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smvolk 's review for:
Hemlock Island
by Kelley Armstrong
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong!
Kelley Armstrong’s Hemlock Island is a disappointing and poorly paced horror/thriller that never quite comes together. In the novel, a writer travels to her remote lake home after a series of horrifying incidents occur. Together with her ex-husband, niece, and others, she must discover who or what is causing the mayhem. Armstong’s novel has so much potential, but the novel fails to build suspense, mystery, or tension. Once the characters arrive on the island, the novel moves clunkily from one plot point to another without ever leaving the reader time to process what’s unfolding or why it matters to the characters. The novel begins to feel repetitive after a few chapters. The characters are poorly drawn and the novel handles sexual assault in a way that is distasteful and lacking in care. The dialogue is poorly written, the island lacks a cohesive sense of place, and the horror never truly scares. I loved the premise of the novel, but little here actually works. The final reveal is bland and feels disappointingly familiar. I do not recommend this novel.
Kelley Armstrong’s Hemlock Island is a disappointing and poorly paced horror/thriller that never quite comes together. In the novel, a writer travels to her remote lake home after a series of horrifying incidents occur. Together with her ex-husband, niece, and others, she must discover who or what is causing the mayhem. Armstong’s novel has so much potential, but the novel fails to build suspense, mystery, or tension. Once the characters arrive on the island, the novel moves clunkily from one plot point to another without ever leaving the reader time to process what’s unfolding or why it matters to the characters. The novel begins to feel repetitive after a few chapters. The characters are poorly drawn and the novel handles sexual assault in a way that is distasteful and lacking in care. The dialogue is poorly written, the island lacks a cohesive sense of place, and the horror never truly scares. I loved the premise of the novel, but little here actually works. The final reveal is bland and feels disappointingly familiar. I do not recommend this novel.