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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
loved it but ending could have been better
Spoilers
Like I said I loved it, but I feel like if it could have gone more into the harvesters guild and what went into making the deal that created the October Boy. Like even if there could be like a short story prequel I’d be so happy. Over all though I didn’t enjoy the ride of the read.
Spoilers
Like I said I loved it, but I feel like if it could have gone more into the harvesters guild and what went into making the deal that created the October Boy. Like even if there could be like a short story prequel I’d be so happy. Over all though I didn’t enjoy the ride of the read.
This is an AMAZING book.
I only intended to read a little before bed. I read half the book and had to force myself to put it down since it was a work night. I voraciously finished it the next day. It's that good.
It starts at breakneck speed. It is written in a way more like an oral storyteller would tell it. It stays in the action. Not a word is wasted.
All the spooky, October vibes. The story goes in unexpected directions and kept me enthralled the entire time.
I only intended to read a little before bed. I read half the book and had to force myself to put it down since it was a work night. I voraciously finished it the next day. It's that good.
It starts at breakneck speed. It is written in a way more like an oral storyteller would tell it. It stays in the action. Not a word is wasted.
All the spooky, October vibes. The story goes in unexpected directions and kept me enthralled the entire time.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Every year, in a small town in the Midwest, teenage boys are locked in their room for days with no food until Halloween. Everyone else in the town closes up shop and keeps inside for the October Boy is coming. Growing all year until Halloween, the October Boy is released from a cornfield, filled with candy and given a butcher knife. It is a race to see who can kill who first-the creature or the wild and very hungry bands of teens. Freedom from this non-escapable town is at stake on both sides but the town's terrifying secret is about to be revealed.
This is a creepy premise that reminds me of the horror stories that came out in the 1980s with a lot of gore and weirdness, one wise girl to save the day and the realization that humans are the scariest of monsters. The problem I had was the way the story was told. The narration definitely had the feel of the sixties in a Leave it to Beaver kind of way and it never worked for me. I get why it was used but it constantly pulled me out of the story which was a bummer.
This is a creepy premise that reminds me of the horror stories that came out in the 1980s with a lot of gore and weirdness, one wise girl to save the day and the realization that humans are the scariest of monsters. The problem I had was the way the story was told. The narration definitely had the feel of the sixties in a Leave it to Beaver kind of way and it never worked for me. I get why it was used but it constantly pulled me out of the story which was a bummer.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A generous three stars. More a two and a half. This novel I’ve been meaning to read for years. With its jack o’lantern headed scarecrow gracing the cover, I was expecting a tale of Halloween.
While the story takes place on Halloween, and features a creature with a pumpkin head, there is not much else about Halloween or October or the Harvest thematically. I enjoyed some of this, but the feeling like this is just an extremely adolescent take on Shirley Jackson’s worlds away superior short story “The Lottery” and “The Purge” horror film series— with a dash of “The Hunger Games” wins out, and there’s nothing original in here. This story is at once short but narratively too long, and too thin when it comes to the story. There is a severe lack of characterization that prevented me from getting into this, and a lot of what is here is too silly to get involved in.
Also, the writing was at times okay, but— more than not— his attempts at some kind of high stylization doesn’t work and becomes stilted enough to take you out of the story. I didn’t dislike this, but it’s not memorable. This book needed a better editor.
While the story takes place on Halloween, and features a creature with a pumpkin head, there is not much else about Halloween or October or the Harvest thematically. I enjoyed some of this, but the feeling like this is just an extremely adolescent take on Shirley Jackson’s worlds away superior short story “The Lottery” and “The Purge” horror film series— with a dash of “The Hunger Games” wins out, and there’s nothing original in here. This story is at once short but narratively too long, and too thin when it comes to the story. There is a severe lack of characterization that prevented me from getting into this, and a lot of what is here is too silly to get involved in.
Also, the writing was at times okay, but— more than not— his attempts at some kind of high stylization doesn’t work and becomes stilted enough to take you out of the story. I didn’t dislike this, but it’s not memorable. This book needed a better editor.
Maybe a 3.5 star affair. Not quite sure how to rate this one. This book is lean and mean, the pace never lets up from the get go. The tone of the writing annoyed me a bit, it's written in a macho second person narrative that's a bit over the top. The other annoyance factor is that absolutely nothing is explained; why the ritual exists, when it started, why it can be ended the way it is in the book, nothing. You're just dropped into the story which takes place over a few hours. But the book is short and only takes a couple hours to read, so it's a pretty fun ride even if you don't know the why's.
Now i can finally watch that Prime adaptation! Go you October Boy!!!