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Midnighters#1
The Secret Hour
Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma. Time freezes. Nobody moves except dark creatures that haunt the shadows and the few people who are free to move at midnight, Midnighters. Their different powers strongest at midnight are: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. All changes when Jessica Day comes to Bixby High with a hidden power.
297 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2004
About the author
Scott Westerfeld
86books20.5kfollowersScott Westerfeld is a New York Times bestselling author of YA. He is best known for the Uglies and Leviathan series. His current series, IMPOSTORS, returns to the world of Uglies.
The next book in that series, MIRROR'S EDGE, comes out April 6, 2021.
The next book in that series, MIRROR'S EDGE, comes out April 6, 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,079 reviews
January 26, 2008
This is the best book by him!!! (even though i have only read this book by him!!!)
October 13, 2008
Just finished this trilogy and I really liked it. It's premise is that there are actually 25 hours in each day but only those born on the stroke of midnight can live in that secret hour. To everyone else it passes in an instant. Those who live in that hour are born with special abilities to help combat the various nasties who also live there. Fun read. If it was a movie it would be PG-13 for language. No "F" word, no sex but more swearing than I would prefer.
April 19, 2011
What a cool concept! For one secret extra hour each night, a small group of teenagers is able to move about freely--even though the rest of the town around them is frozen in time. What's going on? Why is the town like this? What do the evil darklings want with Jessica Day, the new girl in town?
I really enjoyed this book. The idea is incredibly intriguing, and I liked the descriptions of focus/out of focus, the kids' purple eyes, the wondrous flying, the injections of humor, and the beautiful night when Jess sees the frozen world for the first time, with the air filled with suspended raindrops. The author does a great job of gradually weaving the story together (though much of the book is spent on setting up the concept), and it'll be interesting to what everyone's motivations are and how certain powers will be utilized.
A couple of quibbles: while I like all the characters so far and don't really mind the multiple narrators, I think reducing the number of POVs would have made the narrative stronger. In such a short novel it's already hard to get to know the numerous characters, so spending more time with just a couple of them might've tightened things up a bit. Since Rex is turning out to be a mysterious figure and it seems that Jess is actually more of the central character, I would also have flip-flopped the POVs for Chapters 1 and 2 so the book starts off from her perspective. Could be the author had a reason for doing this (deliberate misguidance, perhaps), but if so I thinkmoretime with Rex would have made this stronger.
I also have to mention that the town's name gets used...a lot. I noticed this happening so many times within the first 7 pages that I decided to keep a tally as I was reading. The grand total in 274 pages? 18 mentions of name Bixby High and 95 mentions of Bixby itself. This was so unnecessary (at page 194, do you really need to explain that the sheriff you're referring to is the one "here in Bixby?" ) and intrusive, and I'm surprised that an editor didn't catch this repetition throughout the book.
Still, the little things I'd fix are minor and my enjoyment was huge. The story set-up reminded me a lot of William Sleator's young adult sci-fi in a very good way, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next installment of the series. Splendiferous!
I really enjoyed this book. The idea is incredibly intriguing, and I liked the descriptions of focus/out of focus, the kids' purple eyes, the wondrous flying, the injections of humor, and the beautiful night when Jess sees the frozen world for the first time, with the air filled with suspended raindrops. The author does a great job of gradually weaving the story together (though much of the book is spent on setting up the concept), and it'll be interesting to what everyone's motivations are and how certain powers will be utilized.
A couple of quibbles: while I like all the characters so far and don't really mind the multiple narrators, I think reducing the number of POVs would have made the narrative stronger. In such a short novel it's already hard to get to know the numerous characters, so spending more time with just a couple of them might've tightened things up a bit. Since Rex is turning out to be a mysterious figure and it seems that Jess is actually more of the central character, I would also have flip-flopped the POVs for Chapters 1 and 2 so the book starts off from her perspective. Could be the author had a reason for doing this (deliberate misguidance, perhaps), but if so I thinkmoretime with Rex would have made this stronger.
I also have to mention that the town's name gets used...a lot. I noticed this happening so many times within the first 7 pages that I decided to keep a tally as I was reading. The grand total in 274 pages? 18 mentions of name Bixby High and 95 mentions of Bixby itself. This was so unnecessary (at page 194, do you really need to explain that the sheriff you're referring to is the one "here in Bixby?" ) and intrusive, and I'm surprised that an editor didn't catch this repetition throughout the book.
Still, the little things I'd fix are minor and my enjoyment was huge. The story set-up reminded me a lot of William Sleator's young adult sci-fi in a very good way, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next installment of the series. Splendiferous!
November 18, 2009
"The Secret Hour", the first book of the Midnighters series, is about Jessica Day who just moved to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma. Of course she has to worry about the average teenager things - fitting in and making new friends, adjusting to the atmosphere of the place, and even avoiding some new gossip. However, things get even more difficult when she realizes that every day actually has 25 hours, not 24. The secret 25th hour takes place at the stroke of midnight, and for an extra hour only she and four other teens in Bixby can move freely and use special powers without the disruption of others - because they are all frozen in space and time. It's not all fun and games in the Secret Hour though because there are these disgusting, vile creatures called Darklings - monsters that thrive in the secret hour. Usually they don't bother the humans that can roam in the night, but recently they've been growing restless... ever since Jessica's arrival. Could she have triggered something in the darklings? Or is it that she posesses an ability that they fear of, so their only option is to destroy her?
Hmmm this was a good book. I was expecting somewhat a lot because I read Westerfeld's other series the "Ugly" series, which was totally amazing. I liked a lot of things in "The Secret Hour" too, though. The characters, although at times just a little stereotyped, were pretty unique and just your average dysfunctional 'teenagers'. The plot was pretty interesting, it totally reminded me of the heartless in "Kingdom Hearts". Besides the character's individual power the thing that interested me the group was their interactions with one another - the conflicts they went through were interesting and I really want to check out the next book to see how the group dynamic goes.
A few reasons why this book got four stars instead of five include... well first off at some moments the author forces the "teenage" dialogue too far, it seemed forced a few times. Also at some points the plot slowed down or sped up seemingly randomly - it lacked the really smooth storytelling I saw in "Uglies". However, I'm definetly going to check out the second book in the series because I still cannot wait to see what happens next.
Hmmm this was a good book. I was expecting somewhat a lot because I read Westerfeld's other series the "Ugly" series, which was totally amazing. I liked a lot of things in "The Secret Hour" too, though. The characters, although at times just a little stereotyped, were pretty unique and just your average dysfunctional 'teenagers'. The plot was pretty interesting, it totally reminded me of the heartless in "Kingdom Hearts". Besides the character's individual power the thing that interested me the group was their interactions with one another - the conflicts they went through were interesting and I really want to check out the next book to see how the group dynamic goes.
A few reasons why this book got four stars instead of five include... well first off at some moments the author forces the "teenage" dialogue too far, it seemed forced a few times. Also at some points the plot slowed down or sped up seemingly randomly - it lacked the really smooth storytelling I saw in "Uglies". However, I'm definetly going to check out the second book in the series because I still cannot wait to see what happens next.
February 14, 2008
I LOVE this series. Although the Uglies/Pretties/Specials/Extras series is more popular, I actually like this series better. It's about five teenagers who are the only people that can move during "the secret hour", when everything else in their town freezes at midnight. Although a bit weird, the story is very exciting and the characters are well-developed. Scott Westerfeld is one of my favorite authors, and these books did not disappoint me.
January 9, 2020
I got so disappointed by this novel and will not be continuing with the series. Scott Westerfeld is an acclaimed best-selling writer, but for him to produce something so middling, I totally couldn't wrap my mind around it.
The M/C, Jessica, is only mildly interesting at the beginning but then falls flat in the middle and then it's all just downhill from there.
A little spark occurs toward the end but it's too late to save anything. This series is not for me, sorry.
The M/C, Jessica, is only mildly interesting at the beginning but then falls flat in the middle and then it's all just downhill from there.
A little spark occurs toward the end but it's too late to save anything. This series is not for me, sorry.
July 8, 2019
Sob a promessa de uma leitura açucarada, Pedro, também conhecido porThe book doctor,emprestou-me este livro. Como já havia tido contacto com o trabalho de Scott Westerfeld, quando o Pedro me sugeriu este livro não hesitei em partir para esta aventura.
Se emUgliesa história é passada num ambiente futurista,Midnightersacontece no presente, num ambiente mais próximo à nossa realidade. A trama deste livro, divide-se entre dois ambientes; o escolar, onde os dramas da popularidade, das amizades e das intrigas escolares estão à flor da pele, e um segundo ambiente onde só é permitido vive-lo quem nasce a uma hora especial, uma hora extra que muitos poucos têm acesso. A 25ª hora.
Na 25ª hora, o mundo que nós conhecemos muda, os seres humanos comuns ficam estáticos e poucos conseguem sentir e viver durante esse período de tempo. Aqui a luz é outra, é banhada de azul e monstros com características e belezas únicas ganham vida.
Este primeiro livro, de três, segue uma linha muito simplista, os heróis da trama (cada um com um poder diferente e personalidades diferentes) têm um mistério para desvendar; descobrir qual o poder da nova rapariga chegada à cidade e, durante essa descoberta, enfrentam os constantes ataques e as adversidades dos monstros.
Não foi uma leitura marcante, é um livro que gira muito à volta da personagem principal, sem muito a acrescentar. Acredito que esteja à altura do seu publico alvo, um livro jovem, leve, com os ingredientes necessários para prender, acção, mistério e uma pitada de romance. Despertando assim alguma curiosidade com o decorrer da história.
No entanto, dei por mim a questionar o quanto poderia ter gostado se o tivesse agarrado quando era mais novo, menos exigente comigo mesmo, com a vida, com as coisas, com as histórias. Então, em certa parte este livro trouxe-me um pouco de nostalgia, da graça de viver sem complicações, da leveza de querer ler alguma coisa só porque sim.
Fica assim o sabor doce da nostalgia do que é ser um adolesceste, marcada pelas trivialidades, sem muitas preocupações, nem muitos porquês.
Se emUgliesa história é passada num ambiente futurista,Midnightersacontece no presente, num ambiente mais próximo à nossa realidade. A trama deste livro, divide-se entre dois ambientes; o escolar, onde os dramas da popularidade, das amizades e das intrigas escolares estão à flor da pele, e um segundo ambiente onde só é permitido vive-lo quem nasce a uma hora especial, uma hora extra que muitos poucos têm acesso. A 25ª hora.
Na 25ª hora, o mundo que nós conhecemos muda, os seres humanos comuns ficam estáticos e poucos conseguem sentir e viver durante esse período de tempo. Aqui a luz é outra, é banhada de azul e monstros com características e belezas únicas ganham vida.
Este primeiro livro, de três, segue uma linha muito simplista, os heróis da trama (cada um com um poder diferente e personalidades diferentes) têm um mistério para desvendar; descobrir qual o poder da nova rapariga chegada à cidade e, durante essa descoberta, enfrentam os constantes ataques e as adversidades dos monstros.
Não foi uma leitura marcante, é um livro que gira muito à volta da personagem principal, sem muito a acrescentar. Acredito que esteja à altura do seu publico alvo, um livro jovem, leve, com os ingredientes necessários para prender, acção, mistério e uma pitada de romance. Despertando assim alguma curiosidade com o decorrer da história.
No entanto, dei por mim a questionar o quanto poderia ter gostado se o tivesse agarrado quando era mais novo, menos exigente comigo mesmo, com a vida, com as coisas, com as histórias. Então, em certa parte este livro trouxe-me um pouco de nostalgia, da graça de viver sem complicações, da leveza de querer ler alguma coisa só porque sim.
Fica assim o sabor doce da nostalgia do que é ser um adolesceste, marcada pelas trivialidades, sem muitas preocupações, nem muitos porquês.
December 1, 2017
I've got to give props to Westerfeld, this was definitely an original idea. A hidden hour that lies directly at midnight that only a few can see. Can you just imagine? The clock strikes midnight and the world around you freezes, but you can still move among it. Really cool.
Meet the Midnighters, a group of teens who were born exactly as the clock struck midnight thus allowing them to see the 'blue time' - the space in-between. But it's not all fun and games. Other things lurk in the 'blue time' - ancient things. And these ancient things want to get back into the real world.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It's really hard to come across a completely unique story line now with how many YA books are out there, but Westerfeld managed that. I found that I wanted more information though about their history and their purpose (both the kids and the things in the dark). It almost seemed like this book just barely scrapped the surface of the lore.
As for the characters themselves, well, they were okay. I really liked Jonathan and didn't understand everyone else's aversion to him. Jessica was a little naive, but I don't know if it was because of her being the new girl or if that's just her, Dess was very juvenile, Rex was ok but seemed a little controlling, and then Melissa I just flat out didn't like. Sorry that your talent kind sucks for you but that doesn't give you the right to treat other people like shit.
I would be interested in seeing where this series goes and if the characters mature and plots get flushed out more.
Meet the Midnighters, a group of teens who were born exactly as the clock struck midnight thus allowing them to see the 'blue time' - the space in-between. But it's not all fun and games. Other things lurk in the 'blue time' - ancient things. And these ancient things want to get back into the real world.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It's really hard to come across a completely unique story line now with how many YA books are out there, but Westerfeld managed that. I found that I wanted more information though about their history and their purpose (both the kids and the things in the dark). It almost seemed like this book just barely scrapped the surface of the lore.
As for the characters themselves, well, they were okay. I really liked Jonathan and didn't understand everyone else's aversion to him. Jessica was a little naive, but I don't know if it was because of her being the new girl or if that's just her, Dess was very juvenile, Rex was ok but seemed a little controlling, and then Melissa I just flat out didn't like. Sorry that your talent kind sucks for you but that doesn't give you the right to treat other people like shit.
I would be interested in seeing where this series goes and if the characters mature and plots get flushed out more.
April 27, 2011
Non proprio malaccio come inizio, ma la verità è che mi aspettavo qualcosa di meglio.
Sono capitata per puro caso davanti a questo libro e quando ho letto brevemente la trama ho subito voluto leggerlo. Voglio dire.. una venticinquesima ora che scatta a mezzanotte? mostri scuri e un solo gruppo di ragazzi che può combatterli? ehi, Persona 3 è uno dei miei giochi preferiti da quand'è che è diventato un libro?
Solo che di Persona questo libro alla fin fine ha ben poco. L'idea di base è buona appunto, i personaggi davvero troppo poco approfonditi (non sappiamo praticamente niente di loro, e il fatto che come libro non sia lungo non è una grande scusa dato che nessuno ha obbligato l'autore a scrivere così poco) e le uniche cose che sappiamo davvero della protagonista è che è la classica belloccia da far paura che con un pò di trucco fa svenire ogni ragazzo che la addocchia e che quindi si avvicina pericolosamene al mio concetto di Mary Sue.
Non so se leggerò il prossimo, ma se lo farò spero che sia migliore di questo.
Sono capitata per puro caso davanti a questo libro e quando ho letto brevemente la trama ho subito voluto leggerlo. Voglio dire.. una venticinquesima ora che scatta a mezzanotte? mostri scuri e un solo gruppo di ragazzi che può combatterli? ehi, Persona 3 è uno dei miei giochi preferiti da quand'è che è diventato un libro?
Solo che di Persona questo libro alla fin fine ha ben poco. L'idea di base è buona appunto, i personaggi davvero troppo poco approfonditi (non sappiamo praticamente niente di loro, e il fatto che come libro non sia lungo non è una grande scusa dato che nessuno ha obbligato l'autore a scrivere così poco) e le uniche cose che sappiamo davvero della protagonista è che è la classica belloccia da far paura che con un pò di trucco fa svenire ogni ragazzo che la addocchia e che quindi si avvicina pericolosamene al mio concetto di Mary Sue.
Non so se leggerò il prossimo, ma se lo farò spero che sia migliore di questo.
June 13, 2020
DNF at around 20%. I really tried to like this book because the plot was very interesting to me. The plot follows around this new girl who discovers that at midnight, the world seems to freeze for an hour. Unbeknownst to the new girl, there are a group of kids that are just like her called the "midnighters." This book was very very dated and you could tell which is what made it so hard to enjoy. The characters were just cliches and had no substance to them. I really hoped to like this one better because it was given to me as a gift but sadly it did not work.
January 9, 2009
Some of the kids here, especially girls, having been reading this Midnighters series. Not bad for kiddie fantasy, but not much meat. A bit Twilight-ish. Good for me to know what the kids are reading and be able to talk about it, but not something I'd recommend to adults unless you're looking for some reluctant reader material or another fantasy series for those who have gone through everything else you can think of.
