Possessed

by Niki Valentine

Who do you trust when you can no longer trust your own mind?

Emma's life has always been a struggle, and now she's been accepted at a prestigious music school, she is determined to excel. But when the impossibly chic twins, confident Sophie and quieter Matilde, come crashing into her life - surrounding her with champagne and parties - they demand Emma's full attention.

Then shy Matilde commits suicide and shockingly, her identical twin Sophie flourishes. Now odd things are happening to Emma: blackouts, waking up in strange places, bizarre dreams. Something, or someone, is consuming Emma's mind. Terrified, Emma begins to doubt everything and everyone around her, especially the beautiful Sophie...

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Adult, Music

438 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2012

About the author

Niki Valentine is an award-winning writer who, as Nicola Monaghan, has been published internationally to huge acclaim. She has also published a number of stories and articles in anthologies and magazines. Niki worked for many years in the City of London, and now lives in Nottingham with her husband.

Reviews

[Lizete · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so bad.
Emma feels stalked, intimidated, scared, in panic and insecure through the whole book. Her thoughts are always tangled and she has the confidence of a shadow. I tried to find something likeable about her, but couldn't. She is just annoying and completely shallow as the main chareacter. After the first half of the book I stopped wanting to punch or at least shake her and settled with regular eye-rolling, because she was overreacting to everything way too much for my patience.
The so called friedship between Emma and the twins had no emotional cause. The twins just showed up at her door and BOOM! they're BFFs and inseparable. Why? Who knows. There is no actual reason for them being together and calling themselves friends. Friends do NOT act like Emma and the twins were acting towards one another.
And the kind-of-main male character Henry? He could as well not be there at all as he does nothing important and seems to exist just so there could also be a badly executed and point-less romance line in this novel.
Suprisingly, somewhere around two thirds in the book something actually started happening and things got a bit better. That is the worst part about this book - it could have been good. The idea is pretty interesting, but the execution of it - terrible. If the author had made her characters more... like real people, not some dolls stiffly interacting with each other just for the sake of it, this could have been really good. And even quite scary. Now it was just annoying and boring.

[Kat Orton · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest I really thought that something written by someone who teaches creative writing might have been written better. I really liked the plot but the writing was just so repetitive. I hate to sound all snobby but it really let the book down. It's worth reading because its a good story, but seriously how many times can a person say 'her friend' on one page. I've never let poor writing get in the way of my enjoyment of a good story before, but, oh my days, this was poor. Was it maybe aimed at teenagers?

[Huiling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the ending!

[Cat]

I found the writing/characters a little juvenile for me and was struggling to push through so I DNF'd at 21 pages.

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Possessed very much, especially as I love novels with school or university settings. Our principal character is Emma, a girl who grew up on an estate & taught herself to play the piano, who has won a scholarship to go to an outstanding school of music. The naive & lonely Emma is quickly befriended by Sophie & Matilde, beautiful identical twins with sophisticated manners & a slightly exotic background, who introduce Emma to expensive meals & serious drinking. Emma is captivated by both of them.

Before Emma has known them for very long, Matilde is humiliated by a poor performance in a master class & goes home from university & then apparently commits suicide. But at the wake for Matilde, Emma has a sense of her presence, with she shares with Sophie. Emma starts having lapses of memory even when she is performing brilliantly, & finds Sophie addressing her as if she were really Matilde.

Like Niki Valentine’s earlier novel Haunted, Possessed develops slowly. We are about a third of the way in before any signs of the spooky stuff appear, & at about two thirds of the way Emma begins to get seriously disturbed. But Possessed held me in thrall throughout, even in hospital awaiting the result of a CT scan!

It feels churlish to give Possessed only four stars, as entertainment it surely deserves five. But it mixes too many genres to achieve true artistic excellence in any one. The first part is mostly a story of student life & our main concern is whether Emma will succeed in such a demanding programme of auditions, master classes, & recitals. For that kind of book, the five start standard is represented by Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. Then Emma starts fearing being possessed by a ghost, & F. G. Cottam is my touchstone. And finally we have a straightforward damsel in distress menaced by homicidal maniac thriller. Five stars are rare in that genre. S. J. Bolton & Elizabeth Haynes are my favourites. But I’d rank Possessed very high amongst the four stars. It i’s’s a super good read.

Side note: It was amusing how often Emma insisted that she did not believe in ghosts or the supernatural. Probably readers who detest supernatural fiction utters similar sentiments. Of course ghosts don’t care what one believes. It’s like imagining that if you’re a vegetarian you’ll never be charged by a bull.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book; the premise sounded good and it looked like it could do wonderful things. However.

