20.1k reviews for:

Hidden Pictures

Jason Rekulak

4.01 AVERAGE


Musela jsem si dát malinko oraz od romancí, kterých jsem teď přečetla poměrně dost. Sáhla jsem tedy po Skrytých obrázcích a rozhodně jsem nešlápla vedle. Jediná potíž je v tom, že jsem knížku přečetla zase neskutečně rychle.

Skryté obrázky, jsou čistokrevnou duchařinou, nikoli hororem! Můžeme mluvit o prvkcích thrilleru, a to až v závěrečné fázi knihy, kdy nám to slušně graduje pod rukama. Ale jinak stále a na plné čáře vede duchařská linka.

Tento příběh vypráví o mladé jednadvacetileté Mallory, která se léčí ze závislosti na drogách. To, že spadla až na samé dno má svůj důvod, to nám je všem asi jasné. Vždy je nějaký důvod. Mallory si z minulosti nese smutný příběh, který zastírala právě drogami a léky. Každopádně, v současnosti je už 18 měsíců čistá a uchází se o místo chůvy v jedné milé rodině. Má pečovat o pětiletého Teddyho. Práci získává a dobře zvyká, s Teddym navázala hned od počátků velmi vřelý vztah a zdálo se, že nemůže přijít žádný problém. Jenže on přichází a to ve formě zvláštních a děsivých obrázků, které maluje pětiletý Teddy. Nejprve jim nevěnuje moc pozornosti, i když jsou dost zvláštní, ale posléze Mallory zjišťuje, že v sobě nesou určitý vzorec nebo snad příběh? S kým si to Teddy v pokojíčku povídá? Uvěří vůbec někdo Mallory, když se o tento problém začne zajímat?

Fíha, tohle bylo opravdu super čtení. Skvělá odreagovačka od všech těch sladkých příběhů. Ne, že bych se vyloženě bála, ale uznávám, že obrázky, které jsou součástí knihy, dokonale podkreslují celkovou duchařskou atmosféru. Přiznávám, že jsem měla opravdu husí kůži. Vše mi na příběhu sedlo, průběh, prostředí i závěrečné rozuzlení. Ty obrázky knihu znatelně povýšily na úplně jiný level a skvěle to fungovalo.

Doporučuji! Čtení jsem si vážně užila!
challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was genuinely creepy. I enjoyed the mystery, the characters were appropriately flawed and complicated. I loved searching for the truth with Mallory as she worked to uncover the truth about Anya (as well as the truth of her own past). 
mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Captivating. Couldn't put it down. Loved the nuanced portrayal of a young woman in recovery battling preconceptions at every turn and triumphing. 

3.5
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot

4 stars, maybe 3.5 rounded up?
Only because it felt like a twist for the sake of a twist with little to lead up to it, but boy was it a twist! Maybe there were a few clues that I can pinpoint. But I also personally hate a lying trope to throw our protagonist under the bus, I’m glad it didn’t go too far but it went far enough that I was frustrated. I also think honestly it wasn’t necessary at all, it didn’t progress the plot at all and was completely put aside when it was no longer happening. Also the drawing that Adrian got didn’t make a lot of sense, unless we’re supposed to believe Margit could inhabit any body including his to make the drawing? And that went no where as well so again it didn’t seem necessary at all.
But it was creepy and the drawings added to the creep factor by a lot, I’m glad it was kind of like a “Shutter” vibe and our creepy ghost was a much more benevolent spirit.
adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

3.5 stars -- If you enjoyed Weapons, I have a feeling you'll like this one.

✰ Overall, the plot was more drawn out than it needed to be. Kid draws creepy pictures, it becomes clear kid can't be the one drawing the pictures, who could be the ghost drawing them? This does not require almost 400 pages.

✰ I enjoyed Mallory as a narrator. I was intrigued to learn more about her life and past after the first chapter.

Hidden Pictures had a killer story opening.

✰ Mallory and Adrian's romance felt hollow. Plus, his willingness to believe in the paranormal from the jump was purely for story convenience purposes and made no sense.

✰ Mallory's connection with Teddy felt forced as well. The only emotional beats of the story that hit for me were between Mallory and Russell.

✰ The writing wasn't "atmospheric" so much as it was "fraught with unnecessary extraneous detail." I listened to the audiobook, but if I had been physically reading this book and not doing another task while reading, I would have gotten so frustrated at each random description of the contents of the fridge or the menial tasks of Mallory's job.

✰ Rekulak buried the lead with too much detail, but the twist was set up and concealed well.

✰ My friends told me about the "explosive twist," and I absolutely tore through the last half of this book so I could know what they were talking about.

The moment Mallory asked, "When were you going to tell me Teddy was a girl?" MY JAW DROPPED.

✰ Teddy asking, "Are we being arrested?" was such an unsettling moment as well.

✰ I also appreciated the baby plot twists after the big reveal.

✰ The epilogue was a bit drawn out.

✰ I'll take my horror with a happy ending, yes please. Especially when it involves children.