skimkaye's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

The fact that I want 10 copies of this to cut up and tack to my walls with various colors if twine is a testament to how well it's written and how effective it as at doing what it set out to do. I couldnt stop and I still dont want to stop but I didnt havefun either. I think I'm in a death cult now. Dont read this.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

nerdkitten's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

entityj's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

eemi42's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I'm not going to be at around the bush, this book was work to get through. The formatting is not the only difficulty. It was also like reading a dissertation of sorts, which doesn't make for the easiest reading experience. So then the question is, is it worth it?

In my opinion, no.
This is the book equivalent of a found-footage film, except the film in question doesn't exist. What we read is the old man Zampanò's essay analyzing this nonexistent film, and Johnny Truant's attempts to piece together the old man's writings. I was drawn to this book because of the horror aspect, though this is more psychological horror than monster or ghost story.

The essay feels pretentious at times, adding to the frustration while reading. Sometimes the book felt gimmicky. And I didn't like Johnny Truant at all (likeable characters are a big deal to me). There were many times where he would meet up with women to discuss the book, only to launch into—ahem—other activities without much preamble. It got repetitive and annoying.

I can respect the obvious amount of work that went into this book. I enjoyed the unconventional formatting and puzzles. It even made me stop and think several times and question my own sanity. But ultimately, if like me you're looking for an enjoyable read with likeable characters, probably just skip it.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

haileyhardcover's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It’s just a normal book. 🙂

It’s just a normal book. 

It’s just a normal book. 

It’s JUST a normal book.



      It’s just a NORMAL book.






It’s just a normal BOOK. 



It’s just a normal

book.


It’s
            just a normal



                                                           book. 


.koob lamron a tsuj s’tI


It


                                     ‘s



just a nor 







mal







book. 






Is telling’ songs justifiably unusual sometimes trying about nothing or relatively more after loss both other or kind.
 


               
It’s just  | It’s just a normal book. It’s j | a 
normal  | ust a normal book. It’s just  | book. 
It’s just  | a normal book. It’s just a n  | a 
normal  | ormal book. It’s just a norm | book. 
It’s just  | al book. It’s just a normal b | a 
normal  | ook. It’s just a normal book | book. 
It’s just  | . It’s just a normal book. It’  | a 
normal  | s just a normal book. It’s ju  | book. 
It’s just  | st a normal book. It’s just a | a 
normal  | normal book. It’s just a nor  | book. 
It’s just  | mal book. It’s just a normal | a 
normal  | book. It’s just a normal boo | book. 
It’s just  | k. It’s just a normal book. It | a 
normal  | ‘s just a normal book. It’s ju | book. 
It’s just  | st a normal book. It’s just a | a 
normal  | normal book……………………. | book.


It’s 
      just
             a
                normal
                             book
                                       .

               
It’s just a normal book. 🙃

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

britt_blank_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kidlightnings's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0

The house is a character and she is a bitch 😘

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

yilishabai's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

5.0

Remarkably original and a lot of worthwhile work. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

honeyvenom's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

rmbrndt's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Ultimately a glorified SCP but the in text analyses and humanity elevate it. 
Personally I don't think the formatting does anything for this book - the footnotes work well but shifting the text around is unnecessary.
So misogynistic at parts it made me infuriatingly angry which easily secured that I will never read another MZD book ever again.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings