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zephyrsilver's review against another edition
I got about sixty pages in. I tried. I just did not want to keep reading this book.
The writing style was almost insultingly simple. It felt like the author knew they were writing YA so they felt they had to dumb down the writing. Or maybe this is just how he writes. I'm not sure. But it really bothered me.
I didn't like the characters. For some people that's not important, but it is for me. If I can't get attached to a character, I'm not going to get attached to a book. Danny was annoying, Pike was awful, Howie was poorly treated, and Ash was a token character that was also "not like other girls". Ugh.
I've just got too many books to read to waste my time on something I'm not enjoying. Maybe it did get better, but I really believe the beginning of a book needs to catch a reader. This just didn't.
The writing style was almost insultingly simple. It felt like the author knew they were writing YA so they felt they had to dumb down the writing. Or maybe this is just how he writes. I'm not sure. But it really bothered me.
I didn't like the characters. For some people that's not important, but it is for me. If I can't get attached to a character, I'm not going to get attached to a book. Danny was annoying, Pike was awful, Howie was poorly treated, and Ash was a token character that was also "not like other girls". Ugh.
I've just got too many books to read to waste my time on something I'm not enjoying. Maybe it did get better, but I really believe the beginning of a book needs to catch a reader. This just didn't.
ladygracie13's review against another edition
5.0
Though it's called "Bonechiller", it definitely did not chill my bones. I loved the book. It was very interesting, very creepy, just not creepy enough for me. I did have a moment of scare AFTER reading this book. It mentions being hot or neutral in negative degree weather. Well that happened to me a few days after reading this. Now THAT chilled my bones. Anyways, not the point. It's not the scariest, but it's still amazing.
sunbear98's review against another edition
3.0
I am sorry to say that I was disappointed in this one by McNamee. I loved Acceleration and have passed it on to many students that loved it as well. Maybe Bonechiller was hyped too much. I was ready for anyother really exciting, scary page turner, but this book was a little too silly for me. Still, I bet it makes a good middle school read. Sorry Graham, hoped for another like Acceleration.
rovertoak's review against another edition
4.0
A monster thought to only exist in folklore is very real and has been claiming victims for generations. Only now does one young man on the verge of succumbing to the bone-chilling bite of this creature decides it's time to bring this beast out into the open with the help of his friends. McNamee seamlessly blends love, loss, fear, and hope -- with some homemade explosives and the boxing muse of Robert Lipsyte added to the broth for flavor. A real rip-roaring addition to the new canon of teen-lit horror novels.
shirleycuypers's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay. It's not my kind of genre but it kept my interest.
hezann73's review against another edition
4.0
Creepy, but not so much so that I had to read it with other people around or that it made me lose sleep. I'm not a big fan of scary books, but I really liked this one. It reminded me a little for Joseph Brushac novels.
claudiaswisher's review against another edition
3.0
Kind of like Dean Koontz light. I've read McNamee's Acceleration, so I'm not surprised I like this one too...lots of unanswered questions, and Danny, the main character admits that. I don't think he and I mean the same thing when we say that. The monster, the suspense are creepy and scary...we just never get a real resolution the way you do in Koontz's work.
What IS the creature who's turned Danny into a human icecube and why is he after Danny and Howie? Will Howie's research find he answer soon enough to save them both? What does Mason, the dogfood-eating wild man, know about these periodic events? How about Ashley's father's tales of the Native American flesh-eating monster?
Questions, no answers.
I liked the kids here -- I grieved with Danny as he was forced to recover from his mother's death without having an opportunity to really open up to his equally-grieving father. Ashley, Howie, Pike -- good kids with some strange quirks.
I liked the references to literature -- Danny's disappointment that the novel FRANKENSTEIN wasn't scary, that he couldn't understand Keats, and the references to Dante's INFERNO...The nerdy English teacher loved those allusions!
One frustration: Ashley's father was supposed to have been a drill sergeant who was promoted to Captain...I know the book's set in Canada, so maybe that's possible in the Canadian Army, but I don't think it's typical in the American Army...will ask others.
What IS the creature who's turned Danny into a human icecube and why is he after Danny and Howie? Will Howie's research find he answer soon enough to save them both? What does Mason, the dogfood-eating wild man, know about these periodic events? How about Ashley's father's tales of the Native American flesh-eating monster?
Questions, no answers.
I liked the kids here -- I grieved with Danny as he was forced to recover from his mother's death without having an opportunity to really open up to his equally-grieving father. Ashley, Howie, Pike -- good kids with some strange quirks.
I liked the references to literature -- Danny's disappointment that the novel FRANKENSTEIN wasn't scary, that he couldn't understand Keats, and the references to Dante's INFERNO...The nerdy English teacher loved those allusions!
One frustration: Ashley's father was supposed to have been a drill sergeant who was promoted to Captain...I know the book's set in Canada, so maybe that's possible in the Canadian Army, but I don't think it's typical in the American Army...will ask others.
ggcd1981's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Bonechiller é um terror de monstro YA. Enquanto não foi assustador para mim, pois sou dessensibilizada a terror, um dos meus gêneros preferidos, mesmo assim foi um livro objetivo e bem escrito. O autor sabia a história que queria contar e o fez sem enrolar e divagar. É um livro que move rápido e o mistério deixa o leitor intrigado. No fim o leitor não recebe todas as respostas, mas para mim isso não foi um problema porque achei que isso conferia realismo a conclusão. Na vida nem sempre recebemos todas as respostas.
O foco do livro são os personagens. O protagonista é likeable assim como os outros 3 personagens que o livro segue também são. O livro tem personagens Nativo-canadenses, inclusive um dos 4 personagens principais. Isso deu diversidade aos personagens e a lore.
Em geral não gosto de livros com romances, mas apesar de Bonechiller ter um romance ele não é o enredo principal. Além disso o romance é realista e bem construído. Me surpreendi a me encontrar shipping os dois. Inclusive, vale ressaltar, que o personagem feminino nativo-canadense é excelente. Forte, determinada, corajosa, boxeadora e sem medo de dizer o que quer e quando quer. Ash é uma excelente personagem feminina.
Em geral gostei de Bonechiller, porém não recomendo a quem tem alta tolerância a terror. Recomendo a quem quer um terror que seja introdutório ao gênero ou goste de ler sobre uma aventura e mistério centrados em um pequeno grupo de amigos. Dou 4 estrelas.
O foco do livro são os personagens. O protagonista é likeable assim como os outros 3 personagens que o livro segue também são. O livro tem personagens Nativo-canadenses, inclusive um dos 4 personagens principais. Isso deu diversidade aos personagens e a lore.
Em geral não gosto de livros com romances, mas apesar de Bonechiller ter um romance ele não é o enredo principal. Além disso o romance é realista e bem construído. Me surpreendi a me encontrar shipping os dois. Inclusive, vale ressaltar, que o personagem feminino nativo-canadense é excelente. Forte, determinada, corajosa, boxeadora e sem medo de dizer o que quer e quando quer. Ash é uma excelente personagem feminina.
Em geral gostei de Bonechiller, porém não recomendo a quem tem alta tolerância a terror. Recomendo a quem quer um terror que seja introdutório ao gênero ou goste de ler sobre uma aventura e mistério centrados em um pequeno grupo de amigos. Dou 4 estrelas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence and Pedophilia
tough_cookie's review against another edition
3.0
This book did a pretty good job in being freaky; not enough to put me off completely, but enough to where I tried to not read it in the dark. It was a bit slow, and the parts about Danny's mom made me incredibly sad. Also, it seemed like Danny was more of a side character than the main character, the only thing bringing into the crazy fold was his being attacked first by the monster. I would have liked to see a little bit more of Danny's dad and Andrea, but it wasn't a must, honestly. I liked the relationship between Danny and Ash and I liked Danny, Pike, Howie, and Ash all together. It was definitely a good read, but nothing amazing.
rovertoak's review against another edition
4.0
A monster thought to only exist in folklore is very real and has been claiming victims for generations. Only now does one young man on the verge of succumbing to the bone-chilling bite of this creature decides it's time to bring this beast out into the open with the help of his friends. McNamee seamlessly blends love, loss, fear, and hope -- with some homemade explosives and the boxing muse of Robert Lipsyte added to the broth for flavor. A real rip-roaring addition to the new canon of teen-lit horror novels.