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A review by buildhergender
Fear by Ronald Kelly
5.0
I enjoyed this book immensely. Set in the years post World War 2. The description of the life that the protagonist lived and his surroundings felt fleshed out and was a pleasure to read.
Spoilers
I expected a book about a town taken over by some type of lizard monster and that the protagonist, Jeb, would have to kill it. Did not expect any kind of magical elements or much of a story besides a paint by numbers monster comes to town, kills people, kid kills monster.
And at first that is how this book starts. The reptile comes into town, starts with animals but as it grows it begins to capture and feed off of humans. Despite the size of the monster you would at first be mistaken to think this animal could be substituted for any other type and the book stay the same.
But then the story takes a turn and we find that it has intelligence. And more than that it is from the county below which is named Fear. Most of the book is filled with Jeb's trip into Fear county in order to talk to a Granny lady who is said to be the one good thing in Fear county.
And unlike most books where they might just hint there is some magic in the world and at play, this book embraces it.
Jeb's journey through Fear county reads a bit like the gunslingers journey's through the wastelands in the Stephen King series, however shorter yet still interesting and well written.
There are a few main conflicts besides the monster, Jeb's grandmother having cancer, his father being brain addled from the war, and his friend/guide being a black man in a white filled country, and they are no surprises with how these end up.
The book will probably not have any surprises for you plot wise, but it is still a good read for the journey taken and how well it is written.
Spoilers
I expected a book about a town taken over by some type of lizard monster and that the protagonist, Jeb, would have to kill it. Did not expect any kind of magical elements or much of a story besides a paint by numbers monster comes to town, kills people, kid kills monster.
And at first that is how this book starts. The reptile comes into town, starts with animals but as it grows it begins to capture and feed off of humans. Despite the size of the monster you would at first be mistaken to think this animal could be substituted for any other type and the book stay the same.
But then the story takes a turn and we find that it has intelligence. And more than that it is from the county below which is named Fear. Most of the book is filled with Jeb's trip into Fear county in order to talk to a Granny lady who is said to be the one good thing in Fear county.
And unlike most books where they might just hint there is some magic in the world and at play, this book embraces it.
Jeb's journey through Fear county reads a bit like the gunslingers journey's through the wastelands in the Stephen King series, however shorter yet still interesting and well written.
There are a few main conflicts besides the monster, Jeb's grandmother having cancer, his father being brain addled from the war, and his friend/guide being a black man in a white filled country, and they are no surprises with how these end up.
The book will probably not have any surprises for you plot wise, but it is still a good read for the journey taken and how well it is written.