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Dark Song
Ames Ford has a perfect life--that is, she had a perfect life, until her father is fired and her family has to move from their mansion in Colorado to a slum in Texas. Now her mother won't stop yelling, her father won't stop drinking, and her little sister hides with a pillow over her head to drown out the fighting.
But then Ames meets Mysterious. Experienced. Rebellious. Gun-obsessed. He loves her more than anything, and he won't let anyone stand in his way where Ames is concerned--especially her parents. And when was the last time they did anything but ignore, dismiss, or hurt her? Ames must now decide just how far she's willing to go for loyalty, for revenge, and for love and if she's willing to commit the ultimate betrayal against her family.
Gail Giles, acclaimed author of What Happened to Cass McBride? and Shattering Glass , will have you questioning what you'd do at your breaking point.
But then Ames meets Mysterious. Experienced. Rebellious. Gun-obsessed. He loves her more than anything, and he won't let anyone stand in his way where Ames is concerned--especially her parents. And when was the last time they did anything but ignore, dismiss, or hurt her? Ames must now decide just how far she's willing to go for loyalty, for revenge, and for love and if she's willing to commit the ultimate betrayal against her family.
Gail Giles, acclaimed author of What Happened to Cass McBride? and Shattering Glass , will have you questioning what you'd do at your breaking point.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2010
35 people are currently reading
2170 people want to read
About the author
Gail Giles
12 books280 followersGail Giles is the author of six young adult novels. Her debut novel, Shattering Glass, was an ALA Best of the Best Book, a Book Sense 76 selection, and a Booklist Top 10 Mystery for Youth selection. The novel is about an high school boy named Simon Glass that is helped to become one of the most popular dogs in school by other students. Her second novel, Dead Girls Don’t Write Letters, was an ALA Top 10 Quick pick (2003) and a Book Sense 76 selection. Her third novel, Playing in Traffic, is an epic story about a boy trying to help a gothic girl.
She is a former high school teacher who grew up in Texas and now lives there happily with her husband, two dogs, and three cats. Gail has one son and two grandsons.
She is a former high school teacher who grew up in Texas and now lives there happily with her husband, two dogs, and three cats. Gail has one son and two grandsons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
August 21, 2010
Ames life turns upside down when her hero, her dad, is caught stealing from his clients. Not only does he cost the family their livelihood, their house, their security and his marriage...he costs Ames her soul. Having everything robbed from her turns Ames dark. Wounded, she wants someone to take care of her, to defend her, to help her get revenge. Marc gives Ames everything she hungers for, but in trying to reclaim herself she learns giving into the musical lure of her Dark Song can drive things too far. Gail Giles is one of my favorite authors because of her edgy stories, deep, realistic characterizations and descriptive turn-of-phrases. Dark Song goes right next to Shattering Glass as one of my faves, because it actually made me physically uncomfortable and apprehensive. Like cruising past a grisly car accident, you know you're heading toward something ugly, but you JUST CAN'T STOP yourself from looking. Even scarier,it could easily be a headline story any day, any place. Hopefully it'll stay between the pages. Ames' story will suck you in and as her dark song seduces her you'll feel equal parts understanding, revulsion and fear. This is one Giles book I can envision a sequel for, taking place years down the line. If you like neat, HEA books, Giles isn't your author, but if you like dark, twisted, edgy and realistic fiction that'll get under your skin and stay with you, pick up Dark Song and all of her backlist. Finally, kudos to Little Brown on the amazing cover.
Terri Clark
Teen Librarian & YA Author
Terri Clark
Teen Librarian & YA Author
March 24, 2016
This book was weird and twisted and sad and, and, and.... although Ames' complaining and naivety get severly annoying at times, you can totally see where she's coming from. It seems everyone in her life has betrayed her and then expects her to take it on the chin. Then along comes Marc. Oh Marc.... he is straight up crazy... not like 'oh i like em crazy', but like 'RUN GIRLLLLLLL. NOW!' crazy. He reeled Ames into his crazy world little by little and all the while I'm shaking my head wishing she would wake the hell up. But oddly enough, i was mad at how his plans were foiled in the end. Lol
August 31, 2010
OK, so I read the ARC of this book in less than a day and I'm generally of fan of Giles' work. I more or less knew what to expect from one of her books: fast pace, suspense, tension and a hint of danger. This one fulfilled those expectations.
However, I had some serious issues with the balance of plot points. Or perhaps it's because the description on the back led me to believe that the latter third of the book was the primary focus. Either way, it was hard for me to reconcile. The first part of book details the downfall of a seemingly-perfect wealthy family. Both daughters are in private school, the family lives in a mansion and they've always been able to anything they wanted. Then, in what to the protagonist, Ames, is a completely unprecedented turn of events, the family loses everything and trust among family members turns to anger, tension and deceit. The family eventually moves to Texas and takes up residence in a rental unit owned by the father's parents. Evidently, the father has managed to convince the kids that they've been dead for years, when in reality, they've been slum lords in the South the whole time. In the process of cleaning out the so-bad-it-should've-been-condemed unit, the character of Marc (the predator alluded to on the back cover) is finally introduced.
I'm I'm fine with the first half of the book; the family relationships throughout the downfall are more or less believable. The main problem I had with it was the introduction of the maternal grandmother as someone who could pull the family together in a time of crisis. She arrives for an intervention, appears a couple more times and then disappears from the book altogether.
It is the part of the book that takes place in Texas that I really took issue with. I had a lot of trouble believing that the main character is so badly scarred by her parent's wrongs that she is willing to put herself in a dangerous relationship. Perhaps if she'd had a long history of abuse/neglect, the decision would've made more sense. Here, it feels it all happens too fast for it to be a logical or realistic development. The character of Marc is very two-dimensional and makes the reader want to smack Ames for not seeing the manipulation that is so painfully obvious. To me, the ending was not only abrupt, it was predictable and somewhat unsatisfying.
However, I had some serious issues with the balance of plot points. Or perhaps it's because the description on the back led me to believe that the latter third of the book was the primary focus. Either way, it was hard for me to reconcile. The first part of book details the downfall of a seemingly-perfect wealthy family. Both daughters are in private school, the family lives in a mansion and they've always been able to anything they wanted. Then, in what to the protagonist, Ames, is a completely unprecedented turn of events, the family loses everything and trust among family members turns to anger, tension and deceit. The family eventually moves to Texas and takes up residence in a rental unit owned by the father's parents. Evidently, the father has managed to convince the kids that they've been dead for years, when in reality, they've been slum lords in the South the whole time. In the process of cleaning out the so-bad-it-should've-been-condemed unit, the character of Marc (the predator alluded to on the back cover) is finally introduced.
I'm I'm fine with the first half of the book; the family relationships throughout the downfall are more or less believable. The main problem I had with it was the introduction of the maternal grandmother as someone who could pull the family together in a time of crisis. She arrives for an intervention, appears a couple more times and then disappears from the book altogether.
It is the part of the book that takes place in Texas that I really took issue with. I had a lot of trouble believing that the main character is so badly scarred by her parent's wrongs that she is willing to put herself in a dangerous relationship. Perhaps if she'd had a long history of abuse/neglect, the decision would've made more sense. Here, it feels it all happens too fast for it to be a logical or realistic development. The character of Marc is very two-dimensional and makes the reader want to smack Ames for not seeing the manipulation that is so painfully obvious. To me, the ending was not only abrupt, it was predictable and somewhat unsatisfying.
July 29, 2014
3.5 compelling and page-turning stars.
Short but engrossing. Well-written, though I could have used a lot more resolution at the end of this book. More length overall would have really helped with a sense of closure, especially with the relationship between the MC, Ames, and her mother. It felt rushed, hence the stars off. But anyway, I digress...
This is not a romance at all but a look into one affable teenager's life as it comes crumbling around her and the solace she finds in a very bad boy.
But don't let the term bad boy fool you. Marc is a bad, nasty, slimy, low-life dude who seems like Prince Charming at first - enough that you'll fall for him too. Then the rug gets pulled out from under you and his real personality comes through - mean, ruthless and sociopathic. Don't get me wrong, I love crazy guys but this was not the same at all. We love the crazy killers/drug lords/criminals because they love the heroine and they have humanity somewhere inside their crusty souls. Marc was a soulless predator who takes our heroine, Ames, on a ride, preying on her weaknesses in order to exploit her. It's frightening how easily she falls for it too, but if you were in her love-starved position, you might do the same. All over the world, girls - teenage, adult, middle-aged, whatever - are being sucked into abusive relationships and worse thanks to the same tactics that Marc uses on her.
It's not an easy book to read at times - you really, really want Ames to catch a break. You want her old friends to get a red-hot poker shoved up their ass. You want to hit her parents repeatedly until some sense is knocked into them. Then maybe kick the mother again.
You don't, however, want them to die.
But does Ames? What is her breaking point, exactly? And how is Marc going to lead her down a very dark and disturbing road?
You'll have to read to find out.
Short but engrossing. Well-written, though I could have used a lot more resolution at the end of this book. More length overall would have really helped with a sense of closure, especially with the relationship between the MC, Ames, and her mother. It felt rushed, hence the stars off. But anyway, I digress...
This is not a romance at all but a look into one affable teenager's life as it comes crumbling around her and the solace she finds in a very bad boy.
But don't let the term bad boy fool you. Marc is a bad, nasty, slimy, low-life dude who seems like Prince Charming at first - enough that you'll fall for him too. Then the rug gets pulled out from under you and his real personality comes through - mean, ruthless and sociopathic. Don't get me wrong, I love crazy guys but this was not the same at all. We love the crazy killers/drug lords/criminals because they love the heroine and they have humanity somewhere inside their crusty souls. Marc was a soulless predator who takes our heroine, Ames, on a ride, preying on her weaknesses in order to exploit her. It's frightening how easily she falls for it too, but if you were in her love-starved position, you might do the same. All over the world, girls - teenage, adult, middle-aged, whatever - are being sucked into abusive relationships and worse thanks to the same tactics that Marc uses on her.
It's not an easy book to read at times - you really, really want Ames to catch a break. You want her old friends to get a red-hot poker shoved up their ass. You want to hit her parents repeatedly until some sense is knocked into them. Then maybe kick the mother again.
You don't, however, want them to die.
But does Ames? What is her breaking point, exactly? And how is Marc going to lead her down a very dark and disturbing road?
You'll have to read to find out.
March 15, 2018
4.5 of 5
GRADE: B+
Spoiled rich girl, fifteen-year-old Ames has a family she adores. A father she worships. A mother she trusts and enjoys. An amazing little sister. Her friends even tease her for spending so much time with her family--and enjoying it. But, sometimes what lies beneath the surface is enough to shatter one's sense of trust and reality. When her workaholic father starts spending time at home, during the day, and her mother becomes moody and tense, and her parents perfect marriage is punctuated by tears and shouting, Ames begins to wonder if her parents have been lying to her. Almost overnight her father begins drinking and her mother becomes angry. When Ames, who had never been kissed, meets twenty-two-year-old bad boy Marc, with his big attitude and even larger gun collection. He talks of revenge, that kill anyone who tries to end his relationship with Ames, even her parents, she believes him. And she just might agree with him.
DARK SONG takes us painstakingly through Ames descent from goody-goody rich girl surrounded by love, to disillusioned rebel, trying to reclaim some semblance of life to either redemption or disaster. Empathizing with her struggles, even when her behavior was stupid or immature, was easy for me. I could understand how living in a bubble of illusion could bring a teenagers to despair, how she lost her way and looked for love in the wrong places, with the wrong guy. Her character and Marc's were well developed, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes repulsive, often unlikable. I never wavered from rooting for Ames, never stopped hoping for her life to get better. Some of the minor characters are one dimensional, but most have assets and flaws.
The plot opens with Ames believing her family is perfect, but soon she knows there are secrets and lies, which we learn like peeling an onion layer by layer. My only criticism is that the story ended too abruptly, while there is resolution, I would have preferred more detail or a glimpse into the future.
Gail Giles once again delivers a novel with a strong, distinct voice through Ames's narration. She writes teenage dialogue like no other non-teenager I've ever read. You'll want to retread this and her other novels, because they are just that compelling. I hope she writes many more, and quickly.
GRADE: B+
Spoiled rich girl, fifteen-year-old Ames has a family she adores. A father she worships. A mother she trusts and enjoys. An amazing little sister. Her friends even tease her for spending so much time with her family--and enjoying it. But, sometimes what lies beneath the surface is enough to shatter one's sense of trust and reality. When her workaholic father starts spending time at home, during the day, and her mother becomes moody and tense, and her parents perfect marriage is punctuated by tears and shouting, Ames begins to wonder if her parents have been lying to her. Almost overnight her father begins drinking and her mother becomes angry. When Ames, who had never been kissed, meets twenty-two-year-old bad boy Marc, with his big attitude and even larger gun collection. He talks of revenge, that kill anyone who tries to end his relationship with Ames, even her parents, she believes him. And she just might agree with him.
DARK SONG takes us painstakingly through Ames descent from goody-goody rich girl surrounded by love, to disillusioned rebel, trying to reclaim some semblance of life to either redemption or disaster. Empathizing with her struggles, even when her behavior was stupid or immature, was easy for me. I could understand how living in a bubble of illusion could bring a teenagers to despair, how she lost her way and looked for love in the wrong places, with the wrong guy. Her character and Marc's were well developed, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes repulsive, often unlikable. I never wavered from rooting for Ames, never stopped hoping for her life to get better. Some of the minor characters are one dimensional, but most have assets and flaws.
The plot opens with Ames believing her family is perfect, but soon she knows there are secrets and lies, which we learn like peeling an onion layer by layer. My only criticism is that the story ended too abruptly, while there is resolution, I would have preferred more detail or a glimpse into the future.
Gail Giles once again delivers a novel with a strong, distinct voice through Ames's narration. She writes teenage dialogue like no other non-teenager I've ever read. You'll want to retread this and her other novels, because they are just that compelling. I hope she writes many more, and quickly.
January 10, 2018
So this was in two parts. It started off strong in the first half. I was intrigued. Couldnt wait to get home from work to finish. Got to part two and nope. I can see where the author was going with this and the end itself was pretty good. It was the whole relationship that didnt work for me. To fast and not a believable time frame. So I was a biy disappointed. I would round up to 3.5 stars.
Want to read
November 10, 2012Reviewed by Breanna F. for TeensReadToo.com
"It felt dangerous. I found something dark in me that sang. I wanted to listen. Maybe I wanted to sing, too."
Fifteen-year-old Ames has been betrayed. Her whole life she has been one of the rich kids, until her father runs her family's life down the drain with his stupidity. Now, her life is spiraling downwards. Her mother is freaking out and taking her worries out on everyone else, and all her father seems to be able to do is drink. The only levelheaded one in the family is Chrissy, who happens to be six years old.
They are now living in a hellhole somewhere in Texas, and Ames is constantly being yelled at, worked to the bone, or getting very close to being smacked around by her parents. But in Texas, she also has Marc. Marc is 22 and exactly the type of guy who Ames' friend, Em, would go for. Now that Ames has this different life, she decides she could be dangerous like Em.
Right away, Marc says he's going to protect her, that he doesn't like the way she's being treated by her family. When he's at her house one day and says he's got a gun, it excites her. But she doesn't realize the trap that she is quickly being pulled in to.
This book was one of those page-turners. I finished it in about a day. The first half focuses on Ames' family falling apart because of her father, and the second part details their new life in Texas and Ames' obsession with being a bad girl. As soon as Marc showed up I got a bad feeling, but of course that was to be expected.
I definitely wasn't expecting DARK SONG to end the way it did, but I liked the ending. If you're looking for a fast-paced, drama-filled read, then this is definitely the book for you.
"It felt dangerous. I found something dark in me that sang. I wanted to listen. Maybe I wanted to sing, too."
Fifteen-year-old Ames has been betrayed. Her whole life she has been one of the rich kids, until her father runs her family's life down the drain with his stupidity. Now, her life is spiraling downwards. Her mother is freaking out and taking her worries out on everyone else, and all her father seems to be able to do is drink. The only levelheaded one in the family is Chrissy, who happens to be six years old.
They are now living in a hellhole somewhere in Texas, and Ames is constantly being yelled at, worked to the bone, or getting very close to being smacked around by her parents. But in Texas, she also has Marc. Marc is 22 and exactly the type of guy who Ames' friend, Em, would go for. Now that Ames has this different life, she decides she could be dangerous like Em.
Right away, Marc says he's going to protect her, that he doesn't like the way she's being treated by her family. When he's at her house one day and says he's got a gun, it excites her. But she doesn't realize the trap that she is quickly being pulled in to.
This book was one of those page-turners. I finished it in about a day. The first half focuses on Ames' family falling apart because of her father, and the second part details their new life in Texas and Ames' obsession with being a bad girl. As soon as Marc showed up I got a bad feeling, but of course that was to be expected.
I definitely wasn't expecting DARK SONG to end the way it did, but I liked the ending. If you're looking for a fast-paced, drama-filled read, then this is definitely the book for you.
December 4, 2010
Fifteen-year-old Ames Ford leads a charmed life: a mansion, an exclusive private school, and vacations to Alaska to soak in hot springs and view the aurora borealis. But her family’s lifestyle proves to be as ephemeral as those northern lights when Dad is caught mishandling money at work and loses his job. In this timely narrative, Ames watches in stunned disbelief as her family loses everything, Dad begins drinking, and Mom becomes cold and short-tempered. The family is forced to move from Boulder to rural Texas, renting a filthy tract house from Dad’s parents, whom Ames never even knew existed. Enter Marc -- a neighbor who agrees to help the family clean and restore their home. To Mom and Dad, he’s a religious, homeschooled teenage boy. But Ames soon learns he’s much older, and very different, than he seems. In fact, he embodies the anger that Ames feels toward her parents and their sudden change of circumstances, quickly becoming a controlling and dangerous partner to the confused fifteen-year-old caught between her own need for love and a desire for revenge. There is nothing subtle about either the plot or the characters here. Many elements of the narrative seem rushed while others -- such as the introduction of Ames’ heretofore unknown grandparents (who ask her to call them Mr. and Mrs. Ames) – seem underdeveloped within the larger confines of the story. Despite these flaws, this teen-pleasing story moves quickly, and with mounting suspense, toward a pulse-pounding conclusion.
November 28, 2010
This had the potential to be something good. Unfortunately in my opinion it was a huge let down. Character development was lacking and there was really no story other than this:
Good rich girl's family suddenly goes broke.
The perfect family turns on each other and immediately seem to hate each other.
Family moves into mean grandparents rental home and things get "worse".
Good girl, who is really hurt and angry with parents, meets abusive bad boy and becomes a rebellious teen.
Bad boy convinces girl to kill parents.
Girl later changes her mind and turns him in.
The end.
Good rich girl's family suddenly goes broke.
The perfect family turns on each other and immediately seem to hate each other.
Family moves into mean grandparents rental home and things get "worse".
Good girl, who is really hurt and angry with parents, meets abusive bad boy and becomes a rebellious teen.
Bad boy convinces girl to kill parents.
Girl later changes her mind and turns him in.
The end.
July 10, 2015
3 1/2 stars
I was pretty excited about this one. Good girl Ames who finds her life starting to spiral out of control. When she meets Marc, she finds herself going to the dark side with him. He falls for her. Hard. Ames beings to rebel and has to come to terms if she's really prepared to betray her family for him.
This is a hard book for me to review. It is set in two parts, and each part is completely different than the other. It almost felt as if I was reading two different books. The first part focuses mainly on family issues and her struggle dealing with it all. Part two focuses on her relationship with Marc and her transformation to a completely different person.
