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norcani's review
4.0
Really fun interpretation of lovecraft myth. It is left a bit open at the end, like there is a sequel planned, but I couldn't find anything concrete on it for now. I probably wouldn't have picked it up if I knew this as I don't like starting unfinished series.
awesomejen2's review
3.0
This was just an ok book, it certainly wasn't bad but it also wasn't terribly interesting. It was definitely YA so no idea why I found it in the adult SciFi section unless it was an error in labeling.
mferrante83's review
4.0
I really enjoyed Daryl Gregory’s We Are All Completely Fine wherein the titular hero of Harrison Squared, Harrison Harrison, is introduced. It was a quiet, contemplative novella about monsters and scars that was equal parts heart-warming and chilling. A prequel of sorts Harrison Squared is Harrison’s origin story featuring his first brush with the supernatural. It also borrows heavily from H. P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth so reader’s familiar with Lovecraft’s work may be able to telegraph where the novel is going. Despite this fact (or maybe because of it) I found Harrison Squared to be an entertaining supernatural yarn.
Harrison Squared opens with Harrison and his mother’s (a marine biologist) arrival in the town of Dunnsmouth. She is there to place buoys in order to track any potential large oceanic creature in the seas of the nearby Atlantic. This mission is something of a personal crusade for Harrison’s mother as her husband (along with part of Harrison’s leg) was lost to an attack by a sea creature years before. Gregory quickly goes about establishing Harrison’s character whose teenage independence is predicated both on his mother’s obsessive tendencies and a result of coping with his disability.
In terms of tone Harrison Squared is way different then We Are All Completely Fine. Despite having elements of the supernatural and horror present Harrison Squared remains a light tone focusing more on the mystery then on the horror. It is still difficult to reconcile the Harrison seen here with the Harrison of We Are All Completely Fine. Indeed the first otherworldly creature we meet in the novel is not quite that frightening all (please note: this is an understatement; he is actually quite hilarious). The Scrimshander seen in Harrison Squared, while a frightening figure for sure, isn’t the same level of scary as the Scrimshander mentioned in We Are All Completely Fine. There is no real sense of dread throughout Harrison Squared to the point where I cannot rightfully call this a horror novel.
While it disappointing that Harrison Squared is as light-hearted as it is the novel remains an entertaining read. With its teen hero, quick pacing, and light tone Harrison Squared is a novel that can appeal to both adults and teen readers. I am hoping for further novels featuring Harrison and I’m filled with equal parts dread a (perhaps sick) excitement at seeing how the relatively bright-eyed and bushy-tailed teen of Harrison Squared morphs into the cynical and downtrodden adult of We Are All Completely Fine.
Harrison Squared opens with Harrison and his mother’s (a marine biologist) arrival in the town of Dunnsmouth. She is there to place buoys in order to track any potential large oceanic creature in the seas of the nearby Atlantic. This mission is something of a personal crusade for Harrison’s mother as her husband (along with part of Harrison’s leg) was lost to an attack by a sea creature years before. Gregory quickly goes about establishing Harrison’s character whose teenage independence is predicated both on his mother’s obsessive tendencies and a result of coping with his disability.
In terms of tone Harrison Squared is way different then We Are All Completely Fine. Despite having elements of the supernatural and horror present Harrison Squared remains a light tone focusing more on the mystery then on the horror. It is still difficult to reconcile the Harrison seen here with the Harrison of We Are All Completely Fine. Indeed the first otherworldly creature we meet in the novel is not quite that frightening all (please note: this is an understatement; he is actually quite hilarious). The Scrimshander seen in Harrison Squared, while a frightening figure for sure, isn’t the same level of scary as the Scrimshander mentioned in We Are All Completely Fine. There is no real sense of dread throughout Harrison Squared to the point where I cannot rightfully call this a horror novel.
While it disappointing that Harrison Squared is as light-hearted as it is the novel remains an entertaining read. With its teen hero, quick pacing, and light tone Harrison Squared is a novel that can appeal to both adults and teen readers. I am hoping for further novels featuring Harrison and I’m filled with equal parts dread a (perhaps sick) excitement at seeing how the relatively bright-eyed and bushy-tailed teen of Harrison Squared morphs into the cynical and downtrodden adult of We Are All Completely Fine.
erndixon's review
3.0
The story started a little bit bland but by the end I liked it quite a bit. The Lovecraftian essence comes through just the right amount, without seeming too forced or shoehorned in to accommodate everything else.There is a lot of potential there, but I feel like the characters aside from Harrison and Lub weren't fleshed out the slightest bit. I'm intrigued by characters like Lydia and Bart, but after finishing the book there wasn't much to say about them besides what they look like. His aunt Sel seems to have a hidden wealth of empathy and care for the boy, but we aren't shown enough of it. The only other gripe I have is with new books that are purposefully written in order to kickstart a series rather than trying to build an entire story and see if it catches on. I enjoyed reading it, and will more than likely take a look at the next book when it is inevitably released.
scottishben's review
3.0
Really good - 3.5 stars. This is lovecraftianeque horror - nothing terribly original but terribly well done. After reading a few things that were not interestingly written it was great to read something done so well, good characterisation too.
Its a bit strange to take a character from one sort of weird post modern horror-esque story and create a sort of YA prequel is ... well strange... But it works. Although I never like prequels in some ways as you always kind of know how they end and they are never entirely free to take on their own life.
Its a bit strange to take a character from one sort of weird post modern horror-esque story and create a sort of YA prequel is ... well strange... But it works. Although I never like prequels in some ways as you always kind of know how they end and they are never entirely free to take on their own life.
faefires's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
mushio's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
csdaley's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on my blog http://www.csdaley.com/?p=4243
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There is not enough time in the day to work and read all the books I have waiting for me. I have been wanting to read Daryl Gregory for some time but just have never quite gotten to him (despite the fact that I own two of his books which have been well reviewed). When the opportunity to review Harrison Squared came up I decided the time had finally arrived. The best thing I can say about this book is that when I was done I knew I would be quickly reading the other Gregory books I owned. I absolutely adored this book.
While the book clearly falls in the teen age range it is very accessible for adults. It is a great book that never gives into many of the common cliches in teen fiction. The plot unfolds nicely revealing bits and pieces of the mystery. It's a hard book to review plot points without giving up too much of the surprising story. I'll give you the bare bones. Harrison Harrison and his mother move to the small Lovecraftian town of Dunnsmouth, Massachusetts. Harrison is a little damaged both mentally and physically. Both a direct result of an attack by a giant sea creature (at least that's how he remembers it) that cost him his leg and his dad his life.
It turns out Harrison is a sensitive. His mind finely attuned to the paranormal world around him. This was probably not the right town to move to because Lovecraftian horrors abound and Harrison soon finds himself right in the middle of it all. Between his way strange high school, the deep ones, fish human hybrids, and knife wielding maniacs trying to skin him alive Harrison has his hands full.
The story is often quite hilarious and creepy scary in equal amounts. What really jumped out at me was Gregory's total command of the story. His writing is fast and crisp. He is able to set the mood, keep you guessing, and introduce mountains of great characters (including Lub who may be my favorite new character of the year. I would read a whole book with him as the star). One of my favorite books this year and I hope the beginning of a wonderful relationship between me and Daryl Gregory.
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This book was an advance reader's copy provided by Tor Books
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There is not enough time in the day to work and read all the books I have waiting for me. I have been wanting to read Daryl Gregory for some time but just have never quite gotten to him (despite the fact that I own two of his books which have been well reviewed). When the opportunity to review Harrison Squared came up I decided the time had finally arrived. The best thing I can say about this book is that when I was done I knew I would be quickly reading the other Gregory books I owned. I absolutely adored this book.
While the book clearly falls in the teen age range it is very accessible for adults. It is a great book that never gives into many of the common cliches in teen fiction. The plot unfolds nicely revealing bits and pieces of the mystery. It's a hard book to review plot points without giving up too much of the surprising story. I'll give you the bare bones. Harrison Harrison and his mother move to the small Lovecraftian town of Dunnsmouth, Massachusetts. Harrison is a little damaged both mentally and physically. Both a direct result of an attack by a giant sea creature (at least that's how he remembers it) that cost him his leg and his dad his life.
It turns out Harrison is a sensitive. His mind finely attuned to the paranormal world around him. This was probably not the right town to move to because Lovecraftian horrors abound and Harrison soon finds himself right in the middle of it all. Between his way strange high school, the deep ones, fish human hybrids, and knife wielding maniacs trying to skin him alive Harrison has his hands full.
The story is often quite hilarious and creepy scary in equal amounts. What really jumped out at me was Gregory's total command of the story. His writing is fast and crisp. He is able to set the mood, keep you guessing, and introduce mountains of great characters (including Lub who may be my favorite new character of the year. I would read a whole book with him as the star). One of my favorite books this year and I hope the beginning of a wonderful relationship between me and Daryl Gregory.
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This book was an advance reader's copy provided by Tor Books
lrector's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A fun quick read. Young adult fantasy so not something I would have grabbed if not for bookclub, but it was fun. I absolutely love Lub, the "fish-boy" is my favorite. Harrisons mom, a marine biologist, goes missing while on assignment. Harrison and his new, though very odd, friends must find out what happened. If not, he'll be on his own since his father disappeared when he was 3. Aunt Shel is oblivious of Harrisons sleuthing but a great comic relief. Love her.
erollinus's review
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this- it had a really nice blend of comedic moments (some were unexpected, and told from sarcastic mouths- which was a joy to read) and points of just dread and horror. I'm a lover of Lovecraftian horror, as it just has this atmosphere about them. H2 hits the mood perfectly, in my opinion, but not in a way to turn you off from reading the rest of the book. My only complaint is the ending was kind of weak. He spends the entire book building up this mystery and impending doom... to The End. While the ending made sense, I wish there was more.
Hopefully there will be a sequel, as Gregory did leave it kind of open at the end.
Hopefully there will be a sequel, as Gregory did leave it kind of open at the end.