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Final Friends #1
The Party
Some people came that weren't invited and the evening ended in horror. Most figured it was a suicide. They figured wrong. (From back cover)
212 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1988
14 people are currently reading
1805 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Pike
262 books5,504 followersChristopher Pike is the pseudonym of Kevin McFadden. He is a bestselling author of young adult and children's fiction who specializes in the thriller genre.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
April 23, 2024
When Mesa High closes, more than half its students transfer to Tabb. Bummed about the disruption in her social life and her dwindling chances of landing Homecoming Queen in a school where no one knows her, Jessica Hart is grateful that, at least, most of her friends transferred with her. When Alice and Polly McCoy decide to throw a party, half Tabb students and half Mesa, so everyone can get to know each other, Jessica thinks it’s a great idea. The party ends with a body on the ground. The police ruled it a suicide–but they were wrong. Trigger warnings: death, parent death, suicide mention, violence, eye horror, blood, guns, drowning, racism, misogyny, fat-shaming, bullying, depression.
As always with books I love, I feel like I’m not doing them justice when I review them. This series really hinges on the characters, so if you don’t like them, there’s almost no chance of liking it. That being said, the cast of Final Friends are some of my favorite Pike characters of all time. He often begins with stock-like characters: Yes, Clair Hilrey is the characteristic stuck-up cheerleader, Bill Skater the not-too-bright quarterback, and Jessica Hart is well-meaning but privileged, but I think he takes them in interesting and often unexpected directions. Michael Olsen has more kindness and depth than the stereotypical brilliant over-achiever, Alice McCoy is ethereal and troubled without edging into manic pixie dreamgirl territory, and Sara Cantrell is entirely her own brand of spunk and sass. Sara fighting with Russ Desmond is one of my favorite YA ships, and I found myself laughing out loud a couple times. I also like that Pike attempts to work in characters of color in this series with Nick, an African American teenager from inner city L.A., and Maria, a sweet but quiet girl from El Salvador. Keep in mind, however, that this book is more than twenty years old, and the representation isn’t flawless. Like the others, they sometimes edge into stereotypes, and there are a handful of references that a sensitivity reader in the present day would probably revise. Sara also fat-shames Polly more than once, which isn’t necessary or funny.
The majority of this book is given over to these characters: getting to know them, them getting to know each other as the Mesa students navigate the social order of Tabb, and seeing how they relate to one another. As an ensemble cast, it works extremely well, and there’s plenty of mixed tension and small jealousies to create problems later on. We need to know these characters and know them well for the story to work, but the thriller aspect of it doesn’t really ramp up until the last fifty pages, where the eponymous party takes place. There’s a high creep factor when Pike sets up what’s basically a locked room murder, and since all the main characters are still present at the end of the party, they’re all suspects. In the meantime, it’s becoming clear that he’s laid the groundwork for a number of other, smaller mysteries: What happened to Russ’s ax? Who tampered with the votes for the school elections? Who exactly is Alice’s weird boyfriend, Clark? And, of course, who would have the motive to commit this particular murder? However, the novel isn’t at all high on closure, since the murder has only just happened near the book’s end, with no time to unravel any of these mysteries. In hindsight, I’m a little surprised to see it published as three separate books, since it seems to work best as a whole. (Perhaps in a few years I’ll read the Until the End omnibus to see if I’m right about that.)
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
As always with books I love, I feel like I’m not doing them justice when I review them. This series really hinges on the characters, so if you don’t like them, there’s almost no chance of liking it. That being said, the cast of Final Friends are some of my favorite Pike characters of all time. He often begins with stock-like characters: Yes, Clair Hilrey is the characteristic stuck-up cheerleader, Bill Skater the not-too-bright quarterback, and Jessica Hart is well-meaning but privileged, but I think he takes them in interesting and often unexpected directions. Michael Olsen has more kindness and depth than the stereotypical brilliant over-achiever, Alice McCoy is ethereal and troubled without edging into manic pixie dreamgirl territory, and Sara Cantrell is entirely her own brand of spunk and sass. Sara fighting with Russ Desmond is one of my favorite YA ships, and I found myself laughing out loud a couple times. I also like that Pike attempts to work in characters of color in this series with Nick, an African American teenager from inner city L.A., and Maria, a sweet but quiet girl from El Salvador. Keep in mind, however, that this book is more than twenty years old, and the representation isn’t flawless. Like the others, they sometimes edge into stereotypes, and there are a handful of references that a sensitivity reader in the present day would probably revise. Sara also fat-shames Polly more than once, which isn’t necessary or funny.
The majority of this book is given over to these characters: getting to know them, them getting to know each other as the Mesa students navigate the social order of Tabb, and seeing how they relate to one another. As an ensemble cast, it works extremely well, and there’s plenty of mixed tension and small jealousies to create problems later on. We need to know these characters and know them well for the story to work, but the thriller aspect of it doesn’t really ramp up until the last fifty pages, where the eponymous party takes place. There’s a high creep factor when Pike sets up what’s basically a locked room murder, and since all the main characters are still present at the end of the party, they’re all suspects. In the meantime, it’s becoming clear that he’s laid the groundwork for a number of other, smaller mysteries: What happened to Russ’s ax? Who tampered with the votes for the school elections? Who exactly is Alice’s weird boyfriend, Clark? And, of course, who would have the motive to commit this particular murder? However, the novel isn’t at all high on closure, since the murder has only just happened near the book’s end, with no time to unravel any of these mysteries. In hindsight, I’m a little surprised to see it published as three separate books, since it seems to work best as a whole. (Perhaps in a few years I’ll read the Until the End omnibus to see if I’m right about that.)
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
August 7, 2012
Christopher Pike is a children's books and young adult author I used to read when I was a pre-teen and young teenager. I read him now out of nostalgia, but also out of genuine interest; because he's still a reference in the YA/crime/paranormal genres for me. And if not romance, then that's the kind of novels I'd like to write.
So, in each of Pike's YA novels, there is a love story. And not just a love story, but general talk of couples, attraction, sex, breakups, jealousy and betrayals. This is something I appreciate, not only in my romance reader's quality, but from a purely realistic perspective. You remember how it really was in high school. Everybody was busy having a crush on someone, trying to go out with them, or gossiping about who had sex with who, and the popular guy or girl's latest conquest. I'm not judging whether this is superficial or immature, just stating that this is the way it was. One major reason why J. K. Rowling totally lost me when Harry Potter grew up and remained desperately virginal and ignorant. (Teenagers watch porn. They talk about sex and tell sex jokes all the time. All the time.)
Mr. Pike shows all that, but with a subtlety, good sense and humour which prevents him from lapsing in either a condemnation or an apologia. While reading Final Friends, I was impressed once more at his ability to grasp and paint seventeen-year-olds' feelings and concerns. While each of his many characters seem to fit in a different stereotypical category (the shy geek, the nice pretty girl, the cheerleader, the good-looking jock, the artist, the chubby sister, the sarcastic best friend, etc.), as the plot thickens all of them lose their apparent unidimensionality. Behind and besides their universal hope of getting laid, more serious and touchy subjects arise.
Now, because I've read many other Christopher Pike YA novels, from the start I could see similarities with his other works. Or maybe I expected them. In the end, I found myself surprised at the ways the story unfolded, lost in the layers the author kept adding, which were as many possible clues and red herrings. I still managed to guess right at the victim's identity, but as for the culprit, Pike's left us in proper darkness. I suspect him of pulling a paranormal trick on us, although The Party was completely free of supernatural. In fact, this first book ends in an absolutely classical, delightful mystery novel atmosphere, with the main male character drawing a map of the house where the crime was committed, and reviewing the people present with the police lieutenant. Maybe my favourite part of the book, which made me long for more good crime novels...
