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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
Fantastic book. It gripped me from the beginning. I could feel myself getting creeped out and I loved it. Spooky, supernatural. I was angry at characters at times, it played like a movie in my head. This book was awesome, I hope they make a horror movie out of it!
Fantastic book. It gripped me from the beginning. I could feel myself getting creeped out and I loved it. Spooky, supernatural. I was angry at characters at times, it played like a movie in my head. This book was awesome, I hope they make a horror movie out of it!
dark
medium-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It seemed to have some trouble finding itself, mixing Appalachia folklore/horror with a depressed and messed up grieving family. Rachel Kennan is the police chief of a small Virginian town--she and her family are outsiders to the locals, even with the death of their young son, Aiden. Aiden died in a car accident while his father, Finn, was driving drunk. Younger daughter Lucy survived, and Rachel and Finn are making it day-to-day for their daughters, even though Rachel resents Finn so completely for the loss of their son.
Gunn mixes Rachel and Finn's grief with a story rooted in local folklore: a terrifying thing/spirit in the woods, luring children into the forest, igniting hatred and violence throughout the town.
This is a truly horrible and dark story--it does not commit fully to horror or its character-driven plot, but either way, it's violent and awful, full of blood and gore. The characters are pretty mean and terrible, too. Even with the loss of her son, it's impossible to sympathize with Rachel, who comes across as a cheater and a mean, hateful person. She and Finn are terrible parents; honestly, it's not surprising their children want to turn into demons.
This story made me cringe many times and not because of its creepiness. It would have benefited from committing to a character-driven tale, focusing on Rachel and Finn's grief and outsider status in town and deeper points about exclusion of what is different leading to hate. Or, it could have gone fully into the horror story, really embracing the kids and demons. Blending both is a lot, making the plot feel choppy, uneven, and long.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in return for an unbiased review.
Gunn mixes Rachel and Finn's grief with a story rooted in local folklore: a terrifying thing/spirit in the woods, luring children into the forest, igniting hatred and violence throughout the town.
This is a truly horrible and dark story--it does not commit fully to horror or its character-driven plot, but either way, it's violent and awful, full of blood and gore. The characters are pretty mean and terrible, too. Even with the loss of her son, it's impossible to sympathize with Rachel, who comes across as a cheater and a mean, hateful person. She and Finn are terrible parents; honestly, it's not surprising their children want to turn into demons.
This story made me cringe many times and not because of its creepiness. It would have benefited from committing to a character-driven tale, focusing on Rachel and Finn's grief and outsider status in town and deeper points about exclusion of what is different leading to hate. Or, it could have gone fully into the horror story, really embracing the kids and demons. Blending both is a lot, making the plot feel choppy, uneven, and long.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in return for an unbiased review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Grief
3.75 rounded up
Nowhere by Allison Gunn is a well-done, eerie thriller that gave me strong True Detective vibes. Even though I’m not usually into procedurals, this one kept me hooked with its unsettling atmosphere and slow-burn tension. The mystery is layered and the writing is sharp.
Nowhere by Allison Gunn is a well-done, eerie thriller that gave me strong True Detective vibes. Even though I’m not usually into procedurals, this one kept me hooked with its unsettling atmosphere and slow-burn tension. The mystery is layered and the writing is sharp.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
slow-paced