A review by penguin_emperor_of_the_north
Pines by Blake Crouch

4.0

Did a good job of communicating the fear of waking up in a strange place and not being able to contact anyone or get any information on what's going on and everyone around you is being a pain or obtuse about helping. Like Ethan wakes up and everyone starts bullshitting him about his past and they're not even trying real hard, just stonewalling him. "Oh goodness, I'll pass a message." Then the next day, "Well, if I said I would then I did. No I didn't get a response. Wouldn't I have passed it along if I did."

And it does a good job of showing the frustration of being completely out of your element and having someone completely bullshit you to your face. In my experience it's not quite so life threatening but in here it does a good job of showing the fear of finding out everyone you meet is hostile and the need to escape. It was a trip, I finished it in a day for a reason.

One criticism (without getting into spoilers) is around how the villain manages things. I think I'd run things differently

Spoiler

the villain introduces kidnapped people to his town by waking them up in the hospital, claiming they'd been in a car accident and expecting them to get in line. I think I'd arrange a life for them to fall into. Like you were in a car accident but here's your job, wife and kids and they're very happy you're okay. Aren't you happy to go back to them?

Granted though, that'd be a lot more work.

And I did watch the show back in 2014 or so and I remember loving every minute of it up until the season finale. Here's hoping the book series keeps a similar track but manages to stick the ending.