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cursedreading's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
harrietj's review
4.5
This book does an excellent job of feeling like a creepy true crime/paranormal podcast. It's compelling and brisk - I read it in one evening. It has a satisfying payoff.
It reads very well on its own, but I think it might have been even more satisfying, perhaps a five star read, if I'd read the previous Six Stories books.
It reads very well on its own, but I think it might have been even more satisfying, perhaps a five star read, if I'd read the previous Six Stories books.
rosiethereader2024's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
amy_dixon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
billymac1962's review against another edition
5.0
Another winner from Matt Wesolowski, this his third volume in the great Six Stories series.
In case you don't know, these volumes are like reading transcripts from the Serial podcast (for example), where there is a cold case and the six stories are interviews from six different people. There may or may not be supernatural elements...
These novels could easily be turned aside for being Serial knockoffs, but that would be a huge disservice. So far all three of them have been highly engaging and the stories irresistible. They are the perfect reads for rescuing anyone from a reading slump.
Changeling surrounds the 30 year-old case of a missing 7 year-old boy, Alfie. His father had taken him from his drunken mother's home on Christmas Eve and stopped his car beside a suspected haunted forest to investigate a strange sound coming from the car. When he returned to the inside of the car, Alfie had vanished.
Half of the excitement of these books is wondering who the next interviewee is going to be, and I enjoyed the story for the most part. I will say that I wasn't quite as enthralled as I was with the previous volume (Hydra), and I was feeling a four star rating throughout.
Until I finished it. Wesolowski knocked the ending out of the park, kicking this up to a solid five star rating for me.
There is only one thing that bothered me, and it involves some logistics that simply don't make sense for a 7 year-old. A 3 year-old? Sure. Of course I can't say anything as they would be massive spoilers. On the other hand, there are some big picture aspects that just may explain them...I guess that's part of the fun here.
Anyhow, I'm now halfway through this series and very keen to see what the next volume has in store.
In case you don't know, these volumes are like reading transcripts from the Serial podcast (for example), where there is a cold case and the six stories are interviews from six different people. There may or may not be supernatural elements...
These novels could easily be turned aside for being Serial knockoffs, but that would be a huge disservice. So far all three of them have been highly engaging and the stories irresistible. They are the perfect reads for rescuing anyone from a reading slump.
Changeling surrounds the 30 year-old case of a missing 7 year-old boy, Alfie. His father had taken him from his drunken mother's home on Christmas Eve and stopped his car beside a suspected haunted forest to investigate a strange sound coming from the car. When he returned to the inside of the car, Alfie had vanished.
Half of the excitement of these books is wondering who the next interviewee is going to be, and I enjoyed the story for the most part. I will say that I wasn't quite as enthralled as I was with the previous volume (Hydra), and I was feeling a four star rating throughout.
Until I finished it. Wesolowski knocked the ending out of the park, kicking this up to a solid five star rating for me.
There is only one thing that bothered me, and it involves some logistics that simply don't make sense for a 7 year-old. A 3 year-old? Sure. Of course I can't say anything as they would be massive spoilers. On the other hand, there are some big picture aspects that just may explain them...I guess that's part of the fun here.
Anyhow, I'm now halfway through this series and very keen to see what the next volume has in store.
fromadistantsun's review
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.75
fondoffiction's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual violence
nicjohnston's review against another edition
4.0
I was more than a little sceptical about this book until about half way. And then it took off. It was well worth staying with because the ending is superb. One word of caution, while it is a stand alone, enjoyment may be enhanced if you have read at least one of the earlier books in the series!
angeladobre's review against another edition
4.0
Alfie Marsden a fost declarat mort în 1995, la șapte ani de la dispariția sa misterioasă. În noaptea dispariției, copilul în vârstă de șapte ani se afla în mașina tatălui său, în drum spre locuința acestuia. Pe o vreme furtunoasă, în mijlocul pădurii, tatăl se vede nevoit să oprească mașina pentru a verifica un zgomot produs de motorul acesteia. În timpul în care Sorell, tatăl, verifica sub capotă cauza defecțiunii, copilul dispare fără urmă. În ciuda căutărilor asidue, nu a fost găsită nicio urmă și niciun fel de indiciu care să explice misterioasa sa dispariție. Pur și simplu, copilul s-a evaporat.
https://booknation.ro/recenzie-misterul-din-padure-de-matt-wesolowski/
https://booknation.ro/recenzie-misterul-din-padure-de-matt-wesolowski/