The whole country was in love with phonies, she felt. The bimboes on sitcoms, the rock dopers on MTV, the rich liars in D.C. It made her sick just going into the supermarket and having to look at all those fakes on the covers of People magazine. One day she'd like to start a magazine of her own where she could interview people like herself, people who knew it was all a big joke.
So, in each of Pike's YA novels, there is a love story. And not just a love story, but general talk of couples, attraction, sex, breakups, jealousy and betrayals. This is something I appreciate, not only in my romance reader's quality, but from a purely realistic perspective. You remember how it really was in high school. Everybody was busy having a crush on someone, trying to go out with them, or gossiping about who had sex with who, and the popular guy or girl's latest conquest. I'm not judging whether this is superficial or immature, just stating that this is the way it was. One major reason why J. K. Rowling totally lost me when Harry Potter grew up and remained desperately virginal and ignorant. (Teenagers watch porn. They talk about sex and tell sex jokes all the time. All the time.)
"I've been in there a couple of times. I never saw you. Is it a part-time job?"
"Fifty hours a week."
"Wow." He lived in a different world, she realized. He made money, carried his own weight. She charged everything, ran up the phone bill. And from what he said, he watched out for his mom, when all she did was fight with her parents about nothing. She lived such a superficial life.
But what can I do? I'm already spoiled.
Mr. Pike shows all that, but with a subtlety, good sense and humour which prevents him from lapsing in either a condemnation or an apologia. While reading Final Friends, I was impressed once more at his ability to grasp and paint seventeen-year-olds' feelings and concerns. While each of his many characters seem to fit in a different stereotypical category (the shy geek, the nice pretty girl, the cheerleader, the good-looking jock, the artist, the chubby sister, the sarcastic best friend, etc.), as the plot thickens all of them lose their apparent unidimensionality. Behind and besides their universal hope of getting laid, more serious and touchy subjects arise.
"You and your parents are illegal aliens, aren't you?"
She trembled, ever so slightly. "Yes," she whispered.
"There were a lot in my old neighborhood. [...] What's the big crime? They've loosened the laws. Stay here a few years and they'll make you a citizen."
"That's not how it works. We got here after the amnesty deadline. In Washington there's talk about changing the requirements, but until then we could be sent home anytime."
Now, because I've read many other Christopher Pike YA novels, from the start I could see similarities with his other works. Or maybe I expected them. In the end, I found myself surprised at the ways the story unfolded, lost in the layers the author kept adding, which were as many possible clues and red herrings. I still managed to guess right at the victim's identity, but as for the culprit, Pike's left us in proper darkness. I suspect him of pulling a paranormal trick on us, although The Party was completely free of supernatural. In fact, this first book ends in an absolutely classical, delightful mystery novel atmosphere, with the main male character drawing a map of the house where the crime was committed, and reviewing the people present with the police lieutenant. Maybe my favourite part of the book, which made me long for more good crime novels...
March 7, 2022
All right, look. I’m re-reading this from my junior high days and I feel like it’s redundant to say that this is dated af and it shows. Of course it is - it’s almost 30 years old. That said, a lot of the racist and sexist nonsense is still around in our everyday life. And Christopher Pike should have stayed away from writing female characters who say things like they’re on a strict diet and run to make sure they stay slim. BUT, STAY WITH ME.
One thing that’s great about his books is that those same occasionally stereotyped female characters have agency and desire. They fight and they want to get laid. A girl in this book straight out says, I want to have sex with this dude and I’m looking into birth control. I mean, I just don’t read that much in contemporary YA. They don’t have some deep relationship; she just thinks he’s hot and wants to bang him. Respect.
Otherwise, not a great book. It’s an obvious setup for the next two that could have been condensed. In truth, not that much happens until the end. But there are some compelling characters (meaning I can actually tell them apart, as opposed to some other books) and the mystery gets interesting (just too short because it leads into The Dance). I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who doesn’t have the Christopher Pike nostalgia link.
One thing that’s great about his books is that those same occasionally stereotyped female characters have agency and desire. They fight and they want to get laid. A girl in this book straight out says, I want to have sex with this dude and I’m looking into birth control. I mean, I just don’t read that much in contemporary YA. They don’t have some deep relationship; she just thinks he’s hot and wants to bang him. Respect.
Otherwise, not a great book. It’s an obvious setup for the next two that could have been condensed. In truth, not that much happens until the end. But there are some compelling characters (meaning I can actually tell them apart, as opposed to some other books) and the mystery gets interesting (just too short because it leads into The Dance). I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who doesn’t have the Christopher Pike nostalgia link.
August 15, 2025
I read this with my book club that I run on Instagram where we revisit Point Horror and other books from our childhood - @talespointhorrorbookclub
Memorable For – Setting up the start of a locked room mystery!
Some Thoughts -
When Mesa High closed, more than half the students were sent to Tabb High. Among them were Jessica Hart and her best friends, Sara Cantrell, Polly McCoy and Polly’s younger sister—Alice.
Together they decide to have a “get to know each other” party. They invited dozens of people: Michael Olson—shy as he was brilliant; Nick Grutler—powerful and insecure; Bill Skater—the handsome quarterback, Clair Hilrey—the gorgeous cheerleader, and “Bubba”—whom all the girls loved and hated.
But the party ends in tragedy!
The Party is book one in The Final Friends Trilogy and Pike really puts a lot of effort into developing the characters for 3/4 of the book in the lead up to The Party and ultimately a character death in the last 1/4 setting up a locked room mystery that plays out over the next two books. Christopher Pike really takes his time getting to know these characters who all seem to have multiple layers of good and bad.
The party at the end is played out so well and even includes a map showing where everyone is located and the different rooms which really intrigues you into wanting to work the mystery out and jump straight into the next book!
Other highlights includes lots of typical character tropes plenty of misunderstanding and potentially lots of red herrings!
It’s important to note that some language, actions and views portrayed in the book are very outdated and very much a product of the time it was written.
I’m yet to read the rest of the trilogy but I can’t wait to start!
Memorable For – Setting up the start of a locked room mystery!
Some Thoughts -
When Mesa High closed, more than half the students were sent to Tabb High. Among them were Jessica Hart and her best friends, Sara Cantrell, Polly McCoy and Polly’s younger sister—Alice.
Together they decide to have a “get to know each other” party. They invited dozens of people: Michael Olson—shy as he was brilliant; Nick Grutler—powerful and insecure; Bill Skater—the handsome quarterback, Clair Hilrey—the gorgeous cheerleader, and “Bubba”—whom all the girls loved and hated.
But the party ends in tragedy!
The Party is book one in The Final Friends Trilogy and Pike really puts a lot of effort into developing the characters for 3/4 of the book in the lead up to The Party and ultimately a character death in the last 1/4 setting up a locked room mystery that plays out over the next two books. Christopher Pike really takes his time getting to know these characters who all seem to have multiple layers of good and bad.
The party at the end is played out so well and even includes a map showing where everyone is located and the different rooms which really intrigues you into wanting to work the mystery out and jump straight into the next book!
Other highlights includes lots of typical character tropes plenty of misunderstanding and potentially lots of red herrings!
It’s important to note that some language, actions and views portrayed in the book are very outdated and very much a product of the time it was written.
I’m yet to read the rest of the trilogy but I can’t wait to start!
August 10, 2025
Jessica, Sara, Polly and Alice have transferred to Tabb High after their own school closed and decide to throw a party to get to know each other but the evening ends in death when people arrive who were not invited. The official story is that it was suicide but that is not the truth.
I have a love/hate relationship with Pike and this was a drudge to get through. Reading like a pulpy b movie with over sexualised language and ridiculous dialogue the basic premise is good but it is done so badly that this was almost a DNF for me. I enjoyed the murder mystery element but the constant crushes, desperation to get laid and romantic storylines just bored me. There’s the shy boy, the shy girl, the jock, the geek, the cheerleader, the sarcastic friend, the chubby one, the nice one, the mysterious one, it is heavy with every character trope going.
I think if you read this author as a teen there is probably a strong nostalgic pull to reread but for me I would have not enjoyed this when I was a teen in the late 70’s. Not for me sadly. I have tried 5 Pike books now and only 1 was good.
I have a love/hate relationship with Pike and this was a drudge to get through. Reading like a pulpy b movie with over sexualised language and ridiculous dialogue the basic premise is good but it is done so badly that this was almost a DNF for me. I enjoyed the murder mystery element but the constant crushes, desperation to get laid and romantic storylines just bored me. There’s the shy boy, the shy girl, the jock, the geek, the cheerleader, the sarcastic friend, the chubby one, the nice one, the mysterious one, it is heavy with every character trope going.
I think if you read this author as a teen there is probably a strong nostalgic pull to reread but for me I would have not enjoyed this when I was a teen in the late 70’s. Not for me sadly. I have tried 5 Pike books now and only 1 was good.
November 1, 2024
I don't think The Party (Final Friends #1) by Christopher Pike needed to be 212 pages, but I still enjoyed it. Lots of juicy drama, that's for sure!
February 21, 2008
Christopher Pike's Final Friends trilogy were some of my favorite books from my childhood. When someone mentioned Christopher Pike in a nostalgic book post on the Nest I went rummaging around Amazon for old copies of these now out of print favorites and ordered books 1 and 2.
I was prepared that the books I enjoyed as a tween or teen would not live up to my memories, but I was surprised to find myself immersed once more 15+ years later in the world of Jessica Hart, Michael Olsen, Bubba, Sarah, Polly, Russ, dead Alice and the rest of the Mesa HS crew. Call it a guilty pleasure but the books have stood the test of time.
I was prepared that the books I enjoyed as a tween or teen would not live up to my memories, but I was surprised to find myself immersed once more 15+ years later in the world of Jessica Hart, Michael Olsen, Bubba, Sarah, Polly, Russ, dead Alice and the rest of the Mesa HS crew. Call it a guilty pleasure but the books have stood the test of time.
December 13, 2020
1 star. I don't know why I gave this book 4 stars because this book had nothing happening in it, but teenage drama and someone dying at the end. I'm still going to finish rereading the trilogy though. LOL Review to come.
Original thoughts on my 4 star review from 2011. The Party is the first book in the Final Friends trilogy. The book starts a murder mystery, love triangles, and lots of suspense.
Original thoughts on my 4 star review from 2011. The Party is the first book in the Final Friends trilogy. The book starts a murder mystery, love triangles, and lots of suspense.
August 17, 2017
I honestly skimmed the last half of this because honestly- this book was terrible.
Bland characters, sterotypes to the max, too drawn out, etc.
It's safe to say that I am very disappointed and I won't be continuing in the trilogy.
Bland characters, sterotypes to the max, too drawn out, etc.
It's safe to say that I am very disappointed and I won't be continuing in the trilogy.
May 13, 2020
3.83 star
I LOVED the book.
No seriously the story was ok I guess but the book as a whole was amazing, sure I liked the story and plot and all but there is a very crucial thing about any and I am pretty sure every book, characters make for bad books but surprisingly this was tolerable.
So as I said I loved the book, as in the crinkly, yellow paged book which I spent more time sniffing than doing the actual reading.
I am not very sure but I think this is out of print, anyways you can already tell this is gonna go on my treasure box. Partly because it is my mother's book and she is very careful about them especially if they are old and even if she doesn't like it all that much.
The book honestly seems more of a teenage high school drama read than a murder mystery read. The female protagonist is annoying as hell.
Characters:
Nobody is likeable, except Alice, too bad she died and if the other guys aren't going to die anytime soon then you know you can count on me. Lol kidding (sorta).
Jessica, TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN/Our female protagonist, she hates her hair, she hates the school, she hates sharing a locker, she hates the weather, she hates the queen bee of the school, and she moans and complains about everything else, are you kidding me? How has she not dropped dead with all that hate running through her system. She is this girl who knows a hot nerd guy likes her but she wants the hot jock player/douche bag.
Mike, I can't make up my mind about this guy, I mean I like him and feel sorry for him because he fell for a complete idiot but at the same time don't really get him. His relationship with his best friend Bubba is really unhealthy. The fact that he thinks Alice as his little unborn sibling is very very creepy.
Russ Dessmond, what a complete arse (sorry if I offend you) yet I somehow ended up liking him for no apparent reason. But grow up buddy, know what is going on in your life and WHAT are u doing with an axe?
Sara, atleast she moans less, gotta give her that, I want to so badly give her a hug and say it's gonna be fine but watch out Sara, shield your heart gurl. Don't worry I have also wrecked a vending machine.
Nick, tough guy who has anget issues, get over yourself buddy, everybody has issues.
Poppy, stop obsessing over the fact that you are a bit on the chubby side, as long as you are not obese and boarding on chances of BP you are fine. If you can't get a guy to notice you just forget him already, there are over a million guys out there.
Those are the only people worth mentioning.
I only ship Sara and Russ, but know that my ships are always the first to sink so...
I wished it had more pages on the mystery factor, hoping the sequel will be better...
I LOVED the book.
No seriously the story was ok I guess but the book as a whole was amazing, sure I liked the story and plot and all but there is a very crucial thing about any and I am pretty sure every book, characters make for bad books but surprisingly this was tolerable.
So as I said I loved the book, as in the crinkly, yellow paged book which I spent more time sniffing than doing the actual reading.
I am not very sure but I think this is out of print, anyways you can already tell this is gonna go on my treasure box. Partly because it is my mother's book and she is very careful about them especially if they are old and even if she doesn't like it all that much.
The book honestly seems more of a teenage high school drama read than a murder mystery read. The female protagonist is annoying as hell.
Characters:
Nobody is likeable, except Alice, too bad she died and if the other guys aren't going to die anytime soon then you know you can count on me. Lol kidding (sorta).
Jessica, TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN/Our female protagonist, she hates her hair, she hates the school, she hates sharing a locker, she hates the weather, she hates the queen bee of the school, and she moans and complains about everything else, are you kidding me? How has she not dropped dead with all that hate running through her system. She is this girl who knows a hot nerd guy likes her but she wants the hot jock player/douche bag.
Mike, I can't make up my mind about this guy, I mean I like him and feel sorry for him because he fell for a complete idiot but at the same time don't really get him. His relationship with his best friend Bubba is really unhealthy. The fact that he thinks Alice as his little unborn sibling is very very creepy.
Russ Dessmond, what a complete arse (sorry if I offend you) yet I somehow ended up liking him for no apparent reason. But grow up buddy, know what is going on in your life and WHAT are u doing with an axe?
Sara, atleast she moans less, gotta give her that, I want to so badly give her a hug and say it's gonna be fine but watch out Sara, shield your heart gurl. Don't worry I have also wrecked a vending machine.
Nick, tough guy who has anget issues, get over yourself buddy, everybody has issues.
Poppy, stop obsessing over the fact that you are a bit on the chubby side, as long as you are not obese and boarding on chances of BP you are fine. If you can't get a guy to notice you just forget him already, there are over a million guys out there.
Those are the only people worth mentioning.
I only ship Sara and Russ, but know that my ships are always the first to sink so...
I wished it had more pages on the mystery factor, hoping the sequel will be better...
Read
October 16, 2020This was one of my favourite series as a teen and I wanted to see how it aged.
Reading as an adult in 2020 some of this does not age well to me as an adult, but the language is still relevant and heavily used by some parts of society (everywhere).
CW:
Some clunky wording around Maria’s immigration status.
Racism directed towards the only Black character, Nick.
A lot of fat shaming masquerading as “heated banter” towards Polly.
One instance of the F word.
A lot of not so relatable instances of drinking on high school property (in view of teachers) without comment.
Teenage alcoholism.
I am not from the US so I have no frame of reference for a 19 year old who waves guns around as props for pranks and the underwhelming reaction to it from his peers (except Nick who reacts appropriately when said teen holds up the 7-11 where Nick and Michael work “as a prank”. A “prank” revealed once the 19 year old is overpowered and is no longer in possession of the gun).
This definitely plays out like a 90’s teen movie with 30 year olds playing the parts, but I guess that’s the type of media I was consuming at the time (but also, 13 reasons why, anyone?)
I’m going to continue with the series, since I bought the combined version in paperback. I am definitely recalling it correctly and I can see why I liked it as a teen (I was 12 when I read these the first time). 39 year old me is cringing a lot but also recalling the many shows in recent memory that follow the same social commentary formula for “teenagers doing teenager things in high school”.
Generally an easy read.
Reading as an adult in 2020 some of this does not age well to me as an adult, but the language is still relevant and heavily used by some parts of society (everywhere).
CW:
Some clunky wording around Maria’s immigration status.
Racism directed towards the only Black character, Nick.
A lot of fat shaming masquerading as “heated banter” towards Polly.
One instance of the F word.
A lot of not so relatable instances of drinking on high school property (in view of teachers) without comment.
Teenage alcoholism.
I am not from the US so I have no frame of reference for a 19 year old who waves guns around as props for pranks and the underwhelming reaction to it from his peers (except Nick who reacts appropriately when said teen holds up the 7-11 where Nick and Michael work “as a prank”. A “prank” revealed once the 19 year old is overpowered and is no longer in possession of the gun).
This definitely plays out like a 90’s teen movie with 30 year olds playing the parts, but I guess that’s the type of media I was consuming at the time (but also, 13 reasons why, anyone?)
I’m going to continue with the series, since I bought the combined version in paperback. I am definitely recalling it correctly and I can see why I liked it as a teen (I was 12 when I read these the first time). 39 year old me is cringing a lot but also recalling the many shows in recent memory that follow the same social commentary formula for “teenagers doing teenager things in high school”.
Generally an easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2023
This was probably my least favourite Pike read to date. I found this story really dragged for the majority of the book but understanding that this is the first in a series, it was setting up a lot of back story. Even so, I think a lot could have been condensed.
There was also a lot of very outdated language and stereotypes here. In particular, the concentration of body type and overt fat shaming was certainly a turn off but i wasn’t surprised given the time it was written and Pike’s books from time to time so have currents of this flowing through.
I was going to rate this book lower as I really wasn’t particularly enjoying it, nothing was really happening but by the time we got to “The Party” in the last few chapters, it did start to pick up and it’s set the stage for the rest of the trilogy.
As always, Pike has currents of series subject matters flowing through a YA thriller and I do appreciate his deepness in that fact, I think it adds to the overall reason why, even though this wasn’t his best- he remains my favourite author
There was also a lot of very outdated language and stereotypes here. In particular, the concentration of body type and overt fat shaming was certainly a turn off but i wasn’t surprised given the time it was written and Pike’s books from time to time so have currents of this flowing through.
I was going to rate this book lower as I really wasn’t particularly enjoying it, nothing was really happening but by the time we got to “The Party” in the last few chapters, it did start to pick up and it’s set the stage for the rest of the trilogy.
As always, Pike has currents of series subject matters flowing through a YA thriller and I do appreciate his deepness in that fact, I think it adds to the overall reason why, even though this wasn’t his best- he remains my favourite author
July 12, 2010
It needs to be noted up front that Final Friends may be billed as a trilogy and split into three books, but it is actually a single 650 page novel scored into thirds, I suppose for the sake of the target audience and perhaps some publisher's notion that kids don't want to read anything longer than a couple hundred pages. It's significant though because The Party (Book 1) doesn't have even a partial conclusion and is not self-contained, ending on an egregious cliffhanger. If you don't want to read a 650 page book, you can't just read this one and shrug off the other two.
That being said, The Party was my first Christopher Pike book, which I read on the recommendation of my wife who devoured these books in her youth. I decided to check them out on her behalf and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't feel particularly dated to me. Granted, I went to high school in the early 90s which is more or less around the time period depicted so I remember high school without cell phones and Facebook and such. Still, the story isn't a period piece, it's about a group of students at Tabb High School who are doing the things High School students have been trying to do since time immemorial: Juggle social conflicts, manage school work and GPAs, get a sense of themselves and look forward to the future.
The majority of Book 1 is fairly slow moving. Plenty of characters are introduced, many of them somewhat sketchy at first, but not much really happens. There are a few chilling passages that hint at the conflict to come, many of them involving the shadowy character of Clark, but the party of the book's title doesn't even begin until close to the last 50 pages or so and the plot's central death doesn't occur until the tail end of the party, when only a few key characters remain in the house.
It's an effective set up, but the hasty epilogue grates a little since, as I stated, it's not even a half-hearted conclusion it's actually a pointed set up for the second act. The principal character, Michael Olson, really comes most sharply into focus during this book and especially during the epilogue, and his junior sleuth vibe begins to take form here in a wonderfully personal way.
It is a bummer that this isn't more of a first volume, but it certainly captured my attention and guaranteed I'd finish the next two books.
That being said, The Party was my first Christopher Pike book, which I read on the recommendation of my wife who devoured these books in her youth. I decided to check them out on her behalf and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't feel particularly dated to me. Granted, I went to high school in the early 90s which is more or less around the time period depicted so I remember high school without cell phones and Facebook and such. Still, the story isn't a period piece, it's about a group of students at Tabb High School who are doing the things High School students have been trying to do since time immemorial: Juggle social conflicts, manage school work and GPAs, get a sense of themselves and look forward to the future.
The majority of Book 1 is fairly slow moving. Plenty of characters are introduced, many of them somewhat sketchy at first, but not much really happens. There are a few chilling passages that hint at the conflict to come, many of them involving the shadowy character of Clark, but the party of the book's title doesn't even begin until close to the last 50 pages or so and the plot's central death doesn't occur until the tail end of the party, when only a few key characters remain in the house.
It's an effective set up, but the hasty epilogue grates a little since, as I stated, it's not even a half-hearted conclusion it's actually a pointed set up for the second act. The principal character, Michael Olson, really comes most sharply into focus during this book and especially during the epilogue, and his junior sleuth vibe begins to take form here in a wonderfully personal way.
It is a bummer that this isn't more of a first volume, but it certainly captured my attention and guaranteed I'd finish the next two books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2019
I remember touching the spines of Christopher Pike novels when I was a young teenager, carefully studying the titles to find one I'd perhaps missed, enjoying the bright blues, oranges, greens and pinks of the jacket colours. They were always so vibrant, so weirdly terrifying, so strange and alluring. I read every single one of his books by the time I was fourteen, and I always wanted more.
Oddly enough, I don't remember reading the Final Friends series until I was an adult. At 37, these books are a bit different in terms of how I relate to them, but honestly, no less entertaining. They still have that Pike specialty - the mix of wit, sex, horror and a dash of the supernatural. They speak to teenagers in such a specific way, and it brings me straight back to the way it felt to be sixteen, and endlessly interested in boys, superficial, selfish, tightly wound, embarrassed by everything and scared of nothing.
The heroine of these is Jessica Hart, pretty, spoiled, vastly unlikable and yet, you want to spend time with her. The hero is Michael Olsen, a character who I always associate with Seth Cohen from The O.C.. He gives me Adam Brody vibes with that messy black hair and huge brain. From the beginning, the books are a love story (unrequited and yet... maybe not), a mystery, and an ode to teenagerhood, when a school dance means much more than the future ever could. Everything is condensed into the High School building - every fear, thought, dream, fantasy - it all happens there, and you can't imagine every feeling any other way. You can't imagine that it will all end someday, somehow.
Nor that it will end so finally for some. We all have that person - or people - who died when we were young. Usually by suicide, or a car accident, or from an overdose. I can think of two from my High School that left when we were 16, and now, I think - they would be my age, and how much they've missed. It's an universal experience for most, and that's what makes Final Friends so powerful - it captures the human experience during those teenage years, and amplifies it, until we can't help but remember, and we can't help but be horrified.
We can't look away. We don't want to, because as scary as those years were, weren't they also when we felt the most free?
Oddly enough, I don't remember reading the Final Friends series until I was an adult. At 37, these books are a bit different in terms of how I relate to them, but honestly, no less entertaining. They still have that Pike specialty - the mix of wit, sex, horror and a dash of the supernatural. They speak to teenagers in such a specific way, and it brings me straight back to the way it felt to be sixteen, and endlessly interested in boys, superficial, selfish, tightly wound, embarrassed by everything and scared of nothing.
The heroine of these is Jessica Hart, pretty, spoiled, vastly unlikable and yet, you want to spend time with her. The hero is Michael Olsen, a character who I always associate with Seth Cohen from The O.C.. He gives me Adam Brody vibes with that messy black hair and huge brain. From the beginning, the books are a love story (unrequited and yet... maybe not), a mystery, and an ode to teenagerhood, when a school dance means much more than the future ever could. Everything is condensed into the High School building - every fear, thought, dream, fantasy - it all happens there, and you can't imagine every feeling any other way. You can't imagine that it will all end someday, somehow.
Nor that it will end so finally for some. We all have that person - or people - who died when we were young. Usually by suicide, or a car accident, or from an overdose. I can think of two from my High School that left when we were 16, and now, I think - they would be my age, and how much they've missed. It's an universal experience for most, and that's what makes Final Friends so powerful - it captures the human experience during those teenage years, and amplifies it, until we can't help but remember, and we can't help but be horrified.
We can't look away. We don't want to, because as scary as those years were, weren't they also when we felt the most free?
May 21, 2023
Early Christopher Pike is in that mystery writer phase of his career before all of the otherworldly and religious undertones and it works really well.
Not sure yet how I feel about it dragged through three books but the first installment is a good way to introduce the characters and setup the catalyst to kick off the series.
Mesa High is closed and half of the students are bussed to Tabb High. For most of us that would really suck if you had to spend your last year of high school among kids you do not know but for others it would be a silver lining to meet new people.
Alice McCoy is one of those people who find this a good situation to get to know other people. She likes everybody, not too many people could even begin to hate her and she and her older sister, Polly, have a big enough house to throw a "get to know each other" party.
Jessica Hart is one of Alice's best friends, like another sister, maybe even like a surrogate mother since she and Polly lost their parents in an accident. She has a pretty good life as a cheerleader and going on expensive trips until she has to go to Tabb instead.
Things look up a little bit despite a disastrous first day of getting grape juice on her new sweater, courtesy of her locker mate. Yet he happens to be nice yet shy Michael Olson, who is smart and kind of cute. Unknown to Jessica, Alice knows Michael too. They met at his job working at the 7-11 when she asked to paint Christmas decorations on the windows and his bosses loved the talented work she accomplished.
Been friends ever since and Alice secretly is planning on trying to get both of her friends together.
Going to be a little hard as Jessica is crushing on Bill Skater, handsome blond quarterback of Tabb High School. Even worse since he is dating Clair Hilrey, blonde cheerleader with a killer body.
Clair is being pursued herself by John Free, nickname "Bubba". He is a smooth talker, good at computers, fashions himself as a ladies man even though he is quite a big boy but yet his confidence and charm do seem to get him laid. He says he'll help his buddy Michael Olson get with "Jessie" Hart once he gets Clair from Bill before the big, dumb jock can steal his girl.
All of this seems to be even more complicated because that's not even half of the characters and plots going on in this book!
Sara Cantrell, Jessica's other best friend, is a young woman who speaks her mind and her sassiness can be mistaken for bitterness at not being one of those pretty, popular people. Polly and Jessica think it will be hilarious to sign her up to be student body president and though at first not amused, Sara gives her speech and ends up winning by a landslide against Bill and Clair.
Her first day in office she ruffles feathers about cancelling Homecoming and then Sara gets knocked over into some bushes by a guy running by. Turns out he was in some sort of track race around the school and he happens to be a hunk, nice enough to check on her. His name is Russ Desmond and Sara is interested.
Doesn't go as planned for sparks to fly because being a good samaritan makes Russ lose the race and the coach kicks him off the team?! Russ does not take it well and decides to get drunk at the first football game that night. His savior that night to keep him from driving home drunk and chopping down a tree with an axe (don't ask..) is Polly McCoy.
Polly ends up falling for Russ the minute he fell out of the same tree he was going to cut down but he's so wasted he thinks Polly is Sara, the fuel of his bender. Polly is already use to having to compete with her sister Alice about boys as she used to date Clark before the red-haired, green-eyed hunk turned is attention to Alice instead. She's younger, blonde and a talented artist like himself and all Clark thinks Polly has going for her is her ample breasts.
Then there is Nick Grutler. At first we just see him as a stereotypical, token black guy who came from the rough gang filled streets of the big city. We get to learn a little bit more about him but not before he gets in a fight with one of Bill Skater's fellow football teammates. Ironically called "The Rock", he uses some almost close to pushing it racial slurs at Nick for using the gym's equipment.
Nick is almost sent to the principal's office by the football coach to be expelled but Russ Desmond happened to be in the gym warming up before his race, a witness to the fight as Nick being the one harassed and resorting to fisticuffs as self-defense. Good thing it wasn't a knife or a gun, Good Lord, really?
The Rock has it out for Nick now I guess after being both embarrassed that he's been caught as a racist and getting his ass handed to him. Well maybe he isn't a racist because we learn he works as a Big Brother to some inner city kids later but there is just something that rubs him the wrong way...oh yeah again getting his ass handed to him by Nick.
The few bright spots for Nick is that he ends up getting a job working at the 7-11 where Mike works after he proves himself in foiling an attempted (yet practical joke) robbery at the store and then helping Mike clean up in a very swift and organized manner. They become friends, Nick also becomes friends with Bubba through Mike and Nick is shown to harbor feelings for a girl who was nice and concerned about his well-being after the fight he had with The Rock.
Her name is Maria Gonzales and she just happens to be Jessica's new lab partner in Chemistry. She's a soft-spoken girl with strict parents from El Salvador. They are strict with her because they are not here in the country legally and paid to get Maria transcripts for school so she could have a better life.
A very stereotypical situation for a Latina character but I'm just glad that her parents would have no problem with her dating Nick just because he's black! That would make the already uncomfortable situation even more uncomfortable...like being suffocated under a thick fog of mustard gas...
The only other character to mention as significant is Carl Barber, nickname "Kats". He's the one who thought it would be fun to "rob" the 7-11 and play a joke on Mike but didn't expect to be tackled by Nick and almost shot with his own real and loaded gun. Not a very bright one really but enough not to get on Nick's bad side anymore yet still takes orders from Bubba like one of his lackeys and make comments of a certain nature about Alice around her "surrogate big brother" Mike.
All of these characters and their conflicts will soon come together at the titular party but the only thing to end...will be one of their lives.
That character death is what will set the true story in motion...
More to come as I get into the next two books but so far, I am intrigued to continue before I can have any final say.
Not sure yet how I feel about it dragged through three books but the first installment is a good way to introduce the characters and setup the catalyst to kick off the series.
Mesa High is closed and half of the students are bussed to Tabb High. For most of us that would really suck if you had to spend your last year of high school among kids you do not know but for others it would be a silver lining to meet new people.
Alice McCoy is one of those people who find this a good situation to get to know other people. She likes everybody, not too many people could even begin to hate her and she and her older sister, Polly, have a big enough house to throw a "get to know each other" party.
Jessica Hart is one of Alice's best friends, like another sister, maybe even like a surrogate mother since she and Polly lost their parents in an accident. She has a pretty good life as a cheerleader and going on expensive trips until she has to go to Tabb instead.
Things look up a little bit despite a disastrous first day of getting grape juice on her new sweater, courtesy of her locker mate. Yet he happens to be nice yet shy Michael Olson, who is smart and kind of cute. Unknown to Jessica, Alice knows Michael too. They met at his job working at the 7-11 when she asked to paint Christmas decorations on the windows and his bosses loved the talented work she accomplished.
Been friends ever since and Alice secretly is planning on trying to get both of her friends together.
Going to be a little hard as Jessica is crushing on Bill Skater, handsome blond quarterback of Tabb High School. Even worse since he is dating Clair Hilrey, blonde cheerleader with a killer body.
Clair is being pursued herself by John Free, nickname "Bubba". He is a smooth talker, good at computers, fashions himself as a ladies man even though he is quite a big boy but yet his confidence and charm do seem to get him laid. He says he'll help his buddy Michael Olson get with "Jessie" Hart once he gets Clair from Bill before the big, dumb jock can steal his girl.
All of this seems to be even more complicated because that's not even half of the characters and plots going on in this book!
Sara Cantrell, Jessica's other best friend, is a young woman who speaks her mind and her sassiness can be mistaken for bitterness at not being one of those pretty, popular people. Polly and Jessica think it will be hilarious to sign her up to be student body president and though at first not amused, Sara gives her speech and ends up winning by a landslide against Bill and Clair.
Her first day in office she ruffles feathers about cancelling Homecoming and then Sara gets knocked over into some bushes by a guy running by. Turns out he was in some sort of track race around the school and he happens to be a hunk, nice enough to check on her. His name is Russ Desmond and Sara is interested.
Doesn't go as planned for sparks to fly because being a good samaritan makes Russ lose the race and the coach kicks him off the team?! Russ does not take it well and decides to get drunk at the first football game that night. His savior that night to keep him from driving home drunk and chopping down a tree with an axe (don't ask..) is Polly McCoy.
Polly ends up falling for Russ the minute he fell out of the same tree he was going to cut down but he's so wasted he thinks Polly is Sara, the fuel of his bender. Polly is already use to having to compete with her sister Alice about boys as she used to date Clark before the red-haired, green-eyed hunk turned is attention to Alice instead. She's younger, blonde and a talented artist like himself and all Clark thinks Polly has going for her is her ample breasts.
Then there is Nick Grutler. At first we just see him as a stereotypical, token black guy who came from the rough gang filled streets of the big city. We get to learn a little bit more about him but not before he gets in a fight with one of Bill Skater's fellow football teammates. Ironically called "The Rock", he uses some almost close to pushing it racial slurs at Nick for using the gym's equipment.
Nick is almost sent to the principal's office by the football coach to be expelled but Russ Desmond happened to be in the gym warming up before his race, a witness to the fight as Nick being the one harassed and resorting to fisticuffs as self-defense. Good thing it wasn't a knife or a gun, Good Lord, really?
The Rock has it out for Nick now I guess after being both embarrassed that he's been caught as a racist and getting his ass handed to him. Well maybe he isn't a racist because we learn he works as a Big Brother to some inner city kids later but there is just something that rubs him the wrong way...oh yeah again getting his ass handed to him by Nick.
The few bright spots for Nick is that he ends up getting a job working at the 7-11 where Mike works after he proves himself in foiling an attempted (yet practical joke) robbery at the store and then helping Mike clean up in a very swift and organized manner. They become friends, Nick also becomes friends with Bubba through Mike and Nick is shown to harbor feelings for a girl who was nice and concerned about his well-being after the fight he had with The Rock.
Her name is Maria Gonzales and she just happens to be Jessica's new lab partner in Chemistry. She's a soft-spoken girl with strict parents from El Salvador. They are strict with her because they are not here in the country legally and paid to get Maria transcripts for school so she could have a better life.
A very stereotypical situation for a Latina character but I'm just glad that her parents would have no problem with her dating Nick just because he's black! That would make the already uncomfortable situation even more uncomfortable...like being suffocated under a thick fog of mustard gas...
The only other character to mention as significant is Carl Barber, nickname "Kats". He's the one who thought it would be fun to "rob" the 7-11 and play a joke on Mike but didn't expect to be tackled by Nick and almost shot with his own real and loaded gun. Not a very bright one really but enough not to get on Nick's bad side anymore yet still takes orders from Bubba like one of his lackeys and make comments of a certain nature about Alice around her "surrogate big brother" Mike.
All of these characters and their conflicts will soon come together at the titular party but the only thing to end...will be one of their lives.
That character death is what will set the true story in motion...
More to come as I get into the next two books but so far, I am intrigued to continue before I can have any final say.
December 25, 2025
That's my first Christopher Pike novel and I'm so happy I've picked this one as an entry point into his corpus. Growing up, English was not my first language, not even the second, so I've missed reading his children and young adult fiction when I was younger.This first Pike book was a delight for me, however, and a far cry from the stereotypical shallow characterization of teens. All the main characters are high schoolers and yet they're all interesting in their respective ways so that the mystery remains unbroken till the very end courtesy of their complexity.
My favorite I think is Alice. It's a little obvious since the cliff hanger and the whole mystery attach themselves to her. And yet, it's not just that. There's some sort of ethereal attraction about her. She's a teen and an adult all mixed in one. She's got secrets of her own that even her closet friends don't know, designs that the reader cannot pierce. In short, she is so mystifying that the reading of the second novel becomes a need rather than a luxury.
Michael is okay too. He's not an outstanding boy. None of them are but that's exactly what humanizes them and makes them more believable. Mike is in love with a girl out of his reach. His infatuation blinds him to the troubles of his best friend and that is why he feels the need to find out what truly happened to her. He feels guilty but also disillusioned in regard to Jessie.
Now Jessica is your stereotypical hot shot from high school. She's pretty, rich, and intelligent too. She likes attention and wants to be desired. She has qualities but they're all lost in the mist of her queen bee struggles.
It wouldn't do to mention all the characters and what they do. But these are only a sample of the large catalogue created by Pike in a manner that's so efficient to create a fast thrilling mystery. A very entertaining read. I cannot wait to see what the second book will bring forth.
My favorite I think is Alice. It's a little obvious since the cliff hanger and the whole mystery attach themselves to her. And yet, it's not just that. There's some sort of ethereal attraction about her. She's a teen and an adult all mixed in one. She's got secrets of her own that even her closet friends don't know, designs that the reader cannot pierce. In short, she is so mystifying that the reading of the second novel becomes a need rather than a luxury.
Michael is okay too. He's not an outstanding boy. None of them are but that's exactly what humanizes them and makes them more believable. Mike is in love with a girl out of his reach. His infatuation blinds him to the troubles of his best friend and that is why he feels the need to find out what truly happened to her. He feels guilty but also disillusioned in regard to Jessie.
Now Jessica is your stereotypical hot shot from high school. She's pretty, rich, and intelligent too. She likes attention and wants to be desired. She has qualities but they're all lost in the mist of her queen bee struggles.
It wouldn't do to mention all the characters and what they do. But these are only a sample of the large catalogue created by Pike in a manner that's so efficient to create a fast thrilling mystery. A very entertaining read. I cannot wait to see what the second book will bring forth.
April 25, 2023
Okay Pike's books are never entirely not some sort of "-ist" (sexist, racist, etc) but this really doubles down. Outside of that, though, it also takes a while to get going - it really feels like the set up of the first third of a book rather than a standalone, which I wasn't expecting. I am very intrigued by the murder and where this would go, but the amount of setup felt unnecessary.
I especially like the mystery of the creepy artist dude and I want to know more.
Reactions:
"He had worked and read a lot, and gone out seldom; and never with anyone of the opposite sex." LOL what makes this funnier is the misuse of semicolons.
Lovely now it's racist as well as sexist
Is bimbo, plural, spelled bimbos or bimboes? Because Pike chose the latter and I Disagree.
The dreams, the prophetic dreams, I can't.
I'm 150 pages in and no one has died yet :/
I especially like the mystery of the creepy artist dude and I want to know more.
Reactions:
"He had worked and read a lot, and gone out seldom; and never with anyone of the opposite sex." LOL what makes this funnier is the misuse of semicolons.
Lovely now it's racist as well as sexist
Is bimbo, plural, spelled bimbos or bimboes? Because Pike chose the latter and I Disagree.
The dreams, the prophetic dreams, I can't.
I'm 150 pages in and no one has died yet :/
August 10, 2025
Holy moly the stereotypes and racism in this book gives Remember Me 2 a run for it's money! Alice is an intriguing character and I enjoyed Sara's candor throughout the book but there were too many characters overall that were trying to be established and not enough plot to help me remember who they are. I do remember Bubba though - he SUCKS.
This was a miss for me but I am interested in seeing where the trilogy ends up.
This was a miss for me but I am interested in seeing where the trilogy ends up.
April 22, 2019
I read this bc I am in a Christopher Pike book club. Rated three stars for many reasons, five stars for book club discussion content.
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April 2, 2019
Wow. I mean wow.
Let's just start with the plot:
So I bought this as a compilation of all three books in this trilogy. Until the End is what it's called. The synopsis on the back explains that there's a party, and somebody doesn't leave alive. I think the reason all three of these books have been put together into one is because they can't stand on their own. Nothing happens in this book, "The Party." Nothing. Normally, with a thriller, the mystery begins within the first, what? fifty pages? I'm not sure, I don't really read thrillers or mysteries - the reason I picked this up is because I've had it for years and I wanted to read something different.
The death occurs on page 225, less than 30 pages before the end of the book, which ends with an epilogue that is 24 pages long.
Typically, the climax and the fall of a story do not all happen within 6 pages of a book 256 pages long.
There's no rise. Nothing happens. No suspense, no mystery, no leading up to it. Almost the entirety of "The Party" is introducing all these kids and how brutally horrendous they treat one another. The students in this story literally go about every day life for 224 pages worrying about stupid trivial things and goofing off and going to school and the mall and on dates.
I'm telling you, this trilogy been compiled into one giant book because someone, somewhere, realized these - at least the first one - is trash on its own.
Now let's get into how insufferably problematic this book is:
The way girls are talked about here makes me wonder if Christopher Pike has ever spoken to a woman even once in his life. Let me just give you a few examples of how despicably and grossly literally everyone talks about women. (No spoilers, promise.)
"By her own estimate - and Sara could be as ruthless on herself as she was on everybody else - she rated an eight on a scale of one to fourteen. In other words, she was slightly above average."
"Polly had already gotten ahold of a candy bar. She ate a lot of sweets these days, and it showed, especially in her face. It was a pity. When thin, Polly was a doll."
"It was Bubba's opinion that money and sex were inseparable in the female mind; thinking about credit cards and spending power, in his opinion, got them more excited than browsing through a Playgirl magazine."
"'She called her a stuck-up bitch. Don't take it personally. It's only because Jessie's pretty. Pretty girls always hate other pretty girls. It's biological.'"
That's just 4 excerpts out of 36 tabs that I put in this book, marking moments that I found disgustingly offensive.
There's nothing but vapid, unintelligent issues between every one of these characters. And you could say, "Oh but they're all gorgeous and rich, they don't really have anything to worry about." To which I would say that's correct, if it were true. Michael is poor and lives with his single mom, who we do not see a single time. Alice and Polly are both orphans, and it is only hinted at about twice how their parents died and that Polly was with them when it happened. Jessica has a lot of pressure weighing on her from her parents because they want her to go to a specific school and study a specific thing, yet she has one conversation about that with Michael and it's mentioned nowhere else in the whole book - and we never even see her parents. Maria is one out of very few Latino students at the school; she has very strict and conservative parents because they're concerned about her safety simply because someone could easily find out that they're illegal immigrants and could get deported, but Maria - despite being very sweet - is seemingly not even worried about getting caught and goes to a party with dozens upon dozens of minors drinking alcohol, getting in fights, and going skinny dipping.
Some of these students have serious issues and struggles that aren't really discussed a lot, but all they're concerned about is who they're trying to have sex with. It just seems to me that Christopher Pike somehow skipped the teens of his life and has never talked to someone 15-17 years old.
That's not to say that teenagers don't worry about how they look and who they have a crush on. But it hasn't been that long since I was a teenager, and I've never been so self-involved that that's the only thing I was ever worried about. I certainly didn't pour manure all over my best friend for wanting to have sex with the same guy as me. These characters - especially the girls - are just so ready to get laid that they're not worried about the type or amount substance the boy is providing or how it affects their relationships with their friends.
These characters could be really drawn out and realistic, and this story could accurately portray teen violence, depression, poverty, and peer pressure all at the same time if Christopher Pike didn't think high school students were devoid of empathy or common sense.
Let's just start with the plot:
So I bought this as a compilation of all three books in this trilogy. Until the End is what it's called. The synopsis on the back explains that there's a party, and somebody doesn't leave alive. I think the reason all three of these books have been put together into one is because they can't stand on their own. Nothing happens in this book, "The Party." Nothing. Normally, with a thriller, the mystery begins within the first, what? fifty pages? I'm not sure, I don't really read thrillers or mysteries - the reason I picked this up is because I've had it for years and I wanted to read something different.
The death occurs on page 225, less than 30 pages before the end of the book, which ends with an epilogue that is 24 pages long.
Typically, the climax and the fall of a story do not all happen within 6 pages of a book 256 pages long.
There's no rise. Nothing happens. No suspense, no mystery, no leading up to it. Almost the entirety of "The Party" is introducing all these kids and how brutally horrendous they treat one another. The students in this story literally go about every day life for 224 pages worrying about stupid trivial things and goofing off and going to school and the mall and on dates.
I'm telling you, this trilogy been compiled into one giant book because someone, somewhere, realized these - at least the first one - is trash on its own.
Now let's get into how insufferably problematic this book is:
The way girls are talked about here makes me wonder if Christopher Pike has ever spoken to a woman even once in his life. Let me just give you a few examples of how despicably and grossly literally everyone talks about women. (No spoilers, promise.)
"By her own estimate - and Sara could be as ruthless on herself as she was on everybody else - she rated an eight on a scale of one to fourteen. In other words, she was slightly above average."
"Polly had already gotten ahold of a candy bar. She ate a lot of sweets these days, and it showed, especially in her face. It was a pity. When thin, Polly was a doll."
"It was Bubba's opinion that money and sex were inseparable in the female mind; thinking about credit cards and spending power, in his opinion, got them more excited than browsing through a Playgirl magazine."
"'She called her a stuck-up bitch. Don't take it personally. It's only because Jessie's pretty. Pretty girls always hate other pretty girls. It's biological.'"
That's just 4 excerpts out of 36 tabs that I put in this book, marking moments that I found disgustingly offensive.
There's nothing but vapid, unintelligent issues between every one of these characters. And you could say, "Oh but they're all gorgeous and rich, they don't really have anything to worry about." To which I would say that's correct, if it were true. Michael is poor and lives with his single mom, who we do not see a single time. Alice and Polly are both orphans, and it is only hinted at about twice how their parents died and that Polly was with them when it happened. Jessica has a lot of pressure weighing on her from her parents because they want her to go to a specific school and study a specific thing, yet she has one conversation about that with Michael and it's mentioned nowhere else in the whole book - and we never even see her parents. Maria is one out of very few Latino students at the school; she has very strict and conservative parents because they're concerned about her safety simply because someone could easily find out that they're illegal immigrants and could get deported, but Maria - despite being very sweet - is seemingly not even worried about getting caught and goes to a party with dozens upon dozens of minors drinking alcohol, getting in fights, and going skinny dipping.
Some of these students have serious issues and struggles that aren't really discussed a lot, but all they're concerned about is who they're trying to have sex with. It just seems to me that Christopher Pike somehow skipped the teens of his life and has never talked to someone 15-17 years old.
That's not to say that teenagers don't worry about how they look and who they have a crush on. But it hasn't been that long since I was a teenager, and I've never been so self-involved that that's the only thing I was ever worried about. I certainly didn't pour manure all over my best friend for wanting to have sex with the same guy as me. These characters - especially the girls - are just so ready to get laid that they're not worried about the type or amount substance the boy is providing or how it affects their relationships with their friends.
These characters could be really drawn out and realistic, and this story could accurately portray teen violence, depression, poverty, and peer pressure all at the same time if Christopher Pike didn't think high school students were devoid of empathy or common sense.
October 4, 2012
Jessica Hart is new to Tabb High and decides to have a party to get to know each other with Alice, her best friend. They've made sure to invite all the popular people and their other friends- new and old. Then something goes wrong. A gunshot is heard and someone dies. Police say it was a suicide, but others know it wasn't.
The Party was a great book as far as I'm concerned. There are about twenty mini plot twists everywhere and you never know what will happen next. It's not like the run of the mill mystery where you already know exactly what will happen when you turn the page. At $7 at Sam's Club for the entire trilogy in one, it was a steal!
I enjoyed this and I hope everyone who reads this does. Anyone who like the clique and drama genre but also likes mystery and suspense will love this book as it’s a mix of both. If you like murder mysteries, you'll probably like this book, but you will need to get the second at the same time as The Party doesn't have who did it in it, so I don't know either!
The Party was a great book as far as I'm concerned. There are about twenty mini plot twists everywhere and you never know what will happen next. It's not like the run of the mill mystery where you already know exactly what will happen when you turn the page. At $7 at Sam's Club for the entire trilogy in one, it was a steal!
I enjoyed this and I hope everyone who reads this does. Anyone who like the clique and drama genre but also likes mystery and suspense will love this book as it’s a mix of both. If you like murder mysteries, you'll probably like this book, but you will need to get the second at the same time as The Party doesn't have who did it in it, so I don't know either!
January 6, 2012
I think I would rate this closer to 4 stars than 3 so maybe 3.5 stars would be about right.
This was a good read but definitely leaves you wanting to see what happens next, which makes me glad that I bought the whole trilogy.
I will say this, Sara has to be one of my most favorite characters I have read in a long time even though she is just really a secondary character of sorts. She is so feisty and sarcastic and just well, kind of mean but truthful at the same time that you can't help but love her.
There are actually a lot of characters in this story which might be why it is hard to relate to any of them really and feel that connection that I love to feel.
But I have hopes that the next two books will be better.
This was a good read but definitely leaves you wanting to see what happens next, which makes me glad that I bought the whole trilogy.
I will say this, Sara has to be one of my most favorite characters I have read in a long time even though she is just really a secondary character of sorts. She is so feisty and sarcastic and just well, kind of mean but truthful at the same time that you can't help but love her.
There are actually a lot of characters in this story which might be why it is hard to relate to any of them really and feel that connection that I love to feel.
But I have hopes that the next two books will be better.
December 31, 2019
One of my favourites from back when I was a teenager, I discovered the ebook version of this series and decided to give it a whirl. Having not read it since 20 years ago, I was surprised and how much detail came flooding back to me as I got through the first chapters and immediately the entire plot of the series and all of the characters came back to me. Having said that, I still quite enjoyed reading the first part of this triology, and am eager to get through the next two, despite knowing how everything that is going to play out. Re-reading Christopher Pike is like getting together with your best friend after a very long hiatus; you just immediately gel again and it’s like no time has passed.
March 21, 2021
I have read this book (the entire trilogy, in fact) many times, and there have been a few things I have always been drawn to. I could not help but wonder, this time around.. why... Out of the characters, only a couple are likeable, relatable, or have an arch, a redeeming factor. Others are just there. I believe that's the problem when there are multiple characters and too many stories to tell, and making sure one ties all the loose ends. Sometimes it's not easy. O course, I bear in mind that the book was written decades ago. It just has not aged that well.
September 29, 2011
i thought this one was in a way, quite similar to remember me, i enjoyes this book as i do every book written by christopher pike! and am edging to read the sequels
i like how there are soo many love triangles going on in the book and cant wait to find whoe ends up with who
would recommend to anyone that likes a mystery
i like how there are soo many love triangles going on in the book and cant wait to find whoe ends up with who
would recommend to anyone that likes a mystery
March 14, 2017
I read this probably 20 years ago, but rereading for fun. I think I probably read every single Christopher Pike book when I was a teen. Brings back a lot of memories, especially the times when cell phones and all digital crap galore didn't exist. I'm definitely going to revisit more of his old titles.
December 8, 2011
Okay so I accidentally reread this over the course of the last couple days? And I know...I KNOW IT'S NOT GOOD. But I flippin' loved these books when I was 11. So sentimentally, this is the best. Also, I read it in like 45 minutes. Thanks, C-Pike.
July 25, 2014
This book was startlingly "okay."
There were too many characters and virtually no buildup to lead toward the climax. This is uncharacteristic of Pike's normally epic thrillers. I kept waiting for the good part to happen, which was basically the whole book. Sad.
There were too many characters and virtually no buildup to lead toward the climax. This is uncharacteristic of Pike's normally epic thrillers. I kept waiting for the good part to happen, which was basically the whole book. Sad.
December 9, 2009
A junior high school favorite -- I've just gotten used copies and am amazed at how well these books have aged. I've gobbled up all 3 as quickly as I did the first time around nearly 20 years ago.
October 14, 2011
Pretty good, a little predictable.
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