December 24, 2019
This book was a bit odd to me, different for sure. I would say what teenager wouldn't love this concept: for an hour every day teenagers can move around in secret. While they get "an extra hour" of time, the rest of the town is frozen in the moment just like a photo.
It is fun to ponder what you might do if you were one of the chosen ones to have an extra hour in the day to roam about. But I think one of the things I liked most about this book were the descriptive details and also the humor written into the book.
I thought the characters were likable enough, but I didn't feel emotionally invested in them. I also thought that there was quite a bit of repetition in the use of some words, which for me was a bit annoying. But all in all I thought it was a decent start to a series.
It is fun to ponder what you might do if you were one of the chosen ones to have an extra hour in the day to roam about. But I think one of the things I liked most about this book were the descriptive details and also the humor written into the book.
I thought the characters were likable enough, but I didn't feel emotionally invested in them. I also thought that there was quite a bit of repetition in the use of some words, which for me was a bit annoying. But all in all I thought it was a decent start to a series.
March 13, 2018
Guys, this is now just $.99 for the Kindle version, and it'sreally good.
Want to read
December 19, 2022This novel unequivocall awesome.
May 29, 2015
Questo libro è una vera e propria rivelazione.
Nella città di Bixby, allo scoccare della mezzanotte, nasce un'altra ora dove il mondo si congela, le leggi della fisica perdono ogni importanza e dei mostri letali e affamati emergono dal passato per iniziare la loro caccia. Alcuni ragazzini, nati a mezzanotte in punto, possono muoversi e assaporare quest'ora segreta e ognuno di loro ha un potere speciale, un dono che può sfruttare. -- Ma l'arrivo di Jessica Day scombussola le carte in tavola e l'equilibrio dell'ora dopo la mezzanotte. A che cosa porterà tutto questo?
Cosa mi è piaciuto di questo libro:
- Lo stile di scrittura di Scott Westerfeld non si smentisce mai. Altamente descrittivo e particolare, dona un ritratto molto ben definito di Bixby e dei protagonisti.
- La trama è ECCEZIONALE. Non ho mai letto niente del genere e bisogna proprio ammetterlo: Westerfeld ha una grandissima e fervida immaginazione. -- Chi avrebbe mai potuto pensare di creare una venticinquesima ora giornaliera che solo pochi eletti posso vivere e vedere? Davvero impressionante!
- I personaggi sono caratterizzati alla perfezione. Mi sono piaciuti molto tutti (ovviamente, chi più e chi meno) e trovo che l'alone di mistero che volteggia attorno ad ognuno di loro sia estremamente intrigante. I poteri che possiedono si adeguano perfettamente alla loro personalità e ho apprezzato molto la loro intelligenza e il loro coraggio. -- I personaggi di Rex e Melissa, in particolare, mi incuriosiscono parecchio. C'è qualcosa di loro che Westerfeld non ci ha ancora rivelato e che, personalmente, non vedo l'ora di scoprire.
- La costruzione del mondo è stata fatta divinamente. L'autore non ha tralasciato nemmeno un particolare e ho adorato vedere le dinamiche dell'ora segreta, i mostri che si risvegliano, i poteri dei ragazzi e come si attrezzano per proteggersi da quelle orrende creature.
- I colpi di scena non sono mancati e hanno dato un tono ancora più avventuroso al libro.
Cosa non mi è piaciuto di questo libro:
- C'erano troppi punti di vista. Per me è molto bello avere la possibilità di vedere la storia con prospettive diverse, ma il troppo stroppia. Specialmente all'inizio della narrazione, ho trovato i diversi punti di vista confusionari e non mi hanno permesso di immergermi completamente nella storia fin da subito.
- La narrazione era un po' lenta. Questo libro, secondo me, è stato scritto con l'intento di essere un'introduzione al mondo e alla storia che Westerfeld aveva intenzione di creare. Nonostante sia stata una lettura bellissima, piacevole e particolare (che, tra l'altro, se le merita tutte le quattro stelline), l'ho trovata comunque un po' "piatta". Non succede molto e i personaggi, con l'arrivo di Jessica, non sanno più che pesci pigliare. Eventualmente, verso la fine, le cose iniziano a scaldarsi e si fanno anche delle grandi ed emozionanti scoperte, ma avrei comunque preferito vedere un po' più di azione fin dall'inizio!
-
Sono davvero curiosa di vedere come proseguirà la serie e di cosa si inventerà Westerfeld per mettere in difficoltà i nostri protagonisti. Io mi sono affezionata molto a questi personaggi e a questa storia e la magia e il mistero che l'autore riesce ad inserire in ogni sua opera mi stupisce sempre! -- Non vedo l'ora di leggere il secondo e il terzo libro! Serie consigliatissima!
Nella città di Bixby, allo scoccare della mezzanotte, nasce un'altra ora dove il mondo si congela, le leggi della fisica perdono ogni importanza e dei mostri letali e affamati emergono dal passato per iniziare la loro caccia. Alcuni ragazzini, nati a mezzanotte in punto, possono muoversi e assaporare quest'ora segreta e ognuno di loro ha un potere speciale, un dono che può sfruttare. -- Ma l'arrivo di Jessica Day scombussola le carte in tavola e l'equilibrio dell'ora dopo la mezzanotte. A che cosa porterà tutto questo?
Cosa mi è piaciuto di questo libro:
- Lo stile di scrittura di Scott Westerfeld non si smentisce mai. Altamente descrittivo e particolare, dona un ritratto molto ben definito di Bixby e dei protagonisti.
- La trama è ECCEZIONALE. Non ho mai letto niente del genere e bisogna proprio ammetterlo: Westerfeld ha una grandissima e fervida immaginazione. -- Chi avrebbe mai potuto pensare di creare una venticinquesima ora giornaliera che solo pochi eletti posso vivere e vedere? Davvero impressionante!
