Reviews

The Ritual by Adam L.G. Nevill

rea1997's review

dark sad slow-paced

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

0.25

I started reading this book as part of a imprompt book club with one of my co-workers.
To be perfectly honest I don't think I could have finished this book if I didn't Watch a preview of the audio book on youtube and then purchase it audible. The first 75% of this book was about 4 men b******* in the woods about how much they hate theirs, wives and themselves. And each other, and then the last 25% of the book.
Was about a death metal band of teens that smell. The book really Want you to know how gross these people are, and one of the characters escaping his captors. The monster shows up its meh at best. The conclusion has you feeling as exhausted as the character at the end. The chapters are wildly inconsistent in length one. Chapter was legitimately only a single page.   The author spends too much time describing things that are not important and not enough time. Giving details on pivotal points of the plot if I did not have someone else to review summary with? I don't think I would have understood the plot of this book in any capacity.

janagaton's review

3.0

the movie was better.
loved the last line though lol

tiff_bb's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

2.5

roxanne_jv's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Fatphobia

jessie_roz's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

foonislin's review

4.0

I loved LOVED the first 3/4 of this. The end kinda dragged but it was fine. That beginning tho was excellent

katetownsend's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

Main characters in horror aren't usually known for their intelligent life choices, but my god were these characters idiots. That is forgivable. What isn't is the sexism and mysogyny that drips off the page.

aerynd's review

Misogynistic way of writing women, slow paced, unlikable male character. Felt like the author wasn’t creating characters but instead writing just to vent/work out emotions he had in his personal life. 

charlieeee's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Gore

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Body shaming, Cursing, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Religious bigotry, Confinement, and Sexism

Minor: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Kidnapping

The first part was fabulous. Some really good examinations of people growing apart; philosophy of life (for male-socialised people anyway); it was tense and had some great metaphors and other strong writing. And then part two happened where I would have sworn I was reading a completely different book altogether! The metaphors were over the top, made no sense in the context of the scene and the characters were really stereotypical - and the less about ‘Surtr’ and the constant repetition about her breasts, body and ‘smell’ of her genitalia the better. Was so disappointed by part two. So so disappointed.

And the reveal of the big beastie ‘the god’ in the woods at the end was such a let down. Everything was leading up to this point and the pay off was so disappointing - we barely get a paragraph. There’s letting your mind fill in the blanks and then there’s this.

gaijin1331's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25