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ruhika's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kitmdp's review
2.0
The Dunnie
by Keith Thompson
2 stars
This book was so out there and odd I feel like it was trying to send a different message but Ummm......
I have never read anything by Keith and it was exciting and intense. Keith's writing style is on point and has excellent visuals. The cover describes what the Dunnie looked like perfectly.
Horror creepy book definitely a must-read for any horror fans, I usually enjoy some horror but the only downfall was I couldn't connect with the characters.
Thank you, Net Galley, and Night Platform Book Company
by Keith Thompson
2 stars
This book was so out there and odd I feel like it was trying to send a different message but Ummm......
I have never read anything by Keith and it was exciting and intense. Keith's writing style is on point and has excellent visuals. The cover describes what the Dunnie looked like perfectly.
Horror creepy book definitely a must-read for any horror fans, I usually enjoy some horror but the only downfall was I couldn't connect with the characters.
Thank you, Net Galley, and Night Platform Book Company
sophee_568's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The Dunnie is Keith Thomas' debut novella. At 3:30 am on a November morning, Mary Schwob Arceneaux gets woken up by a loud noise. Seeing her husband, Franklin, isn't in bed, she goes downstairs to investigate. From inside the library, Mary hears Franklin talking to someone. Seconds later, she hears the sound of someone being sick and decides to knock on the door. The man who opens it isn't her husband, but a local witch - Terry "Goat" Pratt. He assures her everything is alright, shoves her out of the way, scratches her cheek in the process, and slams the door shut. Before Goat shut the door, Mary thought she saw a black figure next to one of the bookcases. Could she be imagining things?
Flashforward to 14 years later, we are introduced to one of Mary and Franklin's daughters, Beth, and her son Asher. They are on their way to Franklin's place for a visit. He has lived alone for years, and Beth and her sister Zoe think they should put him in a nursing home. Through Beth and Asher's conversation, we learn about Asher's troubles at school and Beth's anxiety about meeting her father. When they arrive at Franklin's house, Asher notices how his grandpa has changed due to his illness. The two of them engage in conversation, and Franklin casually asks Asher if he can hear breathing noises. They fall into complete silence, and the sounds of ragged breathing become louder. Franklin tells Asher that the Dunnie lives in the vents. Beth walks into the room, breaking the tension and ending the conversation. Franklin's mood shifts entirely, and he is his cheerful self again. At first, Asher thinks grandpa is only joking with him, but soon, he will be face to face with the monster.
The Dunnie is an interesting take on English-Scottish folklore. According to Thomas' afterword, dunnies can take many alternative forms: "the terrifying ghost of a 13th-century raider, a shape-changing plough-horse, a devious imp". Thomas admitted that he had to change up the monster to make it scarier in the eyes of modern readers. I think he did a good job.
The writing is the novella's strongest suit. It is descriptive and perfectly sets the overall creepy, condensed mood of the story, but not too much that it clogs the plot progression. The dunnie's descriptions were my favorite parts. "The thing shoved under the bookcase was squished so tight, so crammed in there, that its true shape and size were impossible to glean. Yet the more Asher stared at the Dunnie, the more it sunk deeper into the shadows. There was a sudden flash of wet eyes, a nail, a tooth, and then a sweep of tangled hair before it reversed back into the vent."
The characters are solid. The three main characters get enough backstories, making them feel realistic, but I struggled to care about them. I found it hard to emotionally connect to the story. About halfway into the story, Zoe and her partner Faith show up at Franklin's house. The two of them served almost no purpose in the story. Their arrival is pointless, as they are completely underdeveloped and don't do much to push the plot. That part could've been avoided or further expanded. As much as I enjoyed the story, nothing stood out to me in particular. The Dunnie is a typical monster horror with hints of family issues, verbal abuse, and grief. Horror is a great genre to explore those and other heavy topics with carefully crafted metaphors and analogies, but I think the Dunnie fell a bit short. I understand that not every novel needs to be "deep" and tackle delicate topics, some only serve to scare or shock, but it is my preference. This is not exactly my type of horror, although it is a fun and gripping story.
Flashforward to 14 years later, we are introduced to one of Mary and Franklin's daughters, Beth, and her son Asher. They are on their way to Franklin's place for a visit. He has lived alone for years, and Beth and her sister Zoe think they should put him in a nursing home. Through Beth and Asher's conversation, we learn about Asher's troubles at school and Beth's anxiety about meeting her father. When they arrive at Franklin's house, Asher notices how his grandpa has changed due to his illness. The two of them engage in conversation, and Franklin casually asks Asher if he can hear breathing noises. They fall into complete silence, and the sounds of ragged breathing become louder. Franklin tells Asher that the Dunnie lives in the vents. Beth walks into the room, breaking the tension and ending the conversation. Franklin's mood shifts entirely, and he is his cheerful self again. At first, Asher thinks grandpa is only joking with him, but soon, he will be face to face with the monster.
The Dunnie is an interesting take on English-Scottish folklore. According to Thomas' afterword, dunnies can take many alternative forms: "the terrifying ghost of a 13th-century raider, a shape-changing plough-horse, a devious imp". Thomas admitted that he had to change up the monster to make it scarier in the eyes of modern readers. I think he did a good job.
The writing is the novella's strongest suit. It is descriptive and perfectly sets the overall creepy, condensed mood of the story, but not too much that it clogs the plot progression. The dunnie's descriptions were my favorite parts. "The thing shoved under the bookcase was squished so tight, so crammed in there, that its true shape and size were impossible to glean. Yet the more Asher stared at the Dunnie, the more it sunk deeper into the shadows. There was a sudden flash of wet eyes, a nail, a tooth, and then a sweep of tangled hair before it reversed back into the vent."
The characters are solid. The three main characters get enough backstories, making them feel realistic, but I struggled to care about them. I found it hard to emotionally connect to the story. About halfway into the story, Zoe and her partner Faith show up at Franklin's house. The two of them served almost no purpose in the story. Their arrival is pointless, as they are completely underdeveloped and don't do much to push the plot. That part could've been avoided or further expanded. As much as I enjoyed the story, nothing stood out to me in particular. The Dunnie is a typical monster horror with hints of family issues, verbal abuse, and grief. Horror is a great genre to explore those and other heavy topics with carefully crafted metaphors and analogies, but I think the Dunnie fell a bit short. I understand that not every novel needs to be "deep" and tackle delicate topics, some only serve to scare or shock, but it is my preference. This is not exactly my type of horror, although it is a fun and gripping story.
leosthetics's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
dark, atmospheric, bloody. the dunnie is the first novella in, according to the author, what is going to be a series.
i was looking for a horror to start my horror reading and i got a copy of this via NetGalley. i guess, this was a good start for me as it was short, yet packed quiet a terrifying punch. i loved that it featured folklore, which is one of the things that fascinates me.
will i read more from this series? yes, would love to give the next story a try.
thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for an ARC. my horror journey starts here.
i was looking for a horror to start my horror reading and i got a copy of this via NetGalley. i guess, this was a good start for me as it was short, yet packed quiet a terrifying punch. i loved that it featured folklore, which is one of the things that fascinates me.
will i read more from this series? yes, would love to give the next story a try.
thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for an ARC. my horror journey starts here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse and Violence
certifiedbookdragon's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
No conozco mucho del folklore inglés/escocés, pero este libro hace un gran trabajo simplificándolo para los lectores que no están familiarizados con él. En mi opinión, eso y la atmósfera del libro son sus puntos más fuertes.
Es atrapante y francamente espeluznante. Con un ritmo rápido, te absorbe de una manera increíble y para cuando te das cuenta, ya lo terminaste.
En cierto modo me recordó un poco a Insomnia, más que nada por el manejo de la demencia y las imágenes que visualizaba todo el tiempo en mi mente mientras leía.
La caracterización de los personajes no me encantó. En este tipo de historias, fácilmente se puede caer en el error común de centrarse en la trama y olvidar un poco el desarrollo de los personajes y creo que sucedió aquí. Aunque es comprensible debido a lo corto que es el libro.
Me emociona saber que va a ser parte de una serie y espero que el autor explote mucho mejor a los personajes en futuros trabajos.
Muy recomendado si te gusta el terror ligero.
Thank you so much to the author, NetGalley, & Night Platform Book Company for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Es atrapante y francamente espeluznante. Con un ritmo rápido, te absorbe de una manera increíble y para cuando te das cuenta, ya lo terminaste.
En cierto modo me recordó un poco a Insomnia, más que nada por el manejo de la demencia y las imágenes que visualizaba todo el tiempo en mi mente mientras leía.
La caracterización de los personajes no me encantó. En este tipo de historias, fácilmente se puede caer en el error común de centrarse en la trama y olvidar un poco el desarrollo de los personajes y creo que sucedió aquí. Aunque es comprensible debido a lo corto que es el libro.
Me emociona saber que va a ser parte de una serie y espero que el autor explote mucho mejor a los personajes en futuros trabajos.
Muy recomendado si te gusta el terror ligero.
Thank you so much to the author, NetGalley, & Night Platform Book Company for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
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