You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by my_corner_of_the_library
The Deep by Nick Cutter
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Unpopular opinion time: Cutter is my king of horror. And no, I won't be taking criticism at this time.
I understand that his books aren't for everyone, but so far The Troop and The Deep have been the only dark horror books that had me looking over my shoulder. The Troop is a book that regularly pops into my mind. Some of those scenes and characters live rent-free in my brain, and now, Clayton and the Treste will probably live there too. I understand that others have found this book boring and unimpressive compared to The Troop, but as someone who listened to a chunk of the book in the dark, at night, with noise-canceling headphones, I was genuinely becoming jumpy and looking at the shadows around me a little bit closer.
The characters felt real and every subplot left my skin crawling and heart racing. I wish the 'Gets plot would have been played out more, but I just didn't care.
Ultimately, what knocked this book down from 5 stars to 4, for me, was the same thing that knocked it down for most people, and that was the ending. I was 100% ready to accept that descent into the supernatural as Luke going crazy. It was already established that that could be a result of being down in the Trieste. However, the last 2 pages implied that this ending was almost meant to be taken...literally? And that I just wasn't on board with. If that ending was meant to be literal supernatural interference then I'm out, because it was just way over the top. But if it was meant to be a representation of Luke's descent into madness: top-notch. I'm just not sure how to interpret it as a descent into madness with those last 2 pages.
I can't wait to start Little Heaven next time I'm in the mood for horror.
I understand that his books aren't for everyone, but so far The Troop and The Deep have been the only dark horror books that had me looking over my shoulder. The Troop is a book that regularly pops into my mind. Some of those scenes and characters live rent-free in my brain, and now, Clayton and the Treste will probably live there too. I understand that others have found this book boring and unimpressive compared to The Troop, but as someone who listened to a chunk of the book in the dark, at night, with noise-canceling headphones, I was genuinely becoming jumpy and looking at the shadows around me a little bit closer.
The characters felt real and every subplot left my skin crawling and heart racing. I wish the 'Gets plot would have been played out more, but I just didn't care.
Ultimately, what knocked this book down from 5 stars to 4, for me, was the same thing that knocked it down for most people, and that was the ending. I was 100% ready to accept that descent into the supernatural as Luke going crazy. It was already established that that could be a result of being down in the Trieste. However, the last 2 pages implied that this ending was almost meant to be taken...literally? And that I just wasn't on board with. If that ending was meant to be literal supernatural interference then I'm out, because it was just way over the top. But if it was meant to be a representation of Luke's descent into madness: top-notch. I'm just not sure how to interpret it as a descent into madness with those last 2 pages.
I can't wait to start Little Heaven next time I'm in the mood for horror.