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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I can see the inspiration of John Wayne Gacey whenever the Grabber is mentioned.
Finney kinda a bad bitch tho.
Finney kinda a bad bitch tho.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Movie is definitely better đŸ˜Œ
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
tense
fast-paced
dark
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I feel like an idiot to say it, but I really didn't get it. Two stars because I thought it had potential, though it went to hell in a handbasket. I didn't even get the point of the very short Scheherazade's Typewriter tacked on at the end. I usually considered myself as a reader who could grasp most subtleties, but the ability escapes me now.
Honestly, this might make me sound soulless, but this wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. I did enjoy it to a point, but I felt like Al was underdeveloped and I was never really *scared* of him as a kidnapper (which feels like a terrible thing to say because he kidnapped a child) and as the main villain of the story he fell flat.
The ending was the best part, as it was sort of abrupt and shocking. I really enjoy abrupt endings like that, though, so I felt like it packed a punch. Plus, I kind of felt like *that* was going to happen anyway. Or at least that's what should have happened for moral resolution—and it did. So yay.
That being said, the concept of a phone that only receives calls from deceased victims is pretty menacing . . . but the ghosts on the other line help the main character, not hurt him. I would have liked more of that, and I wish the story was longer. Maybe Hill was gonna write a long novel and just had to opt for a short story because . . . writer reasons. Can relate.
And I totally read this because the trailer for the upcoming 2022 film The Black Phone had me very interested. From the trailer, it already looks like the movie is going to add a lot of elements (including Finney's psychic sister who barely gets any time in the story at all) and pull some stops to make Al way scarier. It's coming out around my birthday so that's apparently a good omen. *coughs*
Anyways, Happy Halloween guys, don't talk to strangers.
The ending was the best part, as it was sort of abrupt and shocking. I really enjoy abrupt endings like that, though, so I felt like it packed a punch. Plus, I kind of felt like *that* was going to happen anyway. Or at least that's what should have happened for moral resolution—and it did. So yay.
That being said, the concept of a phone that only receives calls from deceased victims is pretty menacing . . . but the ghosts on the other line help the main character, not hurt him. I would have liked more of that, and I wish the story was longer. Maybe Hill was gonna write a long novel and just had to opt for a short story because . . . writer reasons. Can relate.
And I totally read this because the trailer for the upcoming 2022 film The Black Phone had me very interested. From the trailer, it already looks like the movie is going to add a lot of elements (including Finney's psychic sister who barely gets any time in the story at all) and pull some stops to make Al way scarier. It's coming out around my birthday so that's apparently a good omen. *coughs*
Anyways, Happy Halloween guys, don't talk to strangers.