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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Wow this was disgusting and terrifying and awesome!!! Definitely fit what I was hoping for in a horror novel. Didn’t care for the animal abuse. Ending was really well done. Many times I physically shuddered or gasped out loud bc this was NASTY. Will read more of him fo shooo.
I was suggested this book after posting online, what's the most effed up, wtf did I just read, kind of book. Well it worked ha! I gave it 4 stars only for the fact that I could of done without the animal cruelty stories and still have had the same effect in the end and the first 100 pages were kind of drab for me, but maybe my brain had hyped it up too much I was ready for the crazy stuff to start...........and it did! An online review mentions a modern day Lord of the Flies and if that isn't the most accurate description, I don't know what is! If you want a book that will keep you reading but also saying why am I still reading this, this is it!
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This is my third book I've read by Nick Cutter and its easily my favorite!!! The whole book is tense and Cutter does an amazing job of describing scenes so that you feel like you're right there! Overall, I found the writing wonderfully terrifying and I loved some of the deeper themes and characters. However, there is one glaring issue that I couldn't give it a full 5 stars for. More details with spoilers below:
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the way each character symbolized a different way people cover up their fear. For example, Kent takes leadership and orders others around when scared. Ephraim turns to anger and Newton tends to roll over and let others bully him. Tim is shown as using empathy and "logic" to overwhelm his base instincts to run away and protect the boys.
But then comes Shelley. Shelley runs mud right over this and is just a cartoonishly evil brat for no real reason. I love horror and I don't mind an evil character. But I feel like Shelley could have been used to continue the dialogue of how various different people hide their fear. I think there are many routes that Shelley could've been taken in to make his sadism make sense and also continue on the discussion of the dangers of ignoring your fear constantly. But the only explanation we get is just that he enjoy tormenting things and people and that's it. I feel like he was just put in the book to add more conflict with nothing to actually add.
But then comes Shelley. Shelley runs mud right over this and is just a cartoonishly evil brat for no real reason. I love horror and I don't mind an evil character. But I feel like Shelley could have been used to continue the dialogue of how various different people hide their fear. I think there are many routes that Shelley could've been taken in to make his sadism make sense and also continue on the discussion of the dangers of ignoring your fear constantly. But the only explanation we get is just that he enjoy tormenting things and people and that's it. I feel like he was just put in the book to add more conflict with nothing to actually add.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Vomit, Police brutality
this story was super bleak and gruesome. one character in particular (iykyk) was so disturbing i had to fight myself from skimming parts involving him. this made my skin crawl for the rest of the day after finishing.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A book club read. Gross so gross. Absolutely wrenching reading about the body horror in this. These are all positive qualities tho, don't get it twisted.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
N/A
I read this book right as I found that my cat had tapeworms, which elevated the nauseating body-horror of the worm-centered book to an upsetting, lingering sort of unease.
