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A review by punkbuddha37
Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones
4.0
Truth be told I expected this to be a bit naff. So it's a novel about a family of werewolves, it's going to be howling at the moon, thrill of the hunt etc. What I actually got is one of the most heartbreaking family dramas I have read in years.
The story follows a young boy and his aunt and uncle as they travel America. Constantly on the move looking for safety, work and anyway to scratch a living in modern America whilst being off the radar. The werewolf theme is taken to its logical, realistic conclusion and at no point feels false or crowbarred in. These are not the tame beasts of the twilight saga, but real animals who take down prey, shit in the woods and are left for dead on the side of highways. You get an understanding that the modern world is leaving them behind and they are trying to survive in the best way that they can.
I think horror fans will have enough to satisfy but I believe that if you are looking at this as a horror novel and are not a fan of horror, or shy away from it because of that tag you are not only missing out on a cracking story but also massively missing the point of the tale as a whole. Seriously recommend to everyone and all ready a contender for the best novel I have read in 2016.
N
The story follows a young boy and his aunt and uncle as they travel America. Constantly on the move looking for safety, work and anyway to scratch a living in modern America whilst being off the radar. The werewolf theme is taken to its logical, realistic conclusion and at no point feels false or crowbarred in. These are not the tame beasts of the twilight saga, but real animals who take down prey, shit in the woods and are left for dead on the side of highways. You get an understanding that the modern world is leaving them behind and they are trying to survive in the best way that they can.
I think horror fans will have enough to satisfy but I believe that if you are looking at this as a horror novel and are not a fan of horror, or shy away from it because of that tag you are not only missing out on a cracking story but also massively missing the point of the tale as a whole. Seriously recommend to everyone and all ready a contender for the best novel I have read in 2016.
N