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fivestillalive's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book is definitely... in its genre. If it’s the genre you’re looking for, this is going to hit the spot!
If, on the other hand, you completely misunderstood the synopsis you were told, and were expecting a supernatural twist, you’re going to be pretty disappointed! XD
This is definitely not my type of book, but it had some interesting parts, and some good feral feelings at times.
If, on the other hand, you completely misunderstood the synopsis you were told, and were expecting a supernatural twist, you’re going to be pretty disappointed! XD
This is definitely not my type of book, but it had some interesting parts, and some good feral feelings at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
spiritismus's review
5.0
Een boek over de rauwe wildernis van Alaska, waar de ene wereld langs de andere schuurt, waar de scheidingslijn tussen dier en mens vervaagt. De natuur is een monster, maar klopt dat wel? Is de mens niet veel monsterlijker? Een boek over mensen aan de rand van het bestaan. Een boek over wolven.
Prachtig (en wreed).
Prachtig (en wreed).
juliechristinejohnson's review
4.0
"The dead don't haunt the living. The living haunt themselves."
In the tradition of David Vann, Daniel Woodrell, Denis Johnson and Cormac McCarthy, William Giraldi writes of evil things set in terrible, beautiful landscapes where secrets are easy to hide and humanity rots in cellars and forests or is beset upon by wild animals that feast on the carrion of our nightmares.
Hold the Dark is a sort of Revenant for the modern age, a tale of beasts and hunting, snow and corrupt hearts. It did not surprise me to learn this 2014 novel was quickly optioned and the film is currently in production. The setting is a vibrant, wretched character in its own right, the pacing breathless, plot idiosyncratic, characters iconic.
The premise starts, takes a radical shift to the left, and never entirely returns, but it is this: In a remote village in the Alaskan wilds, wolves are stealing children. Medora Slone, a mother of one of the stolen, calls upon world-renowned wolf expert Russell Core to find her child's killer. What Core, who at sixty is hollowed out by his own tragedies, finds waiting for him in Keelut sets off a search through Alaskan backcountry that is painted in a nightmare of black and white and blood all over. Oddly, Core's character shifts into the shadows; he is replaced on center stage by Vernon Slone, Medora's husband, returned from a war in a distant desert to find his wife missing and his only child dead.
There are so many trigger warnings to this novel that you really should just stay away if violence troubles you as a reader. Shades of Deliverance, of Blood Meridian—you get the picture. Sadly, what you won't get by avoiding this novel is Giraldi's taut, shimmering prose. His language is hypnotic and mythic and worth the price of a cruel and dreadful story. Good luck.
In the tradition of David Vann, Daniel Woodrell, Denis Johnson and Cormac McCarthy, William Giraldi writes of evil things set in terrible, beautiful landscapes where secrets are easy to hide and humanity rots in cellars and forests or is beset upon by wild animals that feast on the carrion of our nightmares.
Hold the Dark is a sort of Revenant for the modern age, a tale of beasts and hunting, snow and corrupt hearts. It did not surprise me to learn this 2014 novel was quickly optioned and the film is currently in production. The setting is a vibrant, wretched character in its own right, the pacing breathless, plot idiosyncratic, characters iconic.
The premise starts, takes a radical shift to the left, and never entirely returns, but it is this: In a remote village in the Alaskan wilds, wolves are stealing children. Medora Slone, a mother of one of the stolen, calls upon world-renowned wolf expert Russell Core to find her child's killer. What Core, who at sixty is hollowed out by his own tragedies, finds waiting for him in Keelut sets off a search through Alaskan backcountry that is painted in a nightmare of black and white and blood all over. Oddly, Core's character shifts into the shadows; he is replaced on center stage by Vernon Slone, Medora's husband, returned from a war in a distant desert to find his wife missing and his only child dead.
There are so many trigger warnings to this novel that you really should just stay away if violence troubles you as a reader. Shades of Deliverance, of Blood Meridian—you get the picture. Sadly, what you won't get by avoiding this novel is Giraldi's taut, shimmering prose. His language is hypnotic and mythic and worth the price of a cruel and dreadful story. Good luck.
rosseroo's review
4.0
I suppose if I knew anything about ancient Greek drama, I would be able to make some connections to this dark story set in the Alaskan tundra. It certainly carries the weight, darkness, and bloodiness that I associate with Greek tragedies. Alas, I am not steeped in the classics, and am thus forced to draw comparisons with Cormac McCarthy and the underrated Liam Neeson film, The Grey.
The story begins in the small Alaskan town of Keelut, where three children have been taken by wolves. The mother of one of the missing children implores an aging wolf expert to come help her find the one that killed her little boy. Grieving and aimless in the wake losing his wife to Alzheimer's, the wolf expert comes to town and makes a shocking discovery.
Meanwhile, the father of the boy is making his way back from Iraq (Odyssey reference, right?), discharged from the Army with a Purple Heart. As soon as he arrives, the wolf expert who has been the protagonist is kind of dumped to the background and doesn't reappear for the entire middle of the book. Instead, the father and his boon childhood companion hook up and lots of people start getting killed, with the local sheriff in pursuit.
Mixed in with this rampage is a bunch of heavy mumbo-jumbo involving wolf masks which, again, if I'd read my ancient Greeks, might be more meaningful than hokey.The climax brings the father and wolf expert together in the wilderness, as both seek out the missing mother and there's another twist -- albeit one that's been heavily hinted at, so I suspect most readers will see it coming.
I have to confess that although I liked the writing and appreciated the heavy mood of the story, I'm not quite sure what to make of it all by the end. It's tempting to try and find some way to unlock it as an allegory about modern America, but I'm not convinced that's the right direction. It's the rare kind of book that makes me want to find some interviews with the author to see how he talks about it. Recommended for readers who like dark and bloody stories that only involve human monsters.
The story begins in the small Alaskan town of Keelut, where three children have been taken by wolves. The mother of one of the missing children implores an aging wolf expert to come help her find the one that killed her little boy. Grieving and aimless in the wake losing his wife to Alzheimer's, the wolf expert comes to town and makes a shocking discovery.
Meanwhile, the father of the boy is making his way back from Iraq (Odyssey reference, right?), discharged from the Army with a Purple Heart. As soon as he arrives, the wolf expert who has been the protagonist is kind of dumped to the background and doesn't reappear for the entire middle of the book. Instead, the father and his boon childhood companion hook up and lots of people start getting killed, with the local sheriff in pursuit.
Mixed in with this rampage is a bunch of heavy mumbo-jumbo involving wolf masks which, again, if I'd read my ancient Greeks, might be more meaningful than hokey.The climax brings the father and wolf expert together in the wilderness, as both seek out the missing mother and there's another twist -- albeit one that's been heavily hinted at, so I suspect most readers will see it coming.
I have to confess that although I liked the writing and appreciated the heavy mood of the story, I'm not quite sure what to make of it all by the end. It's tempting to try and find some way to unlock it as an allegory about modern America, but I'm not convinced that's the right direction. It's the rare kind of book that makes me want to find some interviews with the author to see how he talks about it. Recommended for readers who like dark and bloody stories that only involve human monsters.
leifq's review
5.0
I read Busy Monsters last year and thought that it would be impossible to be surprised by quality in his next book I thought so much of it.
I was wrong.
Giraldi is a massive talent. Hold the Dark is best described as propulsive. Opening to the first page and beginning is as if pulling the rip-string of a child’s toy top, beginning its spinning dance across your tabletop. Putting the book down at any time feels uncomfortable, unnatural - as if the book is spinning along without you. Giraldi is my nomination for the best young author working. To my eye, only Colson Whitehead is in the discussion but has no serious claim. Hold the Dark is perfectly constructed with all that seems nihilistic and without point easily understood by the end. No thread is left dangling and though it is a despairing, violent ride, it feels necessary somehow - cousin to “Blood Meridian” in its atmosphere and immediacy if not quite stature. Just an incredible book.
I was wrong.
Giraldi is a massive talent. Hold the Dark is best described as propulsive. Opening to the first page and beginning is as if pulling the rip-string of a child’s toy top, beginning its spinning dance across your tabletop. Putting the book down at any time feels uncomfortable, unnatural - as if the book is spinning along without you. Giraldi is my nomination for the best young author working. To my eye, only Colson Whitehead is in the discussion but has no serious claim. Hold the Dark is perfectly constructed with all that seems nihilistic and without point easily understood by the end. No thread is left dangling and though it is a despairing, violent ride, it feels necessary somehow - cousin to “Blood Meridian” in its atmosphere and immediacy if not quite stature. Just an incredible book.
samhoward's review
2.0
The reason I was so excited to read this book was because I deeply loved Busy Monsters. If that is why you're considering this book, don't bother with this one. The only similarity I found between this and Busy Monsters was Giraldi's use of the word "wastrel."
This is a large and totally unfortunate departure for the quick-witted and sly characters and plot of Busy Monsters. I found this book to be overly masculine, a la Cormac McCarthy and just flat. I didn't care about any of the characters, and it was violent without purpose or reason. This was an overall disappointment.
This is a large and totally unfortunate departure for the quick-witted and sly characters and plot of Busy Monsters. I found this book to be overly masculine, a la Cormac McCarthy and just flat. I didn't care about any of the characters, and it was violent without purpose or reason. This was an overall disappointment.
aasplund's review
4.0
This was a difficult book for me and the decision to give it 4 stars is something I'm still not entirely sure about. There were a lot of things to like about this book. There were also a lot of things to critique. I'm still not sure of my overall feelings - was this interesting and dark and mysterious, or was it difficult to stay focused on and strangely written and too philosophical, rather than full of action? I still don't know and it's a bit frustrating to be this unsure about a book.
What I am sure about is that this book intrigued me and bored me and I was not at all expecting the ending, but I was kind of upset about the ending. It was perfect and it was also dissatisfying. Many characters were written very very well (like the cop - he was a bit of a stereotype, but excellent to read and easy to get attached to) and some were flat and uninteresting (like the narrator - not my favorite. Also, why is he even there?!). The story was wonderful to follow, but also got off on tangents a lot and had some strange and unresolved tiny side plots and diversions.
Read this if you want a book that will confuse and frustrate and frighten you a bit.
What I am sure about is that this book intrigued me and bored me and I was not at all expecting the ending, but I was kind of upset about the ending. It was perfect and it was also dissatisfying. Many characters were written very very well (like the cop - he was a bit of a stereotype, but excellent to read and easy to get attached to) and some were flat and uninteresting (like the narrator - not my favorite. Also, why is he even there?!). The story was wonderful to follow, but also got off on tangents a lot and had some strange and unresolved tiny side plots and diversions.
Read this if you want a book that will confuse and frustrate and frighten you a bit.
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