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llovemsg's review
extremely disturbing and violent, made me genuinely nauseous at some points. this is a quintessential thriller novel. there were some parts that were a bit slow but it picks up very quickly at the end. and speaking of the ending, idk how i feel about it
hyliansaiyan's review
4.0
Didnt know what to expect going into it, but I loved the ride. I feel like it was a bit rushed, but maybe because it left me wanting for more! I had an idea how it would end seeing as how it was a "survival game", but the couple twists it took did catch me off guard. Couldnt put it down~
sspaghettiboness's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve been in a reading slump since the start of the new year, and this novel reminded me of how thrilling it feels to be immersed in writing. The pacing is absolute perfection, truly never a wasted sentence or boring page.
I read a lot of horror. I’ve read a lot of disgusting splatter punk books that made me physically ill (I read The Slob on the bathroom floor in front of the porcelain throne). This book scared the absolute hell out of me. I went in blind, did not read the back cover or synopsis, and surely that added to the disorienting experience because I related more to the main character than if I’d known. The premise and setting of the book, to me seemed disgustingly real in a good and bad way.
This book makes such clever utilisation of the structure of a 3rd person narrator. There was just enough foreshadowing so that plot twists didn’t feel like they’d been plucked from thin air, but they remained page gripping plot twists all the same.
The absolute best thing, though: in a horror/thriller/sci-fi novel, I think there’s always a moment where you want to walk away or reach through the paper and say, “what the f—- are you doing?” As a character makes a stupid mistake. None of that is to be found here. The choices made by all of the characters felt exceedingly realistic. I think that is what makes this book so terrifying.
I read a lot of horror. I’ve read a lot of disgusting splatter punk books that made me physically ill (I read The Slob on the bathroom floor in front of the porcelain throne). This book scared the absolute hell out of me. I went in blind, did not read the back cover or synopsis, and surely that added to the disorienting experience because I related more to the main character than if I’d known. The premise and setting of the book, to me seemed disgustingly real in a good and bad way.
This book makes such clever utilisation of the structure of a 3rd person narrator. There was just enough foreshadowing so that plot twists didn’t feel like they’d been plucked from thin air, but they remained page gripping plot twists all the same.
The absolute best thing, though: in a horror/thriller/sci-fi novel, I think there’s always a moment where you want to walk away or reach through the paper and say, “what the f—- are you doing?” As a character makes a stupid mistake. None of that is to be found here. The choices made by all of the characters felt exceedingly realistic. I think that is what makes this book so terrifying.
minhphuc116's review
5.0
Just finished this book and.. wow.
I did not expect much from a YA book, not to mention the bad reviews but when I picked it up, I simply could not put it down. The characters, the made-up system and rules, the plot, the writing were so gripping.
Basically the story is about a man called Fujiki who suddenly was kidnapped and brought to a so-called “labyrinth” (it does not seem like one though). Then he met Ai, a strange woman who will be his partner til the end of the “game”. They had to survive this game, where only one person is allowed to be alive.
If there are anything I wish to change, it would be the ending, it was meh. Anyways, still a great read.
This has to be in my top 10 fiction books of all time.
I did not expect much from a YA book, not to mention the bad reviews but when I picked it up, I simply could not put it down. The characters, the made-up system and rules, the plot, the writing were so gripping.
Basically the story is about a man called Fujiki who suddenly was kidnapped and brought to a so-called “labyrinth” (it does not seem like one though). Then he met Ai, a strange woman who will be his partner til the end of the “game”. They had to survive this game, where only one person is allowed to be alive.
If there are anything I wish to change, it would be the ending, it was meh. Anyways, still a great read.
This has to be in my top 10 fiction books of all time.
magenta_menace's review
3.0
i wanted to like this one more but i liked it enough to have enjoyed it. the premise was great and really compelling, the execution was just a bit off for my taste. it could partially have been because this was a translation, but the prose sometimes felt choppy or overly formal, and it sometimes felt like things were happening too conveniently for the characters. however, i loved the idea of following the game book and the sections that involved tension or violence were paced very well and, even though some were expected, had me on the edge of my seat. also, the twist ending was not one i saw coming, but maybe i just wasn’t perceptive enough? either way, this was a solid read. maybe i’ll read it again someday and try to pick up clues to what all of it actually meant in the end.
zimb0's review
5.0
Tremendous. I need a sequel. Or more Yusuke Kishi novels in English.
If you love Battle Royal horror (or stuff like Alice in Borderland or Squid Game) this is your jam.
If you love Battle Royal horror (or stuff like Alice in Borderland or Squid Game) this is your jam.
sausome's review
4.0
This was such a good book! If you dig the idea of survival-game-mess-with-your-head-situations, then this is right up your alley. It's like "Maze Runner" and "Hunger Games" and "Battle Royale" fused together, into a much more interesting (I think) storyline. I love that the setting is in Australia, and all the nature bits about how poisonous basically EVERYTHING is there, really makes for a good read. Very compelling.
lindseysparks's review
3.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of this book, but at times it felt like a first draft. I'm not sure if it was the author or the translator or both, but the writing was not great. There were also some large plot holes and odd choices made by characters. I think it would make a decent movie.