Status
Available
Call number
Publication
St. Martin's Griffin
Pages
306
Description
The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampires have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampire Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampire friends.… (more)
Series
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2007-04-12
Physical description
306 p.; 8.25 inches
ISBN
0312360266 / 9780312360269
Similar in this library
Lexile
780L
User reviews
LibraryThing member LilaBird
I've been dying to start the House of Night series for a while now. I was intrigued by the fact that a mother and daughter team wrote them together (P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast), and I just plain love vampire books. So, when I started out on this most recent literary journey through the world of the
The story begins with 16-year old Zoey Redbird being chosen and "marked" to become a vampyre (yes, this is the way they spell it in the books....lame). Zoey's "marking" takes physical form in the shape of a crescent moon tattoo on her forehead (as it does for all the chosen). It is known in Zoey's world that anyone marked to become a vampyre must immediately go to the House of Night boarding school where they will live and attend vampyre school while their bodies undergo "the change". If you don't report to the House of Night or if your body rejects "the change", you die. SO, after a fight with her religiously-fanatical parents and a trip to see her spiritual, mother earth worshipping, Cherokee grandmother, Zoey finally makes it to the House of Night.
Once there, the story picks up the pace a little. She meets her new classmates - some nice, some not-so-nice, and she meets her new mentor, who will guide her on this journey through "the change". Zoey struggles to fit in, misses her old friends and is confused by all the fast changes her body and mind are going through. She slowly makes friends and finds the strength to stand up to a bully, while also starting what may be a new romantic relationship.
So, the plot is alright. Just alright. Nothing super about it. If it had been an amazing story, perhaps I could have over-looked all of the glaring mistakes and bad choices, but it wasn't and I couldn't, so here they are:
A.) TOO MANY TYPOS!!! Seriously??? Is this book professionally published?? Why yes, it is! St. Martin's Press, headquartered in New York. A division of Macmillan, you say? It can't be true! Did they fire their entire editing staff the afternoon this book was approved? Possibly.
B.) Not just typos, but actual grammatical and tense errors. These drive me crazy. If you're going to choose to write in first person, please keep track of your random tense-usage!! Get it right. Maybe instead of being more concerned with the book hitting the shelves right away, you could take an extra TWO DAYS and actually read a copy of your manuscript before you submit it. Sheesh.
C.) Immature language. So, I know. This book was written for young teenagers. I get it. It's supposed to be accessible to them and written on their level. But come on. Give them a little credit. They're not infants! Up the level just slightly and maybe your book would be enjoyable for a whole lot more people. I get the characters speaking at a 16-year old's level. I have no problem with that. It's all the rest of it. Zoey's "thoughts" (which narrate the book since it's in first person) should, in my opinion, be written in a slightly older tone, just for the sake of not coming off so darn immature! It makes it really hard to identify with her at all.
D.) Swearing/Cursing. Is the quality of the book really enhanced by your ability to type 4-letter words? I think not.
E.) Blow-jobs? Really? Are we TRYING to turn our country's youths into sluts? Yes, I know, it was the "slutty-ish" character who was doing it, but really. Does it HAVE to be covered in your book? Is it vital to the plot? I say no.
These are my complaints about book one of the House of Night series. Will I push on and attempt to read the rest of the series? Probably. I'm hoping that as Zoey gets a little older, maybe the tone of the books will too. We shall see. I guess I'll just have to *try* and overlook all the other typos and bad choices this mother and daughter team seem to like making....
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Marked, I was surprised to find myself more than a little let down. The story begins with 16-year old Zoey Redbird being chosen and "marked" to become a vampyre (yes, this is the way they spell it in the books....lame). Zoey's "marking" takes physical form in the shape of a crescent moon tattoo on her forehead (as it does for all the chosen). It is known in Zoey's world that anyone marked to become a vampyre must immediately go to the House of Night boarding school where they will live and attend vampyre school while their bodies undergo "the change". If you don't report to the House of Night or if your body rejects "the change", you die. SO, after a fight with her religiously-fanatical parents and a trip to see her spiritual, mother earth worshipping, Cherokee grandmother, Zoey finally makes it to the House of Night.
Once there, the story picks up the pace a little. She meets her new classmates - some nice, some not-so-nice, and she meets her new mentor, who will guide her on this journey through "the change". Zoey struggles to fit in, misses her old friends and is confused by all the fast changes her body and mind are going through. She slowly makes friends and finds the strength to stand up to a bully, while also starting what may be a new romantic relationship.
So, the plot is alright. Just alright. Nothing super about it. If it had been an amazing story, perhaps I could have over-looked all of the glaring mistakes and bad choices, but it wasn't and I couldn't, so here they are:
A.) TOO MANY TYPOS!!! Seriously??? Is this book professionally published?? Why yes, it is! St. Martin's Press, headquartered in New York. A division of Macmillan, you say? It can't be true! Did they fire their entire editing staff the afternoon this book was approved? Possibly.
B.) Not just typos, but actual grammatical and tense errors. These drive me crazy. If you're going to choose to write in first person, please keep track of your random tense-usage!! Get it right. Maybe instead of being more concerned with the book hitting the shelves right away, you could take an extra TWO DAYS and actually read a copy of your manuscript before you submit it. Sheesh.
C.) Immature language. So, I know. This book was written for young teenagers. I get it. It's supposed to be accessible to them and written on their level. But come on. Give them a little credit. They're not infants! Up the level just slightly and maybe your book would be enjoyable for a whole lot more people. I get the characters speaking at a 16-year old's level. I have no problem with that. It's all the rest of it. Zoey's "thoughts" (which narrate the book since it's in first person) should, in my opinion, be written in a slightly older tone, just for the sake of not coming off so darn immature! It makes it really hard to identify with her at all.
D.) Swearing/Cursing. Is the quality of the book really enhanced by your ability to type 4-letter words? I think not.
E.) Blow-jobs? Really? Are we TRYING to turn our country's youths into sluts? Yes, I know, it was the "slutty-ish" character who was doing it, but really. Does it HAVE to be covered in your book? Is it vital to the plot? I say no.
These are my complaints about book one of the House of Night series. Will I push on and attempt to read the rest of the series? Probably. I'm hoping that as Zoey gets a little older, maybe the tone of the books will too. We shall see. I guess I'll just have to *try* and overlook all the other typos and bad choices this mother and daughter team seem to like making....
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LibraryThing member spotzzzgirl
Overall, Marked was a decent beginning to a new YA supernatural series. I liked the concept of a world only a half step away from our own, where everything (including fashion, television shows, and even famous celebrities) is the same as our own, except there vampires have always existed. It did
The story centers around Zoey Redbird and her struggles to fit into her new school, the House of Night, after she has been marked as a vampyre fledgling. Zoey learns to navigate the tricky waters of fledgling society, makes a new group of friends (and even finds a new boyfriend), earns the favor of the vampyre goddess Nyx, and learns to stand up for what she knows is right, all while trying to deal with social enemies and extricate herself from the ties to her old life.
As a character, I like Zoey. At the start, her voice and mannerisms annoyed me a little bit, until I got used to them. By the end of the first third of the book, though, I had gotten used to her, and was definitely on her side. I like that she’s tough and she thinks quickly on her feet. She tries to rise above the pettiness and cruelty of Aphrodite and her “friends,” and she does her best to deal with the surprises life throws at her, even if her choices have unintended consequences, like with her former boyfriend, Heath. I really like the characters of her friends, too. They’re quirky and individual and real, especially Stevie Rae and Damien.
The plot seemed well developed, and ended with hints of darkness and danger to come.
There are a few things that seemed nagging to me, though, and they’re all small characterizations issues. A lot of the characters in the book are not fully fleshed out, and are very flat characters, like Zoey’s family (except her grandmother) and friends from her old life. Even characters from her new life are flat, like Erik; his motivations for suddenly being so drawn to Zoey are never explained, especially as she’s the rival of his ex-girlfriend.
Overall, though, it was a decent book; I found myself reading quickly and wanting to find out what happened to Zoey and her friends at the end of the story.
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lead me to wondering over a few historical questions, but in general I didn’t have a problem with the idea. The story centers around Zoey Redbird and her struggles to fit into her new school, the House of Night, after she has been marked as a vampyre fledgling. Zoey learns to navigate the tricky waters of fledgling society, makes a new group of friends (and even finds a new boyfriend), earns the favor of the vampyre goddess Nyx, and learns to stand up for what she knows is right, all while trying to deal with social enemies and extricate herself from the ties to her old life.
As a character, I like Zoey. At the start, her voice and mannerisms annoyed me a little bit, until I got used to them. By the end of the first third of the book, though, I had gotten used to her, and was definitely on her side. I like that she’s tough and she thinks quickly on her feet. She tries to rise above the pettiness and cruelty of Aphrodite and her “friends,” and she does her best to deal with the surprises life throws at her, even if her choices have unintended consequences, like with her former boyfriend, Heath. I really like the characters of her friends, too. They’re quirky and individual and real, especially Stevie Rae and Damien.
The plot seemed well developed, and ended with hints of darkness and danger to come.
There are a few things that seemed nagging to me, though, and they’re all small characterizations issues. A lot of the characters in the book are not fully fleshed out, and are very flat characters, like Zoey’s family (except her grandmother) and friends from her old life. Even characters from her new life are flat, like Erik; his motivations for suddenly being so drawn to Zoey are never explained, especially as she’s the rival of his ex-girlfriend.
Overall, though, it was a decent book; I found myself reading quickly and wanting to find out what happened to Zoey and her friends at the end of the story.
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LibraryThing member Typhoid_Mary
I've read a lot of vampire books, a lot of teen books, and a lot of combinations of the two. I am enjoying House of Night books, but something about it didn't sit right with me from the start. Thinking back, I realized what it is. Her voice, the voice of Zoey, annoys the hell out of me. Yes the
The vampyres in the House of Night have been marked to change from human teenagers into vampyres over the course of about four years, and about 1 in 10 will not survive the change. Zoey Redbird has just been Marked and is dealing with the changes in her body, changing schools, leaving her friends and family, and overall leaving the life she knew behind. The characters are mostly very interesting and unique, with a few that seem a little clichéd and like they're trying a little too hard (the Twins, for example). I like the idea of living vampires in touch with magic and life, it's a really interesting idea, but I feel like Richelle Mead pulled it off better and with a more engaging set of characters in her Vampire Academy series.
Again, I enjoy the story, but Zoey interjecting with her thoughts on everything from sex to drugs gets on my nerves quite a bit. Yes, I get that she's a virgin, does she need to restate that once every five pages, and with the superior attitude? And what, exactly, is so slutty about kissing someone outside? Her judgmental attitude toward the behavior of many other students, human and vampyre makes me a little uncomfortable. She complains about the overtly sexual actions of one character, then turns around and does much the same thing with a guy in a car.
I don't feel like her voice is that authentic, it seems a bit too immature and childish at times, especially when she uses the word poopie in place of sh*t, crap, fecal matter, excrement, poo, or even just plain poop. It's like someone who hasn't been sixteen in some time trying to force herself to think like she believes a sixteen year old girl would. Sentences break in odd places, the over use of parenthesis gets old, and as much as I like the story, the telling makes it hard to keep reading sometimes. I don't feel much attachment to most of the characters, since they mostly don't feel complete to me and even when one character did die in a later book (I won't say who or when, that would be a spoiler) it didn't feel natural, but it was entirely unsurprising. I intend to finish the series, but I don't foresee it being as easy or enjoyable as I had hoped.
I would recommend it as a light read, something entertaining, but don't go in expecting brilliant writing or stunning storytelling.
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story is pretty solid, and their take on vampires (or rather, vampyres) is really cool, but the way the whole thing is told bothers me quite a bit.The vampyres in the House of Night have been marked to change from human teenagers into vampyres over the course of about four years, and about 1 in 10 will not survive the change. Zoey Redbird has just been Marked and is dealing with the changes in her body, changing schools, leaving her friends and family, and overall leaving the life she knew behind. The characters are mostly very interesting and unique, with a few that seem a little clichéd and like they're trying a little too hard (the Twins, for example). I like the idea of living vampires in touch with magic and life, it's a really interesting idea, but I feel like Richelle Mead pulled it off better and with a more engaging set of characters in her Vampire Academy series.
Again, I enjoy the story, but Zoey interjecting with her thoughts on everything from sex to drugs gets on my nerves quite a bit. Yes, I get that she's a virgin, does she need to restate that once every five pages, and with the superior attitude? And what, exactly, is so slutty about kissing someone outside? Her judgmental attitude toward the behavior of many other students, human and vampyre makes me a little uncomfortable. She complains about the overtly sexual actions of one character, then turns around and does much the same thing with a guy in a car.
I don't feel like her voice is that authentic, it seems a bit too immature and childish at times, especially when she uses the word poopie in place of sh*t, crap, fecal matter, excrement, poo, or even just plain poop. It's like someone who hasn't been sixteen in some time trying to force herself to think like she believes a sixteen year old girl would. Sentences break in odd places, the over use of parenthesis gets old, and as much as I like the story, the telling makes it hard to keep reading sometimes. I don't feel much attachment to most of the characters, since they mostly don't feel complete to me and even when one character did die in a later book (I won't say who or when, that would be a spoiler) it didn't feel natural, but it was entirely unsurprising. I intend to finish the series, but I don't foresee it being as easy or enjoyable as I had hoped.
I would recommend it as a light read, something entertaining, but don't go in expecting brilliant writing or stunning storytelling.
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LibraryThing member Jenson_AKA_DL
I have to say that I’ve enjoyed almost all the young adult/urban fantasy vampire books I’ve read over the last couple years and Marked was certainly a great addition to this genre. In this world, vampyres are known, although not really very accepted, by the general population of the world. In
Set up to be the first book of a series, it was nice that Marked had a fairly decent ending that didn’t involve any cliffhangerishness (thank you!) I think this has the potential of being a pretty good set of stories. Although the characters are fairly set, there is enough ambiguousness around some of them to leave you wondering if they are good, bad or otherwise and I think this is the mystery that will draw me back. Certainly a must have for those looking for a vampire fix while waiting for Stephenie Meyer’s next book or for teen girls those who enjoy urban fantasies in general.
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fact, ordinary teens might find themselves walking down the halls of a normal high school only to be suddenly “marked” as a vampyre and taken away from their family and their life to that point. This is what has happened to our young heroine, Zoey Redbird. However, even among the super special fledgling vamps Zoey is something else. She has been chosen by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx herself, for a destiny that is sure to require not only her special paranormal gifts, but her very human personality and perseverance against something dark and deadly in the school.Set up to be the first book of a series, it was nice that Marked had a fairly decent ending that didn’t involve any cliffhangerishness (thank you!) I think this has the potential of being a pretty good set of stories. Although the characters are fairly set, there is enough ambiguousness around some of them to leave you wondering if they are good, bad or otherwise and I think this is the mystery that will draw me back. Certainly a must have for those looking for a vampire fix while waiting for Stephenie Meyer’s next book or for teen girls those who enjoy urban fantasies in general.
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LibraryThing member reading_crystal
An interesting take on vampires, not totally new, but not totally and completely done too much either. We find Zoey Redbird leading a fairly ordinary teenage girl life in the beginning of the book. She has friends, a not-so-ex-boyfriend and parent troubles. Then her life is turned upside down when
So fast-forward ahead and she's at the school, but not until she has more problems with her parents. Being Christian I actually thought I would have problems with the divide created between organized religion and the vampyres as evidenced by Zoey's mom and stepdad. But I really didn't. The world is honestly full of hypocrites and while I didn't smile at the way her parents were portrayed, it is actually accurate of a lot of religious people (note I said religious which is not always the same as Christian - though I am not one to judge on that either) - scared of what you do not know. So while there are pagan rituals and the like in the book, I saw them as a side theme - something that developed the story and the school better. I don't have to participate in the ritual to read the book. Nor do I have to be a vampyre :)
Once that was realized I relaxed and really enjoyed the book. A great coming of age story. Zoey is a likable character and I look forward to watching her grow more through the books. She's not perfect but she tries to think about all her decisions and make the best ones for her and for those around her. Something that not many people do anymore.
So after all of that - I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA paranormal. It's just a good fiction read. The Cast's have created an interesting world with likeable and not-so-likeable people. It let me escape a few hours and the characters have stayed with me after I finished reading it. So to me that was a worthwhile book and I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series.
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she is "marked" and thus must attend a special school for vampyre fledglings. I found the vampyres-living among us as a known entity interesting as well as the school.So fast-forward ahead and she's at the school, but not until she has more problems with her parents. Being Christian I actually thought I would have problems with the divide created between organized religion and the vampyres as evidenced by Zoey's mom and stepdad. But I really didn't. The world is honestly full of hypocrites and while I didn't smile at the way her parents were portrayed, it is actually accurate of a lot of religious people (note I said religious which is not always the same as Christian - though I am not one to judge on that either) - scared of what you do not know. So while there are pagan rituals and the like in the book, I saw them as a side theme - something that developed the story and the school better. I don't have to participate in the ritual to read the book. Nor do I have to be a vampyre :)
Once that was realized I relaxed and really enjoyed the book. A great coming of age story. Zoey is a likable character and I look forward to watching her grow more through the books. She's not perfect but she tries to think about all her decisions and make the best ones for her and for those around her. Something that not many people do anymore.
So after all of that - I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA paranormal. It's just a good fiction read. The Cast's have created an interesting world with likeable and not-so-likeable people. It let me escape a few hours and the characters have stayed with me after I finished reading it. So to me that was a worthwhile book and I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series.
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LibraryThing member bookappeal
This teen vamp high school novel starts a series. In this world, kids are "marked" with a crescent shape on their foreheads if they are destined to become vampires. Those who are marked go to a special school called the House of Night, where they spend 4 years training to become vampires. However,
Zoey, Cherokee-blooded and recently marked, hopes to find a home in her new surroundings and does indeed make friends. But she also goes head to head with the traditional power clique, lead by Aphrodite. Zoey discovers she has powers beyond those of other foundlings - she's just not quite sure what that means yet.
Good characterization and high school humor. A bit heavy on religion - first bashing the human Christian group that seems to have taken over and then endowing the vampire world with a Native American-inspired spirituality. Very little romance, at least in the first entry in the series. Interesting enough to continue reading the series but, as yet, not as compelling as Twilight.
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they don't all make it and failure means death.Zoey, Cherokee-blooded and recently marked, hopes to find a home in her new surroundings and does indeed make friends. But she also goes head to head with the traditional power clique, lead by Aphrodite. Zoey discovers she has powers beyond those of other foundlings - she's just not quite sure what that means yet.
Good characterization and high school humor. A bit heavy on religion - first bashing the human Christian group that seems to have taken over and then endowing the vampire world with a Native American-inspired spirituality. Very little romance, at least in the first entry in the series. Interesting enough to continue reading the series but, as yet, not as compelling as Twilight.
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LibraryThing member george.d.ross
The main hole in this book was the bitchy, unsympathetic, too-perfect-to-be-real main character. We're supposed to believe she's been specially chosen by the goddess for her mature, empathic spirit -- meanwhile she can't go two pages without bratting about her exciting new life, dismissing her
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roommate as low-class, condescending to the lone gay character, and making blatant and self-serving power plays. All this would be fine if she were meant to be a deliciously evil character, but we're supposed to believe she's somehow holier than all the other vamps. I didn't buy it. Show Less
LibraryThing member polliejean
When I started reading this book I was completely pulled into the story. Things got moving quickly, and I really enjoyed the Casts' new take on the vampire world. The school setting, with its unique rules, structures, ceremonies, and night classes gave the book a fresh feel. I found myself having a
Another factor that made this vampire series unique is the involvement of ceremony and worship, and how the whole vampire existence ties in with Greek Goddess Nyx. Definitely something different from what I have read in a while.
While I loved the plot and descriptions in this book, a few things got to me. Some of the characters tended to annoy the heck out of me (*cough*twins*cough*) and it seemed like at times the Casts' were trying too hard to make Zoey and her friends sound...cool? There was an overuse of teenage slang that sometimes felt like a middle aged parent trying to fit in with their teenage child by talking like them. I mean, poopie? Boobies? Loser kids? I'll admit it frustrated me.
Despite these annoyances the story itself intrigues me enough to continue reading the rest of the series. I just finished Betrayed and I can't help but feel eager to know whats going to happen next in the House of Night.
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lot of fun reading Marked, and enjoying the little details of the story...things like the classes the fledglings take, the physical appearance of the school and the rules, regulations, and traditions set up for the students. I felt like the authors created a believable setting for their characters and the physical descriptions were easy to visualize, from the layout of the dining hall to each vampyres individual 'mark'.Another factor that made this vampire series unique is the involvement of ceremony and worship, and how the whole vampire existence ties in with Greek Goddess Nyx. Definitely something different from what I have read in a while.
While I loved the plot and descriptions in this book, a few things got to me. Some of the characters tended to annoy the heck out of me (*cough*twins*cough*) and it seemed like at times the Casts' were trying too hard to make Zoey and her friends sound...cool? There was an overuse of teenage slang that sometimes felt like a middle aged parent trying to fit in with their teenage child by talking like them. I mean, poopie? Boobies? Loser kids? I'll admit it frustrated me.
Despite these annoyances the story itself intrigues me enough to continue reading the rest of the series. I just finished Betrayed and I can't help but feel eager to know whats going to happen next in the House of Night.
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LibraryThing member 2Mu
Ugh, what a paint-by-numbers attempt at teen vampire romance. A cardboard version of Bella Swan is sent to a Wiccan Vampire Hogwarts, where she learns she has more magical goddess gifts than anyone but a Mary Sue has rights to. What's off-putting about this book? The flat-toned writing. The way the
Paranormalcy (Kiersten White) was better. And that's saying a lot.
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character becomes a dithering idiot in the presence of any attractive male. The juxtaposition of contemporary American slut-shaming ("you nasty ho bag") and a premise that sanctifies femininity, sensuality, bloodlust, and desire. The hodge-podge of mythological, native, and spiritual motifs (also the ways that "our vampires are different!) muddy the world's "flavour" so much that it's just an unsavoury pile of mis-matched references. Paranormalcy (Kiersten White) was better. And that's saying a lot.
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LibraryThing member parkridgeya
In this book, vampires are created by a genetic anomaly in their DNA. They then go through a 4 yr transformation before becoming a true vampire. This first book tells the tale of Zoey who has just been marked and taken to the House of Night where she will now live. The cast of characters is diverse
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and well fleshed out. Show Less
LibraryThing member CheriePie69
The House of Night is the perfect Vampyre Finishing School for fledgling vampyres like Zoey Redbird. Unlike most vampire novels however, Cast's vampyres are not created in the usual manner such as being bitten by another. Instead, a fledgling is Marked simply by biological changes going on in their
After Zoey was Marked, her parents freaked, and she'd run away to the home of her Cherokee Grandma, where she had an intense epiphany: a vision of the Vampyre Goddess Nyx speaking to her and telling her she had a special purpose. When she awoke from that, the Mark on her forehead—the dark blue outline of a crescent moon—was completely filled in, as it is usually only on adult vampyres.
The integration of Goddess worship into the vampyre culture was very unique, and forces you to see Cast's vampyres in a completely different light, one that is a lot gentler than you come across in many paranormal novels. Though they do drink blood, they do so in a completely non-violent way and without harming their donors. The portrayal of rituals, circle casting, calling the elements, all the way down to the herbs used to cleanse, purify, or draw spirits to you, were all extremely accurate. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I would suspect that she's a Pagan or follows some other form of Goddess worship herself as she didn't try to sensationalize any of it but dealt with it very accurately and beautifully.
Taking everything as a whole, I really, really liked this book a lot. So much so that I was very happy to have the sequel already waiting here on my shelf, which I started on immediately.
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body. The Change occurs over the course of 4 years, during which time the vampyre attends school at the House of Night, learning everything they need to know to prepare for their new life. Unfortunately, many of the weaker students do not make it through the Change, their body succumbing to the changes going on within them. Therefore many students, particularly the younger ones, live in fear of never making it to adulthood.After Zoey was Marked, her parents freaked, and she'd run away to the home of her Cherokee Grandma, where she had an intense epiphany: a vision of the Vampyre Goddess Nyx speaking to her and telling her she had a special purpose. When she awoke from that, the Mark on her forehead—the dark blue outline of a crescent moon—was completely filled in, as it is usually only on adult vampyres.
The integration of Goddess worship into the vampyre culture was very unique, and forces you to see Cast's vampyres in a completely different light, one that is a lot gentler than you come across in many paranormal novels. Though they do drink blood, they do so in a completely non-violent way and without harming their donors. The portrayal of rituals, circle casting, calling the elements, all the way down to the herbs used to cleanse, purify, or draw spirits to you, were all extremely accurate. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I would suspect that she's a Pagan or follows some other form of Goddess worship herself as she didn't try to sensationalize any of it but dealt with it very accurately and beautifully.
Taking everything as a whole, I really, really liked this book a lot. So much so that I was very happy to have the sequel already waiting here on my shelf, which I started on immediately.
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LibraryThing member lunanshee
Zoey Redbird’s life is irrevocably changed when she becomes Marked to become a vampyre. She must join the House of Night, a school for the Marked, and in doing so discover her true self and embrace her destiny. Lots of fun! Zoey is an engaging and entertaining heroine who will keep you interested
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and amused. This book has well developed characters, a good plot and wonderfully real feel. The reader can almost imagine that the House of Night does exist and someone could be Marked at any moment. I would highly recommend for anyone who enjoys vampires and strong female characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member hoosgracie
Very enjoyable vampire novel set in a private boarding school for vampyre fledglings. Whole new take on the vampire mythology.
LibraryThing member Bibliotropic
This is another one of those books that I expected to suffer my way through and then be done with. I read it first just to say that I've read it, that I've given it a try, and that it was nothing special and didn't deserve half the hype it was getting.
I didn't expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I
The world that's created is similar enough to our own that readers can relate to many different aspects, and there's some interesting melding of concepts. Vampyres are essentially blood-drinking Wiccans, and the People of Faith are fundamentalist Christians. Vampyres are known to exist, and as they're stereotypically attractive and talented, many of them become artists and celebrities that we know of in our own reality, like Nicole Kidman.
The plot gets a little cheesy at times, and isn't the most complex thing you can imagine, but it's interesting, and for all its simplicity it's fun to read.
The thing I enjoy the most about this books is just how believable the characters are. Unlike a lot of young adult novels, this book doesn't even try to sanitize teenage life. People swear. They experience sexuality and get confused by it. They get drunk and high. They experience emotional highs and lows. I've read so many YA novels that tread on the darker side of reality without actually making it dark, and it's nice to see a book filled with teenagers actually acting like teenagers.
The main character, Zoey, is preachy and a bit self-involved and shallow, and no attempt is made to rationalize these characteristics away. Nor are they such glaring faults that the character becomes a charicature from exaggeration. She's a bit of a Mary Sue with her grand powers, but she's not reduced to being all about said powers either. There's no high moral ground that she's taking, and though she's Goddess-chosen to do certain things, even she doesn't deny that some of her motives are selfish.
For a modern teen vampire novel, this book is surprisingly well done, and I recommend it highly to those who enjoy that genre of book. Truly, you won't be disappointed
I didn't expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I
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did.The world that's created is similar enough to our own that readers can relate to many different aspects, and there's some interesting melding of concepts. Vampyres are essentially blood-drinking Wiccans, and the People of Faith are fundamentalist Christians. Vampyres are known to exist, and as they're stereotypically attractive and talented, many of them become artists and celebrities that we know of in our own reality, like Nicole Kidman.
The plot gets a little cheesy at times, and isn't the most complex thing you can imagine, but it's interesting, and for all its simplicity it's fun to read.
The thing I enjoy the most about this books is just how believable the characters are. Unlike a lot of young adult novels, this book doesn't even try to sanitize teenage life. People swear. They experience sexuality and get confused by it. They get drunk and high. They experience emotional highs and lows. I've read so many YA novels that tread on the darker side of reality without actually making it dark, and it's nice to see a book filled with teenagers actually acting like teenagers.
The main character, Zoey, is preachy and a bit self-involved and shallow, and no attempt is made to rationalize these characteristics away. Nor are they such glaring faults that the character becomes a charicature from exaggeration. She's a bit of a Mary Sue with her grand powers, but she's not reduced to being all about said powers either. There's no high moral ground that she's taking, and though she's Goddess-chosen to do certain things, even she doesn't deny that some of her motives are selfish.
For a modern teen vampire novel, this book is surprisingly well done, and I recommend it highly to those who enjoy that genre of book. Truly, you won't be disappointed
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LibraryThing member TeenBookReviews
Zoey Redbird’s life is irrevocably changed when she becomes Marked to become a vampyre. She must join the House of Night, a school for the Marked, and in doing so discover her true self and embrace her destiny. Lots of fun! Zoey is an engaging and entertaining heroine who will keep you interested
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and amused. This book has well developed characters, a good plot and wonderfully real feel. The reader can almost imagine that the House of Night does exist and someone could be Marked at any moment. I would highly recommend for anyone who enjoys vampires and strong female characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member simplykatie
a read for the ya section at the 'brary, but i wound up enjoying it so much that i bought it and the sequel. interesting plotlines, a little bit of flat characterization but i could overlook it.
LibraryThing member schnaucl_read
One day after school Zoey is marked by a tracker vampyre (presumably a vampyre who tracks down those who will turn into vampyres) which means that she will turn into a vampyre . She will have to leave the world she knows and attend the House of Night private high school, if she doesn't she will
This book was extremely frustrating for me. Despite the annoying spelling of vampyres (really? With a "y?") the Casts have a new and interesting take on the species. I like the idea of being marked and the terror of not knowing when you or a friend might suddenly die. The school sounds interesting, and the set up for the future is also promising.
Here's why I won't be reading the series:
First of all Zoey is pretty Mary Sue. She's extra special and all the popular people hate her while the hottest guy wants her. And she quickly becomes the center and leader of her own group of friends. Her mentor (who also mentors the popular girl) sides with her over the popular girl. . .
One of the characters uses what are apparently $5 words. He's clearly using the words to show how smart he is rather than using the words because they're part of his natural vocabulary. And then the words have to be explained in a condescending way. Unfortunately, it makes the author(s) come off as pretty condescending. I knew all the words, I knew them when I was the age of the target audience of the book and I don't like being talked down to.
But here's the real killer, the book tries to appeal to a high school audience, and in terms of how the teens talk it succeeds. The speech patterns ring true even if they are irritating. (Apparently the mom wrote the book and the daughter helped with the language). But then the main character comes off as a very heavy handed prude. Only "losers" drink or do pot in high school. I certainly am not advocating underage drinking and pot usage, but at least at my high school the vast majority of student had tried one or both. Now, I know prudish kids like that existed, I was that kid. Reading this book made me realize just how godawful irritating, annoying and clueless I must have been. I grant you the (ex) boyfiend who was drunk all the time probably was a loser, but Zoey lumps everyone who has ever tried drugs or alcohol in the same category as chronic drug abusers. Some experimentation is going to happen. The book does not need to be a just say no campaign.
Speaking of just say no, the sex stuff is even worse and more heavy handed. The popular girl gives a guy a bl*wj*b and Zoey assume she and all her friends are going to be STD ridden and pregnant (of course, there's no mention of the fact that the guys might be promiscuous). I can agree that bl*wj*bs in the hallway are highly inappropriate but I'm not loving STD ridden and pregnant. But what finally killed it for me was when Zoey decides that making out with her boyfriend makes her "sluttish." I may have been prudish in high school, but even I didn't think a make out session meant someone was a slut.
I don't like it when authors are condescending and I hate it when I feel like I'm being preached at. It's really too bad because I do want to know what happens next, but not enough to put up with that attitude.
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become sicker and sicker until she dies. Of course, not everyone survives the change and so even going to the high school won't necessarily save her. Zoey has one advantage over other fledglings, she's been personally selected by the vampyre goddess Nyx.This book was extremely frustrating for me. Despite the annoying spelling of vampyres (really? With a "y?") the Casts have a new and interesting take on the species. I like the idea of being marked and the terror of not knowing when you or a friend might suddenly die. The school sounds interesting, and the set up for the future is also promising.
Here's why I won't be reading the series:
First of all Zoey is pretty Mary Sue. She's extra special and all the popular people hate her while the hottest guy wants her. And she quickly becomes the center and leader of her own group of friends. Her mentor (who also mentors the popular girl) sides with her over the popular girl. . .
One of the characters uses what are apparently $5 words. He's clearly using the words to show how smart he is rather than using the words because they're part of his natural vocabulary. And then the words have to be explained in a condescending way. Unfortunately, it makes the author(s) come off as pretty condescending. I knew all the words, I knew them when I was the age of the target audience of the book and I don't like being talked down to.
But here's the real killer, the book tries to appeal to a high school audience, and in terms of how the teens talk it succeeds. The speech patterns ring true even if they are irritating. (Apparently the mom wrote the book and the daughter helped with the language). But then the main character comes off as a very heavy handed prude. Only "losers" drink or do pot in high school. I certainly am not advocating underage drinking and pot usage, but at least at my high school the vast majority of student had tried one or both. Now, I know prudish kids like that existed, I was that kid. Reading this book made me realize just how godawful irritating, annoying and clueless I must have been. I grant you the (ex) boyfiend who was drunk all the time probably was a loser, but Zoey lumps everyone who has ever tried drugs or alcohol in the same category as chronic drug abusers. Some experimentation is going to happen. The book does not need to be a just say no campaign.
Speaking of just say no, the sex stuff is even worse and more heavy handed. The popular girl gives a guy a bl*wj*b and Zoey assume she and all her friends are going to be STD ridden and pregnant (of course, there's no mention of the fact that the guys might be promiscuous). I can agree that bl*wj*bs in the hallway are highly inappropriate but I'm not loving STD ridden and pregnant. But what finally killed it for me was when Zoey decides that making out with her boyfriend makes her "sluttish." I may have been prudish in high school, but even I didn't think a make out session meant someone was a slut.
I don't like it when authors are condescending and I hate it when I feel like I'm being preached at. It's really too bad because I do want to know what happens next, but not enough to put up with that attitude.
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LibraryThing member MickTheChick
It seemed like a good start to a new and unusual vampire (or in this case vampyre) series. The authors gave these vampyres qualities like those of the witches in pagan mythology. The book kind of lacked emotional depth and everything happened in a very short period of time, but it was a fun read.
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Beware, the next books in the series are extremely repetitive. The only thing that keeps me reading the series is that I honestly can't tell what the conclusion of this very dragged out story will be. Show Less
LibraryThing member bplma
Life changes dramatically when 16 year old Zoey Redbird is marked as a vampyre. She leaves her unhappy home to attend Vampyre boarding school as a fledgling. New powers, new friends, new enemies, new adventures and new love await her at the House of Night. While most changes are positive, some are
Wildly popular with young teen girls, a 13year old 8th grader tells me she liked this one especially because the heroine, Zoey, seems just like herself and her friends. She thinks like them and does not have all the answers or seem heroic. Not great literature but lots of fun and a quick read.
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confusing (blood lust) and others are outright dangerous...vampyre mean girls--YIKES!Wildly popular with young teen girls, a 13year old 8th grader tells me she liked this one especially because the heroine, Zoey, seems just like herself and her friends. She thinks like them and does not have all the answers or seem heroic. Not great literature but lots of fun and a quick read.
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LibraryThing member The_Book_Queen
When I first picked up this book, I thought it was just going to be another vampire book-- not that I didn't mind that, I love vampire books. In fact, it started out as a simple school book report project. But as soon as I actually open this book and read the first paragraph, I was drawn into it
Marked is a great teen fantasy book that gives a new twist and view on the classic story of vampires. Some people say that ever since Twilight came out and made such a big hit, many authors are now trying to write their own vampire books hoping for the same response. I think that this is WRONG! I will admit that some authors might think this way and true, some authors just give us the same sterotype vampire, etc, or do not do the vampire story justice, but most of them have been doing a great job. I can't tell you how many interesting and wondering vampire and werewolve books I have picked up and loved since Twilight! There are simply too many. And now P.C. and Kristin Cast have got me into yet another Series- one that I have, in turn, got my friends into and so on.... I cannot wait to get my hands on the upcoming fourth installment: Untamed....
If you can't stand vampire books, then yeah, this probably isn't the book for you. However, if you are okay with vampire books, want to explore your options, or you already LOVE them, then I recommend that you run, not walk, to your nearest bookstore and buy Marked, Betrayed, and the newest one, Chosen; all by P.C. and Kristin Cast!
Oh, I should probably mention that the authorS of these books are amazing! They are a mother/daughter duo and they both seem to know just what sort of story and characters and world they want to create for teens-- although, I will admit that these books are not meant for younger teens or tweens. It does have some slightly mature themes in it, but not enough to rate it as adult, in my opinion. If you don't think that you are mature enough to handle it or you don't want to read that sort of stuff, then maybe you should save it for when you are older. But don't let these elements put you off the book- many great books have a few 'flaws' such as swearing, or other mature themes, but if you can read around them and ignore them, or at the very least, not learn from them or use them as real life advice, then you will love this book!
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just as quickly and efficently as I was with Twilight, which is probably one of my FAVORITE series- possibly even THE favorite. Marked is a great teen fantasy book that gives a new twist and view on the classic story of vampires. Some people say that ever since Twilight came out and made such a big hit, many authors are now trying to write their own vampire books hoping for the same response. I think that this is WRONG! I will admit that some authors might think this way and true, some authors just give us the same sterotype vampire, etc, or do not do the vampire story justice, but most of them have been doing a great job. I can't tell you how many interesting and wondering vampire and werewolve books I have picked up and loved since Twilight! There are simply too many. And now P.C. and Kristin Cast have got me into yet another Series- one that I have, in turn, got my friends into and so on.... I cannot wait to get my hands on the upcoming fourth installment: Untamed....
If you can't stand vampire books, then yeah, this probably isn't the book for you. However, if you are okay with vampire books, want to explore your options, or you already LOVE them, then I recommend that you run, not walk, to your nearest bookstore and buy Marked, Betrayed, and the newest one, Chosen; all by P.C. and Kristin Cast!
Oh, I should probably mention that the authorS of these books are amazing! They are a mother/daughter duo and they both seem to know just what sort of story and characters and world they want to create for teens-- although, I will admit that these books are not meant for younger teens or tweens. It does have some slightly mature themes in it, but not enough to rate it as adult, in my opinion. If you don't think that you are mature enough to handle it or you don't want to read that sort of stuff, then maybe you should save it for when you are older. But don't let these elements put you off the book- many great books have a few 'flaws' such as swearing, or other mature themes, but if you can read around them and ignore them, or at the very least, not learn from them or use them as real life advice, then you will love this book!
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LibraryThing member bellalibrarian
Zoey is marked to begin finishing school as a vampyre. Against the wishes of her mother and highly religious step-father, Zoey enters the school and soon realizes that she has extraordinary gifts as a "fledgling" vampyre. Zoey quickly enters a faithful circle of friends, meets a very cute
I enjoyed the story line of this book; however, there were some details about this book that really bothered me. The book is obviously young adult, but I found that the authors tried nearly desperately to make readers believe that fact. For example, all of the incredibly juvenile asides regarding "boobs, and poopie, and Paris Hilton" were not very necessary. I would have enjoyed the book much more if these comments were not present.
I will read the next one; I really can't wait to see what happens to Zoey.
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upperclassman vampyre, and meets the hateful, dishonest, and incredibly jealous, Aphrodite. I enjoyed the story line of this book; however, there were some details about this book that really bothered me. The book is obviously young adult, but I found that the authors tried nearly desperately to make readers believe that fact. For example, all of the incredibly juvenile asides regarding "boobs, and poopie, and Paris Hilton" were not very necessary. I would have enjoyed the book much more if these comments were not present.
I will read the next one; I really can't wait to see what happens to Zoey.
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LibraryThing member GoldLeaf
Yaaaaaawwnn.... To be fair, this is a young adult book. There are some young adult books that can be enjoyed by all, but this is not one of them. It is all about victorious teenage social negotiations and mutual crushing on the high school hero. The stuff that 12-year-old girls are supposed to
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love. Although even if I was still a 12-year-old girl, I would have found this slow-going, dull, and completely unadventurous. At 32, well, I made it through 5 chapters because I had paid for the darn thing. (Thought it would be nice to support a young urban fantasy writer - not doing that again). And, I only vaguely remember the chapters I read. Altogether a very bland bit. Show Less
LibraryThing member tahoegirl
A really fast and easy read and I can see why kids love it. Part of me felt like I had already this book when I read Vampire Academy. Also the entire story took place within four days and I felt like that was a little unrealistic. That being said there were a lot of unanswered questions in the end,
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so I will have to read the next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member stephxsu
Zoey Redbird doesn’t know just what she’s in for when a Tracker marks her as a fledgling vampyre. But she’s whisked off to a vampyre school, where she learns that she is unusual, even for a vampyre. Zoey has a strange affinity with Nyx, the goddess of the night and whom vampyres revere.
The
MARKED begins a series that is uncomfortable mix of compelling action and appalling writing. On the one hand, the idea is superb and well executed: P. C. Cast shows her experience as she deftly weaves a web of vampyre history and conflict, a web that you can easily became ensnared in. The pacing, while a little dull in the beginning, gets more solid and more exciting as the book hurries to a satisfying conclusion that leaves room for lots more in future books.
On the other hand, a great story idea cannot completely excuse the cringe-inducing writing. It is the voice of someone trying too hard to be “hip” and “in,” with complete disregard for how modern-day teenagers actually think, act, and speak. One should not overlook the fact that all the characters seem like they are amateur actors on in a bad horror movie, overdramatizing situations and playing at their trying-too-hard lines.
Still, though, many teens will be able to get a kick out of the intriguing vampire power-play world that the Casts have created. I might return to it when I’m in the mood to deal with fake-sounding characters in a cool alternate world, but this one’s winning no awards from me in the foreseeable future.
The
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House of Night contains your usual high school problems: an irresistibly hot guy, mysterious secrets, and a girl whose selfish attitude makes her unworthy of her high status as leader of the Daughters of Darkness. Zoey, with the help of her newfound friends, is determined to put Aphrodite in her place. However, Zoey doesn’t realize that she’s destined for much more than simply usurping Aphrodite…MARKED begins a series that is uncomfortable mix of compelling action and appalling writing. On the one hand, the idea is superb and well executed: P. C. Cast shows her experience as she deftly weaves a web of vampyre history and conflict, a web that you can easily became ensnared in. The pacing, while a little dull in the beginning, gets more solid and more exciting as the book hurries to a satisfying conclusion that leaves room for lots more in future books.
On the other hand, a great story idea cannot completely excuse the cringe-inducing writing. It is the voice of someone trying too hard to be “hip” and “in,” with complete disregard for how modern-day teenagers actually think, act, and speak. One should not overlook the fact that all the characters seem like they are amateur actors on in a bad horror movie, overdramatizing situations and playing at their trying-too-hard lines.
Still, though, many teens will be able to get a kick out of the intriguing vampire power-play world that the Casts have created. I might return to it when I’m in the mood to deal with fake-sounding characters in a cool alternate world, but this one’s winning no awards from me in the foreseeable future.
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LibraryThing member ravenfire
I love the story and it's unique take on vampires but the writing left a lot to be desired. And the celebrity/corporate name dropping really needs to go. I realize that the author is probably trying to sound like she's up on her pop culture but it just comes across like she got paid for a bunch of
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product placement.And could Zoey be more judgmental when it comes to the things she disagrees with (particularly drugs, alcohol and sex)? She seems to think that anyone who chooses to experiment with any of these things is stupid and she has some very sexist views of sexually confident women.The story had tons of potential and I'll keep reading the series to see where it goes. I just wish it had been written by someone a bit more open minded. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award (Winner — Young Adult Novel — 2007)
Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2010)
Oklahoma Book Award (Winner — Young Adult — 2008)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2008)
Call number
YA B Cas