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sar_she_her's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
The writing is a mixed bag, nonetheless overshadowed by *atrociously* unredeemable representation of mental health and autism.
The use of those themes feels insensitive, exploitive, and gratuitous in a way that made me feel sick. Probably most painful portrayal of scapegoating I've ever read, just in very poor taste.
The great spooky mood-setting and abandoned/archival imagery could have been woven into a really good story, if only there had been better character development.
While the aforementioned poor decisions of representation were effective "shock-value" (at best a brutal commentary on exploitation of zealots and group-think) the storytelling could have been just as effective without the horrible representation.
Too bad, bc someone recommended it, and I was hoping to like it and recommend to my friends in Sweden. But now I certainly won't, especially with them being caring teachers and parents.
I'm truly surprised the mainstream was so enchanted by the good elements of her writing, and could so easily overlook and accept the horrendous facets.
What bugs me ultimately is having someone from a more privileged demographic sensationalize the exploitation of an underprivileged group. It's problematic and a form of misappropriation essentially having the credit go to, and focus be on, an artist who thinks something "would be a good idea" but at the cost of representing *others'* stories or trauma.
The use of those themes feels insensitive, exploitive, and gratuitous in a way that made me feel sick. Probably most painful portrayal of scapegoating I've ever read, just in very poor taste.
The great spooky mood-setting and abandoned/archival imagery could have been woven into a really good story, if only there had been better character development.
While the aforementioned poor decisions of representation were effective "shock-value" (at best a brutal commentary on exploitation of zealots and group-think) the storytelling could have been just as effective without the horrible representation.
Too bad, bc someone recommended it, and I was hoping to like it and recommend to my friends in Sweden. But now I certainly won't, especially with them being caring teachers and parents.
I'm truly surprised the mainstream was so enchanted by the good elements of her writing, and could so easily overlook and accept the horrendous facets.
What bugs me ultimately is having someone from a more privileged demographic sensationalize the exploitation of an underprivileged group. It's problematic and a form of misappropriation essentially having the credit go to, and focus be on, an artist who thinks something "would be a good idea" but at the cost of representing *others'* stories or trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, and Hate crime
Minor: Mental illness
catsy2022's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault
herbivorehaunts's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'd say this is more Blair Witch meets Midnight Mass- I got nothing of Midsommar from this book in terms of tone/plot.
I had an enjoyable time reading this and really enjoyed the audiobook. The ending was a little bit of a let down for me but I enjoyed the ride leading up to it. The author's note about her personal experience with mental illness and mental illness in horror/history was very interesting and I felt like it added to the book experience. The alternating timelines is usually not my preferred format for a book but thought the two timelines were balanced very well.
I wish this would have been written found footage style in parts, some of the horror elements involving the technology and the crew catching things on camera at the beginning of this book sent shivers down my spine and would have loved to have had more of that throughout. I look forward to reading more horror from this author!!
Not the book's fault but I'm begging just once let a "ghost story" be actual ghosts, you blurb it as Blair Witch and I'm expecting found footage with ghosts. The ending really dampened my enjoyment and I felt like the book just ended.
I had an enjoyable time reading this and really enjoyed the audiobook. The ending was a little bit of a let down for me but I enjoyed the ride leading up to it. The author's note about her personal experience with mental illness and mental illness in horror/history was very interesting and I felt like it added to the book experience. The alternating timelines is usually not my preferred format for a book but thought the two timelines were balanced very well.
I wish this would have been written found footage style in parts, some of the horror elements involving the technology and the crew catching things on camera at the beginning of this book sent shivers down my spine and would have loved to have had more of that throughout. I look forward to reading more horror from this author!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Child abuse
spacecadelliot's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Medical content, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
mooniemushi's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
this is the worst book ever lmao
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Abandonment, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Racism, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Rape
henrygravesprince's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Pregnancy, and Rape
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Grief
Ableism against Autistic & Intellectually Disabled character including demonization,casslibraria's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
caseydoten's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Murder
willowy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
Length: 352 Pages
Genres: Horror and Mystery
Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5
Length: 352 Pages
Genres: Horror and Mystery
Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5
A special thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC of this book
"The church looms large over the small buildings on the eastern side of the village, its tall, proud spire topped by a slender cross that glistens, impossibly bright, in the light of the setting sun. The houses look almost as if they've sprouted from the church like little mushrooms, falling and moldering to form walls and silhouettes along the coppery-red river running down to the small woodland lake that village its name: silvertjärn, silver tarn."
Trigger Warnings in this book for a Suicide Attempt, Gore and Violence, Abuse of a Disabled Person, Discussions of Mental Illness, and Implied Rape
Alice Lindstedt has one goal in life - to make a successful documentary about the lost village of Silvertjärn, Sweden. Her grandmother grew up in the village, and her parents and younger sister were among the 900 people who vanished without a trace in 1959. All that was left behind was a newborn baby, and the body of Birgitta Lidman, stoned and strapped to a pole in the middle of Silvertjärn.
Alice brings Tone, a troubled friend who has her own links to Silvertjärn; Max, the backer of the project, and Emmy and Robert, who have filming experience. Emmy just so happens to also be a friend of Alice's from college that she hasn't spoken to in years and their troubled past crackles through the rest of the group like electricity. Soon, they start to experience strange things - a sighting of a figure out in the rain, strange laughter over the walkie-talkies, and a explosion that leaves them trapped and without resources as they come to the horrifying conclusion that they are most definitely not alone.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and I have to admit I was a little let down. I absolutely loved the setting of the spooky and remote Swedish village, with all the identically colorful little houses, looming church and creepy mines. It even contained one of my favorite tropes - the evil and seductive priest. However, I feel that The Lost Village was really let down by its writing, which came across amateurish and telling, especially in the "Then" chapters, which followed Alice's great-grandmother, Elsa. It did improve over the course of the book and I wonder how much of the problem has to do with translation, as the author is Swedish herself.
Another main issue I had was with the character of Birgitta. She is guessed at by Alice and the others as being Autistic, or having a "chromosomal problem", and is shunned by the majority of the villagers. Her storyline greatly disturbed me, and I could hardly read the chapter that details her death.
I think as a society, we need to move past using mental illnesses as a crutch in horror. It's not a "Gotcha!" moment, and for me, comes across as a cheap tactic to inspire shock. Alice, Tone, and Birgitta all have mental illnesses and the handling of them all seemed ham-fisted at best. While Alice and Emmy's relationship is one of the most interesting of the book, I couldn't quite bring myself to understand or forgive Emmy's actions, and I didn't especially like the way they were framed in the book, as if Alice was the one truly at fault.
Overall, I think of The Lost Village as a scary B movie - entertaining and light, nothing more, nothing less.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Rape
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