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raptorq's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Kidnapping
sarrie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
TL;DR: If you like Spiders or Existential Dread in your horrors this could be for you, but overall pretty bland for me.
Beholder by Ryan La Sala is an interesting horror read for me. I’ve been exploring the genre more and more in the past few years and this might be the first time I’ve found a book that seems to target two specific phobias that simply completely miss me. Spiders and a sense of existential dread.
This follows Athan, who is the bearer of a family curse that means he’s unable to really look in the mirror. After surviving a party turned massacre he gets caught up on the run from those who seem to be hunting his family and him. He ends up in the company of Dom, a young man of considerable artistic talent and an equal amounts of secrets.
The biggest part of this I enjoyed was the nod to The Yellow Wallpaper which is one of my favorite classical horror works. There are hints at a great exploration of art and horror and what art can do to the masses. The book was fast paced and the plot drove this forward, if you want a fast YA Horror this would definitely fit that bill.
Outside of that the story was actually a little bland for me. The characters didn’t hold much personality outside of what we’re told. Additionally the biggest horror elements, a large spider and the dread of something catching you or the end of things, both completely slid past me. I am not scared of spiders in the least, in fact I love them. And I don’t particularly struggle with any kind of dread of this style. And the story seemed to really hinge on those. If that’s something you’re into (or in this case scared of) you’ll probably enjoy getting the pants scared off of you.
Overall this wasn’t a bad read, there were some strengths I genuinely enjoyed. However it’s reliance on some (in my opinion) generic horror motifs caused it to fall flat. If you enjoy YA Horror or like those two elements in horror, this is probably going to be for you.
3 out of 5 creepy, crawling wallpapers.
Beholder by Ryan La Sala is an interesting horror read for me. I’ve been exploring the genre more and more in the past few years and this might be the first time I’ve found a book that seems to target two specific phobias that simply completely miss me. Spiders and a sense of existential dread.
This follows Athan, who is the bearer of a family curse that means he’s unable to really look in the mirror. After surviving a party turned massacre he gets caught up on the run from those who seem to be hunting his family and him. He ends up in the company of Dom, a young man of considerable artistic talent and an equal amounts of secrets.
The biggest part of this I enjoyed was the nod to The Yellow Wallpaper which is one of my favorite classical horror works. There are hints at a great exploration of art and horror and what art can do to the masses. The book was fast paced and the plot drove this forward, if you want a fast YA Horror this would definitely fit that bill.
Outside of that the story was actually a little bland for me. The characters didn’t hold much personality outside of what we’re told. Additionally the biggest horror elements, a large spider and the dread of something catching you or the end of things, both completely slid past me. I am not scared of spiders in the least, in fact I love them. And I don’t particularly struggle with any kind of dread of this style. And the story seemed to really hinge on those. If that’s something you’re into (or in this case scared of) you’ll probably enjoy getting the pants scared off of you.
Overall this wasn’t a bad read, there were some strengths I genuinely enjoyed. However it’s reliance on some (in my opinion) generic horror motifs caused it to fall flat. If you enjoy YA Horror or like those two elements in horror, this is probably going to be for you.
3 out of 5 creepy, crawling wallpapers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Classism