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2.76 AVERAGE
2.76 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
This marks my fifth book by Eric LaRocca, & it’s by far my favorite. LaRocca’s books are meant to be unpleasant. It is an unconventional experience of horror, with intent to provoke & spark reactions that warrant deep reflection. I think knowing that while going into his books is imperative.
The societal issues explored via allegories throughout this book were so heavy & LaRocca’s prose was executed meticulously. It was compelling & resonating. Not every reader will be comfortable exploring bleak themes (explore possible triggers) with the purpose of shining light on the complexities of the human experience; but sitting with that vulnerability is also what so many people actually need in order to build stronger foundations of empathy & understanding that reach across the table; a purposeful reflection on society & impacts of intolerance. Breaking away from the formulaic horror experience, this narrative throws you into its world & you can’t help but meander around with the characters as their stories unfold. I was immersed & locked in.
LaRocca naturally blends LGTBQ+ representation into the narrative, free from the cliche harmful stereotypes. It was refreshing to see proper representation throughout the book, as well as such creative execution of the many allegories to bring light to such darkness. As an anthropologist and history bookworm, I found my chest filling with emotions directly relating to the character’s experience as their worlds suffocated & ached along with fragile hope & love.
The prominent themes of bigotry, grief, & supernatural did not overshadow the themes of isolation & the overall nature of evil, as I predicted they might of as the narrative’s exploration of modalities continued. I appreciated that so many themes were interwoven into such little page quantity, yet it was perfect length to produce a satisfying & engaging story all the way through to meet its conclusion.
I found myself not wanting anything more or anything less out of it. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, riding the whole spectrum from negative to neutral to positive & back; which is not something typically experienced out of the horror genre.
I also appreciated that the audiobook ending was completely different compared to the physical book ending, each allowing their own interpretations of the conclusions of the narrative as a whole, & allows listeners/readers to conclude which themes to align with. I liked both endings equally, one sinister compared to the other, yet dutifully challenges & elevates the importance of the light the darkness consistently battles.
This book has rightfully claimed its place in my top 10 favorite books.
The societal issues explored via allegories throughout this book were so heavy & LaRocca’s prose was executed meticulously. It was compelling & resonating. Not every reader will be comfortable exploring bleak themes (explore possible triggers) with the purpose of shining light on the complexities of the human experience; but sitting with that vulnerability is also what so many people actually need in order to build stronger foundations of empathy & understanding that reach across the table; a purposeful reflection on society & impacts of intolerance. Breaking away from the formulaic horror experience, this narrative throws you into its world & you can’t help but meander around with the characters as their stories unfold. I was immersed & locked in.
LaRocca naturally blends LGTBQ+ representation into the narrative, free from the cliche harmful stereotypes. It was refreshing to see proper representation throughout the book, as well as such creative execution of the many allegories to bring light to such darkness. As an anthropologist and history bookworm, I found my chest filling with emotions directly relating to the character’s experience as their worlds suffocated & ached along with fragile hope & love.
The prominent themes of bigotry, grief, & supernatural did not overshadow the themes of isolation & the overall nature of evil, as I predicted they might of as the narrative’s exploration of modalities continued. I appreciated that so many themes were interwoven into such little page quantity, yet it was perfect length to produce a satisfying & engaging story all the way through to meet its conclusion.
I found myself not wanting anything more or anything less out of it. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, riding the whole spectrum from negative to neutral to positive & back; which is not something typically experienced out of the horror genre.
I also appreciated that the audiobook ending was completely different compared to the physical book ending, each allowing their own interpretations of the conclusions of the narrative as a whole, & allows listeners/readers to conclude which themes to align with. I liked both endings equally, one sinister compared to the other, yet dutifully challenges & elevates the importance of the light the darkness consistently battles.
This book has rightfully claimed its place in my top 10 favorite books.
I was left with so many questions by the end of this book that just never really got resolved or clarified or really addressed at all. Like what are the little wraiths, why does Ghost have one, and why does Piper, why doesn’t everyone? What were the followers for? Were they sacrifices that failed? What does Malik and Brett have to do with this story at all? Why is there needless violence against a gay couple if really the only story pay out for it is that Ghost stops being selfish and wishes to erase their agony instead of his own? If that is what the story was trying to get at why did we have to read so much about Malik’s torture?
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
The book had me twisted! The first hour or so was a bit slow. But was needed to set up characters. Once the plot started moving, I listened to this in just a few sessions. This got disturbing and actually scary- the racism, anxiety, fear. Our main character ghost has such a sweet heart. I was scared for Malik and Brett. Glad the story didn’t end devasting. I wanna check out more Eric Larocca books.
Forced myself to finish because it was clear I could in one sitting. Nothing worthwhile was built, and there were two, mostly unrelated narratives going on. How they come together is incredibly pointless. Too much for something so short.
As the horrors come to a climax, it's almost comical how absurd the small deus ex machina is. This is apparently the version with an alternate ending (and only the alternate, if you were wondering), and I'm not sure it makes it any better.
And of note, this needs another pass through by an editor. Quite a few typos littered throughout.
All in all, just an edgy little book that misses the mark on substance.
As the horrors come to a climax, it's almost comical how absurd the small deus ex machina is. This is apparently the version with an alternate ending (and only the alternate, if you were wondering), and I'm not sure it makes it any better.
And of note, this needs another pass through by an editor. Quite a few typos littered throughout.
All in all, just an edgy little book that misses the mark on substance.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
uh… it was well written. not scary at all just brutal and bleak and horrible with no light at all at the end of the tunnel. left me with a sick pit in my stomach. horror or trauma porn? we may never know. gonna have to process this one and the subject matter to try and find some deeper meaning in what i just read, beyond just vicious shock value.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
medium-paced