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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I really like the first 2/3 of this book.
Now, admittedly, I have a hard time keeping track of heavy action sequences but wow I felt like I needed a map and a character description list in the climax of this book. There are just SO MANY characters in this book and I only actually got to know a couple of them well enough to really care about them. Overall the writing is good. The style is very Stephen King in a good way but there was just too much going on for me to keep up with once stuff went down.
Now, admittedly, I have a hard time keeping track of heavy action sequences but wow I felt like I needed a map and a character description list in the climax of this book. There are just SO MANY characters in this book and I only actually got to know a couple of them well enough to really care about them. Overall the writing is good. The style is very Stephen King in a good way but there was just too much going on for me to keep up with once stuff went down.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
not for me
Ugh. The beginning- great. The middle- boring. The end- weird. Should have put this one down.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am a sucker for unique stories, that still have their bases rooted in reality. I feel that it's easier to create a novel fashioned out of cookie cutter formulas (not that it's easy, you don't see any published by me). But that's what draws me to the more unique story tellers. There is a lot of buzz about this book, and many say it is reminiscent of a Stephen King book, and I can see that. I liked it's pacing, and it's relatability. The mystery kept me guessing and kept me interested in what was going on. I also really enjoyed the touch of supernatural things going on as well. For a debut novel, I would say that John Fram has knocked it out of the park, even knowing that is completely the wrong metaphor.
Rounding up because I really liked Fram’s voice and would read him again in a heartbeat. The Stephen King comparisons are right on. This was engrossing, disturbing, well paced, BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH GOING ON AT THE END. Ambitious number of plots, characters, and subgenres. Y’know, your average sports drama/LGBTQ drama/thriller/crime procedural/horror novel.
It was alright. I especially enjoyed the supernatural twist at the end, although I could guess the cult-stuff if not really the entire supernatural-nature of it. Something just didn't quite work for me with the story (maybe it was just all the American football lol), although the writing was decent. Still, I hope to read more gay horror! Hopefully the author has more.
John Fram has written an excellent debut novel. From the first page, I was hooked. Joel Whitley, the main character, returns to his small hometown in Texas. I could immediately relate since I come from a small homophobic southern town. The book quickly becomes a mystery with well developed side characters. By the end of the book, the reader is invested in these characters. It is a page-turner.
The book can be categorized as a mystery/thriller/supernatural. I love that it is unabashedly queer. Hurray John Fram for bringing this book to us readers.
There are trigger warnings for violence, sex, and strong language.
Thank you, NetGalley for providing the advanced reader’s copy.
The book can be categorized as a mystery/thriller/supernatural. I love that it is unabashedly queer. Hurray John Fram for bringing this book to us readers.
There are trigger warnings for violence, sex, and strong language.
Thank you, NetGalley for providing the advanced reader’s copy.
I enjoyed this page-turner although there were too many characters to keep track of.