A reimagining of what happened to the Donner Party, with a twist. A slow burn, or maybe a slow freeze---the weather gets colder and colder as the noveA reimagining of what happened to the Donner Party, with a twist. A slow burn, or maybe a slow freeze---the weather gets colder and colder as the novel progresses. Contending with Mother Nature is bad enough, contending with human nature is another thing entirely. I was filled with dread, anxious about what I knew must be coming. The last 50 or so pages did not disappoint in terms of narrative payoff. I finished this last night and then had a nightmare that my husband was trying to kill me, so......more
This was a great read. A chilling fairytale, unlike anything I've read before. There is magical realism and horror but also moments so true they made This was a great read. A chilling fairytale, unlike anything I've read before. There is magical realism and horror but also moments so true they made me smile (he nails what it feels like to be a new parent). I will definitely be reading more Lavalle....more
This kept me guessing til the very end, and I'm still not sure what to believe. A very clever take on a classic horror trope: think The Exorcist meetsThis kept me guessing til the very end, and I'm still not sure what to believe. A very clever take on a classic horror trope: think The Exorcist meets the Scream franchise. I will say that one of the framing devices, critique of events told through blog posts, was both very smart and very annoying. If you don't care for blog speak, these sections might annoy you, too. 3.75 ⭐, rounded up....more
This is the literary equivalent of a slasher film. Fast-paced, gory, minimal plot, maximum body count. Overall, I thought it was pretty fun, even if iThis is the literary equivalent of a slasher film. Fast-paced, gory, minimal plot, maximum body count. Overall, I thought it was pretty fun, even if it was a little hard to follow at times (there are some shifting narration/perspective issues that didn't always flow) and a little cliched. If you're looking for exceptional writing or character development, look elsewhere. If you're looking for mindless, bloody entertainment, you might give this a go....more
That was a hell of a ride. So terrifying and fun. It's a rare talent that can keep you engaged, on the edge of your seat even, for nearly 800 pages. TThat was a hell of a ride. So terrifying and fun. It's a rare talent that can keep you engaged, on the edge of your seat even, for nearly 800 pages. There were a few missteps that kept this from being 5 stars for me personally (mainly some of the dialogue I found a little jarring). But I loved (or loved to hate) every character, and I was so invested in their fates that I never wanted to put the book down.
My one big takeaway: humans are so much scarier than any "plague" could ever be....more
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