Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar Review

Monday, June 18, 2012

Title: Night Beach
Author: Kirsty Eagar
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Publish Date: April 26, 2012
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 324
Source: Author
Imagine there is someone you like so much that just thinking about them leaves you desperate and reckless. You crave them in a way that's not rational, not right, and you're becoming somebody you don't recognise, and certainly don't respect, but you don't even care.

And this person you like is unattainable. Except for one thing...He lives downstairs.

Abbie has three obsessions. Art. The ocean. And Kane. But since Kane's been back, he's changed. There's a darkness shadowing him that only Abbie can see. And it wants her in its world.
Abbie is your ordinary teenager. She loves art, she loves to surf and she has a slightly off and slightly more than slight obsession in Kane who lives downstairs. Abbie often finds herself lost in her own world unless she's surfing or attempting to capture Kane's attention, but these parts of her lives are becoming more and more all-consuming. The darkness surrounding Kane could be dangerous, but as much as it terrifies her, she just can't stay away. Will Abbie figure out the truth in time, or will she be forced to face reality once and for all?

Just like Abbe  has somewhat of an obsession with Kane, I have somewhat of an obsession with Kirsty Eagar, and I say that in the nicest possible way. With Night Beach, Kirsty has tackled a new realm of fiction with the same grace and ease she did with Raw Blue. Playing to her strengths and creating a powerful host of characters in a tricky (to say the least) spot, Night Beach reels you in on its powerful hook and refuses to let go. Dark and alluring, rich and stripped raw, this novel bares the very basis of human emotion and invites you into a dark and twisty world set Down Under with a backdrop of the beach - a maze of contrasts that works in powerful and emotional ways.

If you remember, guys, I was completely floored by the power of Raw Blue. So, needless to say, I had an equal showing of apprehension and excitement for this novel. She warned us it was very different and that it might not work for everyone, but in a way, I don't think Night Beach strayed too far. While, yes, the novel adds a sort of cross-genre twist, for the most part it stays entirely true to her writing style. There is something so stark and raw about her writing style that makes it utterly believable. I have no hesitations when it comes to understanding and believing her characters. Abbie and Kane are stripped down to their barest forms, exposing their inner truths to the reader, but allowing for a sort of gray area to shine through the black and white. It's incredibly powerful and powerfully real. I think the true strength of Night Beach was the transformation in Abbie's character. She was so shallow and petty to start, but we get to watch as she evolves and transforms through the series of events. Regardless, I can empathize with her emotions because she's real, as her obsession and her fear. Likewise, the fear I felt through Night Beach was tangible and real, but it's the honesty behind the fear that made it so very real in the first place. Most of all though, this novel plays up the author's strength in characterization fueling a dark-tinged story.

This was a tricky review to write spoiler-free, but I simply wanted to capture the mood of Night Beach. It's powerful and raw and utterly addicting. I'm obsessed. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA and upper YA, especially those who enjoy thrillers, paranormal and darker stories.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

26 comments:

  1. YESSSSSSSSSS! So excited! Love the sound of Abby and how much she grows and changes throughout. Must. Start. Immediately.

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  2. This looks so good.  I feel like I will relate to the main character (not sure what that says about me) and the book just looks SO good.  I'm glad you loved it!

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  3. I've heard that this is a really good book and that Kristy is a great author anyways! I think I'm going to like Abbie a lot because character transformation are the best! Great review! 

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  4. So excited to read this book. I read her other books and love them. jealous you got to read this one. Loveod the review. Makes me even more giddy to read it.

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  5. This sounds so good! I was a huge fan of Raw Blue and would love to read anything by Kirsty Eager. I'm just prohibited by the cost of the books. Why of why won't Penguin publish her books here?????

    Heather

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  6. I didn't even realize the author of this novel wrote Raw Blue. I haven't read Raw Blue yet, but I've heard countless amount of thigs about it and Kirsty's writing!
    I'm even more excited to read Night Beach. Great review!

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  7. This sounds really, really good. I'm intrigued by the summary, and can't wait to check it out for myself!

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  8. Thank you for writing a spoiler free review and a great one at that! I love Eagar's writing. It's simple yet packs a punch deep in your gut. I'm really curious about this one and I really hope it becomes available in the U.S.

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  9. Oooh! Another book that I have to read now. 

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  10. Trust me...this one is an absolute must-read!

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  11. Thank you, Rummanah! I'm always afraid I'll give something away in a review like this. Eagar's writing is so bloody fantastic. I'll be touring this one, so let me know if you'd like to be a part of it!

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  12. This is one heck of a story, and the author is fabulous. I can't recommend it enough!

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  13. Thank you! I think that any of Eagar's books are must-reads. She is one of my three favourite authors :)

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  14. It's awful, isn't it?! Heather, I'll be touring this book, so let me know if you'd like to be involved!

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  15. Kirsty truly is fantastic! I hope you read and love this book :)

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  16. Abbie is actually a fantastic character - flaws and all. She's so real, and SO very human!

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  17. YES! I WANT TO BE INVOLVED!!! Have you read everything she's written? I see that Amazon has a notification that you can sign up for when Raw Blue will be available here. August 1 in paperback! There is hope!

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  18. Brilliant review Melissa, I absolutely loved Eagar's Raw Blue too, so have been dying to get my hands on a copy of this, it sounds like a fascinating read, I can't wait to discover what's up with Kane! 

    And this " Night Beach reels you in on its powerful hook and refuses to let go. Dark and alluring, rich and stripped raw, this novel bares the very basis of human emotion" absolutely the best line ever! :)

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  19. I've been following her blog, and though I haven't had the chance to read RAW BLUE yet, I really like the idea that Kirsty has kept her sense of writing, but translated and worked it into a different type of story. That's serious authorial chops, and I cannot wait to see the finished product.

    Fabulous review. I hope that I'm able to read this sooner rather than later!

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  20. Aw thank you! Seriously, words cannot describe the magnitude of my love for her writing style. She's fantastic! :)

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  21. I just finished this book & wrote my review for it minutes ago. Seriously. I struggled with summarizing it though (I'm sure you know why). There's just this huge element that is like WOAH! and you really need to read the book to experience it, ya know?  Gahh I adore Eagar. This book was so hauntingly alluring.  I was completely creeped out in moments, and falling in love in others. It's just.. just amazing.

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