Customer Reviews

Possessed

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a 34 year-old father of three, I'm not exactly in the target demographic, but still found "Possessed" very entertaining. The suspense was very well done and the concept of recognizing good and evil was explored in an interesting way. Much of the story took place in the protagonist's head in a way that makes you wonder whether she was imagining the danger or not. The typical ingredients in juvenile fiction of teens' struggle for independence and for figuring out their relationships were there without falling into the all-too-common modern author's trap of trying to be too edgy. I wouldn't be uncomfortable letting my children read this, but neither is it so tame they wouldn't enjoy it.

After such an excellent build-up of suspense, my one criticism is that the conclusion seemed a little weak in comparison. However, everything wrapped up nicely, and overall the writing was very solid. It was a great diversionary read for my Christmas break.

When I opened the book, I was not initially impressed. The urban British dialect was a little odd at first, and the main characters felt off-putting, but this changed very quickly. Main character Rayne was frustrated with exactly those surroundings--her boyfriend, her single-parent mother and small child, the noise, the street culture. Her longing to escape all this takes her out to the country where begins her new life working at the old and mysterious Morton's Keep.

The pacing perfectly builds suspense, never feeling forced or contrived and tempered by subtlety, and the "teen angst" subplot doesn't feel obnoxious as it so easily does, text messages notwithstanding. The characters are developed just enough to be believable, but very much in the style of a movie, not so much that it weighs down the story's progression. (In another genre, that might be an issue, but for a ghost story, it works very well.)

"Possessed" quickly becomes a page-turner that, for someone like me, makes you just a little afraid of the dark. I recommend it for both teens and adults as a very fun, light read!

This book was an easy read, I didn't see any problem with the dialect. It is nicely written but the storyline, I feel is fairly weak. Rayne is a teenage girl who wants a change in her life and doesn't seem to feel that she can find it with her boyfriend or family members. In order to get away and stay away from them and the 'big city life' of London she seems to take on the role of serious 'story teller'. In other words lying becomes pretty much a habit for her to keep everyone at home off her back and on the back burner in case she 'needs' them again. Takes a live-in job in a fairly far away place and the issues ensue from that point on, none of which really seemed all that daunting and mysterious. Basically it was an easy read and I kept reading it thinking 'ok something is going to happen anytime...anytime now.' But honestly nothing much did until about the last fifth of the book. I didn't really think the characters were very deep and this was one of the things that made the book feel so shallow. Even when the 'end' comes you are still not feeling very mystified, scared, or any of the emotions that so often accompany a really good book.

This book is ok for a quick summer read, it wasn't horrible, it was just 'ok'. Certainly fine to read if you have nothing else going on and someone gives it to you. I have seen worse in that it wasn't necessarily boring either...it just seemed to never really turn the corner to 'a real page turner'.

When Rayne decides that life at home in London, with an overbearing boyfriend and a mother who leaves raising her little brother up to her, is too much to handle she accepts a job at Morton's Keep. Morton's Keep is rumored to be haunted by some pretty evil spirits, but anything is better then her current life. In Possessed, readers join Rayne through some very spooky nights alone in her new little house. Who are the Fire Festival men? Are the involved with the strange happenings going on? And what does this all have to do with Rayne? Kate Cann takes readers on a strange and sometimes frightening journey in her new book Possessed.

This was an different book. I really enjoyed the character of Rayne and I thought she was someone you could relate to. I can't decide how I feel about the story itself though. I don't feel like the flow was very effective. There was a lot of stuff that went on that sort of felt like it was just there to fill space. I also didn't feel like the whole story with the ghost was thought out enough. The way the book was going I thought it was building up to something more than what happened. The ending of the book was very anti-climatic. I think that the author could have made the whole haunting and dungeon scenes more than what they were. There was a lot of build-up and secondary characters adding things that really didn't go anywhere. This book wasn't great, but it's an alright read. I enjoyed the historical-like stuff that was talked about and that made it worth reading.

Review originally posted on my blog Draw A Blank

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Scholastic Inc. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Meet Rayne. She's just a normal teen with normal teenage problems. A boyfriend who won't take no for an answer, a mother who can never stay away from alcohol, and a future so dim that she just doesn't know which path to take. All Rayne needs right now is an escape.

This escape comes in the form of a job position as a tea server at an old mansion, Morton's Keep.

Morton's Keep isn't quite normal for most people... but it's just fine for Rayne. It's a place for opportunities for a new life. A new life that includes the mysterious St. John, the protective Ethan, a welcoming yet strange clique, and a mansion full of tortured history.

Accompanied by raw emotions, romance, and a haunting history, Rayne must figure out the spirits that surround her, the clique that entices her, and the boy too good to be true before she becomes possessed by their world - a world that just might kill her.

Kate Cann, known for her teen romance novels, takes a walk on the paranormal side with POSSESSED. A unique, fast-paced novel, Cann is able to capture realistic emotions that will make the reader shudder. This story is just right for those in need of a romantic, haunting adventure that leaves you with goosebumps.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

The beginning of Possessed drops the reader right into the stifling life of Rayne, a young London teenager. Her relationships with her mother and boyfriend are dysfunctional, and she's unable to find a moment's peace amid the noise and crime of the city. Kate Cann does an excellent job of showing us Rayne's frayed nerves and her desire to get out of her neighborhood by any means necessary. Desperate, she takes a live-in job at the country estate of Morton's Keep.

As Rayne settles into her new life, Cann continues to excel at depicting the character's mental state. When Rayne exults in her freedom, we feel it right along with her; when creepy events occur and Rayne is frightened, we feel that too. Rayne is not always a "nice" girl--she lies a lot, for one--but we are given plenty of reasons to sympathize with her. She makes mistakes, but they're the kinds of mistakes we've all made, especially as teenagers trying to assert our independence.

Rayne uncovers a supernatural mystery and also becomes embroiled in the dramas of a mysterious clique; as the new girl in a small, insular town she inspires interest and jealousy. In a way, Possessed (though much shorter, and written earlier) reminded me of Rosemary Clement-Moore's The Splendor Falls, which similarly deals with a new girl, a haunted estate, and the love triangles and nasty undercurrents of a rather incestuous circle of friends.

Possessed is an intriguing and entertaining novel, though the pacing is a little off. The romantic subplot moves a bit more quickly than I found realistic, though in Cann's defense, there does turn out to be an exacerbating factor. Meanwhile, I felt that the ghost story could have been "seeded" a little more heavily in the earlier chapters of the book. We get plenty of spooky moments, but not much backstory until the very end. When the backstory does come, half of it is delivered in a lengthy villain monologue. It might have worked better to have Rayne discover the backstory in bits and pieces throughout the novel.

But while I was disappointed in this one aspect of Possessed, I did enjoy the novel and look forward to the US release of Fire and Rayne, the sequel. I'd love to know more about the sordid history of Morton's Keep, the Morris-dancing group, and what happens next to Rayne.

Let me start by saying one thing: Kate Cann is definitely a better writer than Stephanie Meyer, and let me emphatically underscore that. In fact that odd bit of criticism is what drove me to write this review, because such a comparison is horribly incorrect and totally unwarrented for this novel. *Nothing* is as bad as Twilight...

I wont reiterate the plot, since it's already been described, so what I'll offer is my experience reading it:

The suspense and the mystery build slowly, that's true, perhaps *too* slowly. I was at page 250 or so before anything really significant started to happen in regards to the ancient manor and its surroundings, and all the clues left here and there started coming together. The ending and inconsistently of tone is where it falls short of excellence. The ending felt rushed, jammed into the last chapters in such a way that you're galloping toward the conclusion without stopping for breath. And then there is half-realized setting and tone; the beginning of story and nearly half-way through doesn't have much of a paranormal, magical vibe, and yet this is essential to the main plot of the book. It's played pretty straight, and the magic and paranormal aspects seem an odd fit at the end.

But--while you're reading your way to the hasty resolution, the atmosphere and the mystery are very well done. Rayne's fear on her first night, of the oppressive, breathing dark and mysterious noises, not to mention the creepy, morbid vibe she feels in certain parts of the house--are all well described and genuinely frightening.

Certain details of the story stand out: gloves embroidered with human faces twisted in pain, black candles in an enclosed graveyard behind the manor, a vision of a Nature Goddess in a Greenhouse, the nutter in the pub who sings a song about storms and fury. But they are never fully developed. There is so much potential with each and every unique bit of atmosphere, but they are shown and then discarded. It almost feels like this is the beginning of a longer story, like there should be a sequel--so much is introduced, played with for a while, and then ultimately dismissed.

Still, I liked it well enough to keep reading, because I desperately wanted to find out what happened to Rayne and what St. John and his cohorts ultimately wanted from Morton's Keep. That revelation would have been more satisfying a reveal if the author had demonstrated a bit more of their dark, cultish behavior from the beginning and more consistently throughout the novel. For the most part they seemed like harmless college-age mates bent on little more than snubbing their noses at the country folk and their superstitions rather than a dangerous paranormal threat, but overall, the book is enjoyable, and *certainly* better written than any book in the "Twilight" series.

I'm not big on horror or ghost stories, but this story held my interest.

I thought Rayne was believeable as a character, and her actions were typical of teenage girls. Her love of the country is well-drawn, as well as how oppressed she feels in London. She does have a tendency to take the easy way out, which results in slight mistreatment of her boyfriend. But this is also how many teens deal with conflict, so I am torn between the realistic and likeable aspects of her personality.

The mystery around Morton's Keep is very interesting and kept me turning pages, though I figured out St. John's motivations early on. That made some of the later twists a bit predictable.

Still, I found this story enjoyable, and I can see teens being glued to the pages.

POSSESSED was a lovely read. Although it doesn't really match up to the title. Rayne is tired of living in London, of living in a cramped little apartment in the middle of the busy, crowded, clogged, stifling city. She's stuck in a relationship with a controlling guy who doesn't really love her, her mom doesn't seem to love her aside from her usefulness in taking care of her little brother, and day and night, there's just so much noise and pollution and clutter. So she applies for a job at Morton's Keep, a seemingly idyllic and quaint mansion in the countryside, as a waitress at a small cafe. She gets the job and moves there, but not before she hears all sorts of gruesome and creepy rumors of the suspicious ongoings that have surrounded Morton's Keep for centuries. And once there, she discovers increasingly disturbing occurrences that all point towards something eerie that's waking again at Morton's Keep.

What I loved about POSSESSED was the setting. It's set in a slightly haunted house with a grim history that resonates within its walls and within its rooms. Yet juxtaposed next to this morbid mansion is a span of beautiful countryside that Kate Cann does a great job of describing, that I felt as though I were walking through alongside Rayne as the story progressed. The characters were fairly well developed. I won't divulge much regarding them because it might spoil the story, but I'll say that they are those types that give off a "not what meets the eye" look, and whatnot.

Kate Cann is really good at describing Rayne's feelings. During Rayne's first night at Morton's Keep, she's absolutely scared out of her wits. And Cann's writing conveys this deep, almost animalistic fear to the reader, so much so that I felt paranoid as I read this scene. Every slight noise or creak or breeze is a monster or ghost waiting to creep up, the dark seems to contain a horde of terrifying creatures waiting to scare the living daylights out of Rayne. I loved it.

The complaints I had were that sometimes I felt Rayne was too annoying. She thinks nasty thoughts towards some people, she lies, and she complains quite a great deal. But in the greater sense of things, this shows that she isn't perfect, and so makes her easier to believe. After all, we've all had times when we complain, or whine, or lie, right? It shows that she's human and not a cardboard character. Another thing I didn't like was how abrupt the ending was. The story tied up nicely and there was no cliffhanger, but it leaves questions that could be answered and baddies that are still undefeated. But I understand that there is a sequel, which I will be eager to pick up.

And so overall I'd say POSSESSED is a good story- perfect for a quick read on the creepy side!

Rayne Peters doesn't know what she is getting herself into when she accepts a position at an ancient estate far from home. Desperate to get out of her East London council estate, escape her life, boyfriend, and family, Rayne thinks she'll be able to buy some time to decide about college...her future and what she wants from life. But Morton's Keep is no ordinary estate. Within its dense forests, and beneath its ancient flagstones, brick, mortar and timber lies a primordial evil just waiting to be released.

Possessed has great presence, of that there is no doubt. It is what Kate Cann intended and achieved. The most elemental of conflicts occurs within its pages, with those who would unleash the spectre of Morton's Keep and its hideous past, fighting against those armed by the Green Man and Lady, and those whose allegiance are in question. Similar echoes of Dashwood's infamous Hellfire Club (a favorite subject of mine) makes the plot line very gripping, Crowley-like and ominous.

At first read, I think I was expecting more "flash", more abrasive conflict, but I found that as I read further, Cann beautifully and lyrically drew out the action. The main points of conflict are dual: internal for Rayne as she flourishes in the country and in her own skin as well as being favored by the Green Lady, and external as she stumbles over her choice of intimates, and the mushrooming evil that threatens to explode at the Keep. Who is her enemy? Her ally? There is no need for more than that but to just soak up the incredible atmosphere that Cann has created.

Possessed has none of the campy traits that some other YA paranormal novels have owned at one time or another. It is simply a thrilling read for both young adults and adults. It is very well written, steeped in a slumberous mystery and an underlying sinister milieu that will make you thirst for more. In fact, I wanted more of the story. Disappointment when I reached the last page turned to surprise when I found out that Cann released the sequel to Possessed (Possessing Rayne) in the UK in 2009. It is entitled Fire and Rayne and will most likely show its face here probably next year (or earlier I hope). ©Nicola Mattos