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carbinara 's review for:
Burn the Negative
by Josh Winning
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book had it’s ups and downs. I really enjoyed the 80s nostalgia from The Shadow Glass (by the same author) and was hoping this would be similar for 90s horror. However, I didn’t really get that, with it being more similar to a meta horror remake of the 2010s, in my eyes. I will say I enjoyed some of the references to classics, such as a town named (presumably) after Wes Craven (Scream), and a tongue in cheek mention of motels that “look like theyre run by some guy with mommy issues” (Psycho). Additionally, I loved the start with the bridge scene and her anxiety to return to LA and the callback to that later in the books. I was also, as is the case for The Shadow Glass, loved the media additions between chapters. I felt it really helps with the world building and cementing the legacy that The Guesthouse left.
That being said, this is 3.5 stars for a reason. I think the characters weren’t particularly well written, especially Amy. I see the purpose of her, and she makes sense for the story but I found it difficult to grasp her motivations (which makes sense for the whodunnit aspect of a slasher). Even though she turns out innocent, it’s difficult to route for her since all she seems to do is cause issues for every other character.
I sort of loved that the Needle Man was actually a supernatural thing, as I was worried it was all going to be Laura and her blacking out. The scene of her throwing up the Needle Man was great conceptually, but I wish there was more detail. It seemed like you could skip a paragraph and miss it. Maybe since I’m just off a Grady Hendrix read that was a bit more detailed with its gore, but I found in general the horror was quite lack-lustre. That being said, I quite liked the ending although I wasn’t sure exactly what she meant when she said she was going to “stop the cycle. Stop the people who capitalized on tragedy.” I assume she means massacring the new remake of The Guesthouse, but I’m not sure.
Overall, a fun quick read that fell flat in a few places. The plot was interesting, but pacing a little slow for me (which obviously is a personal thing) and not particularly liveable characters. Some nice aspects of horror, but I felt it could’ve gone further.
That being said, this is 3.5 stars for a reason. I think the characters weren’t particularly well written, especially Amy. I see the purpose of her, and she makes sense for the story but I found it difficult to grasp her motivations (which makes sense for the whodunnit aspect of a slasher).
Overall, a fun quick read that fell flat in a few places. The plot was interesting, but pacing a little slow for me (which obviously is a personal thing) and not particularly liveable characters. Some nice aspects of horror, but I felt it could’ve gone further.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail