Scan barcode
A review by kelamity_reads
Below by Kev Harrison
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
This is an awkward book to review.
On one hand, it wasn't a very good horror novel, and yet, on the other hand, I really kind of liked it.
After reading, I went and double checked what its genre shelving was and it's definitely shelved as 'horror'. In that regards, it's a pretty mediocre story.
The situation, especially the television production and health and safety aspects, is extremely contrived and often unbelievable. The male protagonist - Nick - is supposedly claustrophobic but gives only the shallowest indications of it. There's never a real sense of atmosphere or danger since the characters are very capable and level-headed and don't seem to be that concerned by their situation. Not to mention the always dependable satellite phone.
I mean, at no point did I feel like the characters were really in danger. The threat didn't feel that dangerous to me - neither from the environment (good ol' Al!) or the antagonist (wall-climbing doesn't make you scary).
The novel read more like an action story than a horror story.
So, I guess I would have to say that I didn't find it to be a very good horror story.
And yet...
I actually really enjoyed it! It's no work of literary mastery but it was a lot of fun.
I enjoyed the story, despite how obvious and predictable it was, and I enjoyed how capable Jess and Sophia were. I loved that the LGBTQIA+ elements felt totally natural and unremarkable (a good thing) too.
And that's why I have absolutely no idea how to rate this book! I'm going to go with a nice neutral 3 stars until I can figure it out.
On one hand, it wasn't a very good horror novel, and yet, on the other hand, I really kind of liked it.
After reading, I went and double checked what its genre shelving was and it's definitely shelved as 'horror'. In that regards, it's a pretty mediocre story.
The situation, especially the television production and health and safety aspects, is extremely contrived and often unbelievable. The male protagonist - Nick - is supposedly claustrophobic but gives only the shallowest indications of it. There's never a real sense of atmosphere or danger since the characters are very capable and level-headed and don't seem to be that concerned by their situation. Not to mention the always dependable satellite phone.
I mean, at no point did I feel like the characters were really in danger. The threat didn't feel that dangerous to me - neither from the environment (good ol' Al!) or the antagonist (wall-climbing doesn't make you scary).
The novel read more like an action story than a horror story.
So, I guess I would have to say that I didn't find it to be a very good horror story.
And yet...
I actually really enjoyed it! It's no work of literary mastery but it was a lot of fun.
I enjoyed the story, despite how obvious and predictable it was, and I enjoyed how capable Jess and Sophia were. I loved that the LGBTQIA+ elements felt totally natural and unremarkable (a good thing) too.
And that's why I have absolutely no idea how to rate this book! I'm going to go with a nice neutral 3 stars until I can figure it out.