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franuary's review against another edition
3.0
Lauren Beukes (The Shining Girls) adds a supernatural twist to the police procedural/serial killer genre in this paranormal crime-noir set in Detroit. Told from varying perspectives, including the killer’s point of view, Beukes deftly weaves together a complex narrative toward a conclusion that merges all storylines. Detective Gabi Versado is a divorced mother dealing with increased pressure at work (she’s chasing an exceptionally twisted killer who attaches his human kills to animal remains) and at home (her teenage daughter Layla is trying to entrap criminals of her own online). TK is a former criminal turned helper to the homeless, but he begins to sense something unnatural on the streets where he lives. Jonno, a recent New York City transplant, is desperate for his 15 minutes of fame, and he finds it by chronicling the recent killings on the internet. And there’s the artist, a man whose grip on reality and humanity is tested as he becomes possessed by a compulsion to kill.
I thought that Broken Monsters was beautifully written. Beukes does a fantastic job of telling varied, seemingly unrelated stories and making each one as exciting as the next. In books with this many points of view, I often find that there are at least one or two characters that aren’t fully fleshed out or draw the short end of the narrative, but Beukes was incredibly consistent. I was genuinely invested in each character.
My one gripe with Broken Monsters: it wasn’t clear from the description I read that this was a paranormal mystery. The paranormal elements didn’t appear in full until the end of the book, which, not knowing that supernatural elements were present, was incredibly confusing. There were some hints at the paranormal throughout, but I thought that the author was taking license with certain elements or was relating how madness was experienced by a character. Bascially, I was Scullying the entire book, coming up with logical solutions to explain the crazy (Hallucinogens! Photoshop! Undiagnosed brain tumor!). I wish I’d known that this wasn’t a standard thriller going in; I think that I would have enjoyed it even more that I did.
In many ways, the events of this book take place both in the real world and in the digital world. Sections of the book are told through texts, through online messages, and through a Reddit Q&A. One character live streams events online and covers the killings on his YouTube channel. Internet memes are also referenced frequently. While I wouldn’t say that this book is solely for digital natives, there are certainly parallels drawn between the version of reality we experience online and the version we experience in person, and this part of the story may be lost on readers who can’t tell Tumblr from Twitter. Still, Beukes’ writing and the unique story will captivate all readers interested in paranormal crime, and should convert many who are accustomed to more vanilla thrillers.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Mulholland Books and to NetGalley for the advance copy!
I thought that Broken Monsters was beautifully written. Beukes does a fantastic job of telling varied, seemingly unrelated stories and making each one as exciting as the next. In books with this many points of view, I often find that there are at least one or two characters that aren’t fully fleshed out or draw the short end of the narrative, but Beukes was incredibly consistent. I was genuinely invested in each character.
My one gripe with Broken Monsters: it wasn’t clear from the description I read that this was a paranormal mystery. The paranormal elements didn’t appear in full until the end of the book, which, not knowing that supernatural elements were present, was incredibly confusing. There were some hints at the paranormal throughout, but I thought that the author was taking license with certain elements or was relating how madness was experienced by a character. Bascially, I was Scullying the entire book, coming up with logical solutions to explain the crazy (Hallucinogens! Photoshop! Undiagnosed brain tumor!). I wish I’d known that this wasn’t a standard thriller going in; I think that I would have enjoyed it even more that I did.
In many ways, the events of this book take place both in the real world and in the digital world. Sections of the book are told through texts, through online messages, and through a Reddit Q&A. One character live streams events online and covers the killings on his YouTube channel. Internet memes are also referenced frequently. While I wouldn’t say that this book is solely for digital natives, there are certainly parallels drawn between the version of reality we experience online and the version we experience in person, and this part of the story may be lost on readers who can’t tell Tumblr from Twitter. Still, Beukes’ writing and the unique story will captivate all readers interested in paranormal crime, and should convert many who are accustomed to more vanilla thrillers.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Mulholland Books and to NetGalley for the advance copy!
tazgoda's review against another edition
4.0
a little all over the place, a lot of characters to keep track of, but really interesting concept and story.
srhhelm's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ciciwilkie's review against another edition
4.0
The reviews were so mixed but I would say this pleasantly surprised me. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend though I will say it could be triggering in many ways.
There was a lot of violence from the grisly deaths but also the teen girls dabbling in the dark side of the internet. From pedophiles, sexual assault, to a possessed serial killer this book has a lot going on.
The story slowly builds, which I know some people don't like but I enjoyed getting to know all the character's storylines and seeing them weave together later on. I felt like the characters were realistic, they had flaws and traits you could relate to and the city of Detroit is described so well.
I liked connecting the dots and I enjoyed the writing though it was dark. I listened on audio and at one time the C word was said probably 20 times and I was glad I work at home alone.
I'm not sure I'd put this in the horror genre. It felt more like a detective mystery thriller with a supernatural element. I will definitely be checking out this authors other works.
There was a lot of violence from the grisly deaths but also the teen girls dabbling in the dark side of the internet. From pedophiles, sexual assault, to a possessed serial killer this book has a lot going on.
The story slowly builds, which I know some people don't like but I enjoyed getting to know all the character's storylines and seeing them weave together later on. I felt like the characters were realistic, they had flaws and traits you could relate to and the city of Detroit is described so well.
I liked connecting the dots and I enjoyed the writing though it was dark. I listened on audio and at one time the C word was said probably 20 times and I was glad I work at home alone.
I'm not sure I'd put this in the horror genre. It felt more like a detective mystery thriller with a supernatural element. I will definitely be checking out this authors other works.
thebobsphere's review against another edition
4.0
I generally read one horror/thriller novel a year - mainly because I can't seem to find any I like ( this year it was Night Film) but the blurb of Broken Monsters got me right away - freaks! social media! art! detectives! yes!
One morning when a dead boy is discovered by a detective, it sets off an investigation which takes the squad to a twisted world filled with artists, when the murders become more deranged , the squad become so determned to catch the person that any notion of ethics is thrown away.
Not only that but there are several inter-connected subplots - all which deal with the killer.
Broken monsters contains some very good plot twists - Beukes is great at leading you down a path and then making you discover that it was a false one. Her characters are believable and I like the way that she integrates social media (which is criticised in the novel) into the plot.
The only thing that's stopping me from giving this five stars is because the ending seemed a bit carelessly written but dammit I finished it in a few days. Totally addictive.
One morning when a dead boy is discovered by a detective, it sets off an investigation which takes the squad to a twisted world filled with artists, when the murders become more deranged , the squad become so determned to catch the person that any notion of ethics is thrown away.
Not only that but there are several inter-connected subplots - all which deal with the killer.
Broken monsters contains some very good plot twists - Beukes is great at leading you down a path and then making you discover that it was a false one. Her characters are believable and I like the way that she integrates social media (which is criticised in the novel) into the plot.
The only thing that's stopping me from giving this five stars is because the ending seemed a bit carelessly written but dammit I finished it in a few days. Totally addictive.
natashia8911's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a good serial killer book until you got to the last 60 pages. I was disappointed that a book with no magic suddenly made the whole idea of the book turn into a magical concept. Overall, though, I love her writing and can never put down the books she writes!
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
Don’t make the mistake of judging Broken Monsters on the first few chapters. It starts off like any other serial killer thriller and you may start to wonder if Lauren Beukes has turned her pen to vanilla crime fiction. There a single parent detective, a down on his luck journalist and a group of people on the edges of society. However it’s one of those books that just gets better and better as the story unfolds. Keep turning the pages to reveal a serial killer yarn intertwined with social commentary on the internet age against a backdrop of urban decay.
Where The Shining Girls was firmly rooted in the past, Broken Monsters is very much in the now. Lauren writes modern life so well with so many observations that make you think or nod in agreement. Both the journalist and the artists struggle with the quest for originality; everything has been done before and everyone can have an audience via digital media. How do you stand out? How do you make a living? There’s comments on everything from self-publishing and cyber bullying to dwindling attention spans and competition for audience.
he book can probably be read in two ways. It’s an engaging thriller that gets seriously creepy in places. I got a bit freaked out reading it late at night with the windows open. On the other hand, there’s a metaphor within the pages; a message about how we live our digital lives. Something that if you spend any significant amount of time on social media, you will no doubt recognise.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Where The Shining Girls was firmly rooted in the past, Broken Monsters is very much in the now. Lauren writes modern life so well with so many observations that make you think or nod in agreement. Both the journalist and the artists struggle with the quest for originality; everything has been done before and everyone can have an audience via digital media. How do you stand out? How do you make a living? There’s comments on everything from self-publishing and cyber bullying to dwindling attention spans and competition for audience.
he book can probably be read in two ways. It’s an engaging thriller that gets seriously creepy in places. I got a bit freaked out reading it late at night with the windows open. On the other hand, there’s a metaphor within the pages; a message about how we live our digital lives. Something that if you spend any significant amount of time on social media, you will no doubt recognise.
Review copy provided by publisher.
foofers1622's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book for my libraries Horror Book Clob.
Wow. This was such a great twisted book that I couldn't put down. Lauren does a great job showing how busted up and sad Detroit has got. I loved the paranormal twist at the end. Can't wait to read her other books!
Wow. This was such a great twisted book that I couldn't put down. Lauren does a great job showing how busted up and sad Detroit has got. I loved the paranormal twist at the end. Can't wait to read her other books!
bgrilley's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
yumehasaigo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0