Christopher Pike

I was into this book! I'm sure I read this when I was a kid. I remember really like Christopher Pike. I'm doing a reading contest and one of the books to read was a book that you read from your childhood, so I went with this one. I also love when the main character dies and then the book is from their perspective. And that's totally what this was. Way less sad than "In an Instant" but still a great fun read. And just the old school feel of it. Interestingly enough though, there weren't a ton of references that would make me think that the book was from the '80s or '90s. Can't remember the exact publication date. Good mystery, love the dead person's point of view. I'm thinking it would be fun to read the Chain Letter books that he wrote. I can't really remember any books that I read by him, but just that I became obsessed with Christopher Pike when I was younger.… (meer)

Compared to most Christopher Pike books, The Midnight Club offers very little in the way of traditional thrills and chills. But it does have is a lot of heart. The book is, in essence, a powerful and thought-provoking drama about death, interconnection, and what it means to be alive. It's harrowing and beautiful but not particularly spooky.

The synopsis of the plot is a bit deceptive. The Midnight Club begins at Rotterdam Home. We are introduced to a group of five young teens, all of whom suffer from terminal illnesses. To pass the time, they form a storytelling club, meeting up every night to exchange spooky tales (hence the Midnight Club title). This eventually leads them to make a pact, promising each other that whoever dies first will try his or her best to make contact from beyond the grave.

I went in expecting a supernatural tale of spooky contact from beyond the grave and this really isn't a supernatural story per se. In reality, The Midnight Club actually reaches far beyond this initial setup. Pike tells stories within the main story, crafting a beautiful and philosophical tale about life and death. But reader be warned: the supernatural is not the prominent exploration within this story.

This is a heavy read. Not a light hearted teen slasher or a safe R.L. Stine book. This is a different type of YA, written at a time, when YA was not being taken seriously: It's a philosophical, harrowing tale of companionship, suffering, and life. A must-read for young and adult readers alike.

And this is a perfect type of tale for Mike Flanagan to turn into a TV show.… (meer)