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solid_circle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Ableism and Suicide
mokey81's review
3.0
Overall, I liked it. It had a really slow start, but once it finally got going, I liked it.
I loved the premise. A boy was involved/or not with a disaster that killed 22 children. This is the story 25 years later and how he is still paying for it. and how it affecting his family.
The story is really about the son and how he is dealing with all of this.
I loved the premise. A boy was involved/or not with a disaster that killed 22 children. This is the story 25 years later and how he is still paying for it. and how it affecting his family.
The story is really about the son and how he is dealing with all of this.
bluenote's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
larrys's review against another edition
3.0
This was published in 1996 when the Internet was in its infancy, but the themes of this story are probably even more relevant today than they were then. In 1996 it was only the true nutter who made up a separate identity at the end of a series of nuisance calls whereas today, online, anyone can be who they want to be.
I don't think this was one of Cormier's best books, partly because it was a little too obvious what was going on from about midway through. On the other hand, it took me longer than it should have to work out the point of view switches in the beginning.
UPDATE ON SECOND READ
I had completely forgotten I'd ever read this so it can't be one of Cormier's most memorable works. I remember Fade and The Chocolate War quite well.
Because I had no recollection of ever seeing the cover, I struggled once again to work out the point of view decisions, and what was going on when. This is the book's biggest weakness.
This time I gave more thought to why.
For some reason, Cormier used the name Dennis twice, for two separate, unconnected people. The first was a minor character, Dennis Denehan, brother of Lulu's best childhood friend. Later I was confused by the name Denny, the name of our main character. Why did Cormier do this? I guess it makes sense that within the world of the story, Jean Paul might have named his own son after one of the boys he felt responsible for killing, but it really did affect my ability to work out what was going on. Dennis Denehan and Jean-Paul weren't even particular childhood friends.
The other factor for contemporary readers picking up this book from the mid nineties, both the 'contemporary' world and the 'past' world of the story feel a bit retro now, so the usual markers that stand out as markers of time don't work quite as they should -- I had no idea really about screening eras of I Love Lucy. So it also took me a little while to place myself in the right eras.
There were a few awful tropes Cormier could have easily fallen into, for example killing the crazy woman for stalker behaviour while rewarding the 16 year old boy for doing basically the same to the pretty girl on the bus, but he doesn't do that. Nor does he make a meal out of possible deformities.
This is a work of horror from an expert storyteller. I believe Cormier would've said to this review, "There's nothing wrong with asking the reader to work a bit." He does require this more than perhaps a bunch of other horror novels that were being published around the same time. They too had metallic, slightly raised titles on the covers, but this one has enough symbolism to be studied in a high school English class. This one is different.
I don't think this was one of Cormier's best books, partly because it was a little too obvious what was going on from about midway through. On the other hand, it took me longer than it should have to work out the point of view switches in the beginning.
UPDATE ON SECOND READ
I had completely forgotten I'd ever read this so it can't be one of Cormier's most memorable works. I remember Fade and The Chocolate War quite well.
Because I had no recollection of ever seeing the cover, I struggled once again to work out the point of view decisions, and what was going on when. This is the book's biggest weakness.
This time I gave more thought to why.
For some reason, Cormier used the name Dennis twice, for two separate, unconnected people. The first was a minor character, Dennis Denehan, brother of Lulu's best childhood friend. Later I was confused by the name Denny, the name of our main character. Why did Cormier do this? I guess it makes sense that within the world of the story, Jean Paul might have named his own son after one of the boys he felt responsible for killing, but it really did affect my ability to work out what was going on. Dennis Denehan and Jean-Paul weren't even particular childhood friends.
The other factor for contemporary readers picking up this book from the mid nineties, both the 'contemporary' world and the 'past' world of the story feel a bit retro now, so the usual markers that stand out as markers of time don't work quite as they should -- I had no idea really about screening eras of I Love Lucy. So it also took me a little while to place myself in the right eras.
There were a few awful tropes Cormier could have easily fallen into, for example killing the crazy woman for stalker behaviour while rewarding the 16 year old boy for doing basically the same to the pretty girl on the bus, but he doesn't do that. Nor does he make a meal out of possible deformities.
This is a work of horror from an expert storyteller. I believe Cormier would've said to this review, "There's nothing wrong with asking the reader to work a bit." He does require this more than perhaps a bunch of other horror novels that were being published around the same time. They too had metallic, slightly raised titles on the covers, but this one has enough symbolism to be studied in a high school English class. This one is different.
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