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noachoc's review
2.0
Full disclosure: I was sent a free advance copy of this in exchange for reviewing it here (even fuller disclosure: part of my soul was all "THEY'RE SENDING ME FREE BOOKS NOW! I'VE MADE IT BIG"). I think, though, that the only way this is going to influence my review is by making me go into a bit more detail than I would have otherwise.
This book is okay. I'm going to get the caveat out of the way ahead of time: I don't read a lot of modern horror, so I'm not that familiar with the genre. I do, however, watch a lot of horror movies.
This book felt like the authors wanted it to be a movie. It dripped "PLEASE PICK ME, HOLLYWOOD". It felt like a movie pitch, and that irritated me, because if I'm reading a book, I want character development and creeping horror. I don't want a scene where a monster slowly snips the buttons off a woman's shirt. That's irritating. You know what else was irritating? Because it felt so much like a movie, I started noticing how poorly it was doing on the Bechdel test. It takes until (and I don't have the copy with me, but I'll check when I get home, something like page 173 (EDIT: I checked when I got home and it was page 171) before two women speak to one another. Also, the women characters are few and token. You get the Here-Is-A-Badass-Woman, which I appreciate, it's GOOD to have a badass woman. It kinda sucks though when there's only one of them. You also get Somebody's Wife and Somebody's Assistant and A Passel of Victims, and those are your women right there. Everyone else is a dude.
I AM SO TIRED OF THIS BULLSHIT. I can make excuses for that kind of thing in science fiction from the seventies, but I'm not going to stand for it in something written this year.
I was also annoyed by how the characters' romantic relationships are used, like Hawkeye's surprise family in Avengers, to make you care if they die or not, rather than actually giving the characters any actual depth or likeability. You don't want this guy to die because he's just started trying to fix his marriage! You don't want this woman to die because she's just agreed to let the guy try to fix their marriage!
Also. Why Nazis? Why did it have to be Nazis (at least tangentially) behind everything? Like, you can have a shady global organization and NOT have them be founded by a Nazi. It would have been a lot better had it not been Nazis, because that would have left some interesting ambiguity about the motives of the shadowy organization. Sure! Their methods are perhaps a little shady but they are PROTECTING THE WORLD FROM THE MONSTERS so maybe it's worth it! That is a useful thing to have the reader questioning. Is it worth certain sacrifices in order to protect the bulk of humanity? Is blackmail 0kay if the money is used to protect the world? WELL NOT IF IT'S NAZIS. As SOON as you throw Nazis in there, you lose all of the interesting subtlety.
And I think that's what my review boils down to. This book wants to be a movie, and it wants to be the kind of jump-scare action-horror movie that doesn't take the time to explore subtleties.
And it's really too bad.
AND GIVE ME BETTER WOMEN, GODDAMN.
This book is okay. I'm going to get the caveat out of the way ahead of time: I don't read a lot of modern horror, so I'm not that familiar with the genre. I do, however, watch a lot of horror movies.
This book felt like the authors wanted it to be a movie. It dripped "PLEASE PICK ME, HOLLYWOOD". It felt like a movie pitch, and that irritated me, because if I'm reading a book, I want character development and creeping horror. I don't want a scene where a monster slowly snips the buttons off a woman's shirt. That's irritating. You know what else was irritating? Because it felt so much like a movie, I started noticing how poorly it was doing on the Bechdel test. It takes until (and I don't have the copy with me, but I'll check when I get home, something like page 173 (EDIT: I checked when I got home and it was page 171) before two women speak to one another. Also, the women characters are few and token. You get the Here-Is-A-Badass-Woman, which I appreciate, it's GOOD to have a badass woman. It kinda sucks though when there's only one of them. You also get Somebody's Wife and Somebody's Assistant and A Passel of Victims, and those are your women right there. Everyone else is a dude.
I AM SO TIRED OF THIS BULLSHIT. I can make excuses for that kind of thing in science fiction from the seventies, but I'm not going to stand for it in something written this year.
I was also annoyed by how the characters' romantic relationships are used, like Hawkeye's surprise family in Avengers, to make you care if they die or not, rather than actually giving the characters any actual depth or likeability. You don't want this guy to die because he's just started trying to fix his marriage! You don't want this woman to die because she's just agreed to let the guy try to fix their marriage!
Also. Why Nazis? Why did it have to be Nazis (at least tangentially) behind everything? Like, you can have a shady global organization and NOT have them be founded by a Nazi. It would have been a lot better had it not been Nazis, because that would have left some interesting ambiguity about the motives of the shadowy organization. Sure! Their methods are perhaps a little shady but they are PROTECTING THE WORLD FROM THE MONSTERS so maybe it's worth it! That is a useful thing to have the reader questioning. Is it worth certain sacrifices in order to protect the bulk of humanity? Is blackmail 0kay if the money is used to protect the world? WELL NOT IF IT'S NAZIS. As SOON as you throw Nazis in there, you lose all of the interesting subtlety.
And I think that's what my review boils down to. This book wants to be a movie, and it wants to be the kind of jump-scare action-horror movie that doesn't take the time to explore subtleties.
And it's really too bad.
AND GIVE ME BETTER WOMEN, GODDAMN.
jessjohnson81's review against another edition
5.0
I only read this because my family loves Impractical Jokers so much, but I'm really glad I did. I really liked the idea, and the characters. I definitely want to read more. It was very suspenseful.
gene_m's review against another edition
2.0
There's no cliche that this book is afraid to use, but it's a fun read that never gets boring.
myreadingescapism's review against another edition
3.0
This was action packed that I didn't want to stop listening, but it felt kind of corny.
oddfigg's review
2.0
Let’s all just admit that there's probably a lot more going on underground than we know about. Why is it that humans assume we're always the top of the food chain and we have it all figured out and there’s no mystery left in the world? I for one think there is. Something is out there. . .
Awakened begins with the opening of a new subway line in NYC connecting Jersey and the city. They've dug deep, all the way under the Hudson, to create this tunnel, and as the inaugural train approaches the station with news crews, the mayor, and even the president waiting, it is clear something has gone horribly wrong. No one is on board anymore: there's only blood.
Unfortunately, this book really didn’t hold my interest. While the scenes shifted back and forth in a fairly adept manner, I just didn’t find anything to really latch on to. I felt the book had too many characters, none of whom came to life or seemed to have anything new to offer beyond stock responses and reactions. I didn’t feel their dilemma, their terror, their strength, or how their backstory (however thinly conceived) brought them to this point.
There is also a lot in this book that isn’t tied up, leaving room for an obvious sequel. But don’t count your chickens (or whatever might be lurking below) before they hatch. Why not make this book the best it can be, crafting a complete story within this book without involving so many threads that they can’t be wrapped up? I am definitely not intrigued enough to read a sequel, and it is kind of a letdown to see that certain details are being withheld on purpose so that they can go in a subsequent book. This book should stand alone on its own merits without having to lean on multiple plots that spider out unfinished.
This book is more of an action-thriller with a supernatural component than a true horror novel, so if you’re into plotless, characterless, all-action-all-the-time, this is definitely your style. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing—there’s a type of book for everyone, but this type just isn’t for me.
It felt to me like this wanted to be written as a screenplay or was hoping to be adapted into one. This really seems to be the only reason to lean on Del Toro’s infinitely more interesting The Strain in the descriptive copy, as they have nothing else in common. Taking out the fluff of the characters’ thoughts (which tend to be repetitive of what they already said or what is obviously going on) would make this a completely visual and action-based story—exactly what a screenplay would need. And maybe this story would make a more compelling action movie.
My thanks to Harper Voyager for sending copies of this one to all the Nightworms to read and give an honest review.
Awakened begins with the opening of a new subway line in NYC connecting Jersey and the city. They've dug deep, all the way under the Hudson, to create this tunnel, and as the inaugural train approaches the station with news crews, the mayor, and even the president waiting, it is clear something has gone horribly wrong. No one is on board anymore: there's only blood.
Unfortunately, this book really didn’t hold my interest. While the scenes shifted back and forth in a fairly adept manner, I just didn’t find anything to really latch on to. I felt the book had too many characters, none of whom came to life or seemed to have anything new to offer beyond stock responses and reactions. I didn’t feel their dilemma, their terror, their strength, or how their backstory (however thinly conceived) brought them to this point.
There is also a lot in this book that isn’t tied up, leaving room for an obvious sequel. But don’t count your chickens (or whatever might be lurking below) before they hatch. Why not make this book the best it can be, crafting a complete story within this book without involving so many threads that they can’t be wrapped up? I am definitely not intrigued enough to read a sequel, and it is kind of a letdown to see that certain details are being withheld on purpose so that they can go in a subsequent book. This book should stand alone on its own merits without having to lean on multiple plots that spider out unfinished.
This book is more of an action-thriller with a supernatural component than a true horror novel, so if you’re into plotless, characterless, all-action-all-the-time, this is definitely your style. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing—there’s a type of book for everyone, but this type just isn’t for me.
It felt to me like this wanted to be written as a screenplay or was hoping to be adapted into one. This really seems to be the only reason to lean on Del Toro’s infinitely more interesting The Strain in the descriptive copy, as they have nothing else in common. Taking out the fluff of the characters’ thoughts (which tend to be repetitive of what they already said or what is obviously going on) would make this a completely visual and action-based story—exactly what a screenplay would need. And maybe this story would make a more compelling action movie.
My thanks to Harper Voyager for sending copies of this one to all the Nightworms to read and give an honest review.
amhudgins's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-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
2.75
read_with_giselle's review against another edition
2.0
A little out of my comfort zone but necessary to show my support for James "Murr" Murray. I've been obsessed with the Impractical Jokers for years and even got to see them in person a few years ago in San Diego. I finally was able to sit down and read this while also listening to the audiobook. It was narrated by Murr himself and I enjoyed hearing him curse a little more than a normal person would.
vnethermoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
3.5
ctep's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Wow! What a ride! I think I held my breath every time I opened the book and didn’t breathe again till I closed it. I felt like I was reading a movie script. I actually really hope it gets made into a movie because the blueprint is there.
bmh1246's review against another edition
5.0
It took a little bit to get into but once I did it was a page turner! There were a lot of surprising twists that I didn't expect !