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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
I feel like this would have been much better as a short story. As well the audio narration is awful.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are no words to describe how disappointed I am in this book. ‘Cabin at the End of the World’ was my pick for the Acclaimed titles challenge for this period’s GR challenges. An acclaimed title that had been on my TBR for a while? Apocalyptic horror with queer main characters? Sign me the heck up.
Now, I read this book on my way to work and back in audioformat. This was my first mistake. I really did not like the narrator for this book. There was little to no distinction between voices and characters, and there was even less intonation. Characters having heated debates were read in the same tone as characters sitting at the dinner table. The only character easily distinguishable, and where there was some clear intonation, was Wen, the adoptive daughter of the main characters.
But even if I hadn’t picked up the audio version, there were issues with this book. Starting with the pacing. The book is super slow and unnecessarily fluffed up with flashbacks and extra scenes that add nothing to the plot. Maybe they were there to flesh out the characters, but for me, they didn’t add anything but time. I don’t mind a horror book starting slow and building up suspense over time, but even after buildup and confrontation, the book fell flat, over and over again.
Then there was the POV issue. Most of this book is written in third person, with switching POV’s between multiple characters. I didn’t mind this at all, it’s quite nice to see all the different perspectives. However, some scenes were quoted nearly verbatim by another character to see it through their POV, without adding anything to it. On top of that, the writing wasn’t consequent at all. Near the end, a chapter is nearly fully written from a first person’s perspective, and from then on out the third person is supplemented with plenty of ‘us’ and ‘we’ and at some points it’s just really not clear which character is talking or thinking anymore. This may have been a conscious choice, but I didn’t like it at all.
Finally, the plot itself felt really weak compared to the idea. This plot could have gone a number of ways, there was so much room for twists, turns and reveals. But instead… there was nothing like that. The story just dragged on, and I kept on listening, waiting for the twist that never came. The ending was not what i expected or wanted, and I mean that both in a bad way. I was left with a very unsatisfied feeling.
Now, I read this book on my way to work and back in audioformat. This was my first mistake. I really did not like the narrator for this book. There was little to no distinction between voices and characters, and there was even less intonation. Characters having heated debates were read in the same tone as characters sitting at the dinner table. The only character easily distinguishable, and where there was some clear intonation, was Wen, the adoptive daughter of the main characters.
But even if I hadn’t picked up the audio version, there were issues with this book. Starting with the pacing. The book is super slow and unnecessarily fluffed up with flashbacks and extra scenes that add nothing to the plot. Maybe they were there to flesh out the characters, but for me, they didn’t add anything but time. I don’t mind a horror book starting slow and building up suspense over time, but even after buildup and confrontation, the book fell flat, over and over again.
Then there was the POV issue. Most of this book is written in third person, with switching POV’s between multiple characters. I didn’t mind this at all, it’s quite nice to see all the different perspectives. However, some scenes were quoted nearly verbatim by another character to see it through their POV, without adding anything to it. On top of that, the writing wasn’t consequent at all. Near the end, a chapter is nearly fully written from a first person’s perspective, and from then on out the third person is supplemented with plenty of ‘us’ and ‘we’ and at some points it’s just really not clear which character is talking or thinking anymore. This may have been a conscious choice, but I didn’t like it at all.
Finally, the plot itself felt really weak compared to the idea. This plot could have gone a number of ways, there was so much room for twists, turns and reveals. But instead… there was nothing like that. The story just dragged on, and I kept on listening, waiting for the twist that never came. The ending was not what i expected or wanted, and I mean that both in a bad way. I was left with a very unsatisfied feeling.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was ok. But the jumping between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person POV was just frustrating and confusing.
I enjoyed reading the actual book, but the narration on the audiobook is just horrendous.
I do not totally agree with the description of this novel,but it is a totally different twist on a home invasion.
It was interesting and I kept wondering was the invader prediction true.
I did not like the ending much, but it was still interesting
It was interesting and I kept wondering was the invader prediction true.
I did not like the ending much, but it was still interesting
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing
Oh this is a difficult one. I loved the premise of this book, and the first 80 or so pages were great and easily swept me along. But after that, it felt like going around in a circle for ages. I think I agree with other reviewers on here who've said that this might have worked better as a novella or short story. This story had the potential of being a real page turner, but it kept grinding to a halt whenever there was part of a character's back story to be told. Not that that back story wasn't interesting or that the characters are bad, because they're not--it just seems to me that if you write this type of story, there are some otherwise desirable literary devices you're going to have to sacrifice, in order to serve the story and provide the best reading experience. In the end, you spend the greater part of this book reading variations of the same conversation. It is horror and it is suspenseful, but it could have been more so, had it been shorter, and perhaps less dense. It might have been served best by a minimalist kind of style. Overall, it is worth a read and it's a thoroughly modern novel, but a slight letdown especially considering its opening scenes.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes