A review by angelsbeforeman
The Bayou by Arden Powell

dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

pretty good! the best thing about this book is definitely the atmosphere. though i wouldn’t describe the author’s style as pretty and i didn’t highlight any quotes that stand out, i think the writing is good in the sense that they really know how to write in a creepy, eerie way. 
i enjoy horror related to nature in some way, which is why the bayou intrigued me in the first place, and that didn’t disappoint. the author does a great job of describing the way the bayou inspires dread in people.
i do think the characters were a bit underdeveloped, which is alright considering how short the book is, but i still wanted more. though johnny was a cool character, i wanted to know a lot more about his motivations. i wanted to know about his life with mary beth’s family, why he felt so drawn to eugene especially, etc. eugene was alright as a character, better than johnny, but still lacking. mary beth’s development was adequate (she is literally a child so yknow) and her storyline is an intriguing part of the story.
i do find eugene and johnny’s connection fun to read about and the intimate scenes were good. it lacks depth but it’s fun!!
i also liked the paradise lost reference ♡ 
overall — pretty good and i’d read more from this author since i adore atmospheric literature ^_^