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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
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:
Yes
I cried at the end, when dennis died man what a journey, a slow build up but enough magic with cosmic horror.
infamous 2014 case where two 12-year-olds lured their friend into the woods and stabbed her 19 times in an attempt to appease the urban legend known as the Slender Man, and in fact the story in Black Mouth also makes mention to this case and draws many parallels to the scenario with the Magician. There are strong, very obvious supernatural vibes in Black Mouth, but at the same time they are also subtle enough that non-paranormal readers won’t be left floundering. Malfi balances the resolution with earthly explanations as well as a more metaphysical aspect that might be a little tough to grasp, especially near the end when Jamie faces his demons both literally and figuratively, but for the most part all the threads came together beautifully in a way that felt satisfying.
Some might find the pacing slow, but I think for the kind of story Black Mouth wants to be, it was just perfect. I knew from reading Come With Me that Malfi is the kind of writer who enjoys drawing out the suspense, but also knows when to stop just shy of making the reader start to lose interest. There’s always something happening on the page, whether it’s character development or building up the setting, even during the quieter moments. Good things come to those who wait, and never is this more true than in this gem of a novel which captures the finer points of what makes an excellent and complex tale of horror.
infamous 2014 case where two 12-year-olds lured their friend into the woods and stabbed her 19 times in an attempt to appease the urban legend known as the Slender Man, and in fact the story in Black Mouth also makes mention to this case and draws many parallels to the scenario with the Magician. There are strong, very obvious supernatural vibes in Black Mouth, but at the same time they are also subtle enough that non-paranormal readers won’t be left floundering. Malfi balances the resolution with earthly explanations as well as a more metaphysical aspect that might be a little tough to grasp, especially near the end when Jamie faces his demons both literally and figuratively, but for the most part all the threads came together beautifully in a way that felt satisfying.
Some might find the pacing slow, but I think for the kind of story Black Mouth wants to be, it was just perfect. I knew from reading Come With Me that Malfi is the kind of writer who enjoys drawing out the suspense, but also knows when to stop just shy of making the reader start to lose interest. There’s always something happening on the page, whether it’s character development or building up the setting, even during the quieter moments. Good things come to those who wait, and never is this more true than in this gem of a novel which captures the finer points of what makes an excellent and complex tale of horror.
dark
tense
medium-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