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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I know this didn't get super high ratings, but I enjoyed all of the character arcs and how they came together. The weird paranormal stuff was creepy, too.
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
In pretty much every way, this book was just okay. The characters felt a little flat, and their motivations a little unsubstantiated. The pace was slower than I expected and none of the “twists” were surprising. My favorite part was the writing style. I just wish the content had been more engaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence
DNF at 15%. This one is just not clicking with me at all, and Malerman's latched onto certain words he repeats ad naseum. Every single character, apparently, must utter the phrase "Hell's heaven" in every conversation they have (word search shows 45 instances of this throughout the book). And if I have to be told one more time that John Moxie is an outlaw, I'm going to break my Kindle. Word search shows 150 instances of the word "outlaw" cropping up, and I just don't think I can take it. One section, at the 29% marker, even includes the following bit of dialogue:
"Hell's heaven, Carol... He's on his way here! An outlaw! Hell's heaven, Carol."
I just... I can't. Not anymore. I'm freaking bored to tears with this one, and it's giving me more aggravation than its worth. I'm also feeling like, at only 15%, a hell of a lot of words have been expended to tell very, very little story. It's frustrating. I give up.
"Hell's heaven, Carol... He's on his way here! An outlaw! Hell's heaven, Carol."
I just... I can't. Not anymore. I'm freaking bored to tears with this one, and it's giving me more aggravation than its worth. I'm also feeling like, at only 15%, a hell of a lot of words have been expended to tell very, very little story. It's frustrating. I give up.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Exciting!
It really drives me crazy when an author over uses phrases. In this book it's "shudders" (as in the characters actually SAYING that, not doing the motion) and "hell's heaven." Good lord you could turn those two into a drinking game easily with this book!
I was bored. The premise was good, but I felt as if everything of interest, was in the last 50 pages. Carol isn't even buried until the last 20 or so, yet the book is named after unburying her?? Come on...
Read this fully, because it was a book club pick, and it wasn't terrible enough to me to DNF, I just...didn't enjoy it.
I pretty much skipped most of the chapters Smoke was in, because he was terrible. As was all the jumping from character to character without even fully knowing it ahead of time.
Would not recommend.
I was bored. The premise was good, but I felt as if everything of interest, was in the last 50 pages. Carol isn't even buried until the last 20 or so, yet the book is named after unburying her?? Come on...
Read this fully, because it was a book club pick, and it wasn't terrible enough to me to DNF, I just...didn't enjoy it.
I pretty much skipped most of the chapters Smoke was in, because he was terrible. As was all the jumping from character to character without even fully knowing it ahead of time.
Would not recommend.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
I wanted to like this book SO badly.
And perhaps if variations of the phase 'pig-shitter' hadn't peppered nearly every page, (among other reasons), I could have managed just that. But unfortunately, I found this novel to be nearly insufferable. Unexplored, pseudo-Wild West type setting, filled with characters that supposedly reflect the Sleeping Beauty myth, but are in fact very dull and not at all fleshed out. And a basic plot that is so uncomplicated as to be mildly insulting.
The sadistic antagonist was nearly interesting, as were a few choice supernatural scenes/moments in the novel; those being the only mildly amusing points to be had in 'Unbury Carol'. The former being the only reason this novel could ilk out a 2-2.5 star review from me.
Don't waste your time on this one.
And perhaps if variations of the phase 'pig-shitter' hadn't peppered nearly every page, (among other reasons), I could have managed just that. But unfortunately, I found this novel to be nearly insufferable. Unexplored, pseudo-Wild West type setting, filled with characters that supposedly reflect the Sleeping Beauty myth, but are in fact very dull and not at all fleshed out. And a basic plot that is so uncomplicated as to be mildly insulting.
The sadistic antagonist was nearly interesting, as were a few choice supernatural scenes/moments in the novel; those being the only mildly amusing points to be had in 'Unbury Carol'. The former being the only reason this novel could ilk out a 2-2.5 star review from me.
Don't waste your time on this one.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
I have such beef with this author lol. In my experience he has such interesting premises but the execution is nearly always particularly frustrating to read... I may have to just accept they're not the author for me