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themelaniewaite's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If I had to quickly sum up the plot of this book, I’d say it’s Midnight Mass meets WandaVision meets the Supernatural episode “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” (s5, ep15).
It was the cover that originally drew me in. And then the idea that this island was stuck living as thought it was still 1994 mixed with a missing persons plot - it all had me so curious. I didn’t realise when I bought it, that the story was essentially a “found footage” theme - the last one I’d read in that format had put me off the genre. And though it took a few chapters to get into the flow of this storytelling, once the story found its rhythm it was really well done and worth powering through. It definitely achieved what it set out to do.
The plot was eerie and had me hooked, desperately eager to get answers for what million questions the plot threw in. All of which tied together so well. No stone was left unturned by the end of the story.
There was something so satisfying in the way the ending came together, and I’m pleased with the way it all came together. If you’re looking for a story that has you questioning literally everything, this is the one for you. With each chapter, there are more questions but once it starts coming together, this slow burn mystery is so well executed. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Confinement, Child death, Grief, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Religious bigotry
hauntedantiqueshop's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
The best thing about this book is the cover.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Child death, Murder, Stalking, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Body horror
kylieqrada's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
4.0
This one scared me, I will not lie. Seminary House? You couldn’t pay me enough. I did not know this followed a grieving mother though and that was rough. Lesson learned - check the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Gaslighting and Death of parent
cartermon4's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, and Car accident
r_o_s_e's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Stalking
Moderate: Confinement and Gaslighting
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
lexigoyette's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Gaslighting, and Grief
karlzlee's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Child death, Murder, Car accident, Death, and Gaslighting
allie_treacherousreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Child death
Moderate: Gaslighting
d0505's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Gaslighting
thecriticalreader's review
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.0
Review:
I picked up Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano because the premise of a mysterious island whose inhabitants are weirdly obsessed with the year 1994 intrigued me. I love books about people who travel to or recreate the past, time loops, etc. It is also set on a fictional Wisconsin island, which, as a Wisconsinite, I appreciate!
Dead Eleven opens strong with a unique and intriguing first chapter. The rest of the book is fairly entertaining as well, as we explore Clifford Island, its inhabitants, and the reasons for its cult-like culture. I rarely felt bored or annoyed despite the book’s numerous flaws. My favorite part about the reading experience was thinking about the questions and themes the book raises about the grieving process, memory, religion, and the formation of cults.
Unfortunately, the book ultimately has nothing to say about these themes, as the necessity of the plot overshadows the potential for meaningful commentary. The plot is ridiculous and full of plot holes, bordering on the nonsensical. If you read it for enjoyment and don’t think about it too hard, it can be fun, but it doesn’t hold up under the least bit of scrutiny or critical thought. As far as the horror elements go, Dead Eleven is not particularly original or spooky. The characters are serviceable vehicles through which to serve the plot, but they are pretty much blank slates with generic motivations and backstories.
Dead Eleven was a diverting, but imperfect, read. I think as a debut it shows Juliano’s promise as a writer while leaving significant room for growth.
The Run-Down:
You might like Dead Eleven . . .
· If you are in the mood for 90’s nostalgia and a somewhat campy horror book
You might not like Dead Eleven . . .
· If you are looking for a groundbreaking horror book or a novel with a significant amount of depth
A Similar(ish) Book: ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. Similarities include . . .
· A small-town setting and a wide cast of characters
· A lurking evil presence that emanates from a spooky abandoned house
· Precocious child character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child death and Death
CW: Cult activity