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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
fracturing's review against another edition
2.0
I really liked it, and then all of a sudden the end is full of ghosts. Totally ruined it for me.