to get into it once the plot got properly going, and I thought the 3rd person narration was really funny and enjoyable from the very start. The world was so interesting and I loved learning about some of the types of magical people and the really cool abilities they had, and it was lots of fun following Emily as she tries to rescue her parents from a dangerous enemy. Information was revealed slowly about not just where they were throughout, but also who had taken them, why they had done so and the nature of Emily and her family`s connections to the Midnight Hour, and I thought all of these reveals were super intriguing and made known to the reader at just the right time. Additionally, I thought Emily was a fantastic character- she is feisty and funny and full of bravery- and her sidekick Tarquin (also known as Tarkus) was great too; they make an excellent team, and I loved how clever they both were in terms of bringing down the villain (or trying to, anyway…). The villain was also absolutely brilliant- she was so horrible and sly- and her evil plot is certainly suitably awful. After the thrilling climax, I`m looking forward to seeing more of this world and these characters in the next book of the trilogy, and I`m interested to see what will happen next. 4/5
February 9, 2021
Meine Meinung
Das Buch klang nach einer wirklich schönen Geschichte. Das Cover hat mich ebenfalls direkt überzeugt und es leuchtet sogar im Dunkeln, mega cool.
Geschichte
Das Buch war sofort spannend und man ist so richtig gefangen in der Geschichte und fiebert total mit. Wir begleiten Emily auf ihre Reise, auf ihr Abenteuer um die Geheimnisse aufzudecken. Ich konnte gar nicht mehr aufhören weiterzulesen, weil es mich so gefesselt und fasziniert hat.
Protagonisten
Vor allem Emily als Protagonistin fand ich toll, sie ist so selbstbewusst und nimmt kein Blatt vor dem Mund. Sehr unterhaltsam und humorvoll. Sie ist nicht so die typische Heldin, sie stürzt sich nicht ins Chaos, sie hat selber Angst. Und daduch wirkte das ganze so real und echt.
Schreibstil
Der Schreibstil hat mir von Anfang an wirklich gut gefallen, passend zur Altersempfehlung von 10 Jahren, aber auch ich fand ihn sehr angenehm, klar und verständlich.
Fazit
Ein wirklich spannendes Kinderbuch bis zur letzten Seite. Ich war wirklich fasziniert von den vielen Wesen, Hexen, Kobolde und Dämonen. Es gab so viele Geheimnisse zu entdecken, magisch, faszinierend und abenteuerlich. Ein Buch das ich für Jung und Alt auf jeden Fall weiter empfehlen kann.
Bewertung 4,5/5 Sterne
Das Buch klang nach einer wirklich schönen Geschichte. Das Cover hat mich ebenfalls direkt überzeugt und es leuchtet sogar im Dunkeln, mega cool.
Geschichte
Das Buch war sofort spannend und man ist so richtig gefangen in der Geschichte und fiebert total mit. Wir begleiten Emily auf ihre Reise, auf ihr Abenteuer um die Geheimnisse aufzudecken. Ich konnte gar nicht mehr aufhören weiterzulesen, weil es mich so gefesselt und fasziniert hat.
Protagonisten
Vor allem Emily als Protagonistin fand ich toll, sie ist so selbstbewusst und nimmt kein Blatt vor dem Mund. Sehr unterhaltsam und humorvoll. Sie ist nicht so die typische Heldin, sie stürzt sich nicht ins Chaos, sie hat selber Angst. Und daduch wirkte das ganze so real und echt.
Schreibstil
Der Schreibstil hat mir von Anfang an wirklich gut gefallen, passend zur Altersempfehlung von 10 Jahren, aber auch ich fand ihn sehr angenehm, klar und verständlich.
Fazit
Ein wirklich spannendes Kinderbuch bis zur letzten Seite. Ich war wirklich fasziniert von den vielen Wesen, Hexen, Kobolde und Dämonen. Es gab so viele Geheimnisse zu entdecken, magisch, faszinierend und abenteuerlich. Ein Buch das ich für Jung und Alt auf jeden Fall weiter empfehlen kann.
Bewertung 4,5/5 Sterne
February 6, 2021
I don't think I'm the target audience for this as it was written (and read in the case of the audiobook) in quite an infantile manner. It never quite got to the point of being a book for kids that adults can enjoy too. Having said that there were a few interesting ideas, and if I'd read it when I was younger I probably would've really liked it. As it is, I listened to it to fall asleep and was never really concerned about rewinding back to listen to what I missed the next night.
February 8, 2019
3.5/5
A wonderfully heartfelt and fun story! Full of all the whimsy and spunk one could want,some compelling worldbuilding and magic system, cool parents and a feisty little protagonist to follow around. I was taken away by this, but ultimately it did have a certain je ne sais quois missing. Still enjoyed it nevertheless.
A wonderfully heartfelt and fun story! Full of all the whimsy and spunk one could want,some compelling worldbuilding and magic system, cool parents and a feisty little protagonist to follow around. I was taken away by this, but ultimately it did have a certain je ne sais quois missing. Still enjoyed it nevertheless.
February 2, 2021
The only reason I'm giving this a 3 is because it definitely could have been a trilogy. There was too much happening for such a short book. The ending was rushed and I feel like too much was thrown into a short book that could have been spread into a longer series.
June 16, 2020
Per leggere la recensione qui: https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
September 9, 2020
I rarely give 5 stars. I loved it. Emily is fantastic and all of the other characters are charming as well. Can’t wait to find out what happens next. I miss Hoggins already!
March 3, 2020
It's close to midnight and Emily is supposed to be in bed sound asleep, instead, she's awakened to the sounds of her parent's voices coming from downstairs. A letter has just arrived by "Night Post" and both of her parents are very concerned. The next morning, Emily learns her mother has set out to investigate and after a few days go by without a word, Emily's father then takes off and also vanishes. When strange visitors start showing up at Emily's house, Emily concludes that she'll have to find this mysterious Night Post and rescue her parents on her own. Armed with a few sandwiches and a hedgehog, Emily makes her way to the Night Post, where she ultimately discovers a secret world called The Midnight Hour. A place that is outside of time, or better yet frozen to a specific time, where magic can survive and monsters can be free to enjoy the darkness of their Victorian London. But not everyone is happy with the arrangement that was set up so very long ago, and there are powers at work to free the Night Folk from their dark world.
After Emily's parent's disappearance, the Night Post seems like the logical place for her to go and find answers. Although it's a place that she vaguely knows her dad worked at and she only has a rough idea where it might be, she's still determined to figure things out for herself. Then a rather large man shows up and morphs into a bear-like creature chasing her through the London streets. Emily dashes down an alley and only barely escapes by opening a door and rushing inside. Much in the same way that Lucy makes her way through the secret wardrobe into Narnia, Emily makes her way into the world of the Midnight Hour. It's an unusual world filled with monsters and all sorts of creatures of the night, some good and some bad.
Interestingly, the Night Post was first introduced as a picture book by the same authors in 2013. It's one of the first magical places Emily finds herself when she enters the Midnight Hour. Here she also meets Japonica, one of her father's friends. When Emily is mistaken as an intruder, Japonica is valuable in helping her to flee. Along the way, Emily also meets Constable Tarquin Postlewhite. A kindly fellow who at first is adamant about arresting her but ultimately helps Emily piece together her parent's connection to this unique world.
Emily is somewhat of an unlikeable character at first. She's got the "gob" or a rather big mouth as she likes to call it. She's feisty, brash, and definitely speaks her mind. Sometimes she just speaks before she even thinks things through leading to a few missteps. But being in totally new surroundings can be a little confusing. So being loud or overbearing might be her way of sounding braver than she really feels. She also has a difficult time adjusting to finding out her parents weren't who she thought they were. That her dad isn't the boring guy she thought, and that she has more in common with her mother than she thought. Plus the Midnight Hour is home to some scary creatures, with sharp pointy teeth who occasionally are trying to take a bite out of her, so it's pretty understandable when she's loud and defending herself. Plus there's also the loveable, caring and considerate side to Emily which I adored. The way she carried Hoggins, the hedgehog around in her pocket and fed him bits of her sandwich. Always worried about squishing him, and being excited that he was safely in her pocket, providing companionship and a comfort to her. Plus Emily can be quite loyal. Overall, The Midnight Hour is a fun portal fantasy. There's plenty of mystery and danger, especially when the villain is revealed and I quite enjoyed the ending. There seems to be a sequel releasing in the Fall, Night Howl that also looks promising. The German cover for The Midnight Hour is adorable, it kinda reminds me of a cross between the letters for Hogwarts and Mary Poppins on a bicycle. So cute though, just love it.
*Thank you to Scholastic and Chicken House for the Galley*
After Emily's parent's disappearance, the Night Post seems like the logical place for her to go and find answers. Although it's a place that she vaguely knows her dad worked at and she only has a rough idea where it might be, she's still determined to figure things out for herself. Then a rather large man shows up and morphs into a bear-like creature chasing her through the London streets. Emily dashes down an alley and only barely escapes by opening a door and rushing inside. Much in the same way that Lucy makes her way through the secret wardrobe into Narnia, Emily makes her way into the world of the Midnight Hour. It's an unusual world filled with monsters and all sorts of creatures of the night, some good and some bad.
Interestingly, the Night Post was first introduced as a picture book by the same authors in 2013. It's one of the first magical places Emily finds herself when she enters the Midnight Hour. Here she also meets Japonica, one of her father's friends. When Emily is mistaken as an intruder, Japonica is valuable in helping her to flee. Along the way, Emily also meets Constable Tarquin Postlewhite. A kindly fellow who at first is adamant about arresting her but ultimately helps Emily piece together her parent's connection to this unique world.
Emily is somewhat of an unlikeable character at first. She's got the "gob" or a rather big mouth as she likes to call it. She's feisty, brash, and definitely speaks her mind. Sometimes she just speaks before she even thinks things through leading to a few missteps. But being in totally new surroundings can be a little confusing. So being loud or overbearing might be her way of sounding braver than she really feels. She also has a difficult time adjusting to finding out her parents weren't who she thought they were. That her dad isn't the boring guy she thought, and that she has more in common with her mother than she thought. Plus the Midnight Hour is home to some scary creatures, with sharp pointy teeth who occasionally are trying to take a bite out of her, so it's pretty understandable when she's loud and defending herself. Plus there's also the loveable, caring and considerate side to Emily which I adored. The way she carried Hoggins, the hedgehog around in her pocket and fed him bits of her sandwich. Always worried about squishing him, and being excited that he was safely in her pocket, providing companionship and a comfort to her. Plus Emily can be quite loyal. Overall, The Midnight Hour is a fun portal fantasy. There's plenty of mystery and danger, especially when the villain is revealed and I quite enjoyed the ending. There seems to be a sequel releasing in the Fall, Night Howl that also looks promising. The German cover for The Midnight Hour is adorable, it kinda reminds me of a cross between the letters for Hogwarts and Mary Poppins on a bicycle. So cute though, just love it.
*Thank you to Scholastic and Chicken House for the Galley*
June 30, 2025
Har kopierat hit vad jag skrev i min bokklubb, men jag yappar mest bara lol man får poäng ju mer man skriver så jag bara babblar på. Läs inte lol.
✍️What was your hypothesis of the book? Were you correct or not?
My hypothesis of the book is that it would be about a young girl going on an adventure after accidentally time travelling to Victorian era London. Here she will meet a variety of creatures that will help her on her way to find her parents who were taken there, and it’s up to Emily to save them. My hypothesis was partly correct, but the story was so much more!
✍️Write about the character's personality
Emily is a difficult person to describe, as she is so much. She has so much personality and thoughts and ideas and feelings that are entirely reasonable and also only her own. She hasn’t yet been forced to conform to society and expresses herself freely, which has helped her in many situations! She argues with everyone but also needs to be comforted by trusted adults, and she makes friends with the most unexpected people. But she is also annoying and she leaves the ga’hoole (I don’t remember his name at the moment and I have returned the book) in a hole after he asks her to help them save their world and not only save her parents, as that is what is most important to her. Although she expresses many times before that that she doesn’t want to and feels like she isn’t suitable for the mission, which is reasonable as she is a child. Emily is also funny and witty and full of love from and for her parents.
✍️Who was your favorite character?
I had a lot of favourite characters! From the ga’hoole policeman to the post office lady with red eyes. In their world it is considered rude to ask what someone is, so I have no idea what many of the characters were, I only know vague descriptions of them from the eyes of a child. I also really liked Emily’s mother, an Irish lady who is whimsical and does her own thing and sees good in everyone and everything. The Library was also a really interesting and unique character, as she is the concept of knowledge but as a person. She knows everything that has ever been written and the knowledge comes to her instantly so she is wise and smart, but the knowledge is sometimes too much for her and she often gets lost in her the writings of other people and walks around in a real library and speaks words that are written in her out loud, which confuses a lot of people. So there are good and bad sides to her powers. She also has concept sisters, one of whom is the main villain of the story, but she wasn’t a particularly interesting or memorable character. One character who was memorable was the little hedgehog that Emily carried around throughout the story. His purpose isn’t very clear but he seems to serve as a comfort and reminder to Emily and she is often helped by his presence when she’s in a difficult situation. In the end Emily asks what kind of supernatural creature he is and her mother answers that he isn’t one, just a normal hedgehog from the garden. But he still helps Emily, as she is only about eight years old or so and it would be like carrying a favorite stuffed animal or rock in one’s bag. But storywise he didn’t fill much purpose. But his sass and overall vibe was very funny.
✍️Was the author's writing style enjoyable and easy to follow?
As it mainly is a book written for younger people it was not particularly difficult to follow, but the authors didn’t make the reader feel dumb either, which many other authors have a tendency to do, by accident or on purpose. It was easy to follow the story and I found it very enjoyable and light, even though there was a lot of action and weird things happening all throughout the book! The authors really captured the way young children think and that made it way more realistic and interesting to read since I’ve of course already grown out of that way of thinking, but it was fun to revisit and realise how much I’ve grown as a person.
✍️What was your hypothesis of the book? Were you correct or not?
My hypothesis of the book is that it would be about a young girl going on an adventure after accidentally time travelling to Victorian era London. Here she will meet a variety of creatures that will help her on her way to find her parents who were taken there, and it’s up to Emily to save them. My hypothesis was partly correct, but the story was so much more!
✍️Write about the character's personality
Emily is a difficult person to describe, as she is so much. She has so much personality and thoughts and ideas and feelings that are entirely reasonable and also only her own. She hasn’t yet been forced to conform to society and expresses herself freely, which has helped her in many situations! She argues with everyone but also needs to be comforted by trusted adults, and she makes friends with the most unexpected people. But she is also annoying and she leaves the ga’hoole (I don’t remember his name at the moment and I have returned the book) in a hole after he asks her to help them save their world and not only save her parents, as that is what is most important to her. Although she expresses many times before that that she doesn’t want to and feels like she isn’t suitable for the mission, which is reasonable as she is a child. Emily is also funny and witty and full of love from and for her parents.
✍️Who was your favorite character?
I had a lot of favourite characters! From the ga’hoole policeman to the post office lady with red eyes. In their world it is considered rude to ask what someone is, so I have no idea what many of the characters were, I only know vague descriptions of them from the eyes of a child. I also really liked Emily’s mother, an Irish lady who is whimsical and does her own thing and sees good in everyone and everything. The Library was also a really interesting and unique character, as she is the concept of knowledge but as a person. She knows everything that has ever been written and the knowledge comes to her instantly so she is wise and smart, but the knowledge is sometimes too much for her and she often gets lost in her the writings of other people and walks around in a real library and speaks words that are written in her out loud, which confuses a lot of people. So there are good and bad sides to her powers. She also has concept sisters, one of whom is the main villain of the story, but she wasn’t a particularly interesting or memorable character. One character who was memorable was the little hedgehog that Emily carried around throughout the story. His purpose isn’t very clear but he seems to serve as a comfort and reminder to Emily and she is often helped by his presence when she’s in a difficult situation. In the end Emily asks what kind of supernatural creature he is and her mother answers that he isn’t one, just a normal hedgehog from the garden. But he still helps Emily, as she is only about eight years old or so and it would be like carrying a favorite stuffed animal or rock in one’s bag. But storywise he didn’t fill much purpose. But his sass and overall vibe was very funny.
✍️Was the author's writing style enjoyable and easy to follow?
As it mainly is a book written for younger people it was not particularly difficult to follow, but the authors didn’t make the reader feel dumb either, which many other authors have a tendency to do, by accident or on purpose. It was easy to follow the story and I found it very enjoyable and light, even though there was a lot of action and weird things happening all throughout the book! The authors really captured the way young children think and that made it way more realistic and interesting to read since I’ve of course already grown out of that way of thinking, but it was fun to revisit and realise how much I’ve grown as a person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2020
Gelezen: De Brief om Middernacht (10+) 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑
“Een hemels geschenk voor Nevermoor fans!” staat er achterop. Ik heb wel zin in z’n geschenk. Wel jammer dat ik het zelf moest kopen. Een geschenk kost meestal niks toch? Iets met krijgen? Nou ja... eerst ff lezen. Tot zo!
Er wordt midden in de nacht een brief bezorgd bij Emily. Ik kan niet ontkennen dat dit een bijzonder tijdstip is en dat blijkt ook zo te zijn wanneer daarna haar moeder weg is. Kort daarna is ook haar pa pleite. Dat wordt zoeken. Dat wordt een bizar avontuur in een magische nacht met nog bizardere wezens. Die wezen zijn natuurlijk ook magisch.
De toon bevalt mij meteen uitstekend! Met een cynische toon word ik meegenomen in een nieuwe magische wereld. Een bijzondere. Intrigerend is het. Emily is heerlijk sarcastisch en ik hou instant van haar. Lekker Engels.
Maar weet je nog wat ik over de achterkant zei aan het begin? Dat hemelse geschenk? Dat kan natuurlijk niet! En dat weet de achterkant ook wel. Dat hemelse geschenk is op dit moment Nevermoor deel 4! Eerlijk is eerlijk. Maar ik vergeef de achterkant deze opmerking. Die wilt ook alleen maar verkocht worden. En groot gelijk heeft ie. Het is bij mij gelukt zoals je ziet 😇
Als je van magische werelden houd, wat ik doe, vind je dit vast tof. Zeker weten doe ik dat niet. Ik weet alleen dat ik het tof vind. Zie het als een tip van mij binnen het ‘magische werelden’ genre. Als dat een genre is dan.
Heel soms worden er een clichés van het genre sarcastisch aangestipt. Daar houd ik van. Had er wel meer van in gemogen. En ja, er zitten allemaal elementen in die ik eerder heb gelezen! Maar hoor je me daarover klagen? Nee. Natuurlijk niet. Waar ik wel over klaag is dat het te weinig bladzijdes heeft. Met meer had het verhaal en de wereld wat meer uiteengezet en uitgediept kunnen worden. Maar boeie. Gewoon tof boek dit!
“Een hemels geschenk voor Nevermoor fans!” staat er achterop. Ik heb wel zin in z’n geschenk. Wel jammer dat ik het zelf moest kopen. Een geschenk kost meestal niks toch? Iets met krijgen? Nou ja... eerst ff lezen. Tot zo!
Er wordt midden in de nacht een brief bezorgd bij Emily. Ik kan niet ontkennen dat dit een bijzonder tijdstip is en dat blijkt ook zo te zijn wanneer daarna haar moeder weg is. Kort daarna is ook haar pa pleite. Dat wordt zoeken. Dat wordt een bizar avontuur in een magische nacht met nog bizardere wezens. Die wezen zijn natuurlijk ook magisch.
De toon bevalt mij meteen uitstekend! Met een cynische toon word ik meegenomen in een nieuwe magische wereld. Een bijzondere. Intrigerend is het. Emily is heerlijk sarcastisch en ik hou instant van haar. Lekker Engels.
Maar weet je nog wat ik over de achterkant zei aan het begin? Dat hemelse geschenk? Dat kan natuurlijk niet! En dat weet de achterkant ook wel. Dat hemelse geschenk is op dit moment Nevermoor deel 4! Eerlijk is eerlijk. Maar ik vergeef de achterkant deze opmerking. Die wilt ook alleen maar verkocht worden. En groot gelijk heeft ie. Het is bij mij gelukt zoals je ziet 😇
Als je van magische werelden houd, wat ik doe, vind je dit vast tof. Zeker weten doe ik dat niet. Ik weet alleen dat ik het tof vind. Zie het als een tip van mij binnen het ‘magische werelden’ genre. Als dat een genre is dan.
Heel soms worden er een clichés van het genre sarcastisch aangestipt. Daar houd ik van. Had er wel meer van in gemogen. En ja, er zitten allemaal elementen in die ik eerder heb gelezen! Maar hoor je me daarover klagen? Nee. Natuurlijk niet. Waar ik wel over klaag is dat het te weinig bladzijdes heeft. Met meer had het verhaal en de wereld wat meer uiteengezet en uitgediept kunnen worden. Maar boeie. Gewoon tof boek dit!
March 21, 2024
Като цяло много стабилна книга. 4,5/5⭐️
5/5⭐️ за света, 5/5⭐️ за писането, 4,5/5⭐️ за героите и 4/5⭐️ за емоцията.
Беше перфектна за целта си - да е грабваща и entertaining. Героите бяха страхотни - Емили е всичко, което едно дете би искало да бъде (отговаря се и вика на всеки и, в крайна сметка, ѝ се разминава, даже е поощрявана за това? Да, моля.) Мейв (майката) е начина, по който повечето деца виждат майките си - малко луди, много объркващи и страшно обични. Бащата също е стопроцентово попадение - всяко дете вижда баща си като мистерия и е потресено, когато някой каже, че баща им е, едва ли не, ИНТЕРЕСЕН?? И има собствено минало??? И ДЕТСТВО????? Невъзможно.
Хумора беше безупречен - по нещо за детето и за мама или татко (или, в моя случай, 20-годишна жена, която избягва да завърши книжките за възрастни, които е оставила и затова се заравя в детските книги в библиотеката😎 I have no shame about it tho, u can’t persuade me it’s wrong of me)
Като цяло книгата е прекрасна за дете и абсолютно се виждам как я чета на детето си вечер и се пръскам от смях на някои неща, без обяснение за горкичкото дете. (Маняк.. имението на вампирите се казва Дънливин? Really? Very ba-dum-tss of you, mr. and mrs. Authors. Hats off to you eternally👏)
П.с. Единствено съжалявам, че не успях да я завърша за една вечер (Как може да се сложи младежко, в деня, за който не съм предупредила никого, че искам да чета?? Безсрамно, наистина…)
(п.п.с. Аз, също, съм избрала днес да е въпросното младежко и казах, че ще ида, така че безсрамното същество съм аз. “Hi, it’s me, I’m the problem, it’s me” или както е там, не слушам Тейлър Суифт😆)
5/5⭐️ за света, 5/5⭐️ за писането, 4,5/5⭐️ за героите и 4/5⭐️ за емоцията.
Беше перфектна за целта си - да е грабваща и entertaining. Героите бяха страхотни - Емили е всичко, което едно дете би искало да бъде (отговаря се и вика на всеки и, в крайна сметка, ѝ се разминава, даже е поощрявана за това? Да, моля.) Мейв (майката) е начина, по който повечето деца виждат майките си - малко луди, много объркващи и страшно обични. Бащата също е стопроцентово попадение - всяко дете вижда баща си като мистерия и е потресено, когато някой каже, че баща им е, едва ли не, ИНТЕРЕСЕН?? И има собствено минало??? И ДЕТСТВО????? Невъзможно.
Хумора беше безупречен - по нещо за детето и за мама или татко (или, в моя случай, 20-годишна жена, която избягва да завърши книжките за възрастни, които е оставила и затова се заравя в детските книги в библиотеката😎 I have no shame about it tho, u can’t persuade me it’s wrong of me)
Като цяло книгата е прекрасна за дете и абсолютно се виждам как я чета на детето си вечер и се пръскам от смях на някои неща, без обяснение за горкичкото дете. (Маняк.. имението на вампирите се казва Дънливин? Really? Very ba-dum-tss of you, mr. and mrs. Authors. Hats off to you eternally👏)
П.с. Единствено съжалявам, че не успях да я завърша за една вечер (Как може да се сложи младежко, в деня, за който не съм предупредила никого, че искам да чета?? Безсрамно, наистина…)
(п.п.с. Аз, също, съм избрала днес да е въпросното младежко и казах, че ще ида, така че безсрамното същество съм аз. “Hi, it’s me, I’m the problem, it’s me” или както е там, не слушам Тейлър Суифт😆)
April 19, 2020
3,5 Sterne
Das Buch hat ein wunderschönes Cover, und einzelne Details (Laterne, Brief, Big Ben) leuchten sogar im Dunkeln. Schon allein das hat mich überzeugt, das Buch lesen zu wollen. Die Kurzbeschreibung - Emily will ihre Eltern wiederfinden und gerät irgendwie in ein viktorianisches London - klang ebenfalls sehr gut.
Die Geschichte war dann auch nicht schlecht, sie war voller Spannung, kreativer Einfälle, Magie und mit einer sympathischen Hauptfigur. Diese Emily ist für ihr Alter (11?) sowieso sehr schlau, vor allem aber ungeheuer furchtlos und einfallsreich.
Trotzdem fiel es mir nicht sehr leicht, in das Buch reinzufinden. Vielleicht lag es daran, dass viele merkwürdige Sachen kurz eingeführt oder auch nur angedeutet wurden, mir aber der Überblick über das Große Ganze fehlte. Warum weshalb wieso passiert das alles überhaupt. Ein bisschen ließ bei mir dann die Spannung auch nach, kam aber in den letzten 100 Seiten zurück. Da taucht eine ganz neue Figur auf (die leider viel zu schnell wieder verschwindet), Emily erfährt ein paar Dinge über sich und ihre Familie, und am Ende gibt es natürlich den unvermeidlichen Showdown mit viel Action und Überraschungen.
Das Buch hat ein wunderschönes Cover, und einzelne Details (Laterne, Brief, Big Ben) leuchten sogar im Dunkeln. Schon allein das hat mich überzeugt, das Buch lesen zu wollen. Die Kurzbeschreibung - Emily will ihre Eltern wiederfinden und gerät irgendwie in ein viktorianisches London - klang ebenfalls sehr gut.
Die Geschichte war dann auch nicht schlecht, sie war voller Spannung, kreativer Einfälle, Magie und mit einer sympathischen Hauptfigur. Diese Emily ist für ihr Alter (11?) sowieso sehr schlau, vor allem aber ungeheuer furchtlos und einfallsreich.
Trotzdem fiel es mir nicht sehr leicht, in das Buch reinzufinden. Vielleicht lag es daran, dass viele merkwürdige Sachen kurz eingeführt oder auch nur angedeutet wurden, mir aber der Überblick über das Große Ganze fehlte. Warum weshalb wieso passiert das alles überhaupt. Ein bisschen ließ bei mir dann die Spannung auch nach, kam aber in den letzten 100 Seiten zurück. Da taucht eine ganz neue Figur auf (die leider viel zu schnell wieder verschwindet), Emily erfährt ein paar Dinge über sich und ihre Familie, und am Ende gibt es natürlich den unvermeidlichen Showdown mit viel Action und Überraschungen.
December 6, 2019
I love the portal premise (I love portals). And I appreciated the fact that Emily finally learns that her parents are interesting people. But before that--before they disappear--she finds them merely boring (her father is a postman who works the night shift) and aggravating, especially her mother. Then she really has to find them. She begins her travels with a pocket hedgehog, who tends to munch on the food she packed for her trip. The assorted characters she meets can be helpful or dangerous. (I love The Library.) She meets a constable-in-training when he tries to arrest her, but ends up helping her--when not trying to arrest her. She calls him Violet--an interesting twist on the creatures she meets. And one creature turns out to be a relative, which leads to questions about her own identity. There's danger and death and suspense and a satisfying ending as Emily uses stamps and a package to call for help. Good plan! Oh, it looks like there's going to be a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews