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thiscryptidreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I went into this story expecting a totally different scenario based on the synopsis. This was a surprise mix of haunting and hallucinations that slowly fill you with dread until the very end. Several other reviews said the ending was a surprise or didn't make sense but if you pay attention to the small details I think the story wraps up very nicely and makes complete sense for the narrative they're trying to tell.
Cws: gore, body horror, violence, self harm, injury, blood, panic attacks, suicide, murder, death of a child, animal death, vomit, hallucinations, fire/ injury and death by fire, cannibalism.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Cws: gore, body horror, violence, self harm, injury, blood, panic attacks, suicide, murder, death of a child, animal death, vomit, hallucinations, fire/ injury and death by fire, cannibalism.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, Body horror, Death, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Animal death, and Child death
Spoilers: Does the dog (Slade) die? No. He runs off and is missing through the book and hallucinations cause Luke (his owner) to think he is dead. He is later found at the end of the book. The dog depicted in the book he mistakes Slade for was long dead and it's death is not described on page, simply apart of their hallucinations or inches of the ghosts in the woods.clowngawd's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This book has some nauseating descriptions . If you are sensitive to intense descriptions of rot, insects or infections you may want to sit this one out. While I appreciate this stories ambiguity, I wish certain ideas were explored further. Despite its flaws, this was a compelling story of poison earth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Murder, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, and Vomit
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Cursing, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Animal death, and Sexism
chainsawheartbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’m never going hiking in the wilderness again! ⛰️
That was something else. Truly. I don’t think any words I can come up with would be able to describe the horror I felt reading some of that, and the utter fear I felt for the characters.
I’m going to be completely honest and say that I didn’t like Dylan at the start; I thought she was so well-written and felt so real that I genuinely didn’t care for her, especially when she was so dismissive to Luke (and yes I’m aware that the valley probably had a big part to do with that), but she made me angry.
Yet, by the end, I was routing for her.
There were moments when I forgot I wasn’t in the Kentucky wilderness, and I honestly gripped this book as hard as Dylan gripped that rock face.
I can’t wait to read the next thing Jenny Kiefer releases cause damn!
That was something else. Truly. I don’t think any words I can come up with would be able to describe the horror I felt reading some of that, and the utter fear I felt for the characters.
I’m going to be completely honest and say that I didn’t like Dylan at the start; I thought she was so well-written and felt so real that I genuinely didn’t care for her, especially when she was so dismissive to Luke (and yes I’m aware that the valley probably had a big part to do with that), but she made me angry.
Yet, by the end, I was routing for her.
There were moments when I forgot I wasn’t in the Kentucky wilderness, and I honestly gripped this book as hard as Dylan gripped that rock face.
I can’t wait to read the next thing Jenny Kiefer releases cause damn!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicide, Blood, Alcohol, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Gore, Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Violence
birdieex's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm not a rock climber by any means, so this wasn't a book I could relate to in that way, but I still enjoyed it, even when the lingo flew over my head.
The spook factor deserves 2 stars at least. I'm a sucker for spooky places where people go and don't return or return absolutely traumatized. A trope I can never get enough of, even when we never figure out the mystery to why the environment is hostile. It's just that sense of danger and mystery!
The detail was absolutely engrossing. The description of the environment was gorgeous. The horror was written in a way that made me physically recoil and look away from the book in some cases. (Bugs! Bugs get me!) Every line about the forest was chilling.
I liked the opening telling us immediately that our characters die because it gave the whole journey a sense of dread. As I read, I was constantly attempting to pick up pieces of the puzzle and put it together. I'm also fond of sweary narration, especially if it showcases character personality, so the beginning was amusing to me.
(Examples:
The spook factor deserves 2 stars at least. I'm a sucker for spooky places where people go and don't return or return absolutely traumatized. A trope I can never get enough of, even when we never figure out the mystery to why the environment is hostile. It's just that sense of danger and mystery!
The detail was absolutely engrossing. The description of the environment was gorgeous. The horror was written in a way that made me physically recoil and look away from the book in some cases. (Bugs! Bugs get me!) Every line about the forest was chilling.
I liked the opening telling us immediately that our characters die because it gave the whole journey a sense of dread. As I read, I was constantly attempting to pick up pieces of the puzzle and put it together. I'm also fond of sweary narration, especially if it showcases character personality, so the beginning was amusing to me.
(Examples:
- The very first line of this book is "Fucking finally". It adds spice to the character thoughts if they swear and you're adding that to your normal narration.
- "He'd only managed to become a slightly above-average climber, never having the skills or luck to climb the hard shit-"
- "So he'd spend the fall inside this cramped, cold-as-fuck, single-engine plane,"
I think you get the idea. It isn't overdone, but it's nicely peppered in there.)
However, as much as I enjoyed all of those elements, there are cons.
One petty thing that nagged me was when Sylvia, who had a basic medical background, when assessing an ankle and wrist injury said it was "likely fractured, if not broken." Those are synonymous. Though, I'm putting that down to the fact her medical experience was limited to "an emergency first aid course" as she said.
Also why was Dylan's the only phone to get signal? Maybe I missed it, but it was like she was chosen. Is this simply because she was
Not a con, but a spoiler alert for the dog living or dying for those who need to know before going in:
Overall, thoroughly enjoyed the fear factor in this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Gore, Death, Self harm, Suicide, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Vomit, Alcohol, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Child death
Infant death for child death.beersbooksandbooos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I have to say that I picked up the book because of the cover before even reading the synopsis. Once I read the synopsis I knew this was a book for me. Dyatlov Pass has always fascinated me and all the lore that surrounds it. I read some of the reviews as I read the book and I do agree with them saying they were getting The Ruins and As Above So Below vides. I enjoyed most of the book, then it took a turn in the last quarter. That was when it lost me and I got a little bored that it didn't feel like picking it back up. I felt a little cheated out of a better ending and it also felt a little rushed. This is Jenny Kiefer's debut novel and I can see her writing going up from here. I will pick up her other books if/when she writes them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Murder, Body horror, Animal death, Cannibalism, Suicide, Cursing, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Vomit
celina246's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
so this book was disgusting, very much gore and horror (not a bad thing if you're a lover of that!). It read to me like a teen scream, but there wasn’t any…satisfaction? the author was really great with description (as awful as the things she was describing were), but almost all of the characters were unlikeable and the general backstory was eh. the end was pretty disappointing to me. idk I feel like it had potential, but it lacked anything really special.
I almost wish we didn’t know what happened to them in the beginning, because it made Dylan’s end kind of anticlimactic
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Death, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Grief and Suicidal thoughts
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