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2.69 AVERAGE
2.69 AVERAGE
This book has absolutely beautiful language, and the messages about the consequences of climate change and racism are stunningly executed. However, this book was just too slow for me.
While I enjoy some types of literary fiction (mostly surrealist or experimental), this story takes such a literary approach that the actual story - and sometimes, the characters - suffer as a result. For a story that opens with a fast-paced and brilliantly executed explanation of what "deading" is, the following chapters just felt lacking in tension.
With that said, this is a brilliantly written book, and if you are a fan of stories that focus on beautiful language (or if you just enjoy bird watching, as that is a major aspect of one of the characters' personalities), then I think you'll enjoy this book a lot more than I did. This story just wasn't for me, despite the gripping visual language.
While I enjoy some types of literary fiction (mostly surrealist or experimental), this story takes such a literary approach that the actual story - and sometimes, the characters - suffer as a result. For a story that opens with a fast-paced and brilliantly executed explanation of what "deading" is, the following chapters just felt lacking in tension.
With that said, this is a brilliantly written book, and if you are a fan of stories that focus on beautiful language (or if you just enjoy bird watching, as that is a major aspect of one of the characters' personalities), then I think you'll enjoy this book a lot more than I did. This story just wasn't for me, despite the gripping visual language.
This was such an interesting dystopian horror novel and I’m honestly still trying to figure out my thoughts on it. This book was very well written and I loved how the author’s descriptive writing style made this a very atmospheric read. The Deading had such a unique concept and the story was captivating. This was a good read, and if you like horror, science fiction, and dystopian settings you may want to give this one a try when it comes out on July 23.
Thank you to the publisher and goodreads for sending me this advanced copy as a giveaway prize.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for providing an advanced copy of this title.
The blurbs of The Deading compares the story to that of King's [b:Under the Dome|6320534|Under the Dome|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511289992l/6320534._SY75_.jpg|6760952] and VanderMeer's [b:Annihilation|17934530|Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1)|Jeff VanderMeer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403941587l/17934530._SX50_.jpg|24946895]. In a way, this is true, but only if the format was that of very intimate POV essays & poetry about isolation, climate change, and birdwatching.
The narrative is very fractal, but not in a way where you can say that you forgive forgive it for its format. The constant shifting makes if very hard to follow and keep yourself in the action.
I would be interested in reading Nicholas Belardes in a smaller format (i.e. essays covering topics intimately - like gonzo journalism), but definitely not in the genre of Sci-Fi Horror.
The blurbs of The Deading compares the story to that of King's [b:Under the Dome|6320534|Under the Dome|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511289992l/6320534._SY75_.jpg|6760952] and VanderMeer's [b:Annihilation|17934530|Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1)|Jeff VanderMeer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403941587l/17934530._SX50_.jpg|24946895]. In a way, this is true, but only if the format was that of very intimate POV essays & poetry about isolation, climate change, and birdwatching.
The narrative is very fractal, but not in a way where you can say that you forgive forgive it for its format. The constant shifting makes if very hard to follow and keep yourself in the action.
I would be interested in reading Nicholas Belardes in a smaller format (i.e. essays covering topics intimately - like gonzo journalism), but definitely not in the genre of Sci-Fi Horror.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
ARC: JULY 24th 2024
blend of Stephen King’s Under the Dome and the eerie atmosphere of Annihilation, The Deading plunges readers into a harrowing dystopian tale set in a seaside town infected by a mysterious ocean-borne contagion.As sea snails wash ashore, initiating a chain reaction of transformation among the wildlife and residents of Baywood, the once idyllic town descends into chaos. Caught in the crosshairs are Blas, the introverted bird enthusiast, and his cynical brother Chango, who must navigate a landscape of paranoia, isolation, and death-worshiping cults.Tensions reach a fever pitch as the survivors grapple with the choice between escape and assimilation into this new, terrifying reality. Claustrophobic and haunting, yet infused with moments of soulful introspection, The Deading is a lyrical exploration of societal disintegration, the horror of survival, and the resilience found in human and natural connections. Prepare to be spellbound from beginning to end.
blend of Stephen King’s Under the Dome and the eerie atmosphere of Annihilation, The Deading plunges readers into a harrowing dystopian tale set in a seaside town infected by a mysterious ocean-borne contagion.As sea snails wash ashore, initiating a chain reaction of transformation among the wildlife and residents of Baywood, the once idyllic town descends into chaos. Caught in the crosshairs are Blas, the introverted bird enthusiast, and his cynical brother Chango, who must navigate a landscape of paranoia, isolation, and death-worshiping cults.Tensions reach a fever pitch as the survivors grapple with the choice between escape and assimilation into this new, terrifying reality. Claustrophobic and haunting, yet infused with moments of soulful introspection, The Deading is a lyrical exploration of societal disintegration, the horror of survival, and the resilience found in human and natural connections. Prepare to be spellbound from beginning to end.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’ll go with the bad first: it’s way overwritten. There are just too many words, too much info dumping, too much exposition. You could cut the book by a third and it would have no impact on the plot’s development.
Despite that I don’t actually want to discourage people from reading this book because as far as eco-body-horror stories go, it’s bit of a banger. The story structure itself is somewhat experimental; there are multiple POVs, including third person, first person, and a Greek chorus of sorts. The author explores the way Baywood is stratified by age, class, and race and the impact the isolation and deading phenomenon have on this structure very well. In addition, the horror is actually horrifying.
I found the narrator in the "before" absolutely insufferable. Following that, the disregard Bernhard has for the health of the ocean seems unbelievable, considering he makes his living from it. The sections consisting of supposed climate/ecological reports are simultaneously boring and implausibly unprofessional. Finally, Chango's concern that old people are, worst of all, undateable and his subsequent unironic use of the word pecker and then later "borb" made it pretty clear this book wasn't for me. I made 11%.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It had a good start, and the concept was amazing. Bernhard was such an interesting character, and I wish I learned more about him. The different POVs are well-written, and since the writing style changes it feels like a different person. It's obvious when the POV changes, and I love that. I saw some reviews that disagreed on this, so beware of that.
But the damn birds... There were so much talk about birds, and I don't understand why? If you have a big interest in birds it probably won't affect you, but I saw many other reviews that agreed there were too much stuff about birds. It would've been fine if I came prepared for that, but there is no mention of birds being such a big part of the book, and the birds give no meaning or sense to the story.
But the damn birds... There were so much talk about birds, and I don't understand why? If you have a big interest in birds it probably won't affect you, but I saw many other reviews that agreed there were too much stuff about birds. It would've been fine if I came prepared for that, but there is no mention of birds being such a big part of the book, and the birds give no meaning or sense to the story.
dark
Thank you Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I am giving The Deading by Nicholas Belardes 3 stars.
The Deading showcases many different perspectives as an ocean-borne contagion infects a small town, and as someone who prefers less POV’s I did actually love how Belardes exposes each persons fears and struggles while trying to navigate their new lives. The only thing I struggled with was sometimes I wouldn’t know whose perspective it was until halfway through the chapter, because it is not shown at the chapter head and many internal dialogues sound very similar until later on.
I enjoyed how Belardes went into deeper topics like grief, loss, loneliness, and communication. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing itself, it was very very well done.
The reason I am only giving 3 stars is due to how much unnecessary information is packed into it, the vivid descriptors of birds through the book made my brain hurt, I can not justify the need for knowing all of these birds color’s, calls, and behaviours. And sadly I could not retain any of that information. I really wish he went more into details about the actually Deading instead of birds, because that it what I found the most interesting about this book.
I am giving The Deading by Nicholas Belardes 3 stars.
The Deading showcases many different perspectives as an ocean-borne contagion infects a small town, and as someone who prefers less POV’s I did actually love how Belardes exposes each persons fears and struggles while trying to navigate their new lives. The only thing I struggled with was sometimes I wouldn’t know whose perspective it was until halfway through the chapter, because it is not shown at the chapter head and many internal dialogues sound very similar until later on.
I enjoyed how Belardes went into deeper topics like grief, loss, loneliness, and communication. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing itself, it was very very well done.
The reason I am only giving 3 stars is due to how much unnecessary information is packed into it, the vivid descriptors of birds through the book made my brain hurt, I can not justify the need for knowing all of these birds color’s, calls, and behaviours. And sadly I could not retain any of that information. I really wish he went more into details about the actually Deading instead of birds, because that it what I found the most interesting about this book.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Deading begins with body horror - a truly terrifying experience with snails that has made me a little fearful of the slimy creatures, but after the first few chapters the story took a complete turn.
The cover and blurb for the book sucked me in, thinking this would be science fiction body horror a combination of Annihilation and The Birds. Instead the book focused mainly on birding and the scientific descriptions of birds and aquatic animals. I'd hoped the book would go into more detail on the body horror it teased from the first chapter but we never really got back to it.
With six different perspectives - four in third person and two in first person (with one of those perspectives being an unnamed character) - it was hard to keep up with what was happening in the story. I wanted to learn more about Bernhard and Chango's transformations and the entity but we barely got any time with the most interesting characters.
As much as I hoped to like The Deading, it wasn't for me. Received as an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington/Erewhon Books.
The cover and blurb for the book sucked me in, thinking this would be science fiction body horror a combination of Annihilation and The Birds. Instead the book focused mainly on birding and the scientific descriptions of birds and aquatic animals. I'd hoped the book would go into more detail on the body horror it teased from the first chapter but we never really got back to it.
With six different perspectives - four in third person and two in first person (with one of those perspectives being an unnamed character) - it was hard to keep up with what was happening in the story. I wanted to learn more about Bernhard and Chango's transformations and the entity but we barely got any time with the most interesting characters.
As much as I hoped to like The Deading, it wasn't for me. Received as an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington/Erewhon Books.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Murder