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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I couldn’t finish bc of the frequent and detailed mention of animal cruelty.
This was a good one!! I am a huge horror nerd & especially body horror so this was right up my alley. When I saw “The Troop” for some reason I thought soldiers & didn’t realize there would be kids involved, which made it so much more horrific. Loved the descriptions and parasitology involved. All the boys were interesting characters that had me rooting for them (except that one, fuck you). It was also well written & had me almost crying at the end when it was just Max and Newt left. Very excited to read more of Nick Cutter’s work
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one often comes up on lists of gore and body horror, and with good reason. It’s definitely filled to the brim with repulsive moments and ick. I found most of the characters to be completely unlikeable, which I guess helps when you’re putting them through hell, but I also wasn’t rooting for anyone.
To be clear, trigger warnings abound so check them first. The body horror didn’t get to me but the animal abuse felt over the top and completely unnecessary, especially in the context of the turtle scene. I’m sure someone would say I missed some deep symbolic reference but it just feels like a disturbing Cannibal Holocaust homage with no actual point aside from shock value.
The storytelling is engrossing, at times, but the expositional backstory bits feel almost like Family Guy cutaway gags. They are completely random vignettes inserted in-between the action. And Cutter’s overuse of ridiculous metaphors broke the immersion every single time. “A tight, slippery sound like a Vaseline-coated rope pulled through a tightened fist.” “Saliva squirted into his mouth, bitter and tangy as the chlorophyll in a waxy leaf.” “It was slippery and tough like a radial tire slicked in dish soap.”
My brother in christ, this is not high school literature class. You can just use a normal adjective and achieve the same point. Are these vivid metaphors? Sure, but it also makes the book twice as long as it needed to be.
This was a middle of the road book for me. If you want to read a disgusting little romp, you’ll probably enjoy it.
To be clear, trigger warnings abound so check them first. The body horror didn’t get to me but the animal abuse felt over the top and completely unnecessary, especially in the context of the turtle scene. I’m sure someone would say I missed some deep symbolic reference but it just feels like a disturbing Cannibal Holocaust homage with no actual point aside from shock value.
The storytelling is engrossing, at times, but the expositional backstory bits feel almost like Family Guy cutaway gags. They are completely random vignettes inserted in-between the action. And Cutter’s overuse of ridiculous metaphors broke the immersion every single time. “A tight, slippery sound like a Vaseline-coated rope pulled through a tightened fist.” “Saliva squirted into his mouth, bitter and tangy as the chlorophyll in a waxy leaf.” “It was slippery and tough like a radial tire slicked in dish soap.”
My brother in christ, this is not high school literature class. You can just use a normal adjective and achieve the same point. Are these vivid metaphors? Sure, but it also makes the book twice as long as it needed to be.
This was a middle of the road book for me. If you want to read a disgusting little romp, you’ll probably enjoy it.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is horrifyingly haunting, dark, bleak and brutal. One of the best horror tales I've ever read. Nick Cutter has become a new favorite author.