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Bendy and the Ink Machine #2
The Lost Ones
An all-new official, original novel from the twisted world of the hit horror video game, Bendy!
Atlantic City, 1946. Bill, Constance and Brant can’t help but feel like they are missing out on life. Bill craves an existence outside of his father’s influence. Brant is willing to play a dangerous game to further his career and make a name for himself. Constance yearns for the freedom to be herself and do exactly what she loves. What these three teens don’t know is that their desires will lead them all to a dark secret. Something inky just came to town in the form of a curious machine and a visit from a man named Joey Drew. When mysterious ink stains begin permeating their lives, will these teens investigate and risk it all in the process? And what of the monster lurking in the shadows? Read and find out in this chilling sequel to Dreams Come to Life by Adrienne Kress!
Atlantic City, 1946. Bill, Constance and Brant can’t help but feel like they are missing out on life. Bill craves an existence outside of his father’s influence. Brant is willing to play a dangerous game to further his career and make a name for himself. Constance yearns for the freedom to be herself and do exactly what she loves. What these three teens don’t know is that their desires will lead them all to a dark secret. Something inky just came to town in the form of a curious machine and a visit from a man named Joey Drew. When mysterious ink stains begin permeating their lives, will these teens investigate and risk it all in the process? And what of the monster lurking in the shadows? Read and find out in this chilling sequel to Dreams Come to Life by Adrienne Kress!
271 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 7, 2021
66 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Adrienne Kress
32 books446 followersAdrienne Kress is a Toronto born actor and author who loves to play make-believe. She also loves hot chocolate. And cheese. Not necessarily together.
2016 saw the release of HATTER MADIGAN: Ghost in the H.A.T.B.O.X., an exciting collaboration with NY Times bestselling author Frank Beddor (set in the same world as his Looking Glass Wars YA books). And April 2017 she releases the first book in her new Middle Grade series: THE EXPLORERS - The Door in the Alley (Delacorte, Random House).
October 2016 her essay appeared alongside work by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Mariko Tamaki in the non-fiction anthology THE SECRET LOVES OF GEEK GIRLS (Dark Horse).
She is also the author of two other children's novels: ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN and TIMOTHY AND THE DRAGON'S GATE (Scholastic). And also the YA novels, THE FRIDAY SOCIETY (Steampunk Adventure from Dial Penguin, 2012) and OUTCAST (a quirky YA paranormal romance from Diversion Books, 2013).
Some more info about Adrienne: she is a theatre graduate of the Univeristy of Toronto and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in the UK. Published around the world, ALEX was featured in the New York Post as a "Post Potter Pick," as well as on the CBS early show. It won the Heart of Hawick Children's Book Award in the UK and was nominated for the Red Cedar. The sequel, TIMOTHY, was nominated for the Audie, Red Cedar and Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards, and was recently optioned for film. THE FRIDAY SOCIETY was nominated for a Quill Award, and has been optioned for television.
Oh, and the German title for ALEX is:
DIE HALSUBERKOPFUNDKRAGENDRAMATISCHABENTEUERLICHE KATASTROPHENEXPEDITION DER ALEX MORNINGSIDE.
No.
Seriously.
Find her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdrienneKress
On Instagram:
https://instagram.com/AdrienneKress
And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adrien...
2016 saw the release of HATTER MADIGAN: Ghost in the H.A.T.B.O.X., an exciting collaboration with NY Times bestselling author Frank Beddor (set in the same world as his Looking Glass Wars YA books). And April 2017 she releases the first book in her new Middle Grade series: THE EXPLORERS - The Door in the Alley (Delacorte, Random House).
October 2016 her essay appeared alongside work by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Mariko Tamaki in the non-fiction anthology THE SECRET LOVES OF GEEK GIRLS (Dark Horse).
She is also the author of two other children's novels: ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN and TIMOTHY AND THE DRAGON'S GATE (Scholastic). And also the YA novels, THE FRIDAY SOCIETY (Steampunk Adventure from Dial Penguin, 2012) and OUTCAST (a quirky YA paranormal romance from Diversion Books, 2013).
Some more info about Adrienne: she is a theatre graduate of the Univeristy of Toronto and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in the UK. Published around the world, ALEX was featured in the New York Post as a "Post Potter Pick," as well as on the CBS early show. It won the Heart of Hawick Children's Book Award in the UK and was nominated for the Red Cedar. The sequel, TIMOTHY, was nominated for the Audie, Red Cedar and Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards, and was recently optioned for film. THE FRIDAY SOCIETY was nominated for a Quill Award, and has been optioned for television.
Oh, and the German title for ALEX is:
DIE HALSUBERKOPFUNDKRAGENDRAMATISCHABENTEUERLICHE KATASTROPHENEXPEDITION DER ALEX MORNINGSIDE.
No.
Seriously.
Find her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdrienneKress
On Instagram:
https://instagram.com/AdrienneKress
And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adrien...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 24, 2022
The second Bendy tie-in novel focuses on three teenagers in Atlantic City who run afoul of Joey Drew's enigmatic Ink Machine.
It takes about half the book for things to really kick into high gear. There's nary a mention of the Ink Machine or anything else game-related bar some tangential references to Gent for the first 150 or so pages, so it does drag a little. Once things do kick in though, the horror amps up and there are some pretty decent twists and explorations of the power of the Ink.
Like the first book, each character in this one has their own unique perspectives, and Kress differentiates between them nicely, giving them their own voices that grow and change as they succumb to the Ink.
My only other complaint is that it kind of just...ends. There's an implication to the final few pages, but it definitely feels like we're missing something between that and the creepy epilogue.
Still decent, and a fun entry into the Bendyverse, but I definitely preferred the first one.
It takes about half the book for things to really kick into high gear. There's nary a mention of the Ink Machine or anything else game-related bar some tangential references to Gent for the first 150 or so pages, so it does drag a little. Once things do kick in though, the horror amps up and there are some pretty decent twists and explorations of the power of the Ink.
Like the first book, each character in this one has their own unique perspectives, and Kress differentiates between them nicely, giving them their own voices that grow and change as they succumb to the Ink.
My only other complaint is that it kind of just...ends. There's an implication to the final few pages, but it definitely feels like we're missing something between that and the creepy epilogue.
Still decent, and a fun entry into the Bendyverse, but I definitely preferred the first one.
May 18, 2023
The book follows the point of view of Constance. At the story's beginning, Constance is at the top of a diving board getting ready to dive off riding a horse. Then we are introduced to a boy named Brant who works for the newspaper and is given a job. His job is to bring up the house to the girl at the top of the diving board, Constance. The boy Brant takes up the job only if he gets a byline(a story and their name in the newspaper). Also throughout the story, we will switch between these two characters' points of view. Anyways back to the story, the person we are currently following is Brant currently he is at the stable where the horse is stored and he is nervous. Brant is scared for a good reason because whenever he gets close to or tries to a horse they always knock him off or kick him, but a man next to the horse ensures him that everything will be okay because the horse is a gentle soul and won't be aggressive with him. Then Brant takes the lead of the horse and when he gets to the top he sees a beautiful woman who is Constance. Now we switch to the point of view of Constance. Constance is nervous and cold. Then she sees a man bring up her horse. The two people Brant and Constance talk for a while with Constance talking the most and Brant wanting the conversation to end. Then as Brant goes down Constance tells him her name but Brant said he already knew making Constance feel embarrassed. Constance is getting ready to jump with the horse but before she does she talks with the horse for reinsurance that she would not fail the landing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
The plot twists?!? Hello?!?
July 19, 2025
I am a massive fan of Bendy.
This book was amazing! I loved it. The writing style was unique, it's like the prose was speaking literal charcter.
This book was amazing! I loved it. The writing style was unique, it's like the prose was speaking literal charcter.
December 19, 2024
This book is incredible the way it’s written and the multi point of views just made it so good!
I highly recommend to anyone who really enjoyed the video games.
I really relate to Constance a lot the way she is and acts is literally me her personality was the same as mine.
Bill was a really good character and honestly I would have gone with him over that irritating Andrew who I really didn’t like at all.
Brant was so sweet I really really thought it was really sad how he turned into an ink person/ Lost One.
If I were to choose which one I would rather be friends with I probably go with Constance.
When she made the antidote but it only lasted one day made me really sad 😭
In the end where she went in Joey Drew’s Car with Scott made me wish there was more! I really hope she escaped Joey Drew and went to make a long lasting antidote for Bill and Brant.
That would be my preferred ending.
I really loved this book so much I hope many others read this.
I want to thank the author and the many people who helped make this book.
I highly recommend to anyone who really enjoyed the video games.
I really relate to Constance a lot the way she is and acts is literally me her personality was the same as mine.
Bill was a really good character and honestly I would have gone with him over that irritating Andrew who I really didn’t like at all.
Brant was so sweet I really really thought it was really sad how he turned into an ink person/ Lost One.
If I were to choose which one I would rather be friends with I probably go with Constance.
When she made the antidote but it only lasted one day made me really sad 😭
In the end where she went in Joey Drew’s Car with Scott made me wish there was more! I really hope she escaped Joey Drew and went to make a long lasting antidote for Bill and Brant.
That would be my preferred ending.
I really loved this book so much I hope many others read this.
I want to thank the author and the many people who helped make this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2022
El titulo es The lost ones y es el tercer libro sobre Bendy (para aclarar ya que no sale ni el titulo en la app)
Ha sido un extenso recorrido de tres historias diferentes que luego se unen en un momento tenso e intrigante. Son las vidas de Bill, Brant y Constance, cada uno de ellos con sus peculiaridades, inseguridades y diferentes formas de ver la vida y los futuros que quieren alcanzar.
Me gusta como la autora nos lleva a conocer a los tres por separado pero pienso que sus vidas son demasiado comunes y cortan el momento abruptamente... Total, que el libro tarda mucho en entrar en el conflicto y tiene mucho desarrollo que se podría acortar sin perder las ganas de seguir leyendo o empatizar con los protagonistas.
Aunque la trama tarda en arrancar, admito que tiene un gran desenlace. El final es inesperado y muy bien cerrado, cargado de tensión y terror. Bendy ha ganado bastante protagonismo, mas que en dreams come to life; crea una forma nueva de tratar con la empresa de GENT, añade mucho mas lore a los pobres lost y la tinta... El poder de la tinta y sus consecuencias quedan más en contexto que antes. Mas incluso que dentro de los juegos.
En resumen: aunque tarda bastante en hacerse querer, este libro es otra gran obra de la autora. Lo recomiendo, aunque esté en ingles es de lectura sencilla, cargada de adjetivos eso si. Creo que es lo único cargante.
Ha sido un extenso recorrido de tres historias diferentes que luego se unen en un momento tenso e intrigante. Son las vidas de Bill, Brant y Constance, cada uno de ellos con sus peculiaridades, inseguridades y diferentes formas de ver la vida y los futuros que quieren alcanzar.
Me gusta como la autora nos lleva a conocer a los tres por separado pero pienso que sus vidas son demasiado comunes y cortan el momento abruptamente... Total, que el libro tarda mucho en entrar en el conflicto y tiene mucho desarrollo que se podría acortar sin perder las ganas de seguir leyendo o empatizar con los protagonistas.
Aunque la trama tarda en arrancar, admito que tiene un gran desenlace. El final es inesperado y muy bien cerrado, cargado de tensión y terror. Bendy ha ganado bastante protagonismo, mas que en dreams come to life; crea una forma nueva de tratar con la empresa de GENT, añade mucho mas lore a los pobres lost y la tinta... El poder de la tinta y sus consecuencias quedan más en contexto que antes. Mas incluso que dentro de los juegos.
En resumen: aunque tarda bastante en hacerse querer, este libro es otra gran obra de la autora. Lo recomiendo, aunque esté en ingles es de lectura sencilla, cargada de adjetivos eso si. Creo que es lo único cargante.
February 10, 2022
Adrienne always does such a marvelous job writing for this franchise!
From a general standpoint, the novel is very enjoyable even if you don't have much prior knowledge of the series. The time period accuracy in these books is always wonderful and really helps you lose yourself in the story. It's equal parts historical fiction and horror, with well-timed creepiness and a few scenes that physically made me gasp.
The characters are lovable and relatable, the storyline is tragic, and it's a perfect expansion on the concept of the Lost Ones! ^^
From a general standpoint, the novel is very enjoyable even if you don't have much prior knowledge of the series. The time period accuracy in these books is always wonderful and really helps you lose yourself in the story. It's equal parts historical fiction and horror, with well-timed creepiness and a few scenes that physically made me gasp.
The characters are lovable and relatable, the storyline is tragic, and it's a perfect expansion on the concept of the Lost Ones! ^^
May 28, 2022
Compared to the previous installments, The Lost One sticks out as a satisfactory, yet somewhat underwhelming, Bendy book. The story starts out rather slow, and with the multiple perspectives it makes the first few chapters go by even slower. The characters range from rather dull to fun and entertaining, especially one main protagonist in particular. The antagonists are once again handled very well, and the characters from the games included in this book are as well. Overall, while the lore isn't quite as important, fans will still walk away pleased with the new info.
July 31, 2025
Hát ez egy nagyon szolid horror volt, nagyon élveztem, és nem tudom, hogy a fandomunk mivel érdemelte ki, hogy egy ilyen jó írót kapott, de egyáltalán nem panaszkodom miatta. Superiornak is érzem magam az FNAF szekcióhoz képest. (Sorry FNAF fans.)
Meg merem kockáztatni, hogy akkor is simán élvezhető, ha semmit nem tud az ember a BATIMról, mert nagyon ügyesen vannak adagolva az utalások, egy-egy mondat, vagy más részlet, de hogy nem lett az egészből indokolatlan fanservice, és önmagában is kerek egész volt a sztori.
Külön tetszett az, ahogy időt szánt arra, hogy megismerjük a főszereplőket, és abszolút volt értelme az E/1-nek, ami tőlem nagy szó, mert általában nem értem, hogy miért használják, és csak idegesít, de itt nem. Itt jól volt használva, végig abban a POV-ben maradt és nem közölt olyat a karakter, amit nem tudhatott, plusz jobban megismertük a karater érzelmi állapotát, és jobban is fájt az elkerülhetetlen tragédia. Bár természetesen végig annak szurkoltam, hogy mind megússzák, és nagyon fájt, mikor kiderült, hogy hát ebből az egészből nincs menekvés, pont azért, mert volt idő arra, hogy megismerjem őket.
A kedvencem a csaj volt, akinek fogalmam nincs hogy kell leírnom a nevét, de hogy vele rezonáltam a legjobban, és úgy döntöttem, hogy ace a csaj, mert pontosan olyan gondolatmeneteket futatott le, mint amilyeneket én kamaszkoromban. A leginkább az tetszett, mikor azon filozofált, hogy valóban akar udvarlókat, vagy csak azért akarja őket, mert mindenki ezt várja el tőle.
Meg az, ahogy levezette, hogy "love is conquer all" de hogy igazából csak a saját hobbijait és személyiségét szorítja félre, mert a másik fél egyáltalán nem érdeklődött iránta, és hogy igazából ő maga se tudta pontosan, hogy miként csinálhatná másként, hiszen ha ellentmondd, akkor abból csak a baj van, és vissza kell húzódnia, meg kevés teret elfoglalnia.
Tökéletesen átéreztem a lányt, és annyira örültem, mikor végre sikerült neki ebből kitörnie! Olyan büszke voltam rá! És hogy a tudásával sikerült megmentenie a barátját! (Jó, a tinta utána elragadta, de az most jelenleg nem számít)
Nagyon jó karakter volt, nagyon szerettem.
Ahogy azt is, hogy nem adtunk neki szerelmi szálat a végén, nagyon jól rezonált a karakterrel, és örültem, hogy nem áldoztuk fel. Pedig bennem volt egy aggodalom, hogy ez lesz a vége, de nem! Köszönöm drága író, eggyel több ace queen in the world! (Esküszöm a horror a leginkább queer friendly zsáner.)
Bill is nagyon tetszett még, szerencsétlen gyereknek az összes anxiety attack kijutott, amivel szintén rezonáltam, és nagyon oda akartam neki adni egy marék frontint. Az apjával meg elbeszélgetni egy sötét sikátorban négyszemközt.
A triumvirátus harmadik tagjának a neve nem ugrik be hirtelen, de hogy ő így rendben volt, biztos vagyok benne, hogy valakinek ő lesz A Karakter, de nekem nem, és ezzel nincs semmi baj. Ő is szépen fel volt építve, abszolút hihető meg minden, csak nem hagyott bennem akkora mély nyomot.
Azt is nagyon szerettem, hogy Joey akkor bukkant fel, mikor már minden elromlott ami csak elromolhatott, elvesztettük az újságíró gyereket, és a Gép is nekilátott egy mini apokalipszisnak a pincében. Tökéletes időzítés volt, fel is hördültem munkába, hogy: Visszamenjé!
De sajna maradt, és hála neki, senki nem úszta meg élve.
Ó, a Gép meg a tinta meg a szörnyek is nagyon jól voltak ábrázolva, az iró abszolút stabil munkát végzett az atmoszférával, meg úgy az egész terrorral, hihető fenyegetés volt, és komolyan aggódtam a szereplőkért, és a hideg is kirázott pár helyen.
Tökéletes munka volt, nagyon élveztem, és aki szeretne egy jó kis horrort, annak is bátran ajánlom, eskü, hogy nem kell semmit tudni hozzá a játékról, mert önmagában is megállja a helyét.
Plusz megtudtam, hogy mi az isten az a horse diving, és azt hiszem ez volt a legfurább az egészben, mert ez egy valódi dolog volt, ami tényleg turistalátványosságnak számított. Bizarr.
Meg merem kockáztatni, hogy akkor is simán élvezhető, ha semmit nem tud az ember a BATIMról, mert nagyon ügyesen vannak adagolva az utalások, egy-egy mondat, vagy más részlet, de hogy nem lett az egészből indokolatlan fanservice, és önmagában is kerek egész volt a sztori.
Külön tetszett az, ahogy időt szánt arra, hogy megismerjük a főszereplőket, és abszolút volt értelme az E/1-nek, ami tőlem nagy szó, mert általában nem értem, hogy miért használják, és csak idegesít, de itt nem. Itt jól volt használva, végig abban a POV-ben maradt és nem közölt olyat a karakter, amit nem tudhatott, plusz jobban megismertük a karater érzelmi állapotát, és jobban is fájt az elkerülhetetlen tragédia. Bár természetesen végig annak szurkoltam, hogy mind megússzák, és nagyon fájt, mikor kiderült, hogy hát ebből az egészből nincs menekvés, pont azért, mert volt idő arra, hogy megismerjem őket.
A kedvencem a csaj volt, akinek fogalmam nincs hogy kell leírnom a nevét, de hogy vele rezonáltam a legjobban, és úgy döntöttem, hogy ace a csaj, mert pontosan olyan gondolatmeneteket futatott le, mint amilyeneket én kamaszkoromban. A leginkább az tetszett, mikor azon filozofált, hogy valóban akar udvarlókat, vagy csak azért akarja őket, mert mindenki ezt várja el tőle.
Meg az, ahogy levezette, hogy "love is conquer all" de hogy igazából csak a saját hobbijait és személyiségét szorítja félre, mert a másik fél egyáltalán nem érdeklődött iránta, és hogy igazából ő maga se tudta pontosan, hogy miként csinálhatná másként, hiszen ha ellentmondd, akkor abból csak a baj van, és vissza kell húzódnia, meg kevés teret elfoglalnia.
Tökéletesen átéreztem a lányt, és annyira örültem, mikor végre sikerült neki ebből kitörnie! Olyan büszke voltam rá! És hogy a tudásával sikerült megmentenie a barátját! (Jó, a tinta utána elragadta, de az most jelenleg nem számít)
Nagyon jó karakter volt, nagyon szerettem.
Ahogy azt is, hogy nem adtunk neki szerelmi szálat a végén, nagyon jól rezonált a karakterrel, és örültem, hogy nem áldoztuk fel. Pedig bennem volt egy aggodalom, hogy ez lesz a vége, de nem! Köszönöm drága író, eggyel több ace queen in the world! (Esküszöm a horror a leginkább queer friendly zsáner.)
Bill is nagyon tetszett még, szerencsétlen gyereknek az összes anxiety attack kijutott, amivel szintén rezonáltam, és nagyon oda akartam neki adni egy marék frontint. Az apjával meg elbeszélgetni egy sötét sikátorban négyszemközt.
A triumvirátus harmadik tagjának a neve nem ugrik be hirtelen, de hogy ő így rendben volt, biztos vagyok benne, hogy valakinek ő lesz A Karakter, de nekem nem, és ezzel nincs semmi baj. Ő is szépen fel volt építve, abszolút hihető meg minden, csak nem hagyott bennem akkora mély nyomot.
Azt is nagyon szerettem, hogy Joey akkor bukkant fel, mikor már minden elromlott ami csak elromolhatott, elvesztettük az újságíró gyereket, és a Gép is nekilátott egy mini apokalipszisnak a pincében. Tökéletes időzítés volt, fel is hördültem munkába, hogy: Visszamenjé!
De sajna maradt, és hála neki, senki nem úszta meg élve.
Ó, a Gép meg a tinta meg a szörnyek is nagyon jól voltak ábrázolva, az iró abszolút stabil munkát végzett az atmoszférával, meg úgy az egész terrorral, hihető fenyegetés volt, és komolyan aggódtam a szereplőkért, és a hideg is kirázott pár helyen.
Tökéletes munka volt, nagyon élveztem, és aki szeretne egy jó kis horrort, annak is bátran ajánlom, eskü, hogy nem kell semmit tudni hozzá a játékról, mert önmagában is megállja a helyét.
Plusz megtudtam, hogy mi az isten az a horse diving, és azt hiszem ez volt a legfurább az egészben, mert ez egy valódi dolog volt, ami tényleg turistalátványosságnak számított. Bizarr.
September 19, 2025
as with the first book I'm going to judge this as it's own thing and not if it fits into the lore of the games because as with the last one this does some weird things with the canon.
I have a few main issues with this book. it's told from the pov of technically 5 characters. however, 3 of these are like 99% of the book so I'm just going to focus on them. unfortunately all 3 of the main characters have basically the same narrative voice with the only difference being the part they play in the story. I feel like with the first novel this is done because the text is purposefully written poorly because the author (or editor, I'll get to that) felt like anything actually thought provoking would be too much to understand for the supposedly teenage age range this series is intended for. I don't understand why some people feel like younger audiences can't appreciate good writing. if they're a reader they'll get it but that also makes me wonder if this series wasn't intended for readers in mind either and just the dreaded 'general audiences.'
as with the last one this is set in the late 1940s but boy would you not know that. basically anything that would have set this in that time period was stripped away except for some superficial references. for some reason this novel felt the need to stress that the 3 main 17 year olds don't drink/like drinks. I really don't know why this was harped on so much. it felt like propaganda. like it was something an overly stringent editor would force in. all of them would have had at least one drink at some point. but no got to tell the kiddies drinking is bad, m'kay.
out of the 3 main characters brent was the one I really had the least issue with. he felt the most fleshed out and real of the trio.
Constance felt too forced. she very much had the 'not like the other girls' vibe to her. I also don't think this was intended but she came off as autistic. I don't mean this is a rude way but I hope it was intentional. if not than this is a bad representation of an impoverished girl in the 1940s.
bill had the annoying trope of rich kid with a heart of gold. again he is born into wealth yet he doesn't have a single controversial quip to his personality that would make the reader have to form a possible negative opinion of him. somehow he is just a sweetheart who resents the money and his dad.
in the last section of the book supposedly the ink has this affect on the 3 that causes their emotions to be heightened but it doesn't feel at all like that. their narrative voices don't change at all. out of the 3 the only one that really feels any different is Constance. brent and bill genuinely don't seem all that changed. we are just told they are.
like the first novel this whole thing is just telling us how the characters are, how they're feeling. we are never shown. we are never given the ability to form feelings or opinions or think at all in this novel. books are supposed to make you think and in that this was poorly done. I hope the next one is officially the last in the series.
I have a few main issues with this book. it's told from the pov of technically 5 characters. however, 3 of these are like 99% of the book so I'm just going to focus on them. unfortunately all 3 of the main characters have basically the same narrative voice with the only difference being the part they play in the story. I feel like with the first novel this is done because the text is purposefully written poorly because the author (or editor, I'll get to that) felt like anything actually thought provoking would be too much to understand for the supposedly teenage age range this series is intended for. I don't understand why some people feel like younger audiences can't appreciate good writing. if they're a reader they'll get it but that also makes me wonder if this series wasn't intended for readers in mind either and just the dreaded 'general audiences.'
as with the last one this is set in the late 1940s but boy would you not know that. basically anything that would have set this in that time period was stripped away except for some superficial references. for some reason this novel felt the need to stress that the 3 main 17 year olds don't drink/like drinks. I really don't know why this was harped on so much. it felt like propaganda. like it was something an overly stringent editor would force in. all of them would have had at least one drink at some point. but no got to tell the kiddies drinking is bad, m'kay.
out of the 3 main characters brent was the one I really had the least issue with. he felt the most fleshed out and real of the trio.
Constance felt too forced. she very much had the 'not like the other girls' vibe to her. I also don't think this was intended but she came off as autistic. I don't mean this is a rude way but I hope it was intentional. if not than this is a bad representation of an impoverished girl in the 1940s.
bill had the annoying trope of rich kid with a heart of gold. again he is born into wealth yet he doesn't have a single controversial quip to his personality that would make the reader have to form a possible negative opinion of him. somehow he is just a sweetheart who resents the money and his dad.
in the last section of the book supposedly the ink has this affect on the 3 that causes their emotions to be heightened but it doesn't feel at all like that. their narrative voices don't change at all. out of the 3 the only one that really feels any different is Constance. brent and bill genuinely don't seem all that changed. we are just told they are.
like the first novel this whole thing is just telling us how the characters are, how they're feeling. we are never shown. we are never given the ability to form feelings or opinions or think at all in this novel. books are supposed to make you think and in that this was poorly done. I hope the next one is officially the last in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2025
Well, after reading the first one, I decided to jump into the second. Was it better than the first? Well...no. Was it good? ...Meh?
That's the best way to describe this one. a bit fat meh.
It's essentially from the POV of three characters. a male reporter, a male rich guy, and a female um.. girl who wants to be a chemist? i guess is the best way to describe her?
And that's the biggest issue with this book. it's only 280 pages, yet it tries to have three main characters with three different motivations. it's not enough time for all three. The first book wasn't great sure, but it just followed the one guy, so we were able to really get into his head and actually care about him. these three not so much.
Which lends me to the next problem. I didn't care about any of them. They were all irritating and I really didn't like any of them. the girl was constantly whining about wanting to not date a guy but not actually like....TELLING him until she started dealing with the ink stuff, the rich guy was..i mean fine, but the stereotypical "i'm rich but i wanna live MY life wahhh" and the reporter was lying to the other two to get a story. so in all in all, they were all pretty lame.
Also if you're hoping for ink related stuff, well that doesn't show up until about 1/2 way through. the first 140 pages is them chatting about nothing.
The second half, while having ink related things, really doesn't FEEL like a bendy story. it feels like these three kinda wandered in to a different story entirely. almost as if you were reading a historical fiction and someone switched genres on you halfway through.
This book took me almost 2 weeks to get through and it really shouldn't have.
You know, i was giving this book a 2.5 out of 5 and was planning on rounding it up to a 3, but as i began writing this review i realized, it really doesn't deserve it. It's gonna get rounded down to a 2.
It reads really well, but I just didn't care about these three. they were lame characters with lame motivations and there wasn't really a whole lotta you know..BENDY in this one.
I'm going to read the third one though (partially for completionist sake as the 3rd one is the last one but also in hoping the series ends strong) but i'm not going to hold my breath on the quality.
All in all. Meh. 2.5 out of 5, rounded down to a 2.
That's the best way to describe this one. a bit fat meh.
It's essentially from the POV of three characters. a male reporter, a male rich guy, and a female um.. girl who wants to be a chemist? i guess is the best way to describe her?
And that's the biggest issue with this book. it's only 280 pages, yet it tries to have three main characters with three different motivations. it's not enough time for all three. The first book wasn't great sure, but it just followed the one guy, so we were able to really get into his head and actually care about him. these three not so much.
Which lends me to the next problem. I didn't care about any of them. They were all irritating and I really didn't like any of them. the girl was constantly whining about wanting to not date a guy but not actually like....TELLING him until she started dealing with the ink stuff, the rich guy was..i mean fine, but the stereotypical "i'm rich but i wanna live MY life wahhh" and the reporter was lying to the other two to get a story. so in all in all, they were all pretty lame.
Also if you're hoping for ink related stuff, well that doesn't show up until about 1/2 way through. the first 140 pages is them chatting about nothing.
The second half, while having ink related things, really doesn't FEEL like a bendy story. it feels like these three kinda wandered in to a different story entirely. almost as if you were reading a historical fiction and someone switched genres on you halfway through.
This book took me almost 2 weeks to get through and it really shouldn't have.
You know, i was giving this book a 2.5 out of 5 and was planning on rounding it up to a 3, but as i began writing this review i realized, it really doesn't deserve it. It's gonna get rounded down to a 2.
It reads really well, but I just didn't care about these three. they were lame characters with lame motivations and there wasn't really a whole lotta you know..BENDY in this one.
I'm going to read the third one though (partially for completionist sake as the 3rd one is the last one but also in hoping the series ends strong) but i'm not going to hold my breath on the quality.
All in all. Meh. 2.5 out of 5, rounded down to a 2.
November 6, 2022
The Lost Ones by Adrienne Kress is a YA historical horror novel set in the late nineteen forties.
It is a weird dynamic. The first hundred or so pages are just setting up the characters and reads like a historical novel only very minor allusions to the horror to come. The last half is straight horror. Complete with our characters doing stupid stuff that no logical person would do. But such is the way of kids in horror novels.
This book ties into the video game Bendy and the Ink Machine, but not until the second half of the book. It also contributed zero new lore to the game universe and can be read almost entirely on its own.
The three POV characters are fine, but none of them are particularly likeable. Like most horror stories they learn their lessons too late to change.
A young woman wants to study science but instead of fighting for her dream she just conforms and silently seethes in anger.
The heir to an empire disagrees with his father's business tactics but is too scared to stop stand up to him.
An aspiring reporter will do anything for a story even betray a friend. At least Brant is repentant In the end.
If you like YA, historical fiction and horror, then this is an interesting novel with all the right genre hooks. (Including the overly progressive and modern points of view.)
If you just want Looooore, well there's a reason MatPat hasn't covered the Bendy books on Game theory.
It is a weird dynamic. The first hundred or so pages are just setting up the characters and reads like a historical novel only very minor allusions to the horror to come. The last half is straight horror. Complete with our characters doing stupid stuff that no logical person would do. But such is the way of kids in horror novels.
This book ties into the video game Bendy and the Ink Machine, but not until the second half of the book. It also contributed zero new lore to the game universe and can be read almost entirely on its own.
The three POV characters are fine, but none of them are particularly likeable. Like most horror stories they learn their lessons too late to change.
A young woman wants to study science but instead of fighting for her dream she just conforms and silently seethes in anger.
The heir to an empire disagrees with his father's business tactics but is too scared to stop stand up to him.
An aspiring reporter will do anything for a story even betray a friend. At least Brant is repentant In the end.
If you like YA, historical fiction and horror, then this is an interesting novel with all the right genre hooks. (Including the overly progressive and modern points of view.)
If you just want Looooore, well there's a reason MatPat hasn't covered the Bendy books on Game theory.
April 7, 2022
‘Bendy and the Ink Machine: The Lost Ones’ is a standalone sequel to ‘Dreams Come True’, taking place in December 1946 (whereas ‘Dreams Come True’ takes place during the summer of 1946), and has the unique distinction of following several characters, each chapter is dedicated to each character, instead of just one. Which also makes the book feel like an anthology of sorts. These four characters all in a way cross paths when something strange comes to town.
