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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Oof - the obvious first. Super disturbing, disgusting, scary. I think I had a grimace most of the time while reading and said “ew” out loud on multiple occasions. Part of the reason it took me longer than usual to finish is because I could only stomach so much a day.
That being said - amazing storytelling. Horror is not my genre of choice but this was extremely well written - to elicit those feelings it has to be. Delving into the psychology of each boy, and having the story interspersed with interviews/newspaper clippings/etc. was a really cool idea. As much as I hated what I was reading I loved how the author was able to tell it.
Will I ever read this again? Absolutely not. But it is extremely well done for those that enjoy this type of thing.
That being said - amazing storytelling. Horror is not my genre of choice but this was extremely well written - to elicit those feelings it has to be. Delving into the psychology of each boy, and having the story interspersed with interviews/newspaper clippings/etc. was a really cool idea. As much as I hated what I was reading I loved how the author was able to tell it.
Will I ever read this again? Absolutely not. But it is extremely well done for those that enjoy this type of thing.
Ew!
I bought it for the cozy, spooky, isolated-on-a-camping-trip atmosphere, but The Troop takes a turn into full fledged horror really quickly. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who isn’t in the mood for, specifically, something in the horror genre. This one is not for the girlies en masse.
It is very well written, immersive, fascinating, disgusting, at times a little trudging, at other times a rapid page-turner. I almost put it down during the Shelly’s backstory chapters (trigger warning animal abuse) but I’m glad I didn’t because it got so much better and it all led to a very satisfying conclusion.
The thoughtful inclusion of news articles, lab reports, and court documents makes for very compelling storytelling and provides a reprieve from the horrible events occurring on the island, without sapping any momentum from the build-up. Nicely done.
I definitely will not be watching the movie, but I’m so happy it’s being made into one. Well deserved!
I bought it for the cozy, spooky, isolated-on-a-camping-trip atmosphere, but The Troop takes a turn into full fledged horror really quickly. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who isn’t in the mood for, specifically, something in the horror genre. This one is not for the girlies en masse.
It is very well written, immersive, fascinating, disgusting, at times a little trudging, at other times a rapid page-turner. I almost put it down during the Shelly’s backstory chapters (trigger warning animal abuse) but I’m glad I didn’t because it got so much better and it all led to a very satisfying conclusion.
The thoughtful inclusion of news articles, lab reports, and court documents makes for very compelling storytelling and provides a reprieve from the horrible events occurring on the island, without sapping any momentum from the build-up. Nicely done.
I definitely will not be watching the movie, but I’m so happy it’s being made into one. Well deserved!
The Troop is not for the faint of heart. This book delves into grotesque descriptions that quickly destroyed my appetite and made me question my choice of reading horror. The pacing proved challenging, and the putrid details almost made me quit multiple times towards the end. It felt like the book had excessive content, leaving me waiting for the conclusion instead of eagerly anticipating it. Thanks to the Troop, I have been pushed away from the horror genre indefinitely.
The characters are so well developed in this book, and the dynamics between each are even more compelling. Cutter expertly delves into their psyches, unraveling their deepest secrets and vulnerabilities. I found myself deeply invested in their fates (well, minus one character), feeling their fear and desperation as they faced unimaginable horrors.
Lord of the Flies on meth. I was prepared by others going into this to not eat when reading, and while I did obey, it wasn't quite as stomach churning as I feared (aside from one spot in particular regarding one of the experimental studies). Grotesquely wonderful and ended on the perfect note.
"It is a fact that cannot be denied: the wickedness of others becomes our own wickedness because it kindles something evil in our own hearts." (pg14)
"That's what mortal terror felt like, he realized. Tiny fingers tickling you from the inside." (pg88)
"It's always good to have a little fear, son, especially at your age, he heard his mom say. Fear keeps you honest. Fear keeps you safe." (pg133)
"'But perhaps he's not insane,' Hughes tells me. 'The fact may be that his brain is simply unmappable. He is incredibly intelligent. I hate to use a cliché like "off the charts," but... the fact is that modern science has no real means to judge an intellect like his. . . The dividing line between genius and insanity is very thin and quite permeable--which is why so many geniuses descend into madness.'" (pg250)
"'How would you rather die,' he asks himself, 'from a chopping axe or a little blade?'"
"'It's love. Love is the absolute killer. Care. The milk of human kindness. People try so hard to save the people they love they end up catching the contagion themselves. They give comfort, deliver aid, and in doing so they acquire the infection. Then those people are cared for by others and they get infected. On and on it goes.’ He shrugs. ‘But that's people. People care too much. They love at all costs. And so they pay the ultimate price.'"
(pg252-253)
"'Do you know how hard it is to kill something? Nothing wants to die. Things cling to their lives against all hope, even when it's hopeless. It's like the end is always there, you can't escape it, but things try so, so hard not to cross that finish line. . . Things just don't know when to die. I wish they did.'" (pg348)
"It is a fact that cannot be denied: the wickedness of others becomes our own wickedness because it kindles something evil in our own hearts." (pg14)
"That's what mortal terror felt like, he realized. Tiny fingers tickling you from the inside." (pg88)
"It's always good to have a little fear, son, especially at your age, he heard his mom say. Fear keeps you honest. Fear keeps you safe." (pg133)
"'But perhaps he's not insane,' Hughes tells me. 'The fact may be that his brain is simply unmappable. He is incredibly intelligent. I hate to use a cliché like "off the charts," but... the fact is that modern science has no real means to judge an intellect like his. . . The dividing line between genius and insanity is very thin and quite permeable--which is why so many geniuses descend into madness.'" (pg250)
"'How would you rather die,' he asks himself, 'from a chopping axe or a little blade?'"
"'It's love. Love is the absolute killer. Care. The milk of human kindness. People try so hard to save the people they love they end up catching the contagion themselves. They give comfort, deliver aid, and in doing so they acquire the infection. Then those people are cared for by others and they get infected. On and on it goes.’ He shrugs. ‘But that's people. People care too much. They love at all costs. And so they pay the ultimate price.'"
(pg252-253)
"'Do you know how hard it is to kill something? Nothing wants to die. Things cling to their lives against all hope, even when it's hopeless. It's like the end is always there, you can't escape it, but things try so, so hard not to cross that finish line. . . Things just don't know when to die. I wish they did.'" (pg348)
I wasn’t expecting this to have a sci-fi element, which I really enjoyed, as well as the body horror and the themes reminiscent of Lord of the Flies.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing book and well written! The entire time reading this I was so hooked I couldn’t put it down. Creepy while entertaining at the same time.
Also, poor cat :(
Also, poor cat :(