Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Universal Harvester

Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

Universal Harvester by John Darnielle

14 reviews

mariaranger98's review against another edition

sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I started this book to get back into reading. It’s pretty short so it’s not daunting. At the start. I was super interested and could hardly put it down. The change in perspectives helped hold the tension. However, I felt like there were some plot lines left unresolved and it was a bit anticlimactic. I still enjoyed it enough, but I probably wouldn’t re-read it. Marketing it as a horror novel is a bit misleading as well. It’s more about grief/loss of a parent.

Content Warnings

megwilli's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.75

Content Warnings

jterk221's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Content Warnings

judassilver's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content Warnings

necroplasm's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

all i can really say about this book is that it's definitely the kind of story you'd expect to see from the guy that wrote no children! i wasn't expecting it to be Like That going into it and i wasn't really prepared for all that but it's a great read if you want to feel sad and have a slight existential crisis 👍

Content Warnings

mikkitooloud's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

retswerb's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

If you’re looking for a horror book, Universal Harvester probably wont scratch that itch. It’s creepy, and there’s a bit of a mystery, but it’s really about people and a place and grief and relationships - observed by someone who loves that place and respects those people and their griefs and understands their relationships. Darnielle’s authorial voice is bound to be polarizing; I found it riveting. This one will stick with me for a bit.

Content Warnings

julianship's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

3.5 stars, but I would still recommend it for fans of found fiction or people who really loved reading creepypastas back in the day.

Anyone who's listened to a Mountain Goats song knows Darnielle is masterful at evoking an emotional landscape in very little room, and Universal Harvester doesn't disappoint on that front! It's full of quiet moments of character and deeply unsettling images. The whole book has an ache to it, and the relationship between Jeremy and his dad is particularly evocative.

That being said, the plot and structure don't deliver on the premise (mysteriously edited video tapes show up in the VHS rental store of a small town) and writing's initial promise, which is a shame. I don't mind a nontraditional narrative - in fact I often really love them! But parts of this feel rambling, and the switch to first person at the end doesn't pay off the way I really would like it to.

Content Warnings

mr_cain's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Content Warnings

carrionkid's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I'll admit, I picked this book up because I was familiar with Darnielle as a singer-songwriter, but it was WELL WORTH IT. A non-linear narrative is hard to pull off, but this one is crafted masterfully. The slow building dread is perfectly executed and the mystery surrounding the events happening in the small, sleepy towns of the Midwest is one created with great narrative care. Overall, a very stressful and cathartic book.

Content Warnings

More...