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A review by kkenna7
When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
*Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC! Opinions are my own.*
I thought I hated this at first. In fact, I almost DNFed it like twice in the first half! This is through absolutely no fault of the book at all, entirely a skill issue on my end. The thing with this book, it subverts a lot of the thoughts you might have about a horror novel. There are monsters, yes. There's high stakes, it's bloody, all of that. But this book isn't *just* all of those things. This book also tackles the terror that is being a young kid and what that might look like if those fears become real. Sometimes that looks kinda silly, like <spoiler2D cartoon characters chasing you through a hallway with a chainsaw. Sometimes that's much more horrifying, likethe manifestation of you abusive dad as a wolf ripping your companion's beloved mother to dust. This is about grief, abandonment, and how complicated relationships with your parents can still have love in them. The scariest part of the whole thing is not the monsters themselves, but the vulnerability, the not always knowing who to trust or when. It's really quite clever, actually.
The audiobook for this was wonderful. The narration masterfully done, Helen Laser does a great job throwing her voice between woman in her 30s and child at 5 years old. Nat himself chiming in at *just* the right moment (you'll know) was also so incredible.
One thing I will say is I didn't super love the ending. Felt a liiiittle lame for a "twist" to me. Not enough to knock down my rating but worth mentioning.
I wouldn't recommend this to just any old horror enjoyer; it certainly won't be for everyone, but this book was definitely something to marvel at and I'm really glad I stuck with it in the end.
I thought I hated this at first. In fact, I almost DNFed it like twice in the first half! This is through absolutely no fault of the book at all, entirely a skill issue on my end. The thing with this book, it subverts a lot of the thoughts you might have about a horror novel. There are monsters, yes. There's high stakes, it's bloody, all of that. But this book isn't *just* all of those things. This book also tackles the terror that is being a young kid and what that might look like if those fears become real. Sometimes that looks kinda silly, like <spoiler2D cartoon characters chasing you through a hallway with a chainsaw. Sometimes that's much more horrifying, like
The audiobook for this was wonderful. The narration masterfully done, Helen Laser does a great job throwing her voice between woman in her 30s and child at 5 years old. Nat himself chiming in at *just* the right moment (you'll know) was also so incredible.
One thing I will say is I didn't super love the ending. Felt a liiiittle lame for a "twist" to me. Not enough to knock down my rating but worth mentioning.
I wouldn't recommend this to just any old horror enjoyer; it certainly won't be for everyone, but this book was definitely something to marvel at and I'm really glad I stuck with it in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol