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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loved Chasing the Boogeyman, and would rather have read new original fiction from Chizmar instead of this, which turned out to be solid but many steps below the first book. That was a fantastic mix of dark nostalgia and faux-true crime within a grounded serial killer tale. There was a cosy darkness to it in the way the town of Edgewood gradually gave way to darkness. This one is more over-the-top and, frankly, silly. The killer from the first book is now a Hannibal Lecter-esque criminal mastermind with legions of devoted followers, and the author/protagonist is depicted as a huge celebrity with a huge online following. The slowburn magic of the first book is gone, replaced by an absurd plot that struggles to hang together. And the worst part? There's not even any real closure at the end, because this book is merely setting up a third. So even though it's a solid read, in comparison to the first book (and realising this is just a precursor to another book), it's disappointing.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
For a great bit of this one, I wasn’t sure what to think.
Questions that went through my head with answers:
Why does this need to be a series? I’m still not completely sure, but the system Chizmar has created here has made it easy for him to blend plot twisting mysteries with metafiction. I really appreciate that
Why should we care? I still don’t know; but beware people that suddenly pop up in your life.
Why is this so long? I still don’t know and I do think it could’ve been cut down a bit.
Oh, and did you know he’s friends with James Renner and Stephen King?
In all, an good read to settle into on the plane. I was able to zone in and ignore everything else.
Will I read the third installment? Maybe.
Questions that went through my head with answers:
Why does this need to be a series? I’m still not completely sure, but the system Chizmar has created here has made it easy for him to blend plot twisting mysteries with metafiction. I really appreciate that
Why should we care? I still don’t know; but beware people that suddenly pop up in your life.
Why is this so long? I still don’t know and I do think it could’ve been cut down a bit.
Oh, and did you know he’s friends with James Renner and Stephen King?
In all, an good read to settle into on the plane. I was able to zone in and ignore everything else.
Will I read the third installment? Maybe.
Sadly, this sequel didn't quite work for me. It was slow paced and Chizmar's perspective/headspace didn't capture my attention in any way. I also thought the investigation dragged and then was way too quickly, and conveniently, solved. Not even the format was that interesting to me and well explored this time around.