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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I firmly believe that Shaun David Hutchinson is one of the best authors in the game right now, and he has become one of my absolute favorites. Howl solidified that.
At the Edge of the Universe was one of my top reads of 2022, as was We Are the Ants. There is something special about the way that he can create an atmosphere that is bleak and dreary, but keep it so incredibly engaging.
I loved Virgil. He tried his hardest and was so incredibly resilient, tough, and brave. In addition to the trauma of his attack itself, let’s add the following: Virgil’s parents are going through a divorce, his relationship is falling apart, and he’s being villainized by an entire town (which includes doxxing, bullying, and online comments encouraging him to kill himself). And he has no support.
So, while Howl was a metaphor for trauma – most specifically, sexual assault trauma – there were other traumas explored as well. Shaun did an amazing job highlighting the effects of trauma – the withdrawal and isolation, the ensuing mental health symptoms, disordered eating, sleep disturbances, hypervigilance, and night terrors.
Howl also reminded us that often, victims of sexual assault are not taken seriously or believed. Virgil's family doesn't believe him. His friends don't believe him. His boyfriend doesn't believe him. The town doesn't believe him. And the way that he was treated in the aftermath of the attack is a testament to why some victims never report their assaults to begin with.
Throughout the book, there were passages describing Virgil’s attack in bold font. There was never a moment where those passages were in chronological order, or all combined start to finish. But, we began to put the broken passages together as we kept reading. They were interspersed randomly in the middle of sentences, words, and thoughts. The seemingly randomized appearance of those passages (again, indicated in bold) was such an accurate depiction of how trauma responses and flashbacks often come seemingly out of nowhere, or at the smallest reminder of the event itself. It was a great writing device that added an extra layer of meaning & symbolism to the story / theme of trauma.
There have been elements of sci-fi / fantasy / horror in all the books I’ve read by Shaun, and the use of horror elements in this context to coincide with Virgil’s experiences following his attack (and the overall metaphor of the monster) was so effective.
The book is dark, emotionally painful, and depressing – for nearly its entire duration. But there are small moments where the darkness subsides just a bit, and those moments were so incredibly powerful. I wanted a bit more information about the final events of the book, but at the same time, I was glad that it was left open to interpretation (was it actually a real monster, or was it more an elaborate metaphor within Virgil’s mind as the result of a violent trauma?).
This book is not for the faint of heart, and there is a comprehensive list of trigger warnings at the front of the book. I would recommend reading it before you dive into the book. Shaun’s books (that I’ve read) have difficult themes and topics – but they’re important ones to explore. Just make sure you are also ready to explore them.
"And you poke that bear until her claws come out, and you find something to wrap your noose around -- and there's nothing like a mad woman. / What a shame she went mad -- you made her like that."
- mad woman // Taylor Swift
At the Edge of the Universe was one of my top reads of 2022, as was We Are the Ants. There is something special about the way that he can create an atmosphere that is bleak and dreary, but keep it so incredibly engaging.
I loved Virgil. He tried his hardest and was so incredibly resilient, tough, and brave. In addition to the trauma of his attack itself, let’s add the following: Virgil’s parents are going through a divorce, his relationship is falling apart, and he’s being villainized by an entire town (which includes doxxing, bullying, and online comments encouraging him to kill himself). And he has no support.
So, while Howl was a metaphor for trauma – most specifically, sexual assault trauma – there were other traumas explored as well. Shaun did an amazing job highlighting the effects of trauma – the withdrawal and isolation, the ensuing mental health symptoms, disordered eating, sleep disturbances, hypervigilance, and night terrors.
Howl also reminded us that often, victims of sexual assault are not taken seriously or believed. Virgil's family doesn't believe him. His friends don't believe him. His boyfriend doesn't believe him. The town doesn't believe him. And the way that he was treated in the aftermath of the attack is a testament to why some victims never report their assaults to begin with.
Throughout the book, there were passages describing Virgil’s attack in bold font. There was never a moment where those passages were in chronological order, or all combined start to finish. But, we began to put the broken passages together as we kept reading. They were interspersed randomly in the middle of sentences, words, and thoughts. The seemingly randomized appearance of those passages (again, indicated in bold) was such an accurate depiction of how trauma responses and flashbacks often come seemingly out of nowhere, or at the smallest reminder of the event itself. It was a great writing device that added an extra layer of meaning & symbolism to the story / theme of trauma.
There have been elements of sci-fi / fantasy / horror in all the books I’ve read by Shaun, and the use of horror elements in this context to coincide with Virgil’s experiences following his attack (and the overall metaphor of the monster) was so effective.
The book is dark, emotionally painful, and depressing – for nearly its entire duration. But there are small moments where the darkness subsides just a bit, and those moments were so incredibly powerful. I wanted a bit more information about the final events of the book, but at the same time, I was glad that it was left open to interpretation (was it actually a real monster, or was it more an elaborate metaphor within Virgil’s mind as the result of a violent trauma?).
This book is not for the faint of heart, and there is a comprehensive list of trigger warnings at the front of the book. I would recommend reading it before you dive into the book. Shaun’s books (that I’ve read) have difficult themes and topics – but they’re important ones to explore. Just make sure you are also ready to explore them.
"And you poke that bear until her claws come out, and you find something to wrap your noose around -- and there's nothing like a mad woman. / What a shame she went mad -- you made her like that."
- mad woman // Taylor Swift
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Its was a good book, though I felt the ending could’ve been written better.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
slow-paced
All the trigger warnings.
This book is dark and deep. It’s gonna make you feel some things and some type of way.
My only real gripe with the book was the werewolf aspect and finale. The whole werewolf thing was great right up until it was like… so wait is there an actual monster out there? Also I don’t get the villains motivations, like at all.
I did call the villain though.
This book is dark and deep. It’s gonna make you feel some things and some type of way.
My only real gripe with the book was the werewolf aspect and finale. The whole werewolf thing was great right up until it was like… so wait is there an actual monster out there? Also I don’t get the villains motivations, like at all.
I did call the villain though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
As a lover of werewolf stories and nuanced horror, there was a lot that I liked about this book. While it was hard to read in several moments, the depiction of trauma and it's effects on the body after assault was a powerful metaphor that I think werewolf lore is a great vehicle for. The book captures the homophobia and veneer of respectability in a small southern town, though I wish that some of the depictions of the adults in the story went a bit deeper, but sometimes that is just how a teen like Victor who has been repeatedly harmed sees people in their lives. I also wish that there had been more werewolf transformations sooner in the book, but that is just my personal preference.
Ultimately, this is a book I am still thinking about, and therefore one that I think was worth the read.
Ultimately, this is a book I am still thinking about, and therefore one that I think was worth the read.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes