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terrabme's review against another edition
4.0
The writing was a little odd at times and offputing, but for the most part I enjoyed it and the fact that it actually kept me awake scared makes it deserve a good rating.
samhoddy's review against another edition
4.0
Unsettling. I think that would be the best word to describe the majority of this book.
For the bulk of the story you have no idea whats going on. Everything feels strange and like some big mystery that everyone is in on except for you and the main character, Lola.
I've taken roughly 24 hours to think about the ending of this book and my opinions on it. I'm still not quite sure. The book was most definitely an easy read and I found myself enjoying the plot but I don't know how exactly to rate it. It definitely had a few creepy moments in it too, which I enjoyed.
After the end most things cleared up. Although I am still a little unclear on Mr Jitters and his involvement. I think perhaps there was just something very rotten to the core about the town that made the townspeople bad with it.
I can't decide whether this book is 3 or 4 stars. It doesn't feel low enough for a 3 but its not quite a 4. Maybe like a 3.7. It is well written and I liked the twist at the end. Overall this is a really solid read. Its nice and short too.
My personal rating will be 3.5 stars rounded up to a 4.
For the bulk of the story you have no idea whats going on. Everything feels strange and like some big mystery that everyone is in on except for you and the main character, Lola.
I've taken roughly 24 hours to think about the ending of this book and my opinions on it. I'm still not quite sure. The book was most definitely an easy read and I found myself enjoying the plot but I don't know how exactly to rate it. It definitely had a few creepy moments in it too, which I enjoyed.
After the end most things cleared up. Although I am still a little unclear on Mr Jitters and his involvement. I think perhaps there was just something very rotten to the core about the town that made the townspeople bad with it.
I can't decide whether this book is 3 or 4 stars. It doesn't feel low enough for a 3 but its not quite a 4. Maybe like a 3.7. It is well written and I liked the twist at the end. Overall this is a really solid read. Its nice and short too.
My personal rating will be 3.5 stars rounded up to a 4.
anna_may's review against another edition
4.0
This would have been five stars if it wasn’t for the overuse of the goddamn word Optimal all the bloody time.
Trigger warnings for blood, cannibalism, and sexual abuse.
Trigger warnings for blood, cannibalism, and sexual abuse.
andyn5's review against another edition
3.0
Attention this review contains spoilers!
It was actually going so so well… until the ending. It’s psychological terror in a creepy old town, with some very strange inhabitants. The perfect setting and a great protagonist.
Welcome to Harrow Lake. Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker, enjoying life by breaking all of her father’s rules. But when her father is attacked in their apartment in New York, Lola is sent to her estranged grandmother in Harrow Lake, the eerie town her where her father’s most iconic horror movie was filmed. But there’s something strange about this little place, where locals are obsessed with the film and inexplicable disappearances seem to be a recurrent thing. Worse of all is how everyone seems determinate not to let Lola leave, particularly her grandmother. As she slowly explores the town and begins to uncover it’s secrets, she begins to realise that she might not leave it alive.
The plot is a mix of horror and thriller, in my opinion. There’s a lot of psychological moments, I could feel the momentum building, but there also some creepy elements. There’s a point when Lola believes someone or something is following and watch her, and there’s also Mr. Jitters, the protagonist of an old town tale said to still live in the woods of Harrow Lake. The pace of the plot is quite good and something about the all thing makes it impossible to put down.
While the ending approach was refreshing and nicely thought, there was an important loose end I would have liked to know more about: the accomplice. Why did he did he help, what happened to him and most importantly, why did he keep father and daughter from talking throughout the whole thing. Or was it a lie from the father? This part wasn’t very clear and it would have been to have that complete picture.
Ultimately, an engaging plot.
It was actually going so so well… until the ending. It’s psychological terror in a creepy old town, with some very strange inhabitants. The perfect setting and a great protagonist.
Welcome to Harrow Lake. Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker, enjoying life by breaking all of her father’s rules. But when her father is attacked in their apartment in New York, Lola is sent to her estranged grandmother in Harrow Lake, the eerie town her where her father’s most iconic horror movie was filmed. But there’s something strange about this little place, where locals are obsessed with the film and inexplicable disappearances seem to be a recurrent thing. Worse of all is how everyone seems determinate not to let Lola leave, particularly her grandmother. As she slowly explores the town and begins to uncover it’s secrets, she begins to realise that she might not leave it alive.
The plot is a mix of horror and thriller, in my opinion. There’s a lot of psychological moments, I could feel the momentum building, but there also some creepy elements. There’s a point when Lola believes someone or something is following and watch her, and there’s also Mr. Jitters, the protagonist of an old town tale said to still live in the woods of Harrow Lake. The pace of the plot is quite good and something about the all thing makes it impossible to put down.
While the ending approach was refreshing and nicely thought, there was an important loose end I would have liked to know more about: the accomplice. Why did he did he help, what happened to him and most importantly, why did he keep father and daughter from talking throughout the whole thing. Or was it a lie from the father? This part wasn’t very clear and it would have been to have that complete picture.
Ultimately, an engaging plot.
j_elphaba's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 estrelas
Outubro foi o mês de ler livros “assustadores” e eu, incentivada pelas leituras conjuntas, não fui exceção. “Harrow Lake” foi o Be Chapterised do mês e só a sua capa, confesso, me assusta um bocadinho – odeio marionetas –, embora as spry edges desta edição sejam super fancies.
Esta é a história de Lola, uma jovem filha de um realizador famoso de filmes de terror, que gravou a mais conceituada das suas obras em Harrow Lake, tornando esta terra e a desaparecida mãe de Lola em estrelas. Vai ser neste local estranho, que a nossa protagonista nunca conheceu, que terá de aprender a lidar uma avó “excêntrica” (no mau sentido), num ambiente hostil e rodeada de pessoa que claramente a deixam desconfortável.
Enfim... o folclore, as superstições e as festividades de Harrow Lake parece comandar tudo e todos e o leitor vai conseguir sentir completamente os temores de Lola.
Tenho a dizer-vos que tive medo, em algumas partes, mas gostei. Achei que é o tipo de história de terror cliché, mas onde tudo funcionou. Vão encontrar dentes, insetos, ventríloquos e muitas coisas esquisitas a acontecer; uma protagonista irritante, bonita e comum que caminha sempre para o perigo também faz parte destas páginas e, claro, que todos agem de forma muito misteriosa, o que proporciona tensão permanente. Não se pode pedir mais, certo?
Além disto, as temáticas acabam por ser pesadas e interessantes, mas não posso dizer nada sob o risco de fazer spoiler.
Os segredos do enredo... é óbvio que estão todos no último capítulo (ou quase todos, vá), mas isso era expectável e manteve-me presa à história até ao final.
Concluindo, não é um género que eu queira ler sempre, mas de vez em quando, mais nesta altura do ano, se forem narrativas giras como esta acho que alinho.
Outubro foi o mês de ler livros “assustadores” e eu, incentivada pelas leituras conjuntas, não fui exceção. “Harrow Lake” foi o Be Chapterised do mês e só a sua capa, confesso, me assusta um bocadinho – odeio marionetas –, embora as spry edges desta edição sejam super fancies.
Esta é a história de Lola, uma jovem filha de um realizador famoso de filmes de terror, que gravou a mais conceituada das suas obras em Harrow Lake, tornando esta terra e a desaparecida mãe de Lola em estrelas. Vai ser neste local estranho, que a nossa protagonista nunca conheceu, que terá de aprender a lidar uma avó “excêntrica” (no mau sentido), num ambiente hostil e rodeada de pessoa que claramente a deixam desconfortável.
Enfim... o folclore, as superstições e as festividades de Harrow Lake parece comandar tudo e todos e o leitor vai conseguir sentir completamente os temores de Lola.
Tenho a dizer-vos que tive medo, em algumas partes, mas gostei. Achei que é o tipo de história de terror cliché, mas onde tudo funcionou. Vão encontrar dentes, insetos, ventríloquos e muitas coisas esquisitas a acontecer; uma protagonista irritante, bonita e comum que caminha sempre para o perigo também faz parte destas páginas e, claro, que todos agem de forma muito misteriosa, o que proporciona tensão permanente. Não se pode pedir mais, certo?
Além disto, as temáticas acabam por ser pesadas e interessantes, mas não posso dizer nada sob o risco de fazer spoiler.
Os segredos do enredo... é óbvio que estão todos no último capítulo (ou quase todos, vá), mas isso era expectável e manteve-me presa à história até ao final.
Concluindo, não é um género que eu queira ler sempre, mas de vez em quando, mais nesta altura do ano, se forem narrativas giras como esta acho que alinho.
bookybrookey's review against another edition
2.0
This book (listened to as an audiobook) was so dumb. I get scared very easily and at first I was creeped out but then I just started rolling my eyes every time something ‘scary’ happened. The protagonist is also very annoying and her attachment to her emotionally abusive and controlling father was unhealthy. I saw some of the answers to Lola’s questions way before their plot lines were resolved and would say that this is just a normal YA book about a girl searching for her mother with some ‘horror’ elements chucked in as an extra storyline.
However, the writing was decent and this had potential to be really good if it stuck to the creepiness it could have explored in a more realistic way.
However, the writing was decent and this had potential to be really good if it stuck to the creepiness it could have explored in a more realistic way.
readwithchloev's review against another edition
3.0
I feel so...confused? I’ll break my feelings down.
Positives:
1. The intrigue and the suspense of this book, especially in the first 100 pages, was insane. I was totally hooked. I wanted to know what the hell was going on, I felt like I was part of the story. It had the proper creepy small town with a ton of secrets vibe.
2. Cora. Cora was the ONLY good character in this book in my opinion and I am SO GLAD ABOUT THE ENDING. What a badass!! She was the only one with any substance that I wanted to hear from. She seemed so real and authentic.
3. The ending. The ending was the slight redemption for me. I really liked it. I got genuinely excited to see that someone had had the brain cells to work out what the hell was going on - everyone else in the town felt so oblivious to it. Or that they knew and they were just ignoring it. And that annoyed me.
4. Lola’s ending. I really liked the small addition of the story written by L Evangeline. Of course there’s an air of mystery around it but it’s very obvious that it’s Lola. Despite not liking her as a character I enjoyed that she got her redemption too. It makes me wonder where did she go and what she’s like “now”.
Negatives:
1. Lola. Lola is possibly the WORST character I have ever had the displeasure of reading about. She is so naive and obnoxious - albeit because of her past trauma - but MAN. Really? She’s so self aware that she’s a horrible person as well, she knows it. She knows how to manipulate people and treats people awfully. I thought Carter was a complete idiot for wanting to be anywhere near her. She was not likeable or relatable at all.
2. Plot holes. So much of this book felt so necessary? I got to 200 pages in and I was like right so she’s waiting for Mr Jitters to come and get her? The scene in the museum with the film seemed totally pointless. And the rats at the tree? I struggle to see how that added anything. It was just a weird way to push her and Carter together. Relationships didn’t make sense. So much was left unexplained.
3. The story is just generally confusing. You only really find out the truth at the end, and before then there’s just too much information. So, are we all under the impression that Lola just got wrapped up in trauma, and combined with an urban legend, she just went completely off the rails? Am I right in thinking the other girls dressed as Little Bird just happened to go missing? Drowning/running away or falling into sink holes?
