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A review by eila
Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Title: Eye of the Ouroboros
Author: Megan Bontrager
Genres: Horror, LGBTQIA
Pub Date: 15 Apr 2024
Pages: 270
Format: EPUB
Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 (2.5/5), rounded up to 3 on NetGalley for the author's first attempt.
This debut novel felt like it would tick a lot of boxes for me: horror/sci-fi mashup, queer park ranger, a mystery to solve, all set in moody Appalachia? Brilliant!
Things start off relatively strong despite the first-person narration (something that really needs to be done with intent to work well), with a tense first chapter, but overall this novel could really have used stronger editing.
Others have already expanded on the plot points and where they falter, but for me the characterisation is the weakest link here. The MC lacks individuality, and the supporting cast are a cookie-cutter collection of Good Ol' "Normal" Folks, "Weird" Folks, and I Read Too Much Creepypasta. It's a shame, because the writing itself is solid enough, and it's clear that with better support & guidance there was the capacity for depth here.
The setting also never really feels genuine; I don't know if the author has spent much/any time in rural West Virginia, but the descriptors always just felt like Generic Backwoods Americana rather than anything approaching the distinct & tangible identity of this region. Don't get me wrong, there've been plenty of badly-pigeonholed takes on WV/Appalachia in general, but this doesn't just feel sanitised - it feels displaced, and the novel may as well have taken place anywhere, and could have done with just a few words swapped about.
I concur with others who mentioned the time/space-bending qualities of the 'Loki' TV series - the comparison is pretty linear, and I didn't enjoy the author's attempts at this any more than I did the series. No points off for that, however, as it's just not my cup of tea.
I did my best to finish this, as I really wanted to give this novel every opportunity to improve, but unfortunately I DNF at 78% - I honestly just didn't care enough about the characters, or find the plot or writing enjoyable enough, to push the rest of the way through.
Thank you to Quill and Crow Publishing House, NetGalley, and the Author for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
#EyeoftheOuroboros #NetGalley
Author: Megan Bontrager
Genres: Horror, LGBTQIA
Pub Date: 15 Apr 2024
Pages: 270
Format: EPUB
Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 (2.5/5), rounded up to 3 on NetGalley for the author's first attempt.
This debut novel felt like it would tick a lot of boxes for me: horror/sci-fi mashup, queer park ranger, a mystery to solve, all set in moody Appalachia? Brilliant!
Things start off relatively strong despite the first-person narration (something that really needs to be done with intent to work well), with a tense first chapter, but overall this novel could really have used stronger editing.
Others have already expanded on the plot points and where they falter, but for me the characterisation is the weakest link here. The MC lacks individuality, and the supporting cast are a cookie-cutter collection of Good Ol' "Normal" Folks, "Weird" Folks, and I Read Too Much Creepypasta. It's a shame, because the writing itself is solid enough, and it's clear that with better support & guidance there was the capacity for depth here.
The setting also never really feels genuine; I don't know if the author has spent much/any time in rural West Virginia, but the descriptors always just felt like Generic Backwoods Americana rather than anything approaching the distinct & tangible identity of this region. Don't get me wrong, there've been plenty of badly-pigeonholed takes on WV/Appalachia in general, but this doesn't just feel sanitised - it feels displaced, and the novel may as well have taken place anywhere, and could have done with just a few words swapped about.
I concur with others who mentioned the time/space-bending qualities of the 'Loki' TV series - the comparison is pretty linear, and I didn't enjoy the author's attempts at this any more than I did the series. No points off for that, however, as it's just not my cup of tea.
I did my best to finish this, as I really wanted to give this novel every opportunity to improve, but unfortunately I DNF at 78% - I honestly just didn't care enough about the characters, or find the plot or writing enjoyable enough, to push the rest of the way through.
Thank you to Quill and Crow Publishing House, NetGalley, and the Author for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
#EyeoftheOuroboros #NetGalley