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embla_yr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
shadowsmoon's review against another edition
5.0
I think Conor better get a wiggle on and write another novel! :)
andream0885's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
samreads788's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
bookedtothemax's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jellichor's review
2.0
"It is the hottest August in living memory. A frightened girl bangs on a door. A man answers. From the moment he invites her in, his world will never be the same again. She will tell him about her family, and their strange life in the show home of an abandoned housing estate. The long, blistering days spent sunbathing; the airless nights filled with inexplicable noises; the words that appear on the windows, written in dust.
Why are members of her family disappearing, one by one? Is she telling the truth? Is he?
In a world where reality is beginning to blur, how can we know what to believe?"
I have no idea how to feel about this book. Is that the whole point? As many other reviewers have said, it is the type of book to read in one (or 2 as I did) sitting. In my case on a sun lounger in Thailand, sunglasses on, and a permanently furrowed brow, as I worked my way though the author's lovely flow and intriguing style of writing, to find out what on Earth was going on. Nothing, perhaps?!
The story immediately starts as the blurb suggests and ultimately what you get is a recounting of a bizarre collection of occurrences, wrapped in a small about of disjointed and, quite frankly, lacking background. The young girl is dirty, dishevelled, and somewhat malnourished when she knocks on his door. We find out who she was living with in the deserted, half built estate, and that she had basically spent her days sunbathing with her Aunt. Taking random trips to the shop for water every now and again... I was frustratingly left with more questions than answers at the end, and I guess that means I didn't get it? Was there actually something tangible to get?
There is clever use of prose to build suspense, and generally the atmospheric writing is spot on. The eeriness of an abandoned building site was effectively described, and the oddity of certain people you will no doubt stumble across in life was accurate and unnerving. I was intrigued, I wanted to finish the book, but I wanted more. I know it's popular nowadays for authors to let the readers take their own stance on stories, but I feel this one leaves way too much unanswered. It may be necessary to re-read at some point, as one reviewer said they were going to do the same to look out for more 'clues' - I clearly missed them all first time round! And here I am, I realise, leaving a review as forthcoming as the book itself!!
Why are members of her family disappearing, one by one? Is she telling the truth? Is he?
In a world where reality is beginning to blur, how can we know what to believe?"
I have no idea how to feel about this book. Is that the whole point? As many other reviewers have said, it is the type of book to read in one (or 2 as I did) sitting. In my case on a sun lounger in Thailand, sunglasses on, and a permanently furrowed brow, as I worked my way though the author's lovely flow and intriguing style of writing, to find out what on Earth was going on. Nothing, perhaps?!
The story immediately starts as the blurb suggests and ultimately what you get is a recounting of a bizarre collection of occurrences, wrapped in a small about of disjointed and, quite frankly, lacking background. The young girl is dirty, dishevelled, and somewhat malnourished when she knocks on his door. We find out who she was living with in the deserted, half built estate, and that she had basically spent her days sunbathing with her Aunt. Taking random trips to the shop for water every now and again... I was frustratingly left with more questions than answers at the end, and I guess that means I didn't get it? Was there actually something tangible to get?
There is clever use of prose to build suspense, and generally the atmospheric writing is spot on. The eeriness of an abandoned building site was effectively described, and the oddity of certain people you will no doubt stumble across in life was accurate and unnerving. I was intrigued, I wanted to finish the book, but I wanted more. I know it's popular nowadays for authors to let the readers take their own stance on stories, but I feel this one leaves way too much unanswered. It may be necessary to re-read at some point, as one reviewer said they were going to do the same to look out for more 'clues' - I clearly missed them all first time round! And here I am, I realise, leaving a review as forthcoming as the book itself!!
firewolffred's review against another edition
2.0
'Nothing on Earth', by Conor O'Callaghan, is a book that wears the genre of Literary Fiction like ornate robes. It looks nice, but wear it outdoors in any weather and the impracticality of it will quickly make itself known. It’s all style without meeting any of its basic purpose.
This is what literary fiction has become. Distilled pretentiousness tied up into a neat bow while forgetting that the bow should be wrapped around an item of greater value than itself. Pretty words like 'ambiguity' and 'interpretive' get presented to bewildered readers, and the close-knit literacy types pat themselves on the back, feeling ever so smart that the vox populi don't understand their art. The stories lose their soul and serve no greater purpose than for these writers to masturbate over how frightfully clever they truly are.
Reading through 'Nothing on Earth', I'm constantly left with a feeling of utter banality and blandness. I ask myself, what is the purpose of this story? Why was it written? Every step forward the story takes seems to gleefully raise a middle finger to the reader, daring them to ask simple questions so it can merrily kick them in the shins for their insolence.
No aspect of the story goes anywhere. It opens with the appearance of a wild young girl knocking on the door of a priest. We learn that the girl's father is missing, and have the suggestion that he isn't the first. The police are called and they make the trip back to the girl’s house to investigate. Now we are thrown back in time to a new set of characters and a new style of narration. Knowing what we know, a small flame of hope blossoms within the reader. Here comes the promised gothic ambience.
Only, this never happens. Sure, the characters go missing, but this always seems like a disregarded footnote. One line we are following the character carrying out some mundane aspect of life, the next line we are with other characters stating that the previous had vanished. Even then no real fuss is made about it. Life just continues in the usual, boring way that O'Callaghan seems to revel in portraying. You want to hear more about spooky happenings? Nah. Here's a dozen pages about going to the shops and sunbathing. You want to see the raw emotion of bereavement as a family is torn apart? Sorry, they're pretty chill with events.
For something that bills itself as a modern gothic, 'Nothing on Earth' does the bare minimum to push its creepy atmosphere. The unoccupied new build housing estate is a perfect setting for a modern take on the gothic, and the pervasive heat builds an interesting and tense backdrop. This setting should have worked wonderfully, but instead, the tiny fishhooks of fear that build suspense are almost forgotten in the wake of day to day life. Like breadcrumbs to a starving crowd, we are offered mention of banging doors and words drawn on windows, but it’s never enough to create a coherent sense of dread. I can't imagine what Donal Ryan felt was 'quietly terrifying', but I can only assume that sneezing kittens must make him wet himself.
Perhaps the story holds up on its own without being scary? Not really. The narrative is spread thin across the already short length of the book. Mundane life can be interesting, but it isn't here. None of the characters ever get any, well, character. The girl isn’t given a name and only serves as a passive actor in the life of her other family members. We are given caricatures of these other characters, little snippets of what they are more than who they are. Helen is absent minded and anxious, Martina is flirty and outgoing, and Paul is, err, blunt, I guess. A mysterious past is alluded to, but nothing more than hinted at, leaving us with nothing but unanswered questions.
As the story reaches its conclusion, we learn nothing new, and none of our questions are answered. The puddle of plot is only further muddied as details are revealed to be different than stated, and the priest admits that parts of the story may have been added and rearranged by himself. Was any of it real? Was there any meaning to be taken away by the reader? Was there any enjoyment to be had?
As a writer, I create stories to elicit emotions. Literary types might look down sneeringly upon 'popular' fiction, but books like 'Nothing on Earth' aren't stories that I can imagine anyone enjoying. They might be packed with themes and ostentatious words, but without that drive to entertain an audience, we are left with a soulless shell, as empty as a model home that has never been lived in, nor ever will be...
This is what literary fiction has become. Distilled pretentiousness tied up into a neat bow while forgetting that the bow should be wrapped around an item of greater value than itself. Pretty words like 'ambiguity' and 'interpretive' get presented to bewildered readers, and the close-knit literacy types pat themselves on the back, feeling ever so smart that the vox populi don't understand their art. The stories lose their soul and serve no greater purpose than for these writers to masturbate over how frightfully clever they truly are.
Reading through 'Nothing on Earth', I'm constantly left with a feeling of utter banality and blandness. I ask myself, what is the purpose of this story? Why was it written? Every step forward the story takes seems to gleefully raise a middle finger to the reader, daring them to ask simple questions so it can merrily kick them in the shins for their insolence.
No aspect of the story goes anywhere. It opens with the appearance of a wild young girl knocking on the door of a priest. We learn that the girl's father is missing, and have the suggestion that he isn't the first. The police are called and they make the trip back to the girl’s house to investigate. Now we are thrown back in time to a new set of characters and a new style of narration. Knowing what we know, a small flame of hope blossoms within the reader. Here comes the promised gothic ambience.
Only, this never happens. Sure, the characters go missing, but this always seems like a disregarded footnote. One line we are following the character carrying out some mundane aspect of life, the next line we are with other characters stating that the previous had vanished. Even then no real fuss is made about it. Life just continues in the usual, boring way that O'Callaghan seems to revel in portraying. You want to hear more about spooky happenings? Nah. Here's a dozen pages about going to the shops and sunbathing. You want to see the raw emotion of bereavement as a family is torn apart? Sorry, they're pretty chill with events.
For something that bills itself as a modern gothic, 'Nothing on Earth' does the bare minimum to push its creepy atmosphere. The unoccupied new build housing estate is a perfect setting for a modern take on the gothic, and the pervasive heat builds an interesting and tense backdrop. This setting should have worked wonderfully, but instead, the tiny fishhooks of fear that build suspense are almost forgotten in the wake of day to day life. Like breadcrumbs to a starving crowd, we are offered mention of banging doors and words drawn on windows, but it’s never enough to create a coherent sense of dread. I can't imagine what Donal Ryan felt was 'quietly terrifying', but I can only assume that sneezing kittens must make him wet himself.
Perhaps the story holds up on its own without being scary? Not really. The narrative is spread thin across the already short length of the book. Mundane life can be interesting, but it isn't here. None of the characters ever get any, well, character. The girl isn’t given a name and only serves as a passive actor in the life of her other family members. We are given caricatures of these other characters, little snippets of what they are more than who they are. Helen is absent minded and anxious, Martina is flirty and outgoing, and Paul is, err, blunt, I guess. A mysterious past is alluded to, but nothing more than hinted at, leaving us with nothing but unanswered questions.
As the story reaches its conclusion, we learn nothing new, and none of our questions are answered. The puddle of plot is only further muddied as details are revealed to be different than stated, and the priest admits that parts of the story may have been added and rearranged by himself. Was any of it real? Was there any meaning to be taken away by the reader? Was there any enjoyment to be had?
As a writer, I create stories to elicit emotions. Literary types might look down sneeringly upon 'popular' fiction, but books like 'Nothing on Earth' aren't stories that I can imagine anyone enjoying. They might be packed with themes and ostentatious words, but without that drive to entertain an audience, we are left with a soulless shell, as empty as a model home that has never been lived in, nor ever will be...
bgg616's review against another edition
5.0
Is this a ghost story? Well the setting is a ghost estate somewhere outside of Dublin, Ireland.
http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/90266705.jpg
The book begins with the appearance of a panicked 12-year-old girl. Her appearance at this particular house brings heaps of problems for the man who tries to help her. Who is her family? What happened to them?
It's hard to describe the appeal of this book. One thing I can say with confidence is that O'Callaghan creates a description of the lives of those who live in these half abandoned estates that captures their haunted horror. It also reinforces my impression that Tana French's attempt to write about ghost estates in [b:Broken Harbor|13123877|Broken Harbor (Dublin Murder Squad, #4)|Tana French|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330675374s/13123877.jpg|15718578]was feeble, with a ridiculous premise, as well as being very insulting with stereotypes of working class families. I haven't read French again (and won't). On the other hand O'Callahan displays a deft touch with this topic and weaves a haunting story.
http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/90266705.jpg
The book begins with the appearance of a panicked 12-year-old girl. Her appearance at this particular house brings heaps of problems for the man who tries to help her. Who is her family? What happened to them?
It's hard to describe the appeal of this book. One thing I can say with confidence is that O'Callaghan creates a description of the lives of those who live in these half abandoned estates that captures their haunted horror. It also reinforces my impression that Tana French's attempt to write about ghost estates in [b:Broken Harbor|13123877|Broken Harbor (Dublin Murder Squad, #4)|Tana French|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330675374s/13123877.jpg|15718578]was feeble, with a ridiculous premise, as well as being very insulting with stereotypes of working class families. I haven't read French again (and won't). On the other hand O'Callahan displays a deft touch with this topic and weaves a haunting story.
elphaba105's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
monnnn21's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
Reading this slight novel was like watching a true crime doco but only ever hearing the testimony of the accused: no facts ever interjected, no trustworthy source to narrate between the lines, just defence.
Our narrator is adamant that he is of the reliable sort, but admits to fabrications without being specific. If he’s reliable, this is an eerie tale: one of an entire missing family and creepy notes on dusty windows and characters who may or not truly exist. If he’s unreliable, it’s even eerier: because he maybe killed any number of those family members, and there are characters who may or not truly exist; because of course, he’s telling the story, so any mention of the girl having her period (which later explains the blood on his bed) could have been added into his account as a premeditated explanation, as could be his hearing her screaming in the night (to cover up in case someone nearby heard the same thing coming from his home?)
Our narrator is a priest. One who’s well aware of the suspicion that could come against him should he be left alone with a minor. He’s also a perv. One whose admitted to watching said minor topless from afar and fantasising about her in the other room.
It’s the kind of book where you should turn the final page and start all over again with your knowledge of how it ends and start picking through the story with a fine toothed comb, finding hints and subtleties you couldn’t possibly notice the first time round without all the information. I’m very keen to come back to this in future and do just that.
Reading this slight novel was like watching a true crime doco but only ever hearing the testimony of the accused: no facts ever interjected, no trustworthy source to narrate between the lines, just defence.
Our narrator is adamant that he is of the reliable sort, but admits to fabrications without being specific. If he’s reliable, this is an eerie tale: one of an entire missing family and creepy notes on dusty windows and characters who may or not truly exist. If he’s unreliable, it’s even eerier: because he maybe killed any number of those family members, and there are characters who may or not truly exist; because of course, he’s telling the story, so any mention of the girl having her period (which later explains the blood on his bed) could have been added into his account as a premeditated explanation, as could be his hearing her screaming in the night (to cover up in case someone nearby heard the same thing coming from his home?)
Our narrator is a priest. One who’s well aware of the suspicion that could come against him should he be left alone with a minor. He’s also a perv. One whose admitted to watching said minor topless from afar and fantasising about her in the other room.
It’s the kind of book where you should turn the final page and start all over again with your knowledge of how it ends and start picking through the story with a fine toothed comb, finding hints and subtleties you couldn’t possibly notice the first time round without all the information. I’m very keen to come back to this in future and do just that.