Like the yearning, doomed young clones in Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, three teenagers with XP (a life-threatening allergy to sunlight) are a species unto themselves. As seen through the eyes of 16-year-old Allie Kim, they roam the silent streets, looking for adventure, while others sleep. When Allie's best friend introduces the trio to Parkour, the stunt-sport of running and climbing off forest cliffs and tall buildings (risky in daylight and potentially deadly by darkness), they feel truly alive, equal to the "daytimers."
On a random summer night, while scaling a building like any other, the three happen to peer into an empty apartment and glimpse an older man with what looks like a dead girl. A game of cat-and-mouse ensues that escalates through the underground world of hospital confinement, off-the-grid sports, and forbidden love. Allie, who can never see the light of day, discovers she's the lone key to stopping a human monster.
Books
Young Adult Fiction
What We Saw At Night
What We Saw At Night http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/a1/35/ac/_13642750-1348018349.jpg Featured
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
12+
Release Date
January 08, 2013
ISBN
1616951419
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User reviews
Average user rating from: 2 user(s)
The best part of this whole story is that it illustrates the greatness and the weakness of friendship. A common piece of teen life is the friendships created which often contains betrayal, blossoming relationships, and in the end many people face the severing those ties. I loved the relationship between Juliet and Allie, although it always seemed like Juliet had the upper hand in the friendship. Allie was fiercely loyal to this girl despite the shortcomings, the mistakes, and the lies.
Rob and Allie are a fun pair to read about. I laughed at some of their more ridiculous romantic moments such as the fact that he would drive by every night and became a "stalker" in the eyes of her mom.
I enjoyed reading about XP and the fact that they basically did live a life in darkness, fearing the sun and hoping to live. It made me think about it a lot and I am curious about people that are essentially creatures of the night because they have to live in shadows.
The mystery and thriller aspect of the story was fun to read and kept me on my toes throughout the course of the story. Sometimes you question whether Allie saw what she thought she saw or whether there is some big cover up going on. It keeps the story interesting and intriguing.
Rob and Allie are a fun pair to read about. I laughed at some of their more ridiculous romantic moments such as the fact that he would drive by every night and became a "stalker" in the eyes of her mom.
I enjoyed reading about XP and the fact that they basically did live a life in darkness, fearing the sun and hoping to live. It made me think about it a lot and I am curious about people that are essentially creatures of the night because they have to live in shadows.
The mystery and thriller aspect of the story was fun to read and kept me on my toes throughout the course of the story. Sometimes you question whether Allie saw what she thought she saw or whether there is some big cover up going on. It keeps the story interesting and intriguing.
| Overall rating | 3.7 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 3.0 |
What We Saw At Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Pixie Dust Book Reviews)
The best part of this whole story is that it illustrates the greatness and the weakness of friendship. A common piece of teen life is the friendships created which often contains betrayal, blossoming relationships, and in the end many people face the severing those ties. I loved the relationship between Juliet and Allie, although it always seemed like Juliet had the upper hand in the friendship. Allie was fiercely loyal to this girl despite the shortcomings, the mistakes, and the lies.
Rob and Allie are a fun pair to read about. I laughed at some of their more ridiculous romantic moments such as the fact that he would drive by every night and became a "stalker" in the eyes of her mom.
I enjoyed reading about XP and the fact that they basically did live a life in darkness, fearing the sun and hoping to live. It made me think about it a lot and I am curious about people that are essentially creatures of the night because they have to live in shadows.
The mystery and thriller aspect of the story was fun to read and kept me on my toes throughout the course of the story. Sometimes you question whether Allie saw what she thought she saw or whether there is some big cover up going on. It keeps the story interesting and intriguing.
Do You Recommend?
Maybe
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Advanced Review Release Date January 8th 2013
“Live Once.” -Jacquelyn Mitchard, What We Saw at Night
“Allie Kim suffers from Xeroderma Pigmentosum: a fatal allergy to sunlight that confines her and her two best friends, Rob and Juliet, to the night. When freewheeling Juliet takes up Parkour—the stunt-sport of scaling and leaping off tall buildings—Allie and Rob have no choice but to join her, if only to protect her. Though potentially deadly, Parkour after dark makes Allie feel truly alive, and for the first time equal to the “daytimers.”
“On a random summer night, the trio catches a glimpse of what appears to be murder. Allie alone takes it upon herself to investigate, and the truth comes at an unthinkable price. Navigating the shadowy world of specialized XP care, extreme sports, and forbidden love, Allie ultimately uncovers a secret that upends everything she believes about the people she trusts the most.” -Goodreads
From the beginning Allie gains your sympathy. Not only for having this fatal allergy that everyone tells her dramatically shortens her life span, but because she so desperately wants to be a normal teenage girl. When Juliet gets them involved in Parkour, Allie seems to grow-not only in strength of body, but strength of character. Her self confidence improves and she becomes more independent.
As the story progresses, the reader becomes protective of Allie-even when up against her bestfriends. In What We Saw at Night the reader is taken on a nail biting adventure, from start to finish. With extreme sports, blossoming love and serial killers, this fast-pasted thrill ride will have you doing some detective work of your own.
Sit back and enjoy this tale of three brave teenagers and what they saw at night!
“Live Once.” -Jacquelyn Mitchard, What We Saw at Night
“Allie Kim suffers from Xeroderma Pigmentosum: a fatal allergy to sunlight that confines her and her two best friends, Rob and Juliet, to the night. When freewheeling Juliet takes up Parkour—the stunt-sport of scaling and leaping off tall buildings—Allie and Rob have no choice but to join her, if only to protect her. Though potentially deadly, Parkour after dark makes Allie feel truly alive, and for the first time equal to the “daytimers.”
“On a random summer night, the trio catches a glimpse of what appears to be murder. Allie alone takes it upon herself to investigate, and the truth comes at an unthinkable price. Navigating the shadowy world of specialized XP care, extreme sports, and forbidden love, Allie ultimately uncovers a secret that upends everything she believes about the people she trusts the most.” -Goodreads
From the beginning Allie gains your sympathy. Not only for having this fatal allergy that everyone tells her dramatically shortens her life span, but because she so desperately wants to be a normal teenage girl. When Juliet gets them involved in Parkour, Allie seems to grow-not only in strength of body, but strength of character. Her self confidence improves and she becomes more independent.
As the story progresses, the reader becomes protective of Allie-even when up against her bestfriends. In What We Saw at Night the reader is taken on a nail biting adventure, from start to finish. With extreme sports, blossoming love and serial killers, this fast-pasted thrill ride will have you doing some detective work of your own.
Sit back and enjoy this tale of three brave teenagers and what they saw at night!
| Overall rating | 4.7 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
What We Saw at Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Advanced Review Release Date January 8th 2013
“Live Once.” -Jacquelyn Mitchard, What We Saw at Night
“Allie Kim suffers from Xeroderma Pigmentosum: a fatal allergy to sunlight that confines her and her two best friends, Rob and Juliet, to the night. When freewheeling Juliet takes up Parkour—the stunt-sport of scaling and leaping off tall buildings—Allie and Rob have no choice but to join her, if only to protect her. Though potentially deadly, Parkour after dark makes Allie feel truly alive, and for the first time equal to the “daytimers.”
“On a random summer night, the trio catches a glimpse of what appears to be murder. Allie alone takes it upon herself to investigate, and the truth comes at an unthinkable price. Navigating the shadowy world of specialized XP care, extreme sports, and forbidden love, Allie ultimately uncovers a secret that upends everything she believes about the people she trusts the most.” -Goodreads
From the beginning Allie gains your sympathy. Not only for having this fatal allergy that everyone tells her dramatically shortens her life span, but because she so desperately wants to be a normal teenage girl. When Juliet gets them involved in Parkour, Allie seems to grow-not only in strength of body, but strength of character. Her self confidence improves and she becomes more independent.
As the story progresses, the reader becomes protective of Allie-even when up against her bestfriends. In What We Saw at Night the reader is taken on a nail biting adventure, from start to finish. With extreme sports, blossoming love and serial killers, this fast-pasted thrill ride will have you doing some detective work of your own.
Sit back and enjoy this tale of three brave teenagers and what they saw at night!
Good Points
This story throws a trio of teenagers in an impossible situation, and really shows the struggles and conflicts the characters face, and how they rise above them.
Bad Points
16+ rating due to violence, sex, mild language, and drugs.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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