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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
By no stretch horror, and something about the quality of the writing is just off. It's almost well written, I suppose is the best way to describe it.
Reminiscent of The Lottery in its setting and twisted premise, though not as creepy as that story. Still compelling, and quite relevant to today's concerns about the death of rural America and the insatiable appetite of the urban elite.
Worth the read, though it will be an odd experience.
Reminiscent of The Lottery in its setting and twisted premise, though not as creepy as that story. Still compelling, and quite relevant to today's concerns about the death of rural America and the insatiable appetite of the urban elite.
Worth the read, though it will be an odd experience.
dark
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
“You do not wanna get in trouble out here. This is Trump everything, and the sheriff lives next door.”
-Natalie Nunn
While sometimes this slow burn was a bit toooo slow for me, I still really liked it. So tense, so suffocating, evokes such a sense of frustration and helplessness that is ultimately serving the reading experience. And in many ways reading this book in Trump’s America, 50 years after it was written, was….oddly comforting? Like oh, okay…America has always been like this. The scapegoating, the fear, the blind faith in the rich and powerful…we’ll never learn! But kudos to Joan Samson for pulling off such a compelling allegory that, for better or worse, will always be relevant. Rest in power, Queen! We will not forget you or this book.
-Natalie Nunn
While sometimes this slow burn was a bit toooo slow for me, I still really liked it. So tense, so suffocating, evokes such a sense of frustration and helplessness that is ultimately serving the reading experience. And in many ways reading this book in Trump’s America, 50 years after it was written, was….oddly comforting? Like oh, okay…America has always been like this. The scapegoating, the fear, the blind faith in the rich and powerful…we’ll never learn! But kudos to Joan Samson for pulling off such a compelling allegory that, for better or worse, will always be relevant. Rest in power, Queen! We will not forget you or this book.
2.5/5
I love the idea of this book more than the final product itself. Starts with a great build of slow menace and rural atmosphere that feels lived in and real. But the plot becomes quite repetitive and eventually starts to sag under the weight of implausibility. It's so unfortunate that Samson died after writing a single book because there is so much promise here but you can tell that she likely would have gone on to hone her craft much further. Characters act erratically and flip flop motivations constantly, certain passages are descriptive to the point to being filler and the ending fizzles when it should explode. But its ideas about fascism and the way it subtly sinks its hooks into a populace are unfortunately evergreen and feel relevant in 2024. I just wanted more from this promising premise and opening act.
I love the idea of this book more than the final product itself. Starts with a great build of slow menace and rural atmosphere that feels lived in and real. But the plot becomes quite repetitive and eventually starts to sag under the weight of implausibility. It's so unfortunate that Samson died after writing a single book because there is so much promise here but you can tell that she likely would have gone on to hone her craft much further. Characters act erratically and flip flop motivations constantly, certain passages are descriptive to the point to being filler and the ending fizzles when it should explode. But its ideas about fascism and the way it subtly sinks its hooks into a populace are unfortunately evergreen and feel relevant in 2024. I just wanted more from this promising premise and opening act.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is incredible and really asks you to examine how you'd handle similar situations if you were faced with them. Themes include groupthink, how to choose who you trust, breaking traditions, generational trauma and where to turn when the system is against you. See my full review at www.briennethebard.com.
The parallels to today’s political situation cut a little too close to the bone for me, but overall an excellent read. I was not a fan of the male main character and how he treated his wife, so my only real complaint is that Mim and the daughter didn’t follow through with just up and leaving him in the middle of the night.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don't know what people are talking about calling this slowly paced, the situation goes from 0 to 60 by a quarter into the book. At that point I was wondering how much worse it could possibly get for the main characters.
The primary character the narrative followed made frustrating decisions, the read for most of the novel was tense with simmering dread (I had to set it down a few times because it was stressing me out)... the resolution, however, fell flat. Cliche and predictable hurried ending, but maybe it wasn't when it was written? Did Joan Samson do it first? I don't know, but it was a good read either way.
The primary character the narrative followed made frustrating decisions, the read for most of the novel was tense with simmering dread (I had to set it down a few times because it was stressing me out)... the resolution, however, fell flat. Cliche and predictable hurried ending, but maybe it wasn't when it was written? Did Joan Samson do it first? I don't know, but it was a good read either way.
Not really a horror novel but horrific nonetheless. A kind of painful, oppressive read - as intended, not due to bad writing. A meditation on community and what happens when community doesn't come together and when the individual waits for someone else to do the work of fighting back against community-destroying influences. But then also the destructive potential of a community collectively enraged. The ending felt abrupt and not believable in the context of the rest of the story, but Samson sure knows how to write mood and evoke strong emotions.