itsmarkyall's review against another edition
5.0
Every word of this book makes it feel like kudzu vines are creeping along and growing up your arms and legs until they’ve wrapped tightly around your throat and even though you can’t breathe you can’t put the book down because it’s that damn good and you gotta get to the end.
jimmypat's review against another edition
2.0
The good thing I can say about this book is that it moved at a fast clip. Otherwise, it wasn’t great. I’m not really sure what the author intended this to be. Horror? Southern gothic? Crime novel? Existential dreary modern novel? It had all of those elements but seemed really unfocused and pointless. As another reviewer noted, the prose was a clunky, self-aware version of Cormac McCarthy.
ensis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
trishwils's review against another edition
2.0
I did not like the writing style and the whole thing was just depressing and messy.
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Kidnapping, Violence, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Murder, Grief, Death of parent, Gore, Emotional abuse, Child death, Blood, Death, Cursing, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexual content
tommooney's review against another edition
4.0
Small town. Check.
Creepy outsiders. Check.
Clapboard House. Check.
Beat-up jalopy. Check.
Man with a violent past. Check.
Spiralling pit of violence, death and despair. Check.
This is a classy piece of southern gothic. It bears all the tropes of the genre but Farris Smith reinvents them once again, this time with the suggestion of the supernatural.
Blackwood is so, so grim. Desperate damaged people running from their pasts, careening into doomed futures. And he absolutely goes the full early-Cormac McCarthy. The full Donald Ray Pollock. It's very good, if you're into that sort of thing.
Creepy outsiders. Check.
Clapboard House. Check.
Beat-up jalopy. Check.
Man with a violent past. Check.
Spiralling pit of violence, death and despair. Check.
This is a classy piece of southern gothic. It bears all the tropes of the genre but Farris Smith reinvents them once again, this time with the suggestion of the supernatural.
Blackwood is so, so grim. Desperate damaged people running from their pasts, careening into doomed futures. And he absolutely goes the full early-Cormac McCarthy. The full Donald Ray Pollock. It's very good, if you're into that sort of thing.
bundy23's review against another edition
2.0
It probably says a lot about how engaged you are with a book when you get to about 80% through before you realise that the lead character is actually 2 different people, AND THEN 10 minutes later you realise that the main supporting character is ALSO 2 different people
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
A gripping, dark and gritty story, a great gothic novel that kept me hooked till the end.
It's atmospheric and its disturbing and creepy atmosphere kept me on the edge till the end.
The characters, the setting and the plot are great and the author is a talented storyteller.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's atmospheric and its disturbing and creepy atmosphere kept me on the edge till the end.
The characters, the setting and the plot are great and the author is a talented storyteller.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.