Universal Harvester by John Darnielle

Universal Harvester

John Darnielle

214 pages first pub 2017 (view editions)

fiction literary mystery dark mysterious medium-paced
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For readers drawn to quiet, unsettling literary mysteries centered on grief’s lingering residue—themes of absence, memory, and the darkness beneath mundane surfaces. Ideal if you savor measured pacing, sparse yet evocative prose, and a creeping dread that seeps through small-town silences more than through plot twists.

Description

Life in a small town takes a dark turn when mysterious footage begins appearing on VHS cassettes at the local Video Hut. Jeremy works at the counter of Video Hut in Nevada, Iowa. It’s a small town—the first “a” in the name is pronounced ay—smac...

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Community Reviews

3.19
based on 5,647 reviews

Moods

mysterious: 81%

dark: 62%

reflective: 44%

tense: 36%

emotional: 31%

sad: 30%

challenging: 28%

adventurous: 5%

hopeful: 1%


Pace

8% of readers chose fast
45% of readers chose medium
45% of readers chose slow
fast
medium
slow

Plot or character driven?

17% of readers chose Plot
42% of readers chose A mix
39% of readers chose Character
1% of readers chose N/A
Plot
A mix
Character
N/A

Strong character development?

16% of readers chose Yes
39% of readers chose Complicated
42% of readers chose No
2% of readers chose N/A
Yes
Complicated
No
N/A

Loveable characters?

19% of readers chose Yes
38% of readers chose Complicated
38% of readers chose No
3% of readers chose N/A
Yes
Complicated
No
N/A

Diverse cast of characters?

7% of readers chose Yes
5% of readers chose Complicated
82% of readers chose No
4% of readers chose N/A
Yes
Complicated
No
N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus?

38% of readers chose Yes
32% of readers chose Complicated
25% of readers chose No
2% of readers chose N/A
Yes
Complicated
No
N/A

Content Warnings

Submitted by users as part of their reviews

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