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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really liked the beginning, how anxious the character was and the feeling that something wasn't quite right. It feels similar to "The Truman Show".
But the middle part dragged out too long until we got a closer look what was going on in this town.
I also liked the different... POVs.
But the ending was a bit too open for me.
But the middle part dragged out too long until we got a closer look what was going on in this town.
I also liked the different... POVs.
But the ending was a bit too open for me.
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
CN. A lot of things referenced, including SA, Child Abuse, Child Murder.
I am really not sure how I feel after finishing this.
The various audiobook narrators were all great and I was gripped by the story until the very end when things continued to twist...
Without spoiling too much I can see this is a bit of a nightmare Truman Show situation, which begins to unravel very early on.
The core premise is great and conveyed very effectively, but where it ultimately goes I just didn't enjoy.
It's incredibly hard to discuss without spoilers, but it is very clear from the title, blurb, and intial pages that mental health plays a bit part in this book. I am someone with complex post traumatic stress disorder, autism, and ADHD. I have been living with and suffering the negative effects on mental health my entire life, so this is a topic I am invested in and absolutely have skin in the game as it were. I also read Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street recently, which has some broadly similar themes and horrific things referenced. Ward's exquisite and heartbreaking book and the incredible author's note speak to a serious understanding and respect for mental health and it's portrayal and handling in fiction.
I mention these things because, knowing nothing about Bassoff and certainly not casting any aspersions, it reads to me like they do not have the same experience and understanding of mental health. This is not to say that mental health is especially poorly handled in this book and I absolutely don't believe there is any malice or disrespect intended by Bassoff, but there is an element of the very end that made me feel a little like mental health was used as a bit of a gimmick for a final twist in the ending, which took the jam out of my doughnut somewhat.
This was immensely readable/ listenable, pretty much did the whole thing today, and I definitely enjoyed it.
I think if it wasn't for my feelings about the very end I would have given this a mediumly high 4/5, but I think 3/5 is where I ended up.
CN. A lot of things referenced, including SA, Child Abuse, Child Murder.
I am really not sure how I feel after finishing this.
The various audiobook narrators were all great and I was gripped by the story until the very end when things continued to twist...
Without spoiling too much I can see this is a bit of a nightmare Truman Show situation, which begins to unravel very early on.
The core premise is great and conveyed very effectively, but where it ultimately goes I just didn't enjoy.
It's incredibly hard to discuss without spoilers, but it is very clear from the title, blurb, and intial pages that mental health plays a bit part in this book. I am someone with complex post traumatic stress disorder, autism, and ADHD. I have been living with and suffering the negative effects on mental health my entire life, so this is a topic I am invested in and absolutely have skin in the game as it were. I also read Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street recently, which has some broadly similar themes and horrific things referenced. Ward's exquisite and heartbreaking book and the incredible author's note speak to a serious understanding and respect for mental health and it's portrayal and handling in fiction.
I mention these things because, knowing nothing about Bassoff and certainly not casting any aspersions, it reads to me like they do not have the same experience and understanding of mental health. This is not to say that mental health is especially poorly handled in this book and I absolutely don't believe there is any malice or disrespect intended by Bassoff, but there is an element of the very end that made me feel a little like mental health was used as a bit of a gimmick for a final twist in the ending, which took the jam out of my doughnut somewhat.
This was immensely readable/ listenable, pretty much did the whole thing today, and I definitely enjoyed it.
I think if it wasn't for my feelings about the very end I would have given this a mediumly high 4/5, but I think 3/5 is where I ended up.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one was interesting that's for sure. It was a good psychological thriller and get me engaged. I think the book flowed really well too for having multiple points of view
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
In the seemingly perfect town of Bethlam, Nevada, postal worker Hank Davies begins to suspect something is strange when he discovers the letters he's delivering are blank pages. His suspicions are confirmed when a mysterious visitor urges him to investigate his bedroom wall, revealing hidden pages filled with a bizarre, unsettling story.
Hell fucking yes!! I looooooovvvved this book!!! At no point in time could I have told you where this was going but I loved trying to figure out what was happening. It took me a bit to get my footing when reading this one, so if you read this, don't give up at the first sight of something confusing or unclear..mm I promise it will eventually make sense! The genre is hard to nail down.... Yes it is a thriller kind of, but it is also a mystery and has horror elements. Sitting at only 270 pages, there was so much excitement and mystique packed into this short book. Loved the ending of this so fucking much. Wow. This will most definitely not be my last Jon Bassoff book.
Hell fucking yes!! I looooooovvvved this book!!! At no point in time could I have told you where this was going but I loved trying to figure out what was happening. It took me a bit to get my footing when reading this one, so if you read this, don't give up at the first sight of something confusing or unclear..mm I promise it will eventually make sense! The genre is hard to nail down.... Yes it is a thriller kind of, but it is also a mystery and has horror elements. Sitting at only 270 pages, there was so much excitement and mystique packed into this short book. Loved the ending of this so fucking much. Wow. This will most definitely not be my last Jon Bassoff book.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Memory Ward was an enjoyable read. While it didn’t shock me as much as I expected, I loved the eerie atmosphere and the sense of unreliability in Bethlam.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
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:
No
4⭐
Really, really, REALLY enjoyed this audiobook! What an absolute mind-mess!
I genuinely want to see this turned into a movie/Series one day!
Need to pick up more of Mr. Bassoff's books.
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Really, really, REALLY enjoyed this audiobook! What an absolute mind-mess!
I genuinely want to see this turned into a movie/Series one day!
Need to pick up more of Mr. Bassoff's books.
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes