The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
notwest94's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cannibalism and Violence
Minor: Child abuse
lanidon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall I think this is a fantastic creepy-but-not-scary horror book. It's made up of, as the name implies, thirteen interconnecting stories that take place in this strange apartment building with a tangible caste divide between rich and poor.Â
I can't help but compare it to The Magnus Archives because it's the same guy (and even uses the same music on audio) and I do think it could've been a fairly good mini season of the show. I do think this book is significantly less scary than your average TMA and the payoff is more "bookish reward" style than the show's escalating frights.Â
I definitely recommend reading this but I do not recommend the audiobook. I think they couldn't decide whether to commit to making it full audio drama or not so it just comes across as sloppy to me. Some of the chapters are incredibly well performed, don't get me wrong. I think it really falls apart in the last chapter where it suddenly switches between numerous perspectives and voices. It's genuinely hard to pay attention to the story at points and I wish Jonathan had read the entire thing. It's the only chapter in book that has individual actors perform their dialogue together, but it clearly wasn't recorded like an audio drama so it's incredibly disjointed and stilted. They very clearly aren't talking to each other and I found it took me out of the whole thing
TLDR: Book good, audiobook bad. Read it but don't expect to be too scared
I can't help but compare it to The Magnus Archives because it's the same guy (and even uses the same music on audio) and I do think it could've been a fairly good mini season of the show. I do think this book is significantly less scary than your average TMA and the payoff is more "bookish reward" style than the show's escalating frights.Â
I definitely recommend reading this but I do not recommend the audiobook. I think they couldn't decide whether to commit to making it full audio drama or not so it just comes across as sloppy to me. Some of the chapters are incredibly well performed, don't get me wrong. I think it really falls apart in the last chapter where it suddenly switches between numerous perspectives and voices. It's genuinely hard to pay attention to the story at points and I wish Jonathan had read the entire thing. It's the only chapter in book that has individual actors perform their dialogue together, but it clearly wasn't recorded like an audio drama so it's incredibly disjointed and stilted. They very clearly aren't talking to each other and I found it took me out of the whole thing
TLDR: Book good, audiobook bad. Read it but don't expect to be too scared
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, and Violence
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