Reviews

The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder

hotpotakis's review against another edition

4.0

Dark dark mystery and horror. So many pieces of a puzzle that in the end you are left unsure if you would rather it was left in bits so you wouldn't have been able to comprehend. A favorite but one I'll only read once maybe because it seriously gave me nightmares.

cjeanne99's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Another dual timeline book with two narrators. Not sure what value Gray’s modern day narration added to the story. We could have gotten the reference

matmyers's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

arielledelphine's review against another edition

challenging sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

sophiesallade's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Favorite mystery/horror l've read in a long time. 

This book speaks on cruelty in a more visceral way than most anything l've read in the past, it's cruelness felt deep in your gut, and all based on a real world event. 

This novel is put together in such an interesting and complex way, two different gruesome realities brought together in one book. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. 

This is the type of horror that reiterates, it's not the monsters or ghosts of horror movies that are scary, it's real fucking people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Abortion, and War

maaartje's review against another edition

3.5

Hele spannende thriller waarvan het plot zó tegenvalt dat je na afloop met een wat katerig gevoel blijft zitten.

dovesfalling's review against another edition

5.0

This was just brilliantly dark and dirty and terrifying and beautiful.

plurabelle's review against another edition

5.0

6+ rocket ship to the top of my all time favorite book list, stars.

If ever there were a book that i could describe as life-changing...it would be this one.

Is it for everyone? Absolutely not.
There are sections of this book that are brutal. That are intensely hard to read. And there are themes throughout the book that might be triggers for some people.

But, for me this was easily one of the most beautifully written books i have ever come across in my life. I literally ran out of my trusty small post its due to all the sections I marked.

I am still trying to process my thoughts after finishing this several hours ago, but i do hope at some point to be able to come back and write a proper review to try and express just how much this book effected me.

These characters and this story will stay with me for the rest of my life. And i feel fortunate to have decided to take a chance on a book so far outside my comfort zone.

babsaway14's review against another edition

2.0

This was 2.5 stars ok. The writing was clunky - really clunky. But the story (and the ending) was enough to keep me reading and wondering what other books this author has written are like. Not sure I'd recommend it.

mikaela182's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0