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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
Not one of his best
Too many loose ends and a lack of closure on certain details for my taste. Also a bit heavy on the religious themes, even for him.
Too many loose ends and a lack of closure on certain details for my taste. Also a bit heavy on the religious themes, even for him.
This book freaked me out. I could picture everything he described and everything about it was freaky. I won't be surprised to have a nightmare. I guess it's only flaw was that it was over too quickly. It could have continued to be built up to a worse climax. It is a story I could imagine being told at a campfire.
So this was one of the novels I picked up on sale the other day, and started it one quiet afternoon at work, and breezed through it and was done that evening. It was a fast read. I understand that this was initially released under a pseudonym (Owen West). I haven't actually really read any Koontz novel aside from The Bad Place, and I thought this was not the worst place to pick up after that (though I am gearing up to get to the Odd Thomas books). Reading The Funhouse, the novel never really gives too much meat to anything, which is alright. This doesn't come across as a heavy read. It is entertaining, and keeps you engaged, and flows well, and when I read the afterword the style totally made sense to me (seeing how it was a novel adapted from a script for a movie). I cannot say that I was a fan of Liz's character at all, she grated on me, and there weren't any characters you really rooted for. It's like you feel sorry for Amy, but she made her choices. I think the one character that does stick with you is Joey, and that is due to the immense amounts of pity I felt for that kid. Shame. I loved reading about the carnival, I always find it fascinating, and wish there was more of that. However, as I understand it, there is another novel from Koontz that focuses more on that, so I will have to get my hands on it. There was nothing revolutionary about the characters, and I liked how the whole story wasn't really revealed, just enough, though I really would have appreciated more of a wrap up at the end of it all. I see the book gets a lot of flak, which I don't get, because it is just a breezy, fun, quick novel to take in. I suppose if people went in expecting more bang for their buck, they would be disappointed. But really. I must say, that while the book barreled along and it was unbelievable yet entertaining, I was really disappointed by the rush job ending that was tacked in here. I mean really, things had been alluded to and this epic conclusion was building, and it was handled in a few pages. I knew it couldn't bode well when all the dramatics were in full swing and there were only a few pages left. Oh well. There were plenty little things that I could quickly and easily refer back to other horrors, but like I say, this isn't a read that needs to be taken too seriously or thought on too much. It feels like a long short story, if you catch my meaning, so not everything is as fleshed out as it could be. Just go with the flow, and you will have a quick filler read.
Entertaining to listen to the audiobook on a road trip, but the story is SUPER trope-y.
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rather formulaic but a decent little horror story nonetheless; possesses all the makings of a teen slasher movie - which I did not realise it was also adapted into until reading Koontz's afterword, so I will absolutely be checking that out.
The afterword also provides some transparency regarding the authors motivation for writing this novel and, unfortunately, The Funhouse mostly being written for the paycheck is rather telling; the plot is pretty hollow and built entirely upon the vengeful but longwinded motives of the antagonist.
I believe this is the second book by Koontz that I've read and though I do enjoy his writing, much like with Phantoms, once I had a strong idea of where things were headed I didn't care very much about the goings-on in-between.
2.5 stars. It was fine but Koontz believes to have put his extensive research on carnival life to better use in his later book, Twilight Eyes ,so I think I'll check that one out at some point...
The afterword also provides some transparency regarding the authors motivation for writing this novel and, unfortunately, The Funhouse mostly being written for the paycheck is rather telling; the plot is pretty hollow and built entirely upon the vengeful but longwinded motives of the antagonist.
I believe this is the second book by Koontz that I've read and though I do enjoy his writing, much like with Phantoms, once I had a strong idea of where things were headed I didn't care very much about the goings-on in-between.
2.5 stars. It was fine but Koontz believes to have put his extensive research on carnival life to better use in his later book, Twilight Eyes ,so I think I'll check that one out at some point...
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay…this book is conflicting. On one hand, super creepy and interesting. On the other, lacking in details and the end was anticlimactic. Overall, just alright.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Murder
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I understand this was written in the 80s so some of the references to women may be a little 🤔.. but what got me was the end of the book. It felt like there should’ve been a little more explanation in the end. And the way the antagonist die is just kind of easy and dumb.