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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
Look, I get it. Addiction is a monster in and of itself. But good god, every single character was insufferable or just plain awful. I finished this book out of sheer force of will and only thanks to the audio version played at 2.5 times speed. Hallelujah, holy shit.
Love a Richmond-set horror novel and was interested to see it dipping into some scenes set in Hopewell, VA (well known for its ketone crisis in the 60s-70s).
I also really liked what I believed to be the main (not veiled) story regarding the claws of addiction and how easy it is to become entrapped.
I was not into what felt like all the other side plots shoehorned in just to bulk out the book/add "depth" to the characters, and there were parts where I was rolling my eyes or saying "really?", but overall I'd likely recommend this to horror fans looking for a story about addiction. 3.5/5.
I also really liked what I believed to be the main (not veiled) story regarding the claws of addiction and how easy it is to become entrapped.
I was not into what felt like all the other side plots shoehorned in just to bulk out the book/add "depth" to the characters, and there were parts where I was rolling my eyes or saying "really?", but overall I'd likely recommend this to horror fans looking for a story about addiction. 3.5/5.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The premise of the book was interesting, but the execution a little lackluster at times.
I enjoyed how the symbiotic relationship between drug and user was explored.
However, I felt like certain parts (the drug den arc especially) could've been edited and condensed down more. The odyssey of the main character kept going uncomfortably.
I also thought the preachy epilogue, paired with what actually happens at the very end, was quite unnecessary.
I enjoyed how the symbiotic relationship between drug and user was explored.
However, I felt like certain parts (the drug den arc especially) could've been edited and condensed down more. The odyssey of the main character kept going uncomfortably.
I also thought the preachy epilogue, paired with what actually happens at the very end, was quite unnecessary.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Vomit
Erin & Silas are in a close-knit group of college friends. But the bond between Erin & Silas is more complex – they used to be a couple & Erin is still unable to break herself out of Silas’ charismatic, but borderline unhinged, influence. When he dies from an overdose (after Erin repeatedly bailing him out from rehab), her world crumbles down.
Then, she hears about a drug that allows the users to see the dead.
Then, she hears about a drug that allows the users to see the dead.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's been a long time since I've been scared by a ghost story. Here's why: this is an exploration into addiction. The niceties, the quiet struggle of addicts is heroic, though often tragic. That's the scary part. This work is correct by demonstrating how anyone can become an addict -- pick your substance. The work is allegorical whilst simultaneously spooky AF.
A must read!
A must read!
This book had potential but I stopped caring about Erin and really all of them before I even got a quarter of the way through the book. By halfway or even before then I wanted it to end. For half the story I was like where is the ghost element. But the just named a drug ghost. I couldn’t get behind it as a ghost story and was caught up with it being just a drug induced hallucinations. The end I got interested and invested but was upset that it was the end. I definitely thought where the f*** was this the entire time. I agree with the other reviews about it being different story trains that just didn’t melt well together, which is sad.