thereadingpal's review
3.0
Recensione sul blog: http://thereadingpal.blogspot.it/2017/11/recensione-149-chills.html
Colby, Connecticut. Quando tutti si stanno ormai preparando per l'estate, una terribile nevicata interrompe i loro piani. Allo stesso tempo, cominciano ad essere ritrovati diversi cadaveri recanti simboli strani e a cui vengono tolte parti del corpo. Con l'aumentare del numero di cadaveri-sacrificio, aumenta anche la neve. E tutto ciò può essere ricollegato solo ad una specifica setta.
I protagonisti di questo libro sono Kathy Ryan, Jack Glazier e Teagan. Sono loro che devono contrastare la setta della Mano delle Stelle Nere e che devono capire come fermare sia gli omicidi che la brutale nevicata.
Kathy è quella che sicuramente viene esplorata di più. E grazie al cielo, non è solo la banalissima tipa cazzuta senza sentimenti che riesce a fare tutto, e fa lo stesso se non ha amici o persone importanti nella sua vita... blah blah. Kathy è davvero una donna forte, completa. Intelligente. Ma anche lei prova paura, terrore, e vorrebbe qualcuno accanto. La sua relazione con Teagan diventa sempre più importante, ma non intacca il corso della storia e non ne prende il possesso. Insomma, è in background. Cosa molto gradita perché odio quando la storia d'amore prende il sopravvento su libri che non sono romance.
Per quanto riguarda Jack, non sono riuscita a legarmi a lui come a Kathy. È sicuramente un ottimo poliziotto e molto legato alla sua famiglia ma mi è parso un po'... blando.
La storia l'ho trovata forse non originalissima, ma ben delineata: una setta occulta che cerca di "purificare" con la neve il nostro mondo per la venuta di antichi dei. Non solo osserviamo gli eroi in azione; Mary SanGiovanni fa in modo di legarci anche da alcune delle vittime, e a farci sentire il loro terrore mentre le creature della neve e la setta portano avanti la Purificazione. L'autrice riesce davvero a catturare la nostra attenzione. Forse avrei preferito vedere di più la setta in azione. E non dico solo dal punto di vista delle vittime, come l'autrice ha fatto, ma proprio dal punto di vista dei carnefici. Insomma, i tratti psicologici in via diretta, più o meno. Un po', certamente, lo vediamo quando Kathy parla con gli ex-membri, e anche alla fine, ma avrei preferito qualcosa di più "diretto", diciamo, e non solo nelle ultime pagine.Anche il sistema di credenze della setta è particolare. Si parla di dèi Grandi e Minori, di creature purificatrici, di Gente Azzurra che è estrememanete potente. E sinceramente penso che neanche loro sappiano davvero le conseguenze delle loro azioni e la potenza delle forze che stanno cercando di evocare. Gli ex-membri della setta che conosciamo attraverso Kathy e i membri attuali che incontriamo alla fine mostrano una dedizione quasi cieca. Hanno praticamente il cervello fuso! Sono ossessionati da quello che secondo loro dovrà accadere, inevitabile e necessario. In alcuni punti hanno idee piuttosto morbose. Più che i mostri della neve, sono gli umani occulti che dovrebbero scatenare paura.
Lo stile è fluido, e anche la traduzione è ottima. Ciò permette una lettura veloce, senza interruzioni, e piuttosto piacevole. Mary SanGiovanni ha creato una storia interessante e ha fatto in modo di farci legare ai personaggi, come anche di provare le loro sensazioni. Nel complesso, lettura piacevole.
Colby, Connecticut. Quando tutti si stanno ormai preparando per l'estate, una terribile nevicata interrompe i loro piani. Allo stesso tempo, cominciano ad essere ritrovati diversi cadaveri recanti simboli strani e a cui vengono tolte parti del corpo. Con l'aumentare del numero di cadaveri-sacrificio, aumenta anche la neve. E tutto ciò può essere ricollegato solo ad una specifica setta.
I protagonisti di questo libro sono Kathy Ryan, Jack Glazier e Teagan. Sono loro che devono contrastare la setta della Mano delle Stelle Nere e che devono capire come fermare sia gli omicidi che la brutale nevicata.
Kathy è quella che sicuramente viene esplorata di più. E grazie al cielo, non è solo la banalissima tipa cazzuta senza sentimenti che riesce a fare tutto, e fa lo stesso se non ha amici o persone importanti nella sua vita... blah blah. Kathy è davvero una donna forte, completa. Intelligente. Ma anche lei prova paura, terrore, e vorrebbe qualcuno accanto. La sua relazione con Teagan diventa sempre più importante, ma non intacca il corso della storia e non ne prende il possesso. Insomma, è in background. Cosa molto gradita perché odio quando la storia d'amore prende il sopravvento su libri che non sono romance.
Per quanto riguarda Jack, non sono riuscita a legarmi a lui come a Kathy. È sicuramente un ottimo poliziotto e molto legato alla sua famiglia ma mi è parso un po'... blando.
La storia l'ho trovata forse non originalissima, ma ben delineata: una setta occulta che cerca di "purificare" con la neve il nostro mondo per la venuta di antichi dei. Non solo osserviamo gli eroi in azione; Mary SanGiovanni fa in modo di legarci anche da alcune delle vittime, e a farci sentire il loro terrore mentre le creature della neve e la setta portano avanti la Purificazione. L'autrice riesce davvero a catturare la nostra attenzione. Forse avrei preferito vedere di più la setta in azione. E non dico solo dal punto di vista delle vittime, come l'autrice ha fatto, ma proprio dal punto di vista dei carnefici. Insomma, i tratti psicologici in via diretta, più o meno. Un po', certamente, lo vediamo quando Kathy parla con gli ex-membri, e anche alla fine, ma avrei preferito qualcosa di più "diretto", diciamo, e non solo nelle ultime pagine.Anche il sistema di credenze della setta è particolare. Si parla di dèi Grandi e Minori, di creature purificatrici, di Gente Azzurra che è estrememanete potente. E sinceramente penso che neanche loro sappiano davvero le conseguenze delle loro azioni e la potenza delle forze che stanno cercando di evocare. Gli ex-membri della setta che conosciamo attraverso Kathy e i membri attuali che incontriamo alla fine mostrano una dedizione quasi cieca. Hanno praticamente il cervello fuso! Sono ossessionati da quello che secondo loro dovrà accadere, inevitabile e necessario. In alcuni punti hanno idee piuttosto morbose. Più che i mostri della neve, sono gli umani occulti che dovrebbero scatenare paura.
Lo stile è fluido, e anche la traduzione è ottima. Ciò permette una lettura veloce, senza interruzioni, e piuttosto piacevole. Mary SanGiovanni ha creato una storia interessante e ha fatto in modo di farci legare ai personaggi, come anche di provare le loro sensazioni. Nel complesso, lettura piacevole.
chaoticlana's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
nightmare_maven's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
poisoned_icecream's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
elise1995's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
causticbryn's review
3.0
Kind of a mixed bag. The scenario plays out almost like 30 Days of Night with Lovecraftian beasties instead of vampires. There were some great scenes of suspense and some head-scratching moments of lead characters imperiling themselves and others for no good reason. I could have used more of a build-up before the mayhem started, as I had no attachment to most of the characters aside from the detectives. I really enjoyed the magic system but wish the Hand of Black Stars mythos was fleshed out a little more.
landapast's review
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.0
kitpower's review
5.0
Chills is set in small town Connecticut, where a freak snowstorm in May is spreading misery and mayhem, as well as proving to be the harbinger of a far darker situation.
The novel starts off as a pretty standard police procedural, with a murder detective and a gruesome, frozen crime scene, and part of the joy of the book, for me, was just how skillfully SanGiovanni gradually wove the more sinister, supernatural elements into this well-worn genre. It’s a real pleasure to feel the cosmic horror/creature feature blend slowly bleed into the procedural, without ever quite overtaking the narrative entirely - this remains, at its heart, a cop drama, albeit one where the cops in question are facing a very atypical opposition - and with higher stakes than that genre can generally reach for.
The cops themselves are brilliantly realised characters. - the family man and experienced murder detective, the younger irishman, and the somewhat distant occult specialist, who is respected for her expertise. All are exceptionally well drawn, with an admirable lightness of touch that allows the characters to breathe on the page, their interactions and dialogue flowing naturally from their circumstances. It’s deft, assured writing, and really swept me along with the narrative.
It’s a hell of a story, too, taking in cosmic horror, evil cultists, dark family secrets, and some superb, pulp horror setpieces. While SanGiovanni is not afraid to deliver gore, should the occasion demand it, in many of these sequences it is the building of tension that is most powerful, and her ability to generate a mounting sense of dread is exceptional.
Overall, I found Chills to be a superb reading experience - gripping, powerful, and brilliantly written. I look forward to exploring more of SanGiovanni’s work.
The novel starts off as a pretty standard police procedural, with a murder detective and a gruesome, frozen crime scene, and part of the joy of the book, for me, was just how skillfully SanGiovanni gradually wove the more sinister, supernatural elements into this well-worn genre. It’s a real pleasure to feel the cosmic horror/creature feature blend slowly bleed into the procedural, without ever quite overtaking the narrative entirely - this remains, at its heart, a cop drama, albeit one where the cops in question are facing a very atypical opposition - and with higher stakes than that genre can generally reach for.
The cops themselves are brilliantly realised characters. - the family man and experienced murder detective, the younger irishman, and the somewhat distant occult specialist, who is respected for her expertise. All are exceptionally well drawn, with an admirable lightness of touch that allows the characters to breathe on the page, their interactions and dialogue flowing naturally from their circumstances. It’s deft, assured writing, and really swept me along with the narrative.
It’s a hell of a story, too, taking in cosmic horror, evil cultists, dark family secrets, and some superb, pulp horror setpieces. While SanGiovanni is not afraid to deliver gore, should the occasion demand it, in many of these sequences it is the building of tension that is most powerful, and her ability to generate a mounting sense of dread is exceptional.
Overall, I found Chills to be a superb reading experience - gripping, powerful, and brilliantly written. I look forward to exploring more of SanGiovanni’s work.
ericarobyn's review
5.0
Chills by Mary SanGiovanni is an intense tale about a freak snowstorm in May where the residents of a town don’t just need to worry about the amount of snow piling up, but the dangerous things that are alive in the snow as well… and that’s not even the worst of it.
The opening line of this book was:
Jack Glazier had worked Colby Township Homicide for going on nine long New England winters, but he had never seen blood freeze quite like that.
As soon as I read that line, I knew this one was going to be a hit for me! This is yet another one of those books that you need to just jump right in to, so I’ll keep my notes below light.
I absolutely adored the characters, especially Kathy. I loved how she put up a very thick outer shell to protect herself, but that she was very vulnerable on the inside and let bits of that show through from time to time. I really enjoyed her time spent with one specific character as we got to see her let her guard down and relax a bit. I’m looking forward to seeing more about her in the next book!
The plot paired with excellent pacing made this a story that was difficult for me to step away from. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, but I also dreaded it at the same time.
I loved the creatures and how violent and intense all of their scenes were! My goodness… They were all so interesting as well! There’s SO much I want to gush about here but I’ll leave this discovery up to you!
One additional thing I wanted to note, was how seamlessly the author weaves the gore in. Throughout the novel, I felt super unsettled and nervous. When the action scenes kicked in, I was totally immersed. But then, occasionally, I found that the gory details were added in a way that made me have to double back and make sure I actually just read what I thought I had read. I LOVE when that happens!