One thing I would say I liked about this book is that it is a very easy read. It feels like it is getting to the point of the story it wants to tell without dragging, however switching between characters does mean we can be stuck on one sequence for several chapters, which was the case with the book’s first four chapters. It also helps that the strangeness of the events unfolding in the book and the switching character perspectives are enough to keep you interested.
One thing I would say I liked about this book is that it is a very easy read. It feels like it is getting to the point of the story it wants to tell without dragging, however switching between characters does mean we can be stuck on one sequence for several chapters, which was the case with the book’s first four chapters. It also helps that the strangeness of the events unfolding in the book and the switching character perspectives are enough to keep you interested.
January 5, 2023
This book is kind of creepy and especially after playing the game and reading the previous book you get to see what the ink does to different people and who they become after the ink gets its tendrils on them and who is able to transform into the characters from the bendy cartoons and the ones who have the unlucky fate of becoming the lost ones. Seems that once they do the main characteristic that prevented them from turning into the characters of the cartoons and I feel bad because the character i liked a lot Constance was turned into a lost one I honestly thought because of her anger she would be an Alice Angel duplicate like the one we see in the game, but sadly she is faceless and angry all the time.
February 24, 2023
As far as tie-ins go, this one is pretty solid!
I decided to read this in anticipation for the new game and I was pretty impressed. I really like how the chapters are divided into different characters’ perspectives which allows for an interesting experience. I found the first half of the book to be surprisingly more engaging than the second half, but maybe that’s just because I really like character work and character building. The second half was still definitely solid though.
This book is definitely only for fans of the game series, but if you fall into that category I’d say check it out!
I decided to read this in anticipation for the new game and I was pretty impressed. I really like how the chapters are divided into different characters’ perspectives which allows for an interesting experience. I found the first half of the book to be surprisingly more engaging than the second half, but maybe that’s just because I really like character work and character building. The second half was still definitely solid though.
This book is definitely only for fans of the game series, but if you fall into that category I’d say check it out!
May 13, 2023
Not good at all. Three new characters that you don't care about because you can guess how it'll end and do not care about there little romantic drama. It's also set in a time that they do not care if a kid drinks but it is big in the book that they are underage when in fact the drinking age limit was established in 1984-way after the events of this book which I'm guessing is 40s/50s. I know this is teen/child book so the main characters shouldn't drink maybe but at least be historically accurate on the background characters. All in all this books seems far separated from the events of the first and very badly written. Do not recommend.
September 23, 2022
It was a fine book, at the end of it it makes it look like it might get a new book. There were some issues, like swapping a character to another one, it feels so disorganized. From another book, it makes one character story in a whole big chapter that tells that one character story.
December 27, 2022
This book had seriously got me on the edge of my seat. It started out small till it hits the midway and omg the payoff was great (with a cliffhanger at the end). Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!!
July 9, 2024
This one was just ok. I liked that we were back in the Bendy universe, but the first half of the book felt like it didn’t need to be there. Once things picked up I was invested. I still have some questions as to what happens in the end. Kind of sad there was no surprise appearance by Dot though.
October 7, 2024
Друга книга занадто проста, враховуючи першу, де було більше описів, менше персонажів, і всі розкриті. Тут наче ситуація не з приємних, але герої картонні та не викликають ніякої емпатії. Нема навіть що і обговорювати, тому така оцінка, але сподіваюсь на третю частину серії
August 31, 2025
Despite it being a more vast journey, I personally presume that the first book, in my opinion, had much more enrichment in story telling, or maybe I just didn't really catch the vibe in this one, I mean I did, but not as much as the first book, but still, extremely good.
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February 3, 2022cool
November 29, 2022
Such a good book. Love how the story escalated from three teens living their own lives to them fighting the Ink Demon himself and becoming one with the ink.
January 11, 2023
I felt this book offer more questions than answers and the book ended very open ended which I didn't enjoy as I did in the previous book.
March 16, 2023
I think it was ok it took half the book to talk about bendy, and the ending was anti climatic.
June 3, 2023
HOOOOOOLY SHIITTTTTTT
August 9, 2023
definitely not as Vibey as the first one, which had the advantage of being set in the actual studio and featuring familiar characters quite a bit more. i did love the horse diving, though.
April 30, 2024
I'm kinda obsessed with Bendy right now but I wish this book had an actual plot and something happening for real that is exciting.
May 22, 2024
The way my heart went out for all 3 of them in the end, and the way you can understand all of them is insane. I was crying at the end for Constance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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