Part one was slow, where part two I couldn't stop reading. But really it all felt to rushed. Everything happened so fast in their relationship I couldn't really feel the connection between them and where his obsession with her really began. I wanted more insight to his darkness. Honestly, I think the second part could have held on it's own if the author would have focused more on that and less of the family issues. More detail into their dark descent together.
I've looked into other books by this author and they all seem to have a darker theme to them, so I am interested in trying another of her books for a different experience. This is YA but definitely has serious themes involved.
I was pretty excited about this one. Good girl Ames who finds her life starting to spiral out of control. When she meets Marc, she finds herself going to the dark side with him. He falls for her. Hard. Ames beings to rebel and has to come to terms if she's really prepared to betray her family for him.
This is a hard book for me to review. It is set in two parts, and each part is completely different than the other. It almost felt as if I was reading two different books. The first part focuses mainly on family issues and her struggle dealing with it all. Part two focuses on her relationship with Marc and her transformation to a completely different person.
Part one was slow, where part two I couldn't stop reading. But really it all felt to rushed. Everything happened so fast in their relationship I couldn't really feel the connection between them and where his obsession with her really began. I wanted more insight to his darkness. Honestly, I think the second part could have held on it's own if the author would have focused more on that and less of the family issues. More detail into their dark descent together.
I've looked into other books by this author and they all seem to have a darker theme to them, so I am interested in trying another of her books for a different experience. This is YA but definitely has serious themes involved.
July 24, 2010
sooo...here's a creepy one.
ames ford is living a charmed life with her parents and little sister, chrissy. they're rich and reasonably happy until mr. ford loses his job under mysterious circumstances. as the money dwindles, ames' former friends start whispering and she discovers that neither of her parents are being honest with her. she responds by sneaking out to smoke weed & shoplift.
after complete financial collapse, the ford family relocates to texas in an effort to start over. there ames meets marc, a 22 year old passing as 17 who helps the fords settle in a flophouse-turned-rental. the stress has transformed ames' parents into disasters: her father drinks & gambles, her mother bitches and slaps her. marc can see how betrayed ames feels and offers her romance, protection (he collects guns), and statutory rape. when mr. ford finds out marc is 22, he forbids the relationship. marc concocts a dangerous plan that will allow them to be together. will ames go along with it?
personally, i thought the ending came too quickly and creeper old boyfriends aren't my thing. not all of the behavior here is entirely realistic. but it's fast-paced and suspenseful. this will appeal to reluctant readers looking for a bit of a shiver. i'll order it for the collection.
ames ford is living a charmed life with her parents and little sister, chrissy. they're rich and reasonably happy until mr. ford loses his job under mysterious circumstances. as the money dwindles, ames' former friends start whispering and she discovers that neither of her parents are being honest with her. she responds by sneaking out to smoke weed & shoplift.
after complete financial collapse, the ford family relocates to texas in an effort to start over. there ames meets marc, a 22 year old passing as 17 who helps the fords settle in a flophouse-turned-rental. the stress has transformed ames' parents into disasters: her father drinks & gambles, her mother bitches and slaps her. marc can see how betrayed ames feels and offers her romance, protection (he collects guns), and statutory rape. when mr. ford finds out marc is 22, he forbids the relationship. marc concocts a dangerous plan that will allow them to be together. will ames go along with it?
personally, i thought the ending came too quickly and creeper old boyfriends aren't my thing. not all of the behavior here is entirely realistic. but it's fast-paced and suspenseful. this will appeal to reluctant readers looking for a bit of a shiver. i'll order it for the collection.
December 7, 2010
I love Gail Giles. Her dark, psychologically complex books are wonderful (Shattering Glass is one of my favs, and the audiobook is equally superb) and this book trends that way as well. Like Benoit's You, this is a story about choices—bad ones, as it turns out. The book follows Ames Ford: a kid with money and a storybook family who discovers that truth is malleable and things are not what they seem. (A hint: No, her dad's not a serial killer.) Once the truth comes out, Ames's world rapidly deteriorates, something reflected in her physical surround (as her family is forced to give up their post home for one that, well, a self-respecting cockroach might think twice about) and Ames's alliance with new boyfriend, Marc. While this book is not as nimble or well-plotted as Giles's previous efforts—the complete personality turnarounds/makeovers are a bit too radical to be believed and the end is both abrupt and just too tidy—I get what Giles is driving at: when reality sucks, desperate people allow themselves to believe all kinds of lies. Recommended for very mature teens, ages 16-up.
June 22, 2016
This is the worst book I have ever read. It seriously pained me to read it. Don't read this, it will make you dumber. It's about a bratty girl and a psychotic boy. Like chill, life ain't that hard. Get your panties out of a wad and stop trynna come at lives wreckless, killin people's parents and whatnot. Messed. Up.
May 18, 2022
This book showed what was right from wrong in an interesting way. There was a lot of suspense and tension that this book gave out which made it fun to read. The plot was the only thing that really confused me because this family went to be rich and living in a mansion and then they end up losing everything. Some of the family was actually poor but the father tried to cover it up, I don't know it just didn't add up for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2010
COPIED FROM MY BLOG: WORDBIRD (FORMATTING WAS LOST)
Review Sent to Little Brown*:
Though slightly riveting and bordering on the side of tragic, Dark Song failed to capture my heart or nourish my mind. Doubtless, many readers will enjoy it for its intriguing surface qualities and surplus of drama, but I can’t honestly say the book will leave any sort of mark. This story is dark and made me feel dark. So, while I found the premise interesting and the prose pleasant, I was rather disappointed.
Review:
I hate rating things 1/5. I really do. It breaks my little bookish heart to say that I didn’t like a book. However, when I find enough factors of a book that give me discomfort or something similar, I have to.
Then again, I believe that Gail Giles did precisely what she set out to do with this book, and she did it well. I have nothing to complain about concerning the prose or pace. The book is done well. Whether or not you enjoy Dark Song depends solely on what you hope to get out of the reading experience in general. I hope to find people to love within the pages, things that bring out my feelings so that I can slather my heart all over the page, and I don’t mind being taught something – or simply feeling happy as the result of the pretty little words tucked within the book covers.
So, before you read this review, I think it’s important you ask yourself: What do you want from a book?
–
Ames has the perfect family. The perfect home. Everything seems to play out just as it should, and it’s clear that her family is quite accustomed to their style of living. It’s when one thing goes wrong that their lives seem to fall apart. Her father loses his job.
With the aid of one wild snowball effect, Ames and her family find themselves at the bottom of a figurative pit. Ames isn’t the same person she was before, not even close. And then there’s Marc, the only person who seems to appreciate the Ames she is deep down, who fights for her and defends her against her family. Marc with the gun collection – the great liar (who also scares the heck out of me…).
As Marc pulls her closer to him and farther from her family, Ames finds herself in one heck of a predicament. To me, it was as though she was under some sort of wacky and terrifying spell. The book made it seem as though this was a sudden change of personality, but I thought there were a few hints of Ame’s possibilities – the her she could have been. The dark and dangerous one.
Honestly, I found fault with pretty much all the characters, excepting Chrissy, Ames’s little sister. It’s hard to respect people that can so easily lose touch with their family and crash and burn, when all they really had to do was crash. Not to mention the secrets revealed about many characters as the story developed that made you dislike them even more. I think they all could have used a few gallons of maturity.
Here’s the problem: Reading about a group of wildly unpleasant people that don’t seem to be fixing themselves but spiraling downward isn’t all that enjoyable. Even if you don’t care for them particularly, it always hurts to watch people ruin themselves.
Not to mention that there were a few sexual scenes that disturbed me greatly, and it was after the first one that I began to feel as though this book really, really wasn’t for me. The story seemed to lack any uplifting qualities, things that make me happy or feel as though I’m collecting stories that will keep me company for years. I love that feeling I get when I look at something and memories that aren’t mine are brought to mind, memories of characters’ I’ve read about. It struck me: I didn’t want these memories.
I also thought that things seemed a bit exaggerated. A perfect family to a terrible one. An expansive and wonderful living situation to a pit. The helpful and loving daughter to the dark and hateful one. I don’t know many people that have lived opposite extremes as these people do.
This review is morbidly negative, isn’t it? There are a few things I want to say to the book’s credit.
People are going to enjoy this book. It’s slightly haunting and very tragic, but it’s also fascinating. Sort of in the way an optical illusion is. You’re mesmerized by the craziness of what’s happening in the story. It carries itself well – meaning it flowed neatly from one chapter to another. It’s also full of surprises that I’m sure will shock and disturb readers.
Essentially, I can imagine many people being intrigued by this novel, but I didn’t reap any rewards from it. It made me feel dark myself, and I don’t like feeling that way at all. For that reason, I didn’t enjoy the book.
As I said, it comes right down to one question all readers should ask themselves: What do I want to get from a book?
*Thank you so much for the ARC!
Review Sent to Little Brown*:
Though slightly riveting and bordering on the side of tragic, Dark Song failed to capture my heart or nourish my mind. Doubtless, many readers will enjoy it for its intriguing surface qualities and surplus of drama, but I can’t honestly say the book will leave any sort of mark. This story is dark and made me feel dark. So, while I found the premise interesting and the prose pleasant, I was rather disappointed.
Review:
I hate rating things 1/5. I really do. It breaks my little bookish heart to say that I didn’t like a book. However, when I find enough factors of a book that give me discomfort or something similar, I have to.
Then again, I believe that Gail Giles did precisely what she set out to do with this book, and she did it well. I have nothing to complain about concerning the prose or pace. The book is done well. Whether or not you enjoy Dark Song depends solely on what you hope to get out of the reading experience in general. I hope to find people to love within the pages, things that bring out my feelings so that I can slather my heart all over the page, and I don’t mind being taught something – or simply feeling happy as the result of the pretty little words tucked within the book covers.
So, before you read this review, I think it’s important you ask yourself: What do you want from a book?
–
Ames has the perfect family. The perfect home. Everything seems to play out just as it should, and it’s clear that her family is quite accustomed to their style of living. It’s when one thing goes wrong that their lives seem to fall apart. Her father loses his job.
With the aid of one wild snowball effect, Ames and her family find themselves at the bottom of a figurative pit. Ames isn’t the same person she was before, not even close. And then there’s Marc, the only person who seems to appreciate the Ames she is deep down, who fights for her and defends her against her family. Marc with the gun collection – the great liar (who also scares the heck out of me…).
As Marc pulls her closer to him and farther from her family, Ames finds herself in one heck of a predicament. To me, it was as though she was under some sort of wacky and terrifying spell. The book made it seem as though this was a sudden change of personality, but I thought there were a few hints of Ame’s possibilities – the her she could have been. The dark and dangerous one.
Honestly, I found fault with pretty much all the characters, excepting Chrissy, Ames’s little sister. It’s hard to respect people that can so easily lose touch with their family and crash and burn, when all they really had to do was crash. Not to mention the secrets revealed about many characters as the story developed that made you dislike them even more. I think they all could have used a few gallons of maturity.
Here’s the problem: Reading about a group of wildly unpleasant people that don’t seem to be fixing themselves but spiraling downward isn’t all that enjoyable. Even if you don’t care for them particularly, it always hurts to watch people ruin themselves.
Not to mention that there were a few sexual scenes that disturbed me greatly, and it was after the first one that I began to feel as though this book really, really wasn’t for me. The story seemed to lack any uplifting qualities, things that make me happy or feel as though I’m collecting stories that will keep me company for years. I love that feeling I get when I look at something and memories that aren’t mine are brought to mind, memories of characters’ I’ve read about. It struck me: I didn’t want these memories.
I also thought that things seemed a bit exaggerated. A perfect family to a terrible one. An expansive and wonderful living situation to a pit. The helpful and loving daughter to the dark and hateful one. I don’t know many people that have lived opposite extremes as these people do.
This review is morbidly negative, isn’t it? There are a few things I want to say to the book’s credit.
People are going to enjoy this book. It’s slightly haunting and very tragic, but it’s also fascinating. Sort of in the way an optical illusion is. You’re mesmerized by the craziness of what’s happening in the story. It carries itself well – meaning it flowed neatly from one chapter to another. It’s also full of surprises that I’m sure will shock and disturb readers.
Essentially, I can imagine many people being intrigued by this novel, but I didn’t reap any rewards from it. It made me feel dark myself, and I don’t like feeling that way at all. For that reason, I didn’t enjoy the book.
As I said, it comes right down to one question all readers should ask themselves: What do I want to get from a book?
*Thank you so much for the ARC!
January 6, 2015
Dark Song by Gail Giles is an enriching book about how you could have all of the wealth in the world, but it all means nothing in the end if you do not have a good set of morals. Greed, lying, cheating, arrogance, etc. all are contributes that can lead to disaster for even the most prestigious or, seemingly, put together person. This book tells the story of Ames, a sixteen year old, spoiled, upper-class citizen from a perfect family who takes her ravish life for advantage, at least until her world is flipped upside down.
Expensive clothes, vacations, private schooling, and hobbies are just a few of the things that Ames is able to take for granted. Along with having a power couple as her parents, a free-spirited grandma, and a darling little sister, Ames’ family life is perfect; everyone is in harmony and fights barely erupt except for the occasional bickering between Ames’ grandma and mom. Everything is perfect until the rumors start at school. Ames begins hearing accusations about her dad being laid off and after discovering that not only is her dad fired, but a thief is stealing from his clients’ accounts, things gradually get worse; her dad becomes a raging alcoholic from stress, her mom becomes a cold, unreachable statue, and their possessions are all sold. Forced to leave behind her upper-class life in exchange for a life of poverty at her dad’s parents’ rental house, Ames is forced to make the transformation from a spoiled, defenseless brat to a poverty stricken charity case. When Ames receives no love from her parents she turns to her knight in shining armor, Mark. After being with Mark for a matter of a few days, Ames discovers some secrets that not only intrigue her, but also scare her. What seemingly started out as a way to escape her parents, turns into something ugly and frightening. As Mark slowly reveals himself as the gun obsessed, possessive, twenty-two year old that he is, things begin to turn dark for Ames. When Mark threatens to kill her parents so they can be together, Ames searches for help from her parents. With a little help from them, and the cops, they are able to bring Mark to justice and discover just how important family connections are.
When Ames is first introduced, she is portrayed as a spoiled rotten brat who is used to a life of luxury and nothing less. Although she belongs to a group of friends that are vain, Ames is interested more in the things that the group considers lame or boring. It is her individuality that makes her more susceptible to the bullying she gets later on in the book. When Ames hears about all of the lies her father and parents have told her, she begins to lash out and becomes more rebellious. Unsurprisingly, her move only makes her behavior worse. She resorts to seeking protection from a man she has barely known for a day, a sign that she is in a very vulnerable situation where she is willing to trust just about anyone as long as they can provide the support, love, and protection that she so desperately craves. As the book progresses, Ames begins to become more and more conflicted emotionally about whether or not she should continue to stay with her parents or whether she should leave them behind to go with Mark, someone who has promised to keep her safe but is known to have a violent side as well. When the book reaches its critical point, when Mark tells her about his plan to kill her family so they can run away together, Ames really steps up to make the right decision and put Mark away in jail. Realizing that things will not always goes the way she wants them to, Ames learns to love her family, or at the very least accept them, in a way that she is no longer rebellious or as defensive as she was at the beginning of their poverty. Throughout the book there is one thing that never changed and that would be Ames’ love and protectiveness for her little sister.
I rate this book four out of five stars because I thought the story line an d plot was well written, but I thought the writing style was a little too simplistic and it often stated facts or details that did not correspond with the plot or characters. I did enjoy the way that Giles included a dark side to a seemingly perfect relationship; it made the story more interesting and made it so that I couldn’t put the book down. Because there are moments in the book that mention domestic violence, gambling, drinking, swearing, and sexual content, I would recommend that this book is read only by a mature audience. Both people entering high school and people in their early to late adult years would find this book interesting and a good read. I think it would be a good book for both guys and girls to read and that both genders would find it equally interesting.
Expensive clothes, vacations, private schooling, and hobbies are just a few of the things that Ames is able to take for granted. Along with having a power couple as her parents, a free-spirited grandma, and a darling little sister, Ames’ family life is perfect; everyone is in harmony and fights barely erupt except for the occasional bickering between Ames’ grandma and mom. Everything is perfect until the rumors start at school. Ames begins hearing accusations about her dad being laid off and after discovering that not only is her dad fired, but a thief is stealing from his clients’ accounts, things gradually get worse; her dad becomes a raging alcoholic from stress, her mom becomes a cold, unreachable statue, and their possessions are all sold. Forced to leave behind her upper-class life in exchange for a life of poverty at her dad’s parents’ rental house, Ames is forced to make the transformation from a spoiled, defenseless brat to a poverty stricken charity case. When Ames receives no love from her parents she turns to her knight in shining armor, Mark. After being with Mark for a matter of a few days, Ames discovers some secrets that not only intrigue her, but also scare her. What seemingly started out as a way to escape her parents, turns into something ugly and frightening. As Mark slowly reveals himself as the gun obsessed, possessive, twenty-two year old that he is, things begin to turn dark for Ames. When Mark threatens to kill her parents so they can be together, Ames searches for help from her parents. With a little help from them, and the cops, they are able to bring Mark to justice and discover just how important family connections are.
When Ames is first introduced, she is portrayed as a spoiled rotten brat who is used to a life of luxury and nothing less. Although she belongs to a group of friends that are vain, Ames is interested more in the things that the group considers lame or boring. It is her individuality that makes her more susceptible to the bullying she gets later on in the book. When Ames hears about all of the lies her father and parents have told her, she begins to lash out and becomes more rebellious. Unsurprisingly, her move only makes her behavior worse. She resorts to seeking protection from a man she has barely known for a day, a sign that she is in a very vulnerable situation where she is willing to trust just about anyone as long as they can provide the support, love, and protection that she so desperately craves. As the book progresses, Ames begins to become more and more conflicted emotionally about whether or not she should continue to stay with her parents or whether she should leave them behind to go with Mark, someone who has promised to keep her safe but is known to have a violent side as well. When the book reaches its critical point, when Mark tells her about his plan to kill her family so they can run away together, Ames really steps up to make the right decision and put Mark away in jail. Realizing that things will not always goes the way she wants them to, Ames learns to love her family, or at the very least accept them, in a way that she is no longer rebellious or as defensive as she was at the beginning of their poverty. Throughout the book there is one thing that never changed and that would be Ames’ love and protectiveness for her little sister.
I rate this book four out of five stars because I thought the story line an d plot was well written, but I thought the writing style was a little too simplistic and it often stated facts or details that did not correspond with the plot or characters. I did enjoy the way that Giles included a dark side to a seemingly perfect relationship; it made the story more interesting and made it so that I couldn’t put the book down. Because there are moments in the book that mention domestic violence, gambling, drinking, swearing, and sexual content, I would recommend that this book is read only by a mature audience. Both people entering high school and people in their early to late adult years would find this book interesting and a good read. I think it would be a good book for both guys and girls to read and that both genders would find it equally interesting.
November 20, 2014
Dark Song was an interesting book. I read another one of Gail Giles's novels a couple of years ago, and while I don't remember much of the plot, I don't think I had much of a problem with it. This one seemed really good while I was reading it, but the ending was a let down. Looking back on the novel as a whole now, I've come to notice a lot of errors in it.
The first half of Dark Song is all about a rich family's fall, after the father makes a mistake and gets fired from his job. I don't think many people knew that so much back story would be given, as the summaries of the novel really only talk about the end of the story. I definitely thought that this part was too long. It gave background information that I didn't need to know, brought in characters that didn't really matter later (Robin, Edwin, etc.), and became quite boring after a while. I read 3/4 of Dark Song in one day, but it took me half a week to get through the first fifty pages.
The second half of the book, however, was just the opposite. I felt that it was too rushed and you didn't really get an ideal picture of Marc and Ames's relationship. Personally, I thought that Marc was way too two-dimensional. Giles did a good job of showing that he was capable of being destructive, but for the majority of the book, I was fine with Marc. I thought he was a likable character and was just happy that someone came in to make Ames's life a little better. The switch from nice guy to predator came a little fast, and despite the fact that that's how it often happens in real life, I thought she could have drawn it out a little longer.
My biggest problem with Dark Song, however, is the end. If you're wary of spoilers, I would just skip this paragraph and go onto the next. For the whole story, I liked how the author showed the growing "dark side" of Ames, if you will. She started out being just a little rebellious and near the end, seemed relatively okay with the idea of possibly killing her parents. I felt like it took the whole novel to turn her into this darker person, and in the last few chapters, I believed Ames could be capable of some bad stuff. But, when Marc decides to put in action the idea that we've been waiting for all along (killing the parents and running of on their own) Ames immediately draws back and tells her parents everything. I'm not saying that I expected her to KILL them, but I really thought that there should have been a little bit more of contemplation about this idea. Ames clearly did not see how dangerous Marc was and she spent the whole book doing everything she could to rebel against her parents. No matter how hard I try, I just can't see how she would immediately return back to them, especially after falling so much in love with Marc. Her mother did seem to have a bit of a change of heart, but I also thought that was too sudden. And, one kind act shouldn't have taken away all of the anger/hatred that built up inside of Ames.
Anyway, spoilers aside, the book really wasn't bad. I enjoyed it while I was reading it and don't regret purchasing Dark Song. I've explained a lot of the cons to to story, but there were some pros. The whole thing was very well written. Also, I often don't like the protagonists of novels, but I didn't have any issues with Ames. I didn't love her, but I could relate to her and found her to be a very realistic character. The whole story seemed pretty believable to me. The other major characters (Chrissy, the mother, the father, Em, and even Marc) seemed very well thought out and interesting. Finally, after you got through the first part, the story did pick up pace. I read through the second part in one sitting. But, there were still a lot of cons. Besides Marc and the ending, I found the whole thing to be pretty predictable. It took too long to get to the major plot point of the novel and once you DID reach it, the story ended abruptly. I wasn't ready to part with the characters yet and would have loved if Dark Song was a little longer, to make it less rushed and give you more of a conclusion. Overall, I thought it was just alright. I would probably recommend this to others, as long as you really think that it sounds interesting. But, you may not want to spend money on it; just borrow it from the library.
The first half of Dark Song is all about a rich family's fall, after the father makes a mistake and gets fired from his job. I don't think many people knew that so much back story would be given, as the summaries of the novel really only talk about the end of the story. I definitely thought that this part was too long. It gave background information that I didn't need to know, brought in characters that didn't really matter later (Robin, Edwin, etc.), and became quite boring after a while. I read 3/4 of Dark Song in one day, but it took me half a week to get through the first fifty pages.
The second half of the book, however, was just the opposite. I felt that it was too rushed and you didn't really get an ideal picture of Marc and Ames's relationship. Personally, I thought that Marc was way too two-dimensional. Giles did a good job of showing that he was capable of being destructive, but for the majority of the book, I was fine with Marc. I thought he was a likable character and was just happy that someone came in to make Ames's life a little better. The switch from nice guy to predator came a little fast, and despite the fact that that's how it often happens in real life, I thought she could have drawn it out a little longer.
My biggest problem with Dark Song, however, is the end. If you're wary of spoilers, I would just skip this paragraph and go onto the next. For the whole story, I liked how the author showed the growing "dark side" of Ames, if you will. She started out being just a little rebellious and near the end, seemed relatively okay with the idea of possibly killing her parents. I felt like it took the whole novel to turn her into this darker person, and in the last few chapters, I believed Ames could be capable of some bad stuff. But, when Marc decides to put in action the idea that we've been waiting for all along (killing the parents and running of on their own) Ames immediately draws back and tells her parents everything. I'm not saying that I expected her to KILL them, but I really thought that there should have been a little bit more of contemplation about this idea. Ames clearly did not see how dangerous Marc was and she spent the whole book doing everything she could to rebel against her parents. No matter how hard I try, I just can't see how she would immediately return back to them, especially after falling so much in love with Marc. Her mother did seem to have a bit of a change of heart, but I also thought that was too sudden. And, one kind act shouldn't have taken away all of the anger/hatred that built up inside of Ames.
Anyway, spoilers aside, the book really wasn't bad. I enjoyed it while I was reading it and don't regret purchasing Dark Song. I've explained a lot of the cons to to story, but there were some pros. The whole thing was very well written. Also, I often don't like the protagonists of novels, but I didn't have any issues with Ames. I didn't love her, but I could relate to her and found her to be a very realistic character. The whole story seemed pretty believable to me. The other major characters (Chrissy, the mother, the father, Em, and even Marc) seemed very well thought out and interesting. Finally, after you got through the first part, the story did pick up pace. I read through the second part in one sitting. But, there were still a lot of cons. Besides Marc and the ending, I found the whole thing to be pretty predictable. It took too long to get to the major plot point of the novel and once you DID reach it, the story ended abruptly. I wasn't ready to part with the characters yet and would have loved if Dark Song was a little longer, to make it less rushed and give you more of a conclusion. Overall, I thought it was just alright. I would probably recommend this to others, as long as you really think that it sounds interesting. But, you may not want to spend money on it; just borrow it from the library.
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December 21, 2017WARNING SPOILERS DO NOT READ IF YOU PLAN ON READING THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ames is the girl who had the perfect life until her dad stole from his customers. And they are rapidly losing money. Her mom starts selling everything. They move to Texas and she meets the love of her life, Marc. He loves her and she loves him he has a Gun collection and uses it to creep in peoples house which Ames at first doesn't like but she then tells him to promise that when he does go creeping that he will tell her all about it until he tells her that he will " take care " of her parents. He follows through with the plan and gets into the house gets ready and gets caught by the police.
Ames is the girl who had the perfect life until her dad stole from his customers. And they are rapidly losing money. Her mom starts selling everything. They move to Texas and she meets the love of her life, Marc. He loves her and she loves him he has a Gun collection and uses it to creep in peoples house which Ames at first doesn't like but she then tells him to promise that when he does go creeping that he will tell her all about it until he tells her that he will " take care " of her parents. He follows through with the plan and gets into the house gets ready and gets caught by the police.
January 31, 2011
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Dark Song wasn’t really what I expected and that’s both a good and bad thing. I kind of think the back of the book gives a lot of the story away but even with that it was still a pretty good read. Ames’ life has changed so dramatically that she hardly recognizes it anymore. Her father lost his job, the family is forced to move out of their home, and her mother is quickly becoming a live-in-home enemy of Ames’. While the two have bumped heads on numerous occasions, their relationship just deteriorates as everyone tries to come to terms with what Ames’ father has done.
When Marc comes into Ames’ life, he’s like a knight in shining armor. He understands what she’s going through and is fiercely protective of her. It’s hard for Ames not to fall in love with him. It’s Ames and Marc against the world and she would follow him anywhere, just as long as her younger sister, Chrissy, could be with them. But Marc has a darker side to him. A side that likes to collect guns and creep houses; a side that will stop at nothing to have Ames and keep him with her for always. When the time comes for her to choose between Marc and her parents, Ames is forced to consider the unthinkable and the unforgivable.
So much happens to Ames in such a short period of time. All her so-called friends turned on her when her father lost her job. Thankfully her best friend stays true though. But her father’s decisions seem to brand the entire family as outcasts in the rich suburban area that Ames lives in. Speaking of her father…what an asshole! Truly, I mean not only does he mess up and lose his job (and no it wasn’t downsizing) but he keeps messing up. He’s like a train wreck…only getting worse and causing more damage as the wreck continues to happen. And while I really empathize with Ames’ mother I felt she completely shut down and actually made things worse. I know she pretty much lost everything but she could have not taken it out on Ames so much. But I’m not excusing Ames at all because she was a spoiled brat a lot of the time.
So with Ames’ life falling apart I still found it hard to really connect with her and like her. But I didn’t really feel like I needed a connection with her or any of the characters to get what the story was about. Ames was completely lost after losing so much. I understand she had nowhere to really turn to and when Marc came into her life it was hard for her not to latch onto him. Even though I get all that I still wanted to slap the girl. Marc started showing signs of his crazy, creepy ways very early-on and it never bothered Ames. I know she was desperate, she’s young, and Marc seemed all great but I couldn’t help my violent feelings toward the girl. She definitely didn’t use her common sense.
Dark Song was a quick read which I liked. I like how it flowed and was divided into “before” and “after”. It was a scary read in the sense that it made me really think about what would happen if I were in Ames position. I might have reacted the same way (I’d like to think I wouldn’t have been so naïve) as Ames so I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on her. Dark Song was very realistic because things like this actually do happen in the real world. People are scary and crazy as hell in real life. I think Gail Giles did a really great job putting a crazy situation into words that is palpable to readers. This is my first time reading a book by Giles and I can see myself reading more of her work in the future.
Dark Song wasn’t really what I expected and that’s both a good and bad thing. I kind of think the back of the book gives a lot of the story away but even with that it was still a pretty good read. Ames’ life has changed so dramatically that she hardly recognizes it anymore. Her father lost his job, the family is forced to move out of their home, and her mother is quickly becoming a live-in-home enemy of Ames’. While the two have bumped heads on numerous occasions, their relationship just deteriorates as everyone tries to come to terms with what Ames’ father has done.
When Marc comes into Ames’ life, he’s like a knight in shining armor. He understands what she’s going through and is fiercely protective of her. It’s hard for Ames not to fall in love with him. It’s Ames and Marc against the world and she would follow him anywhere, just as long as her younger sister, Chrissy, could be with them. But Marc has a darker side to him. A side that likes to collect guns and creep houses; a side that will stop at nothing to have Ames and keep him with her for always. When the time comes for her to choose between Marc and her parents, Ames is forced to consider the unthinkable and the unforgivable.
