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deeloro's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tennilles's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
audreychamaine's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a while to read Kraus's previous book, Rotters, but I was blown away by it when I finally did. I knew I had to read Scowler as soon as I could get my hands on it, and it did not disappoint. In both books, Kraus writes about the darkest places in an adolescent boy's soul. Even though Rotters is about a couple of graverobbers, I found Scowler to be even more intense and raw. There are no corpses here (okay, there are, but they're fresh), but the mounting tension of a terrifying father returning to seek revenge on his family after he breaks out of prison is only intensified by the madness brought on by the crashing of a radioactive meteoroid.
I found it fascinating to see the parallels in these two books. Both feature a father and son, estranged from one another. The son wants to distance himself from the horrible thing the father is, but must eventually embrace it, leading him into madness, in order to ultimately overcome that part of himself. In Scowler, as a child Ry saved his mother from his abusive father. The level of abuse will turn your stomach, so if you can't handle horrific domestic abuse, I'd stay away from this one and read Gossip Girl or something instead.
When Ry saved his mother, he had three of his toys with him during a night in the woods with his father in an unending pursuit: Mr. Furrington, a stuffed bear, Jesus, a bendy Christ figurine, and Scowler, a disturbing piece of folk art that would strike fear in any heart. Even with his father in jail for years, Ry never quite recovered from that night. When they find out that his father has escaped and is gunning for them, Ry must once again rely on the "unnamed three" to help him harness his own emotions in order to fight his father.
One interesting aspect of this book was the descent into madness by the two main male characters, while the women really hold it together. Ry's mother is able to hold her own against the man who nearly destroyed her, and is also able to stand up to her son when he's completely losing his marbles. She stays cool and collected during the worst of ordeals, and is an incredibly strong character. Likewise, Ry's little sister has her own moments of heroic greatness, and despite being ill, manages to play an important role in the family's struggle for survival.
I barely even mentioned the meteoroid, but that plays a huge role too. This book has a lot of thematic depth and incredibly well-drawn characters. It's also quite terrifying. Over and over, I was reminded of The Shining while reading this, which is high praise. I think readers with the stomach for the darkest spaces of the human psyche will love Scowler. I can't wait to see what nightmare Kraus dreams up next.
I found it fascinating to see the parallels in these two books. Both feature a father and son, estranged from one another. The son wants to distance himself from the horrible thing the father is, but must eventually embrace it, leading him into madness, in order to ultimately overcome that part of himself. In Scowler, as a child Ry saved his mother from his abusive father. The level of abuse will turn your stomach, so if you can't handle horrific domestic abuse, I'd stay away from this one and read Gossip Girl or something instead.
When Ry saved his mother, he had three of his toys with him during a night in the woods with his father in an unending pursuit: Mr. Furrington, a stuffed bear, Jesus, a bendy Christ figurine, and Scowler, a disturbing piece of folk art that would strike fear in any heart. Even with his father in jail for years, Ry never quite recovered from that night. When they find out that his father has escaped and is gunning for them, Ry must once again rely on the "unnamed three" to help him harness his own emotions in order to fight his father.
One interesting aspect of this book was the descent into madness by the two main male characters, while the women really hold it together. Ry's mother is able to hold her own against the man who nearly destroyed her, and is also able to stand up to her son when he's completely losing his marbles. She stays cool and collected during the worst of ordeals, and is an incredibly strong character. Likewise, Ry's little sister has her own moments of heroic greatness, and despite being ill, manages to play an important role in the family's struggle for survival.
I barely even mentioned the meteoroid, but that plays a huge role too. This book has a lot of thematic depth and incredibly well-drawn characters. It's also quite terrifying. Over and over, I was reminded of The Shining while reading this, which is high praise. I think readers with the stomach for the darkest spaces of the human psyche will love Scowler. I can't wait to see what nightmare Kraus dreams up next.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
4.0
Quite good and quite horrible! An abusive father is sent to prison and escapes. The son has never recovered from the initial abuse and seeing his mind disintegrate is the most terrifying place I've been in a long time.
The story takes place on an old farm, miles from anyone, and in the midst of a meteor shower. We are taken back in time to what happened to cause dad to be incarcerated and then brought back to see the fallout.
YIKES!! Talking toys give it a magical element, but mostly just creepy and evil.
The story takes place on an old farm, miles from anyone, and in the midst of a meteor shower. We are taken back in time to what happened to cause dad to be incarcerated and then brought back to see the fallout.
YIKES!! Talking toys give it a magical element, but mostly just creepy and evil.
sparkfry's review against another edition
3.0
'Scowler' is some how simultaneously fascinating and futile at the same time. The book bounces forth between slow instances of monoteny to moments of pure adrenaline. What brings amazing things to this book is its descriptions of the frightening and macabre. Kraus is able to show the twisted mind of a depraved teenager with skill, as well as bring to life sinister encounters and acts that only can be described as monsterfully crafted. The personalities of the Unnamed Three are each unique, and all terrifying in their own way. The difficulty with the story is that the main antagonist lacks tension. The main villain certainly is detranged and sociopathic (as we see so horrifically in his actions in the past), but he falls short as a monsterous villain he is made out to be. He time and time again falls to live up to his ruthless reputation until the end of the novel. He feels more of a terrible horror movie villain than a genuine monster.
Overall, 'Scowler' is a book best read by those who enjoy the twisted side of the psyche. It is a bit of a introduction to get through, but if you stick through it, you find some truly haunting moments of survival, love, hatred, and destruction.
Overall, 'Scowler' is a book best read by those who enjoy the twisted side of the psyche. It is a bit of a introduction to get through, but if you stick through it, you find some truly haunting moments of survival, love, hatred, and destruction.
mys_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
I don't want to think about this book too much right now. It's too soon. I need several years to process what it was I just listened to. I need a hug.
asimilarkite's review against another edition
4.0
Oh man. OK. SO this book. If I were rating this purely on my own personal book preferences and tastes, I think I would have immediately given it five stars. Unfortunately, because I am a librarian who works with kids, I cannot rate books without thinking about them in terms of the intended audience. So. I downgraded it (almost painfully, mind you) to four.
What I loved:
This book is true horror. Not horror in the sense that EEK! something might jump out at you, but horror in a deep, visceral, cerebral way. Horror in the way I like it. Pervasive terrifyingness based on the fact that everything you thought was safe and comfortable is monstrous -- including your own being.
The writing is beautiful. Beautifully terrifying. I kept finding myself reading passages out loud for their chill-inducing horrifyingness. I love beautifully horrific language. It's like Ray Bradbury except instead of describing the feeling of a summer's day you're describing everything you know and understand just crumbling apart into terribleness.
The structure and setting choices. I am not quite sure why this book takes place in 1981 instead of present day...but for some reason it just needs to. It feels right. It was smart.
Why I gave it one less star:
I really ... really don't think this is a teen novel. It is about a nineteen year old. It is about confronting your parents and to some extent growing from a boy into a man. And those ways, it is DEFINITELY a teen novel. The problem is, I cannot think of ONE patron who I would give this book to who is under the age of 18. I just...can't. It's so brutal, and while I know there are teens out there who will love it, I don't think I will recommend it unless I come across the exact right kid. Because it's kind of traumatizing. I'm glad I read it though, because I think it is brilliant and there ARE teens out there who need this book. But I will not be recommending it widely. I can't wait to find the teen who this book speaks to though, because I think connecting the RIGHT teen to this book would be magical. Maybe someone who has read all of Steven King and is looking for their next book.
Upper upper high school. Abuse and language and violence and sex and pretty much everything in extreme.
What I loved:
This book is true horror. Not horror in the sense that EEK! something might jump out at you, but horror in a deep, visceral, cerebral way. Horror in the way I like it. Pervasive terrifyingness based on the fact that everything you thought was safe and comfortable is monstrous -- including your own being.
The writing is beautiful. Beautifully terrifying. I kept finding myself reading passages out loud for their chill-inducing horrifyingness. I love beautifully horrific language. It's like Ray Bradbury except instead of describing the feeling of a summer's day you're describing everything you know and understand just crumbling apart into terribleness.
The structure and setting choices. I am not quite sure why this book takes place in 1981 instead of present day...but for some reason it just needs to. It feels right. It was smart.
Why I gave it one less star:
I really ... really don't think this is a teen novel. It is about a nineteen year old. It is about confronting your parents and to some extent growing from a boy into a man. And those ways, it is DEFINITELY a teen novel. The problem is, I cannot think of ONE patron who I would give this book to who is under the age of 18. I just...can't. It's so brutal, and while I know there are teens out there who will love it, I don't think I will recommend it unless I come across the exact right kid. Because it's kind of traumatizing. I'm glad I read it though, because I think it is brilliant and there ARE teens out there who need this book. But I will not be recommending it widely. I can't wait to find the teen who this book speaks to though, because I think connecting the RIGHT teen to this book would be magical. Maybe someone who has read all of Steven King and is looking for their next book.
Upper upper high school. Abuse and language and violence and sex and pretty much everything in extreme.
sprainedbrain's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0