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A review by chubby_little_butter_books
When the Night Bells Ring by Jo Kaplan
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"When you disrespect life, do not be surprised when your life is disrespected in turn. Violence begets more violence."
In a dusty, waterless near future, where climate changes has ravaged the West Coast of America, two women travel on dirt bikes through the desert on their way to New York, in the hopes of being seeking refuge. When they come upon a small mining village, at the base of a mountain, they stop. Examining the mines, hoping to find water enough to last the rest of the trip, they discover an alcove with a bed, a fire pit, a diary and a small, silver bell stationed above the entrance to the next shaft. As they begin to read the diary, what becomes apparent are the hardships of a life in 1860's Nevada and a monstrous reality too frightening to believe.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I began listening to When the Night Bells Ring. I had read a number of varied reviews and was worried I would either be terrified or bored. As it turns out, I was neither...but I was gripped. This book hit a brilliant balance between reality and fantasy/horror for me, reeling me in and holding my attention throughout. I was, admittedly, much more drawn to Lavinia's chapters, as this is where the majority of the mystery takes place. However, the suspense was definitely heightened when resting with the Dust Devils, who seemed to be surrounded by an ever present danger which could not be seen or named. I found the narration of the audiobook to be engaging, particularly the performance of Lavinia's chapters, which portrayed all of the emotion I would have hoped for. This is an excellent read for Halloween and I would recommend it to anyone who is after an immersive, supernatural/monster thriller with some very light body horror thrown in for effect. (If you're worried, I don't do well with body horror and I was fine)
Thank you to Jo Kaplan and Netgalley for the audioARC.
In a dusty, waterless near future, where climate changes has ravaged the West Coast of America, two women travel on dirt bikes through the desert on their way to New York, in the hopes of being seeking refuge. When they come upon a small mining village, at the base of a mountain, they stop. Examining the mines, hoping to find water enough to last the rest of the trip, they discover an alcove with a bed, a fire pit, a diary and a small, silver bell stationed above the entrance to the next shaft. As they begin to read the diary, what becomes apparent are the hardships of a life in 1860's Nevada and a monstrous reality too frightening to believe.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I began listening to When the Night Bells Ring. I had read a number of varied reviews and was worried I would either be terrified or bored. As it turns out, I was neither...but I was gripped. This book hit a brilliant balance between reality and fantasy/horror for me, reeling me in and holding my attention throughout. I was, admittedly, much more drawn to Lavinia's chapters, as this is where the majority of the mystery takes place. However, the suspense was definitely heightened when resting with the Dust Devils, who seemed to be surrounded by an ever present danger which could not be seen or named. I found the narration of the audiobook to be engaging, particularly the performance of Lavinia's chapters, which portrayed all of the emotion I would have hoped for. This is an excellent read for Halloween and I would recommend it to anyone who is after an immersive, supernatural/monster thriller with some very light body horror thrown in for effect. (If you're worried, I don't do well with body horror and I was fine)
Thank you to Jo Kaplan and Netgalley for the audioARC.