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A review by iblamewizards
The Watchers by A.M. Shine
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I'd heard good things about The Watchers. It was recommended to me because I'm a fan of Adam Nevill, and I was told it had a similar folk-horror vibe. While I can see why that might have been the reason for the recommendation, I found The Watchers far too long for the amount of plot actually contained within.
The story is incredibly simple, which made it feel like there were long sections of description to make up word count, rather than tell a compelling story. I personally think this would have made a much better novella than a full-length novel.
If you've ever read a horror novel, then you know how the plot will play out. There are no shocks, no surprises. Every twist is a genre trope. If you're ready for a horror-on-rails, you could do worse, but if you want genuine chills, and a terrifying monster, then The Watchers is probably not going to be for you.
It was a fun book to read, but not one I'd ever recommend as a great example of the genre.
The story is incredibly simple, which made it feel like there were long sections of description to make up word count, rather than tell a compelling story. I personally think this would have made a much better novella than a full-length novel.
If you've ever read a horror novel, then you know how the plot will play out. There are no shocks, no surprises. Every twist is a genre trope. If you're ready for a horror-on-rails, you could do worse, but if you want genuine chills, and a terrifying monster, then The Watchers is probably not going to be for you.
It was a fun book to read, but not one I'd ever recommend as a great example of the genre.