liibookaddict's review against another edition
5.0
Where to begin? I completely loved this book, it made me laugh and it made me hold my breath and read extremely fast to figure out what would happen next.
I think the description of this book does it no justice, because I wasn't really excited about reading it but once I started I didn't want to put it down.
It's a lovely book and it ties really well science with fiction. A must read for all young teens.
I think the description of this book does it no justice, because I wasn't really excited about reading it but once I started I didn't want to put it down.
It's a lovely book and it ties really well science with fiction. A must read for all young teens.
addison_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This dark comedy by one of my favorite authors felt a bit like a YA version of Good Omens. A boy and his dog witness their neighbors opening up a portal to Hell but no one believes it.
There are quirky characters, especially some of the demons, and the story was fast-paced and just fun to read.
There are quirky characters, especially some of the demons, and the story was fast-paced and just fun to read.
merlin_reads's review against another edition
4.0
This is my second John Connolly book and I'm still amazed at his writing. I mean, he uses footnotes, but not in the traditional sense of a footnote. No, Connolly uses them as an extension of the story and fills them with tidbits that were just gold.
Samuel Johnson just wants to get a head start on his trick-or-treating this year, that's why he's out on October 30th instead of the 31st. What he didn't want was to accidentally discover that one of his neighbors opened a portal to hell. And go figure, no one believes him! That is until the Large Hadron Collider starts malfunctioning and it seems that Samuel is the only one who really knows what's going on.
Told through multiple POV's, including some demons, The Gates kept me entertained (and a little creeped out) throughout its entirety. Samuel was an adorable little boy who seemed rather mature for his age, but still no one would listen to him except his two best friends. I found his POV's charming and sweet. And we can't forget about his dog, Boswell. Can we say scene-stealer? This was one loyal and brave dog and I spent the whole book going 'Don't you dare hurt the puppy!'.
Other POV's cycled through some scientists as they tried to figure out what exactly happened to their Hadron Collider, the high ranking demon trying to bring the devil forth, and Nurd, Scourge of Five Deities. My heart has a special place for Nurd. He was just trying to find a place to belong and wanted nothing to do with evil takeover of Earth.
I would definitely recommend Connolly's books for all ages. I believe there's a little something for everyone hidden within the pages.
Samuel Johnson just wants to get a head start on his trick-or-treating this year, that's why he's out on October 30th instead of the 31st. What he didn't want was to accidentally discover that one of his neighbors opened a portal to hell. And go figure, no one believes him! That is until the Large Hadron Collider starts malfunctioning and it seems that Samuel is the only one who really knows what's going on.
Told through multiple POV's, including some demons, The Gates kept me entertained (and a little creeped out) throughout its entirety. Samuel was an adorable little boy who seemed rather mature for his age, but still no one would listen to him except his two best friends. I found his POV's charming and sweet. And we can't forget about his dog, Boswell. Can we say scene-stealer? This was one loyal and brave dog and I spent the whole book going 'Don't you dare hurt the puppy!'.
Other POV's cycled through some scientists as they tried to figure out what exactly happened to their Hadron Collider, the high ranking demon trying to bring the devil forth, and Nurd, Scourge of Five Deities. My heart has a special place for Nurd. He was just trying to find a place to belong and wanted nothing to do with evil takeover of Earth.
I would definitely recommend Connolly's books for all ages. I believe there's a little something for everyone hidden within the pages.
bbrigh1's review against another edition
4.0
Gates of Hell? Usually not what I'm interested in reading about (if you disclude Buffy the Vampire Slayer). It really wasn't about the gates of Hell as I thought it would be - it ended up just being some goofy monsters and a little boy. I ended up enjoying this way more than I thought I would - it was a fun, easy read; perfect for the beach. I was happy to discover a sequel is being published this fall!
sandeestarlite's review against another edition
I think I just wasn't in the mood for this one. If you're a Christopher Moore fan you'll like this one!
joelevard's review against another edition
2.0
I loved Connolly's other fantastical work, [b:The Book of Lost Things|69136|The Book of Lost Things|John Connolly|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170703577s/69136.jpg|1164024], but this one... not so much. It reads like warmed-over Neil Gaiman (especially [b:Good Omens|12067|Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266659394s/12067.jpg|4110990], with which it shares a premise -- Armageddon -- and many elements of narrative and style, including copious smartass footnotes). And I'm not exactly the biggest Neil Gaiman fan. Skip it.
jellybean_gene's review against another edition
5.0
Very very fun read. Apparently this book was 300 pages but it felt like 100.
The author has a sense of humor that is very Douglas Adams. Uses technical descriptions and teaching as a vehicle to deliver some very fun light-hearted wit.
That wit and the lovable main character being a quirky little kid that you want to root for made it feel like a cozy, familiar and fun Halloween classic I used to watch when I was younger.
The author has a sense of humor that is very Douglas Adams. Uses technical descriptions and teaching as a vehicle to deliver some very fun light-hearted wit.
That wit and the lovable main character being a quirky little kid that you want to root for made it feel like a cozy, familiar and fun Halloween classic I used to watch when I was younger.
milola's review against another edition
2.0
i think i would have liked it more had i read it when i was 12 or 13. still, a fun story.