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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I liked the premise for the book (Friday Night Lights meets Stephen King), and it started out strong but then quickly went Weird. Like I don’t know what actually happened here. Or why.
“The Bright Lands” was the thriller/horror/mystery I had been waiting for all year!
Combining bonkers plot twists with social commentary and a truly unsettling last act, the novel is an excellent introduction to the talent of John Fram, who with a little more development, could become the next big thing in horror.
All that to say, the novel is far from perfect.
It’s a tad long and there are too many characters contributing to the alternating POVs to sometimes keep track of where one person’s narrative ends and the other’s picks up. The writing is mostly matter of fact and fragmented at times, but Fram keeps the plot chugging along even as it veers from the natural to the supernatural.
And, about that plot, well, it’s a doozy. I won't give too much away, but let's say it covers everything from drug abuse, racism, self-hatred and exploitation to dream-dwelling demons.
Given the subject matter, this won’t be a story everyone will like, but I appreciate that Fram doubled down on some unpopular topics the last 100-pages instead of playing it safe.
Throughout “Lands” I was reminded of early works by Blake Crouch – specifically “Abandon” and “Run” – that were high on originality, but a little low on plotting, character development and writing. I think Fram will evolve much in the way Crouch has, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Combining bonkers plot twists with social commentary and a truly unsettling last act, the novel is an excellent introduction to the talent of John Fram, who with a little more development, could become the next big thing in horror.
All that to say, the novel is far from perfect.
It’s a tad long and there are too many characters contributing to the alternating POVs to sometimes keep track of where one person’s narrative ends and the other’s picks up. The writing is mostly matter of fact and fragmented at times, but Fram keeps the plot chugging along even as it veers from the natural to the supernatural.
And, about that plot, well, it’s a doozy. I won't give too much away, but let's say it covers everything from drug abuse, racism, self-hatred and exploitation to dream-dwelling demons.
Given the subject matter, this won’t be a story everyone will like, but I appreciate that Fram doubled down on some unpopular topics the last 100-pages instead of playing it safe.
Throughout “Lands” I was reminded of early works by Blake Crouch – specifically “Abandon” and “Run” – that were high on originality, but a little low on plotting, character development and writing. I think Fram will evolve much in the way Crouch has, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
This book did not go where I thought it would - at all. Eyes Wide Shut meets Friday Night Lights meets It is the best way I can sum this one up. I like all three of those references alone, but all together, too much. That’s how I’d describe this book: too many characters, too many ideas, too many loose ends. This one was like a B grade horror movie that you watch for fun, but it won’t stick with you very long after. ⭐️⭐️ and a half.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
What a crazy, roller-coaster ride that was!
Thrilling and so well-written... if you're looking for a page turner, with chapters that end from one perspective to another and then cannot wait to get back ... definitely pick up this book
Thrilling and so well-written... if you're looking for a page turner, with chapters that end from one perspective to another and then cannot wait to get back ... definitely pick up this book
After all the hype, I found this book a bit difficult to get through. I admit it could just be me, but I found the numerous characters a bit overwhelming. Part of this is due, imho, to them all having the same “voice”, there wasn’t much characterization to distinguish them from each other. Plus the supernatural element seemed a bit silly and superfluous. That said, the last third of the book was a page turner.
I really went down this rabbit hole fast. It played on so many fears I had growing up - not fears like bogeymen or demons, but fears that held me back from living my true self. To have these fears explored and blown up into this book made it so much more effective than your garden-variety novel of this genre. I think this will hit home for those on the cusp of expressing themselves, and for those who fled it all to a bigger, faraway city--never thinking they'd ever look back at what they left behind.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
4.5 stars
This book was so much fun and interesting. The last 100 pages, I couldn't put the book down as it was so action pact and had horror vibes and the curiosity as how it will end. All the reviews I read on good reads and other videos in book tube just made it more and more intriguing for me to pick this book next on my tbr.
This book follows this gay man called Joel Whitley who is a data analyst I guess and currently living in New York. Joel is from a small conservative town in Texas and he haven't gone back to this town in ages. But one night he gets a message from his brother Dylan who sounded very concerned and Joel decided to go back to his town in order to help his brother. And from there on things gets south in Joel's life and all the horror in the story begins.
John Fram has plotted the town as one of the scariest and conservative shithole where it's hard for one to escape once they have born there and especially if he is a man. The story beholds many social commentaries which was so apt and hilarious and the topics that always fails to get discussed even in today's world. It discuss and emphasis on issues like, homophobia, masculinity needed for a man especially in sports like football and many other. Like there was a mention of a boy being in the cheerleaders group in the book and how people treated Joel when they found out he is gay even if he was a football player saying " That man with such thick arms as Joel Whitley could have such a faggy voice". And also how the police treated gay or black people badly in general. The story had so many metaphorical representations from the issues going on right now in the world and the author have beautifully written them. Queer representation in horror /thriller books is something we need more. This book is highly recommended.
This book was so much fun and interesting. The last 100 pages, I couldn't put the book down as it was so action pact and had horror vibes and the curiosity as how it will end. All the reviews I read on good reads and other videos in book tube just made it more and more intriguing for me to pick this book next on my tbr.
This book follows this gay man called Joel Whitley who is a data analyst I guess and currently living in New York. Joel is from a small conservative town in Texas and he haven't gone back to this town in ages. But one night he gets a message from his brother Dylan who sounded very concerned and Joel decided to go back to his town in order to help his brother. And from there on things gets south in Joel's life and all the horror in the story begins.
John Fram has plotted the town as one of the scariest and conservative shithole where it's hard for one to escape once they have born there and especially if he is a man. The story beholds many social commentaries which was so apt and hilarious and the topics that always fails to get discussed even in today's world. It discuss and emphasis on issues like, homophobia, masculinity needed for a man especially in sports like football and many other. Like there was a mention of a boy being in the cheerleaders group in the book and how people treated Joel when they found out he is gay even if he was a football player saying " That man with such thick arms as Joel Whitley could have such a faggy voice". And also how the police treated gay or black people badly in general. The story had so many metaphorical representations from the issues going on right now in the world and the author have beautifully written them. Queer representation in horror /thriller books is something we need more. This book is highly recommended.