- I personaggi sono caratterizzati alla perfezione. Mi sono piaciuti molto tutti (ovviamente, chi più e chi meno) e trovo che l'alone di mistero che volteggia attorno ad ognuno di loro sia estremamente intrigante. I poteri che possiedono si adeguano perfettamente alla loro personalità e ho apprezzato molto la loro intelligenza e il loro coraggio. -- I personaggi di Rex e Melissa, in particolare, mi incuriosiscono parecchio. C'è qualcosa di loro che Westerfeld non ci ha ancora rivelato e che, personalmente, non vedo l'ora di scoprire.
- La costruzione del mondo è stata fatta divinamente. L'autore non ha tralasciato nemmeno un particolare e ho adorato vedere le dinamiche dell'ora segreta, i mostri che si risvegliano, i poteri dei ragazzi e come si attrezzano per proteggersi da quelle orrende creature.
- I colpi di scena non sono mancati e hanno dato un tono ancora più avventuroso al libro.
Cosa non mi è piaciuto di questo libro:
- C'erano troppi punti di vista. Per me è molto bello avere la possibilità di vedere la storia con prospettive diverse, ma il troppo stroppia. Specialmente all'inizio della narrazione, ho trovato i diversi punti di vista confusionari e non mi hanno permesso di immergermi completamente nella storia fin da subito.
- La narrazione era un po' lenta. Questo libro, secondo me, è stato scritto con l'intento di essere un'introduzione al mondo e alla storia che Westerfeld aveva intenzione di creare. Nonostante sia stata una lettura bellissima, piacevole e particolare (che, tra l'altro, se le merita tutte le quattro stelline), l'ho trovata comunque un po' "piatta". Non succede molto e i personaggi, con l'arrivo di Jessica, non sanno più che pesci pigliare. Eventualmente, verso la fine, le cose iniziano a scaldarsi e si fanno anche delle grandi ed emozionanti scoperte, ma avrei comunque preferito vedere un po' più di azione fin dall'inizio!
-
Sono davvero curiosa di vedere come proseguirà la serie e di cosa si inventerà Westerfeld per mettere in difficoltà i nostri protagonisti. Io mi sono affezionata molto a questi personaggi e a questa storia e la magia e il mistero che l'autore riesce ad inserire in ogni sua opera mi stupisce sempre! -- Non vedo l'ora di leggere il secondo e il terzo libro! Serie consigliatissima!
July 29, 2011
Jessica is a typical 16-year-old girl, who happens to be born at midnight. This doesn’t mean anything to her until the day she moves with her family to Bixby. Soon she discovers that she and a few others, the Midnighters, are able to live one extra hour every midnight, while everyone else is frozen. This is all fun until she learns that they are not the only ones moving through midnight. Darklings and Slithers are coming after her and she has to be protected.
The first book is introducing us to this new midnight world and follows Jessica as she learns about her new powers.
With wonderful characters and a thrilling story this book is one of my favourites.
The first book is introducing us to this new midnight world and follows Jessica as she learns about her new powers.
With wonderful characters and a thrilling story this book is one of my favourites.
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May 15, 2015
Unusual names, weird eyes, super powers, teenagers, boring. Too many chapters with differing POV. They're pretty much just Vampires with another name, working on the whole stereotypical idea that all (modern) Vampires wear black, listen to metal, like the dark, etc. The writing wasn't terrible, which is new for a YA book, but still very much generic YA twaddle.
November 2, 2010
This first book in the Midnighters series was a fun ride. The mythology/world of the midnighters was very different and fascinating. Also, the main character is a redhead named Jessica Day- how could he go wrong?
April 17, 2012
Here's the review I wrote for my school newspaper!
When Jessica Day moves from Chicago to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma, she’s expecting a change. But she never could’ve imagine a world like the one she finds herself in. because, in Bixby, there are 25 hours in the day. But normal humans don’t know of the secret hour- they simply freeze for one hour at midnight. Every night. They cannot tell that an hour has passed for the special few who can live in the extra hour. There people were born exactly at midnight, allowing them inside this extra hour- one that was originally created to hold the monsters of olden times. Jessica soon realizes she is one of the few who can live in the secret hour, and soon finds a unique cast of other teens like her. They all seem to have a special power, like flight, or mindreading. But as great as it is to have an extra hour in the day, the monsters that inhabit the secret hour have it out for Jessica. Why? What’s Jessica’s power? Why was the secret hour created in the first place? Follow this intriguing tale to find out.
As unbelievable as this storyline seems, I was so captured by the realistic storytelling that I wanted to find where Bixby Oklahoma was and go there. (and it does exist!) Part of what made it so believable was the characters. They were real people, with good and bad sides, and you really want to help them with their mission. This novel has some of the best writing I’ve seen, the perfect amount of descriptive language to give you a clear picture, but not so much that you get bored. The characters’ powers were so well described; I thought I was in their head. The story took my breath away, but it didn’t knock me down, so it will receive a four-star rating. It also felt a little dated as computers were not commonplace, and cell phones nonexistent. I highly recommend this book to any fans of the paranormal.
Here's my review: Wow. Scott Westerfel: YOU DA MAN!! I don't know why I gave it four stars. But I did. Sorry. Why is Mr. Westerfeld the only decent writer these days? The writing was MORE than fantastic. The characters were so believeable! The world building was so perfect! Everything wasbrilliantI got the next one already!! This isn't my type of book. But it doesn't mean that I didn't REALLY LIKE IT. Because thats what four stars means. I really liked it.
The characters..........dont even get me started.
Bixby oklahoma watch out, here I come!
EDIT: I read my global textbook just to look for 13 letter words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deteriorating
Mediterranean
Supplementary
Etc, etc, etc I found like 50!!
When Jessica Day moves from Chicago to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma, she’s expecting a change. But she never could’ve imagine a world like the one she finds herself in. because, in Bixby, there are 25 hours in the day. But normal humans don’t know of the secret hour- they simply freeze for one hour at midnight. Every night. They cannot tell that an hour has passed for the special few who can live in the extra hour. There people were born exactly at midnight, allowing them inside this extra hour- one that was originally created to hold the monsters of olden times. Jessica soon realizes she is one of the few who can live in the secret hour, and soon finds a unique cast of other teens like her. They all seem to have a special power, like flight, or mindreading. But as great as it is to have an extra hour in the day, the monsters that inhabit the secret hour have it out for Jessica. Why? What’s Jessica’s power? Why was the secret hour created in the first place? Follow this intriguing tale to find out.
As unbelievable as this storyline seems, I was so captured by the realistic storytelling that I wanted to find where Bixby Oklahoma was and go there. (and it does exist!) Part of what made it so believable was the characters. They were real people, with good and bad sides, and you really want to help them with their mission. This novel has some of the best writing I’ve seen, the perfect amount of descriptive language to give you a clear picture, but not so much that you get bored. The characters’ powers were so well described; I thought I was in their head. The story took my breath away, but it didn’t knock me down, so it will receive a four-star rating. It also felt a little dated as computers were not commonplace, and cell phones nonexistent. I highly recommend this book to any fans of the paranormal.
Here's my review: Wow. Scott Westerfel: YOU DA MAN!! I don't know why I gave it four stars. But I did. Sorry. Why is Mr. Westerfeld the only decent writer these days? The writing was MORE than fantastic. The characters were so believeable! The world building was so perfect! Everything wasbrilliantI got the next one already!! This isn't my type of book. But it doesn't mean that I didn't REALLY LIKE IT. Because thats what four stars means. I really liked it.
The characters..........dont even get me started.
Bixby oklahoma watch out, here I come!
EDIT: I read my global textbook just to look for 13 letter words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deteriorating
Mediterranean
Supplementary
Etc, etc, etc I found like 50!!
July 7, 2015
I have had this book for a long time and was excited to finally get to read it. This is the first book in the Midnighters series by Westerfeld and is one of the few Westerfeld series I haven’t read yet. It ended up being an entertaining and creepy story that was well written and easy to read. I liked it better than his Uglies series but not as much as his Leviathan series.
Strange things happen in Bixby, Oklahoma when the clock strikes midnight. That is when the 13th hour starts; an hour in which most of the town stops but a select few teens are able to move around and gain special abilities. So far there have always been four midnighters; a Seer, a Polymath, an Arcrobat, and a Mindcaster...that is until Jessica Day moves to Bixby. Jessica seems to have a power that is unknown. Not only is Jessica’s power a mystery but for some reason it is causing the shadow creatures that dwell in the midnight hour to become more and more violent.
This book was a quick and easy read and was entertaining. It’s mostly a paranormal story with some mystery and some super-hero like overtones. I really enjoyed the idea of a 13th hour and I absolutely loved how if you give an object a thirteen letter name it can repel the shadow creatures.
There are some wonderful scenes in this book, in particular the first night Jessica awakes in the 13th hour and walks into the rain. The whole story has a creepy vibe to it, but never got all that scary. The viewpoint switches between each of the different Midnighters, which worked well for the story.
There is some excellent mystery here as the mystery of Jessica’s power is explored. There is also the overall mystery behind why Bixby is like it is and has this strange 13th hour. There is some high school drama in here as well, but it never really overwhelmed the story.
The story was well paced and made for a quick read. There are some creative ideas in here and some interesting characters. Things are wrapped up nicely for this first book, but there are unsolved mysteries left for the rest of the series.
Overall this was a fun and creepy paranormal read. I enjoyed the crazy 13th hour and the interesting powers our characters have. There was also some good mystery and some awesome supernatural elements to the story. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
Strange things happen in Bixby, Oklahoma when the clock strikes midnight. That is when the 13th hour starts; an hour in which most of the town stops but a select few teens are able to move around and gain special abilities. So far there have always been four midnighters; a Seer, a Polymath, an Arcrobat, and a Mindcaster...that is until Jessica Day moves to Bixby. Jessica seems to have a power that is unknown. Not only is Jessica’s power a mystery but for some reason it is causing the shadow creatures that dwell in the midnight hour to become more and more violent.
This book was a quick and easy read and was entertaining. It’s mostly a paranormal story with some mystery and some super-hero like overtones. I really enjoyed the idea of a 13th hour and I absolutely loved how if you give an object a thirteen letter name it can repel the shadow creatures.
There are some wonderful scenes in this book, in particular the first night Jessica awakes in the 13th hour and walks into the rain. The whole story has a creepy vibe to it, but never got all that scary. The viewpoint switches between each of the different Midnighters, which worked well for the story.
There is some excellent mystery here as the mystery of Jessica’s power is explored. There is also the overall mystery behind why Bixby is like it is and has this strange 13th hour. There is some high school drama in here as well, but it never really overwhelmed the story.
The story was well paced and made for a quick read. There are some creative ideas in here and some interesting characters. Things are wrapped up nicely for this first book, but there are unsolved mysteries left for the rest of the series.
Overall this was a fun and creepy paranormal read. I enjoyed the crazy 13th hour and the interesting powers our characters have. There was also some good mystery and some awesome supernatural elements to the story. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
May 12, 2008
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Jessica Day has just moved to Bixby, Oklahoma from Chicago with her family. Still trying to find her niche in the local highschool, she's noticed by a group of students who are very different from your average teens. Not to mention that her dreams at night are becoming very, very vivid--such as the fact that for one hour at midnight, time seems to literally stand still.
Such is the life of the Midnighters, a group of teens who were born at midnight and have the ability to see the "blue time", the twenty-fifth hour of the day where time stands still for everyone else. Each of the group has a special power, both in and out of the blue time--Rex is a Seer, Dess is a Polymath, Melissa is a Mindcaster, and Jonathan is an Acrobat.
Jess is, of course, skeptical at first that time is actually standing still, and that her new rag-tag group of friends has special powers. But soon unmistakeable proof arises that the arrival of Jessica Day in Bixby is causing change--the creatures of the blue time are becoming dangerous and seem to want her dead.
Jess needs to find out her own special power before something bad happens to the town and it's midnight inhabitants. As the group struggle to keep the night creatures away, it's up to Jess to discover which power she possesses that's making everyone so nervous.
I LOVED this book! A totally original concept, Scott Westerfeld has created a series with truly interesting characters and crystal-clear visualization. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, to see where the Midnighters go from here.
Definitely a recommended read!
Jessica Day has just moved to Bixby, Oklahoma from Chicago with her family. Still trying to find her niche in the local highschool, she's noticed by a group of students who are very different from your average teens. Not to mention that her dreams at night are becoming very, very vivid--such as the fact that for one hour at midnight, time seems to literally stand still.
Such is the life of the Midnighters, a group of teens who were born at midnight and have the ability to see the "blue time", the twenty-fifth hour of the day where time stands still for everyone else. Each of the group has a special power, both in and out of the blue time--Rex is a Seer, Dess is a Polymath, Melissa is a Mindcaster, and Jonathan is an Acrobat.
Jess is, of course, skeptical at first that time is actually standing still, and that her new rag-tag group of friends has special powers. But soon unmistakeable proof arises that the arrival of Jessica Day in Bixby is causing change--the creatures of the blue time are becoming dangerous and seem to want her dead.
Jess needs to find out her own special power before something bad happens to the town and it's midnight inhabitants. As the group struggle to keep the night creatures away, it's up to Jess to discover which power she possesses that's making everyone so nervous.
I LOVED this book! A totally original concept, Scott Westerfeld has created a series with truly interesting characters and crystal-clear visualization. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, to see where the Midnighters go from here.
Definitely a recommended read!
July 30, 2007
On her first night in Bixby, Oklahoma, fifteen year old Jessica Day learns that for her, time stops for on hour every night at midnight. In what she calls "the secret hour", rain, people, smoke, everything stops as the world is bathed in a blue light and a different moon arcs across the sky. She soon learns that she's not alone in the midnight hour, but shares it with four other teenagers from town as well as shadowy creatures called "darklings." Apparently docile before her arrival, the darklings become increasingly aggressive and seem bent on her destruction.
The book is pretty fast-paced and reading of the teenagers' attempts to make sense of their situation kept my interest. Each kid has a special ability that aids them during the secret hour. One of the the girls, Dess, is a "polymath" meaning she is constantly thinking mathmatically which comes in handy as some of the only things that can ward off the darklings are multiples of thirteen....
The book is pretty fast-paced and reading of the teenagers' attempts to make sense of their situation kept my interest. Each kid has a special ability that aids them during the secret hour. One of the the girls, Dess, is a "polymath" meaning she is constantly thinking mathmatically which comes in handy as some of the only things that can ward off the darklings are multiples of thirteen....
August 31, 2007
The one where everything freezes for an hour at midnight, except for some teenagers with special talents and some fantastic beasts that are hunting them.
This bears about the same relationship to real speculative fiction that paranormal romance does. Which is to say, there may be conditions contrary to fact, but they don't provide a new perspective on the real world; they're just there to play certain roles in what might as well be a mundane story. The darklings might as well have been wolves or land mines or icebergs. They didn't teach Jessica anything except what someone would learn from any kind of danger and adversity.
I suppose there's nothing wrong with this as a teen adventure story, but it doesn't have what I read SFF for.
(Also, when a team of people with special talents is assembled to fight a new supernatural threat, why is it that none of them are ever old or ugly?)
This bears about the same relationship to real speculative fiction that paranormal romance does. Which is to say, there may be conditions contrary to fact, but they don't provide a new perspective on the real world; they're just there to play certain roles in what might as well be a mundane story. The darklings might as well have been wolves or land mines or icebergs. They didn't teach Jessica anything except what someone would learn from any kind of danger and adversity.
I suppose there's nothing wrong with this as a teen adventure story, but it doesn't have what I read SFF for.
(Also, when a team of people with special talents is assembled to fight a new supernatural threat, why is it that none of them are ever old or ugly?)
September 7, 2007
This book made me really glad that I was born at 8 am!
I'm not really sure what to say about this book.
The premise is that there used to be 25 hours in the day and the 25th hour was removed from normal life by the creatures that make up our nightmares when we started to fight back. Now the creatures are only "alive" during that one lost hour, when everyone else is frozen. But people who were born at midnight are still alive/awake in the hour and can move about. They also have some cool power during that hour, but then there are all the "slithers" and other things that may try to eat you. But the 25th hour only happens at some places around the globe. Really it just gets more confusing from there.
I liked the book, it was engaging and a little silly. But when I finished it I wasn't sure if I cared what happens in book 2. So I'm not sure how good it can really be.
I'm not really sure what to say about this book.
The premise is that there used to be 25 hours in the day and the 25th hour was removed from normal life by the creatures that make up our nightmares when we started to fight back. Now the creatures are only "alive" during that one lost hour, when everyone else is frozen. But people who were born at midnight are still alive/awake in the hour and can move about. They also have some cool power during that hour, but then there are all the "slithers" and other things that may try to eat you. But the 25th hour only happens at some places around the globe. Really it just gets more confusing from there.
I liked the book, it was engaging and a little silly. But when I finished it I wasn't sure if I cared what happens in book 2. So I'm not sure how good it can really be.
March 22, 2015
La storia di per sè non è male, ma i personaggi sono troppo stereotipati. La protagonista, Jessica Day, è l'incarnazione della Mary Sue, bellissima, amata da tutti ( possibile che tutti notano di notte e senza nessuna luce che lei si è truccata? quel pezzo mi ha fatta ridere e non era sicuramente voluto ). Gli altri personaggi sono nerd sfigati ed emarginati dalla società, l'unico bello finisce, ovviamente, con la protagonista. Insomma, banalità della banalità.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2023
I'm currently in a reading slump.
The advice I was given was to pick up an old favorite, so I went around my room and thought of what would help me make it out of this tragic state.
And there it was: The Midnighters trilogy, aka the trilogy that started my Scott Westerfeld and Sci-fi era of middle school. I remember, I was so devastated when he came to my city in France (circa 2010), I was dying to go to a Sci-fi convention so I could get a book signed by him, my parents refused to take me and I had to give up on that opportunity. It was a great tragedy for the 12 year old I was.
Nonetheless, Midnighters was one of my favorite series. The action scenes, the atmosphere, the random scientific facts, the curfew violations... What's not to like?
At the time, it gave me really unrealistic expectations of what my teenage years were going to be like. I thought I'd be waiting around for a cute guy to tap at my window and take me out on giggly late night adventures in our own secret bubble of a world. In reality, I spent most of my adolescent years going to drama class, studying and reading books alone. I'm not too mad about it either.
I'm glad to say I still like this book 14 years later. Would it have been such a huge part of me if I picked it up today for the first time? Probably not.
Reading it again took me right back to sitting on the edge of my bed on a rainy day in 2009. To the age of watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch after school and to stressing out over organizing my binder for technology class. I feel submerged by nostalgia and I want to read the rest of the books again.
The advice I was given was to pick up an old favorite, so I went around my room and thought of what would help me make it out of this tragic state.
And there it was: The Midnighters trilogy, aka the trilogy that started my Scott Westerfeld and Sci-fi era of middle school. I remember, I was so devastated when he came to my city in France (circa 2010), I was dying to go to a Sci-fi convention so I could get a book signed by him, my parents refused to take me and I had to give up on that opportunity. It was a great tragedy for the 12 year old I was.
Nonetheless, Midnighters was one of my favorite series. The action scenes, the atmosphere, the random scientific facts, the curfew violations... What's not to like?
At the time, it gave me really unrealistic expectations of what my teenage years were going to be like. I thought I'd be waiting around for a cute guy to tap at my window and take me out on giggly late night adventures in our own secret bubble of a world. In reality, I spent most of my adolescent years going to drama class, studying and reading books alone. I'm not too mad about it either.
I'm glad to say I still like this book 14 years later. Would it have been such a huge part of me if I picked it up today for the first time? Probably not.
Reading it again took me right back to sitting on the edge of my bed on a rainy day in 2009. To the age of watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch after school and to stressing out over organizing my binder for technology class. I feel submerged by nostalgia and I want to read the rest of the books again.
July 19, 2020
I remember loving this book Extremely in my youth, and I'm glad that hasn't changed. I still related to each character so vividly, and this was definitely the first book that had a relationship in it where I was like, "Okay, so *this* is romance!" I love love love the worldbuilding, and the magic of it, and the powers of it. I love the interplay of the characters, and I love reading it now and knowing that they become friends. It's a cool book! I'm excited to reread the rest!
Shelved as 'dropped'
April 11, 2017DNF page 123, the story just wasn't grabbing me.
January 4, 2008
My friend recommended this Book because I liked the Uglies seires. The author is the same and he has come up with another interesting fantastical idea for a book, or rather books. Jessica, a high school student, has just moved into town and is starting to have some very peculiar dreams. She is confronted by some students at school and they seem to know all about her dreams. She learns that she is what they call a Midnighter. A normal person will experience 24 hours in any given day, but for those who were born between 11:59 PM and 12:01 AM, they experience a 25th hour where everyone else is frozen in time. These Midnighters all have special abilities that help them navigate in this 25th hour. It is exciting but also dangerous. Until Jessica came to town the other Midnighters have managed to stay some what safe. But suddenly the 25th hour has become exteemly not so safe. Jessica is unsure what her ability is and until she finds out, the others are all trying to keep her alive. I can't wait to start the next one!
Luff,
Becca Jane
Luff,
Becca Jane
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2016
Non sono proprio appassionata del genere fantasy, ma devo ammettere che questo libro mi è piaciuto. Nonostante i personaggi non mi facessero impazzire. Nonostante la faccenda delle parole di tredici lettere alla lunga mi infastidisse. Nonostante l'epilogo mi abbia lasciata con l'amaro in bocca, perché non é il "e vissero tutti felici e contenti" che mi aspettavo. Il terzo libro della saga é stato il migliore, l'evoluzione presa dai personaggi di Melissa e soprattutto di Rex mi ha intrigata parecchio, e con ciò pure il loro rapporto così profondo ed esclusivo, e proprio per questo motivo la delusione per il finale é ancora più bruciante. Era proprio necessario il sacrificio di Jess? E così spezzare la coppia con Jonathan? Comunque, anche se forse le quattro stelle sono un po' eccessive, alla fine sono contenta di aver intrapreso questa lettura.
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