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2.72 AVERAGE
2.72 AVERAGE
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Sometimes trying to make a story feel visceral or evocative is just a trip to the word slop factory.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to love this novella because an old haunted mansion in Japan sounds like a perfect setting for a truly eerie story. Some snippets were genuinely creepy, but they were too brief to let the shock really sink in. I wish it had been expanded into a full-length novel so there could have been more time to develop the atmosphere and elaborate on the ending. It wrapped up much too quickly.
One girl each year. Two hundred and six bones times a thousand years. More than enough calcium to keep this house standing until the stars are themselves clean, picked the sinew from their own shining bones. All for one girl as she waited and waited. Alone in the dirt and the dark.
★
I hate to say it, but this novella is a huge disappointment. More than 60% of the book is focused on the squabbles and petty jealousies of the 5 main characters who despite literally hating each other (and not in the love-hate kinda way) are still somehow “friends” and it’s just I REALLY DON’T CARE. The horror is practically nonexistent and was a waste of both an engaging setting and an amazing cover. This book is also very self-aware and I imagine that it did not have the effect that the author intended when they were attempting to upend some horror tropes. The writing is very purple to the point of distracting from the story, and there is just SO MUCH repetition. Honestly, I’m glad this was short because if I was gonna have to read one more description about how this one character is a rich, entitled, white fratboy whose chin can slice through cheese (facts that were hammered home literally every time he made an appearance) I was gonna hurl this book. By the end, Nothing But Blackened Teeth earned nothing but glazed eyes from me.
I rather liked this, though I wish it was a longer book and had had more time to unravel and unwind. But still, for a novella it was quite good. I may be biased because I really love yokai stories but here we are.
Couple stars taken off for a very sudden ending, and the fact that I think the writing could have been more cohesive with better flow. The author is clearly talented, it just read a bit like this one got away from them at times, although I did feel a weird connection to it because my internal thoughts are usually chock full of verbiage and sentences I would never say out loud because it would sound corny. I just think this could have been more fleshed out in general and worked over a bit more. It was still a pleasant quick read for me, though.
Couple stars taken off for a very sudden ending, and the fact that I think the writing could have been more cohesive with better flow. The author is clearly talented, it just read a bit like this one got away from them at times, although I did feel a weird connection to it because my internal thoughts are usually chock full of verbiage and sentences I would never say out loud because it would sound corny. I just think this could have been more fleshed out in general and worked over a bit more. It was still a pleasant quick read for me, though.
Goosebumps for more mature palate. Had potential for a longer story.
A quick, snappy piece of horror that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I don't like to be scared for hours, and so books like these give me that perfect dose of "ooh, scary" with little consequence. However, this one is laden with sickening prose - truly a compliment to the author for making it so visceral - characters that are so dislikable that I couldn't help but like them, and a very meta/self awareness that propels the characters to avoid being the first one to die. It was honestly quite satisfying -albeit pitiful - to see the stereotypes being reversed for once in horror where the first one to die was neither gay or a person of color, and I think that's kind of the whole point.
This book is by no means a perfect horror, and I don't think you need to take it too seriously, it's got a haunted mansion with a centuries old curse and stupid youths facing the consequences of their own actions and a very sudden resolution that encapsulates the story.
I don't like to be scared for hours, and so books like these give me that perfect dose of "ooh, scary" with little consequence. However, this one is laden with sickening prose - truly a compliment to the author for making it so visceral - characters that are so dislikable that I couldn't help but like them, and a very meta/self awareness that propels the characters to avoid being the first one to die. It was honestly quite satisfying -albeit pitiful - to see the stereotypes being reversed for once in horror where the first one to die was neither gay or a person of color, and I think that's kind of the whole point.
This book is by no means a perfect horror, and I don't think you need to take it too seriously, it's got a haunted mansion with a centuries old curse and stupid youths facing the consequences of their own actions and a very sudden resolution that encapsulates the story.
1/5 stars unfortunately.
the premise of the story was interesting but sadly, the characters were all extremely unlikable and i failed to have sympathy for any of them. the terrible characters also killed any of the horror vibes in the story.
the premise of the story was interesting but sadly, the characters were all extremely unlikable and i failed to have sympathy for any of them. the terrible characters also killed any of the horror vibes in the story.
I’m unsure what to write about this book it was fast paced and alot happened but there was so much going on so quickly I didn’t really have time to be disturbed or scared.