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trippalli's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A philosophical and thoughtfully told complex story.... the narrator is a brain surgeon reflecting on his childhood and his special uncle who lost much of his memory after a terrible tragedy.
His uncle helps him overcome his fear of monsters and together they face the ghosts of the area and town which the boys comes to learn are in many ways very close to his uncle's personal experiences, which he can no longer remember. There is also a friend who appears to be bipolar and has manic episodes despite being on medication, so while nothing bad comes off these episodes they could trigger our upset some people.
Overall a good book that talks about really important topics in mental health and life in a tasteful and realistic way I appreciate. It's philosophical and thoughtful get also fairly light and easy to read story that handles historic family tragedy and all works out for the people in current day story
His uncle helps him overcome his fear of monsters and together they face the ghosts of the area and town which the boys comes to learn are in many ways very close to his uncle's personal experiences, which he can no longer remember. There is also a friend who appears to be bipolar and has manic episodes despite being on medication, so while nothing bad comes off these episodes they could trigger our upset some people.
Overall a good book that talks about really important topics in mental health and life in a tasteful and realistic way I appreciate. It's philosophical and thoughtful get also fairly light and easy to read story that handles historic family tragedy and all works out for the people in current day story
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, Bullying, Death, and Dementia
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The Details:
Narrated by Corey Brill
Unabridged
July's pick for Horror Summer Camp.
This was a fun read. It reminded me of Goosebumps and Spooksville. It felt super nostalgic of 80's summer camp horror and it channeled that really well.
The uncle was such a loveable odd-ball. I would have loved to have summers like that, as a kid, although I don't deny the local legends would have terrified me at the time.
Being a short book, I didn't notice how long the chapters were, at first, but when I noticed this, I felt like each chapter felt like a shorter story within the book and that amplified the serial tone of Goosebumps it had me thinking of, that I enjoyed.
The last 5% shook me. It was so sad and I couldn't help casting my mind back to all the adventures that had happened in the book and being in awe at how cleverly crafted the story was.
A much lighter (to begin with at least) pick than June's read for the Horror Summer Camp. A fantastic read with the nostalgia and melancholy of Summer as a kid imbued inside, and more depth to it than you may initally expect.
Narrated by Corey Brill
Unabridged
July's pick for Horror Summer Camp.
This was a fun read. It reminded me of Goosebumps and Spooksville. It felt super nostalgic of 80's summer camp horror and it channeled that really well.
The uncle was such a loveable odd-ball. I would have loved to have summers like that, as a kid, although I don't deny the local legends would have terrified me at the time.
Being a short book, I didn't notice how long the chapters were, at first, but when I noticed this, I felt like each chapter felt like a shorter story within the book and that amplified the serial tone of Goosebumps it had me thinking of, that I enjoyed.
The last 5% shook me. It was so sad and I couldn't help casting my mind back to all the adventures that had happened in the book and being in awe at how cleverly crafted the story was.
A much lighter (to begin with at least) pick than June's read for the Horror Summer Camp. A fantastic read with the nostalgia and melancholy of Summer as a kid imbued inside, and more depth to it than you may initally expect.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Murder, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Death, and Grief
maddycumerlato's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is such a great read! As a Canadian girl, I was shockingly comforted by how authentically Canadian this book was, and will forever remember Craig Davidson as an author who can make me feel at home in a book that has literally nothing to do with anyone like me.
Jake and his family live in Niagara Falls, AKA Cataract City, where nothing happens unless you make it happen. Together with his uncle Calvin, Jake’s personal paranormal guide, and new kids in town Billy and Dove, The Saturday Night Ghost Club is born to explore nearly forgotten mysteries in this sleepy town.
Everything about Davidson’s description of Niagara Falls (even the gross parts) makes me feel like i was wrapped in a blanket. It was so easy to get lost in this town and feel as though I belonged there with the Bakers and the Yellowbirds. The characters in the novel were sweet and perfect for a coming of age, especially Jake, the awkward protagonist trying to understand friendship, love, and family all at once.
I was stunned by the level of thought put into Calvin’s backstory. Who could have thought that the zany bastard could turn out to be such a heartbroken man who’s experienced so much loss thay he couldn’t bear to live with it, instead projecting it unconsciously onto mysterious stories of people long past? But all characters had real depth and were joys to live with over the course of the book!!
Jake and his family live in Niagara Falls, AKA Cataract City, where nothing happens unless you make it happen. Together with his uncle Calvin, Jake’s personal paranormal guide, and new kids in town Billy and Dove, The Saturday Night Ghost Club is born to explore nearly forgotten mysteries in this sleepy town.
Everything about Davidson’s description of Niagara Falls (even the gross parts) makes me feel like i was wrapped in a blanket. It was so easy to get lost in this town and feel as though I belonged there with the Bakers and the Yellowbirds. The characters in the novel were sweet and perfect for a coming of age, especially Jake, the awkward protagonist trying to understand friendship, love, and family all at once.
I was stunned by the level of thought put into Calvin’s backstory.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Child death, Dementia, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Murder
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