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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
Good, but needed be half as long. A good editor would have cut a quarter of the text out. Overly superfluous and it didn’t need to be.
I went into this book knowing solely that this author and book has been compared to Stephen King and his writing. I gotta say, this didn't disappoint at all. I felt impatient at times while reading the story, but only because I wanted to know immediately what was happening next.
Graham's death really made me sad. While I was initially surprised by it, in then immediately occured to me after that Jake definitely killed him. The mystery at the beginning was riveting, and the way Wendig wrote eerie scenes and atmosphere is so fuckin amazing. No wonder he's been compared to King.
When all the multiverse stuff started to unspool the mystery was unraveled a bit was when the book's pacing started to drag a bit. But the way the present caught up with the past — Maddie seeing bearded Nate (who was in another dimension) peeking at her in her bedroom window and helping save Sissy, Carl (with the gun) travelling between worlds, slowly losing his mind and attacking our Nate — those parts were really the ones that blew my fuckin mind.
I really liked Oliver as a character. Wendig just wrote his empathy so well that I couldn't really help but root for the kid. His parents were really interesting too, and the fact that Nate didn't let his abusive past marr his present and his son really touched me. And the way he's desperately trying to get back to his family and his original universe in the end, but also taking out Reese with him — goddamn. I only wished Maddie had more stuff to do in the finale than get stuck in a snowy road by a large tree, but whatever.
Jake went to prison — hurrah — but I wished the little shit died instead. I'm sorry, I just couldn't sum up any sympathy for him.
Oliver's realization of the void being a parasite was really good — it reminded me a bit of Brandon Sanderson's Skyward novel, where Spensa first encounters the being with the thousand eyes in the Nothingness, watching her.
So ... yeah. This book was so goddamn good. Definitely underrated. Go read it now!
Graham's death really made me sad. While I was initially surprised by it, in then immediately occured to me after that Jake definitely killed him. The mystery at the beginning was riveting, and the way Wendig wrote eerie scenes and atmosphere is so fuckin amazing. No wonder he's been compared to King.
When all the multiverse stuff started to unspool the mystery was unraveled a bit was when the book's pacing started to drag a bit. But the way the present caught up with the past — Maddie seeing bearded Nate (who was in another dimension) peeking at her in her bedroom window and helping save Sissy, Carl (with the gun) travelling between worlds, slowly losing his mind and attacking our Nate — those parts were really the ones that blew my fuckin mind.
I really liked Oliver as a character. Wendig just wrote his empathy so well that I couldn't really help but root for the kid. His parents were really interesting too, and the fact that Nate didn't let his abusive past marr his present and his son really touched me. And the way he's desperately trying to get back to his family and his original universe in the end, but also taking out Reese with him — goddamn. I only wished Maddie had more stuff to do in the finale than get stuck in a snowy road by a large tree, but whatever.
Jake went to prison — hurrah — but I wished the little shit died instead. I'm sorry, I just couldn't sum up any sympathy for him.
Oliver's realization of the void being a parasite was really good — it reminded me a bit of Brandon Sanderson's Skyward novel, where Spensa first encounters the being with the thousand eyes in the Nothingness, watching her.
So ... yeah. This book was so goddamn good. Definitely underrated. Go read it now!
This book was weird—in the best way possible. It’s creepy, emotional, and full of that eerie small-town horror vibe that sucks you in and won’t let go.
The story follows Nate, Maddie, and their son, Oliver, who move to Nate’s old childhood home for a fresh start. But of course, the house (and the whole town, really) has other plans. There’s something dark lurking beneath the surface, and Oliver’s strange abilities start drawing it out in ways that get more unsettling as the story unfolds.
Wendig’s writing is super immersive, and he does an amazing job balancing supernatural horror with real-world trauma. The family dynamics felt real, and I actually cared about the characters, which made the horror hit even harder. That said, the book is dense—there are multiple perspectives, shifting realities, and a slow build that takes its time getting to the really wild stuff. Some parts dragged a little, but the payoff was worth it.
If you like your horror to be a mix of eerie, emotional, and a little mind-bending, this one’s a solid pick. Just be ready for a slow burn that gets real weird by the end.
The story follows Nate, Maddie, and their son, Oliver, who move to Nate’s old childhood home for a fresh start. But of course, the house (and the whole town, really) has other plans. There’s something dark lurking beneath the surface, and Oliver’s strange abilities start drawing it out in ways that get more unsettling as the story unfolds.
Wendig’s writing is super immersive, and he does an amazing job balancing supernatural horror with real-world trauma. The family dynamics felt real, and I actually cared about the characters, which made the horror hit even harder. That said, the book is dense—there are multiple perspectives, shifting realities, and a slow build that takes its time getting to the really wild stuff. Some parts dragged a little, but the payoff was worth it.
If you like your horror to be a mix of eerie, emotional, and a little mind-bending, this one’s a solid pick. Just be ready for a slow burn that gets real weird by the end.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book has been on my shelf for YEARS. It was always something I knew I wanted to read from an author that has a lot of great ideas and potential. I recently read a blog post by Wendig from around the time of release for this book in which he states that the premise for this novel is "hard to pitch". I think that is a perfect statement. This book is a culmination of a lot of ideas, both fantastical and unsettling, and is overly ambitious. In the end it was a good novel that was a tad bit too long.
Immediately upon reading the first chapter of this book I was able to get a sense for Wendig's style. The writing, language, and tone are unique and pronounced. I knew from those opening pages that I wasn't going to struggle with the writing, however, it was evident that the story would be complex and involved. Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chobosky was the first comparison that came to mind and one that I think holds quite true. The nature of the horror feels dark and grand. I think another great comp would be the show Dark on Netflix. It plays with time, space, and has a cosmic horror feel to it.
I can see how this could be a divisive read. It will likely not be an easy read for most. The pacing is slower, despite the short chapters, (BTW I love short chapters. Give me a 3-5 page chapter ALL DAY!) and while I ultimately enjoyed the book, I think some of the complaints are valid and that is why I landed on a 3 star rating. I would recommend this book to readers who have liked the comps that I mentioned above, and for those who are willing to exercise some patience in tackling this more complex horror novel. This is not your standard surface-level horror.
Immediately upon reading the first chapter of this book I was able to get a sense for Wendig's style. The writing, language, and tone are unique and pronounced. I knew from those opening pages that I wasn't going to struggle with the writing, however, it was evident that the story would be complex and involved. Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chobosky was the first comparison that came to mind and one that I think holds quite true. The nature of the horror feels dark and grand. I think another great comp would be the show Dark on Netflix. It plays with time, space, and has a cosmic horror feel to it.
I can see how this could be a divisive read. It will likely not be an easy read for most. The pacing is slower, despite the short chapters, (BTW I love short chapters. Give me a 3-5 page chapter ALL DAY!) and while I ultimately enjoyed the book, I think some of the complaints are valid and that is why I landed on a 3 star rating. I would recommend this book to readers who have liked the comps that I mentioned above, and for those who are willing to exercise some patience in tackling this more complex horror novel. This is not your standard surface-level horror.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
This taunted me from my shelves for so long but, with the audio, I finally got to it!
It was spooky and engaging and I even kind of understood the multiple universes kind of story. And it went way faster than I expected!
It was spooky and engaging and I even kind of understood the multiple universes kind of story. And it went way faster than I expected!
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated