Scan barcode
A review by jldean729
Suicide Forest by Jeremy Bates
2.0
Two begrudging stars
So... this is a book that we read. This review contains spoilers.
The book starts slow, with characters that are mostly flat, despite attempts at character development. Then it goes completely off the rails in a bizarre fashion, with an ending to the epilogue that cements every eye rolling, head scratching moment experienced in the head of this narcissistic narrator.
1) The main character is unlikable. Every time there started to be something resembling growth... he would backtrack. ETA spoiler: ALSO HE'S LIVED IN JAPAN FOR FOUR YEARS AND HE DOESN'T SPEAK JAPANESE?!
2) The similes are RIDICULOUS, most definitely not in a good way.
3) The discovery of what's happening is just bizarre, which coincide with the addition of some racist tropes.
4) *spoiler* the final act involved way too much about rape and assault. No trigger warning and, while not going into detail about what was happening in the act itself, it sure was brought up A LOT and not in ways that were necessary for the progression of the story.
5) No spoiler about the ending in the epilogue, but it just cemented how terrible Ethan is. He is literally the worst.
Two stars because I did finish it. Thank you, sunk cost fallacy.
So... this is a book that we read. This review contains spoilers.
The book starts slow, with characters that are mostly flat, despite attempts at character development. Then it goes completely off the rails in a bizarre fashion, with an ending to the epilogue that cements every eye rolling, head scratching moment experienced in the head of this narcissistic narrator.
1) The main character is unlikable. Every time there started to be something resembling growth... he would backtrack. ETA spoiler: ALSO HE'S LIVED IN JAPAN FOR FOUR YEARS AND HE DOESN'T SPEAK JAPANESE?!
2) The similes are RIDICULOUS, most definitely not in a good way.
3) The discovery of what's happening is just bizarre, which coincide with the addition of some racist tropes.
4) *spoiler* the final act involved way too much about rape and assault. No trigger warning and, while not going into detail about what was happening in the act itself, it sure was brought up A LOT and not in ways that were necessary for the progression of the story.
5) No spoiler about the ending in the epilogue, but it just cemented how terrible Ethan is. He is literally the worst.
Two stars because I did finish it. Thank you, sunk cost fallacy.