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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
3 stars
I was expecting a way more standard slasher and am now disappointed that wasn’t what I ended up getting
I was expecting a way more standard slasher and am now disappointed that wasn’t what I ended up getting
3.5/5
Surprisingly, this featured really good character writing and dialogue. The people here were shockingly vivid and realistic. The prose otherwise was nothing special but was certainly functional.
The book definitely subverted pretty much every expectation I had. I went in thinking Friday the 13th and left thinking The Void. Don't read this if you're expecting something typical. It goes to great lengths to avoid that.
There's a pretty good, coherent theme that's interwoven with nearly every plotline in the book, about things with relatively innocent beginnings or good intentions getting distorted and perverted with time.
As far as negatives, the violence here, while befitting a horror novel, occasionally strayed into... uncomfortable territory. I'd have trouble recommending this to most people because of that.
Some of the concepts were a bit on the nose, and there's a pretty sloppy exposition scene at the end that was quite jarring.
Not all of the POVs were as engaging as others, but I still found myself interested no matter whose viewpoint I was supposed to assume.
For a book that I read for free, I'm happy with it. Certainly wasn't what I expected, entertained me, and made me think. Also made me uncomfortable.
Surprisingly, this featured really good character writing and dialogue. The people here were shockingly vivid and realistic. The prose otherwise was nothing special but was certainly functional.
The book definitely subverted pretty much every expectation I had. I went in thinking Friday the 13th and left thinking The Void. Don't read this if you're expecting something typical. It goes to great lengths to avoid that.
There's a pretty good, coherent theme that's interwoven with nearly every plotline in the book, about things with relatively innocent beginnings or good intentions getting distorted and perverted with time.
As far as negatives, the violence here, while befitting a horror novel, occasionally strayed into... uncomfortable territory. I'd have trouble recommending this to most people because of that.
Some of the concepts were a bit on the nose, and there's a pretty sloppy exposition scene at the end that was quite jarring.
Not all of the POVs were as engaging as others, but I still found myself interested no matter whose viewpoint I was supposed to assume.
For a book that I read for free, I'm happy with it. Certainly wasn't what I expected, entertained me, and made me think. Also made me uncomfortable.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
A summer camp that goes horribly wrong as a deranged killer stalks the campers is not a new concept. We’ve seen this countless times before and no doubt we’ll see many more after this.
In many ways this book does feel like a retread of a typical Friday the 13th movie, but in some ways it does shine through with unique takes.
Our main character, Melanie was a survivor 24 years ago and as a result experiences ptsd and is paranoid that the killer is somehow still alive.
This town is certainly smarter than Camp Crystal Lake as they take strict measures on the people and live in a borderline puritanical town where anything remotely challenging to the social norms were immediately banned.
Melanie returns here to write a tell all book on what happened there only to see that the killer may be alive after all.
I love how Melanie was written, how the town is affected by these deaths, and how we even peek into the killers’ thought process.
I will say that maybe the book can use about 50 pages less since there are scenes that take place in the 60’s with a cult that could’ve used less time and more time on more members of the town.
That’s a nitpick, but otherwise a solid read if you’re into the slasher genre.
In many ways this book does feel like a retread of a typical Friday the 13th movie, but in some ways it does shine through with unique takes.
Our main character, Melanie was a survivor 24 years ago and as a result experiences ptsd and is paranoid that the killer is somehow still alive.
This town is certainly smarter than Camp Crystal Lake as they take strict measures on the people and live in a borderline puritanical town where anything remotely challenging to the social norms were immediately banned.
Melanie returns here to write a tell all book on what happened there only to see that the killer may be alive after all.
I love how Melanie was written, how the town is affected by these deaths, and how we even peek into the killers’ thought process.
I will say that maybe the book can use about 50 pages less since there are scenes that take place in the 60’s with a cult that could’ve used less time and more time on more members of the town.
That’s a nitpick, but otherwise a solid read if you’re into the slasher genre.
Calling all slasher fans and cult fans! This book was a wild ride with so much action. I had so many moments of thinking "oh no don't go there" just like I do with slasher movies. But this book has so much more to it than just a slasher read.
Fast paced, cult vibes and slasher action.
Loved it
4.5/5
Fast paced, cult vibes and slasher action.
Loved it
4.5/5
As a full disclaimer, I won this one in a Goodreads giveaway. I don't usually enter giveaways for thrillers, I try to avoid them. But the premise was just too interesting.
The book begins in the middle of the attack on Camp Forest Grove, when Melanie is a teen. We go through the terrifying ordeal with her, and then come to modern day, where a grown Melanie is still screwed up from what happened. To show you how screwed up, someone attempts to break into her house, and not only does she call the police, but she calls her security company and get more locks put on.
Against her better judgement, Melanie signs a publishing contract to write a book about what happened at Camp Forest Grove. That also requires her to go back to Forest Grove to refresh her memories. And Forest Grove is, well, it's a mess.
No one's allowed to do anything fun in Forest Grove. No school dances, no playing your music too loud, no letting teenagers sneak off to do teenager things. And in addition to no fun, no one's happy to see Melanie show up. They want to pretend the attack never happened, and it seems like someone in town will stop at nothing to get Melanie to go home.
Then things take a turn for the deadly, and Melanie finds out there's more to Forest Grove than meets the eye, and the problems may spread wider than just the abandoned camp.
This book is fantastic, it really is. Melanie is a fully fleshed out character, and the plot is fascinating. I'm reminded a bit of Fallen, starring Denzel Washington. There's a very similar bent to that movie and this book. The cause of the problems isn't simple, and the way Serafini ties it into the the rest of the plot is well done. I couldn't put the book down, I HAD to know what happened next.
The reason it's not 5 star material? Two things, one small, one bigger. The smaller thing is that I noticed a few typos in the book. They were all wrong words, like peak instead of peek, or saying someone had "pick of the liter" instead of litter. In other words, things a word processor wouldn't catch. They caught my attention and pulled me out of the book each time I saw them. There weren't many, maybe 4, but it was enough.
The other problem I had was the cast. It's a big, big cast, like a cast of hundreds. In addition to Melanie, there were several people at the university she taught at, plus the town of Forest Grove, all the people who worked on the case when Cyrus Hoyt attacked, another group I won't mention (I wont' spoil it), and it's all too much. When you're trying to keep straight the sheriff, his 2 or 3 deputies, the retired sheriff, and all the other law enforcement people, it gets to be too much. And that's just the law enforcement people! I couldn't keep everyone straight, and I had trouble getting invested in the characters. I didn't see enough of them to like or hate them, or have a reaction if they were injured or killed.
All in all, this is an excellent book, and if you like thrillers, I highly suggest it.
The book begins in the middle of the attack on Camp Forest Grove, when Melanie is a teen. We go through the terrifying ordeal with her, and then come to modern day, where a grown Melanie is still screwed up from what happened. To show you how screwed up, someone attempts to break into her house, and not only does she call the police, but she calls her security company and get more locks put on.
Against her better judgement, Melanie signs a publishing contract to write a book about what happened at Camp Forest Grove. That also requires her to go back to Forest Grove to refresh her memories. And Forest Grove is, well, it's a mess.
No one's allowed to do anything fun in Forest Grove. No school dances, no playing your music too loud, no letting teenagers sneak off to do teenager things. And in addition to no fun, no one's happy to see Melanie show up. They want to pretend the attack never happened, and it seems like someone in town will stop at nothing to get Melanie to go home.
Then things take a turn for the deadly, and Melanie finds out there's more to Forest Grove than meets the eye, and the problems may spread wider than just the abandoned camp.
This book is fantastic, it really is. Melanie is a fully fleshed out character, and the plot is fascinating. I'm reminded a bit of Fallen, starring Denzel Washington. There's a very similar bent to that movie and this book. The cause of the problems isn't simple, and the way Serafini ties it into the the rest of the plot is well done. I couldn't put the book down, I HAD to know what happened next.
The reason it's not 5 star material? Two things, one small, one bigger. The smaller thing is that I noticed a few typos in the book. They were all wrong words, like peak instead of peek, or saying someone had "pick of the liter" instead of litter. In other words, things a word processor wouldn't catch. They caught my attention and pulled me out of the book each time I saw them. There weren't many, maybe 4, but it was enough.
The other problem I had was the cast. It's a big, big cast, like a cast of hundreds. In addition to Melanie, there were several people at the university she taught at, plus the town of Forest Grove, all the people who worked on the case when Cyrus Hoyt attacked, another group I won't mention (I wont' spoil it), and it's all too much. When you're trying to keep straight the sheriff, his 2 or 3 deputies, the retired sheriff, and all the other law enforcement people, it gets to be too much. And that's just the law enforcement people! I couldn't keep everyone straight, and I had trouble getting invested in the characters. I didn't see enough of them to like or hate them, or have a reaction if they were injured or killed.
All in all, this is an excellent book, and if you like thrillers, I highly suggest it.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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
Review originally published in SCREAM Mag issue #58
There is nothing better than a horror featuring a small-town mystery. I love the journey readers go on with the protagonist as they uncover secrets that have worked hard to stay buried. This story, UNDER THE BLADE introduces us to a strong character experiencing the aftermath of being the “final girl” in a brutal killing spree at Camp Forest Grove. Melanie Holden left her would-be killer wounded and struggling for life--she assumes he died at the scene of his crimes.
Years later, Melanie returns to where it all began and she begins to suspect the killer, Cyrus Hoyt might still be alive.
I’m usually not a big fan of slasher books because they typically emphasize the blood and carnage but very rarely develop characters I can invest in--therefore, the plots are often thin and underdeveloped, making it difficult to engage or care about what’s happening. It feels like being a mere observer to the events unfolding instead of an engaged participant.
UNDER THE BLADE is the gold standard of exception to the rule and stands out as a slasher-horror fest with a thriller’s unexpected plot twists and turns!
The ending will blow your mind because like other Serafini stories I have read, the author keeps his cards close to him and while he does leave his readers a few breadcrumbs to gather at the hidden meanings, nothing really quite prepares you when the truths are fully revealed. Recommended to fans of slasher movies but with interesting characters and a complex storyline/mystery.
There is nothing better than a horror featuring a small-town mystery. I love the journey readers go on with the protagonist as they uncover secrets that have worked hard to stay buried. This story, UNDER THE BLADE introduces us to a strong character experiencing the aftermath of being the “final girl” in a brutal killing spree at Camp Forest Grove. Melanie Holden left her would-be killer wounded and struggling for life--she assumes he died at the scene of his crimes.
Years later, Melanie returns to where it all began and she begins to suspect the killer, Cyrus Hoyt might still be alive.
I’m usually not a big fan of slasher books because they typically emphasize the blood and carnage but very rarely develop characters I can invest in--therefore, the plots are often thin and underdeveloped, making it difficult to engage or care about what’s happening. It feels like being a mere observer to the events unfolding instead of an engaged participant.
UNDER THE BLADE is the gold standard of exception to the rule and stands out as a slasher-horror fest with a thriller’s unexpected plot twists and turns!
The ending will blow your mind because like other Serafini stories I have read, the author keeps his cards close to him and while he does leave his readers a few breadcrumbs to gather at the hidden meanings, nothing really quite prepares you when the truths are fully revealed. Recommended to fans of slasher movies but with interesting characters and a complex storyline/mystery.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Please make this into a movie!! I absolutely loved the storyline and slasher elements and the backstory is so much more than I had expected! This is so much more than a slasher in the best way possible!