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3.19 AVERAGE
3.19 AVERAGE
John Darnielle is incredibly good at doing precise character studies. Even with all the jumping around, every perspective character feels incredibly real and I related hard to the main character as a Midwestern boy at a crossroads of moving into a more independent position in life. And, by the time i finished it, i understood that the book was much more interested in the lives of all it's characters and how familial relationships and expectations have changed over time than the big mystery it initially set up, but also the presence of that mystery was alluring and it was a driving force keeping me reading, so having things end on an empty note in that aspect was frustrating & prevented the character work from getting the focus it deserved.
Interesting premise that suffers from an over-indulgence in ennui & overtly opaque and elliptical prose.
slow-paced
I really wanted to like this but it just didn’t come together for me. The writing itself wasn’t necessarily bad, I actually liked the writing but there was so much happening and also nothing at all. I listened to the audiobook and I hated the musical interludes between each part.
This is not a horror novel, and it was nothing like I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. It's twisty and isn't told in a linear way. It's like a look into different people's lives with missing moms a cult and a video store.
Man, this was a cool book! It's haunting, really: this author's writing tunnels into your mind so easily and builds an eerie little home there. I made the mistake of starting this book at midnight on a Thursday, and my sleep suffered for it– both in quality and length. Luckily, I'm into creepy things, and I found the delicately paced discoveries and revelations hidden within this short volume utterly compelling. I wasn't super drawn into the plot summary for Wolf in White Van, but damn, if this didn't just drag me back to it. Can't wait for more of Darnielle's work.
This book is strange and somewhat creepy. Several times I lost hope that it was going to come together, but in the end I'm glad I stuck with it. I think saying too much will spoil the book for others, so I'll just say if you like slightly weird, slightly creepy and nonlinear novels, give this a try. Also, I loved the Iowa setting. If you're into Iowa, also give it a read.
I have conflicted feelings on this one. It almost read more like short stories than a novel--they were great and interesting chapters, for the most part, but it made the book feel disjointed. But I think I got what he was trying to say about small towns, and religion, and families, and grief, and corn. Even if I didn't get/love the story, I do always love the way he writes. And this book was not at all as horror-y as I had been led to believe, which was nice.
(A lot of complaints I have with this book are ones I had with Wolf in White Van, but maybe the structure or the story of that one made it better for me.)
(A lot of complaints I have with this book are ones I had with Wolf in White Van, but maybe the structure or the story of that one made it better for me.)
Not a fan of the narration. I'll try the text version sometime.
emotional
mysterious
medium-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:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes