Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

21 reviews

chloseencounter's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

I picked this book up skeptical of what it may actually be like considering it’s a YA novel about a clown and I was more than pleasantly surprised. As a fan of the slasher genre I never would’ve expected a book labeled YA to be so outwardly violent but I thought some of these kills were gnarly and fun, I also enjoyed that it become almost survival horror as we watched our main character turn into an absolute badass. This book was quick paced and exciting but also an interesting statement about how generations progress and change but sometimes our elders can’t let the old ways go.

There was even a bit where the sheriff blamed the teens of the towns bad behavior on “growing up too fast” even though I’m sure we’re all aware that children really only grow up too fast when they’re made to (usually by adults in their lives). Cole makes a wonderful statement about how the generations before him laid out the world they live in now and then are angry at the children for learning to live in it in their own way.

I will definitely be picking up the sequel to this novel asap.

I also could not have been happier when they revealed Rust and Cole had feelings for each other, I kept wondering what the hell was up with them but that was so much better a conclusion than I expected.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Violence, and Body horror

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Gun violence, Police brutality, Death, Confinement, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Police brutality, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Grief, Violence, Confinement, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

ashthemenace's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Blood, Cursing, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Death of parent and Police brutality

augustinedreams's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Even though I was able to half predict the ending this book was amazing. It was a fast-paced, thrilling slasher that was truly disgusting at times. Definitely don't read if you can't do gore.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Child death, Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

ekmook's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Police brutality, and Violence

Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexism, and Misogyny

honeywine's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Loved this book, loved the politics. It was gory but not too gory. Loved the message. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, Stalking, Alcohol, Blood, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Violence, Body horror, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Gore

vmpyr's review against another edition

dark tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Gun violence, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Drug abuse, Confinement, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Addiction

cherryufos's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This book was on my to read list for quite some time and honestly, at first glance, I thought it would be paranormal.

It’s not. Now that in itself would be fine except

the amount of gore in this book was just too much for me. It was just way too descriptive into the kills and just felt like the majority of the book was describing murder. If you like any of the characters, good luck; about 90% die by the end. 

I also didn’t like that there was a few plot holes or things left unsaid. Who were the other clowns? What did Janet’s mom do after the news? And why did Cole’s father become a deranged clown killer at the end(at least it seemed implied). I understood the clown idea for the town but why would the dad go to Cuba and just become a killer? I would’ve liked it better if he was missing in the cornfield, Cole not knowing when he’d appear. 

Now besides all the negatives, I did enjoy something’s. I found the writing voice well, it was the only reason I could finish it. I also enjoyed the reference to things that are happening in today’s standards. I feel I would enjoy Adam’s other books if there isn’t any gore. This book just wasn’t for me; I’m too squeamish. If you like this type of thing though, you may enjoy this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Grief, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, and Kidnapping

Minor: Suicide, Misogyny, and Fire/Fire injury

soobooksalot's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As per the title, of course there is a clown in the cornfield.
 But Frendo is also at the front door. And in the living room.
 Quinn Maybrook and physician father Glenn have recently moved to Kettle Springs, Missouri. Frendo the clown is the town's mascot, even painted on the side of the now-burned out corn syrup factory. 
 But Frendo is more than a mascot or graffiti now. The clown is killing the town's teens. 
 Technically, Clown In A Cornfield is YA. But it doesn't read that way and there's plenty of scares and kills to suit any horror reader. It's violent and a bit gorey and there are twists and reveals for days. 
 Obviously this won't be to everyone's reading tastes (though who doesn't love a delightful clown?!), but those looking for a solidly creepy book, do check this one out! This was a fantastic way to end off this year's Spooky October reads. Recommended!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

mulletapologist's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

sheryl_macca's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

A small American town surrounded by corn fields is stuck in a time when life was good before all industry, opportunity and hope had died. The proud community spirit is just barely alive amongst the born and bred residents, along with it's corn syrup clown mascot, Frendo. The strong, silent, sheriff and the ambitious, fake mayor are united only in their hatred of the local kids pulling pranks for YouTube, having parties out in the fields, making their own fun since duck shooting and fishing just doesn't cut it anymore.

With nothing to do, nowhere to go and little phone or WiFi signal the neighborhood teenagers are thrown together and forced to be creative. Friends and frenemies flirting, drinking, letting off fireworks, gossiping and figuring out the new girl from Philadelphia with the dead Mom. Nothing seriously criminal but enough to anger the old school seemingly conservative adults of the town.

Enter a serial killer Frendo with a crossbow and a flaming torch to teach those kids a lesson. Another killer clown appears with a circular saw, even more Frendo's are hunting down the party goers with axes and shotguns. All killing indiscriminately with an insatiable hunger for a revenge that the teenagers don't yet understand. What separates the teens is quickly forgotten as they realise that they can only survive by working together. Their differences are not important right now but they won't stay forgotten for long.

Adam Cesare has created a modern slasher love child of a Point Horror book and a Stephen King short story. Clown In A Cornfield has just the right amount of cliché, a really high body count and a savage level of gore for its 15+ teen audience. As an adult horror veteran I found this book to be fun, extremely bloody and perfect for a seasonal Halloween read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, and Grief