The Night Child moves very slowly and it did not hold my interest until the last third of the novel. Nora is an English teacher who sees the face of a little girl one day after school. The little girl begins to talk with Nora until she finally sees a therapist. Nora has been hiding a dark past that threatens her marriage and her relationship with her six-year-old daughter. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to be an early reader in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I don't know what to think about this book. It's been a day since I finished it and I'm still torn. On one hand, I don't know that I'm a huge fan of where this book went. It's probably good that the reveal caught me off guard but I think it was just so completely surprising that it was hard for me to feel settled by it. Not that I should be settled... Anyway. Then there was the writing. It felt frenzied and it wound me up, I felt stressed out. So on that level, the writing was impacting me and that might be a good thing but it just felt like it was too much happening. Too much chaos.

Finally, I didn't relate to the characters, or sympathize with any of them. The husband felt poorly written, as did what happened with him near the end of the book. Ditto with the dad... I felt like the book needed a bit more for me to understand them. And I felt like there were some unanswered questions that should've been wrapped up.

I guess I expected a different story from the synopsis. I'm just still not sure what to think about this.

I requested thus book as the setting,blurb and style appealed to me. I found it easy to read and I found myself reading it at every opportunity.

As the substance and circumstance of the book began to develop I was a little cynical about the authenticity if the situation. However, while reading this, I came across the Channel Five documentary "The woman with 7 Identities" (currently available in Netflix - July 2017) and quickly realised that this novel was portraying in fiction a believable version of what could happen in real life. The ending was probably less convincing, however the circumstances are those for which there is probably never a full closure.

As a debut novel, I felt this was very good and am very glad to have read it.

Nora is visited by a child that isn't there, or is she? When she continues to have these visits she starts to doubt herself. She later finds the child is a key to her past, a past she has hidden from herself and from others for years. As bits and pieces are revealed, the reader is pulled on to learn the truth. Night Child offers insight to mental illness and to possible roots of its existence. One must be ever mindful of the power they have over others, the power their actions have against the futures of the developing psyche of our youth. Tread carefully, as you are molding our youth.

When I finished reading, I felt areas of this book could have been better developed, though it may have made it too lengthy. There were parts introduced that just seemed to fall to the wayside without further development, almost like an outline, left incomplete. The over all book was very good and after a few weeks, those gaps have disappeared from my memory. The story and more importantly, the overall theme is all that remains.

The Night Child by Anna Quinn

January 2018

I received this digital ARC from publisher, Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nora Brown is a high school English teacher who begins to experience debilitating headaches and visions around the time of her daughter, Fiona's 6th birthday. These symptoms bring her to neurologists and psychiatrists to assess the cause of her visions and the raw terror she experiences as a result.
As the story unfolds, Nora uncovers past regressed memories from her childhood in therapy. Her story explores the ability within to rival against the experiences of the past and forge a new reality.
When the book seemed to end in an unusual fashion, I was taken back to the beginning of the book where Nora is discussing Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse" with her students. She cites how it takes daring writers to veer from the traditional story of beginning, middle and end. There are some interesting correlations between Nora and Virginia which I could only realize upon completion of the novel. Consequently, what appeared to be an abrupt ending suddenly became more thought provoking.

I agree with other reviewers that the book description does not portray an accurate picture of what to expect from this book. Honestly, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would based on he description. When I started reading It felt oddly like a "paranormal" story which is not my preferred genre. After a few chapters I was beginning to see how the story would come together. I don't like giving spoilers but given that many reviewers have already disclosed certain aspects of the story, I shall add my opinion on the book description.


The description mentions "split consciousness" and a "deeper psychological breakdown". I believe that it makes sense to disclose the history of sexual abuse. Because I'm in tune to these issues, I immediately considered abuse as the root of her visions and trauma which would make this book difficult to read for some people. What made this story unique was how it used split consciousness and psychological support to delve into how people handle trauma differently. That aspect I believe would be best used as the "secret" to arouse curiosity and intrigue.

See all my reviews at: www.bookwormreviewblog.blogspot.com

The best part of this book, to me, is that it's short. I feel bad for saying all this but the characters weren't really fleshed out, the writing was just okay and I couldn't really get into the story. I figured when I read in the blurb about Nora seeing a face there would be a little bit of a thrill, some tension, SOMETHING! But what happened in the book wasn't what I was expecting. But kudos to the author for writing about a serious subject, something that some people can relate to and maybe even make them feel like they're not alone and that it's not their fault.

