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A review by thebakersbooks
The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
4/5 stars — well-written, unobjectionable horror, but didn't knock my socks off
I'm far from a horror aficionado (I'm a huge wimp, if we're being honest), so I didn't have the context to understand how this book was situated within the legacy of the genre. I only found out in the end matter that the author had drawn on previous famous works, so I'm sure I missed lots of interesting lampshading and twists on horror tropes. That said, I really liked this book! I really appreciate horror where nothing (too) awful happens to women just because they're womenand the dog doesn't die .
Oddly, my quibble was that I didn't actually find <i>The Twisted Ones</i> scary. Really at all. There were a few chilling moments and at least one well-timed "jump scare" (is it still called that outside of movies/TV?) but either this wasn't the kind of horror I find scary or it was aiming for a low shiver factor. Regardless, I don't need to sleep with the lights on...but I'm also glad I wasn't planning to walk in the woods anytime soon.
Aside from being a minor letdown on the fear scale, this was a solid, fun read. I liked all the characters, was captivated by the subtleties of the plot, and found the measured escalation of mystery and horror impressive. I recommend this book to horror fans and fellow wimps alike!
Content notes: implied forced impregnation of a minor character (no rape or antagonistic person involved); mention of miscarriages; implied child death; a range of body horror throughout
I'm far from a horror aficionado (I'm a huge wimp, if we're being honest), so I didn't have the context to understand how this book was situated within the legacy of the genre. I only found out in the end matter that the author had drawn on previous famous works, so I'm sure I missed lots of interesting lampshading and twists on horror tropes. That said, I really liked this book! I really appreciate horror where nothing (too) awful happens to women just because they're women
Oddly, my quibble was that I didn't actually find <i>The Twisted Ones</i> scary. Really at all. There were a few chilling moments and at least one well-timed "jump scare" (is it still called that outside of movies/TV?) but either this wasn't the kind of horror I find scary or it was aiming for a low shiver factor. Regardless, I don't need to sleep with the lights on...but I'm also glad I wasn't planning to walk in the woods anytime soon.
Aside from being a minor letdown on the fear scale, this was a solid, fun read. I liked all the characters, was captivated by the subtleties of the plot, and found the measured escalation of mystery and horror impressive. I recommend this book to horror fans and fellow wimps alike!
Content notes: implied forced impregnation of a minor character (no rape or antagonistic person involved); mention of miscarriages; implied child death; a range of body horror throughout
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Child death and Miscarriage