A review by joshgauthier
Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig
4.0
Blackbirds is a crime-thriller with distinct fantasy and horror elements. Set on the fringes of polite civilization, where broken people fight their way toward another day of survival, the story begins dark and only gets heavier as events spiral toward violent confrontations, shocking revelations, and the looming threat of tragic fate.
Wendig's talented writing weaves together a narrow cast of characters, each as flawed and shocking as the previous. But he takes the time to give the characters (and the reader) brief glimpses of beauty and hope--however fleeting they might be. The story is gripping and unsettling from start to finish, moving with a sort of tortured inevitability toward the bold conclusion. It might have benefited from a little more development of a couple character interactions, but Wendig's dramatic skill as a storyteller draws the reader in, surprises, and brings it all to a satisfying conclusion. It's a violent and harsh world, but the story at its center is an engaging one nonetheless.
Wendig's talented writing weaves together a narrow cast of characters, each as flawed and shocking as the previous. But he takes the time to give the characters (and the reader) brief glimpses of beauty and hope--however fleeting they might be. The story is gripping and unsettling from start to finish, moving with a sort of tortured inevitability toward the bold conclusion. It might have benefited from a little more development of a couple character interactions, but Wendig's dramatic skill as a storyteller draws the reader in, surprises, and brings it all to a satisfying conclusion. It's a violent and harsh world, but the story at its center is an engaging one nonetheless.