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A review by chrschn
Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Fantastic from start to finish. Tore through this in a single 24 hour period, and would likely have done it in a single sitting were I a faster reader or unburdened with the need for sleep or food. (Skill issue, really).
Tightly written weird western adventure that reads equal parts folk legend and gunslinging thriller, with a healthy dose of dark, unsettling horror mixed in. Red Rabbit’s depiction of Kansas is rich in magic, witchcraft, monsters, and some things worse than monsters. The primary antagonist is deeply disturbing and feels like a slimy black ooze in your brain.
There are a handful of central characters in the mix, each with their own peculiarities and motivations, some good, some bad, and some that are revealed along the way. Despite the wide cast of characters, each feels lifelike and realized and really jump off the page. Found myself very invested in the ensemble cast, and was pleasantly surprised with one character in particular who at first glance seemed little more than a set piece, but ended up being one of my favorites in the whole book.
The writing is vivid and descriptive without stumbling over clumsy metaphors or flowery language, and every scene plays out like a scene in a movie. (Side note, I would be shocked if this didn’t make it to screen in the near future). It should be noted what an accomplishment it is that the horror elements are successfully visceral, creepy, grimy, and unsettling without resorting to the sexual violence or graphic animal death that so commonly plague the genre. I understand that some people find this more palatable, but it feels cheap and grating at this point, so the absence of such content was hugely refreshing.
Super fun book overall and will be recommending this one to anyone who will listen.
Tightly written weird western adventure that reads equal parts folk legend and gunslinging thriller, with a healthy dose of dark, unsettling horror mixed in. Red Rabbit’s depiction of Kansas is rich in magic, witchcraft, monsters, and some things worse than monsters. The primary antagonist is deeply disturbing and feels like a slimy black ooze in your brain.
There are a handful of central characters in the mix, each with their own peculiarities and motivations, some good, some bad, and some that are revealed along the way. Despite the wide cast of characters, each feels lifelike and realized and really jump off the page. Found myself very invested in the ensemble cast, and was pleasantly surprised with one character in particular who at first glance seemed little more than a set piece, but ended up being one of my favorites in the whole book.
The writing is vivid and descriptive without stumbling over clumsy metaphors or flowery language, and every scene plays out like a scene in a movie. (Side note, I would be shocked if this didn’t make it to screen in the near future). It should be noted what an accomplishment it is that the horror elements are successfully visceral, creepy, grimy, and unsettling without resorting to the sexual violence or graphic animal death that so commonly plague the genre. I understand that some people find this more palatable, but it feels cheap and grating at this point, so the absence of such content was hugely refreshing.
Super fun book overall and will be recommending this one to anyone who will listen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Cannibalism and Animal death