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The Walls Around Us
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Start ReadingEditor's Note
Darkly beautiful…
“The Walls Around Us” is just as haunting and darkly beautiful and torturously lonely as its title and cover hinted it would be. Nova Ren Suma writes some of the most provocative unreliable narration I’ve ever read.
Description
“With evocative language, a shifting timeline and more than one unreliable narrator, Suma subtly explores the balance of power between the talented and the mediocre, the rich and the poor, the brave and the cowardly . . . To reveal more would be to uncover the bloody heart that beats beneath the floorboards of this urban-legend-tinged tale.” —The New York Times
The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices--one still living and one dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old ballerina days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries: What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve--in this life or in another one?
PRAISE FOR THE WALLS AROUND US:
“A gorgeously written, spellbinding ghost story.” —Chicago Tribune
"Unputdownable . . . the well-paced plot reveals guilt, innocence, and dark truths that will not stay hidden." —The Boston Globe
“Suma excels in creating surreal, unsettling stories with vivid language, and this psychological thriller is no exception. Along the way, Suma also makes a powerful statement about the ease with which guilt can be assumed and innocence awarded, not only in the criminal justice system, but in our hearts--in the stories we tell ourselves. A fabulous, frightening read.” —Booklist, starred review
“The wholly realistic view of adolescents meeting the criminal justice system is touched at first with the slimmest twist of an otherworldly creepiness, escalating finally to the truly hair-raising and macabre. Eerie, painful and beautifully spine-chilling.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
#1 Spring 2015 Kids’ Indie Next List Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices--one still living and one dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old ballerina days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries: What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve--in this life or in another one?
PRAISE FOR THE WALLS AROUND US:
“A gorgeously written, spellbinding ghost story.” —Chicago Tribune
"Unputdownable . . . the well-paced plot reveals guilt, innocence, and dark truths that will not stay hidden." —The Boston Globe
“Suma excels in creating surreal, unsettling stories with vivid language, and this psychological thriller is no exception. Along the way, Suma also makes a powerful statement about the ease with which guilt can be assumed and innocence awarded, not only in the criminal justice system, but in our hearts--in the stories we tell ourselves. A fabulous, frightening read.” —Booklist, starred review
“The wholly realistic view of adolescents meeting the criminal justice system is touched at first with the slimmest twist of an otherworldly creepiness, escalating finally to the truly hair-raising and macabre. Eerie, painful and beautifully spine-chilling.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
#1 Spring 2015 Kids’ Indie Next List Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Book Actions
Start ReadingBook Information
The Walls Around Us
Editor's Note
Darkly beautiful…
“The Walls Around Us” is just as haunting and darkly beautiful and torturously lonely as its title and cover hinted it would be. Nova Ren Suma writes some of the most provocative unreliable narration I’ve ever read.
Description
“With evocative language, a shifting timeline and more than one unreliable narrator, Suma subtly explores the balance of power between the talented and the mediocre, the rich and the poor, the brave and the cowardly . . . To reveal more would be to uncover the bloody heart that beats beneath the floorboards of this urban-legend-tinged tale.” —The New York Times
The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices--one still living and one dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old ballerina days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries: What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve--in this life or in another one?
PRAISE FOR THE WALLS AROUND US:
“A gorgeously written, spellbinding ghost story.” —Chicago Tribune
"Unputdownable . . . the well-paced plot reveals guilt, innocence, and dark truths that will not stay hidden." —The Boston Globe
“Suma excels in creating surreal, unsettling stories with vivid language, and this psychological thriller is no exception. Along the way, Suma also makes a powerful statement about the ease with which guilt can be assumed and innocence awarded, not only in the criminal justice system, but in our hearts--in the stories we tell ourselves. A fabulous, frightening read.” —Booklist, starred review
“The wholly realistic view of adolescents meeting the criminal justice system is touched at first with the slimmest twist of an otherworldly creepiness, escalating finally to the truly hair-raising and macabre. Eerie, painful and beautifully spine-chilling.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
#1 Spring 2015 Kids’ Indie Next List Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices--one still living and one dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old ballerina days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries: What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve--in this life or in another one?
PRAISE FOR THE WALLS AROUND US:
“A gorgeously written, spellbinding ghost story.” —Chicago Tribune
"Unputdownable . . . the well-paced plot reveals guilt, innocence, and dark truths that will not stay hidden." —The Boston Globe
“Suma excels in creating surreal, unsettling stories with vivid language, and this psychological thriller is no exception. Along the way, Suma also makes a powerful statement about the ease with which guilt can be assumed and innocence awarded, not only in the criminal justice system, but in our hearts--in the stories we tell ourselves. A fabulous, frightening read.” —Booklist, starred review
“The wholly realistic view of adolescents meeting the criminal justice system is touched at first with the slimmest twist of an otherworldly creepiness, escalating finally to the truly hair-raising and macabre. Eerie, painful and beautifully spine-chilling.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
#1 Spring 2015 Kids’ Indie Next List Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
About the author
Reviews
Goodreads Synopsis: “Ori’s dead because of what happened out behind the theater, in the tunnel made out of trees. She’s dead because she got sent to that place upstate, locked up with those monsters. And she got sent there because of me.”The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices—one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries.We hear Amber’s story and Violet’s, and through them Orianna’s, first from one angle, then from another, until gradually we begin to get the whole picture—which is not necessarily the one that either Amber or Violet wants us to see.Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and innocence, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other.My Review: I requested this book off of Netgalley because I thought it would be an interesting read. I'm surprised at how haunting this book really is. It's beautiful. The cover is amazing, I love it, and the story kept me hooked from the moment I started reading it. I have a good feeling about this book. I hope it goes amazing places. So basically, it's about three girls. Orianna, Violet, and Amber. Orianna is a girl who was friends with Violet for a long time, and took some risky chances for her, and ended up committing suicide in "Prison". Though there are only two points of view in this book, I feel like I really got to know the character Orianna, and I loved her. I loved all three of them, really. They're such... deep characters. I don't know how to put it. They seem like real people. They have thoughts like real people, not just like someone who's been written to say things. I absolutely loved it. This is an amazing story and I think that a lot of people are going to like it. I finished the book in one sitting, and I'm proud of that. I stayed up extra late to finish it. I needed to finish it, I needed to read more. I'm hooked. I think this might be one of my new favourites and I'm glad I got the chance to read it. Ballet dancers, murder, jail time. That makes for an amazing book. I think that's all I want to say about that, I don't want to spoil it for anyone! Thanks for reading.(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
Rating: 5Hmmm... I still don't really know exactly how I feel about this book, and I've been mulling it over for a few hours now. Admittedly, I didn't read the blurb before starting The Walls Around Us. I simply noticed that it had a ton of love thrown at it, plus that I hadn't yet reviewed it as a NetGalley book, and decided to make it my next read. It's nice to go in with no preconceived notions, and just really let a book sweep me away. This one just didn't do that as easily as I expected it to.
The base story, the story that goes back and forth between the calculating Violet and the slightly lost Amber, was pretty spot on for me. I loved this story of two girls, in such different circumstances, each facing the truth trapped inside themselves. It's tough to imagine such young girls committing any type of atrocities, but Nova Ren Suma weaves this story that makes you feel for them. It makes you understand, even if you don't necessarily forgive.
What lost me, and what I afterwards realized was in the synopsis, was the "ghostly" aspect of this book. It's difficult to explain without spoiling anything, and I absolutely want to leave this vague for anyone still interested in this book, but this portion of the book just felt like it was missing something. I can't put my finger on what, exactly. It was like at some point the book wandered off into the forest, and I lost track of it in the trees. After the first few chapters, I had already figured out the main plot points that were to come. So the "mystery" aspect of this wasn't really there for me. Plus I all but despised Violet. So I didn't care all that much if something terrible were to come her way.
Then there was the ending. Which, although it actually did fit with the book as whole, really felt unsatisfying to me. I was confused at first. Then, after reading through it at second time, I finally understood what had happened. Still, I didn't feel like it was what I wanted. Redemption is great. Revenge is understandable. This, however, was really confusing. I'm sure there are plenty out there who will appreciate the vagueness of it all. I really wanted solid closure though.
So, I'm going to settle this right at 3 stars. If anything, I'm going to say that this book has peaked my interest in terms of Nova Ren Suma as an author. This is the first book of hers that I have read, and now that I see how solidly she can build characters, I'm intrigued so see what else is out there. Rest assured, this all my opinion. As I mentioned above, there is a ton of love for this book and I see a lot of things other people will love. It just wasn't exactly what I was looking for.
Rating: 3The base story, the story that goes back and forth between the calculating Violet and the slightly lost Amber, was pretty spot on for me. I loved this story of two girls, in such different circumstances, each facing the truth trapped inside themselves. It's tough to imagine such young girls committing any type of atrocities, but Nova Ren Suma weaves this story that makes you feel for them. It makes you understand, even if you don't necessarily forgive.
What lost me, and what I afterwards realized was in the synopsis, was the "ghostly" aspect of this book. It's difficult to explain without spoiling anything, and I absolutely want to leave this vague for anyone still interested in this book, but this portion of the book just felt like it was missing something. I can't put my finger on what, exactly. It was like at some point the book wandered off into the forest, and I lost track of it in the trees. After the first few chapters, I had already figured out the main plot points that were to come. So the "mystery" aspect of this wasn't really there for me. Plus I all but despised Violet. So I didn't care all that much if something terrible were to come her way.
Then there was the ending. Which, although it actually did fit with the book as whole, really felt unsatisfying to me. I was confused at first. Then, after reading through it at second time, I finally understood what had happened. Still, I didn't feel like it was what I wanted. Redemption is great. Revenge is understandable. This, however, was really confusing. I'm sure there are plenty out there who will appreciate the vagueness of it all. I really wanted solid closure though.
So, I'm going to settle this right at 3 stars. If anything, I'm going to say that this book has peaked my interest in terms of Nova Ren Suma as an author. This is the first book of hers that I have read, and now that I see how solidly she can build characters, I'm intrigued so see what else is out there. Rest assured, this all my opinion. As I mentioned above, there is a ton of love for this book and I see a lot of things other people will love. It just wasn't exactly what I was looking for.
See full review @ The Indigo Quill
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Two words: BOOK HANGOVER. Ever since I've finished this book I've been begging everyone I know to read it so I can have someone to discuss it with. It was just that good.
May it be noted that you will either love this book or hate it. If you don't mind being confused the majority of the book because you're trying to figure out what exactly is happening..then you'll enjoy the mystery and intrigue that keeps you unsettled throughout the entire storyline. Here's how I sum up the plot:
You have two ballerinas, Ori and Violet. Ori has a natural-born talent for her craft, but Violet is the big green jealousy monster who stands in Ori's shadow. Violet might be crazy, but we aren't sure. Violet may have murdered two other dancers out of blinding fury, or maybe Ori did it. Perhaps they both worked in tandem, but we aren't sure of that either.
Then you have Amber who's the longest standing resident of the juvenile detention center that Ori is sent to (even though she might be innocent), and she may have killed a guy, but then again, maybe she didn't.
Then there's a mysterious mass poisoning that may have killed everyone. Oh, and there might be ghosts. But we don't know if that's the reality or just hallucinations.
Frankly, we aren't too sure of anything. Maybe the reader is the crazy one? The plot thickens...
The Walls Around Us reads in the context of maddening confusion, and I loved every moment of it. It kept me turning pages so I could hope to find answers, and even now I still have questions. The reader is left to determine how exactly the book really ended. It was just so good!
Nova Ren Suma's writing is exquisite, but not complicated. Her execution is artful without taking away from the story. The writing itself is easy to understand, while the movement of the plot is what keeps the mystery hanging around the text.
This book is entirely character driven, so most of our time is spent watching the characters develop during and after the action, and it is their thoughts that reveal to us what is happening.
You will like this book if you like mystery, focusing mostly on the characters, enjoy realistic fiction with a touch of (possible) paranormal, and enjoy a novel that does not tie a neat little bow at the end.
You will not like this book if you want a more plot-driven storyline, too much character insight bores you, you don't like being confused during the majority of the book, and you want to have all the answers by the time you close the cover. That's just not going to happen.
If you do decide to read this book, tell me your thoughts, because there are so many more aspects that I would like to discuss with someone! Anyone. Seriously. Even if you didn't like it, I just need to talk about it. And you probably will too, because you will no doubt have a book hangover in some capacity like I do a whole week later.
Rating: 5Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Two words: BOOK HANGOVER. Ever since I've finished this book I've been begging everyone I know to read it so I can have someone to discuss it with. It was just that good.
May it be noted that you will either love this book or hate it. If you don't mind being confused the majority of the book because you're trying to figure out what exactly is happening..then you'll enjoy the mystery and intrigue that keeps you unsettled throughout the entire storyline. Here's how I sum up the plot:
You have two ballerinas, Ori and Violet. Ori has a natural-born talent for her craft, but Violet is the big green jealousy monster who stands in Ori's shadow. Violet might be crazy, but we aren't sure. Violet may have murdered two other dancers out of blinding fury, or maybe Ori did it. Perhaps they both worked in tandem, but we aren't sure of that either.
Then you have Amber who's the longest standing resident of the juvenile detention center that Ori is sent to (even though she might be innocent), and she may have killed a guy, but then again, maybe she didn't.
Then there's a mysterious mass poisoning that may have killed everyone. Oh, and there might be ghosts. But we don't know if that's the reality or just hallucinations.
Frankly, we aren't too sure of anything. Maybe the reader is the crazy one? The plot thickens...
The Walls Around Us reads in the context of maddening confusion, and I loved every moment of it. It kept me turning pages so I could hope to find answers, and even now I still have questions. The reader is left to determine how exactly the book really ended. It was just so good!
Nova Ren Suma's writing is exquisite, but not complicated. Her execution is artful without taking away from the story. The writing itself is easy to understand, while the movement of the plot is what keeps the mystery hanging around the text.
This book is entirely character driven, so most of our time is spent watching the characters develop during and after the action, and it is their thoughts that reveal to us what is happening.
You will like this book if you like mystery, focusing mostly on the characters, enjoy realistic fiction with a touch of (possible) paranormal, and enjoy a novel that does not tie a neat little bow at the end.
You will not like this book if you want a more plot-driven storyline, too much character insight bores you, you don't like being confused during the majority of the book, and you want to have all the answers by the time you close the cover. That's just not going to happen.
If you do decide to read this book, tell me your thoughts, because there are so many more aspects that I would like to discuss with someone! Anyone. Seriously. Even if you didn't like it, I just need to talk about it. And you probably will too, because you will no doubt have a book hangover in some capacity like I do a whole week later.
[Cross-posted to Knite Writes]This was a very strange read for me.Firstly, the plot isn’t very plot-like. It’s a meandering, slow-moving, beautifully written examination of the psyche of two very disturbed girls, plus a brief narrative slowly woven in about the wrongful conviction of the one character who doesn’t have major emotional problems and isn’t guilty of a horrible crime. The book bounces back and forth between Violet’s twisted views of reality and Amber’s total disconnect from the world outside the juvenile detention center. This is not, by any measure, a straightforward drama — instead, it’s a short story drawn out through vivid examination of every detail.As such, I’ve had a hard time deciding how I feel about this book.On the one hand, the writing is glorious. The gorgeous, flawlessly flowing prose keeps you hooked to the page, even when you feel that something is lacking in another area of the book (like, say, the plot). On the other hand, I feel this book suffers a bit for its originality. Now, don’t get me wrong, I applaud the author for attempting an original structure and style — which, on many levels, were completely successful. But there is something to be said about style versus accessibility.In some ways, this book was hard to access for me. I had a hard time connecting to the characters because of the way the story was written. I had a hard time following the storyline because of the way the book was structured. There were times when I really didn’t understand what was happening, and when it all finally clicked at the end, I felt a little, well, cheated that the intricate and complex plot ended up so…normal. It is, at its close, a story of justice with some magic realism thrown in. A much simpler outcome than the rest of the book implies.It’s a bit jarring, the ending. Everything wraps up in such a tidy manner so quickly I honestly couldn’t believe that was it. I’d spent several hundred pages on this slow, slow journey through the characters’ minds only for the climax of the story and the conclusion to happen within a few pages of one another. A quick, almost “too satisfying” close for such a complex novel. “Too satisfying” in that everything ends in what is, ostensibly, a “happy” manner — a total reversal from the rest of the book.Basically, this book is an incredibly complex dissection of two criminal minds and the story of the innocent girl that got mixed up with them. Thrown in some absolute justice here. Throw in some magic realism there. It’s a very non-typical novel with a lot of interesting quirks and some beautiful writing. But it does suffer some from its originality — always a risk — because it alienates readers in a number of ways, and the ending suffers from an abrupt shift from that originality to a more typical storyline.All in all, an interesting read, for sure — I’d say it’s a very mixed bag._____…// DisclosureI received a free ebook copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4This book defies easy categorization - is it mystery, horror, fantasy. There are a few plot points that are unresolved, but if you are interested in a twisty book with lots open to interpretation, you might like this one.
