ach619's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book as it was recommended by Stephen King in an issue of Entertainment Weekly (of best summer reads). I was totally surprised by how well done it was! The author paints his literal landscapes with a lot of detail, and the characters are well thought out, also. It is suspenseful and mysterious, sad, and romantic, all at the same time. For me it was a page-turner, and I stayed up late to finish it.
trudilibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I stumbled upon this book completely by accident one day whilst poking around my library’s fiction stacks. I had never heard of this Michael Koryta guy before but the unusual premise for this one grabbed my attention immediately, and a few enthusiastic reviews here on GR convinced me to give it a try.
This book is all kinds of awesome, and I think what I enjoyed about it the most is that it’s so hard to categorize –- it’s like ten genres in one. That isn't to say the book is confused, far from it. Koryta has such control over the magic he weaves here. He is a skilled storyteller, an absolute master at pacing and plot. His descriptive prose is so lush on the one hand and so cuttingly precise on the other that the entire novel unfolds in cinematic detail. I could see and feel everything – like the thick humidity of the swamp, sweaty and heavy on my skin making it hard to breathe. I smelled the sickening fetid rot and the coppery stench of blood. My pulse raced with fear and worry, my bile rose in disgust and outrage. I lusted for revenge and prayed for forgiveness. I carried the characters’ guilt and heart ache on my shoulders and longed for their escape and redemption
Koryta manages to accomplish so much here – a supernatural tale firmly grounded in realism containing aspects of both the historical and the crime novel. There is mystery, there is love, there is corruption, there is betrayal, there is friendship. In an interview Koryta explains:
This book is all kinds of awesome, and I think what I enjoyed about it the most is that it’s so hard to categorize –- it’s like ten genres in one. That isn't to say the book is confused, far from it. Koryta has such control over the magic he weaves here. He is a skilled storyteller, an absolute master at pacing and plot. His descriptive prose is so lush on the one hand and so cuttingly precise on the other that the entire novel unfolds in cinematic detail. I could see and feel everything – like the thick humidity of the swamp, sweaty and heavy on my skin making it hard to breathe. I smelled the sickening fetid rot and the coppery stench of blood. My pulse raced with fear and worry, my bile rose in disgust and outrage. I lusted for revenge and prayed for forgiveness. I carried the characters’ guilt and heart ache on my shoulders and longed for their escape and redemption
Koryta manages to accomplish so much here – a supernatural tale firmly grounded in realism containing aspects of both the historical and the crime novel. There is mystery, there is love, there is corruption, there is betrayal, there is friendship. In an interview Koryta explains:
while I grasp the idea of genre differences, I’ve never particularly cared about them as a reader. I can be equally entertained by Elmore Leonard or Stephen King or Pat Conroy. They are all gifted storytellers, and if you’re telling me a good story I’m not … inclined to worry about the genre.Amen, ain’t that the truth? I always thought so anyway. As for this book? Read it.
bookhawk's review against another edition
4.0
The Cypress House exceeded my expectations considerably. The book has a supernatural element but not so much as to overpower the general story. There were several strategic twists well placed in the tale. The last 80 pages drove feverish page turning and brought home a 4.5 star rating.
andymoon's review against another edition
3.0
Supernatural noir set in 1930's Florida. Arlen can see death's telltale sign in people's eyes. This supernatural element however isn't essential to the story. For that reason, the noir was much more than I expected (and liked) and supernatural much less, which made for disappointment. However it was a nice slow burn till the (predictable) end.
perfectlymisaligned's review against another edition
2.0
1 - 2 confusing stars
The premise for this book sounded amazing: A retired military man can look at someone and know when they are about to die. Avoiding an upcoming disaster, he and a friend take sanctuary in a small town...only to discover they are in the direct path of a monster hurricane.
Sounds exciting, right? Well it would have been. If that was the actual main storyline. But all of that happens in the first 20% of the book. After that, the story turns into an awkward love story slash mystery slash i don't even know what else. It was messy and rambling and more than a little dull. I lasted until the 65% mark before giving up on this one.
The premise for this book sounded amazing: A retired military man can look at someone and know when they are about to die. Avoiding an upcoming disaster, he and a friend take sanctuary in a small town...only to discover they are in the direct path of a monster hurricane.
Sounds exciting, right? Well it would have been. If that was the actual main storyline. But all of that happens in the first 20% of the book. After that, the story turns into an awkward love story slash mystery slash i don't even know what else. It was messy and rambling and more than a little dull. I lasted until the 65% mark before giving up on this one.
megmcardle's review against another edition
4.0
Supernatural-ish thriller from Kortya, who seems to be carving out a niche for the noir and the spooky. While I thought his previous book So Cold the River was better, both books suffer from slightly too sluggish pacing to be called real page-turners. But for The Cypress House, the imagery of the smoke-filled eyes heralding imminent death was really effective. I also enjoyed the remote house in the bayou, the sad-eyed woman in over her head, the violence on the doorsteps: all such great film noir elements. The similarities to Key Largo can't all be accidental. The opening of the book was just fantastic, but when the gangster plot takes over, the supernatural elements all but disappear, only making a strong appearance at the very end. That was a little disappointing, as it felt like he could have done more with Arlen's gift. I can't wait to see what Kortya does next, though, as even with these criticisms, this was a fun read.
litwrite's review against another edition
4.0
I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel, never having heard of Michael Koryta before. As a crime novel with a hint of supernatural, I would say this was like James Ellroy meets Richard Matheson (I'm tempted to use Stephen King but I think Koryta writes and self edits a lot better than that guy).
This novel kept me guessing from the start, I loved the historical setting and never knew what was going to happen. It didn't end with a fizzle like so many other novels of the genre and I was happy to read the final page and actually be able to say that I was satisfied with the way everything turned out.
I liked this so much I ended up reading it in one night. There's no higher praise than that from a jaded book reader who has not enough time to get all their reading in. I'll be yawning a lot today as I go through my motions but with a little smile on my face with the satisfaction that comes from having read something great. I'll definitely be looking for Koryta's other novels, especially So Cold the River.
This novel kept me guessing from the start, I loved the historical setting and never knew what was going to happen. It didn't end with a fizzle like so many other novels of the genre and I was happy to read the final page and actually be able to say that I was satisfied with the way everything turned out.
I liked this so much I ended up reading it in one night. There's no higher praise than that from a jaded book reader who has not enough time to get all their reading in. I'll be yawning a lot today as I go through my motions but with a little smile on my face with the satisfaction that comes from having read something great. I'll definitely be looking for Koryta's other novels, especially So Cold the River.
menfrommarrs's review against another edition
4.0
I clicked the "become a fan" button the first time I read Michael Koryta. The book that prompted it had interesting elements for a thriller. I didn't rave about it but felt something was coming next.
And that next something was delivered with hurricane force winds! Koryta can deliver weather, corruption, affection, hopelessness, history, sunsets, swamps, pain and redemption all in an easy stride.
I'm itching to get my hands on the next book.
And that next something was delivered with hurricane force winds! Koryta can deliver weather, corruption, affection, hopelessness, history, sunsets, swamps, pain and redemption all in an easy stride.
I'm itching to get my hands on the next book.
debojean's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Had potential. I love the paranormal but there wasn’t enough of it. Characters just didn’t pull me in and the book was slow for the first 90% of it. Had to make myself keep reading.