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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
dark
tense
medium-paced
This one was alright, I enjoyed the imagery and the suspense of what was in the chest. It was a bit difficult to follow (audiobook) but that could just be a me issue. I’d recommend to anyone that likes “old west” media with a splash of suspense.
The first half was sooo good, but I wanted some more gore and terror in the second half
Ever read a book that just sits with ya? Stays in your bone marrow and simmers? That’s what this one did for me. A genuine sense of familial and female rage that can only come from someone familiar with eldest daughter syndrome. A story filled with things some of us wished society would allow. Filled with stories of misfits and misplaced leadership, and a general feeling and wonder of if the author meant this as a map for those of us feeling left out and abandoned by this ongoing political hellscape. I’m in awe of this book and so very glad it found me.
I couldn’t remember why I had requested this book from the library and when it as available the horror/fantasy tag almost made me not read it. That would have been a big mistake! Adelaide, a 31 yo Black woman walks away from her home that is totally destroyed and moves to homestead a piece of land in Montana. Her experiences with the land, the people and the assorted demons everyone Carrie’s are gripping. I highly recommend this book.
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It started out interesting. Read 100 pages in a day. And then it went downhill. So many characters and no development. Just reveal after reveal. The horror element lost its intrigue. All the interesting parts were dealt with later in an aftermath perspective which loss the thrill part. What was this book? It wasn’t that suspenseful as it went on. Cutting away to try and keep suspense but just got annoying. The townspeople turned into cartoon villains. Yes it was fear of the other but the “were all stranglers now” made me want to roll my eyes. Maybe 100 more pages to flush things out so I wasn’t sitting there. Like everything felt rushed and unearned at the end. Ugh.
This book really focused on a lot of messages and would have worked much better for me if it had focused on the Adelaide and Elizabeth and the fear of the other. Instead it was an everything salad.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book feels like a quiet story that sneaks up on you, shifting between historical fiction and horror with a seamless ease. I appreciated the focus on isolation, both physical and emotional, and how it plays into Adelaide’s journey. The supernatural elements are handled with restraint, which makes them all the more unsettling when they appear.
It understands that the scariest thing isn’t always the monster but the structures that shape people’s lives. There’s a running thread of survival and reinvention, of what it means to carry a past you can’t escape but still have to live with.
It understands that the scariest thing isn’t always the monster but the structures that shape people’s lives. There’s a running thread of survival and reinvention, of what it means to carry a past you can’t escape but still have to live with.
I don't know why but as soon as the central mystery was somewhat revealed I completely lost interest in this book. It's well written I think I just don't like horror as a book genre (especially not for audio).
Not a bad book just not for me.
Not a bad book just not for me.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was a little disappointed by the ending, but the book is tense, weird, can be extremely gory, and I STRONGLY suspect I am
Missing a great deal of subtext that would add a lot more depth to the book
Missing a great deal of subtext that would add a lot more depth to the book
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
I enjoyed the book. Took a while to reach the end. Loved the community and the idea that you look after others and literally you reap what you sow.