Vivian Schilling

I've got incredibly mixed feelings about this book, truth be told. Quietus is built from atmosphere right from the start, and it was the creepiness of things that swept me into the story from the beginning--and that kept me wanting to turn the page. For most of the book, what builds into a supernatural thriller is atmospheric, dark, and wonderfully paced, with a flavor of horror that I loved. Story-wise, the problem for me came pretty late in the book--maybe three quarters of the way through, the plot's focus moved more into what felt like a familial drama, with grief, family, and domestic concerns taking over. Although I understood the turn and the way the book got there, in a lot of ways, the author lost me. I kept reading out of curiosity, to see what would happen... but even a hundred pages from the end, I already knew I wouldn't be picking up another book by this author. Readers who like both types of fiction, both supernatural thrillers and domestic suspense or women's fiction, might not be bothered by the move... but I have to admit it rather ruined the book for me. Simply, it became a book that I just wasn't interested in, subject-wise and genre-wise.

And, it has to be said that this book should have been a lot shorter. Schilling truly needed a better editor to get involved here and help on a language level, sentence by sentence. There's so much telling (vs. showing), and just in general, the book is overwritten--taking three sentences to make a point when the point was already made two paragraphs before and doesn't need to be restated. That issue alone would probably be enough to keep me from picking up another of Schilling's books, honestly, much as I enjoyed the story in the beginning. My paperback clocks in at 646 pages, and I feel pretty confident in saying that it would be a much better book if it were 100-150 pages shorter, given how overwritten it is.

So, interesting as I found the premise and the beginning, I'm afraid this isn't a book I can recommend.… (plus d'informations)

***Possible spoilers you have been warned***

I was absolutely into the first half of the book. I loved the dark setting, the dark descent of madness for poor Kylie and trying to figure out what is happening to her and her world. The mood and the setting is dark and meant to be so, this part is excellent and sets the tone of the book. You get the eerie creepy feelings and the writing style is good enough that it could be played out like a movie in your head.

So Kyle as a character is all right. She has her flaws, her marriage has flaws but I’ll be honest to say I really did like her and Jack together. You knew they had major flaws and issues that should have been resolved but they just never got around to it. But their chemistry was excellent and you could feel their love even though sad to say, it was going on a path that just wasn’t meant to be. Although their relationship wasn’t that great to begin with, love was never a problem and they looked and seemed great together but it just wasn’t meant to be.

So let’s get to the plot. It started off on the right foot. Lots of creep factor. The plane crash incident well done. Kylie’s recovery, and the slow descent to what looks like madness (but isn’t) and the book tries to explain this to you while you read. Okay. I can handle this. I wanted to know what happens next.

Then we come across this incident in Kylie’s past that’s coming back to haunt her (see what I did there? Har har) okay. It’s pretty traumatic, and well you did send the guy to death because of a crime he committed so I get it.

Julius though….This guy was a grown man while Kylie was a little girl when he died and all of sudden he’s going all creepy touchy feely and managed to induce this semi wet dream/alternate reality sequence with present day Kylie while she was on public transportation. Yeah. Ok. And stop calling her Kylie Rose. It’s annoying but also creepy in a Pedo kind of way.

So after being introduced to Julius the incubus ghost wannabe the plot just slides down the hill and it becomes almost a chore to read through. I can’t believe this book has to be 608 pages as we already know what’s going on with Kylie and her crew about 200 pages in. It gets too descriptive, too mushy and it attempts to do some sort of surreal thing about life after death yadda yadda yadda.

I tried to like it. I can’t. If you cut the book in half and redid the ending so it wasn’t one long dreary part then the book would have been much better and more enjoyable to read. But this falls so short and it’s unfortunate the theme had promise and even the characters had potential.… (plus d'informations)

I truly enjoyed the experience I had reading this book. From the beginning to the end I was transported into the story. My attention was there every step of the way. Kylie became more and more intriguing as the story progressed. As did the mysterious man that was haunting Kylie in her life. Who was he? What was his connection to Kylie? Was he good or a sign of death?

I read a comment by another reader who mentioned Final Destination movies. Yeah, I kind of saw a bit of a reference to the movies but to me this book was more then the movies. It was not trying to be a knock off. It is kind of funny as I would be complaining about how subtle actions or other events were in a book but with this one it worked. It was kind of poetic the way that there was nothing too bold about the story. It just flowed. Plus, there was an underlining message within the story. Fans of gothic stories may want to check out this book.… (plus d'informations)