A review by arsala
Bleed by Ed Kurtz
2.0
I got this book from the Nocturnal Readers Box, a subscription box that delivers horror books relating to a theme as well as bookish goodies that go with the theme. July's theme was The Feast, which was supposed to be "darker than ever." I did not get that at all with this book. I was halfway through Bleed before I decided it was not worth my time and decided to leave it unfinished.
Kurtz's writing style bored me to tears; he seemed to have a habit of telling rather than showing. His descriptions were pretty good, but I felt really detached from the story and ESPECIALLY the characters. I really didn't give a shit about Walt. From the beginning I wasn't a fan of him. He was WAY too perky and his attitude was insufferable. Then, when Walt starts to become obsessed with the mysterious stain growing on his ceiling, he goes to sleep and the next day he's an asshole. There was no transition--one day he's nice and then the next he's a psychopath. His girlfriend Amanda was just there, and pretty much all she did was worry about Walt and bitch about it to her friend Nora. That's it.
When I read the description on the back before reading Bleed, the plot seemed so intriguing. A dark red spot on a ceiling that grows into a "grotesque, muttering creature" and drives the owner of the house to murder. I was so excited to see how that would play out. But reading it, the spot/creature seemed so cliché, ceaselessly moaning, "Bloooooood, blooood," and, "Moooore, mooore," like a zombie crying about brains. And if that wasn't enough, it asks Walt to give it an name as if it were a dog and not a monster... And out of all names Walt picks Gwynplaine. Really?
So since I didn't finish I can't say that much more. Bottom line, I didn't like Kurtz's writing style, I didn't like the characters, and the spot/creature was a huge disappointment. If you like books filled with chills and thrills, something that'll get under your skin, don't read this book.
Kurtz's writing style bored me to tears; he seemed to have a habit of telling rather than showing. His descriptions were pretty good, but I felt really detached from the story and ESPECIALLY the characters. I really didn't give a shit about Walt. From the beginning I wasn't a fan of him. He was WAY too perky and his attitude was insufferable. Then, when Walt starts to become obsessed with the mysterious stain growing on his ceiling, he goes to sleep and the next day he's an asshole. There was no transition--one day he's nice and then the next he's a psychopath. His girlfriend Amanda was just there, and pretty much all she did was worry about Walt and bitch about it to her friend Nora. That's it.
When I read the description on the back before reading Bleed, the plot seemed so intriguing. A dark red spot on a ceiling that grows into a "grotesque, muttering creature" and drives the owner of the house to murder. I was so excited to see how that would play out. But reading it, the spot/creature seemed so cliché, ceaselessly moaning, "Bloooooood, blooood," and, "Moooore, mooore," like a zombie crying about brains. And if that wasn't enough, it asks Walt to give it an name as if it were a dog and not a monster... And out of all names Walt picks Gwynplaine. Really?
So since I didn't finish I can't say that much more. Bottom line, I didn't like Kurtz's writing style, I didn't like the characters, and the spot/creature was a huge disappointment. If you like books filled with chills and thrills, something that'll get under your skin, don't read this book.