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charlizardbookboi17's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Grief
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, Suicide, and Vomit
abookperson's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
2.7-8 stars.
I found out about this book because of Paperbackdreams on BookTube. She and her dad are really into horror books, and in one of their reviews of horror books they'd both read, one happened to be Sour Candy, another short story/novella by Kealan Patrick Burke. They said that they'd also read Kin, and had found both experiences with his books underwhelming and disappointing. However Larry noticed this short story and said he might still give this one a go.
To me, the cover looked really creepy and the plot sounded great. But I think maybe because I already had impressions of where the story would go and what it's atmosphere would be like, I was sure to be disappointed.
Unfortunately, the idea of a blanket smothering me to death for no real reason doesn't scare me. I wish it did, I promise, but it just falls flat for me. Although the idea of a baby having to go through that is tragic, it feels like something that could probably happen with or without paranormal activity. Maybe that's the idea: that you have no real understanding of what took place. Accident, murder, or paranormal activity.
I quite liked the grief, which sounds awful. Some of it really worked and I felt miserable for the poor man. But other parts that moved away from the grief I didn't really care for. The imagery of "the witch" and his dead wife, the school kids etc didn't work for me either.
I just felt the story went off in a direction so far from what I was expecting that I got mental whiplash. I assumed the story would revolve around a grieving lonely man whose house through the blanket was beginning to pray on him. I thought the story would also have more to do with his daughter, as in, hearing his daughter, thinking he's seeing her. (kinda occulus vibes).
I understood there'd be some kind of twist, or at least a kink in the story that allowed you to see some kind of outside perspective away from the unreliable narrator. We got that, but I did like how it was still kinda left up in the air as to if it was paranormal. I liked from the old guy selling the clothes to the end but that was it really. The writings also not really for me, some felt overly descriptive but maybe at that point the story just felt too tedious.
I found out about this book because of Paperbackdreams on BookTube. She and her dad are really into horror books, and in one of their reviews of horror books they'd both read, one happened to be Sour Candy, another short story/novella by Kealan Patrick Burke. They said that they'd also read Kin, and had found both experiences with his books underwhelming and disappointing. However Larry noticed this short story and said he might still give this one a go.
To me, the cover looked really creepy and the plot sounded great. But I think maybe because I already had impressions of where the story would go and what it's atmosphere would be like, I was sure to be disappointed.
I quite liked the grief, which sounds awful. Some of it really worked and I felt miserable for the poor man. But other parts that moved away from the grief I didn't really care for. The imagery of "the witch" and his dead wife, the school kids etc didn't work for me either.
I just felt the story went off in a direction so far from what I was expecting that I got mental whiplash. I assumed the story would revolve around a grieving lonely man whose house through the blanket was beginning to pray on him. I thought the story would also have more to do with his daughter, as in, hearing his daughter, thinking he's seeing her. (kinda occulus vibes).
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
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