Reviews

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

ohwhatagloomyshow's review against another edition

Not paying close enough attention to it

rackle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

emuishere's review against another edition

A clever take on werewolves - a real horror perspective, and one that deals with poverty and illegal Immigration. It was too violent for me, and I think that combined with the slightly disjointed / vignette style writing put me off.

knitreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

dozens's review against another edition

4.0

WHY I PICKED IT UP

I might have just grabbed it based on its cover.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT

Super imaginative, lots of original werewolf lore. A story about a family struggling at the fringe of society, and all of the violence that can happen there.

The narrative structure was interesting. Nonlinear, interleaving first person chapters with third person "shifted" chapters in which the boy adopts a new identity each time: the reporter, the criminal, the mechanic, etc.

The narrative voice was unique. It stayed consistent the whole time and I never got 100% used to it. It felt personable.

The whole book was fun, but the final chapters, I couldn't put it down or read fast enough.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT IT

At first I was a little disappointed in how the story is more or less The Darren Show at the expense of Libby, who does more than her fair share of raising the boy and keeping the family together. But I think that evened out as the story went on.

WHO I'D RECOMMEND IT TO

Anybody who likes a charming coming of age story with guts and entrails. Monster fans.

nelush's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

ittakesjuan's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

thenanaroo's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

ittakesjuan's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

reneeharper72's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0