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The Returned
In an Alpine town reeling from a devastating accident, the families of dead wish their lost loved ones could come back...only to wake up one day to the chilling reality of their prayers being answered. But the victims of the accident are not the only ones to have returned from the dead. Their arrival coincides with a series of grizzly murders which bear a chilling resemblance to the work of a serial killer from the past...
A stunning page-turner filled with startlingly real characters, Seth Patrick’s THE RETURNED reveals how the choices we make can affect those we love long after we’re gone.
A stunning page-turner filled with startlingly real characters, Seth Patrick’s THE RETURNED reveals how the choices we make can affect those we love long after we’re gone.
448 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
May 5, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley.)
“I want her back,” she’d told Pierre. “Can God do that?”
This story started out okay, but I have to admit that it really didn’t hold my attention well at all.
I felt quite sorry for the grieving families at the start of this book, what they had been through was awful, and the way it had changed their lives was sad. You would hope that people would stick together and support each other through difficult times, but instead it seemed that their grief had ripped them apart.
As the got a bit further into the book and suddenly these people reappeared who were thought to the dead, it was interesting to see their families reactions, and the reactions of the community – when they finally found out, which was a heck of a long way into the book!
The people whose story I appreciated the most was that of Camille and her identical twin sister Lena, whose lives had been severely affected by Camille’s death, and subsequent return. The other people in the book just didn’t really interest me though, and it was quite difficult to keep slogging my way through this book.
Another part of the book was this talk of something being wrong at the dam? I wasn’t 100% sure about the point of this, or what the heck was going on, or why we should be interested, as well as how the issues as the dam fitted in with the rest of the story.
Anyway, this book was mildly entertaining, but I just felt that it could have been done much better than it was. The pace was too slow, the whole thing felt sluggish, and there was just too much padding around the interesting bits! I wanted the story to keep moving along to keep me interested, but instead it just slowly crawled along! And as if that wasn’t bad enough, after wading through all 475 pages of this – we get a cliff-hanger ending. I mean seriously?! Are you freaking kidding me?!
6 out of 10
“I want her back,” she’d told Pierre. “Can God do that?”
This story started out okay, but I have to admit that it really didn’t hold my attention well at all.
I felt quite sorry for the grieving families at the start of this book, what they had been through was awful, and the way it had changed their lives was sad. You would hope that people would stick together and support each other through difficult times, but instead it seemed that their grief had ripped them apart.
As the got a bit further into the book and suddenly these people reappeared who were thought to the dead, it was interesting to see their families reactions, and the reactions of the community – when they finally found out, which was a heck of a long way into the book!
The people whose story I appreciated the most was that of Camille and her identical twin sister Lena, whose lives had been severely affected by Camille’s death, and subsequent return. The other people in the book just didn’t really interest me though, and it was quite difficult to keep slogging my way through this book.
Another part of the book was this talk of something being wrong at the dam? I wasn’t 100% sure about the point of this, or what the heck was going on, or why we should be interested, as well as how the issues as the dam fitted in with the rest of the story.
Anyway, this book was mildly entertaining, but I just felt that it could have been done much better than it was. The pace was too slow, the whole thing felt sluggish, and there was just too much padding around the interesting bits! I wanted the story to keep moving along to keep me interested, but instead it just slowly crawled along! And as if that wasn’t bad enough, after wading through all 475 pages of this – we get a cliff-hanger ending. I mean seriously?! Are you freaking kidding me?!
6 out of 10
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January 24, 2023
Picking this up for the first time, you'd be forgiven for thinking the French TV series Les Revenants was based on this book, and you'd be further forgiven for thinking that, after you find out the book is instead based on the TV series, it would be a nice accompaniement to the show.
Sadly, neither of these things are true. It cannot be denied that it is written well and that, to begin with, the mystery of the dam emptying and the dead children returning to their old lives after a good few years has passed is nothing but intriguing. And for those who watched the TV series before picking this up, it excites you. It draws you in and almost suffocates you with the mystery of this small Alpine French town, exploring the relationships of everyone living there and the awful catastrophe they had to endure.
Unfortunately, the book tried too hard to be the TV series. The series was incredibly French in that every scene was a marvel, it was breath-taking scenery, slow-motion wonder and beautifully directed visions. Even the French broadcast of the 6 Nations has slow-motion in-sets and wonderfully directed captures. It's what they do. But that can't be put in to a novel: it needs to be novelised; as in, good description and compelling story-telling.
As far as I remember, it also followed the television series so closely I could imagine every single scene in perfect clarity. Some may say this is a good thing, but alas television and books are two completely different mediums and those things that work so well on cinematic French ridiculousness does not work in novels. It was flat and boring in black and white, the characters were flat and boring and the mystery was not explained well. It was slow-paced, which worked nicely on the screen, but that did not translate so well to the written word.
I feel it would have been better to perhaps take the plot and the concept as a whole and move it to England and try and work it as an original story with strong influences. Having French names and ways of living in what is just a book written in English and not one translated from the French-which is such a different way to tell a story-really left what was a great television series as an incredibly boring and flat novel.
Sadly, neither of these things are true. It cannot be denied that it is written well and that, to begin with, the mystery of the dam emptying and the dead children returning to their old lives after a good few years has passed is nothing but intriguing. And for those who watched the TV series before picking this up, it excites you. It draws you in and almost suffocates you with the mystery of this small Alpine French town, exploring the relationships of everyone living there and the awful catastrophe they had to endure.
Unfortunately, the book tried too hard to be the TV series. The series was incredibly French in that every scene was a marvel, it was breath-taking scenery, slow-motion wonder and beautifully directed visions. Even the French broadcast of the 6 Nations has slow-motion in-sets and wonderfully directed captures. It's what they do. But that can't be put in to a novel: it needs to be novelised; as in, good description and compelling story-telling.
As far as I remember, it also followed the television series so closely I could imagine every single scene in perfect clarity. Some may say this is a good thing, but alas television and books are two completely different mediums and those things that work so well on cinematic French ridiculousness does not work in novels. It was flat and boring in black and white, the characters were flat and boring and the mystery was not explained well. It was slow-paced, which worked nicely on the screen, but that did not translate so well to the written word.
I feel it would have been better to perhaps take the plot and the concept as a whole and move it to England and try and work it as an original story with strong influences. Having French names and ways of living in what is just a book written in English and not one translated from the French-which is such a different way to tell a story-really left what was a great television series as an incredibly boring and flat novel.
July 18, 2017
Great story! However, I needed more explanation on the conclusion. It made no sense at all... Did anyone in the town survive? Was Adele dead also? Was she pregnant? Maybe there is a sequel with the answers!
January 3, 2018
First off, I should state that I have never seen the TV series and I suspect that helps - if you have no idea what's going on, it's compulsive. Secondly, this book is flippin' unputdownable! I've been picking it up in every spare 5 minutes. It does have the feel of a TV or film adaptation about it, very much so, but thankfully, for the sake of my sanity, I hear that there is to be a book 2. 3.5/4 stars.
April 6, 2016
Niemals hätte ich erwartet das zu bekommen, was ich letztendlich mit diesem Buch bekommen habe...
Ich werde mir jetzt, während ich mich unter meiner Decke verstecke und mir in die Hose mache, mal ein paar Gedanken zu einer Rezi machen...
Solltet ihr nichts mehr von mir hören, waren Sie da, und haben mich geholt!
Ich werde mir jetzt, während ich mich unter meiner Decke verstecke und mir in die Hose mache, mal ein paar Gedanken zu einer Rezi machen...
Solltet ihr nichts mehr von mir hören, waren Sie da, und haben mich geholt!
March 9, 2015
I had a love/hate relationship with this novel – extremely well written and most definitely addictive, I have not seen the tv show but am now very tempted to take a look.
Some huge plus points – the writing style has such a flow to it that it pulls you right into the story, into the lives of these people who are suddenly facing the very real consequence of “Be careful what you wish for”. I could barely put it down as I watched the aftermath of the dead returning, the joy and the disbelief and the very chilling events that follow..
The prose does have a very “screenplay” feel, which works extremely well, yet does not lose any sense of character in order to thrill – the heart of the story is in the emotional side of things, with the mystery and also horror elements woven around that in a great way. Overall then a really good, thought provoking read.
My one little bugbear was that after a terrific build up, a real sense of anticipation, the ending felt to me a little rushed and was definitely unsatisfying. Having said that I’m fairly sure there is more to come. I’m unsure whether there is more than one season of the visual version, but if that ended as this did I truly hope so. And I hope that there will be another instalment from Seth Patrick, – he has given us a page turner with heart and soul and I would love to know what happens next.
Recommended
Happy Reading Folks!
Some huge plus points – the writing style has such a flow to it that it pulls you right into the story, into the lives of these people who are suddenly facing the very real consequence of “Be careful what you wish for”. I could barely put it down as I watched the aftermath of the dead returning, the joy and the disbelief and the very chilling events that follow..
The prose does have a very “screenplay” feel, which works extremely well, yet does not lose any sense of character in order to thrill – the heart of the story is in the emotional side of things, with the mystery and also horror elements woven around that in a great way. Overall then a really good, thought provoking read.
My one little bugbear was that after a terrific build up, a real sense of anticipation, the ending felt to me a little rushed and was definitely unsatisfying. Having said that I’m fairly sure there is more to come. I’m unsure whether there is more than one season of the visual version, but if that ended as this did I truly hope so. And I hope that there will be another instalment from Seth Patrick, – he has given us a page turner with heart and soul and I would love to know what happens next.
Recommended
Happy Reading Folks!
April 22, 2015
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book.*
At first the book pulled me right in, it was creepy with dead people coming back just as they were when they died. Not mangled, I mean age, etc. I think it was like 30 years since they were dead.
I don't know what happened but it started getting a little confusing closer to the end and I'm not even sure what was going on with the evil priest. Maybe I missed something, I don't know.
The ending was sort of a dud or maybe I missed the significance in it as well.
I really love the idea of the book and the creepiness it had to it, I just wish I could have figured out what really happened at the end. I read it a couple of times but I don't know.
It's still good enough to read and I'm sure someone could explain a few things to me if they read it :)
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
At first the book pulled me right in, it was creepy with dead people coming back just as they were when they died. Not mangled, I mean age, etc. I think it was like 30 years since they were dead.
I don't know what happened but it started getting a little confusing closer to the end and I'm not even sure what was going on with the evil priest. Maybe I missed something, I don't know.
The ending was sort of a dud or maybe I missed the significance in it as well.
I really love the idea of the book and the creepiness it had to it, I just wish I could have figured out what really happened at the end. I read it a couple of times but I don't know.
It's still good enough to read and I'm sure someone could explain a few things to me if they read it :)
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
December 30, 2020
Based on the French tv series Les Revenants (which I haven't seen). Some people who died years before show up at their small Alpine village, looking the same as they did before they died. Is it a miracle, or something more sinister? To quote Stepen King's Pet Sematary, "Sometimes dead is better."
July 5, 2015
I don’t understand this book – I just don’t really understand the point of it.
When I picked it up I thought it would be the book that The Returned television series was based on – my mistake, it’s actually a book based on the television series (both of which are based on another book which is rather loopy). Book spin offs from TV shows happen and we’ve reviewed a few before so while it wasn’t what I expected I was curious about where it would go, given the mystery and unanswered questions of the series
It turns out, however, that “based on” is not exactly an accurate description of this book. “Blatant copy” is much more accurate. This book is a recap of the show. Literally, someone took the script sat down and just wrote it as a novel. The characters, plot, setting, conversations – pretty much everything is exactly the same. It actually reminds me of a blog recap without the commentary. I almost DNFed this book from sheer redundancy since I already knew what would happen in painful detail – but I held on to the end to see if anything changed. Lack-of-things-to-spoil-alert: nothing did. Not one damn thing
The only real difference between the two was medium. Since this was a book we had a lot less of the dramatic visuals and ominous music that were so prevalent in the TV series (which is absolutely terrible because this entire tv show was BASED on the atmosphere – it’s like taking a Michael Bay movie and removing the explosions an half naked Megan Fox – there’s nothing left to it afterwards). We lose a lot of the ominous because of this – for example, when Victor appears on the tv show he is so utterly creepy that the average viewer wanted to kill him with fire – that’s completely lost in the book. And Victor is oddly chatty and not ominously silent.
Instead what we have is the ability to see things through the character’s eyes, from their point of view. Yes, this book is a switching POV 1st person. And this is AWFUL. It is awful because it takes all the nuanced depiction of the atmosphere, well acted portrayals and layered conflicts and decides to info-dump the hell out of all of it. Do we need to see Jerome struggling with the conflicts over Lucy, his family and his general feelings of failure and inadequacy? Nope because he’s going to info-dump all of that in one big self-reflecting chunk of text! Lena dealing with survivor’s guilt and fear with her returning twin sister? Sure we could show a series of developing conflict – or we could have her exposition an appalling info dump.
Read More
When I picked it up I thought it would be the book that The Returned television series was based on – my mistake, it’s actually a book based on the television series (both of which are based on another book which is rather loopy). Book spin offs from TV shows happen and we’ve reviewed a few before so while it wasn’t what I expected I was curious about where it would go, given the mystery and unanswered questions of the series
It turns out, however, that “based on” is not exactly an accurate description of this book. “Blatant copy” is much more accurate. This book is a recap of the show. Literally, someone took the script sat down and just wrote it as a novel. The characters, plot, setting, conversations – pretty much everything is exactly the same. It actually reminds me of a blog recap without the commentary. I almost DNFed this book from sheer redundancy since I already knew what would happen in painful detail – but I held on to the end to see if anything changed. Lack-of-things-to-spoil-alert: nothing did. Not one damn thing
The only real difference between the two was medium. Since this was a book we had a lot less of the dramatic visuals and ominous music that were so prevalent in the TV series (which is absolutely terrible because this entire tv show was BASED on the atmosphere – it’s like taking a Michael Bay movie and removing the explosions an half naked Megan Fox – there’s nothing left to it afterwards). We lose a lot of the ominous because of this – for example, when Victor appears on the tv show he is so utterly creepy that the average viewer wanted to kill him with fire – that’s completely lost in the book. And Victor is oddly chatty and not ominously silent.
Instead what we have is the ability to see things through the character’s eyes, from their point of view. Yes, this book is a switching POV 1st person. And this is AWFUL. It is awful because it takes all the nuanced depiction of the atmosphere, well acted portrayals and layered conflicts and decides to info-dump the hell out of all of it. Do we need to see Jerome struggling with the conflicts over Lucy, his family and his general feelings of failure and inadequacy? Nope because he’s going to info-dump all of that in one big self-reflecting chunk of text! Lena dealing with survivor’s guilt and fear with her returning twin sister? Sure we could show a series of developing conflict – or we could have her exposition an appalling info dump.
Read More
March 10, 2016
Meine Meinung:
Mich hat der Klappentext des Buches sofort angesprochen. Die Geschichte hörte sich mal wieder nach etwas neuem an. Außerdem klang es super spannend und auch etwas gruselig.
Das Cover ist nichts spektakuläres, vermittelt aber die passende Stimmung. Für mich wirkt diese Junge schon etwas gruselig und könnte gut in einem Horrorfilm mitspielen.
Der Einstieg in das Buch fiel mir einfach. Man hat zwar viele Personen und somit viele kleine Geschichten, aber die Personen sind doch sehr unterschiedlich, sodass ich das gut differenzieren konnte.
Der Schreibstil des Autors fand ich gut. Er erzeugte die passende Stimmung für das Buch und konnte mich fesseln.
Die Stimmung im Buch ist sehr düster und schon ein bisschen gruselig. Zartbesaitete könnten hier "Probleme" bekommen. Für mich war es aber genau passend, denn das habe ich auch von dem Buch erwartet. Ich finde durch diese Stimmung ist eher ein Buch für Erwachsene als für Jugendliche.
Die Idee des Buches fand ich super, sie hat unheimlich viel Potential, das der Autor gut genutzt hat. Man hätte sicherlich noch mehr daraus machen können, aber ich finde die Umsetzung schon super.
Die Spannung des Buch es ist grandios! Es ist nicht actionreich oder ähnliches, aber dennoch gibt es eine gewisse Grund Spannung, da es so viele Fragen gibt. Wieso stehen einige Bewohner wieder auf? Was hat es mit Victor auf sich? In Welche Richtung wird es noch gehen?
Fazit:
"The Returned - Die Vergangenheit kehrt zurück" hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Das Buch hat eine tolle Stimmung, es ist düster und gruselig. Mich konnte vor allem die Idee überzeugen. Ein wirklich gutes Buch!
April 15, 2015
When I first requested this book, I thought it was about the current TV show, which sucks. I just wanted to find out wth was going on without having to sit through the boring episodes. Then I realized it was a totally different book and not related to the TV show. However, an 8 episode series was made of this book and shown in the UK. Lucky them!!
Although I haven't read the other book by Jason Mott, I did watch a few episodes of the TV series. This one is WAY better. While kind of creepy in the fact that dead people are coming back to life, I truly enjoyed this one much more. Of course, Hollywood does have a tendency to drag out things so they will get enough for a season's worth of episodes, so I guess this isn't a fair analysis.
But back to the book, I found it very interesting and entertaining. It read quickly and I read it all in one sitting. I highly recommend it as I had a very hard time putting it down.
Thanks to Sourcebooks and Net Galley for a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Although I haven't read the other book by Jason Mott, I did watch a few episodes of the TV series. This one is WAY better. While kind of creepy in the fact that dead people are coming back to life, I truly enjoyed this one much more. Of course, Hollywood does have a tendency to drag out things so they will get enough for a season's worth of episodes, so I guess this isn't a fair analysis.
But back to the book, I found it very interesting and entertaining. It read quickly and I read it all in one sitting. I highly recommend it as I had a very hard time putting it down.
Thanks to Sourcebooks and Net Galley for a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2020
"He stared out across the lake and thought about what lay underneath. He thought about what he'd been told officially when he took the job and about what he'd heard in the months since-rumors, inconsistent, conflicting. He thought about what he believed. Shivering, he started to descend."
This is what first drew me to this book. An entire book build on the idea that the dead have returned but didn't realize that they were dead or even that they had been gone was fascinating to the 'ghost story junkie". The problem came when nothing really happened except that more and more people kept returning. You knew what should be happening...you knew what was bound to soon happen...but it took way too long for it to all come together....and HAPPEN...and then it was rather anti-climactic. I guess I have to say that I liked it and I didn't like it. You would have thought that the story could have been told and told well in less than 93 chapters.
