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sleightoffeet's review against another edition
1.0
This was kind of like if someone wrote: Hunger Games X-treme! I don't really think something like that is needed.
A man finds himself naked and chained to a tree with no memories. He soon is able to locate other's nearby, and through a set of speakers they are issued a set of challenges, for a mysterious viewership, that they are set up to fail.
I have to admit, when I started this book, I was intrigued. I needed to know how they got there, how they were chosen and if they were, in fact, going to escape. The big twist at the ending was a huge disappointment.
A man finds himself naked and chained to a tree with no memories. He soon is able to locate other's nearby, and through a set of speakers they are issued a set of challenges, for a mysterious viewership, that they are set up to fail.
I have to admit, when I started this book, I was intrigued. I needed to know how they got there, how they were chosen and if they were, in fact, going to escape. The big twist at the ending was a huge disappointment.
Spoiler
It's the dystopian version of "Oh, it was only a dream", but darker.slightlyschuler's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I didn’t have any expectations going in to this book other than being told it’s a thriller. I wouldn’t really describe it as a thriller but it does read fast and easy.
lanternsjourney's review against another edition
5.0
What a pleasant surprise this book was! I bought Weeping Season signed from the author himself because I loved The Mongrel and this one sounded intriguing. I heard good things, and that it was a mix of Saw/Hunger Games/Black Mirror. So I thought I kind of knew what I was getting into. The surprise came with how unique the story was, despite being compared to such iconic pop culture movies and shows. If you like a "torture game" type setup with lots of mystery to keep you flipping pages like a madman, then this book is perfect for you!
woffordleejones's review against another edition
5.0
The main thing I particularly loved about Weeping Season is that you were in the dark just as much as the main character, Richard (as well as the rest of the ‘contestants’). You have no idea what’s going on until the final pages of the story (which I may add totally flipped me on my head). I knew something wasn’t quite right about their situation (other than the obvious), but I just couldn’t quite figure this one out. Like his first book, The Mongrel, this story is also a ‘survival of the fittest’ type story. These characters have to suck it up and brave the harshest elements and living conditions, as well as, battle between themselves as to what is right and wrong in what I felt was a post-apocalyptic type world in which they had been thrown. It’s pretty much a battle of wills throughout this whole story. O’Connor’s writing is fast-paced. You have to just hold and enjoy this grisly ride. You will feel the bitter cold and the isolation and abandonment of each person (even though they have been forced together in this situation). You will also feel the fear the contestants have to go through when their ‘number’ is called to do a certain ‘objective’. And finally, you feel the the full-on anguish and disheartening moments when the final truth is revealed. For me, as I read this book, I couldn’t help but wonder what choices and actions would I make if I were to be dropped into the middle of such a scenario. Definitely a thought-provoking novel. Five tears for Weeping Season (same as 5 stars).
booklovingcatmom's review against another edition
5.0
This book is incredible! It reads like a movie; it’s fast paced and so well-written that every moment is easily visualized. The storyline reminded me of great films like Saw, Would You Rather, and The Hunger Games but managed to be 100% original once the entire story was revealed in the final chapters.
Speaking of the ending, I can see it potentially confusing or infuriating some readers because there’s definitely a huge “WTF?!” moment that had me wondering about the beginning and why certain things happened. For me, personally, I thought that went brilliantly with the story as a whole - putting the reader just as much in the dark as some of the characters.
This story is really hard to describe any more than this for fear of spoiling the surprises, but I’ll be recommending it highly and will be looking forward to reading anything the author comes up with next!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
Speaking of the ending, I can see it potentially confusing or infuriating some readers because there’s definitely a huge “WTF?!” moment that had me wondering about the beginning and why certain things happened. For me, personally, I thought that went brilliantly with the story as a whole - putting the reader just as much in the dark as some of the characters.
This story is really hard to describe any more than this for fear of spoiling the surprises, but I’ll be recommending it highly and will be looking forward to reading anything the author comes up with next!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
motherhorror's review against another edition
5.0
In my review of Sean O'Connor's debut book, THE MONGREL, I had this to say,
"Something about O'Connor's natural storytelling ability is extremely compelling...the words on the page almost completely melt away and my reading experience feels like watching the events unfold--super addictive and engaging."
That statement applies to WEEPING SEASON in the best possible way. WEEPING SEASON drops the reader off in the middle of an intense scene right on page one. We find two people, an older man, and a young girl, naked and chained to a tree. Their hair has been shaved close to the scalp. They have a number tattooed at the base of their skull and they have no memory of how they came to be in this state--worse, they have no sense of self. Who are they? What happened to them?
From here, O'Connor weaves a story that exploits all our worst fears. He employs a personal favorite trope of mine: Some kind of mysterious, agency is in control of human captives. The only way to escape with your life is to play by their rules and they are watching. Possibly others are watching too. Think THE MAZE RUNNER, HUNGER GAMES, SAW, CUBE and FEAR FACTOR (do you remember that show?? Damn, that was an addicting show)
I don't want to give away any exciting reader discovery, so I'm just going to say that some of what the characters went through I would never be able to survive. I have very definitive, crippling fears and so if someone were to challenge me to face those fears, I don't know if I could. There were scenes in this book that terrified me to my core. The best part of reading this book is that talent I mentioned in the beginning, Sean O'Connor has a knack for writing a narrative that is so smooth and fluid, I forget that I'm reading and not watching. This book plays out like an intense movie. It's everything this reader shows up for.
I'm going to recommend this book to fans of all the books and movies I mentioned earlier as well as intense tales of survival, exploitation of fears, "fight to the finish", binge-worthy reads, non-stop action and a mind-blowing climax/conclusion.
This is a must-have. I had a lot of fun reading this book. Sean O'Connor is one to watch!
"Something about O'Connor's natural storytelling ability is extremely compelling...the words on the page almost completely melt away and my reading experience feels like watching the events unfold--super addictive and engaging."
That statement applies to WEEPING SEASON in the best possible way. WEEPING SEASON drops the reader off in the middle of an intense scene right on page one. We find two people, an older man, and a young girl, naked and chained to a tree. Their hair has been shaved close to the scalp. They have a number tattooed at the base of their skull and they have no memory of how they came to be in this state--worse, they have no sense of self. Who are they? What happened to them?
From here, O'Connor weaves a story that exploits all our worst fears. He employs a personal favorite trope of mine: Some kind of mysterious, agency is in control of human captives. The only way to escape with your life is to play by their rules and they are watching. Possibly others are watching too. Think THE MAZE RUNNER, HUNGER GAMES, SAW, CUBE and FEAR FACTOR (do you remember that show?? Damn, that was an addicting show)
I don't want to give away any exciting reader discovery, so I'm just going to say that some of what the characters went through I would never be able to survive. I have very definitive, crippling fears and so if someone were to challenge me to face those fears, I don't know if I could. There were scenes in this book that terrified me to my core. The best part of reading this book is that talent I mentioned in the beginning, Sean O'Connor has a knack for writing a narrative that is so smooth and fluid, I forget that I'm reading and not watching. This book plays out like an intense movie. It's everything this reader shows up for.
I'm going to recommend this book to fans of all the books and movies I mentioned earlier as well as intense tales of survival, exploitation of fears, "fight to the finish", binge-worthy reads, non-stop action and a mind-blowing climax/conclusion.
This is a must-have. I had a lot of fun reading this book. Sean O'Connor is one to watch!
teamredmon's review against another edition
5.0
WEEPING SEASON by Seán O'Connor is like the first season of LOST meets SAW. Honestly, that should be all I need to say to convince you to read this one.
.
The book opens with two people waking up in a forest. Chained to trees, they have no memories, they're naked, and have numbers tattooed on the back of the heads. In order to survive, they have to complete a series of torturous challenges given by an unseen "host".
.
The chapters are short and written from varying perspectives. Overall, it feels extremely cinematic and reads like a blockbuster film. O'Connor dangles the central mystery just out of reach through most of the book. Perhaps the highest praise I can give to this book is that it has a great ending that lives up to it's exceptional premise. I give WEEPING SEASON ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and my full throated recommendation
.
The book opens with two people waking up in a forest. Chained to trees, they have no memories, they're naked, and have numbers tattooed on the back of the heads. In order to survive, they have to complete a series of torturous challenges given by an unseen "host".
.
The chapters are short and written from varying perspectives. Overall, it feels extremely cinematic and reads like a blockbuster film. O'Connor dangles the central mystery just out of reach through most of the book. Perhaps the highest praise I can give to this book is that it has a great ending that lives up to it's exceptional premise. I give WEEPING SEASON ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and my full throated recommendation
tracyreads's review
5.0
The synopsis was enough to make this book a must-read for me. As a fan of Black Mirror, I knew this could go one of two ways. A completely engaging and unique read, or a massive dumpster fire that left me wanting. Even after devouring this book in a single day, I still waffled between rating this a 4 or a 5. I even talked it out with a friend (who didn’t mind the spoilers) and eventually made up my mind.
The first three quarters of the book is like some wild mash-up of Saw and Hunger Games with an atmosphere that reminds me of an M. Night Shyalaman film. Like the synopsis mentions, our players awake in a strange forest with no memory. From here the book just takes off and every new development fit perfectly. I had no issues suspending my disbelief.
The characters in this book are provided with just enough back story. The person running this show is brutal and sadistic, so for some, there really is no reason to get to know them. They are fodder. Fear is a major player here and O’Connor does a great job at conveying how the characters feel. I did not list any trigger warnings with this book but there are some intense scenes and there is a child death that happens “off screen”. This doesn’t spoil anything and i just wanted to give a heads up to anyone that might need it.
The ending. There are a few moments in which the pace might be a bit too fast, but not enough to ruin anything.The last quarter or less of the book contains massive reveals that happen at a break neck pace and I did have to go back and re-read. As I finished, I was definitely left with a “wtf” moment, but in the end I liked it. This is where I think it will get interesting. Some readers will be like me and arrive at a “yeah, I DID like that”, others will throw it across the room, and still others will automatically love it. I cannot wait to watch this play out as new readers check it out.
This was my first read by Seán O’Connor and I will definitely pick up more of his work. I really dug this twisted tale and I liked the feel it gave me in reference to some of my favorite fiction works.
The first three quarters of the book is like some wild mash-up of Saw and Hunger Games with an atmosphere that reminds me of an M. Night Shyalaman film. Like the synopsis mentions, our players awake in a strange forest with no memory. From here the book just takes off and every new development fit perfectly. I had no issues suspending my disbelief.
The characters in this book are provided with just enough back story. The person running this show is brutal and sadistic, so for some, there really is no reason to get to know them. They are fodder. Fear is a major player here and O’Connor does a great job at conveying how the characters feel. I did not list any trigger warnings with this book but there are some intense scenes and there is a child death that happens “off screen”. This doesn’t spoil anything and i just wanted to give a heads up to anyone that might need it.
The ending. There are a few moments in which the pace might be a bit too fast, but not enough to ruin anything.The last quarter or less of the book contains massive reveals that happen at a break neck pace and I did have to go back and re-read. As I finished, I was definitely left with a “wtf” moment, but in the end I liked it. This is where I think it will get interesting. Some readers will be like me and arrive at a “yeah, I DID like that”, others will throw it across the room, and still others will automatically love it. I cannot wait to watch this play out as new readers check it out.
This was my first read by Seán O’Connor and I will definitely pick up more of his work. I really dug this twisted tale and I liked the feel it gave me in reference to some of my favorite fiction works.
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