Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Off Season by Jack Ketchum

8 reviews

wholesome_chaotic's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

From the perspective of a horror fan this book has it all. Lean and mean. Gore soaked. Unforgiving. As a horror book it's 5 stars for being so visceral and unrelenting with it's brutality. 

However it also contains every single trigger warning a person could imagine. Very taboo subjects are presented and Ketchum lacks the deft hands to present them as anything more than shock for the sake of it. (I 'm only referring to this book with that previous statement.) It's also grossly sexist and even as a male I found myself rolling my eyes at how the women are portrayed. It doesn't help that the characters are thinner than paper. This why it only has a 3 star rating. 

There's no subtlety in this book. For better and for worse. 

Only recommend for hardcore horror fanatics with stomachs of steel and some questionable morals.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Animal death, Body horror, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Murder, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence

xwritingstoriesx's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

4.25 stars. Off Season was dark, visceral and unsettling. The clan of bloodthirsty barbarians were the perfect cast of antagonists and I actually enjoyed how ruthless they were. Emotions didn't affect them and they weren't motivated or influenced by anything other than their own hunger for flesh. This book played really well into my fear of home intrusion, if you're looking for a book that falls under this trope, this would be the perfect read for you. The ending took me by surprise but upon reading the afterword by the author himself, I understood and appreciated the ending we were given. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Kidnapping, Torture, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, Vomit, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence and Cursing

henry_kurtis's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment

mblanke's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

1.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Child death, Kidnapping, Gore, Sexual violence, Murder, Incest, Stalking, Rape, Cannibalism, Sexual content, and Death

Moderate: Misogyny, Alcoholism, and Body horror

mjadeh's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This book made me feel physically sick. It was wonderful. I feel like I just watched an 80s slasher film. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Pregnancy, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Child death, Blood, Animal death, Stalking, Death, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Gore, Police brutality, Murder, and Gun violence

cupcait's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Excrement, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

boris's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

macemariereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit