Josh Krysak
I am tiring of reading books that can't make it all the way through. The first half of Blackwood sets the stage for what could have been a southern gothic masterpiece, filled with allure and dread in equal measure. The second half of the novel reads more like a muted character study of the broken and damaged, straying from the mood of the first half and, for me, losing the intrigue. I just couldn't bring myself to invest in what would be for the boy or for Colburn or Celia or Myer and the end was a self-serving ode to the self-martyred. Tortured souls who's only act of bravery is existing. I can't help but feel “meh.” And, yet, that first half though. The unsettling cadence, the twisted and consuming kudzu, the promise of niggling fear. That was good stuff.
*2.5 stars. The concept of this book held great promise - and I enjoyed the reimagining of America and the Western tradition, the fertility focus, the power of women, etc.; but while the characters were interesting on the surface I felt there was a lack of true depth, it was not for a lack of trying from North. She tried to give backstories and interactions and engagements for the various members of the Hole in the Wall Gang, but they just didn't connect for me. There were so many big issues that were hinted at but lacking clarity or a tie that bound them to the reader. For concept, North gets an A. For execution and real depth, unfortunately it's a C at best.
*4.5 stars. What characters. What descriptive and unique writing. What a depiction of race and class and New York City in 1969. What a great ending. This book is special and I am predicting it will be a contender for some awards. It should be.
Exactly what I expect from Ware. Solid, if predictable plotting, claustrophobic setting and steady tension made for a typical “popcorn” fun read.
*2.5 stars for a wonderful premise. This just failed to connect with me on multiple levels - emotionally, thematically - and it is disappointing because the setup had such promise.
There are five-star horror novels like Stephen King's It that are pillars of the genre, essentially defining it with exceptional storytelling, a cast of characters drawn to perfection, unexpectedly literary construction, and enough horror to ensure that even remotely squeamish readers will want to make a wide berth. Then there are five-star horror novels like Shaun Hamill's A Cosmology of Monsters that melds Lovecraftian scope and world-building with a undercurrent of heart that sets it in a league of its own. Then, there are the novels of T. Kingfisher. I have read three - and I have given out three sets of five stars. They are self-contained, easily-accessible and filled with likable characters working through wonderfully inventive and horrifically satisfying circumstances. The Twisted Ones, What Moves the Dead and now The Hollow Places are like the third options for Goldilocks - just right. That said, they aren't perfect. Some repetition niggles and some inability of characters to recognize moments of importance stretch to extremes, but these works are so good otherwise that such minor annoyances don't detract from their singular success as fun, fast-paced and unique horror. Kingfisher is an auto-buy and, so far, an auto-love.
*2.5 stars. Much like how I felt about Sundown Motel. Great premise. Interesting setup. Failed to deliver on those promises. I can suspended disbelief with the best of readers but when characters lack common sense to achieve twists or plot elements, that bothers me. With that said, there is one particularly wriggly-gross scene that caught me by surprise, which I enjoyed.
Unsettling. A masterwork in creating that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. I had no perfect connection with any of the characters. I had no significant vested interest in any one of them but I felt their rising anxiety and ultimately their mind-numbing fear so keenly that I did connect with them all the same. I was turning pages quickly, driven by the same maddening impulse that drove each of them to either retreat into themselves or act out; the suffocating unknown. What has happened? What is happening? What will happen? Upsetting. Alam pushes you into a state of dread and then allows you to burrow deeper into an invisible, yet tangible, shroud of untethered horror. Exceptional work.
Rereading this series for the first time since my original time through. Such a wonderful world.
I loved this. Stradal didn't amaze me with Kitchens of the Great Midwest, but he hooked me with Lager Queens and then made sure that any doubts were mere whispers with this thoughtful, funny and wonderfully understated family novel that made me laugh and cry. It is truly excellent.
*3.5 stars. I wish that this book would meld with Lovecraft Country. Where Lovecraft excels, Ring Shout falls flat. Where Lovecraft struggles, Ring sings. The two worlds together would be incredible. Still, the creativity alone here makes it worth the read.
*3.5 stars. This was fun for a decent portion but unfortunately, as the body count goes up, it descends into some hokey, gore-filled madness and the heavy-handed approach to the conceit, which is certainly worthy of exploration, kind of dulled the impact. Additionally the characters are pretty darn thin. Still, I had fun, for the most part, zipping through this.
*4.5 stars. This is such a fun read. It ratchets up tension and has a dreamlike feel to it that is appropriate considering the subject matter. While I can't say I was shocked by the twist, it didn't unpack exactly how I thought it would and, as such, still felt unique. The ending was a bit convoluted but didn't really detract from a strong novel by North and makes me all more more eager to pick up The Whisper Man.
Incredible writing, for sure. A whirlwind and fever-dream of a story about sexual discovery and the confusion of coming-of-age. Chabon's mastery of sentence structure and recognition and ability to impart the surreal moments that shape us is on full display, but Art Bechstein also kinda drove me crazy and was whiny and difficult in ways I never felt about Holden Caulfield. Or, at least, I don't remember feeling about him. He was just caught in the wind and that lack of conviction of anything made me dislike him, maybe unfairly. And the swirling of the storyline was a bit much and a bit repetitive.
Russell's writing is exquisite, always. I connected with some of the stories in this collection and others not at all. While I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the intensity of the bizarre captured in her vivid constructs, her immense talent as a writer is never in question. I just wish that maybe she didn't try so hard to be unique and different in every aspect of her concoctions. That would bring more reality to her work and make the strangeness and brilliant moments more recognizable and appreciated. It just ends up feeling forced weirdness sometimes, unfortunately.
