Reviews with content warning for Stalking - The Between

This book was such a fantastically written exploration of the tie between dreams and consciousness. The tension is palpable as Hilton’s life appears to branch off just to be yanked back into place again and I felt so engaged with his childhood and grandmother. In the last third, things began picking up as Hilton got new insights and I honestly think it was the perfect time to pick up the pace. The end is devastating but cathartic in a way that could only be achieved with a very limited set of options.

The first third of the book contains very graphic sexual content including a depiction of explicit infidelity but it’s very distinct when the narrative departs from that highly sexualized place as it’s one of the first confirmations we have to begin understanding how Hilton’s perceptions of reality are slipping.

Content Warnings

rorikae's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

In 'The Between,' Tananarive Due tells a haunting story surrounding one man's attempt to save his family from threats and the affect it has on his mind.
Hilton is living a good life with his wife and his two children until his wife suddenly begins receiving racist threats. As the only elected African American judge in their county, they suspect this is coming from one of the men she previously prosecuted but there is trouble pinning down exactly who is sending the threats. As these threats stack up, Hilton begins to have bizarre dreams that seem to merge into his reality. Seemingly tied to these threats and potentially to a near fatal accident when he was a child, Hilton begins to wonder if his dreams are caused by the stress of the threats or by a supernatural force.
Tananarive Due is so good at introducing relatable characters and then slowly turning up the horror in their lives. That is true in the first book of hers I read, 'The Good House,' and is just as true in 'The Between.' Due introduces us to Hilton as a child and then we jump into his life as an adult as we get to know his family, his job, and his day to day life. She then promptly disrupts this normalcy with the racist threats that Hilton's wife receives and his mental state as he tries to protect his family. As his dreams begin to escalate, Due keeps the reader guessing right alongside Hilton, wondering if he is having a psychic break or if there is something supernatural to his increasingly frightening dreams. Due weaves in grander themes just as we are pulled into the specificity of Hilton's experience.
I'm a bit conflicted about the ending but I do think it would be a good book to discuss as part of a book club. I think the ending fits even if it isn't the ending that I would have hoped for.
Whenever I am looking for a book that will bring horror right alongside an engaging story and relatable characters, I will definitely be turning to more of Due's work.

Content Warnings

ofbooksandechos's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Content Warnings

seawarrior's review

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Dazzling with imagery and mystery, The Between presents a horror story on multiple fronts that keeps the reader disoriented with every chapter. Due's characters propel the plot, where their rich histories and personalities provide the necessary depth to pull us into their world. The most frightening part of this story is not so much what Hilton is experiencing supernaturally, but how he lacks the knowledge to make sense of it once he realizes that his family is under threat by a racist terrorist who is undoubtedly real. The secret of his dreams unravels slowly, but once revealed, the surrounding unexplainable events instantly line up into a rational narrative, which I appreciate as a reader who aches for stories to make sense.

I highly recommend this book to those interested in unconventional horror novels, but please be warned that the threat of racist violence hangs heavy over the James family throughout most of the book, and the verbal intimidations issued by the perpetrator are more than disturbing to read. If that's something you're able to stomach though, I imagine you will also become quickly engrossed in this story and Due's skill in writing it.

Content Warnings

More...