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Chronister #1
Chronisters Klif
***Genomineerd voor de Brave New Books Prijs 2013***
De zeventienjarige Karen Eason heeft op jonge leeftijd haar ouders verloren. Na een moeilijke periode komt het allemaal toch nog redelijk goed met haar en haar vier broers. Ze heeft haar leven weer opgepakt en alles lijkt eindelijk weer goed te gaan voor haar, totdat Thomas Chronister in haar leven verschijnt.
Thomas is op het eerste gezicht een buitengewoon vriendelijke jongeman uit Engeland. Hij is altijd behulpzaam en heeft het beste voor met Karen en haar familie.
Maar wanneer Karen hem beter leert kennen, ontdekt ze al snel dat hij iets voor haar geheim houdt. Ze is vastbesloten om erachter te komen wat hij voor haar te verbergen heeft en Thomas weet dat, hoewel hij blijft ontkennen dat hij een geheim heeft.
Wanneer Karen dan toch achter zijn ongelooflijke geheim komt, zet dat een reeks vreemde en soms onverklaarbare gebeurtenissen in gang, waardoor het leven van Karen voorgoed verandert.
Chronisters Klif is een bovennatuurlijk verhaal over de vreemde band die ontstaat tussen een doodnormaal meisje en haar mysterieuze buurjongen.
De zeventienjarige Karen Eason heeft op jonge leeftijd haar ouders verloren. Na een moeilijke periode komt het allemaal toch nog redelijk goed met haar en haar vier broers. Ze heeft haar leven weer opgepakt en alles lijkt eindelijk weer goed te gaan voor haar, totdat Thomas Chronister in haar leven verschijnt.
Thomas is op het eerste gezicht een buitengewoon vriendelijke jongeman uit Engeland. Hij is altijd behulpzaam en heeft het beste voor met Karen en haar familie.
Maar wanneer Karen hem beter leert kennen, ontdekt ze al snel dat hij iets voor haar geheim houdt. Ze is vastbesloten om erachter te komen wat hij voor haar te verbergen heeft en Thomas weet dat, hoewel hij blijft ontkennen dat hij een geheim heeft.
Wanneer Karen dan toch achter zijn ongelooflijke geheim komt, zet dat een reeks vreemde en soms onverklaarbare gebeurtenissen in gang, waardoor het leven van Karen voorgoed verandert.
Chronisters Klif is een bovennatuurlijk verhaal over de vreemde band die ontstaat tussen een doodnormaal meisje en haar mysterieuze buurjongen.
311 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 30, 2017
“What did I do to deserve this?
This cannot be life. This must be death.
This must be hell.”
An incredibly intriguing story with twists at every turn, Simone van der Steeg's The Chronister Cliff brings readers a tale so unique it feels like an original...and may certainly be one. After Karen's parents passed away in a tragic accident, she's tried to live a relatively normal mundane life while living with her four other siblings. But when a new neighbour moves next door, Karen can't help but feel a strange aura about him, drawing her to pursue what this man is hiding...no matter the cost. The first in a supernatural mystery series, The Chronister Cliff is an exciting new tale full of wonderful surprises and character twists that will intrigue any reader.
Thoughts
I received a discounted version of this product in exchange for an honest review. This in no way sways my review or opinion of the novel.
Simone reached out to me via Twitter before the summer, asking if I would be interested in receiving a copy of her novel with a discounted price. After reading the synopsis, I figured I'd give it a shot. Recently, I FINALLY found time to just sit down and dive into this book...
The Chronister Cliff was a delight to read! Though it may NOT be an original story, it felt like one. I can honestly say I've never read ANYTHING like this. You know those "hidden gems", the books that aren't on the Top Seller lists per say but really should have more recognition? THIS, my friends, is a wonderful example of one.
Story | Plot
The point of view follows Karen, so we have to rely heavily on her perception of the events occurring to know what's going on. One thing I love about first person narration, especially someone like Karen - you can't really TRUST the character all the time and you only learn things in the story as the character does...so good!
The synopsis does a pretty good job describing the story; our heroine, Karen, becomes curious about a new neighbour and his peculiar ways, which in turn causes her to start trying to discover what this strange man has to hide. It's a simple enough story that readers can easily follow along, yet not too simple that one would lose interest.
Simone has a wonderful talent for writing, anticipating the PERFECT moments to introduce key pieces of information and maintain a readers interest level. It was one of those books that was REALLY hard to put down...so I didn't. Easily a one day read, make sure you book time off if you plan to read this.
There are a few things I had trouble with though. Beware instalove haters...there's instalove. Honestly, I wasn't expecting this to happen in the novel; it didn't seem to be going in that direction, but it did. The nice thing is that this relationship does NOT take over the majority of the story, so it's easy to dismiss for the most part.
My other issue was the timing: it all moved so FAST! I'm not even talking about the instalove here. The trust level Karen's brothers have with Thomas even though they barely know him...it's just unrealistic in my mind. This COULD be a culture thing though; the author is from the Netherlands, so maybe social interactions and trust levels are different in comparison to Canada. I know this is true in places such as China or even Scotland, so it could be elsewhere.
Additionally, Karen learning about Thomas' secret just felt abrupt. Novel wise, it was in perfect placing. Story wise, I felt as though a week is NOT long enough to spill such important information...
Characters | Character Development
The BEST part about The Chronister Cliff is that every person in the story shows a bit of light and a bit of darkness; no one is clearly defined as good or evil...yet. It makes the characters seem like REAL people, which I find makes the characters MUCH easier to connect with. One minute you could love a character, and then suddenly you want to put them in a choke hold.
I don't necessarily know if there's a large amount of character growth in the novel, but characters such as Karen do realize that some of their thoughts and ways can have both positive and negative consequences. This novel is HEAVILY story focused in my personal opinion; there is a great amount of attention placed upon Thomas and Karen, but the story moved too quickly for the character development to grow exponentially.
Language
The language is simple and fluid, making it extremely easy to simple ride along the waves and finish this book in a day. The one thing I did notice was a number of typos and grammatical errors. This could be due to the fact that it was originally written in Dutch, thus problems with translation. The errors weren't to the point that it bothered me, but it was something I felt the need to point out.
Overall
All in all, The Chronister Cliff is a peculiar supernatural fantasy novel that I think many of those interested in something NEW and EXCITING will enjoy. Most of the time, I find many pieces of literature are just copies of previous stories I've read. This, however, felt cutting-edge in the realm of young adult and teen literature. It must've been pretty good, since I already purchased the second book to read for November 2017. Are you looking for a contemporary fantasy/supernatural novel?
This cannot be life. This must be death.
This must be hell.”
An incredibly intriguing story with twists at every turn, Simone van der Steeg's The Chronister Cliff brings readers a tale so unique it feels like an original...and may certainly be one. After Karen's parents passed away in a tragic accident, she's tried to live a relatively normal mundane life while living with her four other siblings. But when a new neighbour moves next door, Karen can't help but feel a strange aura about him, drawing her to pursue what this man is hiding...no matter the cost. The first in a supernatural mystery series, The Chronister Cliff is an exciting new tale full of wonderful surprises and character twists that will intrigue any reader.
Spoiler Free Review
Thoughts
I received a discounted version of this product in exchange for an honest review. This in no way sways my review or opinion of the novel.
Simone reached out to me via Twitter before the summer, asking if I would be interested in receiving a copy of her novel with a discounted price. After reading the synopsis, I figured I'd give it a shot. Recently, I FINALLY found time to just sit down and dive into this book...
The Chronister Cliff was a delight to read! Though it may NOT be an original story, it felt like one. I can honestly say I've never read ANYTHING like this. You know those "hidden gems", the books that aren't on the Top Seller lists per say but really should have more recognition? THIS, my friends, is a wonderful example of one.
Story | Plot
The point of view follows Karen, so we have to rely heavily on her perception of the events occurring to know what's going on. One thing I love about first person narration, especially someone like Karen - you can't really TRUST the character all the time and you only learn things in the story as the character does...so good!
