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angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
1.0
The underlying message is clear; the analogy is understood, but this was a terrible story. This is what you get in fiction when you write with a message yet forget to entertain. Just awful.
kyracoty's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
jessilcruz's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
stephanieanneauthor's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book is wild in all the best ways. I love a good post-apocalyptic thriller, and the added mystery and confined quarters added to the appeal of the Night Train. I'm tempted to re-read this some day to go through and see if I can spot any clues earlier on the train ride. And of course, the gorier elements - the violence and the scientific experiments gone wrong - were the icing on the cake. But it was the characters (and their obsession with canned food) who kept my interest.
I honestly would have been okay if the mystery had never been resolved, because the interactions and relationships between Garland, Banks, and Poppy (and Teddy too) were the backbone of this story. It helped that the audiobook performance really sold the characters, but this has got to be one of the best fictional teams I've come across in a while.
I honestly would have been okay if the mystery had never been resolved, because the interactions and relationships between Garland, Banks, and Poppy (and Teddy too) were the backbone of this story. It helped that the audiobook performance really sold the characters, but this has got to be one of the best fictional teams I've come across in a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness and War
missmaryfaith's review against another edition
3.0
Did not read like a horror novel. Felt more like a sci-fi suspense. Based on the synopsis, I thought it would have much more horror. But alas.
torihbu's review against another edition
2.0
this book suffers from an interesting idea carried out with poor execution. most of the novel, up until the very very end, reads like a rejected TV script. this makes sense when you consider the author writes for the silver screen. the dialogue was odd & the novel was paced very fast, almost too fast? lots of things were happening but none of it was particularly interesting, aside from the flashbacks. i found myself cringing at the dialogue & the writing very often. this book is really only redeemed by the last section when the "mystery" (which is poorly developed) is finally revealed.
jamesknight's review against another edition
1.0
How a novel this poorly written, lazily constructed, and lacking any quality made it to print I will never know. Don’t walk, run from this book if you see it on the shelves.
zooloo1983's review against another edition
2.0
*DNF*
I tried to finish this, I only had 1 hour and 36 mins left in the audiobook but I couldn't do it anymore. I lost interest, I shouldn't have listened to as much as I did but I have DNF'ing books. This is the first time I have had to do so in ages. My mojo is done as it is, and this book is not helping it. Nothing made sense, I didn't care for the characters. Don't get me wrong, some of it was interesting....up until the halfway mark then it completely lost its way and sadly I didn't care to find out what was at the front of the train.
Gutted as it sounded so good too!
I tried to finish this, I only had 1 hour and 36 mins left in the audiobook but I couldn't do it anymore. I lost interest, I shouldn't have listened to as much as I did but I have DNF'ing books. This is the first time I have had to do so in ages. My mojo is done as it is, and this book is not helping it. Nothing made sense, I didn't care for the characters. Don't get me wrong, some of it was interesting....up until the halfway mark then it completely lost its way and sadly I didn't care to find out what was at the front of the train.
Gutted as it sounded so good too!
moonbites's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 ⭐️
So, I don't think I gave this book as much love as I should have. The reviews for this are so skewed that I figured I better at least write something about why I liked it.
I picked this up on a whim because Neil Gaiman blurbed this and thus I was immediately intrigued. Then I saw a blurb describing it as Snowpiercer on LSD, and after reading it I can say that's not too far off the mark.
It's a weird book, one that is bound to be polarizing. It's slow going, yet I was never bored. It's such a strange world and the characters are so hilarious that I couldn't help but keep turning the page. Also, let it be said this is the first full length novel I finished with my eyeballs in almost a year. I am a die hard audiobook listener and find reading with my eyes tiresome, but I devoured this book in a matter of days. That's a huge personal feat, that I feel really says something about this book.
The writing was super easy to get into, the dialogue between the characters was so funny and was a great contrast to the bizarre and sometimes terrifying backdrop. Quantick keeps you engaged and wondering what the hell is going on. The only reason this isn't a perfect five stars is because things wrapped up a little too quickly at the end and that felt a bit cheap. But, the journey is what really made this book a delight for me.
Granted usually the reverse is true and the ending makes or break a book for me, but this book was just something special to me. It compelled me and I came to really love this quirky cast of characters.
So, I don't think I gave this book as much love as I should have. The reviews for this are so skewed that I figured I better at least write something about why I liked it.
I picked this up on a whim because Neil Gaiman blurbed this and thus I was immediately intrigued. Then I saw a blurb describing it as Snowpiercer on LSD, and after reading it I can say that's not too far off the mark.
It's a weird book, one that is bound to be polarizing. It's slow going, yet I was never bored. It's such a strange world and the characters are so hilarious that I couldn't help but keep turning the page. Also, let it be said this is the first full length novel I finished with my eyeballs in almost a year. I am a die hard audiobook listener and find reading with my eyes tiresome, but I devoured this book in a matter of days. That's a huge personal feat, that I feel really says something about this book.
The writing was super easy to get into, the dialogue between the characters was so funny and was a great contrast to the bizarre and sometimes terrifying backdrop. Quantick keeps you engaged and wondering what the hell is going on. The only reason this isn't a perfect five stars is because things wrapped up a little too quickly at the end and that felt a bit cheap. But, the journey is what really made this book a delight for me.
Granted usually the reverse is true and the ending makes or break a book for me, but this book was just something special to me. It compelled me and I came to really love this quirky cast of characters.