steph0001's review against another edition
5.0
This book has opened my mind to a place I never thought possible, hands down one of the best books I have read this year!!
kattrent's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.0
a_gillie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
As the other reviews show, this book is a mixed bag. Some love it, some hate it. I was just very disappointed with it. The writing itself was juvenile and trite, with spelling/grammatical errors throughout. There was no character development or plot to speak of, just a series of things happening. The events of the book feel too small for the premise and the main character goes from pathetic torture victim to Ash from Evil Dead in just a few pages; that is indicative of the problems this book has: nothing feels earned. It is mean spirited, cosmic revenge porn and by the end I couldn’t glean anything profound from it. Every trigger warning imaginable is in full force, but the sheer quantity of rape, torture, cannibalism, and violence is rendered comical without being funny. I read this over two sittings so I suppose it has brevity going for it, though more time to develop the world and characters may have helped (along with a second draft perhaps?). Gruesome, unpleasant, and not fun, it at least has a relatively interesting mystery that will see most readers to the end.
dreadandsolace's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Solace: This book was interesting and stayed with me long after. It's haunting and truly scary to think that this world could exist after the one we live here. Witherow is a descriptor! So many scenes from this book live rent-free in my head now, and I can't tell if I love or hate that - but wow, credit to his work for it. This is also quite unlike any story I've ever read. There were moments when my heart was racing with dread and anticipation, and I could not read fast enough to learn what happened next.
The Dread: This was so gross. Disgusting! Gore for the sake of gore at times. I don't love gore horror. I'm glad this book was more than nasty and a fair warning to those uninterested in that.
Overall, this story was scary, disgusting, and haunting. I'd recommend it for those who love horror, so long as you have a stomach for it.
The Dread: This was so gross. Disgusting! Gore for the sake of gore at times. I don't love gore horror. I'm glad this book was more than nasty and a fair warning to those uninterested in that.
Overall, this story was scary, disgusting, and haunting. I'd recommend it for those who love horror, so long as you have a stomach for it.
pandasbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
It's been a week since I've read this and I'm still thinking about it. I've never read a horror book like it and am not sure I will find anything this unique again. It's incredibly graphic and some scenes were so brutal I had to put the book down. Check trigger warnings for this one. What made this one great was the unique and very well developed world. Its like nothing else. The despair, bleak and horrific setting will give you nightmares. This book will give you all the emotions. If you're a fan of extreme horror then give this one a go.
goreimm's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 - interesting and extreme, but felt unfinished in a way
adamyeti's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
I had a tough time getting into the first half of this book for some reason. The world-building was fantastic, and I really like the concept. However, it felt a bit more like a horror adventure for a while, which didn't work as well for me.
About halfway in, though, things really started to pop off. Every chapter started to be more suspenseful than the previous. By the last 20%, it had completely transformed into a page turner for me.
Overall, it was definitely worth the read, even if it felt like a bit of a slow start for me.
About halfway in, though, things really started to pop off. Every chapter started to be more suspenseful than the previous. By the last 20%, it had completely transformed into a page turner for me.
Overall, it was definitely worth the read, even if it felt like a bit of a slow start for me.
kit666's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Not going to lie, this book did make me gasp and cringe at times. Towards the end it felt a bit rushed but all in all it was a decent book!
Though I would find a sequ l from Danny's perspective interesting.
That being said: this book was an absolute sausage fest. It frustrated me that so much time was wasted on male characters that barely mattered rather than actually have Jess be part of the plot (at least). Let her talk about what happened in the temple! Show her POV.
I also hated that she was the one that was expected to comfort Kevin on the raft.
There are so many unanswered questions. When Nick went up the mountain, I thought we'd get answers for everything. Instead it just felt like a half arsed device to show more cannibalism. Same thing with Pudge. And Kevin and Trent. And the Keepers. And the Temple. Even Muck and the Needle Fields. So many elements over so little pages. Make it a series or focus on a few horror devices. Or at least make them all tie together at the end again. Once Nick escaped a place it was like it seized to exist. But the combination of all of that on top of the new goal would've been such a great looming presence.
Towards the end it just felt like the author was trying to trigger as many phobias as possible. Which I'm sure would've worked well if it wasn't so rushed.
It is definitely a decent horror book. Many flaws, but it definitely had an effect on me!
Spoiler
I found the beginning quite intense and Muck's torture was especially horrific. I will have the image of Nick squirming around like a worm with screws for teeth for a long while... I liked how fast paced the book was, but thought that the Eyes of the World were introduced too quickly and ended too quickly at the same time. Everything happened so quickly at the end, it felt too rushed. I would've been content with them never trying to get past the Keepers or no Temple being there. In hindsight the entire existence of the Hooves of the Pig seems a bit pointless in relation to the plot. Other than showing the lengths that Nick would go for? There were a lot of elements introduced that it just started to overwhelm the horror of the farm. By the end it felt more like a gory fantasy.Though I would find a sequ l from Danny's perspective interesting.
That being said: this book was an absolute sausage fest. It frustrated me that so much time was wasted on male characters that barely mattered rather than actually have Jess be part of the plot (at least). Let her talk about what happened in the temple! Show her POV.
I also hated that she was the one that was expected to comfort Kevin on the raft.
There are so many unanswered questions. When Nick went up the mountain, I thought we'd get answers for everything. Instead it just felt like a half arsed device to show more cannibalism. Same thing with Pudge. And Kevin and Trent. And the Keepers. And the Temple. Even Muck and the Needle Fields. So many elements over so little pages. Make it a series or focus on a few horror devices. Or at least make them all tie together at the end again. Once Nick escaped a place it was like it seized to exist. But the combination of all of that on top of the new goal would've been such a great looming presence.
Towards the end it just felt like the author was trying to trigger as many phobias as possible. Which I'm sure would've worked well if it wasn't so rushed.
It is definitely a decent horror book. Many flaws, but it definitely had an effect on me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, Suicide, Confinement, Grief, Violence, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Pregnancy
holly__94's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
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? Yes
4.75