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The Suburban Strange #2
Pull Down the Night
This year at Suburban High School is just as troubling as the last. A curly-haired girl ghost is disrupting lives with dreaded “kiss notes,” and students are inexplicably sinking into depression. Bruno—the new kid on the block—finds himself at the center of the mystery when he discovers his natural map-reading abilities are actually supernatural . When the reluctant hero isn’t engaged in cosmic battles against evil, Bruno is swooning over the mesmerizing Celia (from The Suburban Strange ) and navigating the goth sensibilities and musical obsessions of the Rosary, her über-chic clique. A hypnotic coming-of-age novel that chills and thrills.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2013
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June 4, 2015
Bruno and his brother Sylvio are the new kids at Suburban High this year, but they quickly make friends with the remaining members of The Rosary, a clique steeped in elegant, dark music and culture. Sylvio has always had those interests, but Bruno finds himself suddenly drawn to them - perhaps because of his powerful attraction to Celia, the protagonist from
The Suburban Strange
. Through his connection with Celia and his interactions with the school librarian, Bruno discovers that his intuitive understanding of maps has a supernatural source. He has to use these skills and his new understanding of the supernatural realm of the Kind and Unkind to help him solve two mysteries: why students around school are receiving "kiss notes" from a ghost and then discovering loved ones betraying them, and why kids all over the school are suddenly finding themselves deeply depressed.
My relationship with the author:
You should know that I can't be unbiased about this book. Nathan Kotecki is my friend (see more about how we met in my review of The Suburban Strange ). I'm listed in the acknowledgments. So if you're looking for an unbiased review, you probably want to look elsewhere. But if you're looking for the honest perspective of the friend of the author who's also a former high school teacher and school librarian, well, you've come to the right place.
What I love:
The supernatural stuff starts right away with Bruno mysteriously finding himself in the Ebentwine, a liminal space with a definite Wonderland vibe.
The references to dark music and culture flow fast and free, just like in The Suburban Strange. But this time, I didn't find myself wishing I'd had goth friends to shepherd me around, probably because I got that out of the way in the first book.
There sure is a lot of time spent in the school library hanging out with the school librarian, who is so much more pleasant than adults in YA literature often are.
Bruno has a geography teacher who won't let him coast, but gives him the opportunity to work on an individualized project that also helps him expand his supernatural skills.
Marco. Marco Marco Marco. He's a featured player in this book, and I love him, and it makes me so happy.
Everybody, Bruno included, seems to love Celia in a way that makes her dangerously close to a Mary Sue, but there is an actual explanation for why everyone loves her so much.
Bruno and Sylvio have a very positive relationship. I love siblings who get along most of the time. Of course they don't get along all the time, but they never seem to deliberately annoy each other or snipe at each other.
All the little ways in which you know this book comes from the same world as The Suburban Strange, but it really is its own story.
Bruno and Sylvio's dad, who is a minister, but understands that his sons need to explore faith at their own pace.
The whole mythology of this world. There are Kind and Unkind, talented people who have the opportunity to use their supernatural gifts for good or ill. And these aren't things like super strength or throwing fireballs, but things like literally traveling through the pages of a book, or being able to shape reality through drawing it.
How my wish from last time got fulfilled:
I said I wanted to see more menace in the school setting, and boy did Pull Down the Night deliver. This is the eeriest school library since they built Sunnydale High on top of a hellmouth. (We put that in lowercase, since we know there's more than one of them.)
What I need to warn you about:
While this book is much quicker-paced than The Suburban Strange, it's still not an action/suspense thriller. So if you're looking for that, maybe pick up a different book, and give this to your goth friend.
You're going to want to find all of the music that goes with this book. But you don't have to, because Nathan made a Spotify playlist. I highly recommend listening to the playlist while reading the book, if you're the kind of person who can have music going while you read.
My relationship with the author:
You should know that I can't be unbiased about this book. Nathan Kotecki is my friend (see more about how we met in my review of The Suburban Strange ). I'm listed in the acknowledgments. So if you're looking for an unbiased review, you probably want to look elsewhere. But if you're looking for the honest perspective of the friend of the author who's also a former high school teacher and school librarian, well, you've come to the right place.
What I love:
The supernatural stuff starts right away with Bruno mysteriously finding himself in the Ebentwine, a liminal space with a definite Wonderland vibe.
The references to dark music and culture flow fast and free, just like in The Suburban Strange. But this time, I didn't find myself wishing I'd had goth friends to shepherd me around, probably because I got that out of the way in the first book.
There sure is a lot of time spent in the school library hanging out with the school librarian, who is so much more pleasant than adults in YA literature often are.
Bruno has a geography teacher who won't let him coast, but gives him the opportunity to work on an individualized project that also helps him expand his supernatural skills.
Marco. Marco Marco Marco. He's a featured player in this book, and I love him, and it makes me so happy.
Everybody, Bruno included, seems to love Celia in a way that makes her dangerously close to a Mary Sue, but there is an actual explanation for why everyone loves her so much.
Bruno and Sylvio have a very positive relationship. I love siblings who get along most of the time. Of course they don't get along all the time, but they never seem to deliberately annoy each other or snipe at each other.
All the little ways in which you know this book comes from the same world as The Suburban Strange, but it really is its own story.
Bruno and Sylvio's dad, who is a minister, but understands that his sons need to explore faith at their own pace.
The whole mythology of this world. There are Kind and Unkind, talented people who have the opportunity to use their supernatural gifts for good or ill. And these aren't things like super strength or throwing fireballs, but things like literally traveling through the pages of a book, or being able to shape reality through drawing it.
How my wish from last time got fulfilled:
I said I wanted to see more menace in the school setting, and boy did Pull Down the Night deliver. This is the eeriest school library since they built Sunnydale High on top of a hellmouth. (We put that in lowercase, since we know there's more than one of them.)
What I need to warn you about:
While this book is much quicker-paced than The Suburban Strange, it's still not an action/suspense thriller. So if you're looking for that, maybe pick up a different book, and give this to your goth friend.
You're going to want to find all of the music that goes with this book. But you don't have to, because Nathan made a Spotify playlist. I highly recommend listening to the playlist while reading the book, if you're the kind of person who can have music going while you read.
April 27, 2014
When I first read The Suburban Strange by author Nathan Kotecki I had had mixed feelings about the book. It hadn’t really clicked well with me and in all honesty I was a bit hesitant to get reading due to my experiences with the last book. All in all, Pull Down The Night was exactly as I expected and, as with the first book in this series, left me with conflicted opinions.
In Pull Down The Night we get a new main character named Bruno instead of another story from Suburban Strange’s main character Celia’s point of view. Bruno is new in town and upon moving in he sees a mysterious girl who he can’t get out of his head. On his first day at Suburban High he and his brother are quickly transfixed by the Rosary; an elite group of beautiful, chic goths. Quickly Bruno and his brother are both pulled into the Rosary. In it? The gorgeous girl he saw: Celia.
Bruno finds himself falling for Celia, despite her boyfriend and the unrequited emotions, but things at Suburban High are quickly going downhill again. The ghost of a dead student is popping up all over the school, leaving their fellow students notes with locations to witness depression-inducing situations. Bruno discovers that there may be something not natural going on at Suburban High and that his abilities involving map-reading may be as unnatural as what’s occurring at his school. Bruno’s quickly swept up into the world of the Kind and Unkind, secrets are revealed and things will never be the same in the next installment to the Suburban Strange series.
I did enjoy Pull Down the Night more than I did The Suburban Strange, I liked the main character Bruno more than I did Celia. There were a lot of things about Pull Down the Night that made me personally feel like it was the stronger novel out of the two. The writing felt more clear, the character interactions were a bit less forced feeling and the plot was more interesting than what was used in the Suburban Strange.
However, as with the novel before it, I did have a lot of issues with Pull Down the Night. The writing-style, I found, was very hard to get engaged by. It was always very stuffed with descriptions and Bruno’s thoughts and it all came off as very dull and endless. I would want to be thrown into the middle of a scene filled with action and there would be unnecessary paragraphs or sentances of detail that ruined the mood for me. This did take away from my experience with the novel.
The plot, while better and more thoughtful than the one in The Suburban Strange, but I did feel like there were many plot holes and things that didn’t make sense, requiring explanation. There are a lot of cool new things introduced into the Suburban Strange universe but still, lots of it didn’t make sense to me or seemed unnecessary. The novel’s main conflict was made unclear and the novel itself seemed very long and, again, over-detailed. I would recommend this series to fans of the YA supernatural, teen-fic and of thrilling reads.
In Pull Down The Night we get a new main character named Bruno instead of another story from Suburban Strange’s main character Celia’s point of view. Bruno is new in town and upon moving in he sees a mysterious girl who he can’t get out of his head. On his first day at Suburban High he and his brother are quickly transfixed by the Rosary; an elite group of beautiful, chic goths. Quickly Bruno and his brother are both pulled into the Rosary. In it? The gorgeous girl he saw: Celia.
Bruno finds himself falling for Celia, despite her boyfriend and the unrequited emotions, but things at Suburban High are quickly going downhill again. The ghost of a dead student is popping up all over the school, leaving their fellow students notes with locations to witness depression-inducing situations. Bruno discovers that there may be something not natural going on at Suburban High and that his abilities involving map-reading may be as unnatural as what’s occurring at his school. Bruno’s quickly swept up into the world of the Kind and Unkind, secrets are revealed and things will never be the same in the next installment to the Suburban Strange series.
I did enjoy Pull Down the Night more than I did The Suburban Strange, I liked the main character Bruno more than I did Celia. There were a lot of things about Pull Down the Night that made me personally feel like it was the stronger novel out of the two. The writing felt more clear, the character interactions were a bit less forced feeling and the plot was more interesting than what was used in the Suburban Strange.
However, as with the novel before it, I did have a lot of issues with Pull Down the Night. The writing-style, I found, was very hard to get engaged by. It was always very stuffed with descriptions and Bruno’s thoughts and it all came off as very dull and endless. I would want to be thrown into the middle of a scene filled with action and there would be unnecessary paragraphs or sentances of detail that ruined the mood for me. This did take away from my experience with the novel.
The plot, while better and more thoughtful than the one in The Suburban Strange, but I did feel like there were many plot holes and things that didn’t make sense, requiring explanation. There are a lot of cool new things introduced into the Suburban Strange universe but still, lots of it didn’t make sense to me or seemed unnecessary. The novel’s main conflict was made unclear and the novel itself seemed very long and, again, over-detailed. I would recommend this series to fans of the YA supernatural, teen-fic and of thrilling reads.
October 29, 2013
I bought the first book in the series -- THE SUBURBAN STRANGE -- after hearing the author give a local reading last year, and ended up giving it a 5-star rating. The story has stuck in my head since then, and I've been looking forward to the next installment.
PULL DOWN THE NIGHT does not disappoint. It continues the struggle between the Kind and the Unkind, as played out on a high school campus. As with the first book in the series, the story is spaced over the course of an academic year, and has a supernatural mystery at its heart.
Things I liked best about it:
* It's a young adult novel, but the author doesn't pander. It's filled with clever dialog, smart ideas, and deep world-building details. The author shows a lot of respect for his audience.
* Excellent characters. As much as I liked Celia in Book 1 (and she appears here as a strong supporting character), Bruno is an excellent protagonist. His relationship with his brother, would-be-love interest Celia, and gay friend Marco is filled with so much honest emotion that it's hard not to relate to him. His steadiness is the perfect balance to the book's Gothic, otherworldly elements.
* Great writing. Like when a character is watching someone through an upstairs window, and "sees the shadow of another person slide across the ceiling." And when Bruno thinks about the "new secret he carries--a secret so huge that it seemed to be carrying him." I've read a lot of stories with great ideas and plots, but it's always a pleasure when the writing is so well-crafted.
*One of the things I remember most from the first novel is how the author opened my eyes to different types of alternative artwork and music. Music is still a huge part of the second novel (I've already downloaded the Tim Buckley song mentioned in the Author's Note), but in addition to that, Bruno's area of interest is architecture and geography. More than once, I was interested enough in a name that the author dropped, that I found myself surfing over to Wiki to learn more -- like about the architects Piranesi (father and son), and the bizarre things that came out of their heads. (Seriously -- Google "Piranesi prisons" and look at some of the drawings.) For that alone, this book is worth what I paid for it; I love walking away from a story that makes me even more interested in the world around me.
*I want to visit a place like Diaboliques.
*And possibly have the power to take magical short cuts through my closet.
Anyway. Definitely looking forward to Book 3. This novel is a solid and complete entry, and the world it's set in is certainly rich enough to fill several more books.
PULL DOWN THE NIGHT does not disappoint. It continues the struggle between the Kind and the Unkind, as played out on a high school campus. As with the first book in the series, the story is spaced over the course of an academic year, and has a supernatural mystery at its heart.
Things I liked best about it:
* It's a young adult novel, but the author doesn't pander. It's filled with clever dialog, smart ideas, and deep world-building details. The author shows a lot of respect for his audience.
* Excellent characters. As much as I liked Celia in Book 1 (and she appears here as a strong supporting character), Bruno is an excellent protagonist. His relationship with his brother, would-be-love interest Celia, and gay friend Marco is filled with so much honest emotion that it's hard not to relate to him. His steadiness is the perfect balance to the book's Gothic, otherworldly elements.
* Great writing. Like when a character is watching someone through an upstairs window, and "sees the shadow of another person slide across the ceiling." And when Bruno thinks about the "new secret he carries--a secret so huge that it seemed to be carrying him." I've read a lot of stories with great ideas and plots, but it's always a pleasure when the writing is so well-crafted.
*One of the things I remember most from the first novel is how the author opened my eyes to different types of alternative artwork and music. Music is still a huge part of the second novel (I've already downloaded the Tim Buckley song mentioned in the Author's Note), but in addition to that, Bruno's area of interest is architecture and geography. More than once, I was interested enough in a name that the author dropped, that I found myself surfing over to Wiki to learn more -- like about the architects Piranesi (father and son), and the bizarre things that came out of their heads. (Seriously -- Google "Piranesi prisons" and look at some of the drawings.) For that alone, this book is worth what I paid for it; I love walking away from a story that makes me even more interested in the world around me.
*I want to visit a place like Diaboliques.
*And possibly have the power to take magical short cuts through my closet.
Anyway. Definitely looking forward to Book 3. This novel is a solid and complete entry, and the world it's set in is certainly rich enough to fill several more books.
November 6, 2013
In my review of Suburban Strange (book #1) I mention, "There is a bit of Twilight meets Buffy meets Harry Potter." Book #2 leans more towards Harry Potter and I found the similarities too much to be overlooked. In the first book, I really liked the incorporation of music, but in book #2, the music was used like name-dropping and didn't hold as much significance. Who cares if the characters rattle off a bunch of obscure song titles and artists if they really don't connect to the plot or mystery? Even the song Bruno hears Celia playing is brushed off as just something she threw on, but of no importance. She hardly remembers listening to it. Strange? Well, it would be if it went anywhere, but it doesn't.
I was disappointed by the shallowness of book #2 and the plot mimicking. The Harry Potter similarities dampened my enthusiasm for this series. For me, it lost all of the initial creative originality and authenticity. Even the name "Rosary" is diminished by the characters who abandon the symbolism. They make it seem almost childish, even though they continue to carry on with certain practices, but can't define the reasoning for the name's purpose in the first place. Going through the motions without conviction presents the characters as fraudulent to some degree, or at the very least, less tenacious in the statement they are communicating. Of course, I think the playing down of the 'rosary' was supposed to be seen as a 'growing up' tactic, but the immaturity to maturity was lost through action and banter. I just didn't feel the transition went smoothly and the emotional value came across as blah and trite.
I never really took to Bruno, and Celia was less than interesting in this book. The mystery was not as startling and I think this is because it was a bit predictable. I just didn't dig it. I couldn't get into it, and the groove staggered consistently off beat. Sadly, I was disappointed by what was put on the page to represent the sequel.
I was disappointed by the shallowness of book #2 and the plot mimicking. The Harry Potter similarities dampened my enthusiasm for this series. For me, it lost all of the initial creative originality and authenticity. Even the name "Rosary" is diminished by the characters who abandon the symbolism. They make it seem almost childish, even though they continue to carry on with certain practices, but can't define the reasoning for the name's purpose in the first place. Going through the motions without conviction presents the characters as fraudulent to some degree, or at the very least, less tenacious in the statement they are communicating. Of course, I think the playing down of the 'rosary' was supposed to be seen as a 'growing up' tactic, but the immaturity to maturity was lost through action and banter. I just didn't feel the transition went smoothly and the emotional value came across as blah and trite.
I never really took to Bruno, and Celia was less than interesting in this book. The mystery was not as startling and I think this is because it was a bit predictable. I just didn't dig it. I couldn't get into it, and the groove staggered consistently off beat. Sadly, I was disappointed by what was put on the page to represent the sequel.
January 6, 2014
Before I build up a head of steam, go check out my review of the first book here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/293726801. I'll wait.
Okay, so -- all those same biases still apply here. Only now there's the additional professional jealousy of Mr. Kotecki's getting a sequel out while I still don't even have my first. Curses!
And yet again, I must accede to the demands that this book makes of me. Which is to say: it demands to be loved unconditionally. I enjoyed the first one enough to give it five stars and sincerely mean it, but I love Pull Down the Night even more. This is a phenomenal book.
I was suspicious of Bruno, the protagonist, at first. I was worried that the characters of Gardner or Lois would be too, I don't know, Mr. Miyagi-like. I was worried that making the protagonist from the first book into a supporting cast member would feel forced or gimmicky. I was worried that the romantic entanglements would seem arbitrary. And there are SO MANY CHARACTERS. How could they all have value and provide intrigue? Basically, Kotecki constructed the most precarious structure in which to navigate that I was certain that it would all just implode in on itself, leaving a great wreckage of battered cliches everywhere.
But that didn't happen. Bruno is compelling and you share in his excitement. Every character matters. Some things seem gimmicky until THEY TOTALLY WORK. The story is chock full of genuine mysteries. As an adult I typically approach everything I read with a healthy skepticism/cynicism mix. Books have bigger hurdles to clear as I get older. Reading this reminded me of the kind of excitement I felt when reading some of my favorite books as a child. I remember as a kid devouring books like the Scary Stories series, My Teacher is an Alien, Bunnicula, and so forth. Now I'll look back at some such books and find that they obviously are catering to a certain age group.
Pull Down the Night shows that you can write a YA book series that doesn't pander or talk down to kids. So you can read it as an adult and still enjoy the ride.
I haven't enjoyed a sci-fi/fantasy type series this much since reading Lukyanenko's Night Watch books. Can't wait to see what else Kotecki has in store in this incredible world he's created.
Okay, so -- all those same biases still apply here. Only now there's the additional professional jealousy of Mr. Kotecki's getting a sequel out while I still don't even have my first. Curses!
And yet again, I must accede to the demands that this book makes of me. Which is to say: it demands to be loved unconditionally. I enjoyed the first one enough to give it five stars and sincerely mean it, but I love Pull Down the Night even more. This is a phenomenal book.
I was suspicious of Bruno, the protagonist, at first. I was worried that the characters of Gardner or Lois would be too, I don't know, Mr. Miyagi-like. I was worried that making the protagonist from the first book into a supporting cast member would feel forced or gimmicky. I was worried that the romantic entanglements would seem arbitrary. And there are SO MANY CHARACTERS. How could they all have value and provide intrigue? Basically, Kotecki constructed the most precarious structure in which to navigate that I was certain that it would all just implode in on itself, leaving a great wreckage of battered cliches everywhere.
But that didn't happen. Bruno is compelling and you share in his excitement. Every character matters. Some things seem gimmicky until THEY TOTALLY WORK. The story is chock full of genuine mysteries. As an adult I typically approach everything I read with a healthy skepticism/cynicism mix. Books have bigger hurdles to clear as I get older. Reading this reminded me of the kind of excitement I felt when reading some of my favorite books as a child. I remember as a kid devouring books like the Scary Stories series, My Teacher is an Alien, Bunnicula, and so forth. Now I'll look back at some such books and find that they obviously are catering to a certain age group.
Pull Down the Night shows that you can write a YA book series that doesn't pander or talk down to kids. So you can read it as an adult and still enjoy the ride.
I haven't enjoyed a sci-fi/fantasy type series this much since reading Lukyanenko's Night Watch books. Can't wait to see what else Kotecki has in store in this incredible world he's created.
September 8, 2016
I need to stop doing this, but I read this one before realizing that it was the second in the series. It stood alone though and I was absolutely able to understand what was going on. Although
Summary:
Bruno's family has moved so that his father can take charge of a new parish. Bruno and Sylvio have now started at Suburban High School. Bruno starts to notice that his map reading ability is really a supernatural talent. He is receiving these poems that lead him to do things; when he completes those challenges, his powers increase. Bruno joins the Rosary group that helps him naviagte the Kind and the Unkind.
While Bruno is coming into his own, there is also a ghost that is causing problems. A "kiss note" seems to be cursing the ones they love. This sinks the young ones into a depression in an already odd high school drama.
My thoughts:
I actually really liked this book even though there is a lot going on. I appreciated the fact that Bruno is learning a lot through the novel about the new world that he has been entered into. This allowed me to get all of the background information of the town and the battle between the Kind and the Unkind. I think I would have been able to figure out the new terms for good versus evil, but it was still nice to have a character lead me through the world building of the town. Bruno is also an extremely lovable character. He is very emotional, especially for a male character. His dealing with his best friend Marco is adorable, and I like the way that the straight-gay issue is handled. I wish everyone was as accepting.
Finally, the music ties are a lot of fun for me. I love how seamlessly the music flows through the novel. Since music is such a huge part of high school, I'm always surprised that it is not integrated into novels very often. It seems natural. The music is both an interesting aspect of music that plays in Bruno's head and a general background theme for the novel. I can also almost hear the music thumping in the dance club. I love it!
Summary:
Bruno's family has moved so that his father can take charge of a new parish. Bruno and Sylvio have now started at Suburban High School. Bruno starts to notice that his map reading ability is really a supernatural talent. He is receiving these poems that lead him to do things; when he completes those challenges, his powers increase. Bruno joins the Rosary group that helps him naviagte the Kind and the Unkind.
While Bruno is coming into his own, there is also a ghost that is causing problems. A "kiss note" seems to be cursing the ones they love. This sinks the young ones into a depression in an already odd high school drama.
My thoughts:
I actually really liked this book even though there is a lot going on. I appreciated the fact that Bruno is learning a lot through the novel about the new world that he has been entered into. This allowed me to get all of the background information of the town and the battle between the Kind and the Unkind. I think I would have been able to figure out the new terms for good versus evil, but it was still nice to have a character lead me through the world building of the town. Bruno is also an extremely lovable character. He is very emotional, especially for a male character. His dealing with his best friend Marco is adorable, and I like the way that the straight-gay issue is handled. I wish everyone was as accepting.
Finally, the music ties are a lot of fun for me. I love how seamlessly the music flows through the novel. Since music is such a huge part of high school, I'm always surprised that it is not integrated into novels very often. It seems natural. The music is both an interesting aspect of music that plays in Bruno's head and a general background theme for the novel. I can also almost hear the music thumping in the dance club. I love it!
March 7, 2014
What are these powers, these magic places I’ve found? Will they change me in ways I’ll regret? Will the things I know about right and wrong, good and evil, that have gotten me this far, be enough to help me navigate this other world? I know what it means to believe in something I can’t see or touch; what does it mean to see and touch things that are unbelievable? If I have to keep these things secret, does that mean they’re bad, or wrong?
Bruno and his brother Silvio are new to Suburban High School. Strange things have happened- for example, last year there seemed to be a curse on the school where all virgins died before their 16th birthday. Now one of those girls shows up as a ghost, seeming to be handing notes to people about unfaithful boyfriends. This is also the home of the Rosary group- teens who are into indie music and go often to the Diaboliques Club. Just the playlists from the book are wonderful. Rosary though, is a strange name since none of them is Catholic. When the Librarian asks Bruno if he is Kind, he answers that he tries to be….
There are Kinds and Unkinds. They can be teachers or students. There are also Ambassadors who help both to fulfill their prophesies that give them powers. With all these strange beings in the school, you’d think there would be little room for anyone else. You would also think that this would be just too silly a book. You would nearly be right. The story does pull you along though, keeping you guessing; and looking forward to the next book in the series. This is the second in the Suburban Strange series, but easily stands alone. It’s worth checking out the quirky characters and the interesting side-plots introduced in this book.
One interesting side feature is that the brothers’ father is also a minister, but not so religious that he isn’t severe but sincere. A nice change from all the over-the-top religious or clueless parents in YA novels!
Bruno and his brother Silvio are new to Suburban High School. Strange things have happened- for example, last year there seemed to be a curse on the school where all virgins died before their 16th birthday. Now one of those girls shows up as a ghost, seeming to be handing notes to people about unfaithful boyfriends. This is also the home of the Rosary group- teens who are into indie music and go often to the Diaboliques Club. Just the playlists from the book are wonderful. Rosary though, is a strange name since none of them is Catholic. When the Librarian asks Bruno if he is Kind, he answers that he tries to be….
There are Kinds and Unkinds. They can be teachers or students. There are also Ambassadors who help both to fulfill their prophesies that give them powers. With all these strange beings in the school, you’d think there would be little room for anyone else. You would also think that this would be just too silly a book. You would nearly be right. The story does pull you along though, keeping you guessing; and looking forward to the next book in the series. This is the second in the Suburban Strange series, but easily stands alone. It’s worth checking out the quirky characters and the interesting side-plots introduced in this book.
One interesting side feature is that the brothers’ father is also a minister, but not so religious that he isn’t severe but sincere. A nice change from all the over-the-top religious or clueless parents in YA novels!
July 18, 2013
“Pull Down The Night” introduces us to Bruno and his older brother Sylvio, new to Suburban High. The brothers are befriended by what’s left of The Rosary, half of them having gone to off to college. Celia, our heroine from the first book, is still a major character in this sequel, who is guiding Bruno with his newly discovered supernatural abilities. With some of the same elements of the first book carrying over, including chapters names stemming from songs influential to Mr. Kotecki, this follow-up gives us more of a look into the author’s imagined world where good vs. evil on a supernatural level is broken down into Kind, Unkind and Ambassadors. Some of the secondary characters from “The Suburban Strange” have a more prominent role this time around, letting this sequel stand on its own. Woven into this other world are the timeless elements of teenage life- unrequited love, the transitions of moving as well as growing up, heading off to college and just plain old fitting in. There are newer elements woven in that weren’t present in the last book – religion & spirituality in the form of Bruno’s minister father, as well as architecture – a subject near and dear to both the author as well as myself (him holding a degree in architecture while my B.S. is for interior design). With a plot that moves at just the right pace, this was a book I could not put down.
As the mother of a child who is now in the Young Adult demographic, I have found myself reading quite a bit of YA lit in the last year. “Pull Down The Night” is one of those rare gems that is thoughtful, intelligent and hopefully inspires it’s young readers to explore more of the world brought to them in this book while enjoying the entertainment it has to offer.
March 5, 2014
VOYA Rating: 4Q 4P
Highly Recommended
This book is the second in the Suburban Strange series. Some of the characters from the first book make an appearance as college students, but some of the original secondary characters are now the main characters. We are introduced to Bruno and his older brother Silvio. They are worried about fitting in at their new school, but they had to move since his dad is a minister and received a new assignment. When they get to school, they are asked to join the members of The Rosary. The Rosary is a group of friends who is passionate about alternative music, dancing, dressing a certain way and being good at school ☺ What teacher or librarian is not going to like that characteristic? Strange things are happening at Suburban High School again and it is up to Bruno and his new friends to figure out what is going on.
I really enjoyed the first book and also enjoyed this second book. It could serve as a stand- alone novel, but I enjoy the back story, so I would recommend reading the first one. I like the elements of romance, mystery with a twist of paranormal. The story allows you to enter this fictional world and feel like you are part of the group. I like the characters, the dialogue is well written, I like the plot and really enjoyed reading it.
I think this book would appeal to students who are musicians or are really into the classic alternative scene. I would put this book on a new book display or as a stand alone display. I think the story would appeal both to boys and girls, which is also reflected in the cover art. It’s a good fiction story with realistic and paranormal elements. It’s a good addition to a school library.
Highly Recommended
This book is the second in the Suburban Strange series. Some of the characters from the first book make an appearance as college students, but some of the original secondary characters are now the main characters. We are introduced to Bruno and his older brother Silvio. They are worried about fitting in at their new school, but they had to move since his dad is a minister and received a new assignment. When they get to school, they are asked to join the members of The Rosary. The Rosary is a group of friends who is passionate about alternative music, dancing, dressing a certain way and being good at school ☺ What teacher or librarian is not going to like that characteristic? Strange things are happening at Suburban High School again and it is up to Bruno and his new friends to figure out what is going on.
I really enjoyed the first book and also enjoyed this second book. It could serve as a stand- alone novel, but I enjoy the back story, so I would recommend reading the first one. I like the elements of romance, mystery with a twist of paranormal. The story allows you to enter this fictional world and feel like you are part of the group. I like the characters, the dialogue is well written, I like the plot and really enjoyed reading it.
I think this book would appeal to students who are musicians or are really into the classic alternative scene. I would put this book on a new book display or as a stand alone display. I think the story would appeal both to boys and girls, which is also reflected in the cover art. It’s a good fiction story with realistic and paranormal elements. It’s a good addition to a school library.
July 15, 2014
Book Two wasn't quite as exciting for me as book one was. There was still a lot going go, so the book moved forward a nice pace. Two of the orginal Rosary members have left for college, but there are two new students that slip into place fairly nicely, Bruno and his brother Silvio. Now Bruno starts off the year with a huge crush on Celia. She seems to be the center point of the story again, even though much of the book followed Bruno this time instead.
I really enjoyed Bruno - he was a very dynamic and interesting character. We get to follow Bruno as he discovers he is Kind, and his experience is very different than the story we hear from Tomasi in book one. His power is very similar, but manifests in a different and fun way. We also meet another Kind that has found themselves at Suburban High that gives some interesting insights into things. The ghost "haunting" the school is a familiar face that I was very happey to see.
The Unkind in this book takes a very different twist that I really loved. There is also a gatekeeper type that we meet who has a lot of interesting things to say and do, expecially towards the end of the story. A lot of the story was figuring the new characters out and showing how they fit in the grand scheme of things. There just wasn't as much action as there was in book one. Very interesting characters, but a little bit slower. Still a great story, and I'll be watching for book three.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/...
I really enjoyed Bruno - he was a very dynamic and interesting character. We get to follow Bruno as he discovers he is Kind, and his experience is very different than the story we hear from Tomasi in book one. His power is very similar, but manifests in a different and fun way. We also meet another Kind that has found themselves at Suburban High that gives some interesting insights into things. The ghost "haunting" the school is a familiar face that I was very happey to see.
The Unkind in this book takes a very different twist that I really loved. There is also a gatekeeper type that we meet who has a lot of interesting things to say and do, expecially towards the end of the story. A lot of the story was figuring the new characters out and showing how they fit in the grand scheme of things. There just wasn't as much action as there was in book one. Very interesting characters, but a little bit slower. Still a great story, and I'll be watching for book three.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/...
March 13, 2014
In “Suburban Strange,” the first book of this series, there seemed to be a curse where virgins died prior to their sixteenth birthdays. Suburban High School was also home to The Rosary, a group of teens who enjoy indie music and hang out at the Diaboliques Club. Some members of the group come to realize that the world is divided into Kind (with psi talents used for good) and UnKind (those with psi talents used for domination).
“Pull Down the Night” is a re-hash of the plot of “Suburban Strange.” A pair of brothers transfers to Suburban High School and are immediately picked up by The Rosary. Bruno discovers he is Kind; his brother Silvio is not psi-talented and is desperate to achieve the cache inclusion in The Rotary offers its members. Sadly, with key members of the group away at college, the group has lost its focus, and so has the story. The teens carry out the traditions of The Rosary, but can’t explain why they do things as they do. Nonetheless, when students begin to receive “kiss” notes, which contain the date, time and place when a boyfriend or girlfriend can be caught cheating on their steady, The Rosary is soon trying to solve the mystery, aided by the ghost of a character who died in the first book.
The elements of romance and mystery, combined with a twist of paranormal will intrigue teen readers. While “Pull Down the Night” manages to stand on its own, providing back story and rounding out supporting characters from “Suburban Strange,” to fully appreciate the novel, readers will want to also read the first book.
“Pull Down the Night” is a re-hash of the plot of “Suburban Strange.” A pair of brothers transfers to Suburban High School and are immediately picked up by The Rosary. Bruno discovers he is Kind; his brother Silvio is not psi-talented and is desperate to achieve the cache inclusion in The Rotary offers its members. Sadly, with key members of the group away at college, the group has lost its focus, and so has the story. The teens carry out the traditions of The Rosary, but can’t explain why they do things as they do. Nonetheless, when students begin to receive “kiss” notes, which contain the date, time and place when a boyfriend or girlfriend can be caught cheating on their steady, The Rosary is soon trying to solve the mystery, aided by the ghost of a character who died in the first book.
The elements of romance and mystery, combined with a twist of paranormal will intrigue teen readers. While “Pull Down the Night” manages to stand on its own, providing back story and rounding out supporting characters from “Suburban Strange,” to fully appreciate the novel, readers will want to also read the first book.
June 11, 2016
2.5 stars
I didn’t know this book was a sequel until partway through, but it is a pretty good, stand-alone supernatural teen mystery with a bit of romance and some oddball “Easter eggs” in the text. For example, on p. 24 he introduces two neighbors: Alice Stein and Gertrude Toklas. Interesting off-kilter reference to avant garde Parisian life in the early 20th century, but why? I guess I missed the point on that, although the characters do come into play later in the book.
There were small crosses attached to the “T” in Nathan (author's name) on some pages – did anyone else notice those and figure out why they were there? At first I thought they might be clues, indicating pertinent information on the pages, but it was inconsistent with that.
Did anybody besides me think it a little silly to call the liminal space the Ebentwine? Why not be straightforward and call it the “in-between.” Okay, it’s an anagram, but why?
As an avid reader I loved the concept of the unending library; although being sickened by the liminal space within was odd. I also liked Bruno’s ability to create space through his drawings; especially portals – who hasn’t wanted or needed a portable escape hatch? Provided one could draw it fast enough!
Overall, the story was eventful and interesting enough for me to continue to the end, but the characters, aside from Bruno, weren’t memorable and I won’t be re-reading this one.
I didn’t know this book was a sequel until partway through, but it is a pretty good, stand-alone supernatural teen mystery with a bit of romance and some oddball “Easter eggs” in the text. For example, on p. 24 he introduces two neighbors: Alice Stein and Gertrude Toklas. Interesting off-kilter reference to avant garde Parisian life in the early 20th century, but why? I guess I missed the point on that, although the characters do come into play later in the book.
There were small crosses attached to the “T” in Nathan (author's name) on some pages – did anyone else notice those and figure out why they were there? At first I thought they might be clues, indicating pertinent information on the pages, but it was inconsistent with that.
Did anybody besides me think it a little silly to call the liminal space the Ebentwine? Why not be straightforward and call it the “in-between.” Okay, it’s an anagram, but why?
As an avid reader I loved the concept of the unending library; although being sickened by the liminal space within was odd. I also liked Bruno’s ability to create space through his drawings; especially portals – who hasn’t wanted or needed a portable escape hatch? Provided one could draw it fast enough!
Overall, the story was eventful and interesting enough for me to continue to the end, but the characters, aside from Bruno, weren’t memorable and I won’t be re-reading this one.
October 20, 2014
Pull Down the Night introduces us to Bruno and his family while taking us back into the world of Suburban High. This time around Kotecki threw in some teenage love angst - unrequited love and crushes. We see Bruno as a awkward teenager at first until he finds out he has an ability to travel to any place he wants with his Kind power. Celia helps him as his Ambassador which only fuels his emotions for her even though she is with Tomasi. Readers also get another view into Tomasi's school with a group of boys who begin frequenting Diaboliques. The book is an entrancing read that swirls us in with its many musical connotations - definitely more than in Suburban Strange, which is a plus! Kotecki's love for both music and architecture play important roles without detracting us from the plot of the story; in fact if anything the two things lend a more unique twist to the plot. All in all this was a very good read and I look forward to reading it again and again.
October 10, 2013
I was very excited to see a sequel to Suburban Strange. I wasn't sure how it would play out, given that you'd lost 3 Rosary members to graduation.
The author's new characters fit seamlessly into the elegant and structured world that you met in the first novel. He made a new world without falling into the trap of just redoing the first book's situation, while retaining the elements that made me unable to put it down.
I do wonder if, despite the classification as a YA novel, it isn't more fittingly read by older readers who appreciate the author's musical taste and wish they'd been smart enough to see the point of individuality and sleek sophistication. Diaboliques makes me so homesick for the club I loved in my early twenties.
I can only hope for the next part of the story to come quickly.
The author's new characters fit seamlessly into the elegant and structured world that you met in the first novel. He made a new world without falling into the trap of just redoing the first book's situation, while retaining the elements that made me unable to put it down.
I do wonder if, despite the classification as a YA novel, it isn't more fittingly read by older readers who appreciate the author's musical taste and wish they'd been smart enough to see the point of individuality and sleek sophistication. Diaboliques makes me so homesick for the club I loved in my early twenties.
I can only hope for the next part of the story to come quickly.
August 13, 2016
This book is the second in a series, following "The Suburban Strange." I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the first one. It didn't seem to have as much of a plot, and seemed to kind of meander all over and never come to any real resolution. But it did set up for the third book, which I am definitely looking forward to.
There were two things that I thought was extremely odd. There were two elderly women, neighbors of the main character Bruno, named Alice and Gertrude Toklas. And there was a group of teenage boys named Moss, Turlington, Schiffer, Crawford, Campbell and Evanelist ("Evan, which is short for Evangelist"). Neither group of names were ever spoken about except for the boys' names being "crazy." Were they just intended to be inside jokes, with the assumption that no one would get it? It just seemed really strange to me.
There were two things that I thought was extremely odd. There were two elderly women, neighbors of the main character Bruno, named Alice and Gertrude Toklas. And there was a group of teenage boys named Moss, Turlington, Schiffer, Crawford, Campbell and Evanelist ("Evan, which is short for Evangelist"). Neither group of names were ever spoken about except for the boys' names being "crazy." Were they just intended to be inside jokes, with the assumption that no one would get it? It just seemed really strange to me.
October 11, 2013
This book is about a teen just going into high school and figuring out that he was a part of an advanced society of the Kind and Unkind with a dash of Ambassadors. Full of adventure, mystery, and romance, this book can knock you off your feet. Don't judge the book by its title, though. It is not a very good title for the book.
September 28, 2013
I won this book on Goodreads and I'm glad I did. It had a touch of mystery and a lot of paranormal high jinx I recommend this book to all YA reader.
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October 18, 2013I enjoyed the plot and the characters. It was a quick enough read that I could get through it in about 5 hours. Not my favorite though.
January 27, 2014
Unfortunately, Kotecki's tightrope walk to to stay unpretentious in the first novel (a success) utterly failed in Pull Down the Night.
April 16, 2014
Definitely not as good as the first one... but still a masterpiece. Kotecki is fresh, inspired, and original. I SOOO wish I could actually meet Celia. She seems like a Goddess!!
July 23, 2014
I think I actually liked this one a bit better than the first.
March 10, 2015
Video review link down below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n135R...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n135R...
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