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A review by sarahweyand
The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Thanks to Redhook and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feedback are my own.
I've read a few horror books about media gone awry recently (Silver Nitrate, Mister Magic, etc.), but I've never heard of one with this exact premise. And I really did like the premise. I thought the concept of having to act your way out of a horror movie in a Groundhog Day-type manner was riveting, and the fact that the film with the new additions was shown every couple of years was very eerie.
For the most part, I enjoyed the execution! I loved the Gothic atmosphere, the slow burn, the twists that the audience was given. I will say it was probably 50-100 pages too long. However, the thing I liked most was the evolution of the relationship between Christopher and Gemma. It felt reminiscent of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for a couple reasons (and I loved that book).
The biggest disservice to this book is marketing it as a horror; it is absolutely not. This is a fantasy historical fiction with a touch of romance. The backdrop / inciting incident is the filming of a horror movie, but I feel like describing it as a horror book closes it off to a potentially wider audience who would enjoy this book. While there are certainly a few horror/Gothic elements to the plot, I wouldn't let that characterization dissuade you from looking into this book.
Overall, an interesting premise executed very well, and I look forward to seeing what Sayers comes out with in the future.
I've read a few horror books about media gone awry recently (Silver Nitrate, Mister Magic, etc.), but I've never heard of one with this exact premise. And I really did like the premise. I thought the concept of having to act your way out of a horror movie in a Groundhog Day-type manner was riveting, and the fact that the film with the new additions was shown every couple of years was very eerie.
For the most part, I enjoyed the execution! I loved the Gothic atmosphere, the slow burn, the twists that the audience was given. I will say it was probably 50-100 pages too long. However, the thing I liked most was the evolution of the relationship between Christopher and Gemma. It felt reminiscent of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for a couple reasons (and I loved that book).
The biggest disservice to this book is marketing it as a horror; it is absolutely not. This is a fantasy historical fiction with a touch of romance. The backdrop / inciting incident is the filming of a horror movie, but I feel like describing it as a horror book closes it off to a potentially wider audience who would enjoy this book. While there are certainly a few horror/Gothic elements to the plot, I wouldn't let that characterization dissuade you from looking into this book.
Overall, an interesting premise executed very well, and I look forward to seeing what Sayers comes out with in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Suicidal thoughts