Rating: 3Orianna "Ori" Speerling is a teenage ballet dancer from the wrong side of the tracks. Her mom left when she was a kid leaving her the daughter of a single dad. Despite her circumstances, she is unarguably the most captivating dancer in her dance school, possessing a natural talent and flair that cast everyone else in shadow, including her best friend Violet "Vee" Dumont who has the upper class trappings Ori will never have, but can't quite keep up with her friend in sheer talent. Ori is a more loyal friend than Vee deserves, always holding herself back so her friend can keep up. The two share everything. Ori practically lives at Vee's house. That is, until something happens, something that finds Ori in the Aurora Hills Secure Juvenile Detention Center while Vee dances her last high school recital and prepares to leave for Julliard. The rest of the story comes via Ori's cell mate Amber, a presumed innocent victim of the justice system, who has found an unexpected place to belong among the inmates of Aurora Hills.Without saying too much, let me just say how perfect The Walls Around Us ended up being for this autumn time of year. The story it tells wanders from guilt and crime and grief into the downright eerie, and I loved it. The Walls Around Us is one of those books that, if the "Young Readers" wasn't attached to its publisher's name, it would be difficult to peg as a YA book. Suma doesn't sacrifice complexity or artful prose upon the altar of the book's would-be target audience, something I always appreciate in a well written YA book. Each of her characters are fully actualized from free-spirit Ori, to angry, insecure Violet, to the mild-mannered Amber who brings out the unexpected camaraderie she's found among the fellow inmates of Aurora Hills by narrating her bits with "we" instead of "I."The Walls Around Us is a beautifully composed, disturbingly rendered picture of the disturbing truth behind a pair of "perfect" ballerinas that goes beyond guilt and innocence to explore the natural and the supernatural. It easily weaves between past and present, knitting together a story that is otherworldly and unexpected keeping readers on the edges of their seats until the truth is out and justice can finally be served.
Rating: 5One of my favorites so far of this year, this is the story of three girls who all have secrets and how those secrets define their lives and futures. It is beautifully written and the storyline comes together perfectly at the end. A great example of how good storytelling can make a book come alive.
Rating: 5Great story told from the perspective of three teenage girls all intertwined together. A good read about how far one goes for friendship and the consequences of jealousy.
Rating: 5Murder is nothing to dance around, but the storyline, characters, and plot does just that. Vibrant passages and supernatural aspect provide a unique look at the ugliness of teenage angst. One stepfather, two murders, three teenagers, and four dancers are at the center of this ghostly tale. This book has something for everyone, but at the same time, it can delight, horrify, or simply lose the reader as the disjointed with the all too real characters fade in and out of the plot.
Rating: 4Actual Rating: 5!Whew, I really gotta catch my breath about this one. It was such a twisting and winding road - even confusing at times - but I can't deny how amazing the writing style and story is.I'd read 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma last year and honestly, had absolutely NO idea what to expect or who she was. I do remember loving the book, and imagine my surprise when I found out The Walls Around Us was by the same author!It was somewhat of a cross between a psychological thriller and a paranormal mystery, and the line between what's real and what's not definitely blurs into one another, keeping the reader on their toes to find out what the story is about. There are definite themes that can be applied to real life: Suma does extremely well portraying the poison of jealousy and anger, as well expressing the transition from an absolute feeling of hopelessness to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.The Walls Around Us is written in dual perspective (which I normally don't like, but Suma made it work), with one perspective from Amber, a girl in the Aurora Hills Juvenile Detention Center, and the other from Violet, an aspiring dancer. I loved both, I really did, but I have to admit that Amber's perspective appealed to me more because it had more of the dark atmosphere and suspense. I did really like Violet's perspective near the end, where the truth was being revealed (no spoilers ;) ).I'm honestly not sure how much I should reveal about this story, since there are so many aspects of this book that you need to read to understand, but The Walls Around Us is definitely a book I would recommend!
Rating: 5"The Walls Around Us" is a story about three girls and how their paths cross, their mysteries intertwine and their secrets unravel. Violet's dream is to be a professional ballerina, she has trained and studied for years and in just a few short days she will leave for Julliard. Amber is in a girls detention center, surrounded by murderers, thieves and druggies, oh my! Ori is the girls that ties Vi and Amber's stories together. Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Book Depository-------------------------------------I don't want to say too much about this book because I feel like it's the kind of book you have to go into blind. It's such a good mystery and it's supernatural/ghostly undertone adds a depth to it that you don't see a ton of in the YA genre.I was a little hesitant when I first started it because it was a little difficult to tell exactly where the timeline of each chapter was taking place but it didn't take long for me to just let go and roll with the punches. I feel like if you try to over think this book and draw a clear timeline you'll drive yourself crazy and end up not finishing it. One of the thinks I loved about this book was how the divide between reality and fantasy wasn't always black and white but a dark gray.I feel like if this book were to be turned into a movie the only person who could direct it and make it a worthy adaption would be M. Night Shyamalan. It's got that eerie, cryptic, spooky factor that makes you want to read it in the middle of the afternoon yet you still find yourself staying up way past midnight to finish it. This is definitely one of those books that you finish and you immediately feel the need to flip to the first page and read all over again. I cannot wait to read more from this author and I HIGHLY recommend this book! Until next time, Ginger In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review. My review is my honest opinion.
Rating: 5Barely paranormal,utterly engrossing,and an urgency to the narrative that bordered on the vertiginous. This book made me forget what books are supposed to be. After the last page, I sat, stunned for a full minute, my mouth agape.
Rating: 5I enjoyed the writing at first, but after a while, the weird, circuitous style began to grate. It's a ghost story, and while the cast of characters are in turns sweet, strange and malevolent, I just cannot get worked up about it.
Rating: 3
nic e
Rating: 5
excellent. .
Rating: 5
. Its tremendous :)
Rating: 4Thats really good... .
Rating: 5
Its remarkable :) .
Rating: 5Tha ts tremendous
What a great story! Kind of like a Black Swan story with some serious supernatural elements. Awesome :)
Rating: 5
nice ...........
Rating: 5Exc ellent
Rating: 3Sometimes it felt like the story could have been told in less pages.
Rating: 3Suma is one of those authors that I always end up reading (I've previously read 17 & Gone and Imaginary Girls), even though I'm never really satisfied by what I've read.
This book is no exception. The set-up, like all of Suma's books, is interesting enough. But once we actually get into the story, it plods along, never really saying or doing anything at all, happy to just tread water. Really, what was the point? It's a ghost-revenge story, but Suma never takes the time to explain anything or flesh anything out.
Truly, supernatural aspect aside, the "mystery" (if it's even enough to call it that) is much too transparent. Which would be okay, if the characters felt real and there was some actual exploration done of their psyche. But that never happens.
At one point in the story Violet remarks about how the audience loved her, because of course they did, because they're idiots. That was how I felt after reading it; the show puts on a beautiful display about being Dark and Being Significant, but it's just that: a display. There's no substance to be found, no actual story beneath the shiny veneer.
Rating: 3This book is no exception. The set-up, like all of Suma's books, is interesting enough. But once we actually get into the story, it plods along, never really saying or doing anything at all, happy to just tread water. Really, what was the point? It's a ghost-revenge story, but Suma never takes the time to explain anything or flesh anything out.
Truly, supernatural aspect aside, the "mystery" (if it's even enough to call it that) is much too transparent. Which would be okay, if the characters felt real and there was some actual exploration done of their psyche. But that never happens.
At one point in the story Violet remarks about how the audience loved her, because of course they did, because they're idiots. That was how I felt after reading it; the show puts on a beautiful display about being Dark and Being Significant, but it's just that: a display. There's no substance to be found, no actual story beneath the shiny veneer.
3.5
Rating: 3
“The Walls Around Us” is just as haunting and darkly beautiful and torturously lonely as its title and cover hinted it would be. This is going to sound super strange, but I’m fascinated with stories that engage with the issue of walls—metaphorical, physical, illusionary, or otherwise. Two of my favorite songs—“Walls” by Sultan + Shepard and “I Promise You Walls” by Shiny Toy Guns—capture the duplicitous nature of walls in a soul-crushing way, which is all I could think about when I started reading Nova Ren Suma’s novel. Walls can keep you safe. Walls can create a prison. Walls have a permanence that reassures us, keeps us sturdy. Walls have a permanence that only crumbles slowly, like our sanity when we’re trapped within. Walls can look pretty on one side but not the other. Walls help us block out what we don’t want to see. These are the disheartening truths “The Walls Around Us” tackles through the story of three girls caught up in murders and other mysteries. Two of them long to escape the confines of a juvenile correctional facility, while the other is a ballet dancer who’s bound for Juilliard yet can’t escape the guilt she feels after that one bloody night. It’s hard to discuss anything concrete about this book without spoilers, but I can say it features some of the most provocative unreliable narration I’ve ever read.
Rating: 4Be sure to suspend your disbelief at the door and just buy-in to the journey. Much easier that way. Also, very strong writing in an atmospheric way.
Rating: 4I'm not even entirely sure what to say tbh.
Rating: 4This is a beautifully written book about three girls and how they are related through chance and circumstances. Violet has it all – a rich family, a great education and ballet lessons that make her better than her natural talent allows. Amber is the child of a dysfunctional family where the stepfather is abusive and her mother simply looks the other way. The stepfather dies in a truck accident and Amber is accused of creating it. She is sent away for life but due to her age, ends up at Aurora Hills, a juvenile detention center. Tying these two characters together is Orianna, and this is where it gets interesting. Suffice to say, it is a great story, one of friendship, justice and some great ghosts! This is one of my favorite books now.
Rating: 5I would like to thank Algonquin Young Readers & NetGalley for giving me a copy of this e-book to read in exchange for an honest review. Though I received this e-book for free that in no way impacts my review.Goodreads Teaser: "On the outside, there's Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement.On the inside, within the walls of the Aurora Hills juvenile detention center, there's Amber, locked up for so long she can't imagine freedom.Tying their two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls' darkest mysteries…What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve—in this life or in another one?In prose that sings from line to line, Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and of innocence, and of what happens when one is mistaken for the other."A shockingly good tale of justice, murder, redemption, and the unknown told through three girls lives. Three very different girls, each from their own walks of life and coming from distinctly unrelated backgrounds. Though a bit of a climb in the beginning, once you catch the rhythm of the story it weaves its way deeper and deeper under your skin until are unable to put the book down, for some long after their finished reading. Amber is a mix of contradictions, and acts as the narrator for life inside of Aurora Hills. Through her life in juvie is well described, all of the roles that inmates fill painted, but still leaving room for the individual in each role to shape her own story to the extent she is willing to share with her other inmates. But of course what isn't said out loud is spoken in other ways.Violet, a.k.a. Vee, and Orianna, a.k.a. Ori, have their own story outside of Aurora Hills, which we learn from Vee. She comes from a background of wealth and privilege while Ori comes from the wrong side of the tracks, something that irritates Vee's parents for all the years of their friendship. Although Vee seems to have everything, she lacks self-esteem. That lack combined with her sense of entitlement don't make for the nicest of people. Even when Ori befriends her in their first ballet class Vee finds a way to hold her resentments close. For all though Ori comes from a broken family that lives in the wrong part of town, she is loved by all. Ori possesses an inner glow and beauty that can't be bought or faked. And she is an absolute natural at ballet. While Vee has to work so much harder to be good, when Ori dances she's called transcendent. As the story unfolds, switching between Amber's and Violet's narratives, we only slowly begin to see what happened. What really happened is a mystery that isn't always answered. The same is true of the unexplainable, almost mystical parts of the story. They work so well within the story, bringing it to a whole different level, yet they also left me with a raft of questions when all was said and done. If I had to describe this book I'd probably say that it's part reality show, part ghost story, all teenage emotion and reasoning. The fact that there are three main characters and yet it's only told by two of those three makes for an interesting twist. And that is only one of several mind boggling twists and turns the story follows. Just when you think you've grasped an essential truth something else is revealed or concealed, once again leaving you grasping at straws, trying to make sense of all the pieces that create the whole tapestry of this twisted tale. Absolutely worth reading, and highly recommended. It will leave your mind spinning, and Ori, Vee, Amber, and all the other characters of Aurora Hills will stay with you long after you've finished this book.
Rating: 5