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library_jones's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
vanquishingvolumes's review against another edition
3.0
A quick Gothic read of insta love in the midst of madness rooted in love and obsession - didn’t connect to the insta love but enjoyed the action as the characters fought through a castle of horrors.
havanarama's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tomesoftrouble's review against another edition
3.0
Gothic horror isn't something I have a ton of experience with, but I've yet to read a Jonathan Janz book I didn't like so I decided to give this a go. I mostly enjoyed it! It's lower tier Janz for me and I left wishing the story had a little more meat on the bone, but I liked the characters and loved both the setting and the general vibe on display. It was fun watching an author I admire adapt their style to fit the norms of a subgenre I know only peripherally. While it wasn't exactly the read I envisioned, it piqued my interest in this style of genre fiction enough to make me want to try more down the line.
katrienvancalster's review against another edition
dark
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
3.0
badoerr's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
theheathermoon's review against another edition
3.0
Big fan of horror/terror, less of gore. It was a good story and I enjoyed the characters despite not knowing them for long but gore isn’t the best horror facet, in my opinion.
charm_city_sinner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bookwyrm55's review against another edition
4.0
This was an unexpected treat. Jonathan Janz has found a way to channel the past. A lot of times when an author attempts to write, particularly at novel length, in the language and vernacular of an earlier time, the results are mixed. Janz does an admirable job of telling his tale without dropping character in the overly dramatic style I remember so well from the piles of dark, Gothic romances I remember sneaking away from my aunt and my mother when I was young.
Of course, this is much, much darker than those books were, heading into the realms of Poe and H. G. Wells, Mary Shelly and more. Elements of the plot that seem disconnected come together as the story unfolds, revealing layer after layer of intrigue. An American author named Pearce is lured to an ancestral home near a dark keep. First one, and then another odd character draws his attention until he, and the family who have invited him into their home, are drawn into darkness they could not have dreamed of.
This is a short book, and the action hits hard, and fast, never letting up once it's begun to gather speed. This is where The Dismembered diverges from the Gothic formula. The books I remember would have drawn this out to three hundred slow-burn pages, the Janz drags you through it as if carried by dark literary lightning.
For a change of pace and something very entertaining, this is highly recommended.
Of course, this is much, much darker than those books were, heading into the realms of Poe and H. G. Wells, Mary Shelly and more. Elements of the plot that seem disconnected come together as the story unfolds, revealing layer after layer of intrigue. An American author named Pearce is lured to an ancestral home near a dark keep. First one, and then another odd character draws his attention until he, and the family who have invited him into their home, are drawn into darkness they could not have dreamed of.
This is a short book, and the action hits hard, and fast, never letting up once it's begun to gather speed. This is where The Dismembered diverges from the Gothic formula. The books I remember would have drawn this out to three hundred slow-burn pages, the Janz drags you through it as if carried by dark literary lightning.
For a change of pace and something very entertaining, this is highly recommended.