Scan barcode
julied's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racism and Islamophobia
Minor: Blood, Religious bigotry, and War
suzannevictoria's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Vomit
Moderate: Racism
aeoliver's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Not the book that I thought it would be — surprising, tense, and a very unsatisfying ending , but atmospheric and well written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, and Vomit
eunoia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
This book is... different?!?! It's so creepy and tense to read but a real page turner. Also the ending is just perfectly made for a second part but like what?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Blood, and Vomit
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Vomit
Moderate: Cursing and Blood
Poor review from me as I failed to connect with the style of writing. Oddly I also struggled with its Americanism.sporadicreader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
3.0
This book was mostly atmosphere, writing, and philosophy. It's not really about the characters and it doesn't have a plot. This book is about the human condition, period. These characters don't develop or grow. Nothing is really supposed to "happen" as far as I can tell. It is a vehicle through which to examine humanity - it is a thought exercise - it is The Republic, Sophie's Choice, The Stranger, The Trial, etc. I think you have to go into this book thinking of it as such or you will be disappointed. Also, have a dictionary at the ready while reading this because the author likes his obscure, thesaurus words.
There are moments of terror here, namely, existential terror. There is an interesting concept brewing in this book of a world falling apart but the privileged (either by race or wealth or simply location) are saved and they have to constantly wrestle with that privilege or live in willful ignorance while lamenting how unblissful the ignorance is ("first world problems"). There also seems to be commentary on technology. How in certain circumstances we would like to be rid of it to relax fully but when it is taken from us we cannot relax fully. The writing at times is beautiful but it does meander quite a bit without much rhyme or reason. It is a bit overwrought. The perspective shifts are disorienting and it is hard to tell if this is purposeful or sloppy. If several characters are in the same room, perspectives will change with each paragraph. This made me crave characters in isolation or in pairs which does make me think it was an intentional decision. What is interesting too is once the characters were on their own or reduced to pairs, there was such foreboding created in the atmosphere of their isolation that I wanted them to quickly reunite. I think this book would be good to read in a book club setting because it is short and it could generate some great discussion.
I gave it 3 stars because ultimately I don't think it was executed well; rather, it is not transparent about what it is - a philosophy book. It sets up like it is a thriller and from what I've seen it was marketed as a thriller and in my opinion it is not a thriller in the slightest.
There are moments of terror here, namely, existential terror. There is an interesting concept brewing in this book of a world falling apart but the privileged (either by race or wealth or simply location) are saved and they have to constantly wrestle with that privilege or live in willful ignorance while lamenting how unblissful the ignorance is ("first world problems"). There also seems to be commentary on technology. How in certain circumstances we would like to be rid of it to relax fully but when it is taken from us we cannot relax fully. The writing at times is beautiful but it does meander quite a bit without much rhyme or reason. It is a bit overwrought. The perspective shifts are disorienting and it is hard to tell if this is purposeful or sloppy. If several characters are in the same room, perspectives will change with each paragraph. This made me crave characters in isolation or in pairs which does make me think it was an intentional decision. What is interesting too is once the characters were on their own or reduced to pairs, there was such foreboding created in the atmosphere of their isolation that I wanted them to quickly reunite. I think this book would be good to read in a book club setting because it is short and it could generate some great discussion.
I gave it 3 stars because ultimately I don't think it was executed well; rather, it is not transparent about what it is - a philosophy book. It sets up like it is a thriller and from what I've seen it was marketed as a thriller and in my opinion it is not a thriller in the slightest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Vomit
Moderate: Body horror
nytefall_library's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
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? It's complicated
1.25
Where to begin…. (Potential spoilers)
This book was sold to me as a type of apocalyptic story that would be like a thriller and mystery with tense moments and a murder mystery feel. I don’t feel like I read that book. The adult characters in the story are horrible - all of them. They are arrogant, rude and so self absorbed to think they’re the most important people when they’re not. The children are the only ones to act as their age and the least annoying characters in this book. Amanda and Clay are beyond strange and when they meet the owners of the house I honestly didn’t know the story could get worse. G. H and Ruth are just as rude and selfish as Amanda and Clay - also who drives out of town to their holiday home knowing you have people staying there??? The subtle racism, fat shaming and sexism in the story was just so irrelevant to the whole story and some sentences were far too over descriptive and didn’t lend anything further to the story. The only interesting bit, where the story pace gets slightly faster and more interesting was right at the end. This is also where Ruth and Amanda started to act like actual human beings and not just a 2d version of themselves. If the rest of the book was like the last few chapters I may have rated this slightly higher. Also make sure you like abrupt endings because that’s all you’re left with. No answers - I just assumed they all died and the world ended.
This book was sold to me as a type of apocalyptic story that would be like a thriller and mystery with tense moments and a murder mystery feel. I don’t feel like I read that book. The adult characters in the story are horrible - all of them. They are arrogant, rude and so self absorbed to think they’re the most important people when they’re not. The children are the only ones to act as their age and the least annoying characters in this book. Amanda and Clay are beyond strange and when they meet the owners of the house I honestly didn’t know the story could get worse. G. H and Ruth are just as rude and selfish as Amanda and Clay - also who drives out of town to their holiday home knowing you have people staying there??? The subtle racism, fat shaming and sexism in the story was just so irrelevant to the whole story and some sentences were far too over descriptive and didn’t lend anything further to the story. The only interesting bit, where the story pace gets slightly faster and more interesting was right at the end. This is also where Ruth and Amanda started to act like actual human beings and not just a 2d version of themselves. If the rest of the book was like the last few chapters I may have rated this slightly higher. Also make sure you like abrupt endings because that’s all you’re left with. No answers - I just assumed they all died and the world ended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Blood, and Vomit
Moderate: Sexism, Medical content, and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming and Grief
tinytrashqueen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
First of all, this isn't a thriller. Maybe it would've been a better experience if I had gone into it expecting more horror/apocalypse stuff? And the ending was super abrupt and didn't have any form of resolution. I'm annoyed that I finished the whole thing and still don't know what was actually happening that caused all the things the characters experienced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Vomit
vlntnmz's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Why the author put so many sex references in the senteces when there was no ponit for it?
'
'
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Cancer, Suicide, Medical content, and Murder
jamieleepilk's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
2.5
A thrilling and addictive story that doesn't really go anywhere.
It's written in a very specific way that I found myself having to adjust to but never really flowed with. Interesting take on the world ending, it's extremely vague about what's happening in the outside world and all the characters assumptions about what's happening adds more to the mystery.
It's one of those books that isn't necessarily a horror but it has that uneasy and unsettling sense of dread underneath every page. Mainly the book focuses on the tension and the clash of the two families living in the one house. Some parts of this book are extraordinary and really well written while other parts (like long lists of groceries) just felt flat and unnecessary. A great prose with incredible potential that just felt a little underwhelming for me sadly.
It's written in a very specific way that I found myself having to adjust to but never really flowed with. Interesting take on the world ending, it's extremely vague about what's happening in the outside world and all the characters assumptions about what's happening adds more to the mystery.
It's one of those books that isn't necessarily a horror but it has that uneasy and unsettling sense of dread underneath every page. Mainly the book focuses on the tension and the clash of the two families living in the one house. Some parts of this book are extraordinary and really well written while other parts (like long lists of groceries) just felt flat and unnecessary. A great prose with incredible potential that just felt a little underwhelming for me sadly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, and Vomit