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Ethical Vampire #1
La Sociedad de la Sangre
¿Qué ocurriría si un día descubrieses que todo lo que crees saber sobre tu familia es mentira? Y ¿qué ocurriría si, detrás de esa mentira, se ocultara una verdad oscura y profunda, pero tan irresistible como para sentirte impelido a profundizar en ella? Ariella Montero desea conocer la verdadera identidad de su madre, de su padre y de si misma. Ha estudiado literatura, filosofía, ciencia e historia, pero no sabe casi nada sobre el mundo real y sus complejidades. En su mundo, los fantasmas y los vampiros conviven con los humanos, y cada vez que el puzzle parece a punto de resolverse, la ultima pieza hace que todo cambie. Poco a poco, Ari desentraña los secretos que han hecho que su familia viviese aislada, y comienza a reflexionar sobre su propia naturaleza y sus posibilidades de supervivencia. En un giro ingenioso a un genero con numerosos adeptos, esta novela, maravillosamente escrita, mezcla humor con terror para mostrarnos que los vampiros son algo mas que criaturas de la noche que se dedican a chupar la sangre de la gente...
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2007
63 people are currently reading
2476 people want to read
About the author
Susan Hubbard
25 books191 followersSusan Hubbard, born in upstate New York, is the author of two collections of short fiction, both winners of national prizes, and four novels. The Society of S was published in May 2007 by Simon & Schuster, and The Year of Disappearances, a sequel, was released in May 2008. The U.S. paperback edition of The Year of Disappearances was published in 2009.
The third volume in the Ethical Vampire series, The Season of Risks, was published in July 2010.
Hubbard's books have been translated and published in more than 15 countries. Her short stories have appeared in TriQuarterly, The Mississippi Review, The North American Review, America West, Kalliope, Ploughshares, and other journals. She is coeditor of 100% Pure Florida Fiction, an anthology.
She has received teaching awards from Syracuse University, Cornell University, the University of Central Florida, and the South Atlantic Adminstrators of Departments of English. She has been awarded residencies at Yaddo, the Djerassi Resident Artists Project, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, and Cill Rialaig.
Hubbard has led writing workshops at universities and arts programs across the United States and the United Kingdom. A former president of Associated Writing Programs, she has served as an assessor and curriculum consultant to several colleges and universities.
Hubbard currently is a Professor of English at the University of Central Florida. She is an advocate for animal rights, social justice, academic etiquette, and literacy. Her hobbies include running, salvaging, and collecting items of questionable taste.
The third volume in the Ethical Vampire series, The Season of Risks, was published in July 2010.
Hubbard's books have been translated and published in more than 15 countries. Her short stories have appeared in TriQuarterly, The Mississippi Review, The North American Review, America West, Kalliope, Ploughshares, and other journals. She is coeditor of 100% Pure Florida Fiction, an anthology.
She has received teaching awards from Syracuse University, Cornell University, the University of Central Florida, and the South Atlantic Adminstrators of Departments of English. She has been awarded residencies at Yaddo, the Djerassi Resident Artists Project, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, and Cill Rialaig.
Hubbard has led writing workshops at universities and arts programs across the United States and the United Kingdom. A former president of Associated Writing Programs, she has served as an assessor and curriculum consultant to several colleges and universities.
Hubbard currently is a Professor of English at the University of Central Florida. She is an advocate for animal rights, social justice, academic etiquette, and literacy. Her hobbies include running, salvaging, and collecting items of questionable taste.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 560 reviews
July 29, 2011
I don't know why this keeps getting grouped in with Twilight because it's a very different kind of story - and by that I mean The Society of S actually has a positive message for girls. Sure they are both young adult books about vampires. But that's where the similarity ends. The protagonist, 13 year-old Ariella, is intelligent, curious, self-possessed, and sympathetic. It's a classic coming of age story about a girl trying to understand who is she and where she comes from. There is a small sub-plot about a boy she likes, but it's not the central focus in her life and it's age-appropriate. (Contrast that to Twlight where you have a heroine who in a two-week period of time decides that at 16 she's met her "true love" that she can never live without. He goes on to essentially stalk her until they are a couple, then he constantly needs to save her because she's so frail and clumsy. Blech!) I would highly recommend this book to any young woman, or anyone who likes a great story about trying to understand one's own identity.
May 14, 2008
I've read a lot of vampire books--you could say I'm a bit of a connoisseur. So I appreciate a fresh perspective on the idea, which is exactly what Hubbard's book brings. It centers on 13 year old Ariella Montero--delicate and protected from the world by a reclusive father after her mother disappeared shortly after her birth. It's certainly a coming of age story, though this teenager has a few more
things to deal with than your average middle-schooler. She begins to slowly but certainly unravel the mystery of her life, what's going on in the basement of her father's old Victorian, and just who she is and what she is becoming.
Intelligently written, it paints a plausible picture of how a modern day vampire could survive and in fact thrive
in the 21st century. Filled with loneliness and discovery, it is a very compelling read.
things to deal with than your average middle-schooler. She begins to slowly but certainly unravel the mystery of her life, what's going on in the basement of her father's old Victorian, and just who she is and what she is becoming.
Intelligently written, it paints a plausible picture of how a modern day vampire could survive and in fact thrive
in the 21st century. Filled with loneliness and discovery, it is a very compelling read.
December 15, 2014
Environmentalist vampires. That sounded, well, interesting to say the least. The real selling point, though? The hardcover was $5 on the Barnes and Noble bargain rack. Can’t beat that! And I have to say, thank whatever god may exist that that’s all I paid for it. I would have been peeved if it cost any more.
I must have missed the “literary” note in the jacket flap (I skim, it’s highly likely) but, even then, I don’t think the writing in this was good enough to be deemed literary. Not that I think literary is bad, but I would have expected something other than the hype the jacket flap was offering if I had seen that note. This is the second book where I was swayed by the flap and it thoroughly let me down (regardless of my missing the “literary” point).
First off, that very first line in the blurb completely bugs me even as I type this because it’s entirely backwards. Considering that statement is coming from a girl who’s been sheltered her entire life, it’s fitting that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about but since it’s a running motif, it’s bugging me even more. Anonymity doesn’t come in anything small, small cities, small towns, nothing where people can be a little too close. Anonymity comes in major cities because no one gives a damn.
Ariella’s journey (and this is not YA, despite the age of the MC) doesn’t start until a little more than halfway into the book (that would be around page 150). Seriously. Everything up until that point is backstory and a pretty pointless lead-up to get her out of the house. It really bothers me when authors use their writing to display just how smart they know they are and this is a prime example of that. The absolutely needless knowledge (not to mention stilted dialogue and inner thoughts) this child has is obviously just a means to express to the reader just how much the author knows, thinly disguised by Ariella’s sheltered and “formal” upbringing by a father with a very prominent stick up his butt.
The whole notion of the Society of S is first mentioned even further into the book and is nothing more than a passing note. I’ll admit, the notion of environmentalist vampires, as explained by the story, makes sense. They’re going to be around for a while so of course they’d want a stake (har har) in the caring for the planet. Really, it does make perfect sense. Too bad, unlike the flap makes it out to be, it’s really just a speck in this rambling smart dump of literature, science and all things unimportant.
The author skims over action in favor of telling. She’s way too concerned with showing the enormously stilted voice of this girl by pumping her own mind into the book and leaving plot and relevance by the wayside. This novel is a prime example of what too much telling can do to a work. I never really got into Ariella’s head, not really. I was told her reactions to things like killing her would-be rapist or to the death of her friend but I wasn’t shown any of it. I felt like I was just kind of hovering over a scene being played out by a bunch of mechanical actors going through the motions until they got to the end.
Being able to see words and letters in colors (using a word that I just can’t get my tongue around) is also a pointless running motif in the story. I have no idea why it’s in there. The notion that the letter S carries weight and allows Ariella to find her mother carries much greater weight but is overshadowed by being able to see colors. I’m still failing to see the point in that other than yet another means for the author to show how much she knows about this rare aspect of humans. Really, it’s pointless. If the concept were removed entirely it would do nothing to the skeleton plot.
The voices of this novel blend into one lump of combined characters. Ariella sounds like her father who sounds like her mother who sounds like every other person present in the story. All of the dialogue was just as stilted, all the information was just as meaningless, all the action was just as flat and emotionless which just made the story as a whole completely empty and devoid of life. I found the actions of this young girl completely unrealistic and she acted the robot the author portrayed her as although I have a strong feeling that wasn’t intentional.
In terms of mystery, there is none. I don’t think there's a single suspenseful sentence let alone an entire novel here filled with mystery, if this book is anything to go by. Suspense and mystery involves something other than brain dumping. It involves character, emotion, life; everything this book is lacking. Unless it's been redefined and I didn't get the memo.
This is a lifeless story that’s constantly on the brink of moralizing and teaching the reader the ills of living one way or another. I don’t want to read that when I’m reading a work of fiction. I don’t give a poo about the authors views on things. If she wants to portray her opinion on such things, do it in an essay, not disguised as a work of fiction. The novel is emotionally void, lifeless and lacks character to the extreme. It falls as limp as overcooked asparagus. It reads like eating a rice cake–it doesn’t necessarily taste good but it’s something even though it’s hardly more substantial than eating nothing.
I’ve honestly never read a more lifeless, empty book. Maybe you can chalk it up to the fact that I’m not too big of a fan of literary work (the high stuff, anyway), or that I’m not this book’s target demographic. Fair enough. But I do know enough about what I’m reading to see the gaping void this book is causing and the limp writing involved between the two covers. It’s almost like the author didn’t want people to get sucked into the story (contrary to what the flap says) but just to have them sit there while they’re talked at. That’s not how I like to spend my time reading.
I must have missed the “literary” note in the jacket flap (I skim, it’s highly likely) but, even then, I don’t think the writing in this was good enough to be deemed literary. Not that I think literary is bad, but I would have expected something other than the hype the jacket flap was offering if I had seen that note. This is the second book where I was swayed by the flap and it thoroughly let me down (regardless of my missing the “literary” point).
First off, that very first line in the blurb completely bugs me even as I type this because it’s entirely backwards. Considering that statement is coming from a girl who’s been sheltered her entire life, it’s fitting that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about but since it’s a running motif, it’s bugging me even more. Anonymity doesn’t come in anything small, small cities, small towns, nothing where people can be a little too close. Anonymity comes in major cities because no one gives a damn.
Ariella’s journey (and this is not YA, despite the age of the MC) doesn’t start until a little more than halfway into the book (that would be around page 150). Seriously. Everything up until that point is backstory and a pretty pointless lead-up to get her out of the house. It really bothers me when authors use their writing to display just how smart they know they are and this is a prime example of that. The absolutely needless knowledge (not to mention stilted dialogue and inner thoughts) this child has is obviously just a means to express to the reader just how much the author knows, thinly disguised by Ariella’s sheltered and “formal” upbringing by a father with a very prominent stick up his butt.
The whole notion of the Society of S is first mentioned even further into the book and is nothing more than a passing note. I’ll admit, the notion of environmentalist vampires, as explained by the story, makes sense. They’re going to be around for a while so of course they’d want a stake (har har) in the caring for the planet. Really, it does make perfect sense. Too bad, unlike the flap makes it out to be, it’s really just a speck in this rambling smart dump of literature, science and all things unimportant.
The author skims over action in favor of telling. She’s way too concerned with showing the enormously stilted voice of this girl by pumping her own mind into the book and leaving plot and relevance by the wayside. This novel is a prime example of what too much telling can do to a work. I never really got into Ariella’s head, not really. I was told her reactions to things like killing her would-be rapist or to the death of her friend but I wasn’t shown any of it. I felt like I was just kind of hovering over a scene being played out by a bunch of mechanical actors going through the motions until they got to the end.
Being able to see words and letters in colors (using a word that I just can’t get my tongue around) is also a pointless running motif in the story. I have no idea why it’s in there. The notion that the letter S carries weight and allows Ariella to find her mother carries much greater weight but is overshadowed by being able to see colors. I’m still failing to see the point in that other than yet another means for the author to show how much she knows about this rare aspect of humans. Really, it’s pointless. If the concept were removed entirely it would do nothing to the skeleton plot.
The voices of this novel blend into one lump of combined characters. Ariella sounds like her father who sounds like her mother who sounds like every other person present in the story. All of the dialogue was just as stilted, all the information was just as meaningless, all the action was just as flat and emotionless which just made the story as a whole completely empty and devoid of life. I found the actions of this young girl completely unrealistic and she acted the robot the author portrayed her as although I have a strong feeling that wasn’t intentional.
In terms of mystery, there is none. I don’t think there's a single suspenseful sentence let alone an entire novel here filled with mystery, if this book is anything to go by. Suspense and mystery involves something other than brain dumping. It involves character, emotion, life; everything this book is lacking. Unless it's been redefined and I didn't get the memo.
This is a lifeless story that’s constantly on the brink of moralizing and teaching the reader the ills of living one way or another. I don’t want to read that when I’m reading a work of fiction. I don’t give a poo about the authors views on things. If she wants to portray her opinion on such things, do it in an essay, not disguised as a work of fiction. The novel is emotionally void, lifeless and lacks character to the extreme. It falls as limp as overcooked asparagus. It reads like eating a rice cake–it doesn’t necessarily taste good but it’s something even though it’s hardly more substantial than eating nothing.
I’ve honestly never read a more lifeless, empty book. Maybe you can chalk it up to the fact that I’m not too big of a fan of literary work (the high stuff, anyway), or that I’m not this book’s target demographic. Fair enough. But I do know enough about what I’m reading to see the gaping void this book is causing and the limp writing involved between the two covers. It’s almost like the author didn’t want people to get sucked into the story (contrary to what the flap says) but just to have them sit there while they’re talked at. That’s not how I like to spend my time reading.
February 19, 2008
For a vampire story, it is pretty slow-paced and uneventful in the way I must have been expecting...I was only partially drawn into this story, it's characters somewhat on the bland vs. alluring side, and perhaps underdeveloped as characters one could empathize with.
These vampires can drink scientifically created blood substitutes rather than feeding off of humans, and would like to co-habitate in some sort of harmony.
The focus was on a family unit being split apart when the husband is "vampirized" and the wife, pregnant with a half-breed child, decides she is the odd-one-out in this family and leaves the daughter to be raised by her father. The father raises her with caution and seclusion, home-schooling her, not knowing which vampire attributes the daughter may or may not possess...
As the daughter (Ari) grows, so do her questions, specifically, where is her mother?
The mother wanted nothing more than to be like the rest of her family, and so set out on her own pursuit of happiness. Now it is Ari's concern to discover her whereabouts, in hopes that they might all be reunited.
I thought this sounded like an interesting plot, but more could have been done with it. There were times I just felt bored, waiting for something interesting to happen. While the book wasn't horrible, I would not reread it or recommend it to someone...it was only so-so.
These vampires can drink scientifically created blood substitutes rather than feeding off of humans, and would like to co-habitate in some sort of harmony.
The focus was on a family unit being split apart when the husband is "vampirized" and the wife, pregnant with a half-breed child, decides she is the odd-one-out in this family and leaves the daughter to be raised by her father. The father raises her with caution and seclusion, home-schooling her, not knowing which vampire attributes the daughter may or may not possess...
As the daughter (Ari) grows, so do her questions, specifically, where is her mother?
The mother wanted nothing more than to be like the rest of her family, and so set out on her own pursuit of happiness. Now it is Ari's concern to discover her whereabouts, in hopes that they might all be reunited.
I thought this sounded like an interesting plot, but more could have been done with it. There were times I just felt bored, waiting for something interesting to happen. While the book wasn't horrible, I would not reread it or recommend it to someone...it was only so-so.
November 1, 2009
Raised by her handsome, clever, enigmatic father, Raphael, thirteen-year-old Ariella Montero never knew her mother or why she suddenly left - she only knows how sad her father always is, and that he won't speak of her.
Ariella tells her story of growing up in a large, mostly empty mansion, looked after by a daytime housekeeper called Mrs McGarritt who has ten kids of her own, while her father and his friend and assistant Dennis spend their time in the basement laboratory working on biomedical research with a woman, Mary Ellis Root, who scares Ariella. Home schooled by Raphael in classic literature, philosophy, science and mathematics, she is mature beyond her years. It's not until Mrs McG finally convinces Raphael that Ariella needs friends her own age, and takes her home to meet her own kids, that Ariella gets a wider, more modern and less formal world view.
Mrs McG's daughter Kathleen befriends her, and her older brother Michael takes an interest in Ariella too. As she grows older and enters adolescence, Ariella starts thinking more closely about her strange life, about the mysteries of the past and the ghosts that haunt the house. Feelings of being watched taunt her, she has dreams that connect her to her mother, she never sees her father eat and the one time Kathleen took a photo of him he disappeared from the shot - not to mention the fact that Ariella always looks blurry in photos - all lead her to research vampires.
When she finally learns the truth from her father about his real nature, she also learns the truth about her mother - or what her father knows of it, anyway.
Now thirteen and restless, Ariella ventures out into the world to find her mother and learn why she really left her only child motherless as soon as she was born. Following the clues of her mother's favourite letter, S, Ariella hitchhikes south to Florida, and finds something wholly unexpected.
This was recommended to me by a friend who doesn't care for paranormal romance, and who said it was a more realistic, adult take on vampires. Incidentally, I've seen people categorise this as Young Adult - it's not. A teenaged protagonist does not a YA novel instantly make. Teenagers can, by all means, read this book, but I haven't seen it shelved in YA and I wouldn't expect it to be. I believe it can generally found in the Fiction section, though it is also a mystery and has a touch of horror too.
So I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, and I admit I was a bit worried it would be dry and too far removed from the paranormal. Quite the opposite is true. From the opening scene, which is the story of how her father and mother met - or part of it - I was drawn in and hooked. The story is engrossing, the pacing superb, the prose simply lovely. I felt instantly captivated by Ari's story, fascinated by her seemingly eccentric father and her life in the empty mansion. Her loneliness comes across not because she tells her she is lonely, but from her descriptions. The elements of horror are deliciously subtle and chilling, little glimpses of shivery terror, gone almost as fast as they appeared.
As different as Ari is, hers is a very human story. She barely left the house, growing up, because of Raphael's over-protectiveness, yet she was fairly content to read and write in a journal. She didn't really know what she was missing until she met Mrs McG's children. Then she starts asking for clothes rather than just wearing the plain black pants and white shirts Mrs McG always buys for her (her father can't stand prints and patterns). She gets a bicycle and with Kathleen they ride to places she's never seen before, and visit the track where the racehorses are being exercised. She's introduced to TV and modern music, though she doesn't take to either. The internet proves more useful.
As her education expands, and she gains insight into other families, she realises how strange her own is. But she's not going from a typical world into a strange one, so when she has the truth confirmed she's not at all shocked. She's half-vampire, because her mother was human, and her father isn't sure what that means for Ari but is sure she has a choice. The vampire plot isn't a spoiler because the fact that this is a vampire novel is no secret. It's the details that give it new life, for a vampire novel. These vampires are more traditional and yet different again. The classic things of sunlight, garlic and crosses have no effect on vampires, though the sun can severely burn them. Many have found ways around drinking blood from humans, and many have strong ethics about it. Yet they can also read minds and live longer - they're just not superhuman.
The strength of this novel rests in its characters, who are vividly realised and realistic, while also being somewhat larger-than-life. Mary Ellis Root is so realistic she's almost a caricature, but she's no laughing figure. Even Raphael can be scary at times. Ari often describes them as Other, and it's a perfect use of the word. Even she is Other, and she knows it. Having the chance to be inside her head as she narrates is quite a treat.
The third part of the novel, the Florida part and the ending, is quite different in tone, but this suits the situation perfectly. Hubbard creates atmosphere effortlessly, and keeps the story rolling just as easily. It was a hard book to put down but thankfully I had a day off and read it almost in one sitting. I haven't done a great job of reviewing it, I know - it's different enough that I don't know where to start, and I loved it so much I find it hard to articulate why.
For a new and refreshing vampire story, this is exactly what you want, and even if vampires aren't your thing but you love a bit of mystery and horror and an engaging coming-of-age story, I highly recommend this.
Ariella tells her story of growing up in a large, mostly empty mansion, looked after by a daytime housekeeper called Mrs McGarritt who has ten kids of her own, while her father and his friend and assistant Dennis spend their time in the basement laboratory working on biomedical research with a woman, Mary Ellis Root, who scares Ariella. Home schooled by Raphael in classic literature, philosophy, science and mathematics, she is mature beyond her years. It's not until Mrs McG finally convinces Raphael that Ariella needs friends her own age, and takes her home to meet her own kids, that Ariella gets a wider, more modern and less formal world view.
Mrs McG's daughter Kathleen befriends her, and her older brother Michael takes an interest in Ariella too. As she grows older and enters adolescence, Ariella starts thinking more closely about her strange life, about the mysteries of the past and the ghosts that haunt the house. Feelings of being watched taunt her, she has dreams that connect her to her mother, she never sees her father eat and the one time Kathleen took a photo of him he disappeared from the shot - not to mention the fact that Ariella always looks blurry in photos - all lead her to research vampires.
When she finally learns the truth from her father about his real nature, she also learns the truth about her mother - or what her father knows of it, anyway.
Now thirteen and restless, Ariella ventures out into the world to find her mother and learn why she really left her only child motherless as soon as she was born. Following the clues of her mother's favourite letter, S, Ariella hitchhikes south to Florida, and finds something wholly unexpected.
This was recommended to me by a friend who doesn't care for paranormal romance, and who said it was a more realistic, adult take on vampires. Incidentally, I've seen people categorise this as Young Adult - it's not. A teenaged protagonist does not a YA novel instantly make. Teenagers can, by all means, read this book, but I haven't seen it shelved in YA and I wouldn't expect it to be. I believe it can generally found in the Fiction section, though it is also a mystery and has a touch of horror too.
So I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, and I admit I was a bit worried it would be dry and too far removed from the paranormal. Quite the opposite is true. From the opening scene, which is the story of how her father and mother met - or part of it - I was drawn in and hooked. The story is engrossing, the pacing superb, the prose simply lovely. I felt instantly captivated by Ari's story, fascinated by her seemingly eccentric father and her life in the empty mansion. Her loneliness comes across not because she tells her she is lonely, but from her descriptions. The elements of horror are deliciously subtle and chilling, little glimpses of shivery terror, gone almost as fast as they appeared.
As different as Ari is, hers is a very human story. She barely left the house, growing up, because of Raphael's over-protectiveness, yet she was fairly content to read and write in a journal. She didn't really know what she was missing until she met Mrs McG's children. Then she starts asking for clothes rather than just wearing the plain black pants and white shirts Mrs McG always buys for her (her father can't stand prints and patterns). She gets a bicycle and with Kathleen they ride to places she's never seen before, and visit the track where the racehorses are being exercised. She's introduced to TV and modern music, though she doesn't take to either. The internet proves more useful.
As her education expands, and she gains insight into other families, she realises how strange her own is. But she's not going from a typical world into a strange one, so when she has the truth confirmed she's not at all shocked. She's half-vampire, because her mother was human, and her father isn't sure what that means for Ari but is sure she has a choice. The vampire plot isn't a spoiler because the fact that this is a vampire novel is no secret. It's the details that give it new life, for a vampire novel. These vampires are more traditional and yet different again. The classic things of sunlight, garlic and crosses have no effect on vampires, though the sun can severely burn them. Many have found ways around drinking blood from humans, and many have strong ethics about it. Yet they can also read minds and live longer - they're just not superhuman.
The strength of this novel rests in its characters, who are vividly realised and realistic, while also being somewhat larger-than-life. Mary Ellis Root is so realistic she's almost a caricature, but she's no laughing figure. Even Raphael can be scary at times. Ari often describes them as Other, and it's a perfect use of the word. Even she is Other, and she knows it. Having the chance to be inside her head as she narrates is quite a treat.
The third part of the novel, the Florida part and the ending, is quite different in tone, but this suits the situation perfectly. Hubbard creates atmosphere effortlessly, and keeps the story rolling just as easily. It was a hard book to put down but thankfully I had a day off and read it almost in one sitting. I haven't done a great job of reviewing it, I know - it's different enough that I don't know where to start, and I loved it so much I find it hard to articulate why.
For a new and refreshing vampire story, this is exactly what you want, and even if vampires aren't your thing but you love a bit of mystery and horror and an engaging coming-of-age story, I highly recommend this.
June 15, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
→The Society of S←
Author: Susan Hubbard
Genre: Fantasy
Age Rating: 14+
Spice: 0/5 🌶️
Cursing: 0/5 🤬
Content Warnings: blood, at one point a guy attempts to rape the main character (doesn’t happen, he gets one button undone)
Will I read more books by this author if they have any? Sure idk lol
Brief summary: the fmc is a vampire, although she doesn’t know right away. Her dad is a vampire; her mom a human, and she doesn’t know her mom. She’s kept isolated, despite not having vampirical tendencies for a while. Eventually, she runs away, finding her mother. At the end she gets a family reunion, after her father “dies.”
~Thoughts~
I loved this, I really enjoyed it but it just didn’t have that oomph. I enjoyed most of the story, although at the end I just lost interest. I’m glad I picked this one up though! It’s got a fun twist on vampires and vampire nature I enjoyed!
My rating: 3.75⭐️
→The Society of S←
Author: Susan Hubbard
Genre: Fantasy
Age Rating: 14+
Spice: 0/5 🌶️
Cursing: 0/5 🤬
Content Warnings: blood, at one point a guy attempts to rape the main character (doesn’t happen, he gets one button undone)
Will I read more books by this author if they have any? Sure idk lol
Brief summary: the fmc is a vampire, although she doesn’t know right away. Her dad is a vampire; her mom a human, and she doesn’t know her mom. She’s kept isolated, despite not having vampirical tendencies for a while. Eventually, she runs away, finding her mother. At the end she gets a family reunion, after her father “dies.”
~Thoughts~
I loved this, I really enjoyed it but it just didn’t have that oomph. I enjoyed most of the story, although at the end I just lost interest. I’m glad I picked this one up though! It’s got a fun twist on vampires and vampire nature I enjoyed!
My rating: 3.75⭐️
April 13, 2022
Curioso por los poemas y las referencias de estos pero llega un punto que la historia es monótona y sosa.
August 5, 2009
So here I present my first review of an audio book! (Cue canned applause)!
The audio book of The Society of S came into my possession by accident. I was shopping online at Barnes and Noble, and saw the book in the bargain section, so I ordered it. When it arrived, I realized that I had accidentally ordered the audio book instead of the hard copy, but I decided to give it a try anyways.
It worked out rather well, and I found that I really enjoyed the change-up in listening to a book instead of reading it.
The Society of S follows the story of young Ariella Montero, who lives with her single father in New York. Ariella’s mother disappeared the day she was born, and many questions remain as to why. Ariella is unusually intelligent for her age, probably a result of having been homeschooled by her father.
Ariella’s is prompted to take a journey to find her mother after a series of mysterious events. On her trip, she goes through many trials associated with coming of age, though the author took a creative liberty and added a supernatural spin on things. Ariella finds out that she is a vampire, and that she can choose to be mortal like her mother, or a vampire like her father. This decision, among many others, drives the action in the novel.
Personally, I really enjoyed The Society of S. Even though the narrator is a young teenager, I feel like this book was written with more mature audiences in mind (not that younger readers wouldn’t enjoy it) because the writing wasn’t the typical super-romantic, angsty writing that usually accompanies teen characters (not that I don’t love that kind of writing!). I felt that the author’s tone voice was unique and had just the right amount of description and imagery. Overall, the book was well-written, and had enough suspense and mystery to keep me turning pages.
As a sidenote, Hubbards has recently released a sequel to this book, called The Year of Disappearances. It’s on my reading list, and I’ll have a review of it once I’ve acquired the book and read it!
The audio book of The Society of S came into my possession by accident. I was shopping online at Barnes and Noble, and saw the book in the bargain section, so I ordered it. When it arrived, I realized that I had accidentally ordered the audio book instead of the hard copy, but I decided to give it a try anyways.
It worked out rather well, and I found that I really enjoyed the change-up in listening to a book instead of reading it.
The Society of S follows the story of young Ariella Montero, who lives with her single father in New York. Ariella’s mother disappeared the day she was born, and many questions remain as to why. Ariella is unusually intelligent for her age, probably a result of having been homeschooled by her father.
Ariella’s is prompted to take a journey to find her mother after a series of mysterious events. On her trip, she goes through many trials associated with coming of age, though the author took a creative liberty and added a supernatural spin on things. Ariella finds out that she is a vampire, and that she can choose to be mortal like her mother, or a vampire like her father. This decision, among many others, drives the action in the novel.
Personally, I really enjoyed The Society of S. Even though the narrator is a young teenager, I feel like this book was written with more mature audiences in mind (not that younger readers wouldn’t enjoy it) because the writing wasn’t the typical super-romantic, angsty writing that usually accompanies teen characters (not that I don’t love that kind of writing!). I felt that the author’s tone voice was unique and had just the right amount of description and imagery. Overall, the book was well-written, and had enough suspense and mystery to keep me turning pages.
As a sidenote, Hubbards has recently released a sequel to this book, called The Year of Disappearances. It’s on my reading list, and I’ll have a review of it once I’ve acquired the book and read it!
January 29, 2009
Most boring vampire book I have ever read.
August 10, 2007
The story starts off and ends with the journal of a child/preteen girl, that finds out that her father is part of a secret society of vampires called the Sanguists.
Ariella ( the child) has been raised by her father, thinking that her mother is dead. Ariella who is a loner and home schooled by a local lady, eventually makes friends, with the lady's family and starts to bloom into a normal girl.
Ariella starts to notice things about her father and delves into her past. Arielle believes that her mother is still alive and eventually runs away to try to find her. Following clues from memories that she has been dreaming of, eventually leads her to her mother. The lifestyle of Arielle's mother is totally different from the lifestyle she had growing up with her father and she lives with mom for awhile. Arielle soon finds out that mom is also a "turned" vampire, but chooses not to drink blood, but finds natural remedies to "feed the hunger".
Soon Arielle calls home, to find out that dad is dead and the house burned down.
The story unwinds as Arielle soon does some more investigating after believing her dad is not dead.
Great book, I read it in a day and 1/2!!
Ariella ( the child) has been raised by her father, thinking that her mother is dead. Ariella who is a loner and home schooled by a local lady, eventually makes friends, with the lady's family and starts to bloom into a normal girl.
Ariella starts to notice things about her father and delves into her past. Arielle believes that her mother is still alive and eventually runs away to try to find her. Following clues from memories that she has been dreaming of, eventually leads her to her mother. The lifestyle of Arielle's mother is totally different from the lifestyle she had growing up with her father and she lives with mom for awhile. Arielle soon finds out that mom is also a "turned" vampire, but chooses not to drink blood, but finds natural remedies to "feed the hunger".
Soon Arielle calls home, to find out that dad is dead and the house burned down.
The story unwinds as Arielle soon does some more investigating after believing her dad is not dead.
Great book, I read it in a day and 1/2!!
July 16, 2009
On audiobook.
This book was different from what I thought it was going to be... it was intriguing. I have found this series called by two different names: Society of S and Ethical Vampire Novels. I think that the second title is more fitting. The author really put a lot of thought and planning in to creating the world that Ariella "Ari" Montero lives in. This is not a fluffy, YA novel and I enjoyed that it made me think.
I have already picked up the audiobook of the second book, The Year of Disappearances, from the library and look forward to starting it on my way home from work today.
This book was different from what I thought it was going to be... it was intriguing. I have found this series called by two different names: Society of S and Ethical Vampire Novels. I think that the second title is more fitting. The author really put a lot of thought and planning in to creating the world that Ariella "Ari" Montero lives in. This is not a fluffy, YA novel and I enjoyed that it made me think.
I have already picked up the audiobook of the second book, The Year of Disappearances, from the library and look forward to starting it on my way home from work today.
August 18, 2016
The writing is nice and even lyrical at times but the writer seems to either be setting up an endless series of sequels or to have run out of energy and memory. So many of the threads that are brought up are simply dropped that at the end I felt disconnected from the characters and their situation. The book felt wildly unbalanced--the slow and graceful opening that allowed me to get to know Ari and her father turned into a graceless bolting through plot. It's like an art house film decided to turn into a superhero blockbuster after the first act. I was deeply disappointed.
August 29, 2020
This is a coming-of-age story with a vampire twist. The protagonist, Ariella, is growing up with her handsome scientist of a father who says he can't go out in the sun because of his severe lupus. Whether she has the genetic predisposition, too, is still unknown.
The father - daughter relationship is rather cold (thought the daughter would love for him to be less robotic and more human) because he puts himself in the role of an educator and that's pretty much it. It doesn't help he refuses to talk about Ari's absent mother. There are two other scientists working in their house, one of whom is kind and acts as a friend to answer all the teenage questions and one of whom seems evil. So the only contact with the normal outside world is through the caretaker who has her own family and convinces the father to let Ariella visit her place.
And that's what triggers Ariella's curiosity. She will make friends who will make her question her lifestyle, she will be more demanding of her father when it comes to every day items and she will want to know the truth about her mother. And when even that isn's enough, she will try to put the puzzle pieces together herself... somewhere else. For a sheltered 13yo girl she is very corageous and confident and on her little road trip, she will get to the bottom of who she really is.
The book reads quite fast and there are many interesting and innovative parts for the vampire genre. For me personally the end ruined the tone of the book and was too cheesy but otherwise it wasn't a bad book.
The father - daughter relationship is rather cold (thought the daughter would love for him to be less robotic and more human) because he puts himself in the role of an educator and that's pretty much it. It doesn't help he refuses to talk about Ari's absent mother. There are two other scientists working in their house, one of whom is kind and acts as a friend to answer all the teenage questions and one of whom seems evil. So the only contact with the normal outside world is through the caretaker who has her own family and convinces the father to let Ariella visit her place.
And that's what triggers Ariella's curiosity. She will make friends who will make her question her lifestyle, she will be more demanding of her father when it comes to every day items and she will want to know the truth about her mother. And when even that isn's enough, she will try to put the puzzle pieces together herself... somewhere else. For a sheltered 13yo girl she is very corageous and confident and on her little road trip, she will get to the bottom of who she really is.
The book reads quite fast and there are many interesting and innovative parts for the vampire genre. For me personally the end ruined the tone of the book and was too cheesy but otherwise it wasn't a bad book.
June 28, 2023
This was a fine, moderately enjoyable book, but I will not be reading the rest of the series. I am curious to know how it goes, but not curious enough to actually read it. Maybe I'll just look it up online instead.
Early in the book, the main character says something along the lines of "my childhood was very dull and I'm going to try to portray it in a way that is true but not boring," and sadly she fails on the not boring part. I was really quite bored until probably 150 pages into the book. That's a whole half of the book that I was just forcing myself to read. Once we get into some of the meat it's enjoyable, but there's so much exposition and a lot of dramatic irony. I got really frustrated, because the reader figures things out so much faster than the narrator, but there's little actual drama in knowing things early. There's no tension. It's like being an advanced student in a non-advanced class, always waiting for everyone else to catch up to you. I also didn't really enjoy the journaling aspects of this book. The main character/narrator often asks the reader questions, which is cringy. Overall, it was a fine book, but I will not ever read it again, nor will I recommend it to anyone.
Early in the book, the main character says something along the lines of "my childhood was very dull and I'm going to try to portray it in a way that is true but not boring," and sadly she fails on the not boring part. I was really quite bored until probably 150 pages into the book. That's a whole half of the book that I was just forcing myself to read. Once we get into some of the meat it's enjoyable, but there's so much exposition and a lot of dramatic irony. I got really frustrated, because the reader figures things out so much faster than the narrator, but there's little actual drama in knowing things early. There's no tension. It's like being an advanced student in a non-advanced class, always waiting for everyone else to catch up to you. I also didn't really enjoy the journaling aspects of this book. The main character/narrator often asks the reader questions, which is cringy. Overall, it was a fine book, but I will not ever read it again, nor will I recommend it to anyone.
January 3, 2018
es un libro básicamente triste, no sabes en que época estas ni que edad puede tener la protagonista, a pesar del hecho que te lo comentan, por lo meno lo de la edad. Sin embargo son relatos y acontecimientos llenos de mucha tristeza.
Al ser un libro de vampiros esperas un poco de sarcasmo o de romanticismo. pero no hay ni uno ni lo otro. Ella es un híbrido que nació y crecio en la ignorancia de su especie, que si hubiera sido tratada de otra manera tuviera otra forma de pensar y de reaccionar.
Su mayor error vivir en la ignorancia, y luego de descubrir algo de mundo, seguir viviendo en ella.
Al ser un libro de vampiros esperas un poco de sarcasmo o de romanticismo. pero no hay ni uno ni lo otro. Ella es un híbrido que nació y crecio en la ignorancia de su especie, que si hubiera sido tratada de otra manera tuviera otra forma de pensar y de reaccionar.
Su mayor error vivir en la ignorancia, y luego de descubrir algo de mundo, seguir viviendo en ella.
May 22, 2020
Not at all what I thought! This is more for younger adults, maybe even teenagers. Boring and it dragged on and on...
August 12, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: The book is about a young girl who tries to discover who she really is (cough, vampire.)
Opening Sentence: I stood alone outside our house in deep blue twilight.
The Review:
The story of this girl is based on her trying to find her own identity because her father has sheltered her from so much throughout her life. She works on trying to ease as much information from her father that she possibly can. With the help of her friend Kathleen, Ari is pushed out of her shell and is given enough strength to get the truth from her father in little tidbits.
But overall the plot of the book itself is very confusing from the beginning and as I started to read more I realized it was non-existent. When reading there was not much lead about what was going on. The book was simply about the life of a confused little girl who is slowly being exposed to the outside world.
When first reading the book the syntax used by the author is also utterly confusing and definitely unnecessary. It seems as if she tries to write as a sophisticated young lady who has been raised reading Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe. In this case, it would make sense with the personality Ari was given but in reality she falls extremely short and instead simply makes the book dull. However, it is quite interesting how the writing style changes. When speaking to her father, Ari speaks in a that sophisticated manner using a wide variety of advanced words. But when speaking with her friend Kathleen, Ari becomes more relaxed and she speaks like any other young teenager.
Ari is the main character of the book but her intentions are not entirely well known. She is eager to discover who she is and enjoy life but the extent that she will go to achieve these goals are unknown.
Kathleen McGarritt is Ari’s first true friend. She pushes Ari to do things she would not have otherwise done. She is daring and bold; just the kind of friend Ari needs to escape her ignorant life. Kathleen is indeed an enjoyable character.
Raphael Montero is Ari’s father. He is the typical over protective father but with a cold breeze. He is unemotional with Ari and from a young age started to home school her himself. Being an extremely successful independent researcher, he teaches his very young daughter subjects only taught in college level courses. His treatment of her is what makes Ari such a mature and adultlike figure.
Malcolm Lynch is a so called friend of Raphael Montero. Ari doesn’t know this man but soon he makes an appearance in her life to make things more complicated than they already are. He is a poised gentleman at first look but his dark interior motives are mostly unknown by many non vampires.
The book itself is slow and without direction. The only interesting thing in the book is the change of writing style which shadows Ari’s changing personality. There really isn’t any lead that there would be not only a sequel but two books to follow this one. The ending is quite bland. I wouldn’t recommend to read this vampire book.
Notable Scene:
They moved through the alleyways of an imaginary city, picking up cards representing coins and special tools and weapons,feigning at fighting and biting while barely touching. In fact, all five of the boys struck me as shy by nature, overacting in their attempts to socialize. Besides me, Kathleen was the only other woman present,and she moved around the room aggressively, as if she owned it. At times the others tried to gang up on her, and she fended them off effortlessly. She knew the most spells, and apparently she had the most detailed notebook.
Occasionally the players robbed one another and deposited their stolen coins in imaginary banks-ever the good capitalist, I thought. The game centered less on fantasy than on greed and domination.
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of Society of S. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: The book is about a young girl who tries to discover who she really is (cough, vampire.)
Opening Sentence: I stood alone outside our house in deep blue twilight.
The Review:
The story of this girl is based on her trying to find her own identity because her father has sheltered her from so much throughout her life. She works on trying to ease as much information from her father that she possibly can. With the help of her friend Kathleen, Ari is pushed out of her shell and is given enough strength to get the truth from her father in little tidbits.
But overall the plot of the book itself is very confusing from the beginning and as I started to read more I realized it was non-existent. When reading there was not much lead about what was going on. The book was simply about the life of a confused little girl who is slowly being exposed to the outside world.
When first reading the book the syntax used by the author is also utterly confusing and definitely unnecessary. It seems as if she tries to write as a sophisticated young lady who has been raised reading Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe. In this case, it would make sense with the personality Ari was given but in reality she falls extremely short and instead simply makes the book dull. However, it is quite interesting how the writing style changes. When speaking to her father, Ari speaks in a that sophisticated manner using a wide variety of advanced words. But when speaking with her friend Kathleen, Ari becomes more relaxed and she speaks like any other young teenager.
Ari is the main character of the book but her intentions are not entirely well known. She is eager to discover who she is and enjoy life but the extent that she will go to achieve these goals are unknown.
Kathleen McGarritt is Ari’s first true friend. She pushes Ari to do things she would not have otherwise done. She is daring and bold; just the kind of friend Ari needs to escape her ignorant life. Kathleen is indeed an enjoyable character.
Raphael Montero is Ari’s father. He is the typical over protective father but with a cold breeze. He is unemotional with Ari and from a young age started to home school her himself. Being an extremely successful independent researcher, he teaches his very young daughter subjects only taught in college level courses. His treatment of her is what makes Ari such a mature and adultlike figure.
Malcolm Lynch is a so called friend of Raphael Montero. Ari doesn’t know this man but soon he makes an appearance in her life to make things more complicated than they already are. He is a poised gentleman at first look but his dark interior motives are mostly unknown by many non vampires.
The book itself is slow and without direction. The only interesting thing in the book is the change of writing style which shadows Ari’s changing personality. There really isn’t any lead that there would be not only a sequel but two books to follow this one. The ending is quite bland. I wouldn’t recommend to read this vampire book.
Notable Scene:
They moved through the alleyways of an imaginary city, picking up cards representing coins and special tools and weapons,feigning at fighting and biting while barely touching. In fact, all five of the boys struck me as shy by nature, overacting in their attempts to socialize. Besides me, Kathleen was the only other woman present,and she moved around the room aggressively, as if she owned it. At times the others tried to gang up on her, and she fended them off effortlessly. She knew the most spells, and apparently she had the most detailed notebook.
Occasionally the players robbed one another and deposited their stolen coins in imaginary banks-ever the good capitalist, I thought. The game centered less on fantasy than on greed and domination.
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of Society of S. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
May 5, 2021
No es el tipo de novela que devoras. Con descripciones detalladas y numerosas referencias culturales, Susan Hubbard se encuentra en una posición muy ventajosa en la escritura y en su propia cultura. En este sentido, este libro es muy bueno: me gusta la forma en que se expresa la autora, y me gustan los muchos detalles peculiares que nos explica la propia protagonista.En resumen, esta es una novela muy rica culturalmente. Tiene personajes muy inteligentes y con gran cantidad de conocimientos. Escrita en primera persona, la protagonista es Ariella Montero. Una joven muy educada e inteligente, y Hubbard también sabe cómo expresar la personalidad de la protagonista. En toda la "sabiduría" expresada por Ariella, también se percibe su tono irónico, su seriedad y sufrimiento.
Y, sobre las emociones ... no me gusta la indiferencia de la autora hacia ellas a lo largo de la novela. Quiero decir, son sobrenaturales, está bien, saben controlarse bien, pero ... ¿es necesario no mostrar nada? En una niña de 13 años, no importa lo sobrenatural que sea o lo bien educada que sea. Esto es irreal, ¿verdad? En cuanto a los capítulos, son de mediana extensión, pero se me hacen eternos ... Estoy en el medio, ni me fascinó ni le odié. Algunos momentos me llamaron la atención, mientras que otros momentos me dejaron indiferente.
Y, sobre las emociones ... no me gusta la indiferencia de la autora hacia ellas a lo largo de la novela. Quiero decir, son sobrenaturales, está bien, saben controlarse bien, pero ... ¿es necesario no mostrar nada? En una niña de 13 años, no importa lo sobrenatural que sea o lo bien educada que sea. Esto es irreal, ¿verdad? En cuanto a los capítulos, son de mediana extensión, pero se me hacen eternos ... Estoy en el medio, ni me fascinó ni le odié. Algunos momentos me llamaron la atención, mientras que otros momentos me dejaron indiferente.
July 28, 2012
It was entertaining enough and not badly-written, though not well-written, either. I couldn't get past the whole vampire thing (yes, I KNOW the series is Ethical Vampire) because it just didn't seem to fit. It was like The Secret Life of Bees gone paranormal.
Synopsis: Ariella is a sheltered 13/14 yr-old raide by well-to-do dad. Given a classical education so the housekeeper decides to broaden Ari's horizons by introducing her to other children. That's how Ari figures out she and her dad are vampires. Then her BFF is killed and that sets off an emoional chain reaction and she goes south to find the mother she's never known.
Synopsis: Ariella is a sheltered 13/14 yr-old raide by well-to-do dad. Given a classical education so the housekeeper decides to broaden Ari's horizons by introducing her to other children. That's how Ari figures out she and her dad are vampires. Then her BFF is killed and that sets off an emoional chain reaction and she goes south to find the mother she's never known.
January 31, 2022
Me llamó la atención porque se trataba de vampiros y a mi todo lo que tiene que ver con estos seres me fascina, pero con este libro no fue así. Si le doy dos estrellas es por no dejarlo tanto por los suelos pero creo que este es el peor libro que he leído en mi vida. No enganchaba, no tenía nada de lo que pasaba sentido, ni siquiera los personajes eran buenos. Una completa basura vamos.
Si me lo terminé fue porque no me dejo nada a medías y al menos quería darle una oportunidad por si cambiaba a mejor, cosa que no pasó. Osea que si estáis pensando en leer este libro ya os digo que ni os molestéis, porque vais a perder vuestro tiempo y dinero en leer algo que no merece la pena.
Si me lo terminé fue porque no me dejo nada a medías y al menos quería darle una oportunidad por si cambiaba a mejor, cosa que no pasó. Osea que si estáis pensando en leer este libro ya os digo que ni os molestéis, porque vais a perder vuestro tiempo y dinero en leer algo que no merece la pena.
March 18, 2009
I wanted this book to be better than it actually was. It has an interesting twist, but the plot is lacking.
October 1, 2022
Susan Hubbard is a gifted and intelligent writer- I was often impressed with certain passages, especially the ones where Ariella is being taught lessons by her father. You can’t make that type of intelligence up, make believe story or no.
One of the main reasons I decided to pick this up was because it’s set in Saratoga Springs which is where I live- I was really intrigued by that. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from the story otherwise and even now I’m not sure how I feel about it. The Society of S reads like contemporary or literary fiction with a speculative twist. I love fantasy and sci-fi but this is definitely not a book
I’d categorize as such even with the twist. I prefer fully immersive fantasy to this.
I enjoyed the book but didn’t feel super compelled to pick it up. I wanted to see where it would end and then found out it was a series and I’m currently toying with the idea of continuing on just to see where the story leads me. I will definitely be listening to the rest of the books on audio if I do read them, though. I listened along while reading this installment and I was very impressed with the narrator. She is a very talented voice actress and she definitely elevated this story with her voice. I Highly recommend going that route if you are interested in giving this story a shot.
One of the main reasons I decided to pick this up was because it’s set in Saratoga Springs which is where I live- I was really intrigued by that. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from the story otherwise and even now I’m not sure how I feel about it. The Society of S reads like contemporary or literary fiction with a speculative twist. I love fantasy and sci-fi but this is definitely not a book
I’d categorize as such even with the twist. I prefer fully immersive fantasy to this.
I enjoyed the book but didn’t feel super compelled to pick it up. I wanted to see where it would end and then found out it was a series and I’m currently toying with the idea of continuing on just to see where the story leads me. I will definitely be listening to the rest of the books on audio if I do read them, though. I listened along while reading this installment and I was very impressed with the narrator. She is a very talented voice actress and she definitely elevated this story with her voice. I Highly recommend going that route if you are interested in giving this story a shot.
April 4, 2023
no es terrible horrible pero siento que no soy el público objetivo. entiendo que la protagonista es una niña (aunque a ratos no se entiende muy bien la edad que tiene porque el relato es desordenado y en una oportunidad se contradice incluso) pero después de 100 páginas de más de lo mismo es hasta medio insoportable lo pretenciosa que es su voz, en mi humilde opinión, y eso que yo fui una niña insoportable de trece años.
la personalidad escueta del papá empieza a aburrir también porque el misterio sobre quién o qué es se extiende demasiado, innecesariamente demasiado. todos sabemos que es un vampiro y al final el pay off de cuando la niña se entera es hasta inexistente de tanto que se dilató la cosa. entonces, la historia de la niña avanza sola, sin el papá porque casi que es una pintura el hombre, y en medio se pausa porque milagrosamente el papá se acuerda que puede hablar con su hija y a ese punto a mí como lector ya no me interesa su tema.
al final no me queda nada interesante; los personajes que conozco me desagradan, los que se ven medianamente interesantes se rehúsan a darse a conocer y el mundo no tiene nada de especial. quizás a alguien que le gusten mucho los vampiros y quiera una inclinación un poquito más de ciencia ficción podría engancharse pero lo que es yo, abandoné el barco JSKSKSJSK
la personalidad escueta del papá empieza a aburrir también porque el misterio sobre quién o qué es se extiende demasiado, innecesariamente demasiado. todos sabemos que es un vampiro y al final el pay off de cuando la niña se entera es hasta inexistente de tanto que se dilató la cosa. entonces, la historia de la niña avanza sola, sin el papá porque casi que es una pintura el hombre, y en medio se pausa porque milagrosamente el papá se acuerda que puede hablar con su hija y a ese punto a mí como lector ya no me interesa su tema.
al final no me queda nada interesante; los personajes que conozco me desagradan, los que se ven medianamente interesantes se rehúsan a darse a conocer y el mundo no tiene nada de especial. quizás a alguien que le gusten mucho los vampiros y quiera una inclinación un poquito más de ciencia ficción podría engancharse pero lo que es yo, abandoné el barco JSKSKSJSK
October 20, 2019
Le puse dos estrellas, no porque sea especialmente malo, sino porque es muy aburrido.
El personaje principal tiene trece años y se comporta como si tuviera veinte, incluso las personas a su alrededor se comportan de esa manera. El chico con el que sale es bastante mayor en comparación, no porque se lleven muchos años, sino por la etapa en la que se encuentran.
La narración es fría, se encarga de contarte todo en lugar de mostrar. La historia alarga las partes cotidianas y las que tienen que ver directamente con la trama son cortas, descritas de manera escueta. Toda ma historia avanza, pero el argumento no termina de explorar.
En general parece un libro del autodescubrimiento del vampiro, pero de esos hay mejores.
Igual, creo que habrá a quien le guste, me recordó un poco al estilo de escritura de crepúsculo, así que si les van este tipo de tramas, igual y lo disfrutan.
El personaje principal tiene trece años y se comporta como si tuviera veinte, incluso las personas a su alrededor se comportan de esa manera. El chico con el que sale es bastante mayor en comparación, no porque se lleven muchos años, sino por la etapa en la que se encuentran.
La narración es fría, se encarga de contarte todo en lugar de mostrar. La historia alarga las partes cotidianas y las que tienen que ver directamente con la trama son cortas, descritas de manera escueta. Toda ma historia avanza, pero el argumento no termina de explorar.
En general parece un libro del autodescubrimiento del vampiro, pero de esos hay mejores.
Igual, creo que habrá a quien le guste, me recordó un poco al estilo de escritura de crepúsculo, así que si les van este tipo de tramas, igual y lo disfrutan.
May 26, 2021
Society of S is about Ariella Montero's journey to uncover all her families secrets and learn about herself. She lives with her father, Raphael Montero, in Sarasota Springs, New York. Her father doesn't talk about her mother unless she brings it up, and Ari wants to know what happened to her. When her father says he doesn't really know why or where she went, Ari decides it's time she finds her mom for herself. Raphael leaves for a trip and that's when Ari leaves on her adventure to find her mom. I loved this book because it brings the secretive vampire aspect from Twilight into a great story of a young girl finding herself. Ariella reminds me a bit of myself, so this was an easy read as far as understanding things from her perspective. I would suggest this book to anyone who likes vampires or mysteries with lots of twists and turns.
May 16, 2019
¡Me gustó mucho!. Me sentí muy cerca de Ariella en todo el libro, me gustaba saber que pensaba, lo que sentía, sentir sus ganas de saber más y fue lo mejor acompañarla durante su viaje. Y sin dudas ame la reflexión del epílogo, creó que le dio un cierre muy significativo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2018
Kitap cok guzel basliyor, devam ediyor ve sonra ansizin bir duraklama ve sessizlik. Garip bir olayi anlatmak veya betimlemek icin fazla gayret gosterilmis.
Cok begenmedim.
Cok begenmedim.
June 25, 2020
Review to come...
December 1, 2007
Intellectually provocative and absolutely addictive, Susan Hubbard's The Society of S is an intelligent work of fiction that entertains and stimulates the senses! A modern thriller that brilliantly combines an ingenious and intricately layered plot with a haunting portrait of a young girl faced with the realization that everything she knows about her family is a well fabricated lie.
A beautiful, Victorian mansion, in the heart of Saratoga Spings, New York is home to Ariella Montero and her over-protective, eccentric father. Ariella had been content living in semi-seclusion until she was exposed to life outside the mansion by the housekeeper. As Arie's friendship with the housekeeper's daughter grows, so also do the questions about her life and her place in it. The deeper she delves into her family history she discovers everything she held as truth to be lies. Her father was a vampire, her mother, a mortal...what did this mean? Disappearing after Arie was born, her mother had taken the answers she so desperately needed with her and now Arie had to find her. We follow the young Arie as she journeys throughout the south trying to put this new information about the Society of S into perspective within the confines of her own life. These are not typical vampires, they are seamlessly integrated into mainstream life, day walkers, that are as comfortable with vitamin tonics as the historic counterparts were with sinking fangs into flesh.
While twisting the plot into great knots of emotional complexity, Hubbard has crafted a perfect mix of fascinating detail and provocative dilemma. The lyrical voice utilized throughout adds an exceptional quality to this beautifully written, coming of age story that goes inside the questions that have plagued humanity since the dawn of the world. Hubbard explores these with a refreshing eye for detail and patiently allows the character to fulfill her destiny without rushing the story, nor dragging it out with unnecessary wording. Gorgeous settings immerse the reader in a three dimensional environment, populated by believable, well rounded characters that are filled with the emotion and passion that makes mythology so enticing. The indefinable quality within Hubbard's writing that gives it that extra special zing is simply the fluidity with which the characters interact and how easily the reader becomes a part of their world. Ariella's pursuit of knowledge captures the imagination on a basic human level and takes us on a riveting journey that remains in the heart and mind of the reader long after the book has been closed.
This is a wonderful book, don't miss it! The characters and the story have been shaped with just enough mystery in the clues to allow for a sequel! I hope for at least one more installment from Hubbard revolving around these characters.
Happy Reading!
- RJ
A beautiful, Victorian mansion, in the heart of Saratoga Spings, New York is home to Ariella Montero and her over-protective, eccentric father. Ariella had been content living in semi-seclusion until she was exposed to life outside the mansion by the housekeeper. As Arie's friendship with the housekeeper's daughter grows, so also do the questions about her life and her place in it. The deeper she delves into her family history she discovers everything she held as truth to be lies. Her father was a vampire, her mother, a mortal...what did this mean? Disappearing after Arie was born, her mother had taken the answers she so desperately needed with her and now Arie had to find her. We follow the young Arie as she journeys throughout the south trying to put this new information about the Society of S into perspective within the confines of her own life. These are not typical vampires, they are seamlessly integrated into mainstream life, day walkers, that are as comfortable with vitamin tonics as the historic counterparts were with sinking fangs into flesh.
While twisting the plot into great knots of emotional complexity, Hubbard has crafted a perfect mix of fascinating detail and provocative dilemma. The lyrical voice utilized throughout adds an exceptional quality to this beautifully written, coming of age story that goes inside the questions that have plagued humanity since the dawn of the world. Hubbard explores these with a refreshing eye for detail and patiently allows the character to fulfill her destiny without rushing the story, nor dragging it out with unnecessary wording. Gorgeous settings immerse the reader in a three dimensional environment, populated by believable, well rounded characters that are filled with the emotion and passion that makes mythology so enticing. The indefinable quality within Hubbard's writing that gives it that extra special zing is simply the fluidity with which the characters interact and how easily the reader becomes a part of their world. Ariella's pursuit of knowledge captures the imagination on a basic human level and takes us on a riveting journey that remains in the heart and mind of the reader long after the book has been closed.
This is a wonderful book, don't miss it! The characters and the story have been shaped with just enough mystery in the clues to allow for a sequel! I hope for at least one more installment from Hubbard revolving around these characters.
Happy Reading!
- RJ
August 4, 2015
Ich bin damals (2009) auf der Suche nach einem guten, tollem Vampirbuch gewesen. Allerdings muss ich sagen war es damals sowie heute ein Griff ins Klo.
Das Grundgerüst des Buches gefällt mir an sich gut: Mädchen erfährt das sie ein Vampir ist, begibt sich auf eine Reise durch die USA auf der Suche nach sich selbst, ihrer Mutter und ihrem Vater. Es fehlte jedoch der rote Faden in der Geschichte. Die Umsetzung ist schlichtweg miserabel. Alles plätschert so vor sich hin, bis es dann mal zu Ende ist. Wobei das Ende sehr abrupt und merkwürdig gestaltet wurde. Es hat bei mir noch mehr Fragen aufgeworfen als ich während des lesens schon hatte.
Die Autorin hat auch sehr viele unwichtige Dinge über Seiten hinweg ausgeschlachtet. Und die "wichtigen Dinge" wurde einem vor die Füße geworfen und kamen nie wieder zur Sprache.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist sehr einfach uns verständlich gehalten, wie es bei einem Jugendbuch sein sollte. Susan Hubbard hat definitiv ein Händchen was die Beschreibung von Handlungsorten angeht. Sie hat mir den Süden der USA nach Hause gebracht.
Unsere Hauptcharakter Ariella ist mir nicht schlüssig.
Die ersten 12 Jahre ihres Lebens wächst sie sehr behütet auf. Dann erfährt sie plötzlich das sie eine Vampirin ist und hat absolut keine Probleme damit. Ich an ihrer Stelle wäre total ausgerastet.
Und wie es im Leben eines Vampirs so kommt: verliebt sie sich ausgerechnet in einen Menschen. Was widerrum nur am Rande und ziemlich schnell vorbei war. Da sie sich auf die Reise begab als sie 13 Jahre alt ist. 13 Jahre alt!!!
Ich habe mich damals sowie heute gefragt: Wie geht das?! Und warum hab ich das nicht gemacht?!
Sehr authentisch ist das nicht gerade. Vor allem keiner, den sie im Laufe ihrer Reise trifft, wird stutzig. Und die Erklärung das sie schon älter aussieht als sie ist, nehm ich der Autorin nicht ab, da sie hundsmiserabel ist.
Auch das ihre beiden Elternteile, die beide wohlauf sind, nichts dagegen haben, dass ihre 13jährige Tochter durch die USA streunert, finde ich äußerst suspekt.
Es gab sehr viele solcher Veränderungen oder Ereignisse die der Leser einfach ohne Erklärung (oder einer sehr schlechten) akzeptieren musste.
Alles in Allem handelst es sich bei diesem Jugendroman um ein poetisches, nachdenkliches, misslungenes Buch ohne roten Faden. Den zweiten Band werde ich auf keinen Fall lesen. Aber falls jemand Interesse hat der Titel lautet: Das Jahr der Vampire.
Für dieses Buch vergebe ich 2 von 5 Büchern. Aber auch nur, weil mir der Schreibstil und die detailreiche Beschreibung der Handlungsorte gefällt.
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