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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Creepy. The audiobook has a lot of sound effects that really add to the creepiness, so I'd recommend if you're looking to get scared maybe listen to it instead of reading it.
***SPOILERS***
Hated the ending. Why is it always just in their head. What's with all the psychological issues manifesting themselves like this? Maybe it's my bad luck because I haven't read many horror stories but what I've read and watched is usually some twist of it's happening in their own head. Don't get me wrong, Silla went through it. Such a horrible life, I get why she'd want to blame something other than just her life being awful.
***SPOILERS***
Hated the ending. Why is it always just in their head. What's with all the psychological issues manifesting themselves like this? Maybe it's my bad luck because I haven't read many horror stories but what I've read and watched is usually some twist of it's happening in their own head. Don't get me wrong, Silla went through it. Such a horrible life, I get why she'd want to blame something other than just her life being awful.
the ending was lackluster. the build up towards the middle was great I loved the whole haunted mansion aesthetic, but that ending no thank you
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the rare books that the ending fixes a bad middle. I'm glad I stuck with it.
I listened to this on audio, thinking it would be a quick, listen and forget it sort of YA book (I spotted it while working at B&N ages ago). I'm now very surprised and annoyed that I never see it on shelves anywhere (along with Daughters Unto Devils), because this is a really well-crafted horror novel.
I'm still a horror newb and it's really not my thing, unless it's an A24 arthouse flick or anything Jordan Peele does, so my perspective should be taken with heaps of salt. But, I thought the author did a fantastic job blending various horror tropes, like a haunted house, abusive parent, creepy woods, etc very well. The audio production did a fantastic job with sound effects too, which I would normally think was pretty cheesy, but it was more like Stranger Things quality of squelchy sounds.
There's also, for dummies like me, a big explanation at the end. That includes the romantic aspect of it, if anyone is put off by what appears to be insta-love. It's pretty long for what seems straightforward, but I definitely think there is a huge pay off by the end.
I'm still a horror newb and it's really not my thing, unless it's an A24 arthouse flick or anything Jordan Peele does, so my perspective should be taken with heaps of salt. But, I thought the author did a fantastic job blending various horror tropes, like a haunted house, abusive parent, creepy woods, etc very well. The audio production did a fantastic job with sound effects too, which I would normally think was pretty cheesy, but it was more like Stranger Things quality of squelchy sounds.
There's also, for dummies like me, a big explanation at the end. That includes the romantic aspect of it, if anyone is put off by what appears to be insta-love. It's pretty long for what seems straightforward, but I definitely think there is a huge pay off by the end.
3.5 stars.
Lots of creepy imagery in here. The writing is inventive too, both structurally and in terms of the narrative itself. I’m not sure if the story entirely works, given the ending, but the ride is pretty intense.
Also surprised at how intense and gruesome it was, considering this is YA horror. Then again, I haven’t read much YA horror so this could be par for the course for all I know.
Lots of creepy imagery in here. The writing is inventive too, both structurally and in terms of the narrative itself. I’m not sure if the story entirely works, given the ending, but the ride is pretty intense.
Also surprised at how intense and gruesome it was, considering this is YA horror. Then again, I haven’t read much YA horror so this could be par for the course for all I know.
What a weird and fun book to read and listen to!
I started reading this one and realized that it seemed very theatrical and so I was able to get it as an audiobook from my public library and highly recommend if you get into this book that you use the audiobook for it. It is probably the most well done audiobook I’ve read or listened to in a long time. There are a ton of sound effects and different voices that add so much to the story and give it depth and honestly just make it a lot of fun.
The story itself is really interesting; I didn’t really know where the plot was going and it’s a twisty turny plot in general AND the ending is kind of a shocker, but I think the story itself as well done. As a young adult book this would be a lot of fun to read by a younger person. Not to say, I didn’t like it, I fell into the story, 100% and would highly recommend this one as a spooky season read.
I started reading this one and realized that it seemed very theatrical and so I was able to get it as an audiobook from my public library and highly recommend if you get into this book that you use the audiobook for it. It is probably the most well done audiobook I’ve read or listened to in a long time. There are a ton of sound effects and different voices that add so much to the story and give it depth and honestly just make it a lot of fun.
The story itself is really interesting; I didn’t really know where the plot was going and it’s a twisty turny plot in general AND the ending is kind of a shocker, but I think the story itself as well done. As a young adult book this would be a lot of fun to read by a younger person. Not to say, I didn’t like it, I fell into the story, 100% and would highly recommend this one as a spooky season read.
Great beginning and middle, underwhelming end.
I see a lot of reviews saying that they had a difficult time with the hasty changes in timelines. I didn’t have that problem because I was listening to the audiobook (which is a brilliant production, by the way. And most probably the reason why I got hooked on this book so quickly).
I believe it would have been a better story if we stayed in the spooky demonic world rather than the mouldy purgatory. I’ve read too many books like these to enjoy it. This most definitely cannot count as “horror”.
I see a lot of reviews saying that they had a difficult time with the hasty changes in timelines. I didn’t have that problem because I was listening to the audiobook (which is a brilliant production, by the way. And most probably the reason why I got hooked on this book so quickly).
I believe it would have been a better story if we stayed in the spooky demonic world rather than the mouldy purgatory. I’ve read too many books like these to enjoy it. This most definitely cannot count as “horror”.
Really not sure about this book. The entire time I was reading it I was hoping it'd either end or become interesting. But now I've finished it there was something kind of lovely about the twisted and basically incoherent storyline. I'm glad I read it once but I won't again.