A review by emleemay
Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

4.0

"In the dead of night they come for you, Alex," he said. "Sooner or later they come for everyone."

4 1/2 stars. Oh wow, this was truly terrifying. If you're looking for a tense, fast-paced and frightening book that pulls you in immediately and makes your heart pound, I cannot recommend [b:Lockdown|6420846|Lockdown (Escape From Furnace, #1)|Alexander Gordon Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1409279086s/6420846.jpg|6610047] enough.

You know, I think realistic stories can be very scary, and so can supernatural stories, but the most horrifying stories of all are those that balance the two of them. The kind of stories that play on real fears that many of us have, but inject them with all new kinds of horror. And this is one of those stories.

For me, being accused of a crime I didn't commit is a terrifying thing. Being thrown into prison for life when I haven't done anything wrong is actually part of a recurring nightmare I've had for years. Now let's imagine this situation, except you're not thrown into any ordinary prison. You're sent to Furnace - a prison located a mile underground, terrorized by vicious gangs and cruel guards. A prison where strange, inexplicable things happen at night. A prison where people disappear after dark - and you better hope they never come back.

It's told in an extremely compelling and effective past tense narrative that builds up a fantastic feeling of suspense. The narrator's tone of impending horror had me on the edge of my seat, almost afraid to turn the page. But it's so unfair, so frustrating, so nasty... you just can't look away.

“Don't make the mistake of bringing your heart down here with you, there is no place for it in Furnace.”

I typically read books with a lot of female characters, but this all-male cast was refreshing and likable. I was genuinely afraid for Alex and his friends, but I also enjoyed the dialogue and dynamic between them. I loved the cynical, hilarious Donovan and the silly, lovable Zee. I also loved the complexity of some of the secondary and unlikable characters.

This is definitely one of those books you sit down to read a chapter of and end up finishing in a single sitting. So very exciting and scary. I NEED to know what happens next.

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