My Favorite Passages:
Jack Glazier had worked Colby Township Homicide for going on nine long New England winters, but he had never seen blood freeze quite like that.
There was nothing alive as far as she could see, except for her…and the giant creature scaling the side of the hospital’s mental health ward in the moonlight.
The entire town was coated and shades of blue and white, silver and gray. Crystaline sheaths of ice leant a surreal, somehow hunted quality to cars, park benches, fences, telephone poles, and signs. Houses bore rows of long, sharp icicles in a snarl above people’s heads. The heavy snowbanks that ate sound, burying it beneath mini avalanches from roofs and eaves, reminded the few survivors that terrible silent things were still out there. And the wind, the low and mournful moaning and wailing, was always around the head, in the ears.
People didn’t like to believe that they could share any traits with child-killers and molesters, cannibals, necrophiliacs, rapists, serial murderers, and the like, because it meant that, deep down, they would have to acknowledge that anyone could be that kind of monster, even a loved one. Even oneself.
My Final Thoughts:
Looking for a book that will chill you this summer?
I highly recommend checking this one out if you enjoy stories centered around amazing characters that is also filled with intense violence, a very chilling atmosphere, and super terrifying creatures!
Whew, I am so glad that I read this on a hot June day! The title of this one is so perfect, as I totally had chills while reading this!
The opening line of this book was:
Jack Glazier had worked Colby Township Homicide for going on nine long New England winters, but he had never seen blood freeze quite like that.
As soon as I read that line, I knew this one was going to be a hit for me! This is yet another one of those books that you need to just jump right in to, so I’ll keep my notes below light.
I absolutely adored the characters, especially Kathy. I loved how she put up a very thick outer shell to protect herself, but that she was very vulnerable on the inside and let bits of that show through from time to time. I really enjoyed her time spent with one specific character as we got to see her let her guard down and relax a bit. I’m looking forward to seeing more about her in the next book!
The plot paired with excellent pacing made this a story that was difficult for me to step away from. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, but I also dreaded it at the same time.
I loved the creatures and how violent and intense all of their scenes were! My goodness… They were all so interesting as well! There’s SO much I want to gush about here but I’ll leave this discovery up to you!
One additional thing I wanted to note, was how seamlessly the author weaves the gore in. Throughout the novel, I felt super unsettled and nervous. When the action scenes kicked in, I was totally immersed. But then, occasionally, I found that the gory details were added in a way that made me have to double back and make sure I actually just read what I thought I had read. I LOVE when that happens!
My Favorite Passages:
Jack Glazier had worked Colby Township Homicide for going on nine long New England winters, but he had never seen blood freeze quite like that.
There was nothing alive as far as she could see, except for her…and the giant creature scaling the side of the hospital’s mental health ward in the moonlight.
The entire town was coated and shades of blue and white, silver and gray. Crystaline sheaths of ice leant a surreal, somehow hunted quality to cars, park benches, fences, telephone poles, and signs. Houses bore rows of long, sharp icicles in a snarl above people’s heads. The heavy snowbanks that ate sound, burying it beneath mini avalanches from roofs and eaves, reminded the few survivors that terrible silent things were still out there. And the wind, the low and mournful moaning and wailing, was always around the head, in the ears.
People didn’t like to believe that they could share any traits with child-killers and molesters, cannibals, necrophiliacs, rapists, serial murderers, and the like, because it meant that, deep down, they would have to acknowledge that anyone could be that kind of monster, even a loved one. Even oneself.
My Final Thoughts:
Looking for a book that will chill you this summer?
I highly recommend checking this one out if you enjoy stories centered around amazing characters that is also filled with intense violence, a very chilling atmosphere, and super terrifying creatures!
Whew, I am so glad that I read this on a hot June day! The title of this one is so perfect, as I totally had chills while reading this!