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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
4.5 stars.
Wanderers was the first book I read by Chuck Wendig and I enjoyed that one enough to decide to buy any new books he released. So, I have been eagerly awaiting this novel since I first heard it was coming out. Took me all of a day and a half to read it. I think this book is even better than Wanderers. It didn't bother me that much, but I get the complaints people have about Wanderers. They say it was a bit too obvious in its political characterizations. It was, but I still liked it because I tend to agree with Mr. Wendig's political views and because I think his caricatures were pretty on point.
Anyways, this novel is much more of a story than a political commentary. This is a story about abuse cycles and empathy and love. People also accuse Wendig of borrowing heavily from other authors and I can see that. There's definitely some strong similarities to King in this book, but I think Wendig recognizes this himself and rather than try to hide his influences, he openly acknowledges them. I give him credit for that. So while this book certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel, it has heart, good characters, and great pacing.
If you didn't like Wanderers because of the overt politics, rest assured that there is very little of that here in this book. Worth the read.
Wanderers was the first book I read by Chuck Wendig and I enjoyed that one enough to decide to buy any new books he released. So, I have been eagerly awaiting this novel since I first heard it was coming out. Took me all of a day and a half to read it. I think this book is even better than Wanderers. It didn't bother me that much, but I get the complaints people have about Wanderers. They say it was a bit too obvious in its political characterizations. It was, but I still liked it because I tend to agree with Mr. Wendig's political views and because I think his caricatures were pretty on point.
Anyways, this novel is much more of a story than a political commentary. This is a story about abuse cycles and empathy and love. People also accuse Wendig of borrowing heavily from other authors and I can see that. There's definitely some strong similarities to King in this book, but I think Wendig recognizes this himself and rather than try to hide his influences, he openly acknowledges them. I give him credit for that. So while this book certainly doesn't reinvent the wheel, it has heart, good characters, and great pacing.
If you didn't like Wanderers because of the overt politics, rest assured that there is very little of that here in this book. Worth the read.
"“Question marks were shaped like a hook for a reason...”
The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig felt like an overextended Stephen King fanfic. From the get-go, the premise had potential: a family returning to a haunted past, eerie happenings, and a looming battle of good versus evil. However, the execution was another story.
At over 500 pages, the novel dragged painfully, with far too many subplots and unresolved questions. The first half kept me hooked with its genuine creepiness and suspense, but as the story wore on, it lost steam. The endless buildup led to a finale that fell flat, leaving me more frustrated than satisfied.
The characters, unfortunately, were not particularly likable. Maddie’s constant irrational decisions were exasperating, and while I wanted to root for Nate and Oliver, they just didn’t resonate deeply enough. It didn’t help that the dialogue, though very thorough and descriptive, sometimes felt overly casual and forced, pulling me out of the story.
Despite its shortcomings, Wendig did manage to inject moments of real tension and horror that were enjoyable. The atmosphere was suitably creepy, and some of the supernatural elements were intriguing. Yet, these moments were too few and far between to redeem the overall experience.
In the end, "The Book of Accidents" was a mixed bag – some good scares and solid dialogue buried under a convoluted, overlong narrative. If you're a die-hard horror fan, you might find some redeeming qualities here, but for me, it was a struggle to finish.
The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig felt like an overextended Stephen King fanfic. From the get-go, the premise had potential: a family returning to a haunted past, eerie happenings, and a looming battle of good versus evil. However, the execution was another story.
At over 500 pages, the novel dragged painfully, with far too many subplots and unresolved questions. The first half kept me hooked with its genuine creepiness and suspense, but as the story wore on, it lost steam. The endless buildup led to a finale that fell flat, leaving me more frustrated than satisfied.
The characters, unfortunately, were not particularly likable. Maddie’s constant irrational decisions were exasperating, and while I wanted to root for Nate and Oliver, they just didn’t resonate deeply enough. It didn’t help that the dialogue, though very thorough and descriptive, sometimes felt overly casual and forced, pulling me out of the story.
Despite its shortcomings, Wendig did manage to inject moments of real tension and horror that were enjoyable. The atmosphere was suitably creepy, and some of the supernatural elements were intriguing. Yet, these moments were too few and far between to redeem the overall experience.
In the end, "The Book of Accidents" was a mixed bag – some good scares and solid dialogue buried under a convoluted, overlong narrative. If you're a die-hard horror fan, you might find some redeeming qualities here, but for me, it was a struggle to finish.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
The plot could have existed without half of what was going on. The time-traveling serial killer didn't bring anything to the story. He seems to exist only as "proof" of Maddie's ability to create things. The actual Book of Accidents didn't bring anything to the story. There was no explanation about why that particular book was a spell book...there was one remark (I can't even remember by who) about how nothing in it is really an accident and I guess that's why it has powers??? Why do only Maddie and Oliver have powers? Again, the time/universe travel plot could have existed without them having powers. It felt like there was 30 different plots that were ok on their own but didn't make sense when they came together. I think it could have been a stronger book of it was about half of the length and got to the point. I want my husband to read it only because I don't even know how to explain the plot to him.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced