Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Clown in the Cornfield by Adam Cesare

13 reviews

kikis_a_book_wh0r3's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

This was a really good story. Adam Cesar definitely keeps you on your toes and gives an amazing anxiety ridden tale of small town folks going crazy. Ultimately I feel like this would be a plan that MAGA would try to pull. Scary to think about. Its genocide but kept local? Lol I love that the ending sets it up for a sequel in true movie ending form!! A perfect nod to the classic slasher films. The audio performance was great as well! Definitely going to be checking out 2 & 3!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Genocide, Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Grief, Police brutality, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Bullying

dblue236's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 The title and cover tell you pretty much everything you need to know about this book. It's part teen slasher, part satire, all gore, and I honestly kind of loved it despite itself. It reminded me of the movies I loved as a teen, and the "reveal" toward the end that made it feel more like satire added to the fun, rather than detracting from it. This definitely didn't move any mountains, but that wasn't the intent and sometimes that's okay. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Suicide, and Drug abuse

Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Alcohol, and Vomit

itzbrianna's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Clown in a Cornfield is a must-read for anyone who enjoys graphic horror scenes, blood, and a good old-fashioned slasher. 

Kettle Springs, Missouri, is your typical redneck town with little to do, but people live there anyway. The people of Kettle Spring are sick of the kids, and the kids are just being kids. They are teenagers who want to have fun and live life to the fullest before the inevitable transition into adulthood. That is, until Frendo, a once beloved figure, becomes the embodiment of terror as he goes on a gruesome killing spree, leaving the town in a state of shock and fear. As the body count rises, secrets start to unravel, revealing a dark underbelly of Kettle Springs that no one could have imagined. The residents must now confront their deepest fears and band together in a desperate fight for survival against this bloodthirsty mascot. 

Cesare leads us through this fast-paced story of prose and mystery, but some descriptive horror moments may make you want to avoid reading it while eating lunch. Cesare's vivid descriptions of the brutal murders and chilling atmosphere leave you feeling uneasy long after you finish reading. Frendo's transformation from lovable mascot to bloodthirsty killer is both shocking and disturbing, thanks to the author's deft characterization. Cesare's ability to maintain a consistent pace throughout the story keeps you on the edge of your seats, eagerly turning pages to discover the truth behind this horrifying tale. 

What could have made this story better? More people of color would have bolstered the plot and reasoning behind the murders. The overall goal of the town is to "make kettle springs great again." That philosophy is backed up by a lot of 21st-century racism and bigotry. Furthermore, some of the protagonists felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, so character development could have been more nuanced. Furthermore, delving into the slasher's motivations could have added an extra layer of intrigue and suspense to the story. By providing deeper insights into the lives and backgrounds of the supporting characters, I would have been able to form stronger connections with them and feel more invested in their fates. This would have enhanced the overall emotional impact of the story and made it easier for me to empathize with the town's struggles and its ultimate goal of revitalization. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The author's ability to capture the essence of both classic and contemporary horror genres is commendable. The combination of 80s slasher vibes with a modern twist creates a unique and engaging reading experience. With elements reminiscent of Scream and The Faculty, you are sure to be hooked from start to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Gore, Death, Police brutality, and Gun violence

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury

atiek's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.25

The twist is that this book is gay! ;)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Murder, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Gore, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Violence

kstericker's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Police brutality, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

Minor: Addiction and Drug abuse

dirtwitch's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Mass/school shootings, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug abuse and Confinement

bookishgoob's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Abandonment, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, and Mental illness

chloseencounter's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I picked this book up skeptical of what it may actually be like considering it’s a YA novel about a clown and I was more than pleasantly surprised. As a fan of the slasher genre I never would’ve expected a book labeled YA to be so outwardly violent but I thought some of these kills were gnarly and fun, I also enjoyed that it become almost survival horror as we watched our main character turn into an absolute badass. This book was quick paced and exciting but also an interesting statement about how generations progress and change but sometimes our elders can’t let the old ways go.

There was even a bit where the sheriff blamed the teens of the towns bad behavior on “growing up too fast” even though I’m sure we’re all aware that children really only grow up too fast when they’re made to (usually by adults in their lives). Cole makes a wonderful statement about how the generations before him laid out the world they live in now and then are angry at the children for learning to live in it in their own way.

I will definitely be picking up the sequel to this novel asap.

I also could not have been happier when they revealed Rust and Cole had feelings for each other, I kept wondering what the hell was up with them but that was so much better a conclusion than I expected.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Violence, and Body horror

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Gun violence, Police brutality, Death, Confinement, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Police brutality, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Grief, Violence, Confinement, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

vmpyr's review against another edition

dark tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Gun violence, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Drug abuse, Confinement, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Addiction

maximauve's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Mass/school shootings and Toxic friendship