Reviews

3:33 by Mark Towse

goobersmom57's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wonderfully descriptive,  & setting the tone of the book instantly, this starts off with a bang. Mark Towse wasn’t exaggerating when he described this as a coming of middle age fever dream. I really appreciate the nod to The Shining. The book is much different, but you can definitely feel the influence for sure. Maybe even a touch of Eyes Wide Shut.
As much as I hate to admit this, the day time chapters are all too relatable. The “exclusive club” parts were so fascinating and dark and exciting. This is definitely NOT a novella to sleep on. Coming in at 119 pages, it was fully developed and felt like a full length novel. I absolutely love the ending. 

Side note, I dont think I’ve ever highlighted so many passages in all of my reading life. And also, that cover art 😍 fits the story perfectly!

thehellboundreader's review

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dark medium-paced

4.0

karlakayjenniges's review

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fast-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

4.5

Aging can be rough. Depending on the perspective one views in thier life. Looks change, relationships change, children grow up and often drift, and sometimes it becomes too much to accept. 

This is Frank. He isn't happy with his looks, his wife lives in her own world of vanity, and his children are teens too cool to want to spend time with dad.

Frank is given an offer to a members only club. One that makes many promises, but at a cost, and a signed contract. He can only receive if he at first promises to give in return. Even though it is a high price to pay, Frank agrees hoping for a better life to look forward to but eventually learns that the price he has paid slips him into his own persanal hell. 

"When time splits the Devil in two. When time splits the Devil in two. 666—3.33!"

With mind bending horror and feels of going down a hallucinogenic "Alice in Wonderland" rabbit hole of fever dreams, erotic encounters, and offers of sinful pleasures too hard to refuse, you may just be more thankful for your own life and appreciate what you have. You certainly would never want  to experience anything that happens in this story. It's freaky, bizarre, and creepy!  There is nothing as it seems, a dream, within a dream, within a....nightmare!!

Bonus short story: Last Train

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