I was disappointed. At the beginning of the book the writing itself seemed chunky and awkward, as though the first chapters had never been re-read after being written; and that made it hard to get into. The pace was jolty- fast at times, slow at times, not quite working in regards to the story.

The characters didn't develop enough to get comfortable before Matilde's death took place, and at times I genuinely wondered if I was meant to know more than I did about them. At some points I felt I'd lost a few chapters, though this may have been intentional so I could relate to Emma more- it just made me feel bored.

The end of the story seemed rushed. Better written, but sudden and messy. Especially when Emma escaped a room that I swear had been locked, although maybe in my attempt to finish the book I missed a moment where it was unlocked. Doubtful, as the keys had been shoved under a door. But maybe that's just it. Maybe I felt so annoyed by the end of the book that I just didn't want to understand anymore. The ending was never truly explained, Emma's life was not really rectified and I felt nothing specifically about Sophie's trial whatsoever.

While I say all this, I did enjoy it in parts. As I said, the premise was a good one - the execution just let it down.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems as though I'm in the minority here in terms of rating the book - but I gave it four stars.
The book was written fairly simply so it didn't take very long to get through and at first, I was a bit skeptical due to my initial dislike of the several of the main characters but this later contributed to the progression of the book so I'm glad I read on. I didn't feel that I identified with or formed any sort of care for the characters, particularly Emma, she was a dull character and I found her to be 'one-dimensional' throughout the book. However, I liked the overall concept of the book and this take on possession and how the divided personalities of the twins caused this, as it says on the cover, I could clearly tell that this was very similar to the film 'Black Swan' due to the paranoia, rivalry and split personalities portrayed in the book and it had obviously had a heavy influence on the novel itself. All in all, an enjoyable read and despite the dislikable characters, I'm glad I picked this up due to the concept and psychological elements.

[Charlie' (MyBooksAreCorrupted) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this book.
I could not anticipate what was going to happen next and that is one of the things that kept me going, I loved trying to guess what what going to happen next.

I love Emma's character
Matilde was a great character too, I wish we found out more of the reason why though.
Sophie. Yes she was a very controlling character, but I love how was writtern.
Henry. I was not expecting to love him, I thought he was a character we wouldnt see much of, but he is so kind and so sweet!

I love the story line, I love how we found out everything gradually too.
I love the ending, the story hit a climax and it ended perfectly.

I love this book. I love the plot, the characters and they way it is writtern, I will be looking up Niki Valentine's other books soon!

[Yasmin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story line was good but it could have been so much better had the writer employed a more 'show don't tell' attitude, and played with the suspense and not knowing completely what was going on. There were a few occasions where direct exposition, telling the reader what was going on and what was being thought took over, where as subtly would have really added to the book. Good bit of reading over all, took to about pg 150/450 odd to really get going but once it did it was quite enjoyable.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had a cosy atmosphere but I was a bit disappointed with how the story went and ended. (by the way I'm not making a review, just saying what I thought)I also thought that Emma, the main character was a bit plain and one-dimensional. Still a nice book to read, kind of like when I want to see Harry Potter or something similar.

[Abbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the premise of this book a lot. Sure, the characters were nothing special and the writing was very simple, but I found it easy to read and that's what I liked about it. It's by no means a ground-breaking novel, and I really would have expected more from a creative writing teacher, but I enjoyed reading it.

[Dondominiquo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was equally creeped out, bored and intrigued by this book lol. It was one of those psychological one's that leave you hanging at the end, not really sure of how everything ends. I liked it but I didn't love it. And I'm glad to say it didn't mess with my head in any way haha.

[Zarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was barely able to put this book down, it really pulls you in and you *need* to know how it ends. Unfortunately it was slightly predictable but still a solid 3.5 stars.

[Simone Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok read, but quite repititive and not compelling until the last 40 pages

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Page Turner.

[Mad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrCQLv...

[Cynthia Rodrigues · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emma Russell, a scholarship student, is admitted to the Conservatoire, a prestigious music school, where she is befriended by the Benoit twins, outgoing and assertive Sophie and shy and gentle Matilde. While both sisters are her friends, it is clear that Matilde shares a closer bond with Emma, and is more affectionate towards her, something that Sophie is not happy about. Then a fellow student, Henry Bailey-Ray falls in love with Matilde, and Sophie has one more reason to be unhappy.
When a masterclass at which Matilde is playing ends in disaster, the twins go home to recover. That is how Emma learns that Matilde slit her wrists in the bath. Emma is devastated, but Sophie is calm and flourishing, claiming that she has run out of energy for crying.
Meanwhile, Emma’s own life is a mess. She is seeing Matilde’s ghost everywhere, and is losing track of large chunks of time. Is grief causing her to lose her mind, or is she losing herself?

The story is written in the 3rd person limited PoV of Emma. The story revolves around the three young women. The other characters rarely get much space. Even Henry, who is a romantic interest, is pale and almost lifeless.

I liked the descriptions of life at the music school, the endless recitals and performances, the music, the choir etc. They all made the setting more real.
The writing was good, but largely prosaic. Given the subject, I would have expected something more literary or luminous in character. Also, there’s not much in terms of an eerie atmosphere. When Emma felt a chill, I as a reader didn’t.
Also, the book could have been thinner by about a 100 pages, without losing any intensity. At 438 pages, it is too long drawn, and for much of the time, nothing much seems to be changing. It is only in the last 100 pages that the pace picked up.
The cover with the glass pane drawing a perfect vertically symmetrical line down the face emphasized that Sophie and Matilde were identical twins and yet somehow very different.

[Samantha Kukuljan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF Page 121.

For a Creative Writing teacher, this is shocking. Like really bad. There is so much wrong with book its hard to know where to start pulling it apart...

Ok, so the Protagonist Emma is unpacking her bags on her first day of uni and all of a sudden a pair of twins come bowling into her room. We aren't sure why but that doesn't matter because they all go out drinking and all of a sudden the three of them are best friends who have absolutely nothing in common.

The twins are the symbols of perfection which just turns Emma into an insecure, confident, malleable character. Then some boring stuff happens and one of the twins 'kills herself'.

After this, we go into a really bad, unpredictable cycle of Emma blacking out, chasing Sophie, Sophie guilting her in not being on her side (which just what best friends do!), Emma misconceiving things, bad writing ect ect.

The author was abusing and tormenting the character relentlessly for no reason whatsoever.

There was also a hot guy with no character either who also had no serious role in the plot.

Was this story good? I can't tell you that, probably not.

The crap, repetitive terrible writing combined with dull characters and an unshaping plot was too much. DNF

Btw, does anyone know what the reference to Black Swan was?

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that I picked up by chance, because it caught my attention and I felt drawn to it. I found the cover design eye-catching, and I enjoy books that are set in schools, colleges or similar locations.

I've seen mixed reviews for this book, but I quite enjoyed it. It's set in a music school, and I appreciated the music theme. At the beginning, I found it interesting to think about the contrast between Matilde and Sophie; they were identical twins but very different in terms of personality. I didn't think Sophie was the most likeable character, but she was still an intriguing character.

I think that a younger me may have enjoyed this more and connected with it in a different way, but I still liked it. I'd probably read something else by this author.

[Jojo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was bad. Really BAD. Not only incredibly badly written, with a skeleton for a vocabulary and sentence structure so basic Lego manufacturers could call themselves geniuses of architecture in comparison, but also dull and unconvincing. The characters are one dimensional cut outs, the plot is cringey, the main heroine is a moron with an emotional depth of a perfectly flat pancake. It seems to be penned by a not overtly bright 15 year old, not someone who teaches creative writing (!). A complete and utter dud.

[Lost Hope · Rating 2 out of 5]

I lived the fact that its' background is a university/college. The way author explains the thoughts and feelings of the main character kept me glued to the book. I think without even knowing what anxiety or depression is one will face the difficulty of understanding the book. However, it didn't have the end that I expected. In fact it was bit difficult to understand the closing chapters.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say it's a 2.75 *
It was suspenseful, but it seemed to be written by a young person - I lost count of how many "her friend"s there were.
Also, I didn't like any of the characters. I really wanted to shake the main character.
However, the book was a freebie and the writing was quite big, so it was a quick read. I liked the setting and the plot.

[Mrs Julie Flanagan · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I have ever read - so bad I couldn't finish it. This is the first time ever I have given up on a book

[Maria ⚜️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historia sama w sobie nie jest zła, czyta się dość przyjemnie, ale ci bohaterowie. Jak można było wykreować tak bezpłciowych bohaterów, skoro było ich tak malo?

[amandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just really weird

[Shireen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting premise about who possesses whom and how a person is possessed. The book starts off sort of ordinarily, although I was confused about why Emma liked one twin. Valentine didn't explain her attraction, or rather didn't show why Emma was attracted to a twin that was dominating and not all that likeable. Maybe it was like the myth of the snake hypnotizing its target, and Emma was the target. In any case, I set aside my confusion and settled into the story.

It was a mystery but not the traditional kind. As the story slowly unfolded, it began to also possess me. The author enticing the reader into her story and then possessing her mimicked the possession going on in the pages, except that the reader is in no danger. Physical danger, anyway.

I was able to visualize and verbalize OK, even a month later, I can still recall my imagery and the final scenes and what they mean. My imagery aids my memory of who possessed whom but not why. I'm not actually sure why the possessor wanted to possess her target(s). I guess the simplest answer, the attraction of life, is the reason. The ending wrapped up the story nicely with a twist that perhaps doesn't really surprise. In some ways it's satisfying; in some ways sad.

A different kind of book from the usual kind that I read, and one I enjoyed.

[Esme · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possessed wird schon auf dem Cover mit dem Film Black Swan verglichen, das ist nur insofern treffend, dass beide in einem künstlerischen Milieu handeln, in dem die Protagonistin eine Außenseiterin ist und ihr Unerklärliches widerfährt. Während der Film zwar lediglich eine alte Geschichte im Tutu erzählt, dabei jedoch in psychische Untiefen gleitet und zumindest hübsch fotografiert ist, läßt sich dem Buch nicht einmal zu Gute halten, mit einer originellen Idee aufzuwarten.

Emma, eine passionierte Pianistin, hat es Dank eines Stipendiums geschafft an einer renommierten Musikschule studieren zu dürfen. Gleich am ersten Tag nehmen die wunderschönen und aus reicher Familie stammenden Zwillinge Sophie und Matilda sie unter ihre Fittiche. Nächte mit Champagner und Partys vergehen wie im Rausch. Bis Matilda Selbstmord begeht und Emma danach immer öfter unter Erinnerungslücken leidet.

Am ehesten vergleichen läßt sich das Lesen des Romans noch mit einem Film für Blinde, bei dem im Voice-over beschrieben wird, was zu sehen ist. Alles wird einem erzählt, nichts läßt sich einfach aus dem Handeln der Personen erfahren. Das ist zermürbend. Emma spielt Klavier und im nächsten Satz schnappt sie zurück ins Bewußtsein und man denkt: Achso?! Überhaupt ist das Klavierspiel und die Musikschule nebensächlich, denn außer dass das Spielen von Rachmaninow offenbar schwierig ist, wird einem dieses Umfeld durch nichts nahe gebracht.

Und so schleppt man sich durch das Buch, wobei ich jedoch irgendwann die Seiten nur noch überflogen habe. Es gibt keinen Spannungsaufbau, die Geschichte plätschert so seicht und belanglos vor sich hin und versickert am Ende genauso unspektakulär. Fazit: Stinkender Käse.

[Leanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slow-burning, atmospheric psychological thriller, Possessed by Niki Valentine asks the spine-chilling question: ‘Who do you trust when you can no longer trust your own mind?’

All of Emma’s dreams come true when she lands a scholarship at a prestigious music academy. Music is Emma’s life, her first love. It’s all she’s ever wanted, and so she’s determined to excel. Emma knows she’ll have to work hard at the academy and she knows that she can’t afford any distractions. At the same time, though, it’s hard to resist the lure of the college experience, especially when that comes in the form of a whirlwind social life fuelled by champagne parties. Soon after Emma arrives at the academy she meets twins, Sophie who is forthright and outgoing, and the quieter Matilde, with whom Emma becomes fast friends. Even though Emma doesn’t totally warm to Sophie, the twins are a pair, and so wherever Emma and Matilde go, Sophie goes too. Right from the start, we know that something is amiss, but in a book that is deliberately ambiguous, it is difficult to put a finger on just what is unsettling us.

Full review available at: http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot...

[BestChickLit.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possessed is certainly an interesting read; one that lets your mind wonder and question the sanity of the main characters. Right off the bat you get the feeling that Emma is the impressionable, naïve kind who will be exploited in one way or another, and the twins also give off an air of oddness. The spooky happenings take a while to begin, with most of the first half of the book spent setting the scene and exploring the characters. This slow burn adds feeling to the story, as a sense of anticipation builds for the reader.

Once the strange occurrences start, it’s hard to decipher the root of the issues and the book leaves interpretation down to personal beliefs. Some scenes are quite unnerving so you may want to leave the lights on!

Reviewed by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com

[Vanessa (Wanderness) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a rating of 2.5.

There wasn't anything bad about the book, but there wasn't anything particularly good either.
The main character was DULL, but maybe the author intended that to go along with the thriller vibe. It is compared to Black Swan, the film, and they do share a similar atmosphere. Although I'm not saying this book is by any means a good 'thriller .

The ending is rushed, so rushed that it left me with questions about how some of the scenes fit together. From the very first page it had me thinking, 'a university lecturer wrote this? Really? It could well have been a students creative writing task'.

This book is good if you're looking for a quick read from the library, but you're not missing much if you skip over and pick something else off the thriller shelf.