Quinn has an engaging and engrossing prose that keeps you turning each page.
You feel like you know Nora and would recognise her if she walked past you in the street. I was completely swept away and attached to every word Quinn had to say.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. Although i read this in one sitting, I must admit that i did not like the subject of this book. I had no clue it dealt with childhood sexual abuse. i didn't like that we never hear from the Dad or whether the mother knew what was going on, I especially did not like the ending. It left you hanging.

2.5, rounded up to 3 (for goodreads) for the benefit of the doubt. In a sea of female-centered psychological thrillers and mystery fiction, The Night Child flounders in the middle, neither rising to the top nor drowning. The writer is competent and chooses her words well, but the plot is lacking in depth and drama. As an avid reader of work in the genre, and particularly of fiction and nonfiction regarding mental illness, I was looking forward to this work by an upcoming writer. However, this book left much to be desired. I did appreciate that the writer decided against tying everything up into a neat little bow, as I was dreading the possibility of Nora making some sort of miraculous (IE unrealistic) recovery.

Review
Last updated on 26 Jul 2017

THE NIGHT CHILD is a masterfully written journey into the dark recesses of an abused woman's mind. It is a page turner...until it isn't due to the need to take a break from the intensity of the storyline. The literary writing is lyrical and beautiful, in sharp contrast to the awful and ugly story, which is no easy feat. Quinn writes with such aplomb; she delicately expounds on this sensitive subject as she exposes the protagonist's heart, mind, and soul. The characters are rich, multi dimensional and I felt honored to read their story. This is a difficult read, but a very important one. The denouement is especially masterful, as the author does not leave the reader in despair, but instead, turns that darkness into light. Highly recommended. Richly deserved 5 stars.

I want to thank Anna Quinn, the publisher, and NetGalley for the honor and opportunity to read and review THE NIGHT CHILD.

This is another book that I expected to be different. From the title, I was expecting some kind of missing persons story, set up like a thriller. That is not what it was, but it was still pretty good.

The plot delves into psychology, and how our brains can protect us from trauma. It was incredibly interesting and uncomfortable at the same time. I really felt sympathy for Nora, and wanted to see her get better. The only thing I wish was different was that I thought the ending was kind of abrupt. I would have loved to read more follow up on Nora's journey.

**Thanks to NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of THE NIGHT CHILD in exchange for my honest review.**

When Nora begins hallucinating a young girl, her life as wife, mother and English teacher begins to spin out of control. She seeks therapy to make sense of what's happening, hoping not to lose everything she holds dear.

Although I have personal experience with the root of Nora's problems, I never felt connected to her or invested in her story. Her compelling backstory should have evoke empathy and emotion. None of the secondary characters was particularly memorable.

I'm not certain why Anna Quinn chose to set THE NIGHT CHILD primarily in the late 1990s, Nora's story is unfortunately timeless. From the blurb and the cover, I thought the book would be a mystery or thriller, but the story lacked tension.

Bottom line for me, THE NIGHT CHILD is a lackluster, forgettable story.

The Night Child by Anna Quinn is a unique novel. A woman suddenly starts seeing a looming child with blue eyes everywhere she goes. The eyes linger and loom and the body is formless. Is this a hallucination? Is it something supernatural? Or is the calling out of a fractured mind?

An interesting and creatively done book. The subject matter will not be for everyone. Read with caution.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a tough and heavy read. This book deals with sexual abuse and does it well. However, it may be difficult for some to read. Nora is a high school teacher who suddenly feels her life unraveling. As the memories come forward, Nora struggles to stay in the present. Reading this was heartbreaking. The author did a good job telling this story and dealing with some very difficult issues.

Fast, gripping read. My heart aches for Nora Brown. The author did an amazing job portraying the painful, horrific issues Nora survived with great care.

I've just finished a good book. I requested The Night Child from NetGalley so thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to it.

The Night Child tells the story of Nora, in third person and how she thinks she's going crazy cause of a vision and a voice in her head. We see Nora visit her councillor a lot to try and sort out these wild imaginings. We also see her in hospital for a large proportion of the book.

2.5 Stars (3 on Goodreads).

If you're in any way sensitive to mental illness, physical abuse, or suicide then I don't think this would be the story for you. I'd say The Night Child is an adult read or at least a 16+ read.

Spoilers Below...

When we first see Nora, she's at work. She's a high school teacher in the USA. That's when she gets her first vision.

"Am I so tired that I'm hallucinating?"

The use of italics here, show Nora is shocked and doesn't know what to think.
The vision is of this girl with "startling blue eyes". When this vision keeps recurring for Nora, her husband thinks it best for her to go to a psychiatric specialist. This specialist is called David.

"He is reading her medical history form and she is impatient for him to finish reading"

Nora just wants to get back to her normal, every day life, with her husband and daughter. She wants a quick solution to her problem. She doesn't want to be sat in a psychiatric doctor's office.

"You can't get me. You can't get me"

This phrase is what starts the headaches for Nora. It's just her daughter saying the phrase here, as a fun game but Nora was sexually abused by her father when she was younger it is later revealed. The "You can't get me" is similar to something he used to say when he was having sex with her. He repeated the phrase too. Obviously Fiona, her little girl doesn't mean to cause Nora and distress but she does.

"In that moment Nora's heart has brimmed"

before Fiona had uttered those words above, Nora had been having a great time celebrating her little girl's birthday. Six is the age Nora was when her father started the abuse so I believe, this is a trigger too. Again, this isn't Fiona's fault.

"And you rate your marriage a three out of ten".

This is another sore spot for Nora throughout the novel. She hardly gets any support from her husband, Paul. She doesn't know why she rates it so low, though. "It's just that ... I don't know" she's at a loss for words, clearly. She's very unsure about what's happening to her, and what Paul would think about her seeing a psychiatrist, I think, at first.

What Nora doesn't know at this point, really early on in the novel is that her husband is having an affair. This also puts stress on Nora to add to everything else.

"She's more convinced, now than ever that he's having an affair"

shows that Nora, even if she is going slightly crazy, knows her own mind enough to see her husband drifting away from her. This continues throughout the novel.

The big reveal or key in The Night Child is Nora's abuse from her father, I think. Otherwise, it would be quite a boring novel just of someone suffering from an unknown mental illness. Margaret, or the recurring vision is a way to cope with the abuse.

"Valentines day is in two days and something bad is going to happen. I know it. I just know it"

is something Margaret, the other half of Nora says to David. This is because the first time Nora's father abused her was Valentine's Day. I, however don't know what it is about the Valentine's Day coming up in the novel that turns out bad, though. This just skipped by me. I think we're meant to be a little unsure as to how Margaret knows something bad will happen on Valentine's Day. She's an unreliable narrator and this plays into that.

A minor character also commits suicide. This minor character is also getting abused by her father. I believe this event is what clicks everything into place for Nora.

"And I knew—I knew her father was molesting her, I knew it, and—and—I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything, I—"

This is obviously shocking and upsetting for Nora. If she had just done something then things might have worked out for Elizabeth, the character that commits suicide.

There are only a few characters bought into The Night Child. We have Nora, Margaret, David, Paul, the woman Paul is having an affair with, who's never present in the story, Fiona and Nora's brother, as well as Nora's father who is never actually present in the story, either. He's just spoken about. There are a few minor characters such as nurses and people/students at the school too, but that's it. The settings are Nora's house for a few scenes, the school where Nora works for one or two scenes, David's appointment room and the hospital. The setting that's present the most is the hospital as Nora spends most of the story here.

We see events in the past and present. Scenes in the past include ones where Nora's father abuses her and certain events with her husband. I thought this format worked well for The Night Child. The simple story, with minimal characters and settings was easy to follow.

What I liked about The Night Child:

* I liked not having many characters to follow as I didn't get confused or feel like I forgot anyone of significance.

* The abuse parts were handled sensitively.

What I didn't like about The Night Child:

* I didn't like how the novel seemed to solely focus on Nora's recovery. It would have been good if we'd seen some other aspects of her life as well.

* I didn't like how the story was told from 3rd person narrative. It would have been better if it had had a 1st person narrative, or at least alternating perspective chapters. We would have been able to experience the story as Nora then.

* I would have liked the story to cover Elizabeth's abuse as well as Nora's. The story could have been longer and more fleshed out if this was the case.

I'm giving The Night Child, 2.5 Stars (3 on Goodreads) because while I found it interesting finding out about Nora's past that and the effects of her abuse was really the only thing that the story focused on. Margaret was an interesting character too but we didn't see very much from her. I thought the story tackled the abuse well, though. It would have helped if the story had focused on more than just Nora's abuse. If it had focused on Elizabeth's abuse too then we might have gotten the answer for exactly why she committed suicide. Instead of just formulating our theories on what the other characters felt.

Nora Brown undergoes a psychological breakdown, and with the help of her psychiatrist David, discovers repressed memories that need to be processed. Anna Quinn has done an AMAZING job with this crux. In every chapter, Nora discovers/remembers something new from her past, showing how childhood memories really do scar an adult. With each reveal, the reader will definitely despise the perpetrator more and more, and therein lies the beauty of this book. It’s the kind of book that you can’t put down, because you need to know how it ends.

I would’ve been more comfortable if the book had come with a trigger warning. It explores some topics that could be uncomfortable, to put it lightly, for some people. I’m assuming the label was avoided because it’s also a plot point. Putting this oversight aside, The Night Child is a book that I can definitely see becoming a bestseller.

This book is about one woman’s journey to save herself. As David says, the healing should come from within–this is portrayed brilliantly by Quinn in this book. This is a completely plot-driven book and you should definitely read it if you like fast-paced novels!

Wow wow wow!!!! My favourite read so far this year. Firstly, thanks for the advanced copy. What a surprise this book was. It took me down a road I was not expecting!

I don't like putting spoilers in my reviews but in order for me to indicate why I loved this book so much, I will probably have a spoiler or two in here. Being a person who has experienced a dysfunctional and abusive childhood, I appreciate the accuracy in which Quinn has woven a story around this subject matter in a very relatable sense. Although I have experienced abuse, I don't know if I could have done such a good job in describing the way in which abusers weave a believable explanation for their despicable behaviour and the shame attached to abuse.

Nora is a teacher that loves her job and has a compassion for students that seem to struggle. Her love of her job and her nuclear family is what brings her the most joy and what she lives for. However, out of the blue, things start to unravel. Her happy existence starts to slip and Nora can't understand what is happening.

I believe that this book most likely depicts what very commonly is happening nowadays. When past secrets come to the surface or are triggered, if these demons have not been addressed or worked through, at some point, I believe we have our time of reckoning. This novel gives an account of exactly this. Confronting, disturbing, raw and believable.

This book I believe will give an insight to those that have not encountered abuse, what it is like to be a survivor. The character development in this novel is breathtaking and so believable. I just wish I knew what happens in relation to John the Principal!!!

Well done on a gripping page turner from start to finish. Thoroughly recommend!

Ever read a book and are totally floored by the end of the book? Well, The Night Child did that to me. I honestly went into this book thinking that it was going to take a supernatural or paranormal bend. Well, I was 100% wrong. The Night Child is neither. Instead, what I got, was a taut thriller that had me 100% completely hooked. Put it this way, I started The Night Child as my nightly before bed read and I ended staying up until almost 12 am because I couldn't go to sleep without finding out what happens to Nora.

How do I describe Nora? Well in the beginning of the book, she was barely hanging on to her marriage but loved her 6-year-old with a passion and enjoyed teaching English. When she first saw the face, she did the right thing and went to the doctor, who referred her to a therapist. Slowly, I could see her sanity unraveling as she was forced to face some pretty intense memories from her past....her mother's death and her father's abandonment. But there were more to her memories and when Margaret made an appearance in the middle of the book, I knew that something horrible happened to her.

I really wish I could go more into the plot or the characters in this book. But if I do, that would be giving away major spoilers and I really don't want to do that. Trust me when I say that what I write here doesn't even begin to scratch what this book is about.

How many stars will I give The Night Child: 5

Why: A truly thrilling read with great characters and a plotline that will keep you guessing until the end

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning for triggers

Age range: Adult

Why: Language and some mild violence. Also some pretty intense child abuse scenes

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Nora and Margaret are one and the same. Or are they? Nora is the face the world sees. A mother a wife, a sister. Margaret is a warrior child that helped Nora survive the abuse caused by her father.
This is a very well written book. You can feel the emotions of both Nora and Margaret. You want to just hold both of them and help them feel better. That they are loved and appreciated. The pain that both are feeling is real. One losing her cheating husband, the other losing her place in the psyche of the child she protected.
I enjoyed this book immensely. It deals with a subject that was made known by the personalities of Sybel. A documented case of multiple personalities.
Spectacular! 5 Stars