The synopsis does a pretty good job describing the story; our heroine, Karen, becomes curious about a new neighbour and his peculiar ways, which in turn causes her to start trying to discover what this strange man has to hide. It's a simple enough story that readers can easily follow along, yet not too simple that one would lose interest.
Simone has a wonderful talent for writing, anticipating the PERFECT moments to introduce key pieces of information and maintain a readers interest level. It was one of those books that was REALLY hard to put down...so I didn't. Easily a one day read, make sure you book time off if you plan to read this.
There are a few things I had trouble with though. Beware instalove haters...there's instalove. Honestly, I wasn't expecting this to happen in the novel; it didn't seem to be going in that direction, but it did. The nice thing is that this relationship does NOT take over the majority of the story, so it's easy to dismiss for the most part.
My other issue was the timing: it all moved so FAST! I'm not even talking about the instalove here. The trust level Karen's brothers have with Thomas even though they barely know him...it's just unrealistic in my mind. This COULD be a culture thing though; the author is from the Netherlands, so maybe social interactions and trust levels are different in comparison to Canada. I know this is true in places such as China or even Scotland, so it could be elsewhere.
Additionally, Karen learning about Thomas' secret just felt abrupt. Novel wise, it was in perfect placing. Story wise, I felt as though a week is NOT long enough to spill such important information...
Characters | Character Development
The BEST part about The Chronister Cliff is that every person in the story shows a bit of light and a bit of darkness; no one is clearly defined as good or evil...yet. It makes the characters seem like REAL people, which I find makes the characters MUCH easier to connect with. One minute you could love a character, and then suddenly you want to put them in a choke hold.
I don't necessarily know if there's a large amount of character growth in the novel, but characters such as Karen do realize that some of their thoughts and ways can have both positive and negative consequences. This novel is HEAVILY story focused in my personal opinion; there is a great amount of attention placed upon Thomas and Karen, but the story moved too quickly for the character development to grow exponentially.
Language
The language is simple and fluid, making it extremely easy to simple ride along the waves and finish this book in a day. The one thing I did notice was a number of typos and grammatical errors. This could be due to the fact that it was originally written in Dutch, thus problems with translation. The errors weren't to the point that it bothered me, but it was something I felt the need to point out.
Overall
All in all, The Chronister Cliff is a peculiar supernatural fantasy novel that I think many of those interested in something NEW and EXCITING will enjoy. Most of the time, I find many pieces of literature are just copies of previous stories I've read. This, however, felt cutting-edge in the realm of young adult and teen literature. It must've been pretty good, since I already purchased the second book to read for November 2017. Are you looking for a contemporary fantasy/supernatural novel?
July 7, 2016
Een boek dat langzaam op gang komt, maar als het verhaal eenmaal loopt dan laat het je ook niet meer los. Dat is het eerste wat erbij mij opkomt als ik aan dit boek van Simone van der Steeg denk. Chronisters Klif is al een tijdje uit maar dat mag de pret niet drukken. Chronisters Klif is deel 1 uit de Chronister trilogie.
Karen leid het leven van een doodgewone tiener, het enige verschil is dat haar ouders niet meer leven en zij opgroeit met haar broers in een huis. Haar leven veranderd nadat zij haar mysterieuze buurman ontmoet Thomas Chronister. In het begin ergert zij zich enorm aan deze man, zelfs als ze een paar weken bij deze buurman moet logeren omdat haar broers op vakantie gaan. Karen komt er achter dat Thomas geheimen heeft. Maar welke geheimen schuilen er in het leven van Thomas Chronister. Wat heeft de vreemde droom die Karen al een tijdje heeft met alles te maken.
Chronisters Klif leest erg lekker weg, het verhaal is ook erg leuk opgebouwd. Alles is uit het oogpunt van Karen geschreven, dit zorgt ervoor dat de lezer heel erg in haar kan inleven. Het verhaal maakt deel uit van een trilogie. Door dit verhaal ben ik heel erg nieuwsgierig naar de vervolg boeken. Dit is Simone van der steeg haar eerste boek. Voor dit boek is zij in 2013 genomineerd voor de brave new books award.
Engelse lezers moeten nog even geduld hebben, er is een Engelse versie van Chronisters Klif in de maak. Mijn advies wacht niet en ga dit boek lezen je zult er zeker geen spijt van hebben.
Karen leid het leven van een doodgewone tiener, het enige verschil is dat haar ouders niet meer leven en zij opgroeit met haar broers in een huis. Haar leven veranderd nadat zij haar mysterieuze buurman ontmoet Thomas Chronister. In het begin ergert zij zich enorm aan deze man, zelfs als ze een paar weken bij deze buurman moet logeren omdat haar broers op vakantie gaan. Karen komt er achter dat Thomas geheimen heeft. Maar welke geheimen schuilen er in het leven van Thomas Chronister. Wat heeft de vreemde droom die Karen al een tijdje heeft met alles te maken.
Chronisters Klif leest erg lekker weg, het verhaal is ook erg leuk opgebouwd. Alles is uit het oogpunt van Karen geschreven, dit zorgt ervoor dat de lezer heel erg in haar kan inleven. Het verhaal maakt deel uit van een trilogie. Door dit verhaal ben ik heel erg nieuwsgierig naar de vervolg boeken. Dit is Simone van der steeg haar eerste boek. Voor dit boek is zij in 2013 genomineerd voor de brave new books award.
Engelse lezers moeten nog even geduld hebben, er is een Engelse versie van Chronisters Klif in de maak. Mijn advies wacht niet en ga dit boek lezen je zult er zeker geen spijt van hebben.
December 29, 2015
Normally when someone recommend you a book, you always hear the titles of books that are popular during that period of time, and when you read them most of the time the books don´t correspond to the hype about them, and because you are reading something that all the people is reading (and maybe you at the end don't like it) miss some "Hidden Gems".
Hidden gems like this book, with enjoyable characters, interesting setting and a story that is easy to read, i found this book thanks to the "Good Luck" and if you're reading this review and decide to read the book. I hope that when you finish to read it, think of it as a hidden gem, because it really is.
Hidden gems like this book, with enjoyable characters, interesting setting and a story that is easy to read, i found this book thanks to the "Good Luck" and if you're reading this review and decide to read the book. I hope that when you finish to read it, think of it as a hidden gem, because it really is.
November 12, 2013
UITGEBREIDE REVIEW COMING SOON!
De auteur wist een verrassend goede, onverwachte draai te geven aan een verhaal dat begint als een cliché. Ik was aangenaam verrast.
De auteur wist een verrassend goede, onverwachte draai te geven aan een verhaal dat begint als een cliché. Ik was aangenaam verrast.
September 4, 2017
Wow I need the next book!
FULL REVIEW HERE:
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FULL REVIEW HERE:
https://betweenthepages13.wordpress.c...
January 10, 2016
I was looking forward to this book since I first heard about it.
It was totally different from what I thought it would be - but in a good way.
I really like the characters in this book, especially Karen. She really acts like a seventeen-year-old.
I hope we don't have to wait too long for the sequel.
It was totally different from what I thought it would be - but in a good way.
I really like the characters in this book, especially Karen. She really acts like a seventeen-year-old.
I hope we don't have to wait too long for the sequel.
February 8, 2017
This is a book that I could not put down. I enjoyed the story and the author made the chemistry of the two main characters amazing go well together and I'm ready to read the last two books on the trilogy.
October 24, 2014
Wow. WOW. Too many things happened just now. I need to collect my thoughts. But Wow.
February 12, 2016
Heel intersant verhaal, ben benieuwd hoe het mysterie verder gaat ^_^ .
July 10, 2015
The book was amazingly written and is one of my new favorite books I recommend anyone reads it
October 19, 2021
I hoped I would like this book more, but the characters and some tropes just didn't work with my personal taste. However, I liked how some parts of this book were more down to earth when some other YA books go for maximum drama. If you liked, lets say Twilight, for the fact that it was more down to earth than some of its successors, you might like this book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews