bookcaptivated's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Animal death, Death, Gore, Blood, Body horror, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, and Stalking
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy
lemonsandligaments's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I picked up this book from a bookstore in 2018 and tried reading it but failed. After finishing it mid-2022 I must say, I wish I read it in 2018.
The main characters are 15 year olds in the 1980s and I think that 5-years-ago me would be able to enjoy this friendgroup-based adventure story, before the pandemic hit. Romance books are frequently lauded for how desirable they represent the human connection, I think I would say the same for this book when it comes to friendship.
For most of the books I have read this year, and even some of my favourite books, I either DESPISE or care little for the characters. This book, however, has a cast of 5 kids who were believably old friends, and it is easy to start caring for them. Their friendship is represented well with the banter. The way settings are described in this book gives a very nostalgic, homely vibe. I also enjoy the at-least-one time outfits were described and the frequent callbacks to things mentioned earlier (e.g. a wet lighter)
The humour of this book is GREAT. I have never laughed at a book this much, I think. Yeah it's a horror and all but the little quips are so witty and apt the fact that they are coming out of a 15 year old's mouth was probably the most unrealistic part of the book. 90% of the humour department is just Arkle.
Seriously that kid won me over pretty quickly, his lines are the funniest even when he. He was my favourite character.
I usually paste some lines I enjoyed but I'll probably end up pasting most of Arkle's dialogue.
AND MACK, that SWEET BOY. Okay now thinking back he's probably just some buff sporty lad.
Lamb is good representation for sporty girls who aren't straight up tomboys, it was also interesting to see the world from sep's mind, Hadley was also there (and Korean), I guess?
My favourite parts of the book were always the friendship parts, where all five of them were solving a problem together, reminiscing, or interacting with each other. It did not have to be the five of them, the previous sacrifice box users were also fun to read about because their friendships felt sacred. That's why any romance in this book felt shoehorned and just not great for me.
Criticisms:
Daniel just feels like a punching bag for the rest of them and a reason to not hate Arkle as much. As much as I like Arkle, he was an ass at the start. I wish Daniel had SOME redeeming quality or even better, was less significant. I am sure 15 year old British (I think) boys have better one word insults than "queerdo", it was smart at the start but man was beating a dead AND decomposed horse. With the amount of times it was used, I thought this book would be more gay really.
The Hadley-Sep romance was just, eh. I see why they would get together, and the mutual "I stare at you because it brings me comfort" thing is cute, but it is just too rushed. There was barely any time for them to interact after not talking for YEARS. Surely more goes into falling in love than staring. When the kisses happened I did not feel a tinge of anything. Perhaps the book could have showed their romance REALISTICALLY budding and ending with it hanging in the air instead of going into straight up MACKING within days.
I'd prefer that the romance just not be there though, this book already covers friendships in depth so I don't see the need for romance. Just less romance more friendship please.
Mario and the fox dying. Did they have to die? The part where Sep replayed Mario's "I love you" voice note almost made me well up. Not really a criticism but they're the only faultless side characters that are not family, and BOTH died.
Why was there nothing on the aftermath. Sep found out that he was the reason why Mario died, therapyy???? How about sweet Mack, oh my gosh I just realised a reason why his name could be mack lmao. Anyway Mack triggered ALL OF IT, why isn't he suffering from guilt? Not that I want them to suffer but it just doesn't feel realistic. I thought lamb would be more mad at him too.
The fact that every animal in the forest died and a MAN died with a open-chested deer in his clinic (and another man-turned-ragdoll in the forest)? Police investigation?? Sep as a close contact? 5 kids appearing VERY INJURED and smeared with nature?? Suspicion??? How did they get back to normal?
The logic of the box too. So each of their sacrifices actually means something bad about everyone (except sweet Mack). Sep's one is his negativity in a teddy bear and stopping his feels powers off the teddy bear, alright. Why does he have to get into the box?? Is he the sacrifice or something? Did he destroy the box with his biology?
Honestly most of my criticisms are with the last two chapters, all that buildup for a strange "solution" and aftermath. Also was the letter he gave to Hadley a love letter? In that time in the garage with his mother, did he write "I <3 U HADLEY"? At least allude to what it is because I was genuinely thinking it was runes or something.
More fleshed out flashbacks to that one summer. Rather than listing out sights and smells, actually set the scene of their childhood and put the banter there too, I'd get even more attached to their friendgroup that way.
I honestly have no idea who the target audience for this book is, because on one hand it features kids, talks about friendship in a very Enid Blyton way, the world building is okay at best, and everything sort of wraps up in a neat little bow. On the other hand, some decently scary gore.
This book had the foundations of a brilliant piece but some elements were just out of place.
The main characters are 15 year olds in the 1980s and I think that 5-years-ago me would be able to enjoy this friendgroup-based adventure story, before the pandemic hit. Romance books are frequently lauded for how desirable they represent the human connection, I think I would say the same for this book when it comes to friendship.
For most of the books I have read this year, and even some of my favourite books, I either DESPISE or care little for the characters. This book, however, has a cast of 5 kids who were believably old friends, and it is easy to start caring for them. Their friendship is represented well with the banter. The way settings are described in this book gives a very nostalgic, homely vibe. I also enjoy the at-least-one time outfits were described and the frequent callbacks to things mentioned earlier (e.g. a wet lighter)
The humour of this book is GREAT. I have never laughed at a book this much, I think. Yeah it's a horror and all but the little quips are so witty and apt the fact that they are coming out of a 15 year old's mouth was probably the most unrealistic part of the book. 90% of the humour department is just Arkle.
Seriously that kid won me over pretty quickly, his lines are the funniest even when he
Spoiler
was in his dumb mode with Rosemary the squirrel. The whole flossing thing too, how does someone come up with that? King shitSpoiler
other than the fact that he smoked, WHICH HE ENDED UP QUITTING SOOO #1 IT IS. I wish they talked more about why he quitI usually paste some lines I enjoyed but I'll probably end up pasting most of Arkle's dialogue.
AND MACK, that SWEET BOY. Okay now thinking back he's probably just some buff sporty lad
Spoiler
that is soft because he fucked up a bunch of shit to help because he missed his friends CAN'T HAVE A BETTER REASON THAN THAT. He just seems like a sweet boyLamb is good representation for sporty girls who aren't straight up tomboys, it was also interesting to see the world from sep's mind, Hadley was also there (and Korean), I guess?
My favourite parts of the book were always the friendship parts, where all five of them were solving a problem together, reminiscing, or interacting with each other. It did not have to be the five of them, the previous sacrifice box users were also fun to read about because their friendships felt sacred. That's why any romance in this book felt shoehorned and just not great for me.
Criticisms:
Spoiler
Sep's mother letting her BLOODIED SON just RIDE OFF DURING A TENSE PERIOD??? My mother would've slapped me to the moon and back, plus lock me up.Daniel just feels like a punching bag for the rest of them and a reason to not hate Arkle as much. As much as I like Arkle, he was an ass at the start. I wish Daniel had SOME redeeming quality or even better, was less significant. I am sure 15 year old British (I think) boys have better one word insults than "queerdo", it was smart at the start but man was beating a dead AND decomposed horse. With the amount of times it was used, I thought this book would be more gay really.
The Hadley-Sep romance was just, eh. I see why they would get together, and the mutual "I stare at you because it brings me comfort" thing is cute, but it is just too rushed. There was barely any time for them to interact after not talking for YEARS. Surely more goes into falling in love than staring. When the kisses happened I did not feel a tinge of anything. Perhaps the book could have showed their romance REALISTICALLY budding and ending with it hanging in the air instead of going into straight up MACKING within days.
I'd prefer that the romance just not be there though, this book already covers friendships in depth so I don't see the need for romance. Just less romance more friendship please.
Mario and the fox dying. Did they have to die? The part where Sep replayed Mario's "I love you" voice note almost made me well up. Not really a criticism but they're the only faultless side characters that are not family, and BOTH died.
Why was there nothing on the aftermath. Sep found out that he was the reason why Mario died, therapyy???? How about sweet Mack, oh my gosh I just realised a reason why his name could be mack lmao. Anyway Mack triggered ALL OF IT, why isn't he suffering from guilt? Not that I want them to suffer but it just doesn't feel realistic. I thought lamb would be more mad at him too.
The fact that every animal in the forest died and a MAN died with a open-chested deer in his clinic (and another man-turned-ragdoll in the forest)? Police investigation?? Sep as a close contact? 5 kids appearing VERY INJURED and smeared with nature?? Suspicion??? How did they get back to normal?
The logic of the box too. So each of their sacrifices actually means something bad about everyone (except sweet Mack). Sep's one is his negativity in a teddy bear and stopping his feels powers off the teddy bear, alright. Why does he have to get into the box?? Is he the sacrifice or something? Did he destroy the box with his biology?
Honestly most of my criticisms are with the last two chapters, all that buildup for a strange "solution" and aftermath. Also was the letter he gave to Hadley a love letter? In that time in the garage with his mother, did he write "I <3 U HADLEY"? At least allude to what it is because I was genuinely thinking it was runes or something.
More fleshed out flashbacks to that one summer. Rather than listing out sights and smells, actually set the scene of their childhood and put the banter there too, I'd get even more attached to their friendgroup that way.
I honestly have no idea who the target audience for this book is, because on one hand it features kids, talks about friendship in a very Enid Blyton way, the world building is okay at best, and everything sort of wraps up in a neat little bow. On the other hand, some decently scary gore.
This book had the foundations of a brilliant piece but some elements were just out of place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
corireed's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Vomit
charliechops's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Gore
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