4. Although confusing, it was kind of predictable. I guessed that Lola stabbed Nolan a mile off.
5. Mr Jitters. I feel like I have the wrong idea about him. In my head, there was an existing urban myth already there in Harrow Lake...and Lola was so ill and traumatised, that it just sort of consumed her. Mr Jitters was a manifestation of all her grief and he came alive. Everything she saw wasn’t real. She had an imaginary friend to cope - an imaginary friend trying to shield her from remembering all the trauma. And in the end, she allows him to “reach her” - I.e. fully remembering all the trauma she’s blocked out, and when she says “let me go” she’s releasing herself from the trauma.
Overall I am confused, and I’ve rambled for far too long.
Positives:
1. The intrigue and the suspense of this book, especially in the first 100 pages, was insane. I was totally hooked. I wanted to know what the hell was going on, I felt like I was part of the story. It had the proper creepy small town with a ton of secrets vibe.
2. Cora. Cora was the ONLY good character in this book in my opinion and I am SO GLAD ABOUT THE ENDING. What a badass!! She was the only one with any substance that I wanted to hear from. She seemed so real and authentic.
3. The ending. The ending was the slight redemption for me. I really liked it. I got genuinely excited to see that someone had had the brain cells to work out what the hell was going on - everyone else in the town felt so oblivious to it. Or that they knew and they were just ignoring it. And that annoyed me.
4. Lola’s ending. I really liked the small addition of the story written by L Evangeline. Of course there’s an air of mystery around it but it’s very obvious that it’s Lola. Despite not liking her as a character I enjoyed that she got her redemption too. It makes me wonder where did she go and what she’s like “now”.
Negatives:
1. Lola. Lola is possibly the WORST character I have ever had the displeasure of reading about. She is so naive and obnoxious - albeit because of her past trauma - but MAN. Really? She’s so self aware that she’s a horrible person as well, she knows it. She knows how to manipulate people and treats people awfully. I thought Carter was a complete idiot for wanting to be anywhere near her. She was not likeable or relatable at all.
2. Plot holes. So much of this book felt so necessary? I got to 200 pages in and I was like right so she’s waiting for Mr Jitters to come and get her? The scene in the museum with the film seemed totally pointless. And the rats at the tree? I struggle to see how that added anything. It was just a weird way to push her and Carter together. Relationships didn’t make sense. So much was left unexplained.
3. The story is just generally confusing. You only really find out the truth at the end, and before then there’s just too much information. So, are we all under the impression that Lola just got wrapped up in trauma, and combined with an urban legend, she just went completely off the rails? Am I right in thinking the other girls dressed as Little Bird just happened to go missing? Drowning/running away or falling into sink holes?
4. Although confusing, it was kind of predictable. I guessed that Lola stabbed Nolan a mile off.
5. Mr Jitters. I feel like I have the wrong idea about him. In my head, there was an existing urban myth already there in Harrow Lake...and Lola was so ill and traumatised, that it just sort of consumed her. Mr Jitters was a manifestation of all her grief and he came alive. Everything she saw wasn’t real. She had an imaginary friend to cope - an imaginary friend trying to shield her from remembering all the trauma. And in the end, she allows him to “reach her” - I.e. fully remembering all the trauma she’s blocked out, and when she says “let me go” she’s releasing herself from the trauma.
Overall I am confused, and I’ve rambled for far too long.
zbrarian's review against another edition
3.0
This took me forever to get through. I was expecting a true horror story when it was an imagined horror story based on trauma that the main character, Lola, experienced. Just not my cup of tea
esenxali's review against another edition
2.0
I had such high hopes for this but it was so boring. also the use of the word ‘optimal’ is the most jarring thing. it’s like the author heard that word for the first time and ran with it. it’s literally used in every sentence
sassyykassie's review against another edition
5.0
I could not put this book down. I was having dreams about the monsters unveiled in this story and it was so well done. Creepy, unreliable narrator. A mix between Night Film and It. i hopes everyone reads it during this Halloween season