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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
3.5 rounded down
•
I feel this book had serious potential. The premise was great, as was the writing. However, the plot became a bit ridiculous and it started to drag. The ending was kind of a cluster. This turned me off more. I prob would have been sitting at 4 stars. But the ending was like something out of a movie that makes you go wtf?
•
I feel this book had serious potential. The premise was great, as was the writing. However, the plot became a bit ridiculous and it started to drag. The ending was kind of a cluster. This turned me off more. I prob would have been sitting at 4 stars. But the ending was like something out of a movie that makes you go wtf?
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh ok, I see you John Fram. I've been begging for more unique and creative crime fiction for what feels like decades, and low and behold Stephen Queen is here and he has delivered! Funny story: I reviewed this book in my head back in February, and apparently thought I reviewed it here as well, but... SURPRISE! Alas, in my head it stayed. But that's ok because I'm here reviewing it now!
"His brother was not the first troubled football player to confide in Joel. All week in Manhattan he had thought of nothing but a sticky summer afternoon a decade ago, of a truck cab spiked with the smell of spearmint, of a man with shocking green eyes and a bad neck shaking his head with the effort and saying, "Don't play that game if you can help it, Whitley." Joel would cut off an arm to ensure Dylan never suffered the same fate as that ruined man."
Imagine if Friday Night Lights and any one of Stephen King's stories had a lovechild, and you would probably end up welcoming a spunky little bundle of [b:The Bright Lands|52703177|The Bright Lands|John Fram|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574745711l/52703177._SY75_.jpg|73039715]. From the very first page, Fram has saturated the story with mystery, suspense, and a special brand of dread that grows with each breath of this tale. It's a dread that is both fantastical and allegorical. Typically I don't like my thrillers packaged in a 500 page count, but John has proven me wrong by showing me just how much this story needed the hefty chunk. This novel is meaty in more ways than one,
"His brother was not the first troubled football player to confide in Joel. All week in Manhattan he had thought of nothing but a sticky summer afternoon a decade ago, of a truck cab spiked with the smell of spearmint, of a man with shocking green eyes and a bad neck shaking his head with the effort and saying, "Don't play that game if you can help it, Whitley." Joel would cut off an arm to ensure Dylan never suffered the same fate as that ruined man."
Imagine if Friday Night Lights and any one of Stephen King's stories had a lovechild, and you would probably end up welcoming a spunky little bundle of [b:The Bright Lands|52703177|The Bright Lands|John Fram|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574745711l/52703177._SY75_.jpg|73039715]. From the very first page, Fram has saturated the story with mystery, suspense, and a special brand of dread that grows with each breath of this tale. It's a dread that is both fantastical and allegorical. Typically I don't like my thrillers packaged in a 500 page count, but John has proven me wrong by showing me just how much this story needed the hefty chunk. This novel is meaty in more ways than one,
"We inherited this town. We all did. That don't mean we have to love everything about it."
The Bright Lands is...something different. It's marketed as sort of a thriller/horror, and there's for sure a Stephen King vibe at work here. Told from multiple perspectives, The Bright Lands is a slow burn that eventually leads to something pretty horrific (and, much like in King novels, the most horrific things could be entirely feasible in real life, at least to a point).
Joel has returned to his small hometown in Texas after some concerning text messages from his younger brother, Dylan. You see, Dylan is the quarterback for the local high school football team. The most promising athlete to come out of their tiny town, with the NFL being a very real possibility in his future. But Dylan doesn't want to play football anymore, and he says a few things that remind Joel of why he left Bentley ten years before.
I won't spoil too much, but i'll give you a basic overview: Dylan goes missing. His friends and teammates seem to know more than they let on. Some of the adults are super shady and a little too involved with the lives of the local high school kids. I'll let you guess what happens from there, but I doubt you're right.
Some parts of this book are incredibly uncomfortable to read - it's one of those books where you're dying to know what happens but you're relieved to finish the book because the atmosphere is so creepy.
Content warning: racism, homophobia, sexual assault, hate crimes, drug addiction/abuse, the list goes on...
