Reviews

A Song for Quiet by Cassandra Khaw

snazzymoose's review against another edition

3.0

Good not great

quitegood's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Another solid hit from Khaw. A fantastically rich and indulgent bit of horror that gnaws at you long after. 

My only wish was the main character's love of the blues and the nature of the music trapped in his head was explored further

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Blood

Minor: Death of parent

wordswritinstarlight's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As odd and enthralling as Hammers on Bone, if a little less my speed--I like Deacon and Ana just fine, but my favorite part of Hammers was getting into the head of a creature distinctly Other, and I missed John Persons' perspective in this one.

makinzc66's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.5

timgrubbs's review against another edition

4.0

Music may heal the soul, but it can’t cure the madness in your mind’s eye…

A Song for Quiet by Cassandra Khaw is part of a trilogy of novellas by this author about individual encounters with the madness of the Cthulhu MYTHOS…

Deacon James is just an itenerant blues man travelling through New England while trying to recover from a bad encounter not too long ago.

Ya see, Deacon can see the raging chaos all around…courtesy if a sickness he caught that’s slowly killing him…but he’ll be damned if he lets that stop him from playing on last set for an appreciative public…especially since a fine tune can keep the horrors at the edge of human perception away for a little longer…

This isn’t some soaring ballad…it’s a funeral dirge…but there might still be a happy ending…

spookylindsey's review against another edition

mysterious sad

3.25

matosapa's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

tiedyedude's review against another edition

1.0

This follow-up just didn't do it for me. I had my problems with the first book, but overall it was okay. The connecting character's involvement in this entry was pointless. The rest of the characters.. are there. The plot was scant and scattered, brief flashes between descriptions of dread. But I didn't feel dread because I wasn't really made to care about anything or anyone in the world. While the first book felt like an exercise in using as much noir lingo as possible, this felt like someone with a degree in music theory trying to flex. Trying to emulate Lovecraftian terror with highfalutin musical concepts was a bit much. The social commentary has potential, but ultimately felt shoe-horned in to create some stakes or some sense of justice when no ground work was laid.

abominabledan's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

3.0

pagesofash's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.0