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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
4.5 stars! Owl Goingback's award-winning novel is one of the most memorable and terrifying horror stories I've read since The Ritual by Adam Nevill in 2016. His prose reads like a movie, every word and movement is intentional and I could almost hear theme muaic in the background. I loved the heavy Native American influence, which made this story simultaneously horrifying and beautiful. Could have done without the gratuitous animal deaths, but otherwise a perfect seasonal read!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hahahahahaha no tell me they did NOT just heal the deaf kid with “indian magicks” im losing my shit
This is not my usual subgenre, but I really liked this one! The pacing is really good as all moments between monster attacks still feel tense. One thing I really respected was that the monster felt dangerous for real, and that added to the scare-factor of the novel. I also enjoyed little snips of the Crota's POV, it reminded me a little of Cujo in that way. I was never quite sure what the monster looked like, which is kind of fun to fill in with your imagination but also a little hard to grasp.
The integration of the Native American culture, storytelling, and legends was really excellent as well and a highlight of the book. I'm not sure if Crota is a real piece of mythology or not, but I loved the origin of the monster all the same. The author also does a great job of touching on issues like racism without detracting from the tension of the novel which seems like a very difficult feat.
My biggest gripe was the characters, unfortunately. I get the book is short and no-fuss (it all takes place over a span of days) but I didn't really care much about the characters living or dying. The ending took away from the book to me as well. It's. Overall, a solid monster read with excellent pacing.
The integration of the Native American culture, storytelling, and legends was really excellent as well and a highlight of the book. I'm not sure if Crota is a real piece of mythology or not, but I loved the origin of the monster all the same. The author also does a great job of touching on issues like racism without detracting from the tension of the novel which seems like a very difficult feat.
My biggest gripe was the characters, unfortunately. I get the book is short and no-fuss (it all takes place over a span of days) but I didn't really care much about the characters living or dying. The ending took away from the book to me as well. It's
Spoiler
just way too sugary sweet for a book like this - kill Crota, be done, no magically singing kids please
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall, I actually quite enjoyed this one, though I have some issues overall.
Let's start with the things I wasn't crazy about. And yeah, the first two will likely not sit well with some, but..
First, don't expect any strong women in this story. There's none. They're either partners who get upset if hubby's late for the dinner she's spent the afternoon cooking, or they're just there to complete a task. I would have loved one significant female role.
Second—and yes, I understand this is going to sound a bit odd for a novel written by an Indigenous author—is that it felt a bit "White Saviour-ish" having Sheriff Skip Harding (who we find out is one-quarter Indigenous) is the guy that is the only hope to take on the Crota. But hey, I'm an old white guy, so I don't necessarily have a lot of skin in the game. It's just my perception.
Third, there were times when the pacing felt off. This book starts off with a fairly decent bang, and then keeps banging for a bit. But then there's a couple of long stretches where we're fed a lot of information that likely could have been dialed back, or even removed altogether. This novel felt like it should just be one of those lean, mean creature features (as much as I loathe that term, it does feel apt here). Instead, we got a bit more than we needed, with some really odd plot decisions. As an example, with no spoiler, why was the chest hidden in the way it was (you'll know when you get there)? There's literally no explanation for it, other than Harding couldn't find it before then without messing with the plot.
Finally, the ending. It should have been big. It should have been epic. It should have left me breathless. Instead it was more of a, oh! Here it comes! Here it...oh. It's over? Already? Okay.
That being said, I have to make it clear that, despite some weird decisions, overall this book was a blast. Imagine Jaws crossed with The Manitou and you're getting close.
Definitely worth the read, and I'll absolutely come back for more Owl Goingback books.
Let's start with the things I wasn't crazy about. And yeah, the first two will likely not sit well with some, but..
First, don't expect any strong women in this story. There's none. They're either partners who get upset if hubby's late for the dinner she's spent the afternoon cooking, or they're just there to complete a task. I would have loved one significant female role.
Second—and yes, I understand this is going to sound a bit odd for a novel written by an Indigenous author—is that it felt a bit "White Saviour-ish" having Sheriff Skip Harding (who we find out is one-quarter Indigenous) is the guy that is the only hope to take on the Crota. But hey, I'm an old white guy, so I don't necessarily have a lot of skin in the game. It's just my perception.
Third, there were times when the pacing felt off. This book starts off with a fairly decent bang, and then keeps banging for a bit. But then there's a couple of long stretches where we're fed a lot of information that likely could have been dialed back, or even removed altogether. This novel felt like it should just be one of those lean, mean creature features (as much as I loathe that term, it does feel apt here). Instead, we got a bit more than we needed, with some really odd plot decisions. As an example, with no spoiler, why was the chest hidden in the way it was (you'll know when you get there)? There's literally no explanation for it, other than Harding couldn't find it before then without messing with the plot.
Finally, the ending. It should have been big. It should have been epic. It should have left me breathless. Instead it was more of a, oh! Here it comes! Here it...oh. It's over? Already? Okay.
That being said, I have to make it clear that, despite some weird decisions, overall this book was a blast. Imagine Jaws crossed with The Manitou and you're getting close.
Definitely worth the read, and I'll absolutely come back for more Owl Goingback books.
I had no idea what to expect from this book. I bought it back in 2003 (the receipt was actually still in the book when I finally got around to reading it), probably because it won the Bram Stoker Award. I found myself enjoying the book, but not as much as I had hoped. The first half was very well written, but the second half of the book just seemed to lose momentum and drag quite a bit. It still wasn't a bad story all in all. The killings were quite gory, the monster was a pretty scary prehistoric beast. A great first novel from someone who has now become an established horror writer. Will definitely read more of Goingback's work.