A review by violetturtledove
Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I feel like this one would definitely benefit from multiple readings, as when I finished it my first urge was to go back to the start and start flicking through looking for clues and foreshadowing. Ok, that was partly because the non-linear style meant that some aspects of the 'end' were scattered through the rest of the book and I couldn't quite keep track of it all. There's also several layers of reality to consider: the script of the film, the legend built up around the film, the narrators unreliable memories/mental state, and his motivation in telling his story. Some of this looks like plot holes at first read but I think it all fits together in a way - however there are no easy answers and the ending could be debated and interpreted a few different ways. On spending an hour or two flicking back through the book (call it a speed-read) I noticed more subtle links between the different layers - the world of the movie and the 'real' events - and how the intended effect of the movie on the audience was similar to how I felt as a reader of the book. Very meta. It's tense,  disorienting and bleak, and while it won't be for those who need a concrete plot, for me it had more than enough atmosphere to make up for it.