Customer Reviews

Voices after Midnight

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wow--this is one fascinating read, less about ghosts than true Time Travel! The plot hooks you right in subtly, then proceeds with inevitable events, to conclude with a satsifying ending. Of equal interest to boys and girls, this book attempts to answer the adolescent quandry: how do you know when a girl has a romance on the side?

Three California-grown kids are suddenly confronted by New York City's pop culture and Victorian history when they vacation there for two weeks with their parents and family dog one summer. The boys hear/dream voices at night and see strange, anachronistic sights by day. Soon they themselves are slipping through temporal portals, first by surprise, then by design. They gain information and perspective about the family that used to own their rented, multi-storied house. Yet their adventures are not always the same year in the Past, nor the same season as in the Present.

Of course their parents are clueless about these historical peregrinations, but it becomes more serious than mere parlor tricks--invisibly observing social interactions of the 19th century. The kids gradually realize that they have a task to accomplish in the Past; they they were chosen to perform some unselfish act for strangers long dead. Soon it becomes a true rescue mission of utmost urgency, yet the kids face grave danger themselves, if they can not get "back to the future." How much must they sacrifice for these strangers who have unwittingly touched their lives?

Do the kids have the right to attempt "unfinished business," thereby tampering with history, even it it proves to be compassionate meddling? At first they exist 90% of the time in the present and slip back or make contact with the past about 10%. But as the novel progresses they spend increasingly more time in historical New York City: the freak blizzard of March 1888. Can they get back in time to accomplish their self-imposed mission, yet not become trapped themselves? And if they succeed, how many family histories will be altered? Peck's tongue-in-cheek humor about teenage lifestyles lightens up an otherwise serious read. This is great stuff--even better than Blossom Culp!

In "Voices After Midnight" Chad,Luke,their older sister Heidi,parents and family dog Al take a vaction from California to New York City. When they arrive there Chad and Luke are hearing voices late into the night-after midnight.This house is a least one hundred years old, are they hearing voices from the past? Heidi is acting stranger by the second, is it becuase of her mom's friends daughter Jocelyn? Or something else? Now everytime Chad and Luke open doors slowly they go back to the past-to 1888, or 1929 or just a couple weeks ago. Soon they start to see the Dunlaps people that lived there over one hundred years ago. Chad is starting to think his brother is right, mabey they do have a gift or better yet a mission. Can Chad and Luke change the past to save the Dunlaps from the bizzard of 1888? When they go to a New Year's Eve party at a very rich family's manor they find their sister-Heidi waltzing with non other than Tyler Dunlap. Then they find out that she is also living in his old bedroom. Tyler can't seem to take his eyes off of her-but he's also asking questions she can't answer. Heidi makes the owners of the house daughter VERY angery at Tyler for waltzing with someone other than her. Luke and Chad are very suprised that Heidi of all people has the gift to travle in time. They're soon to find out that if you're wearing clothes from the past you're visible. Tyler has a younger sister the same age as Chad -Emily, and Chad has a little crush himself. Can Chad,Luke,and Heidi save Emily,and Tyler from freezing in the blizzard of 1888?

Voices after Midnight was the first Richard Peck book I read and out of the ones I have read so far it is the best. I read this first as a kid then again as an adult and I never stopped liking it. The different characters weave in and out of time till they get to the right time and accomplish what they need to do. Also if you like this book I think you might also like Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn.

This book is about to Brothers. They move to NY and their family rents a town house in New york. Once there he hears voices- late at night, after midnight in this stange house thats at least one hundred years old. As they explore the house, the begin to slip in and out of their own time, back to the winter of 1888...............

I would recoment this book this book for young kids at the ages of 11-14 i think it is a good book because it is adventurous and exciting to read

I think that is a good book to read because it is about adventure and science fiction.
It keeps you interested because you don't know what is going to happen until the end. I would
recommend that people read this book because if they like science fiction they will like this
book.

This book was one of the worst books I ever read! But the thing I don't like about it is that it's a girl book thing. What this book is about is there are two brothers (Chad, Luke) and an older sister (Heidi). They and their family decide to have a vacation in NY. When they get to NY, they rent a 100 year old townhouse. Chad and Luke hear voices when it is time to go to bed. Soon the two brothers find out that they are hearing sounds of people that are dead. Then one day they find some old clothes, put them on and they can go or see into the past. Then they save these two people named Tyler and Emily who died in 1888 because of a blizzard. Then the kids help Tyler and Emily survive the blizzard from the past. All the stuff about dance, balls, and weddings is sooo girl!