So much happens to Ames in such a short period of time. All her so-called friends turned on her when her father lost her job. Thankfully her best friend stays true though. But her father’s decisions seem to brand the entire family as outcasts in the rich suburban area that Ames lives in. Speaking of her father…what an asshole! Truly, I mean not only does he mess up and lose his job (and no it wasn’t downsizing) but he keeps messing up. He’s like a train wreck…only getting worse and causing more damage as the wreck continues to happen. And while I really empathize with Ames’ mother I felt she completely shut down and actually made things worse. I know she pretty much lost everything but she could have not taken it out on Ames so much. But I’m not excusing Ames at all because she was a spoiled brat a lot of the time.
So with Ames’ life falling apart I still found it hard to really connect with her and like her. But I didn’t really feel like I needed a connection with her or any of the characters to get what the story was about. Ames was completely lost after losing so much. I understand she had nowhere to really turn to and when Marc came into her life it was hard for her not to latch onto him. Even though I get all that I still wanted to slap the girl. Marc started showing signs of his crazy, creepy ways very early-on and it never bothered Ames. I know she was desperate, she’s young, and Marc seemed all great but I couldn’t help my violent feelings toward the girl. She definitely didn’t use her common sense.
Dark Song was a quick read which I liked. I like how it flowed and was divided into “before” and “after”. It was a scary read in the sense that it made me really think about what would happen if I were in Ames position. I might have reacted the same way (I’d like to think I wouldn’t have been so naïve) as Ames so I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on her. Dark Song was very realistic because things like this actually do happen in the real world. People are scary and crazy as hell in real life. I think Gail Giles did a really great job putting a crazy situation into words that is palpable to readers. This is my first time reading a book by Giles and I can see myself reading more of her work in the future.
December 16, 2010
In Dark Song, we meet Ames. She’s a golden girl with the world at her feet. Born into a life of privilege, cushy mansions, and excess, Ames doesn’t know the first thing about loss until the rug is pulled out from under her feet. When her father is fired from his job, details emerge revealing him for what he truly is, and Ames feels betrayed. Lost and confused, her perfect world starts to unravel, and suddenly she’s thrust into a new town with new lies and new losses. But Marc offers her an out. He offers her protection and a sense of stability…but how much is Ames willing to give up for him?
Before I say anything else, let me state that Dark Song is NOT a feel-good book. If you are looking for something light and fluffy, this is not the book for you. I didn’t really know what I was in for when I started Dark Song, but I was intrigued, and I’ll admit that I devoured this book in about four hours. It’s a quick and fast-paced read that sends you on a dark and enthralling ride as a good girl goes bad. Gail Giles strings you along with Ames and her family, hooking you with a plot that won’t let you go.
I was amazed by just how dark Dark Song really was. I had a general idea where it was going, but wow…it dips into some pretty dark and messy material – stuff that I’m not usually used to or want to read. That said, I think Gail Giles handled the issues with due tact. I will, however, state that while I found the characterization of Ames, her family, and Marc to be superb, I was really, really disappointed in the secondary characters at the beginning like Kim. Her first introduction is as “the anorexic girl,” and her descriptions that followed were stereotyped and a bit crass. Furthermore, her cronies were the stereotypical mean girls that I loathe so much. I wished those characters broke the mold like Emily. I also had some trouble stomaching the actual relationship between Marc and Ames. It’s very…graphic, shall we say. I think, however, that was the point of Dark Song.
All in all, if you’re looking for a no-holds-barred take on one girl’s downward spiral from good to bad, Dark Song is a really great read. It’s very dark though, so if you do read, be prepared for the content to be rather heavy. I give this a very strong 4 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to fans of YA, contemporary fiction, and I think an adult audience would appreciate it, as well, as it’s a very poignant story.
This book was given to me free of charge from the publisher, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
Before I say anything else, let me state that Dark Song is NOT a feel-good book. If you are looking for something light and fluffy, this is not the book for you. I didn’t really know what I was in for when I started Dark Song, but I was intrigued, and I’ll admit that I devoured this book in about four hours. It’s a quick and fast-paced read that sends you on a dark and enthralling ride as a good girl goes bad. Gail Giles strings you along with Ames and her family, hooking you with a plot that won’t let you go.
I was amazed by just how dark Dark Song really was. I had a general idea where it was going, but wow…it dips into some pretty dark and messy material – stuff that I’m not usually used to or want to read. That said, I think Gail Giles handled the issues with due tact. I will, however, state that while I found the characterization of Ames, her family, and Marc to be superb, I was really, really disappointed in the secondary characters at the beginning like Kim. Her first introduction is as “the anorexic girl,” and her descriptions that followed were stereotyped and a bit crass. Furthermore, her cronies were the stereotypical mean girls that I loathe so much. I wished those characters broke the mold like Emily. I also had some trouble stomaching the actual relationship between Marc and Ames. It’s very…graphic, shall we say. I think, however, that was the point of Dark Song.
All in all, if you’re looking for a no-holds-barred take on one girl’s downward spiral from good to bad, Dark Song is a really great read. It’s very dark though, so if you do read, be prepared for the content to be rather heavy. I give this a very strong 4 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to fans of YA, contemporary fiction, and I think an adult audience would appreciate it, as well, as it’s a very poignant story.
This book was given to me free of charge from the publisher, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
January 11, 2016
Okay, I'm just gonna go for it with this one. First, the book was nothing like I expected. The description lead me to believe that the book was entirely different. I thought it was going to be more of a paranormal book, but it is not. I got about 2/3 of the way through and Marc still wasn't introduced, the main bad-boy love interest, when I thought that part of the book would be the biggest section. In fact, the first 2/3s of the book were pretty decent and believable.
This leads to the second problem I had with the book. The first part was incredibly long for what was happening, even though it took place over a shorter period of time. There are two parts to the book (they are divided by part 1 and part 2). The transition from part one to two was abrupt and didn't make much sense. In fact, when I turned the page, thinking it was the end of a chapter (all of the chapters seem to end this way too) and it turned out to be part two, I literally scoffed because the transition was so bad.
The third thing that really bothered me was that the second part of the books was one, unbelievable. I myself am 16 years old and I wouldn't never fall for his crap. Ames, the main character, acts like spoiled child and I really don't understand why she gets upset about half the things she does. Some of it makes sense, like when her parents hit/almost hit her. I understand that she feels betrayed, but I don't think it's enough to push her towards this guy. She literally sees him and immediately thinks she can use him against her parents. It just seem unreal to me. It was also, two, incredibly short, even though that's supposed to be the main part of the book. The author drew out the first part too long and rushed through the second.
The last big problem I had was with the ending. Just like the transition from part one to two, it was abrupt, unsatisfactory, and overall disappointing. It didn't make much sense and I felt like I was left on a weird cliffhanger. But one that I didn't even want to know more about. Basically it's like the author didn't know where to go next in the middle of an Ames's inner monolouge and decided "Hey, I'm just gonna put a figurative 'The End' right here cause I don't know how to properly end a book". I dont mean to sound that harsh, but that's how I felt.
From the other reviews on this book, her other books are apparently better, but this makes me not want to read them. I guess, in conclusion, I got through the book, but it was pretty bad. I wouldn't recommend it.
This leads to the second problem I had with the book. The first part was incredibly long for what was happening, even though it took place over a shorter period of time. There are two parts to the book (they are divided by part 1 and part 2). The transition from part one to two was abrupt and didn't make much sense. In fact, when I turned the page, thinking it was the end of a chapter (all of the chapters seem to end this way too) and it turned out to be part two, I literally scoffed because the transition was so bad.
The third thing that really bothered me was that the second part of the books was one, unbelievable. I myself am 16 years old and I wouldn't never fall for his crap. Ames, the main character, acts like spoiled child and I really don't understand why she gets upset about half the things she does. Some of it makes sense, like when her parents hit/almost hit her. I understand that she feels betrayed, but I don't think it's enough to push her towards this guy. She literally sees him and immediately thinks she can use him against her parents. It just seem unreal to me. It was also, two, incredibly short, even though that's supposed to be the main part of the book. The author drew out the first part too long and rushed through the second.
The last big problem I had was with the ending. Just like the transition from part one to two, it was abrupt, unsatisfactory, and overall disappointing. It didn't make much sense and I felt like I was left on a weird cliffhanger. But one that I didn't even want to know more about. Basically it's like the author didn't know where to go next in the middle of an Ames's inner monolouge and decided "Hey, I'm just gonna put a figurative 'The End' right here cause I don't know how to properly end a book". I dont mean to sound that harsh, but that's how I felt.
From the other reviews on this book, her other books are apparently better, but this makes me not want to read them. I guess, in conclusion, I got through the book, but it was pretty bad. I wouldn't recommend it.
September 28, 2011
Riveting book! I thought this might just be a quick read pretty much without consequence...just a good story. It's not. It's a book that sits one back in the chair with a serious, cautionary tale. I think it's a "must read" for parents of teen agers who use social media.
Gail Giles immediately enlists our sympathies for a father who has just been fired, a mother trying her best to cope, and teen aged, Ames, who's basically a "good kid" just trying to cope with private school. Ames is kind to her little sister, thoughtful of her dad, and trying to understand her often bitchy mother who is controlling and demanding of all the family.
Giles's command of characterization is sound and strong. These characters leap off the page with realism. They are the typical suburban family we are, or know. It's a little bit voyeuristic! Giles nails it on the head, here.
The emotional pitfalls each family member experiences as they adjust to the darker sides of themselves and eachother, are wonderfully sketched. This is one of my favorite parts of Ms Giles novel. It's honest and shines a light where we like to keep the shutters closed. I like this kind of honesty and no sugar-coating in my authors. Again, insightful. What we learn about human nature through the vehicle of these characters is tremendous. "You're not the only one who feels this way" storytelling is always a good sign!
Mostly, I want to recommend this book in the strongest way possible for its stand on the dangers of predators who are lurking on social sites, hoping to entrap young children and young adults. It's such an important issue, and I want to thank Ms Giles for taking up the story and writing this book for YA's and parents.
Without saying more that would give her story away, I want to also tell you that I loved her moral warning, as well, to parents that being honest and forthright with children is always the best route to take. Lying to protect them, doesn't protect them. Lies always cause trouble.
Young adults will love the story, and parents will, too.
5 stars for an enlightening and needful book
Deborah/TheBookishDame
Gail Giles immediately enlists our sympathies for a father who has just been fired, a mother trying her best to cope, and teen aged, Ames, who's basically a "good kid" just trying to cope with private school. Ames is kind to her little sister, thoughtful of her dad, and trying to understand her often bitchy mother who is controlling and demanding of all the family.
Giles's command of characterization is sound and strong. These characters leap off the page with realism. They are the typical suburban family we are, or know. It's a little bit voyeuristic! Giles nails it on the head, here.
The emotional pitfalls each family member experiences as they adjust to the darker sides of themselves and eachother, are wonderfully sketched. This is one of my favorite parts of Ms Giles novel. It's honest and shines a light where we like to keep the shutters closed. I like this kind of honesty and no sugar-coating in my authors. Again, insightful. What we learn about human nature through the vehicle of these characters is tremendous. "You're not the only one who feels this way" storytelling is always a good sign!
Mostly, I want to recommend this book in the strongest way possible for its stand on the dangers of predators who are lurking on social sites, hoping to entrap young children and young adults. It's such an important issue, and I want to thank Ms Giles for taking up the story and writing this book for YA's and parents.
Without saying more that would give her story away, I want to also tell you that I loved her moral warning, as well, to parents that being honest and forthright with children is always the best route to take. Lying to protect them, doesn't protect them. Lies always cause trouble.
Young adults will love the story, and parents will, too.
5 stars for an enlightening and needful book
Deborah/TheBookishDame
September 7, 2010
After I finished Dark Song, I had mixed feelings. It was dark and edgy, but not as much as I'd liked. Gail introduced a delightful, rich, and happy family in the first couple of chapters. A bond between parents and children that was respected and envied. Despite that, there is always a crack of imperfection behind closed doors, which proved correct in Ames's household. In a blink of an eye, they went from riches to rags. There super dad sold out his family and caused them to move to Texas. Everything she once knew didn't exist anymore. Her parents continually argued and treated the children like crap. I felt like each person in this novel had something wrong with them, except for Ames's little sister, Chrissy. Ames went from being a flawless daughter to a spoiled, lost girl who sought attention from all the wrong places. The father turned into a belligerent, alcoholic and the mother shut down and became a self-centered person who didn't have time to console her kids. They definitely made my family look like saints.
Ames was an interesting character. I didn't know if I should like or hate her. At times, she was sarcastic and funny while sometimes, I wanted to slap her. On the other hand, Chrissy was the most adorable little girl. She might of been too young to understand, but she was the only sane one. While trying to get their lives straight, Marc a guy from the neighborhood started helping Ames's family out with renovations. This was when my blood started boiling. His aura was shady and dangerous. From carrying guns to violent outbursts, I knew he was bad news. Ames and Marc started hanging out and that's when the story turned for the worst. I didn't really understand Ames anymore and was shocked to see the secrets that unraveled at the end. It left me stunned and horrified. However, I wish Gail would of built their relationship more instead of rushing it. Overall, the plot held my attention throughout and piqued my interest in the characters. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next which was a great quality in Dark Song.
Ames was an interesting character. I didn't know if I should like or hate her. At times, she was sarcastic and funny while sometimes, I wanted to slap her. On the other hand, Chrissy was the most adorable little girl. She might of been too young to understand, but she was the only sane one. While trying to get their lives straight, Marc a guy from the neighborhood started helping Ames's family out with renovations. This was when my blood started boiling. His aura was shady and dangerous. From carrying guns to violent outbursts, I knew he was bad news. Ames and Marc started hanging out and that's when the story turned for the worst. I didn't really understand Ames anymore and was shocked to see the secrets that unraveled at the end. It left me stunned and horrified. However, I wish Gail would of built their relationship more instead of rushing it. Overall, the plot held my attention throughout and piqued my interest in the characters. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next which was a great quality in Dark Song.
May 22, 2012
While Dark Song has an interesting premise, I had trouble buying into some of the strange reactions and behaviors of the characters.
Ames' life is falling apart. She's always been the rich, private school kid who has never wanted for anything. Now, her father has lost his job because of illegal activities, which means he can't find another one. As things get worse and worse for Ames and her family, they end up packing up and moving across country.
The book's premise, according to the blurb, is that Ames gets involved with the wrong man and gets herself in trouble because everyone else has abandoned her. My first issue with the book is that we don't even meet this kid until over 150 pages into the book. The beginning is all about the family's slow demise.
Some of the pacing is "jerky." It takes only fifteen pages for the family to decide to move, sell almost all of their belongings, and pack up and drive to Texas. The 120 pages before that just seemed to drag for me...as Ames figures out just how different her parents are from what she believed.
I understand Ames' mother being totally livid about what her father did and her angry reactions to him. I didn't buy that the mom would just totally abandon her kids, lash out at them, and basically not give a shit about how this was affecting their lives. A loving mother one day, and a selfish bitch the next? I couldn't believe it.
Since I didn't buy the mother's behavior, it was difficult for me to sympathize with Ames and believe that she would just immediately jump into this loser's arms. She very quickly found out his strange quirks and could see the potential danger, but it didn't matter.
Giles did build up some tension, but the ending fizzled for me too. Everything got resolved fairly easily. Big showdown in five pages.
Dark Song is a quick and easy read. The story probably flows just fine for some teens, even considering the pacing problems I had. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it -- I did enjoy parts of the book -- but Dark Song isn't a book that will stick with me for very long.
Ames' life is falling apart. She's always been the rich, private school kid who has never wanted for anything. Now, her father has lost his job because of illegal activities, which means he can't find another one. As things get worse and worse for Ames and her family, they end up packing up and moving across country.
The book's premise, according to the blurb, is that Ames gets involved with the wrong man and gets herself in trouble because everyone else has abandoned her. My first issue with the book is that we don't even meet this kid until over 150 pages into the book. The beginning is all about the family's slow demise.
Some of the pacing is "jerky." It takes only fifteen pages for the family to decide to move, sell almost all of their belongings, and pack up and drive to Texas. The 120 pages before that just seemed to drag for me...as Ames figures out just how different her parents are from what she believed.
I understand Ames' mother being totally livid about what her father did and her angry reactions to him. I didn't buy that the mom would just totally abandon her kids, lash out at them, and basically not give a shit about how this was affecting their lives. A loving mother one day, and a selfish bitch the next? I couldn't believe it.
Since I didn't buy the mother's behavior, it was difficult for me to sympathize with Ames and believe that she would just immediately jump into this loser's arms. She very quickly found out his strange quirks and could see the potential danger, but it didn't matter.
Giles did build up some tension, but the ending fizzled for me too. Everything got resolved fairly easily. Big showdown in five pages.
Dark Song is a quick and easy read. The story probably flows just fine for some teens, even considering the pacing problems I had. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it -- I did enjoy parts of the book -- but Dark Song isn't a book that will stick with me for very long.
November 25, 2012
Ames Ford is a pretty little rich girl whose perfect life is destroyed when her father loses his corporate job. Word of his crime (embezzlement) leaks out and he can’t find a new position. Instead of taking something that’s “beneath” him, he resorts to gambling away the money they have left. Ames doesn’t know who she can trust anymore. Her father is (and, apparently has always been) a liar, her mother – always a little standoffish – has become cold and cruel, and Ames and her little sister, Chrissy, are stuck with them. Who are these people? What’s happened to their family? When they lose their house, the family has to move to Texas. Their new house is a complete wreck and Ames’ parents put her to work immediately, helping them clean it out and make it livable. The only thing that makes her situation at all bearable is her relationship with Marc – an older guy, whom she meets through her old friend, Em. Marc sees all of the little injustices perpetrated against Ames. He’s dark and dangerous and Ames is over her head with him before she even knows what’s happening. Not only does he understand and sympathize, he also wants to protect her, and if that means killing her family, well, so be it.
Is it just Ames’ perception that her parents are the enemy? As the injustices pile up, you’ll find yourself sympathizing with her situation. It’s out of control; she’s out of control. Her parents sort of step up when they realize what’s happening, but it’s hard to imagine them making any lasting changes – they’ve lied/failed her so many times already. Even though Ames is pretty smart and manages to stave off the darkness (this time), the impression you’re left with is that it’s only temporary. She’s awake to this new feeling inside her, and she doesn’t need Marc as a conduit. This is a fast-paced thriller that stops just short of being too scary. Sexual situations (and statutory rape – Ames is only 15 and Marc is 22), language, illegal activities and violence make this a pick for older teens.
Is it just Ames’ perception that her parents are the enemy? As the injustices pile up, you’ll find yourself sympathizing with her situation. It’s out of control; she’s out of control. Her parents sort of step up when they realize what’s happening, but it’s hard to imagine them making any lasting changes – they’ve lied/failed her so many times already. Even though Ames is pretty smart and manages to stave off the darkness (this time), the impression you’re left with is that it’s only temporary. She’s awake to this new feeling inside her, and she doesn’t need Marc as a conduit. This is a fast-paced thriller that stops just short of being too scary. Sexual situations (and statutory rape – Ames is only 15 and Marc is 22), language, illegal activities and violence make this a pick for older teens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2015
My thoughts on the book, 'Dark Song" were confusing at first. In the beginning when I started reading this book, I was really bored and confused with it. As I started reading more and more of the book, and eventually finishing it, I found that the plot was actually very relatable to my own life. That made this book a lot easier to read. Because this book is so relatable to some people lives at home, I think I would recommend this book to anyone with parents who fight a lot. To be more specific, I think a good age group for this book would be like 12 to maybe 35 because I think as you get older, this book would probably get less appealing.
This book is about a young girl named Ames Ford. Ames grew up in the rich life, mansion, rich parents, anything she wants whenever she wants, etc. When her parents and her go on a trip, she finds out that they're some suspicious things going on in her family. First, she thinks that her parents are just fighting a lot, but later on in the book she finds out that something is going very wrong with her dad. She finds out that her dad has been stealing money from his clients. Soon her dad ends up loosing everything he has; his job, wife, house, and his normal daughter.
After Ames looses everything, she becomes a totally different person. She becomes mean and cruel. In the beginning, Ames was just a regular teenage girl who went to a private school with one of her best friends. She and her little sister had it all made. Ames started becoming dark and mean after she found out what happened with her father. She started talking to a boy who gave her the attention she wanted, but it still wasn't good enough for her. She wanted revenge.
This book is about a young girl named Ames Ford. Ames grew up in the rich life, mansion, rich parents, anything she wants whenever she wants, etc. When her parents and her go on a trip, she finds out that they're some suspicious things going on in her family. First, she thinks that her parents are just fighting a lot, but later on in the book she finds out that something is going very wrong with her dad. She finds out that her dad has been stealing money from his clients. Soon her dad ends up loosing everything he has; his job, wife, house, and his normal daughter.
After Ames looses everything, she becomes a totally different person. She becomes mean and cruel. In the beginning, Ames was just a regular teenage girl who went to a private school with one of her best friends. She and her little sister had it all made. Ames started becoming dark and mean after she found out what happened with her father. She started talking to a boy who gave her the attention she wanted, but it still wasn't good enough for her. She wanted revenge.
January 20, 2020
2 stars because despite its shortcomings, it was a page turner.
Otherwise, there’s not much here I liked. The writing is short and choppy, which leaves little room to develop characters. Without that development, the characters’ reactions felt over dramatic and unrealistic.
The parents seemed to be awful for the sake of being awful. It felt like some of their reactions were done for shock value, and to help convince us that Ames was so desperate for love that she would turn to someone like Marc for it. Ames was spoiled and naive and unlikable. Chrissy was the only character I enjoyed and who remained consistent to the little characterization we were given.
The “predator” didn’t have to work very hard to gain Ames’ trust. Giles really relied on their “instant” connection to propel that plot forward. He also didn’t really do anything to alienate Ames from her friends and family. A couple throw away lines here and there, and Ames was ready to believe whatever he said.
There were also practical things that were ignored. They move to Texas in April, so with less than 3 months of school to finish, but they never return Ames or Chrissy to school - so now what? They’re both going to have to repeat a year so they could help clean up their new house? They also sold off everything - but kept their Lexus SUV? And Ames’ Dad found out she was seeing Marc, after finding out he’d gotten into trouble in California, and waited weeks (?) to have Earl look into him.
This just felt like lazy storytelling. It’s a short read, so there was definitely room to have better fleshed out the characters and their motivations.
Otherwise, there’s not much here I liked. The writing is short and choppy, which leaves little room to develop characters. Without that development, the characters’ reactions felt over dramatic and unrealistic.
The parents seemed to be awful for the sake of being awful. It felt like some of their reactions were done for shock value, and to help convince us that Ames was so desperate for love that she would turn to someone like Marc for it. Ames was spoiled and naive and unlikable. Chrissy was the only character I enjoyed and who remained consistent to the little characterization we were given.
The “predator” didn’t have to work very hard to gain Ames’ trust. Giles really relied on their “instant” connection to propel that plot forward. He also didn’t really do anything to alienate Ames from her friends and family. A couple throw away lines here and there, and Ames was ready to believe whatever he said.
There were also practical things that were ignored. They move to Texas in April, so with less than 3 months of school to finish, but they never return Ames or Chrissy to school - so now what? They’re both going to have to repeat a year so they could help clean up their new house? They also sold off everything - but kept their Lexus SUV? And Ames’ Dad found out she was seeing Marc, after finding out he’d gotten into trouble in California, and waited weeks (?) to have Earl look into him.
This just felt like lazy storytelling. It’s a short read, so there was definitely room to have better fleshed out the characters and their motivations.
July 6, 2012
Ames has lived a charmed life in the affluent Boulder, Colorado. She has the perfect home, decorated to perfection by her mother. She attends the perfect private school, has perfect clothes, a perfectly sweet little sister, and a perfectly wonderful father who surprises the family with a trip to Alaska where they swim in a hot spring while witnessing the Aurora Borealis. It’s all just so…perfect…that is, until Ames finds out it is all a lie. After losing his job and their savings, her father uproots the family and moves them to a rental property in Texas, where he’s from. Looking for love in all the wrong places, things go from bad to worse as Ames gets involved with Marc, a guy who’s really good at lying, owns a lot of guns, and will do anything to keep him and Ames together. How far will Ames go to let Marc “protect” her? Giles keeps us on the edge until the last page wondering just that.
While I enjoyed this quick read, and I did wonder until the end how it would all pan out, I felt like much of the plot was rushed. There was a lot of development of the family as the truth about Ames's dad unfolded, and I actually wanted more of that. What made him that way? What made Ames's mom trust him? Why is she staying with him? How can they possibly show such little love for their children in the wake of such a crisis? How does someone such as Ames fall for such an obvious creep like Marc? I guess what I'm saying is that I enjoyed the book, but I would have also enjoyed further development.
While I enjoyed this quick read, and I did wonder until the end how it would all pan out, I felt like much of the plot was rushed. There was a lot of development of the family as the truth about Ames's dad unfolded, and I actually wanted more of that. What made him that way? What made Ames's mom trust him? Why is she staying with him? How can they possibly show such little love for their children in the wake of such a crisis? How does someone such as Ames fall for such an obvious creep like Marc? I guess what I'm saying is that I enjoyed the book, but I would have also enjoyed further development.
August 19, 2010
3.5 Stars
This was a dark and edgy book, and took you on highs and lows with Ames. It was an adventure, and I would recommend reading it. The set-up and relationship are very realistic, and shows how easy it can be to just fall into a predator's grasp-- when you are searching for love and they make themselves so readily available. However, I think that this aspect was rushed. I have been in a socially taboo, borderline abusive relationship before, and it takes much longer to develop and unfold. The ending though, I would say has a 40/60 chance of being an actual outcome.
I could not give it more stars because the first half (literally in pages, and also 'Part One') seems to expand and take the themes to extremes that I think just were not needed. Yes, we needed to see this part- how the family situation got that bad, how she would be set up for this sort of relationship, and vulnerabilities, but I don't think that it needed that much expounding. Although probably in teenage fashion, Ames at times really did seem whiny and hard to connect to, even though the situation certainly lends to acting out.
I like how the younger sister Chrissy is written- she tells it like it is, and that is really needed sometimes. She is a breath of fresh air, and keeps the novel light at times when it needs a little relief.
Overall- if you like dark and twisting books, you should give this one a read!
This was a dark and edgy book, and took you on highs and lows with Ames. It was an adventure, and I would recommend reading it. The set-up and relationship are very realistic, and shows how easy it can be to just fall into a predator's grasp-- when you are searching for love and they make themselves so readily available. However, I think that this aspect was rushed. I have been in a socially taboo, borderline abusive relationship before, and it takes much longer to develop and unfold. The ending though, I would say has a 40/60 chance of being an actual outcome.
I could not give it more stars because the first half (literally in pages, and also 'Part One') seems to expand and take the themes to extremes that I think just were not needed. Yes, we needed to see this part- how the family situation got that bad, how she would be set up for this sort of relationship, and vulnerabilities, but I don't think that it needed that much expounding. Although probably in teenage fashion, Ames at times really did seem whiny and hard to connect to, even though the situation certainly lends to acting out.
I like how the younger sister Chrissy is written- she tells it like it is, and that is really needed sometimes. She is a breath of fresh air, and keeps the novel light at times when it needs a little relief.
Overall- if you like dark and twisting books, you should give this one a read!
November 19, 2012
Well, it's close to fantastic. On one hand, the description of a family coming apart at the seams, and a teenage girl being lured into an emotionally and potentially physically abusive relationship with a predator are, for the most part, gripping and realistically written. The main character, Ames, has reactions that feel mostly authentic to me, even as I find her a bit of a whiney brat to start. But I get that she would react that way (how dare her mother shut down her iTunes account!) just like I get how Marc can lure her in so easily.
That said, some of the family reactions just don't make much sense. Ames's mother does such a complete 180 from loving, attentive mother to disconnected and uncaring mother so quickly that it strains belief. And the relationship with Marc is (necessarily?) rushed, packing way too much into the last 75 or so pages. I'm not sure why Giles felt the need to pack Marc and Ames's entire relationship into what's actually just a few days, especially considering what Marc ends up asking Ames to do.
Because Giles takes so much time documenting how the family was falling to pieces before Marc ever shows up (something like half the book) that ends up being the main attraction, and not the relationship. ("Romance" is not an apt label here.) It's a quick read, and mostly absorbing, but there are some flaws in pacing, timing, and characterization.
That said, some of the family reactions just don't make much sense. Ames's mother does such a complete 180 from loving, attentive mother to disconnected and uncaring mother so quickly that it strains belief. And the relationship with Marc is (necessarily?) rushed, packing way too much into the last 75 or so pages. I'm not sure why Giles felt the need to pack Marc and Ames's entire relationship into what's actually just a few days, especially considering what Marc ends up asking Ames to do.
Because Giles takes so much time documenting how the family was falling to pieces before Marc ever shows up (something like half the book) that ends up being the main attraction, and not the relationship. ("Romance" is not an apt label here.) It's a quick read, and mostly absorbing, but there are some flaws in pacing, timing, and characterization.
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