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discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow ok, I signed up to be scared, not HEARTBROKEN. Rude, lol. I was not expecting to be left crying at the end of a horror book, but here we are!
But in all seriousness this was really good. Despite the “Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies” description, I didn’t find it necessarily frightening as much as I just found it really… upsetting? Tragic? The relationship between Father Andrew and Peter was so endearing, but I also appreciated how Andrew’s character—objectively the best of the priests—is not perfect (I mean, he’s complicit in child abuse).
Peter’s internal struggle the entire book with whether or not to become a priest himself serves as such a good sort-of backdrop to the rest of the story and his role in it as well. I just really liked Peter’s character, and even though I’m not a person of faith, I found his story really moving.
If you like horror that explores religious themes, this is right up your alley.
But in all seriousness this was really good. Despite the “Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies” description, I didn’t find it necessarily frightening as much as I just found it really… upsetting? Tragic? The relationship between Father Andrew and Peter was so endearing, but I also appreciated how Andrew’s character—objectively the best of the priests—is not perfect (I mean, he’s complicit in child abuse).
Peter’s internal struggle the entire book with whether or not to become a priest himself serves as such a good sort-of backdrop to the rest of the story and his role in it as well. I just really liked Peter’s character, and even though I’m not a person of faith, I found his story really moving.
If you like horror that explores religious themes, this is right up your alley.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Chronic illness
cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Let me tell you, this book was legitimately scary. I have a pretty high threshold for horror and I had to set this book down a few times. That’s not to say the horror and gore are exorbitant or there just for shock value (though there is shock value). Everything in this book felt intentional and necessary for the story.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: St. Vincent’s Orphanage for Boys, rural Pennsylvania, turn of the century, winter.
𝟓-𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: The Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies (I did not come up with this, so saw it online)
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: Late at night a group of men arrive at this orphanage, which houses roughly 30 boys and is run by Catholic priests. One of the late night arrivals is badly injured, with occult symbols carved into his body and something evil carved into his soul. When he dies, that evil does not die with him but is instead released on the orphanage. Chaos and horror ensue.
If you’re into scary reads I highly recommend this one, but do check trigger warnings.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: St. Vincent’s Orphanage for Boys, rural Pennsylvania, turn of the century, winter.
𝟓-𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: The Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies (I did not come up with this, so saw it online)
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: Late at night a group of men arrive at this orphanage, which houses roughly 30 boys and is run by Catholic priests. One of the late night arrivals is badly injured, with occult symbols carved into his body and something evil carved into his soul. When he dies, that evil does not die with him but is instead released on the orphanage. Chaos and horror ensue.
If you’re into scary reads I highly recommend this one, but do check trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
sylvestra's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Animal death, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement and Cursing
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Drenched in blood, occultism and claustrophobic levels of suspense and paranoia, Philip Fracassi’s Boys In The Valley was soo spine-chillingly creepy I’ve literally been forced to sleep with the lights on!
I’m not usually a huge horror reader (I’m actually a huge scaredy cat when it comes to anything remotely creepy) but when I saw this described as The Exorcist meets Lord of The Flies I couldn’t resist checking this out—and I’m soo glad I did.
It’s set in 1905 in a remote boys orphanage (St Vincent’s) in Pennsylvania, and follows 16 year old Peter, the ever watchful priests and fellow orphans who learn, work and worship until old enough to leave—or like Peter, train to become priests themselves.
Only, one stormy night, a badly wounded man with occultist sigils carved into him is brought onto the grounds (in hopes of saving him.) Unfortunately he dies— releasing an evil that begins to infect the residents of St. Vincent’s Orphanage, causing groups to form… leading to people turning up dead. Now Peter must choose a side, for his very life (and the lives of the children around him) are at risk…
The writing was phenomenally suspenseful and soo viscerally descriptive that I felt truly immersed (and terrified!) Not only by the demon possession/ slasher aspects of the plot, but by the sheer hopelessness we see these boys forced to endure, beaten and starved into submission.
Honestly, I was kind of an emotional mess before anything even remotely Exorcist-y even took place. Philip Fracassi does give us just enough time to start getting attached to these characters—before promptly throwing us into the emotional deep end to watch as the chaos inevitably unfolds.
And unfold it does, with one of the most brutal and viscerally gory scenes I’ve ever read. The creeping sense of dread also doesn’t really let up either and, with a Lord of The Flies-style mentality taking shape, absolutely no one is guaranteed safety.
I also really enjoyed the use of multiple POVs as it really helped to get into the minds of—as well as understand—the emotions and thought processes of our characters (specifically Peter, David, Johnson and Father Andrew.)
As I said before, I’m not usually a Horror reader so my frame of reference is pretty small. But, if you love folksy, rural horror with as much character development as there is blood soaked action, then you don’t want to miss this heart-poundingly terrifying story.
As always, given the themes and content of the book, readers should definitely check TWs before picking this up— and also invest in a night light, you’re probably gonna need it!
Also, a huge thank you to Nazia at Orbit Books for the physical copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Violence, Bullying, and Animal death
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Torture
ellarroz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood
sdsmith80's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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? No
5.0
<b>Truly Terrifying!</b>
This is my first book by this author, but it definitely won't be my last! I literally started reading late last night and have spent the entire day engrossed in this sorry.
I'm very desensitized, to the point where nothing really scares me anymore, but if that wasn't the case, this book would do it. It's a tight, intense thrill ride from beginning to end. I know it's been compared to Golding's Lord of the Flies, but Children of the Corn came to me quite a bit as well, especially with the religious aspect.
Seriously, if you like horror (and if you're reading my reviews, you probably do), you need to get this book. You won't regret it.
This is my first book by this author, but it definitely won't be my last! I literally started reading late last night and have spent the entire day engrossed in this sorry.
I'm very desensitized, to the point where nothing really scares me anymore, but if that wasn't the case, this book would do it. It's a tight, intense thrill ride from beginning to end. I know it's been compared to Golding's Lord of the Flies, but Children of the Corn came to me quite a bit as well, especially with the religious aspect.
Seriously, if you like horror (and if you're reading my reviews, you probably do), you need to get this book. You won't regret it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Vomit
sarrie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
- 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
4.25
It's not often I can pinpoint the 'vibes' of a book as sharply as I can with this one. It felt like The Exorcist, meets Midsommar with orphanage in the snow type of feelings instead of commune in the spring and it work really, really well. The tension and build in this was masterful and the constant question of 'who is going to survive' really kept me reading.
This follows the story of a small orphanage set away from nearly all of civilization, and how everything goes to hell after a wounded man is brought in and the evil he brings with him spreads to the boys within. Another great comparison could also be Lord of the Flies in that we end up with groups of boys pitted against others but the tension and darkness of this novel really lend more to a modern horror. Our points of view change, hopping from boy to boy to priest, and in narrative style as we explore the horror that is unfolding and how it's spreading.
Do not go in expecting a happy ending, the death toll is high in this and it's gruesome as well. Philip Fracassi does not shy away from the bloody side of horror. There is though an interesting and well thought out discussion of choice within these pages though. Something I would reread the book to really look at and analyze. What choices define us and what type of choices should we let define us, and allow ourselves to believe in.
Overall this is a strong and classic feeling horror novel. This will be one that I'll refer to as using great classic tropes to explore interesting themes. I really recommend it, but not for the light of heart.
This follows the story of a small orphanage set away from nearly all of civilization, and how everything goes to hell after a wounded man is brought in and the evil he brings with him spreads to the boys within. Another great comparison could also be Lord of the Flies in that we end up with groups of boys pitted against others but the tension and darkness of this novel really lend more to a modern horror. Our points of view change, hopping from boy to boy to priest, and in narrative style as we explore the horror that is unfolding and how it's spreading.
Do not go in expecting a happy ending, the death toll is high in this and it's gruesome as well. Philip Fracassi does not shy away from the bloody side of horror. There is though an interesting and well thought out discussion of choice within these pages though. Something I would reread the book to really look at and analyze. What choices define us and what type of choices should we let define us, and allow ourselves to believe in.
Overall this is a strong and classic feeling horror novel. This will be one that I'll refer to as using great classic tropes to explore interesting themes. I really recommend it, but not for the light of heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
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