I rushed through this short novel in one day. I enjoyed it while I was reading it and was interested in reaching the end. Anna Quinn's writing is great. I think there are several aspects that were not explored fully and the book suffered for it. I would like to understand what Nora's mother and the rest of her family knew and how they coped with what they knew. I think it's completely insane that several characters in the book knew children were in danger and did nothing to help them, including Nora herself. That doesn't feel realistic to me. I don't feel like I knew John, Nora's boss, very well and he appears that he will play a major role in her life going forward. Other than those issues, it is a solid debut novel which I enjoyed reading.

Not the story I was expecting. Should come with trigger warnings. Felt like there were more storylines that could have been explored more thoroughly.

Thanks to Blackstone and Netgalley for a copy of this. I loved this one. Some of the phrasing is fantastic, heart-wrenching. I felt Nora so deep down in my core. My only hope is that it will go through another round of editing.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Anna Quinn, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

THE NIGHT CHILD tells the story of a middle-aged high school teacher who believes she's losing her mind when she suddenly starts hallucinating, seeing flashes of a young girl. She decides to see a therapist, and together, they unveil the many layers of protection formed around her mind and soul.

Disturbing and sad, this book was difficult to read, but the writer's style made it easier. In fact, Quinn's writing was quite beautiful at times. The book's synopsis explicitly states the plot, which can be frustrating for readers, but this isn't a book you'd read for mysterious intrigue. Readers should be warned that the writer explores both incest and child molestation, but that's all part of the main themes: the impact of traumatic childhood experiences and the fragile line between past and present. One line of the book's synopsis beautifully describes this entire book: The Night Child is a story of resilience, hope, and the capacity of the mind, body, and spirit to save itself despite all odds.

It starts of creepy and disturbing and just takes a turn to the hard to read. Mainly due to some what graphic descriptions of child rape and incest. The overall story is compelling but if you're uncomfortable reading rather graphic details about that type of thing, it might not be the book for you.

I think this is a great story told in a truthful heartfelt manner about a woman coming face to face with her buried memories and her struggles to survive and conquer her demons. I really am enjoying the writer's words and the way she brings the past alive.

A riveting and realistic read about the trauma and triumph of a victim of sexual abuse.

A powerful story, regarding a woman who is a high school teacher who suddenly has visions. These continue to return, causing a long, and upsetting path of mental illness.
This book is graphic in her terrible suffering- both physical and emotional as well as her family and those close to her.
The psychiatrist is helpful and empathetic, but ultimately the solution rests chiefly on the patient. "The secrets make us sick, it's the telling that heals." says the Doctor.
An interesting and intriguing novel!

This was not the most original premise or execution, but the prose was exceptional and I appreciated the heart behind the story.

Saying this book touched me on a very deep level doesn’t even come close to the impact I felt. It twisted my insides…rattled my brain…tore my emotions asunder. Nora’s destructive clash of past and present are mind-bending—not only for her, but for any reader who possesses even an ounce of empathy and/or humanity. Some scenes are more than a little hard to read, but the book is extraordinary, if one can endure those moments of helpless, emotional drowning. Any writer who can draw readers so thoroughly into a scene that all sense of self is lost, to merge completely with a character, has my vote. Any book that can make me lose myself, steal hours of sleep, and take me to the edges of my own sanity—that book deserves eight out of five stars. I’d give The Night Child at least that many. Sensational to the nth degree.

Exquisitely written. Take a deep breath and then plow head long into this psychological thriller. The author details how a secret kept can tear apart a life. I could not put this book down. I can't even say that much about it, because it will have spoilers. Two thumbs way up!

This was a really creepy, strange sort of story, but once I got into it, I found it hard to put down. Nora has very unsettling experiences, which make her doubt her own sanity. The unraveling of the mystery is artfully done, and the I truly felt for Nora and was anxious to hear what in her past had brought this nightmare back into her pesent. Hard to believe this is a debut as it was so skillful!

I could not get into this book at all. I am afraid it did not hold my interest enough to finish it

4.5 STARS......This is a wonderful debut novel, Ms Quinn is an extraordinarily storyteller who has done her research well. Fast paced and full of details, the Night Child takes us on an incredible journey not soon to be forgotten.

Nora is a high school English teacher who experiences severe trauma as a child (trauma left vague here purposely to avoid spoilers). Nora begins to experience visions of a six year old child with startling blue eyes. These visions lead her to undergo psychotherapy. Luckily she finds a remarkable therapist who is non judgmental and excellent in his field, he helps Nora get to the core of her struggle.

As the story unfolds, we begin to see the power of the human brain. It never ceases to amaze me how effectively the brain will take over and protect the physical body from what it can't endure. The story goes into detail about Nora's current family life, work life, childhood, her tough road to recovery and finally healing.

The other characters, Nora's daughter, husband, mother, principal of her high school and her brother are all key players and each brought important light and relevance to the story. Her daughter now six years old, a key age, probably triggering the trauma to resurface after being buried for so long. Her husband who is unhappy with her and complains she's cold, only makes sense. Her brother who was there with her in her childhood and triggers some of the events by trying to locate their long lost father.

Excellent read. Well done Ms Quinn.

Many thanks to a Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In a short 200 pages, The Night Child offers a thrilling story about Nora Brown, who teachers high school English and lives a quiet life in Seattle with her husband and 6-year-old daughter. On one November day, a girl's face appears above the student's desks and she is left with terror. The Night Child is Anna Quinn's debut novel, examining the impact of traumatic childhood experiences. There were some difficult topics in this novel that should be noted for those who are considering reading this because it maybe difficult for some people, or those who want to avoid situations involving childhood trauma. The writing in this is incredible, and Anna Quinn did a great job as creating this world that grasps the reader and pulls them in. The emotions are genuine, characters are relatable and you feel for them. While at times a very difficult read, it was a powerful journey and story to read.

The Night Child by Anna Quinn is written passionately. I was glued from the first page, and could not put down my Kindle. Nora, the main character, is faced with something many people fear. The Night Child is an emotional, heartbreaking yet hopeful read that will have you calling into work so you can take a day to process your own emotions!

This is a fascinating look at one woman's traumatic childhood and her attempt to block out the past. When Nora begins seeing faces and can't reconcile them with reality, she begins working with a therapist who believes she is suffering from PTSD. Helping her unlock her family's secrets is a difficult process and it takes its toll on her six-year-old daughter and her inattentive husband. Fortunately, she finds inner strength and resilience that allow her to confront her demons and begin to repair the damage that her memories have been guarding all this time. Suspenseful and realistic!

I would have loved to give this book a 5 star rating as the whole story was so raw, so heartbreaking, so terribly sad that I truly wanted a happy ending, and I suppose hope and the knowledge that she has started to resolve her issues are a happy ending but I just wanted more from the ending. I couldn't put this book down, it gripped me, it was compelling. The writing was sound and the build up of the characters were great, apart from Paul - I just could not connect with him, but perhaps that was the point? For me the let down was the ending, what happened to Nora? Fiona? between Nora and John? It must seemed to leave a lot of loose ends! Other than that it was great!!!

A harrowing and heart breaking read which doesn't sugar coat anything.
Nora is a teacher of English literature and mother to Fiona. As her last class before her Thanksgiving break comes to a close an intense and terrifying event takes place whereby a child's face appears before her and then disappears. She sees this as a sign she needs a break from work and keeping this to herself she sets off on her holiday with husband and daughter. However, this is just the start of things as Nora begins to experience utterly terrifying moments when she sees the vision of the child. Nora begins to meet with David, a psychiatrist who begins very carefully to explore what memories are buried deeply in Nora's mind. As these memories flood over into her present life she begins to unravel and this shows what a fragile line exists with regard to mental health and well being.
The novel focuses on some harrowingly hard to read events Nora endured as a child and moves seamlessly between present day and that time.
I read with ferocity to reach the end and outcome. I found the content very moving and felt great empathy for Nora. In a nutshell it's a story of how resilient children can become and how they might manage situations beyond their control. Later it becomes a story of how an adult addresses this and finds the strength to go forward. Quite amazing!

Anna Quinn takes on several sensitive subjects (child abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, teenage suicide) and she does an outstanding job of it. This book is very difficult to read due to the subject matter, yet it is a book we all need to read. These things are far more common than most of us care to admit. This is an exceptional debut novel. My only complaint is that the story ended very abruptly. I wanted to know the rest of Nora's story.