Midnight Pirates

by Ally Kennen

Pirates, shipwrecks and a hotel run by children?! As three kids find out, running a hotel is hard work - especially when one guest is a sinister stranger…

Genres: Childrens

227 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Tatum Damman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not finish this book, I’m giving it a 2 because the idea really had potential.

From what I read, for kids I think some of the content wasn’t entirely age appropriate (depending on the age of course).
Some grammatical errors as well.

[Maire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating is my sons. I read this to him and I would only rate it a 2. Didn’t find it very interesting until toward the end and even then it was a bit of an anti-climax. He loved it though and wanted to give it a 20 rating!

[Jennifer Plested · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, but not got more bored as the book went along and found the last 3/4 of the book a bit confusing and completely different to the rest of the book.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book off the list for Book Day at work, one of the dozen books I have to read. I picked this up next because it looked quite short and because i had read books by Ally Kennen before and vaguely remembered that I had enjoyed them, so I was quite hopeful about this one.

The book started off well, I was intrigued and wanted to know more, it was a fairly unusual start that made me want to know more, but by the third chapter it became quite slow in my opinion, the characters and situation are built up so you get to know them.

From the blurb of the book I expected this fun, easy book but you are about 130 pages in before the events in the synopsis even start happening, the rest before that is jsut the build up and I found myself hoping the book would get to the point.

For just over 200 pages I should have been able to read this in a couple of hours, as it was I carried it around with me for 5 days, reading odd bits now and then, but I just wasn't hooked enough to want to sit and read it, I kept finding something else to do.

Once the story got going the second half of the book wasn't bad and I liked the big mystery at the end. It got more exciting as it went on. But I wouldn't want to read anymore from these characters. To be honest the big brothers 'beach talk' really started to irritate me, I just wanted him to speak in normal sentences. But I suppose it was trying to fit in with the feel of the book.

I think children will probably like it, It's got enough mystery and the whole - kids being alone and causing trouble vibe to keep them reading, but for me I wasn't blown away.

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was another book I had to read for children's book day for work. Up to now I've been pleasantly surprised by how much I've enjoyed titles that I wouldn't otherwise have given a second look. I'm sad to say this wasn't the case here. The story took too long 'setting things up' before the action described on the back cover got started. Then in the end it was all wound up in a neat package rather too swiftly. The story had potential but - for this reader - it fell short. I can't really explain why exactly, but I just couldn't bring myself to care about the characters and what happened to them. Cal's 'voice' was charming at first, but began to feel forced.
There were moments I enjoyed, and I approve of the subtle - or not so subtle - nudges about protecting species such as seals, avoiding the dreadful pollution of beaches by oil spills, and the shameful habit of looting items from shipwrecks.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious - finely crafted mystery that will appeal to kids 9+. Enid Blyton updated along the lines of Lauren St John and Helen Moss. I read this avidly - loved the descriptions of the wild Cornish coast and the wonderful Dodo Hotel. I can imagine it exactly in my mind. Wonderful!

[Nadine Martyniuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting much from this book as it's not my usual cup of tea; however, I really enjoyed the setting of Cornwall and the descriptions that followed. The ending was also dramatic and unexpected! Worth a read!

[Khadijah M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is pretty great. I like the way it keeps me up at night when I should be sleeping at the last chapters because it kept me in suspense and I'm curious to know what'll happen to the children. And what did was pretty unexpected.

[N · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story but disappointing if you want pirates

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good adventure story for ages 9 and above. Not patronising. Made me want to live by the sea.

[Rianna Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three words to describe this book.

I. Love. It.

This book is a work of greatness in my opinion.

[Julie Tyuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not expecting much from this book as it's not my usual cup of tea. But the book is good: it has a solid plot, suspense, and mystery. Every character has its own voice and opinion. However good it is I still had major issues reading it. From the point of view of a young reader the book is full of rebellion, challenges, adventure and freedom. From an adult point of view I can see only disobedience, disrespect towards adults, danger and irresponsibleness.
I really disliked the children from the book because of their lies to the parents and their irresponsible behavior. One situation just killed me: when they got new guests, they could not actually provide any basic comfort to the guests (and we must take into consideration that all children were involved into the hotel business from early childhood); the maximum effort was to provide semi-clean linen; the rest is the description of how they enjoyed their freedom and idleness. Really? That’s the idea of 17 year old and 15 year old about hotel management. Then I guess parents made some major mistakes in their upbringing. That all really gets in the way and spoiled the impression, and I tried to like the characters, really... but just could not.
From the adventure point of view I have no problems (keeping in might again that this is the book for 11-13 year old). Real pirates, danger to kill the environment of the bay, loneliness, fear and courage: everything was in the order and from this perspective I liked the book.
Altogether, I think it is an easy, exciting read for teenagers, but the characters’ behavior does not set a good example.