stevie_blue's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
I'm actually not sure what to think, at some points it felt so sluggish because it involved everyone and their grandma.. but later on it picked up the pace a bit more and everyone's introduction was over so you could actually get to the events and the plot
lilliannn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Really, really dark.
I loved the way the (slightly unreliable) narrator was used to tell the story. I found The writing style to be really beautiful.
The characters, though mostly unlikeable, felt extremely human which, I find, may be the scariest part.
Overall, I have lots of thoughts but I loved reading this. At points, I was so submerged with the character web that I thought I could’ve been there. Amazing…but so, so uncomfortable.
I loved the way the (slightly unreliable) narrator was used to tell the story. I found The writing style to be really beautiful.
The characters, though mostly unlikeable, felt extremely human which, I find, may be the scariest part.
Overall, I have lots of thoughts but I loved reading this. At points, I was so submerged with the character web that I thought I could’ve been there. Amazing…but so, so uncomfortable.
trudilibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
This is how they looked: three dead girls propped up in three straight chairs.Wow. What a meaty and cerebral read -- textured, layered, nuanced. It is a quiet novel that takes its time to carefully contemplate on its subject. And what is its subject? Despite the title, not the disappearance and death of three young girls, not really. Solving the crime, locating the victims, is secondary to the examination of a small town under siege marinating in fear and gripped by suspicion. Dobyns takes a microscopic approach and in rich, solid prose draws a detailed portrait of a townspeople succumbing to the worst of their prejudices and paranoia. It's excruciatingly intimate and painfully honest.
The suspicion didn't just go away. It just slipped back to wherever it hid.
At times, I was reminded of Shirley Jackson's [b:We Have Always Lived in the Castle|89724|We Have Always Lived in the Castle|Shirley Jackson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311400048s/89724.jpg|847007]. As with Jackson's novel, Dobyns is able to disturb and unsettle me with his insight into dark hearts and the secrets humans keep. What is that stranger sitting next to us on the bus hiding? Our neighbor? Our friend? Our lover? What impulses lurk behind expressions of devotion and fidelity? What impulses do we see when we look in the mirror? Most of us will never act on them, but they lurk there nevertheless. Waiting, for a crack, for a moment of weakness.
I liked how the first person point of view not only kept me in the dark for much of the novel, but kept me off-kilter and suspicious too. Like the town's inhabitants, everyone became a suspect for me as well, including the narrator himself. I did not trust him. I was never able to satisfactorily confirm his reliability. I was on my own, unnerved and watchful, plagued by feelings of dread, outrage, and melancholy.
Don't let the sleepy start in a sleepy town fool you. This book has teeth. For me, no one writes the mad psychology of small towns better than Stephen King. Dobyns makes a helluva case though. Fans of Donna Tartt's [b:The Secret History|29044|The Secret History|Donna Tartt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327733397s/29044.jpg|221359] may also enjoy this.
impybelle's review against another edition
4.0
This book creeped me out more than a little. But it did so in ways that didn't necessarily seem obvious until you'd raced to the end of the book [all the lights in the room blazing, because of course midnight had come and gone] and were left trying to process everything. You know a book has done it's job well when the wait until morning seems unbearable, but there's no way you'll be able to sleep in the dark.
vdarcangelo's review against another edition
5.0
http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_13105364?IADID=Search-www.dailycamera.com-www.dailycamera.com
This review originally appeared in the BOULDER CAMERA
Thirteen horrifying reads for Halloween
by Vince Darcangelo
Posted: 10/24/2008 02:34:00 AM MDT
October is the time of year to indulge those horror cravings. As the leaves turn, and a haunting chill fills the evening air, there's nothing better than curling up with a good thriller, be it a psychological mystery or supernatural scare, a genre gore-fest or high-minded literary horror.
We've compiled 13 can't-miss Halloween reads that will have you sleeping with the lights on. To get into the spirit of the season, crack open one of these terrifying tomes ... if you dare.
"The Church of Dead Girls" -- Stephen Dobyns
As with "Birdman," the ghoul in this 1997 Stephen Dobyns mystery novel uses human corpses as an artistic medium. But while "The Church of Dead Girls" offers terror and thrills, it also has high-minded literary aspirations and becomes a sociological work about small towns and suspicion. A rash of murders and missing teenagers plays second fiddle to the reaction of townsfolk who begin pointing fingers in every possible direction. Speaking of fingers, whatever happened to those missing left hands?
This review originally appeared in the BOULDER CAMERA
Thirteen horrifying reads for Halloween
by Vince Darcangelo
Posted: 10/24/2008 02:34:00 AM MDT
October is the time of year to indulge those horror cravings. As the leaves turn, and a haunting chill fills the evening air, there's nothing better than curling up with a good thriller, be it a psychological mystery or supernatural scare, a genre gore-fest or high-minded literary horror.
We've compiled 13 can't-miss Halloween reads that will have you sleeping with the lights on. To get into the spirit of the season, crack open one of these terrifying tomes ... if you dare.
"The Church of Dead Girls" -- Stephen Dobyns
As with "Birdman," the ghoul in this 1997 Stephen Dobyns mystery novel uses human corpses as an artistic medium. But while "The Church of Dead Girls" offers terror and thrills, it also has high-minded literary aspirations and becomes a sociological work about small towns and suspicion. A rash of murders and missing teenagers plays second fiddle to the reaction of townsfolk who begin pointing fingers in every possible direction. Speaking of fingers, whatever happened to those missing left hands?
misterv82's review against another edition
2.0
Nogal flauwtjes. Een slow motion thriller, maar absoluut niet van het niveau zoals je dat vindt bij bvb. R.J. Ellory. Teveel lege personages, geen personags waarmee je kan meevoelen, weinig spanning. Bij de ontknoping van de "whodidit" zat ik te schouderophalen: "oké, so what". Jammer, want de kaft klonk veelbelovend.
saj_81's review against another edition
4.0
I chose this one at the library based on the title. It sounded interesting and I was in the mood for something a little bit scary.
First thought after finishing: this book wasn't scary at all! I was maybe a bit anxious at a coupple of points (shouting "don't go there!" to the characters), but it's certainly not nightmare material. This was slightly disappointing, but once I got over that I really enjoyed the book.
The author is obviously extremely talented. The book is very well-written, each character comes alive and the descriptions of the town and its people are interesting and captivating. I had fun trying to figure who the killer would be!
The story is told by a nameless high school biology teacher, who includes his own ponderings while telling about the town's slow descent into chaos. I found the narrator very likable and enjoyed his interpretations of the various characters as well as the general darkness lurking in every human mind.
A book worthy of being used as an example in sociology classes.
First thought after finishing: this book wasn't scary at all! I was maybe a bit anxious at a coupple of points (shouting "don't go there!" to the characters), but it's certainly not nightmare material. This was slightly disappointing, but once I got over that I really enjoyed the book.
The author is obviously extremely talented. The book is very well-written, each character comes alive and the descriptions of the town and its people are interesting and captivating. I had fun trying to figure who the killer would be!
The story is told by a nameless high school biology teacher, who includes his own ponderings while telling about the town's slow descent into chaos. I found the narrator very likable and enjoyed his interpretations of the various characters as well as the general darkness lurking in every human mind.
A book worthy of being used as an example in sociology classes.
katunraveled's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
2.0
I bought it for a dollar and now I know why it was in the discount bin. I don’t mind a disturbing story but I couldn’t get into the way the story was narrated. The twist is one you see coming for a while and it takes it’s sweet time getting there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Fatphobia, Murder, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Blood, Animal cruelty, and Hate crime
marryallthepeople's review against another edition
2.0
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10541056
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10541056
matosapa's review against another edition
3.0
Not very thrilling but he has a very down-to-earth writing style that is as smooth as glass. Liked his poetry better.