Tuesday 5 May 2009

Meet Me at the Boathouse - Suzanne Bugler

Meet Me at the Boathouse - Suzanne Bugler

Pages: 276
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Release Date: 17th May 2007

Other Titles by This Author: Staring Up at the Sun

Louise knows that Danny loves her more than anyone ever could. It isn’t his fault he gets things mixed up sometimes…

It doesn’t mean he’s a liar.

Then something terrible happens, and all the good things melt away. Louise and Danny are hanging out with dodgy people, doing things that aren’t right. Danny isn’t exciting anymore…he’s weird, and he’s starting to scare her.

Could everyone else have been right all along?

I can’t actually decide what I think about Meet Me at the Boathouse. It was good in the way that it was well written and had realistic, believable characters, but I just didn’t enjoy it.

There was something about this book that made me uncomfortable. From the very beginning, Danny gave me the creeps. Everything about him screamed, ‘Stay away’. That feeling just got stronger and stronger as the novel progressed and I eventually got to the point where I couldn’t wait for it to end.

I was anticipating physical violence from Danny but I felt that even when it happened, the psychological harm that he inflicted on Louise was so much worse. This may have been what set me on edge but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

The feelings that I had whilst reading Meet Me at the Boathouse have put me off reading Suzanne Bugler’s other novel, but I may change my mind at some point.

Sophie

9 comments:

  1. Oh, interesting review! I think I know what you mean about stories like this, but I'd definitely like to read it some time and see if it has a similar effect on me. Thanks for the review!

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  2. I got goosebumps just reading your review. This book sounds really interesting.

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  3. I really like the cover and it sounds interesting.

    Great review!

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  4. I don't think I've ever read a book that was this creepy/disturbing. I'm also not a fan of physical violence, so I think I'll stay away from this one.

    Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you finished it even though you didn't really like it!

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  5. Wow, Sophie, what chills. Great job.

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  6. I think it was the psychological elements that made you feel uncomfortable. Sadly, all the psychological terror inflicts much more harm than physical abuse.

    Bruises fade in time, but the psychological damage remains sometimes a life time.

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  7. I mean in the starting of this story they were together and then she tells us how she met danny and then in the end they go opposite ways i didnt really get that. Sorry 4 the spoiler. However i did not find it upsetting. 4frm Aysha

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  8. I cried about 3 times in this book, it was just so sad, poor louise, dannys just so creepy

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  9. same the book was good though you just coudnt stop reading till you got to the end i wish there was a follow on ;)

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