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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Wow. Just wow. Great commentary on childhood, adulthood, destruction. Beloved childhood stories turn on their head. The Velveteen Rabbit meets Watership Down meets Lord of the Flies.
I think the charm of the book paved the way for popularity among peers, though it fell a little short for me, I'm sorry to say.
Too many opportunities were presented by the narrative to create a unique experience to match the unusual plot. However, failed to do so instead relying on tired tropes of the horror genre that served as little more than justification to said tropes.
The characters meant to survive did so continually through dei ex machina and plot armor to a point it became painfully predictable. The moment in which they'd hang their heads and accept their death, it would fail to arrive. Again and again. It becomes an Achilles heel to any moments of actual tension one might hold, dulling the scenes despite their circumstance. The other characters were nothing more than cannon fodder for a grinder that gave them hardly any grace of even remembering their names.
Despite this, I think the originality of the story did it's best despite predictable circumstances in its advertised genre. The word play felt clunky at times but never became hindered the narrative and the prose for the aforementioned story in the story, was beautifully crafted.
While many attributes were redeemable in what the final result achieved, it didn't manage to engage me as thoroughly as I wish it had.
Too many opportunities were presented by the narrative to create a unique experience to match the unusual plot. However, failed to do so instead relying on tired tropes of the horror genre that served as little more than justification to said tropes.
The characters meant to survive did so continually through dei ex machina and plot armor to a point it became painfully predictable. The moment in which they'd hang their heads and accept their death, it would fail to arrive. Again and again. It becomes an Achilles heel to any moments of actual tension one might hold, dulling the scenes despite their circumstance. The other characters were nothing more than cannon fodder for a grinder that gave them hardly any grace of even remembering their names.
Despite this, I think the originality of the story did it's best despite predictable circumstances in its advertised genre. The word play felt clunky at times but never became hindered the narrative and the prose for the aforementioned story in the story, was beautifully crafted.
While many attributes were redeemable in what the final result achieved, it didn't manage to engage me as thoroughly as I wish it had.
A very Good Tead
This was a very interesting tale. It started slow, but picked up and became very engaging. I recommend it highly.
This was a very interesting tale. It started slow, but picked up and became very engaging. I recommend it highly.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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:
No
A well-written novel of Wonderland meets General Zaroff's game, but not quite my cup of the Hatter's tea.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Winterset Hollow (by Jonathan Edward Durham) is an intriguing, gripping, brutal and unexpectedly tragic tale. I’ll confess, I went into this one unsure of what kind of horror story to expect, as I jumped right in without reading any blurbs or reviews. I like to be surprised.
The cover made me think folk horror, but no, what I got instead was a dark, heart-rending, sinister and violent story that felt like a childhood dream twisted into a brutal survival nightmare (think Beatrix Potter crossed with something like the Running Man). I don’t want to give anything more away, except to say I strongly recommend it.
It’s a story I found hard to put down, one of the most intriguing horror stories I have read in a long while, with some beautifully written prose, some truly shocking moments, and ‘villains’ that (ultimately) I found I could really relate to in the end. The book did leave me with some questions about the nature of those villains and the place they came from, but that doesn’t lessen the story – and life is better with some mystery left to it.
There is a definite cinematic quality to the book, and I can see this making a great film one day. But do yourself a favour, and read the book first – you are after all invited to the best and last meal of your life. It’s Barley Day. Enjoy (while you can).
The cover made me think folk horror, but no, what I got instead was a dark, heart-rending, sinister and violent story that felt like a childhood dream twisted into a brutal survival nightmare (think Beatrix Potter crossed with something like the Running Man). I don’t want to give anything more away, except to say I strongly recommend it.
It’s a story I found hard to put down, one of the most intriguing horror stories I have read in a long while, with some beautifully written prose, some truly shocking moments, and ‘villains’ that (ultimately) I found I could really relate to in the end. The book did leave me with some questions about the nature of those villains and the place they came from, but that doesn’t lessen the story – and life is better with some mystery left to it.
There is a definite cinematic quality to the book, and I can see this making a great film one day. But do yourself a favour, and read the book first – you are after all invited to the best and last meal of your life. It’s Barley Day. Enjoy (while you can).
I did not expect to shed a tear for the antagonists of this story, my friends, but by the end they had stolen more than my heart.
Jonathan Edward Durham has crafted a masterpiece with Winterset Hollow, and the terror that awaits you is so profound because it begs you to confront every mythological being you cherished as a child through the lens of adulthood… as you approach the age of the people who first shared those stories with you.
There is violence to be found on Addington Isle, cushioned inside prose that is both old world in style and refreshing in its directness. This book is the stuff of fairy tales interlaced with chainsaws.
Jonathan Edward Durham has crafted a masterpiece with Winterset Hollow, and the terror that awaits you is so profound because it begs you to confront every mythological being you cherished as a child through the lens of adulthood… as you approach the age of the people who first shared those stories with you.
There is violence to be found on Addington Isle, cushioned inside prose that is both old world in style and refreshing in its directness. This book is the stuff of fairy tales interlaced with chainsaws.
What if the location from your favorite childhood book was real? What if you could visit? What if the characters you cherished were secretly filled with bloodlust? Welcome to Winterset Hallow, where your sweet nostalgia turns into a nightmare!
“What’s the word? A hazard of humans? A plague of people? An infection of folk?”
What in the world did I just read? Something akin to Winnie the Pooh & friends gone feral. I’m not quite sure how to feel.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a weird & twisted plot - but this one was fairly predictable and the ending played out pretty much exactly as I expected. There were also a few loose ends I didn’t understand (primarily with Captain Gene and Olivia).
3/5⭐️
“What’s the word? A hazard of humans? A plague of people? An infection of folk?”
What in the world did I just read? Something akin to Winnie the Pooh & friends gone feral. I’m not quite sure how to feel.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a weird & twisted plot - but this one was fairly predictable and the ending played out pretty much exactly as I expected. There were also a few loose ends I didn’t understand (primarily with Captain Gene and Olivia).
3/5⭐️