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Final Friends #2
The Dance
He searched for a murderer that couldn't exist.
The party was over. Alice McCoy was dead—a depressed girl who'd taken a loaded gun to her head. At least that was what everyone thought. Everyone except Michael Olson. He knew it was no suicide. But how could he prove it?
How could he catch a murderer that seemingly had the power to walk though walls? And how could he tell Jessica Hart that he loved her when she obviously preferred someone else? Michael did not know, but he would try his best. It will not be enough. For him or Jessica. The homecoming dance will end like the party—in horror. The murderer will walk through another wall...
The party was over. Alice McCoy was dead—a depressed girl who'd taken a loaded gun to her head. At least that was what everyone thought. Everyone except Michael Olson. He knew it was no suicide. But how could he prove it?
How could he catch a murderer that seemingly had the power to walk though walls? And how could he tell Jessica Hart that he loved her when she obviously preferred someone else? Michael did not know, but he would try his best. It will not be enough. For him or Jessica. The homecoming dance will end like the party—in horror. The murderer will walk through another wall...
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1988
9 people are currently reading
1033 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Pike
262 books5,479 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 88 reviews
April 23, 2024
There are spoilers ahead for Final Friends: The Party. After the party at the McCoys’ that ended in tragedy, Michael Olsen is determined to find Alice’s killer. The police have ruled the case a suicide, but he isn’t convinced. In the meantime, the students of Tabb High have their hands full preparing for the SATs and organizing the homecoming dance. Jessica Hart dreams of getting into Stanford and being crowned homecoming queen, but something terrible started on the night of Alice’s death, and it’s only just beginning. Trigger warnings: death, suicide, severe injury, paralysis, grief, mental illness, electric shock therapy, abusive relationships, abortion, fat-shaming, bullying, threats.
Did I mention that I love this series and therefore cannot be trusted to be objective about it? Much as I don’t buy nostalgia as a reason, since enjoying something in the past doesn’t necessarily affect my enjoyment of it in the present, I can admit it is a small part. These were some of the first characters I loved, some of the first times a writer shocked me with the twists and turns of a locked room murder mystery. I wish I could re-read it for the first time (an oxymoron, I realize) to see if it still surprises me, but as it is, I’m enjoying all the clues Pike is laying down when it seems like he’s not up to anything in particular, plot-wise. He actually gives us the answer in this book, but I suspect it’s only obvious in hindsight. I love being able to look back at clues I should have picked up on.
Much like The Party, so much of The Dance is spent on character development rather than any murdery/thrillery twists, and that’s part of what I like about this series. I’m much more character driven than plot driven, and Final Friends is all about the characters. Michael and Jessica have realized they’re in love with each other, but they both think the other is too good for them; it’s top-shelf mutual pining, and watching Sara and Russ fighting/flirting is one of the joys of this series. Poor Polly gets sidelined hard by every character, and I feel for her. She’s struggling with the deaths of nearly every member of her family, and watching her unravel on her own provides some of the most unsettling scenes in the book. Weird Clark is also back with a vengeance (more thoughts on him in the next book). There are yet more minor mysteries to solve along with discovering Alice’s murderer, plus the looming tragedy of the dance. Same person? Everyone is a suspect.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
Did I mention that I love this series and therefore cannot be trusted to be objective about it? Much as I don’t buy nostalgia as a reason, since enjoying something in the past doesn’t necessarily affect my enjoyment of it in the present, I can admit it is a small part. These were some of the first characters I loved, some of the first times a writer shocked me with the twists and turns of a locked room murder mystery. I wish I could re-read it for the first time (an oxymoron, I realize) to see if it still surprises me, but as it is, I’m enjoying all the clues Pike is laying down when it seems like he’s not up to anything in particular, plot-wise. He actually gives us the answer in this book, but I suspect it’s only obvious in hindsight. I love being able to look back at clues I should have picked up on.
Much like The Party, so much of The Dance is spent on character development rather than any murdery/thrillery twists, and that’s part of what I like about this series. I’m much more character driven than plot driven, and Final Friends is all about the characters. Michael and Jessica have realized they’re in love with each other, but they both think the other is too good for them; it’s top-shelf mutual pining, and watching Sara and Russ fighting/flirting is one of the joys of this series. Poor Polly gets sidelined hard by every character, and I feel for her. She’s struggling with the deaths of nearly every member of her family, and watching her unravel on her own provides some of the most unsettling scenes in the book. Weird Clark is also back with a vengeance (more thoughts on him in the next book). There are yet more minor mysteries to solve along with discovering Alice’s murderer, plus the looming tragedy of the dance. Same person? Everyone is a suspect.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
February 17, 2018
I'm going to let my rating stands, mostly for nostalgia purposes.
November 1, 2024
The Dance (Final Friends #2) by Christopher Pike is a solid sequel that I think I slightly preferred to book one. I'll have to try the finale sometime in the future. I have a feeling that if I read this when I was back in high school I may have liked this more than I do now.
June 2, 2022
Jeez, the protagonists are so unpleasant. And yet I couldn't stop reading.
I dislike Jessica, Sara and Russ together, Polly and Clark, Bubba and Clair... The only characters I like and support were Michael, Nick and Maria. Like the first volume, it was more about building up the tension till the ending rather then describing Michael's sleuthing job.
Despite all his faults, I devoured it. It doesn't matter if this book is almost as old as I am. And tonight I'm going to start the last book in the series.
I bought the first one years ago in NYC, probably. I got the other two a few months back, trying to match the cover. I couldn't do that but at least I got the oldest editions.
I dislike Jessica, Sara and Russ together, Polly and Clark, Bubba and Clair... The only characters I like and support were Michael, Nick and Maria. Like the first volume, it was more about building up the tension till the ending rather then describing Michael's sleuthing job.
Despite all his faults, I devoured it. It doesn't matter if this book is almost as old as I am. And tonight I'm going to start the last book in the series.
I bought the first one years ago in NYC, probably. I got the other two a few months back, trying to match the cover. I couldn't do that but at least I got the oldest editions.
September 4, 2024
Not a death to end the book but just as tragic basically. Liked this one a bit more than the first. Polly and Clark continue to be weird city, Russ and Sarah still amuse me, Jessica is still that bizarre mixed of awful and sympathy, Michael still shines and Nick steps up to the pedestal. Besides the first part of the book, not much on the Alice investigation as of yet.
December 24, 2011
Here are somethings I noticed/remembered/liked/disliked about this book.
Let's see...
Noticed
1] Again this book isn't really about the murder as it is about getting to know the characters more and then there's this horrible accident.
2] Bubba is not a good best friend.
3] Parts of the book are a little racist...hmm...
Remembered
1] That Clark wasn't the killer, so the ending of this book *spoiler* where he finds his yearbook and figures out where he goes to school didn't really surprise me, I also don't remember being surprised the first time around, which tells me that I knew Clark wasn't the killer then.
2] Jessica and Michael almost kiss/kiss, however you want to look at it.
3] The girls in this book series are really weak...all of them.
Liked
1] Michael, always have always will
2] Strangely, that these books really aren't very suspenseful. I like the fact that we get to know all of these characters BEFORE something bad happens...we like the characters more.
3] All the sub plots that in some way tie in to the murder of Alice.
Disliked
1] Jessica...how could I have ever thought of her as a role-model...this realization has made me kind of sad.
2] *spoiler* there's a girl that has sex, gets pregnant and her male counterpart pays for her abortion...this whole subplot seems to be taken pretty lightly and it seems that she is sadder that people find out than she is about the whole experience itself, I would have liked this portrayed a little more realistically and, frankly, more in-depth or not at all.
3] The accident and how I couldn't remember how it happened or how Maria acted so harshly
Book Three soon to follow...
Let's see...
Noticed
1] Again this book isn't really about the murder as it is about getting to know the characters more and then there's this horrible accident.
2] Bubba is not a good best friend.
3] Parts of the book are a little racist...hmm...
Remembered
1] That Clark wasn't the killer, so the ending of this book *spoiler* where he finds his yearbook and figures out where he goes to school didn't really surprise me, I also don't remember being surprised the first time around, which tells me that I knew Clark wasn't the killer then.
2] Jessica and Michael almost kiss/kiss, however you want to look at it.
3] The girls in this book series are really weak...all of them.
Liked
1] Michael, always have always will
2] Strangely, that these books really aren't very suspenseful. I like the fact that we get to know all of these characters BEFORE something bad happens...we like the characters more.
3] All the sub plots that in some way tie in to the murder of Alice.
Disliked
1] Jessica...how could I have ever thought of her as a role-model...this realization has made me kind of sad.
2] *spoiler* there's a girl that has sex, gets pregnant and her male counterpart pays for her abortion...this whole subplot seems to be taken pretty lightly and it seems that she is sadder that people find out than she is about the whole experience itself, I would have liked this portrayed a little more realistically and, frankly, more in-depth or not at all.
3] The accident and how I couldn't remember how it happened or how Maria acted so harshly
Book Three soon to follow...
November 12, 2024
I can’t deny this book, like the last one, is well written. What I’m confused about is the pacing in these first two books. They come off as more of a character study/drama type of book as opposed to a trilogy involving a murder mystery. I can somewhat understand the first book holding off the suspense until near the end, but i didn’t expect the same in book 2. In fact, the murder is hardly even addressed at all. I just started the final book so hopefully the payoff is worth it.
December 31, 2019
Loved re-reading this book, love this series so much.
May 23, 2023
As this is a book in a trilogy there will be some spoilers as you know but...the back of the book and the first six pages will do that just as much as me telling you.
Indeed the first six pages "the introduction" summarize the last book and give its biggest spoiler.
At the party of former Mesa High students who are now Tabb High Students, Alice McCoy was found dead. The police rule it as suicide because a gun was found in her mouth and a hole bleeding out the back of her skull.
There was the sound of a gunshot which brought everyone to find the body. There was also some interesting things to happen because of this incident as we go into the second book.
Michael Olson doesn't believe that Alice killed herself but to some of the others, her personality of late suggest to them she was indeed depressed. Jessica Hart believed she never got over her parents' death from when she was younger. Her change in art style from warm and fuzzy and bright to dark and somber notwithstanding as she was under the influence of her artist "boyfriend" Clark with his more contrasting style.
Michael keeps looking into Alice's death to prove she was murdered. He took it very hard and it even caused him to argue with Jessica in her differing opinion. Two months later, they don't talk much as Michael moved to another locker but also for the fact that Jessica is more interested it seems in dating Bill Skater. Poor friendzoned Michael...
Jessica is also more interested in being voted Homecoming Queen. The Dance has now been planned for the beginning of the basketball season per Sara as SBP (Student Body President) planned out at the start of the school year. Maria Gonzales, Clair Hilrey and a girl named Cindy are the other nominees beside Jessica.
Jessica and Clair are going at it to have them both win and beat the other so much that Jessica uses Polly telling her something offhandedly to ruin the blonde cheerleader's chances of winning as well as move in on her quarterback boyfriend, Bill.
Poor Polly McCoy. She has lost her parents, her baby sister and now her aunt is very sick, having had a heart attack at the news of Alice's "death". It doesn't look good but Polly is trying her best to take care of her Aunty instead of going crazy though she's on a thin line to getting there. Jessica and Sara treat her like glass and also notice that Polly has lost almost twenty pounds, surviving on carrots and Coke to stay up late at nights to care for her aunt.
Polly still has it really bad for Russ Desmond but Clark also comes back into the picture. He seems interested in Polly only because she has lost weight but managed to keep her huge breasts but Russ doesn't seem to be reading Polly's signs of seduction so the poor girl turns to Clark. Yet soon, Polly discovers that Clark is not as perfect as she thought and remembers how Alice told her at the party the exact same thing...
Sara Cantrell still can't help but be attracted to Russ Desmond even though everytime the two try to engage in pleasant conversation, it ends so badly. Sara found out where Russ worked and tried to ask him subtly and a little presumptuously to take her to the Homecoming Dance but the young man seems to be dense as a brick or just as volatile as Sara in his own temper.
Sara locks him in the freezer of his stock job at a grocery store and he ends up using an axe to free himself which gets him fired from his job. Russ decides to go to Polly for a place to say when that gets him kicked out of his own house. Sara gets her own karmic comeuppance in the worst way possible when she accidentally leaves her purse in the same freezer.
Three thousand dollars meant for paying expenses for the dance...stolen. With nowhere to go for a solution since Jessica believes Sara to be a moron, Sara turns to John "Bubba" Free to help her try and get the money to cover the costs...
Bubba seems to be getting really cozy with Clair lately but he still can't help but be attracted to fiery Sara. So when she comes to ask for help, Bubba says he will do this favor for her if Sara will pay him back with some...sexual favors. Sara is appalled but she really has no choice and when it seems that things are going to work out for her and Russ, this is not the only thing to hang over her head like a sword...
Bubba is also helping Michael try to find out about Alice's death, using his computer coding skills to try and break into the medical records of the coroner who did the autopsy. He also has his hand in other things because Bubba is not at all happy with Jessica for stringing along Michael or her spreading a vicious untrue rumor about Clair. I'm not sure if Bubba is really on the up and up but I can't help but find him hilarious in his overconfidence.
Nick is left trying to find another job. He lost the one Mike got him at the 7-11 because the bosses didn't seem to like the fact that he was held on suspicion for Alice McCoy's death. Shell-shocked from his former time in an East L.A. gang that resulted in a friend of his getting shot, Nick couldn't stand to see that gun in Alice's mouth so he removed it and got his fingerprints on it.
Nick, Russ and Kats were held the longest because of Nick's prints, Russ' temper at the fact that the gun was Kats' own weapon stolen from the glove compartment of his car. Maria's parents believe that since Nick is black and use to be in a gang he must have killed Alice and forbid Maria from seeing him. The only thing that looks up for Nick is that he joins the basketball team with Michael after his new friend convinces him he is truly that good to maybe even get a scholarship to college.
At first it's fine because no one gives Nick problems now that football is over and most of the dumb jocks moved to basketball...especially The Rock. When Michael however gets into it with the new coach, he quits and leaves Nick high and dry that the trouble looks like it will start up again. Since the team has given him a new purpose, Nick tries to figure out just why The Rock is hellbent on wanting to kill him. The reason is very dumb but the resolution to this feud is hilariously black comedy...
Bill Skater is basically boring and soon Jessica finds that out and tries to mend things with Michael realizing her mistake in treating him so poorly.
The night of the Homecoming Dance arrives and what seems like a night of magic and miracles and happy endings turns into tragedy, disaster and death...
The cover of the book is misleading as there is a death but it just happens to coincide with that of what really happens at the titular dance. Pike is good at misleading us because it seemed for awhile that we were just going to get the same teenage high school drama before dropping the huge bomb on us...
By the time we get to the end of this book, I would say that Mike and Nick have my sympathy the most between the last book and now. Last book, I was kind of thinking Polly was just too much a stereotypical jealous and bitchy older sister but this book gives her such a hard time...I can't help but feel sorry for her too.
Jessica and Maria...my approval points of them have gone way down by the end of this book if I add some factors from the last book.
Clair, Bubba, Russ and Sara are still up in the air for me. They do things that seem redeemable and then do or say something stupid that they go back like three steps until they make me laugh that is or get another slap delivered in their faces.
The Rock gets completely changed for the better, Bill is still boring, Kats is a moron and Clark is still a horrible person...that's pretty much it.
I can only imagine just what sort of conclusion Pike will bring this trilogy to since I know it's always something different. Completely crazy, somber and bittersweet, vaguely hopeful?
Until next time your guess is as good as mine...
Indeed the first six pages "the introduction" summarize the last book and give its biggest spoiler.
At the party of former Mesa High students who are now Tabb High Students, Alice McCoy was found dead. The police rule it as suicide because a gun was found in her mouth and a hole bleeding out the back of her skull.
There was the sound of a gunshot which brought everyone to find the body. There was also some interesting things to happen because of this incident as we go into the second book.
Michael Olson doesn't believe that Alice killed herself but to some of the others, her personality of late suggest to them she was indeed depressed. Jessica Hart believed she never got over her parents' death from when she was younger. Her change in art style from warm and fuzzy and bright to dark and somber notwithstanding as she was under the influence of her artist "boyfriend" Clark with his more contrasting style.
Michael keeps looking into Alice's death to prove she was murdered. He took it very hard and it even caused him to argue with Jessica in her differing opinion. Two months later, they don't talk much as Michael moved to another locker but also for the fact that Jessica is more interested it seems in dating Bill Skater. Poor friendzoned Michael...
Jessica is also more interested in being voted Homecoming Queen. The Dance has now been planned for the beginning of the basketball season per Sara as SBP (Student Body President) planned out at the start of the school year. Maria Gonzales, Clair Hilrey and a girl named Cindy are the other nominees beside Jessica.
Jessica and Clair are going at it to have them both win and beat the other so much that Jessica uses Polly telling her something offhandedly to ruin the blonde cheerleader's chances of winning as well as move in on her quarterback boyfriend, Bill.
Poor Polly McCoy. She has lost her parents, her baby sister and now her aunt is very sick, having had a heart attack at the news of Alice's "death". It doesn't look good but Polly is trying her best to take care of her Aunty instead of going crazy though she's on a thin line to getting there. Jessica and Sara treat her like glass and also notice that Polly has lost almost twenty pounds, surviving on carrots and Coke to stay up late at nights to care for her aunt.
Polly still has it really bad for Russ Desmond but Clark also comes back into the picture. He seems interested in Polly only because she has lost weight but managed to keep her huge breasts but Russ doesn't seem to be reading Polly's signs of seduction so the poor girl turns to Clark. Yet soon, Polly discovers that Clark is not as perfect as she thought and remembers how Alice told her at the party the exact same thing...
Sara Cantrell still can't help but be attracted to Russ Desmond even though everytime the two try to engage in pleasant conversation, it ends so badly. Sara found out where Russ worked and tried to ask him subtly and a little presumptuously to take her to the Homecoming Dance but the young man seems to be dense as a brick or just as volatile as Sara in his own temper.
Sara locks him in the freezer of his stock job at a grocery store and he ends up using an axe to free himself which gets him fired from his job. Russ decides to go to Polly for a place to say when that gets him kicked out of his own house. Sara gets her own karmic comeuppance in the worst way possible when she accidentally leaves her purse in the same freezer.
Three thousand dollars meant for paying expenses for the dance...stolen. With nowhere to go for a solution since Jessica believes Sara to be a moron, Sara turns to John "Bubba" Free to help her try and get the money to cover the costs...
Bubba seems to be getting really cozy with Clair lately but he still can't help but be attracted to fiery Sara. So when she comes to ask for help, Bubba says he will do this favor for her if Sara will pay him back with some...sexual favors. Sara is appalled but she really has no choice and when it seems that things are going to work out for her and Russ, this is not the only thing to hang over her head like a sword...
Bubba is also helping Michael try to find out about Alice's death, using his computer coding skills to try and break into the medical records of the coroner who did the autopsy. He also has his hand in other things because Bubba is not at all happy with Jessica for stringing along Michael or her spreading a vicious untrue rumor about Clair. I'm not sure if Bubba is really on the up and up but I can't help but find him hilarious in his overconfidence.
Nick is left trying to find another job. He lost the one Mike got him at the 7-11 because the bosses didn't seem to like the fact that he was held on suspicion for Alice McCoy's death. Shell-shocked from his former time in an East L.A. gang that resulted in a friend of his getting shot, Nick couldn't stand to see that gun in Alice's mouth so he removed it and got his fingerprints on it.
Nick, Russ and Kats were held the longest because of Nick's prints, Russ' temper at the fact that the gun was Kats' own weapon stolen from the glove compartment of his car. Maria's parents believe that since Nick is black and use to be in a gang he must have killed Alice and forbid Maria from seeing him. The only thing that looks up for Nick is that he joins the basketball team with Michael after his new friend convinces him he is truly that good to maybe even get a scholarship to college.
At first it's fine because no one gives Nick problems now that football is over and most of the dumb jocks moved to basketball...especially The Rock. When Michael however gets into it with the new coach, he quits and leaves Nick high and dry that the trouble looks like it will start up again. Since the team has given him a new purpose, Nick tries to figure out just why The Rock is hellbent on wanting to kill him. The reason is very dumb but the resolution to this feud is hilariously black comedy...
Bill Skater is basically boring and soon Jessica finds that out and tries to mend things with Michael realizing her mistake in treating him so poorly.
The night of the Homecoming Dance arrives and what seems like a night of magic and miracles and happy endings turns into tragedy, disaster and death...
The cover of the book is misleading as there is a death but it just happens to coincide with that of what really happens at the titular dance. Pike is good at misleading us because it seemed for awhile that we were just going to get the same teenage high school drama before dropping the huge bomb on us...
By the time we get to the end of this book, I would say that Mike and Nick have my sympathy the most between the last book and now. Last book, I was kind of thinking Polly was just too much a stereotypical jealous and bitchy older sister but this book gives her such a hard time...I can't help but feel sorry for her too.
Jessica and Maria...my approval points of them have gone way down by the end of this book if I add some factors from the last book.
Clair, Bubba, Russ and Sara are still up in the air for me. They do things that seem redeemable and then do or say something stupid that they go back like three steps until they make me laugh that is or get another slap delivered in their faces.
The Rock gets completely changed for the better, Bill is still boring, Kats is a moron and Clark is still a horrible person...that's pretty much it.
I can only imagine just what sort of conclusion Pike will bring this trilogy to since I know it's always something different. Completely crazy, somber and bittersweet, vaguely hopeful?
Until next time your guess is as good as mine...
April 10, 2025
Ok, so after puzzling through the first book, then leaping into a 10-page introduction/recap to summarize that book in the first chapter of this one, I finally created my own document and wrote little character bios so I wouldn't be confused. It surprisingly worked!
The Final Friends trilogy certainly isn't Pike's best work, but it is enjoyable and still manages to have that special "oomph" that he infuses in all his stories. In The Dance, we get to know some of the many characters we were introduced to in The Party a bit better. Some of them find more success, some have their dreams dashed, and we're not much closer to finding out who murdered Alice. I was going to wait to read the final book, but honestly, I'm dying to remember what happened.
The Final Friends trilogy certainly isn't Pike's best work, but it is enjoyable and still manages to have that special "oomph" that he infuses in all his stories. In The Dance, we get to know some of the many characters we were introduced to in The Party a bit better. Some of them find more success, some have their dreams dashed, and we're not much closer to finding out who murdered Alice. I was going to wait to read the final book, but honestly, I'm dying to remember what happened.
April 22, 2016
This is 2nd book in the series. So read the 1st book before you start on this one otherwise you wont be able to get the background. Also the events in the 1st book are important to understand this book.
Again a build up to the previous book.
Really looking forward to the 3rd book on this series where all the mystery will be solved.
Again a build up to the previous book.
Really looking forward to the 3rd book on this series where all the mystery will be solved.
April 1, 2023
I was willing to overlook the slow pacing of the first Final Friends novel because it felt like Pike was allowing us to get to know his characters before jumpstarting the plot. And that was not an unwelcome development. I enjoyed getting to know everyone and investing a bit in their lives before things really took off.
Sadly, Pike steals from the same playbook here, and it just does not work. While I’m still somewhat invested in what happens to the gang, I found myself praying that something—anything—would happen. It got to the point where I was beginning to actively not care about these characters simply because I wanted the plot to move forward.
Read my full recap and review of Final Friends 2: The Dance at The Christopher Pike Project.
Sadly, Pike steals from the same playbook here, and it just does not work. While I’m still somewhat invested in what happens to the gang, I found myself praying that something—anything—would happen. It got to the point where I was beginning to actively not care about these characters simply because I wanted the plot to move forward.
Read my full recap and review of Final Friends 2: The Dance at The Christopher Pike Project.
March 13, 2021
The second book in this trilogy is just as good as the first.
I reviewed The Party a few weeks ago, and this one picks up shortly after the fallout of that fateful night. When we meet our favorites from the previous novel, they're all trying to move on after the apparent suicide of a girl that everyone seemed to love.
But was she depressed? Did she really kill herself?
Or is the story so much more sinister than that?
As has been the case so far with Christopher Pike, this book has stood the test of time. It still held my attention, still had me rooting for certain characters and questioning others. I have characters from this trilogy that seem so much like old friends, it's like getting together after decades apart.
And the night of the dance doesn't end much more happily than the party.
Will anyone get out alive?
I reviewed The Party a few weeks ago, and this one picks up shortly after the fallout of that fateful night. When we meet our favorites from the previous novel, they're all trying to move on after the apparent suicide of a girl that everyone seemed to love.
But was she depressed? Did she really kill herself?
Or is the story so much more sinister than that?
As has been the case so far with Christopher Pike, this book has stood the test of time. It still held my attention, still had me rooting for certain characters and questioning others. I have characters from this trilogy that seem so much like old friends, it's like getting together after decades apart.
And the night of the dance doesn't end much more happily than the party.
Will anyone get out alive?
December 18, 2020
The book in general is alright. After reading the first book, this second instalment in the series is predictable, but certain twists are good. However, the ending is not very satisfying as nothing was really solved and the lack of communication between the characters were really frustrating.
If you happen to come across my review of the first book, I mentioned editing problems. Again, not sure if it's my copy but there are TONS of errors i.e. spelling, punctuation, and there are even unfinished sentences in this second book as well! It irks me badly, and because of that I'm giving it one less star than I would have.
If you happen to come across my review of the first book, I mentioned editing problems. Again, not sure if it's my copy but there are TONS of errors i.e. spelling, punctuation, and there are even unfinished sentences in this second book as well! It irks me badly, and because of that I'm giving it one less star than I would have.
November 16, 2015
Dealing with the consequences of the party, the characters learn to move forward with their lives. High school continues to be full of typical teenage drama including getting ready for the big homecoming dance. This book definitely feels like a filler since enough things happen to make it interesting but not enough to explain anything. That's saved for the final book.
September 21, 2018
There is almost no horror or thriller element in this middle book of the trilogy. I realized toward the end that I had just read a whole book about high school drama that didn't even have the benefit of genre. And yet I feel the need to persist. I'm kind of invested in these characters now.
September 29, 2020
Definitely a filler episode. Not much of note happens aside from set up for the end and the final instalment. I remember being excited to read (most likely) my first planned trilogy but I’ve gotta wonder if these were split for YA audiences.
December 3, 2012
Honestly, I liked the first book better. In The Dance, there were many things that made no sense. Hopefully The Graduation will be better.
August 12, 2017
Meh. Not much happened to get excited about. It felt a bit like filler between the first book, the set up, and the finale, the last book.
January 20, 2022
I hate this trilogy, lol. Nothing happened for the entire fucking book until the last like 20 pages; I'm so annoyed.
March 21, 2019
For someone who's determined to discover what really happened to Alice, Michael doesn't do much investigating in this book. Most of The Dance is just following the characters around and seeing where they're up to. We get a bit more insight into some of them which sets the stage for the last book. Despite thinking that most of the characters are kind of terrible people and vaguely remembering bits and pieces of the third book reveal, I'm actually intrigued to get the full story. On to the next book!
March 6, 2021
This is a huge step up from The Party.
It’s not The Party was bad, it was just that it was slow and took far too long setting to the story.
Since The Dance takes place only a few months after the events of the first book and the majority of characters and their motivations had already been established, The Dance feels much easier to read and feels like a much quicker book.
Obviously everything in this one is cliche as hell, but it’s not a bad thing. Actually makes this a nice break from contemporary YA stuff.
It’s not The Party was bad, it was just that it was slow and took far too long setting to the story.
Since The Dance takes place only a few months after the events of the first book and the majority of characters and their motivations had already been established, The Dance feels much easier to read and feels like a much quicker book.
Obviously everything in this one is cliche as hell, but it’s not a bad thing. Actually makes this a nice break from contemporary YA stuff.
May 6, 2022
3rd Pike book down and still having a good time. While I would honestly say I enjoyed all the build up and character development more in the first book in this trilogy , The Dance is still a fun read.
The characters are all fun even tho Pike does pull the cliché cards with the two characters of color. The mystery building up still has my intrigued and I’m excited to jump into the final book in this trilogy.
The characters are all fun even tho Pike does pull the cliché cards with the two characters of color. The mystery building up still has my intrigued and I’m excited to jump into the final book in this trilogy.
February 5, 2025
4.2 stars. It was an easy read. The writing is really simple. Wait, I take the “easy read back”. Polly’s narration always creeped me out, especially the part where she went insane. Of course, this guy Clark. What is his deal?! And Bubba. That guy’s weird… he calls girls sluts even when he slept with half the girls in the grade.
I love the romance between Russ and Sara. I really hated the ending (in a good way) and can’t believe my girl turned on Jessica!
I love the romance between Russ and Sara. I really hated the ending (in a good way) and can’t believe my girl turned on Jessica!
May 16, 2021
Best character development Pike ever did. It's like Dawson's Creek with a murder mystery. Polly, Bubba, Russ and Sara are really good characters. Mike is pretty much the typical Pike male hero and Jessica is alright but I get sick of her sometimes. Alice was a bit too unbelievable in her angelic qualities, my only little issue.
August 8, 2021
Again another great read. I remember reading this trilogy as a teenager in the 90s. My friends and I were really hooked on the perspectives of different characters at different places while the same event was taking place. I suppose that this was nothing new but to us it was. Again I will have to wait for the next book to get the ending, but at least this book didn't end so abruptly.
November 18, 2020
TL;DR PSA from my review of The Party: Don't re-read your problematic '80s favs, kids. Yikes.
March 21, 2021
How is Jessica Hart such a dislikeable character? She is a nasty human being. Superficial, cares about just her looks... and somehow, out of nowhere falls in love with someone whom she does not treat very well. Sorry. No.
October 31, 2024
I love Christopher Pike. Mostly nostalgia, but they are always quick reads with teenage tropes that are exhausted in young adult books. Fun thriller with some cheesy dialogue that you can read while you’re half listening to music.
October 9, 2019
Great second book to the saga. It establishes the characters and their motives really great.
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