A review by ethantw00
The Deep by Nick Cutter
3.0
I think, maybe, perhaps, this style of horror isn’t for me.
I also just kinda hated the twist. I like the very end, but it just didn’t have the impact I would’ve liked because of the twist.
I will say the body horror in this is mostly top-notch, specifically in the last quarter of the book.
(And the dog scene near the end is a particular high point, both emotionally and visually)
Two things, I really didn’t love: the onomatopoeia and 90% of the italicized text. Onomatopoeia is something I think should be used in super small doses but Cutter clearly loves the fuck out of it, which is unfortunate because his aurally descriptive language is a thousand times more effective in delivering chills. And yeah the vast majority of the italics just didn’t work for me at all. They were trying to be creepy and I think maybe even campy sometimes but it was just cringeworthy most of the time.
As far as like the overall scary level, I wouldn’t really rank it that high. There was one particularly claustrophobic section that actually stresses me out; however, other than that this just isn’t really the type of horror that scares me, especially because it felt like Cutter was trying to include all the go-to phobias (clowns and creepy kids in particular). Also, I love body horror, but it’s not something that really sets my nerves off, at least not in text form.
Idk overall I’m pretty underwhelmed but this, especially because how hyped up it was to me. I’m definitely still going to read “Little Heaven” and probably any other novel Cutter writes. He’s go some good shit in his brain, and I loved The Troop. This one just wasn’t for me.
I also just kinda hated the twist. I like the very end, but it just didn’t have the impact I would’ve liked because of the twist.
I will say the body horror in this is mostly top-notch, specifically in the last quarter of the book.
(And the dog scene near the end is a particular high point, both emotionally and visually)
Two things, I really didn’t love: the onomatopoeia and 90% of the italicized text. Onomatopoeia is something I think should be used in super small doses but Cutter clearly loves the fuck out of it, which is unfortunate because his aurally descriptive language is a thousand times more effective in delivering chills. And yeah the vast majority of the italics just didn’t work for me at all. They were trying to be creepy and I think maybe even campy sometimes but it was just cringeworthy most of the time.
As far as like the overall scary level, I wouldn’t really rank it that high. There was one particularly claustrophobic section that actually stresses me out; however, other than that this just isn’t really the type of horror that scares me, especially because it felt like Cutter was trying to include all the go-to phobias (clowns and creepy kids in particular). Also, I love body horror, but it’s not something that really sets my nerves off, at least not in text form.
Idk overall I’m pretty underwhelmed but this, especially because how hyped up it was to me. I’m definitely still going to read “Little Heaven” and probably any other novel Cutter writes. He’s go some good shit in his brain, and I loved The Troop. This one just wasn’t for me.