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lizamwalsh's review
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
anna9901's review against another edition
2.0
This book was okay. It was super slow-paced in the beginning, and there were definitely parts that felt repetitive, especially as Mouse started reading Cotgrave's diary. Also, the ending just got super weird, and I definitely was not expecting a happish ending.
stuffhanreads's review
5.0
Okay me reading this whole book in a day is a vibe. Well, mostly because I’m currently sick. I don’t just spend all day reading constantly, that’d be the dream though wouldn’t it? Anyway back to the book! The twisted ones by T. Kingfisher was amazing. I loved the setting, anything to do with forests and going into the woods? I’m all over it absolutely love that. Along with a creature feature? Yes. This book had many things that I could and do love.
So, the book. Mouse a woman in her thirties is asked by her elderly father to clean out her recently deceased grandmother’s house in Carolina. Except well, she was a hoarder, a pretty bad hoarder. A block up your staircase with trashbags type of hoarder. Painful to clean sure, but not scary or traumatising. That is until we meet the effigies. Monsters made of basically trash and dead creatures. Things described in a journal written by Mouse’s late step-grandfather Cotgrave.
Ultimately while reading this, I didn’t know what to think, part of me wanted to stay logical and I wanted to dismiss Cotgrave’s journal as the ramblings of a dementia ridden man, like Mouse wanted to. But the noises, the deer with the apparent messed up hooves, Bongo’s growling and barking. It all seems to go from weird to well extra weird.
Overall I rate this 5 stars. It kept me hooked throughout and I loved the scenery as well as the three characters who lived across from Mouse. Particularly Foxy, who helps Mouse in more ways than one.
So, the book. Mouse a woman in her thirties is asked by her elderly father to clean out her recently deceased grandmother’s house in Carolina. Except well, she was a hoarder, a pretty bad hoarder. A block up your staircase with trashbags type of hoarder. Painful to clean sure, but not scary or traumatising. That is until we meet the effigies. Monsters made of basically trash and dead creatures. Things described in a journal written by Mouse’s late step-grandfather Cotgrave.
Ultimately while reading this, I didn’t know what to think, part of me wanted to stay logical and I wanted to dismiss Cotgrave’s journal as the ramblings of a dementia ridden man, like Mouse wanted to. But the noises, the deer with the apparent messed up hooves, Bongo’s growling and barking. It all seems to go from weird to well extra weird.
Overall I rate this 5 stars. It kept me hooked throughout and I loved the scenery as well as the three characters who lived across from Mouse. Particularly Foxy, who helps Mouse in more ways than one.
bookkeeperdragon's review
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
daria_nedelcu19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Enjoyment 10/10
Concept 10/10
Execution 9/10
Writing 9/10
Plot & Logic 8/10
Pacing & Structure 10/10
Atmosphere 10/10
Characters 9/10
Intrigue 10/10
World Building 8/10
Rating: 4.62/5
Concept 10/10
Execution 9/10
Writing 9/10
Plot & Logic 8/10
Pacing & Structure 10/10
Atmosphere 10/10
Characters 9/10
Intrigue 10/10
World Building 8/10
Rating: 4.62/5
skalana's review against another edition
2.0
This was a bit of a slog to get through. There were some creepy parts but I had a hard time picturing the effigies. Also, about 95% of the jokes weren’t funny. And there were a lot of jokes.
janagaton's review
4.0
T. Kingfisher's writing is so comforting & I want to be friends with Foxy and Enid lol 4 stars for the characters' humor & personalities, especially Bongo's <3
Will be discussing for my book club on YouTube!
Will be discussing for my book club on YouTube!
mj470's review
1.0
The Twisted Ones was a GoodReads finalist for the best horror novel which just goes to show you can almost never trust popular opinion to be correct on books. This is a horror story that has all the potential and none of the delivery.
It could have been a fascinating use of a haunted house to tell the story of generational trauma. However it's just a book about a girl writing a book about a book she's reading about a book her step-grandpa is reading.
The beauty of the horror genre is using what we don't see to increase tension. This had none of that spine tingling fun for me. I waited the whole book for it to "get good" but it never found its way.
There are also a lot of generalizations about all the people in the small southern town potentially being racist when they are just describing the color of corporeal beings. That feels like a very weak way to develop differences between the MC and her family.
It could have been a fascinating use of a haunted house to tell the story of generational trauma. However it's just a book about a girl writing a book about a book she's reading about a book her step-grandpa is reading.
The beauty of the horror genre is using what we don't see to increase tension. This had none of that spine tingling fun for me. I waited the whole book for it to "get good" but it never found its way.
There are also a lot of generalizations about all the people in the small southern town potentially being racist when they are just describing the color of corporeal beings. That feels like a very weak way to develop differences between the MC and her family.
elliereadshorror's review
3.0
Not really sure how I feel about this book. It was an ok read, the beginning had me hooked and I feel like this was kind of a let down. It was face paced and kept me reading but it was more of a what the hell is actually happening here kind of grip. It totally wasn’t the way I thought the storyline was going and I was a little disappointed with the ending but it was an alright read either way.