April 22, 2015
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
This started off okay, but it quickly went downhill for me unfortunately.
At times it confused me, most of the time I found it weird, and for the majority of it, I was bored. I just wanted to hurry up and finish it, but it felt like it would never end.
I wasn't a fan of the ending either.
This started off okay, but it quickly went downhill for me unfortunately.
At times it confused me, most of the time I found it weird, and for the majority of it, I was bored. I just wanted to hurry up and finish it, but it felt like it would never end.
I wasn't a fan of the ending either.
December 16, 2014
enjoyed this book but only gave it 3 stars because of the ending. just plain unsatisfying.
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August 10, 2017
Määäh. Doch nur 4,5*. Also.. 'nur'.
Das Ende bzw die letzten 50 Seiten haben mir gar nicht mehr gefallen. Und das lag an der Story. Ich habe mich immer gefragt wie diese Geschichte enden soll. Zumal es ein erster Band sein soll von einer Reihe.. Ich habe auf ein fulminanten Cliffhanger gewartet. Aber der kam nicht. Leider.
Nuja. Ich werde mir nun auf Netflix mal die Serie anschauen. Vllt bügelt die ja das Ende des Buches wieder aus.. 🙈😉
Das Ende bzw die letzten 50 Seiten haben mir gar nicht mehr gefallen. Und das lag an der Story. Ich habe mich immer gefragt wie diese Geschichte enden soll. Zumal es ein erster Band sein soll von einer Reihe.. Ich habe auf ein fulminanten Cliffhanger gewartet. Aber der kam nicht. Leider.
Nuja. Ich werde mir nun auf Netflix mal die Serie anschauen. Vllt bügelt die ja das Ende des Buches wieder aus.. 🙈😉
March 8, 2016
Seth Patricks "Die Vergangenheit kehrt zurück" ist der erste Band seiner Horror-Thriller Reihe "The Returned". Die Kurzbeschreibung konnte mich gleich packen und hat mich wahnsinnig neugierig auf diese Geschichte gemacht, die so wahnsinnig anders klang, als alles ich besser aus diesem Genrebereich gelesen habe. Als ich dann noch erfahren habe, dass es eine gleichnamige TV-Serie zu dieser Buchreihe gibt, hat die Neugierde natürlich gesiegt und ich konnte gar nicht anders, als in die Buchwelt von Seth Patrick ein zu tauchen.
Leider ist mir das Eintauchen wahnsinnig schwer gefallen. Bereits auf den ersten Seiten bin ich überhaupt nicht mit den imens vielen Charakteren, Perspektivenwechsel und Sprüngen klar gekommen. Zu Beginn des Buches habe ich um ehrlich zu sein null geblickt welche Familie welches Drama erlitten hat und welcher Returned zu welchen Charakteren gehört. Ich bin von einer Verwirrung in die nächste gestolpert, was den Lesefluss nicht sonderlich gefördert hat.
Ich konnte mich so überhaupt gar nicht mit einem der vielen Charaktere identifizieren, weil es einfach zu viele sind und jeden bis ins Detail kennen und lieben zu lernen. Aber das ist denke ich auch gar nicht die Absicht von Seth Patrick, er möchte uns Leser nur an dem Drama der einzelnen Charaktere teilhaben lassen. Allerdings war es mir persönlich zu viel Drama. Das ganze Drama hat für mich vollkommen die Spannung genommen und die Lese-Depression von Seite zu Seite gefördert.
Horror: 0
Mythos: 0
Thriller: 0
Depression: 10000000
*augenroll*
Noch hinzu kommt, dass das Buch ziemlich seltsam ist. Also wirklich seltsam. Ich finde kein Wort, dass meine Gefühle zu "The Returned" besser ausdrücken könnte. Es ist verdammt SELTSAM auch nach 500 Seiten ist es immer noch verdammt seltsam und wenn man sich nach den 500 Seiten nicht schon die Pulsadern aufgeschnitten hat, dann hat man wohl parallel ein fröhliches Büchlein gelesen.
Es geht nur um Drama, Selbstmord, Mord, komische Mörder die Frauen lebendig aufschlitzen und dann anfangen sie zu essen, Vertuschungen, Korruption, Depression. KOTZ! Dabei hatte ich mir so viel mehr so viel mehr versprochen, aber hinter dem spannenden Klappentext steckt leider so gar keine Spannung.
Um abschließend noch etwas Positives zu Seth Patricks "The Returned" zu schreiben: Die Grundstory ist wirklich wirklich wirklich gut! Außerdem ist die oben beschriebene Dramatik sehr greifbar, denn sonst hätte mich Seth Patrick keinesfalls mit den furchtbaren Geschehnissen rund um seine Charaktere packen und runter ziehen können. Die Idee, die hinter dem großen Ganzen steckt, konnte mich überzeugen und Fans des Thriller-Horror-Genres, sollten sich von meiner leicht depressiven Rezension keinesfalls runter ziehen lassen, denn Bücher sind ja ein Glück Geschmackssache :-).
Leider ist mir das Eintauchen wahnsinnig schwer gefallen. Bereits auf den ersten Seiten bin ich überhaupt nicht mit den imens vielen Charakteren, Perspektivenwechsel und Sprüngen klar gekommen. Zu Beginn des Buches habe ich um ehrlich zu sein null geblickt welche Familie welches Drama erlitten hat und welcher Returned zu welchen Charakteren gehört. Ich bin von einer Verwirrung in die nächste gestolpert, was den Lesefluss nicht sonderlich gefördert hat.
Ich konnte mich so überhaupt gar nicht mit einem der vielen Charaktere identifizieren, weil es einfach zu viele sind und jeden bis ins Detail kennen und lieben zu lernen. Aber das ist denke ich auch gar nicht die Absicht von Seth Patrick, er möchte uns Leser nur an dem Drama der einzelnen Charaktere teilhaben lassen. Allerdings war es mir persönlich zu viel Drama. Das ganze Drama hat für mich vollkommen die Spannung genommen und die Lese-Depression von Seite zu Seite gefördert.
Horror: 0
Mythos: 0
Thriller: 0
Depression: 10000000
*augenroll*
Noch hinzu kommt, dass das Buch ziemlich seltsam ist. Also wirklich seltsam. Ich finde kein Wort, dass meine Gefühle zu "The Returned" besser ausdrücken könnte. Es ist verdammt SELTSAM auch nach 500 Seiten ist es immer noch verdammt seltsam und wenn man sich nach den 500 Seiten nicht schon die Pulsadern aufgeschnitten hat, dann hat man wohl parallel ein fröhliches Büchlein gelesen.
Es geht nur um Drama, Selbstmord, Mord, komische Mörder die Frauen lebendig aufschlitzen und dann anfangen sie zu essen, Vertuschungen, Korruption, Depression. KOTZ! Dabei hatte ich mir so viel mehr so viel mehr versprochen, aber hinter dem spannenden Klappentext steckt leider so gar keine Spannung.
Um abschließend noch etwas Positives zu Seth Patricks "The Returned" zu schreiben: Die Grundstory ist wirklich wirklich wirklich gut! Außerdem ist die oben beschriebene Dramatik sehr greifbar, denn sonst hätte mich Seth Patrick keinesfalls mit den furchtbaren Geschehnissen rund um seine Charaktere packen und runter ziehen können. Die Idee, die hinter dem großen Ganzen steckt, konnte mich überzeugen und Fans des Thriller-Horror-Genres, sollten sich von meiner leicht depressiven Rezension keinesfalls runter ziehen lassen, denn Bücher sind ja ein Glück Geschmackssache :-).
September 16, 2021
It was a great book up until the non-ending end
I was really enjoying this book, the tension was building for the big finale. I finished a chapter, town the page to start the next chapter and it was the end! The book had no ending! So I thought, this isn't bad, I'll just get the second book in the series it isn't a series!! . I have read books where I thought there should have been a bit more closure but this was crazy, there was no closure whatsoever. I was so disappointed in the lack of an ending. I can't get over how shocked I was to see the acknowledgements, instead of the next chapter.
I was really enjoying this book, the tension was building for the big finale. I finished a chapter, town the page to start the next chapter and it was the end! The book had no ending! So I thought, this isn't bad, I'll just get the second book in the series it isn't a series!! . I have read books where I thought there should have been a bit more closure but this was crazy, there was no closure whatsoever. I was so disappointed in the lack of an ending. I can't get over how shocked I was to see the acknowledgements, instead of the next chapter.
March 29, 2015
This was well written and the characters were incredible, realistic and in-depth. I quite enjoyed the concept of returning from the dead and retaining memories/personalities of your self.
My only issue is the ending. There were so many questions left, nothing was really resolved, they hinted back to past events but nothing was ever explained. It left me confused and want all my questions answered.
I did not realize this was a novel based on the French TV series when I picked this to read, but I'm now looking forward to watching it, maybe that'll give me more answers.
My only issue is the ending. There were so many questions left, nothing was really resolved, they hinted back to past events but nothing was ever explained. It left me confused and want all my questions answered.
I did not realize this was a novel based on the French TV series when I picked this to read, but I'm now looking forward to watching it, maybe that'll give me more answers.
May 20, 2015
This book reads as if it were written for TV -- or based on a TV show. The story centers around a small town located near a dam in France that experiences its dead people waking up and going home. Kind of gruesome, but it could work. Unfortunately, it doesn't work so well in "The Returned". The plot is weak or non-existent and there is no solid conclusion. I suppose one must wait for the sequel. I will skip the sequel and recommend that you skip this book.
January 16, 2015
This book had great promise. It was eminently readable with well developed characters and an intriguing plot. Then it is completely spoilt in the last pages. It feels as if the author had had quite enough of it and just stopped. It has left me feeling unsatisfied and not particularly inclined to read anything else by this author.
March 21, 2015
Actually 3.5 stars but not 4.
I really loved the book untill the last 20 pages or so. The ending is deeply unsatisfying, because it's not really an ending at all. It just stops.
Rest of the book is well written and at times plenty scary!
I really loved the book untill the last 20 pages or so. The ending is deeply unsatisfying, because it's not really an ending at all. It just stops.
Rest of the book is well written and at times plenty scary!
March 6, 2015
Good plot and characters, very different concept and I enjoyed reading everything but the ending. So many questions, nothing was resolved, they hinted back to past events but nothing was ever explained. Wasn't impressed with that, I want questions answered.
June 7, 2016
Love it! It reminds me of American Horror Story and Stephen King's writing. Actually, it looks a lot like Under the dome, a great novel. And, at the end, it reminded me a little bit of The Walking Dead. Anyway, great story and well written.
August 27, 2016
I learnt a new word recently, "unputdownable", this book is definitely that! But it makes you wonder? Would you really want all your dead back, keeping aside the zombie stuff. It's sad. :(
I do want someone to explain the ending to me though... Is there a sequel to this book?
I do want someone to explain the ending to me though... Is there a sequel to this book?
April 2, 2015
Extremely readable and intense but I wish it had a more definite ending! Does this mean there will be a sequel?
December 1, 2015
The novelization of the French TV series, easy to read and un-put-downable. Halfway through it I started watching the series too!
July 22, 2017
2.5 rating. The storyline was decent, but I found the writing style painfully juvenile. I can only imagine if the story had been told by someone like Stephen King!
August 26, 2019
A thought-provoking, character-driven horror novel, based on the TV series ‘The Returned’, novelised by Seth Patrick.
Camille, fifteen years old, finds herself alone on the mountainside, with no memory of how she got there. She cannot remember dying in a bus crash four years before, her only concern to return home. But her home is now a broken one; her parents, Claire and Jerome, are separated and her sister, Lena, now nineteen, is wracked with guilt and painful memories, spending much of her spare time at the local Lake Pub.
Elsewhere, Julie, haunted by an attack that almost killed her several years before, meets a young boy, Victor, apparently abandoned and with nowhere to go. She takes pity on him, but soon finds that his presence may fill a hole in her life.
Others are slowly beginning to return home, their presence four years later not as readily welcomed as Camille and Victor find themselves. Simon finds his wife, Adele, now engaged to another man. Serge, brother to the landlord of the Lake Pub, hides dark compulsions that threaten to ignite the tension that is descending across a town that has been haunted by its losses for the past four years.
With a large cast of characters, ‘The Returned’ carefully unspools its growing tension, secrets and lies slowly rising to the surface. The complex web of each of the characters' stories unravels with each revelation, while the personal battles build to a war for the town itself. Sides are taken, leading to its inevitable climax. But another danger lurks and threatens to engulf the town in another tragedy.
The novelisation is based on the first season of the critically acclaimed 2012-15 French TV series ‘Les Revenants’, which was broadcast internationally at ‘The Returned’. The TV series was itself based on the concept of a 2004, also French, film 'Les Revenants'/'They Came Back' – released in the UK under the title ‘The Returned’ – which follows a similar premise of the dead returning to their former lives. The TV series ran for two seasons, but the reported second novel was never published. A single season US remake also premiered in 2015.
Absorbing and well-written, ‘The Returned’ is a far deeper and emotional exploration than you’d usually expect from a zombie horror, like the film and TV series before it, excellently portraying grief and loneliness and the lengths to which people will go to protect those they love.
Camille, fifteen years old, finds herself alone on the mountainside, with no memory of how she got there. She cannot remember dying in a bus crash four years before, her only concern to return home. But her home is now a broken one; her parents, Claire and Jerome, are separated and her sister, Lena, now nineteen, is wracked with guilt and painful memories, spending much of her spare time at the local Lake Pub.
Elsewhere, Julie, haunted by an attack that almost killed her several years before, meets a young boy, Victor, apparently abandoned and with nowhere to go. She takes pity on him, but soon finds that his presence may fill a hole in her life.
Others are slowly beginning to return home, their presence four years later not as readily welcomed as Camille and Victor find themselves. Simon finds his wife, Adele, now engaged to another man. Serge, brother to the landlord of the Lake Pub, hides dark compulsions that threaten to ignite the tension that is descending across a town that has been haunted by its losses for the past four years.
With a large cast of characters, ‘The Returned’ carefully unspools its growing tension, secrets and lies slowly rising to the surface. The complex web of each of the characters' stories unravels with each revelation, while the personal battles build to a war for the town itself. Sides are taken, leading to its inevitable climax. But another danger lurks and threatens to engulf the town in another tragedy.
The novelisation is based on the first season of the critically acclaimed 2012-15 French TV series ‘Les Revenants’, which was broadcast internationally at ‘The Returned’. The TV series was itself based on the concept of a 2004, also French, film 'Les Revenants'/'They Came Back' – released in the UK under the title ‘The Returned’ – which follows a similar premise of the dead returning to their former lives. The TV series ran for two seasons, but the reported second novel was never published. A single season US remake also premiered in 2015.
Absorbing and well-written, ‘The Returned’ is a far deeper and emotional exploration than you’d usually expect from a zombie horror, like the film and TV series before it, excellently portraying grief and loneliness and the lengths to which people will go to protect those they love.
October 14, 2017
The Returned is based on the French tv series, Les Revenants, which is one of the best tv series I've ever seen. Because of this, I can't express an unbiased view. I've seen the series three years ago - long enough to forget exactly what happened, but to still know who the characters were and how it all looked, so to say.
A good thing, too. Because while the novel was gripping, the author doesn't bother much with descriptions. I'm not a fan of the pages-long descriptions of Nature some authors go for, but Patrick really lacked in this department. All we basically know about the town is that there's a lake, a lot of pines, and a valley. The same goes for the character - their appearance is hardly ever described. Even if it is, their hair colour is about the most we get. Because of this, it didn't feel as if he was writing his own story. Which it obviously isn't, but you'd expect a twist, I think. I also thought it was odd he would talk about Monsieur Costa and Madame Payet, but then refers to parents as Mum and Dad.
The story itself is very intense, of course. Atypical, too, for the genre. I remember thinking this about the tv series as well - how different it would be if it was American. The story is what kept me reading. The characters draw the reader in as well - they're all so different and so imperfect. Especially with the short chapters and the change in point of view, it was quite unputdownable. But I don't know how much of that I can attribute to Seth Patrick.
I would recommend anyone who read this and liked it to see the original tv series as well. The atmosphere is amazing.
A good thing, too. Because while the novel was gripping, the author doesn't bother much with descriptions. I'm not a fan of the pages-long descriptions of Nature some authors go for, but Patrick really lacked in this department. All we basically know about the town is that there's a lake, a lot of pines, and a valley. The same goes for the character - their appearance is hardly ever described. Even if it is, their hair colour is about the most we get. Because of this, it didn't feel as if he was writing his own story. Which it obviously isn't, but you'd expect a twist, I think. I also thought it was odd he would talk about Monsieur Costa and Madame Payet, but then refers to parents as Mum and Dad.
The story itself is very intense, of course. Atypical, too, for the genre. I remember thinking this about the tv series as well - how different it would be if it was American. The story is what kept me reading. The characters draw the reader in as well - they're all so different and so imperfect. Especially with the short chapters and the change in point of view, it was quite unputdownable. But I don't know how much of that I can attribute to Seth Patrick.
I would recommend anyone who read this and liked it to see the original tv series as well. The atmosphere is amazing.
April 9, 2019
My book that I read was The Returned by Seth Patrick. It is a fiction book. It is a book that has several sub-plots to it. It is about a group of people who died in a bus accident and have come back from the dead. The book explains the story and life of each individual character that died. There are many things I liked about the book. My favorite character was Camille because she was the first character introduced to come back from the dead. The characters did not feel real to me because it’s impossible to come back from the dead. My favorite part of the book was when Camille walked into her family’s home like it was just another day. Her family was just freaked out and they were screaming and crying but Camille had no idea what was going on because she doesn’t remember being killed in a bus accident. The accident occurred 4 years prior to her returning home. The story did in fact grip me and kept me turning the pages, it was hard to put the book down at times. What I disliked about the book was the ending. It was a very anticlimactic ending and it did not really explain why or how these individuals came back from the dead 4 years later. It just tells each character’s story and the book just ends after fully explaining their situations. So if the ending was better I would have enjoyed the book a lot more than what I do now. This book is a really good mystery themed book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading books and mystery. I give this book a ⅗ rating because of the lame ending.
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