Scan barcode
mandi_lea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment
moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
I'm not sure that I've totally wrapped my head around the book completely. This strange story is told going between characters and between times. There were fourth wall breaks and explorations of how things may have gone differently, as well as insight on grief and memory. Thematically, there are a lot of profound things to unpack. However, if you are a plot person, you will come out of it far more unsettled that I am. There are a lot of everyday "plotless" points in order to (in theory) discover what is behind the mystery of the tapes.
I feel like this is one I'm going to have to process and maybe reread to totally get it (and there were enough compelling bits that I would like to). I had an interesting time with it nonetheless.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Parental abandonment, car crashes, emotionally disturbing scenes,judassilver's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Eating disorder
readthesparrow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
It was labeled as horror on the library's site, and after reading through the description, I assumed the same. It's not horror, though. No, certainly not.
I do love the story, and I'm very glad I listened to it. It's got some very interesting ruminations on grief, memory, and loss, particularly in a small town context. I liked all the characters (except
My issue is that the narrative holds onto revealing *anything* about Lisa and the truth of the tapes for so long that it becomes tiresome. I was so ready for things to wrap up at the end of section two, but was more than a little annoyed to see that there was still an hour and a half left, then even more annoyed when there was a jump to the future with a whole new family of people.
Yes, this time skip is narratively thematic, and yes, it does have some interesting stuff on the theme of loss and remembrance.
I want to like this book. I loved the prose and the characters, and it hits a lot of themes/topics I love;
The summary focuses pretty hard on the weird spliced footage moment. While that is the spark that begins the novel, and the footage is a thorough line of the novel, that creepy footage is not the main focus of the novel at all, even when it is the primary plot point on the page.
Also, it was a little hard to follow at times. But that is likely because I was listening on audiobook (which I would actually recommend; it's read by the author, who has a lovely voice).
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
retswerb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment
atiek's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
julianship's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Anyone who's listened to a Mountain Goats song knows Darnielle is masterful at evoking an emotional landscape in very little room, and Universal Harvester doesn't disappoint on that front! It's full of quiet moments of character and deeply unsettling images. The whole book has an ache to it, and the relationship between Jeremy and his dad is particularly evocative.
That being said, the plot and structure don't deliver on the premise (mysteriously edited video tapes show up in the VHS rental store of a small town) and writing's initial promise, which is a shame. I don't mind a nontraditional narrative - in fact I often really love them! But parts of this feel rambling, and the switch to first person at the end doesn't pay off the way I really would like it to.
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident
mr_cain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Torture, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
frimpton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
davidrb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
NOT a horror novel.
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Abandonment