Scan barcode
beth_don's review against another edition
dark
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
shelf_life_with_jay's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-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? No
3.5
One of my favorite booksellers recommended this book at my go-to bookstore just down the street. While I trust their judgment, I initially hesitated because I'm not too fond of stories from WWI or WWII eras. As a person of color, I know that if the author is committed to historical accuracy, there’s usually racial trauma lurking in the pages. Sadly, this one didn't disappoint in that regard.
At its core, Those Across the River reads like a debut novel. And when I found out this was Buehlman’s debut, that made sense. It’s tense, dark, and builds up a slow burn of dread in this small Southern town. The suspense was gripping at points, but the action took a while to kick off. We knew something deeply sinister was going on from the beginning, but the pacing stretched that out longer than I would have liked.
One issue I had with the structure was the opening scene. It drops you into a moment from later in the book but then pulls you away for a long backstory. I’m not a fan of that device—it felt like a bit of a bait-and-switch. I prefer a slow, steady climb rather than this narrative whiplash.
Another element that didn't sit well with me was the frequent use of the word "Negro" and, even worse, the N-word with a hard "er." I understand the importance of historical accuracy, but maybe we could have toned that down a bit. I’m looking at you, editors. A sensitivity reader could have been invaluable here, though I’m not sure if that was even a consideration at the time.
Buehlman’s portrayal of women also felt clunky. Like many male authors, he struggled to avoid oversexualizing them. The number of times Eudora, the main female character, was described as "Sphinx-like" was a bit much. It seemed like a fallback for capturing her mystery, but it became repetitive and felt like a lack of nuance in writing women.
The people in this small Georgia town probably should’ve kept their heads down and stuck with tradition, no matter how tough things were. They got a firsthand lesson in the age-old saying: “Fuck around and find out.” By the time the truth of the town's dark secrets comes to light, you can't help but feel they should’ve left well enough alone.
While Those Across the River had flaws, it was a solid debut from Buehlman. The atmosphere was rich, and the tension was palpable, but a few narrative and character choices held it back from greatness for me. This might be worth a try if you’re looking for Southern Gothic horror with a slow burn. Just be ready to wade through some problematic waters.
At its core, Those Across the River reads like a debut novel. And when I found out this was Buehlman’s debut, that made sense. It’s tense, dark, and builds up a slow burn of dread in this small Southern town. The suspense was gripping at points, but the action took a while to kick off. We knew something deeply sinister was going on from the beginning, but the pacing stretched that out longer than I would have liked.
One issue I had with the structure was the opening scene. It drops you into a moment from later in the book but then pulls you away for a long backstory. I’m not a fan of that device—it felt like a bit of a bait-and-switch. I prefer a slow, steady climb rather than this narrative whiplash.
Another element that didn't sit well with me was the frequent use of the word "Negro" and, even worse, the N-word with a hard "er." I understand the importance of historical accuracy, but maybe we could have toned that down a bit. I’m looking at you, editors. A sensitivity reader could have been invaluable here, though I’m not sure if that was even a consideration at the time.
Buehlman’s portrayal of women also felt clunky. Like many male authors, he struggled to avoid oversexualizing them. The number of times Eudora, the main female character, was described as "Sphinx-like" was a bit much. It seemed like a fallback for capturing her mystery, but it became repetitive and felt like a lack of nuance in writing women.
The people in this small Georgia town probably should’ve kept their heads down and stuck with tradition, no matter how tough things were. They got a firsthand lesson in the age-old saying: “Fuck around and find out.” By the time the truth of the town's dark secrets comes to light, you can't help but feel they should’ve left well enough alone.
While Those Across the River had flaws, it was a solid debut from Buehlman. The atmosphere was rich, and the tension was palpable, but a few narrative and character choices held it back from greatness for me. This might be worth a try if you’re looking for Southern Gothic horror with a slow burn. Just be ready to wade through some problematic waters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Slavery and Torture
Minor: Infertility and War
luca_b95's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
After reading (and loving) Between Two Fires by this author I decided to give this book a shot based on some user reviews but I was immensely disappointed by it. The more I reflect on it the less I like it unfortunately.
It started strong with an interesting premise but it started to unravel the deeper I got. The amount of pointless sex scenes grew tiresome and after the major revelation that this is awerewolf story the writing took a nose dive with too many questionable choices.
First eyebrow raising moment was when the narrator (over 40) is caught flirting with a 14 year old by his wife. Her reaction being “oh well I guess we won’t have sex tonight”. The moment that cemented this story as a never recommend is the decision to have the main antagonist of the story be a former enslaved man who takes his revenge on the family line of his former master. I found this extremely distasteful and tone deaf. The author seems to be interested in writing a story about race relations but with no subtext or deeper messages.
It started strong with an interesting premise but it started to unravel the deeper I got. The amount of pointless sex scenes grew tiresome and after the major revelation that this is a
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
directorpurry's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
weirdow's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Felt like maybe the author was trying to get somewhere with the racism, but it was underdeveloped and just wound up more of a crappy plot device. I think there was a lot of potential here (it is his first book I think) but the book lacked depth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual violence
againanew's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Wow. Excellently written and extremely creative. Also very dark and doesn't hold back. I read horror like it's going out of style but I'm rarely satisfied. This is absolutely in my top three, ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Animal death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, and Slavery
Minor: Murder and War
charmarie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? No
4.0
Enjoyed the atmosphere and overall vibes of the story - didn't enjoy the portrayal of women or people of color.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death
hhollins's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.25
This one was difficult to read, for more reasons than it was good to read.
- Although it is reasonable to expect for the time period and location, I still couldn't stomach the overt racism.
- The pacing was really slow.
- The storyline of "investigating the plantation and writing a book about it" really dropped off, and it would have been more compelling/to build more tension if it were addressed more throughout the book than at the end.
- The main character and his wife were too horny, for how slowly paced the book was, and I really felt like it was adding to scenes dragging out.
- I think I could have lived without all of the war montages. His history of war added some complexity to his character, but I don't think it did much.
Pros:
- The setting is established well and it is an interesting place to imagine.
- Historical accuracy, I think?
- The scarier parts had good description and tension.
- The overall concept was interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
rainstar's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence
stephanieluxton's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Murder