The Bright Lands is...something different. It's marketed as sort of a thriller/horror, and there's for sure a Stephen King vibe at work here. Told from multiple perspectives, The Bright Lands is a slow burn that eventually leads to something pretty horrific (and, much like in King novels, the most horrific things could be entirely feasible in real life, at least to a point).
Joel has returned to his small hometown in Texas after some concerning text messages from his younger brother, Dylan. You see, Dylan is the quarterback for the local high school football team. The most promising athlete to come out of their tiny town, with the NFL being a very real possibility in his future. But Dylan doesn't want to play football anymore, and he says a few things that remind Joel of why he left Bentley ten years before.
I won't spoil too much, but i'll give you a basic overview: Dylan goes missing. His friends and teammates seem to know more than they let on. Some of the adults are super shady and a little too involved with the lives of the local high school kids. I'll let you guess what happens from there, but I doubt you're right.
Some parts of this book are incredibly uncomfortable to read - it's one of those books where you're dying to know what happens but you're relieved to finish the book because the atmosphere is so creepy.
Content warning: racism, homophobia, sexual assault, hate crimes, drug addiction/abuse, the list goes on...
This was a wild book!! After the first 50 or so pages I read this in one sitting and was hooked until the very end. The mystery is super engrossing, the setting and characters are vivid and believable, and GOODNESS the end is insane. This would be an interesting book club read as it touches on critical issues of identity, social norms, and culture, while also being a thrilling plot — so much to discuss!!! I would highly recommend this to the right reader... maybe not for everyone.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A great debut and a solid thriller. I think this book had a lot to say (and did it well) and the mystery was layered and intriguing, but still easy to follow. The descriptions are by turn beautiful, poignant, and chilling, sometimes all of the above; I also think that the way John Fram speaks to shame/self-loathing tied with queerness was really moving.
While foreshadowed, I'm not sure that the supernatural element worked for me because I think it was fleshed out too late; I think it should've been revealed earlier on. Additionally, I think the cast of high schoolers should've been smaller and more time should have been spent developing the characters rather than flitting from POV to POV. All the same, this was really well written, had strong and engaging thematic cohesion, and I look forward to reading the author's next work. The audiobook was great.
While foreshadowed, I'm not sure that the supernatural element worked for me because I think it was fleshed out too late; I think it should've been revealed earlier on. Additionally, I think the cast of high schoolers should've been smaller and more time should have been spent developing the characters rather than flitting from POV to POV. All the same, this was really well written, had strong and engaging thematic cohesion, and I look forward to reading the author's next work. The audiobook was great.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
There are a lot of mixed reviews on this book and I think the reason is this: if you're not queer, this book isn't for you, and it doesn't care. That doesn't mean you CAN'T enjoy this book if you're not queer, it just means that it's not going to apologize and hold your hand. Additonally, if you aren't queer AND grew up in a small/medium town where high school football reigns supreme, you quite literally might just not get it.
This book is ultimately about internalized homophobia, toxic masculinity, and small town secrets closing the walls in around you. I won't spoil anything but I saw a review that called the supernatural elements a "twist" that happened 3/4ths of the way through, but I gotta say that that person just wasn't paying attention. There is spooky shit happening from chapter one, and it's not even that subtle.
I don't know. I really loved this. I thought the crime/thriller mystery elements were really well balanced with the horror-elements and the world building. I found the characters compelling even if they're not "likeable," and I couldn't stop reading it.
Note: I'm adding content warnings but the warnings themselves might spoil the book somewhat.
This book is ultimately about internalized homophobia, toxic masculinity, and small town secrets closing the walls in around you. I won't spoil anything but I saw a review that called the supernatural elements a "twist" that happened 3/4ths of the way through, but I gotta say that that person just wasn't paying attention. There is spooky shit happening from chapter one, and it's not even that subtle.
I don't know. I really loved this. I thought the crime/thriller mystery elements were really well balanced with the horror-elements and the world building. I found the characters compelling even if they're not "likeable," and I couldn't stop reading it.
Note: I'm adding content warnings but the warnings themselves might spoil the book somewhat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings
Minor: Suicide