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lynn_k's review against another edition
1.0
Very slow going. I DNF’d around 70 pages in and absolutely nothing had happened yet, unless you count the rampant racism, sexism, and just overall dickishness of the main character. I don’t need to like the main character to enjoy a book but this felt malicious, not just “in character” for a 13 year old boy. In those first 70 pages the word ‘retard’ is used as an insult 6(!) times. Also, his friend (who is overweight) is constantly described as ‘doughy’. Like, I get it, he’s a fat kid, you introduced him as that, I don’t need constant reminders. And when this jerk meets some nice black people? Oh, boy. I literally had to put the book down and breathe slowly for a few minutes.
hvomax99's review against another edition
3.0
I must say that went into this book without any expectations, and this book disappointed me a little. I was hoping to read an engaging, page-turner book but only found it slow and very long.
The main character Joey annoyed at times for being so immature through the book. Sometimes I wanted to slapped him for being so dumb and dull by doing stupid decisions that literally made me want to scream of frustration. The rest of the characters were okay but never cared enough for them to keep reading. However the dog was the only one I truly cared for.
Nonetheless, the writing was solid and atmospheric. The descriptions that the author brings are decently constructed and well developed. If it wasn’t for the writing would’ve dnf’ed this book right away. Regardless of all the issues I had, I still recommend it if you just want to pass the time.
The main character Joey annoyed at times for being so immature through the book. Sometimes I wanted to slapped him for being so dumb and dull by doing stupid decisions that literally made me want to scream of frustration. The rest of the characters were okay but never cared enough for them to keep reading. However the dog was the only one I truly cared for.
Nonetheless, the writing was solid and atmospheric. The descriptions that the author brings are decently constructed and well developed. If it wasn’t for the writing would’ve dnf’ed this book right away. Regardless of all the issues I had, I still recommend it if you just want to pass the time.
cgreen7209's review
5.0
Great read
The story and writing were great. Highly recommend. The story grabbed me from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down.
The story and writing were great. Highly recommend. The story grabbed me from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down.
kimily's review against another edition
4.0
If You Go Down to the Woods definitely has an It vibe, but with enough differences to not be completely derivative. For one thing, adults played a much bigger role in this book. The parents, by and large, are actually very good. There was no "oh you're just a kid, so you don't have anything important to say", which I really appreciate. The adolescent characters are well-written and believable, while the teen characters range from miscreants to protector. The pace is fairly quick and the action nearly constant. I enjoyed reading this book and would like to read more by this author.
ellastar's review against another edition
3.0
This is the night. These are the times.
This was a solid 3 star read for me. I was definitely expecting a paranormal element which wasn’t present in the book at all, and it surprised me a little.
The main thing I struggled with was the narrator. A young boy, Joey was just so typical of guys his age, and I struggled to connect with his character. I found him incredibly annoying, strangely unlikeable and honestly quite annoying, which made me feel a little detached from the story.
Besides the narrator, I also struggled to find some parts of the story believable. It was just a little farfetched and could honestly be so easily resolved by involving a grown-up or the police. I also really wanted to just slap these kids and stop them from being so dumb. I mean, some of their decisions were truly questionable.
Overall I quite liked the ‘feel’ of the book, it was very atmospheric and I could easily transport myself into the minds of these children and the environment they lived in, so for that I can commend the author.
While I was slightly disappointed by this book, I would be interested in reading more from the author. I hope his other narrators are more likeable.
Would recommend for: fans of Stephen King for sure!
mickysbookworm's review
4.0
Loved this book.
The storytelling was brilliant. So dark and eerily. Really made you feel like you were there.
I didn’t have any idea how this would end.
The storytelling was brilliant. So dark and eerily. Really made you feel like you were there.
I didn’t have any idea how this would end.
madssaidso's review
1.0
I couldn’t get through it. The bullying was hard to read. The main character wasn’t likable. Had a lot of “coming of age” cliches. Outdated.
mformato's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
1.5
The one thing this story did well was understanding the voice of a 13 year old boy as a protagonist, awfully annoying. All the characters in this book were cut and paste tropes. The antagonists weren't that compelling (not to mention the amount of times they hurt the dog) but neither were the protagonists of the story. The final act was full of such dues ex machina madness that made you roll your eyes. The fact that only one of the crew lost their lives (two if you consider the implications that one character was raped and thus lost her life in another way) was disappointing with the types of people the villains were. You had a friggin mobster and his goon taken down by a couple of meddling kids and the mysterious man of death die by the dog after he had been shot and whatever else happened to him in the final scene (I honestly just finished it and I don't remember what made him disappear for a short period of time before dramatically reappearing).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Murder, Death of parent, Child abuse, Blood, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death, Child death, Car accident, Bullying, Body shaming, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality
Minor: Rape