Sep 30, 2026

Good but not great

Sep 29, 2026

There are some things I liked about this book - like when Leonard gets to gloat that he was right... except he was right about the end of the world coming so on second thought, probably better to be wrong. But that's honestly how people are - there's celebration in being smart like that's somehow more important than the implications of what they're right about. (I'm sure I've been guilty of it myself.) It also reminded me of Bugonia, which I had just recently watched, in that it's pretty ambiguous who is crazy or not. 

And I liked how the story-at least the end of it- was about moving through grief. It certainly feels like the end of the world, and if facing that grief alone, it very well could be that. But if you have someone by your side, maybe it's something you can endure together. That was equally moving and awful.  

But the story was sooo clumsy and full of holes up until that point, I really couldn't recommend it. (The narration was also really awful.) A  let down because I've liked other works by Tremblay. 

Sep 13, 2026

Horror that is written beautifully. The tension is so high throughout the book and the violence is graphic. But it doesn't seem gratuitous. And the character development is some of the best I've read in this genre. Can't wait to read more by SGJ. I've been hearing good things for a long time, so I'm glad I finally got to it. Next up will be Buffallo Hunter Hunter. 

Aug 13, 2026

Jan 02, 2026

This one is a slooww burn. (If that's not your jam, skip it.) The horror sneaks in initially as glimpses, possibly hallucinatory snippets. It's unclear and the main character doesn't trust herself to know what's real and what's not. The "reality" of what's happening is unveiled late in the book.

As someone who has spent more time than I'd like in medical facilities recently, this book, unnervingly, did resonant. The author's attention to the medical details made it very real: the indecipherable chart notes, the constant needle poking, the bruising, the uncertainty of what day/time it is when you're half sedated, the weakness you feel, the churn of nurses but hardly ever seeing your actual doctor, etc. Above all though, the amount of trust you need to immediately hand over to complete strangers when you're in a hospital is uncomfortable to say the least. You're at their mercy. This book takes it to the extreme but the crux of it is the same. (If you can, always have an advocate with you!)

For a while, this book did give me Misery vibes. The patients are both authors. Their friends and family don't really know where they're located. They're isolated and confined against their will by someone who "has their best interest" in mind -- doing this for "their own good". Of course, the motives are very different. But the result is the same: they must escape their captors who become increasingly monstrous.

The audiobook narrator, Xe Sands, does an excellent job of making the prose come to life with the hesitation in her voice, the fear, the uncertainty with aptly timed pauses and trembling utterances.

Nov 04, 2025

A deal with the devil eventually brings two people together who have an intense and memorable connection. I'd say it's more of a romance novel than anything else but I also enjoyed following Addie's life through the decades/centuries. 

The idea of loneliness is also present. When you can never connect with anyone, what type of toll does that take? I think Addie fared pretty well in coping with that all things considered. In addition to the lack of connection, the book also explores the lack of identity, let alone recognition. Something many women from that time experienced, and far too many still today.

Oct 31, 2025

Very suspenseful and I liked the behind-the-scenes look at movie making. Splicing the story-telling of the production of the films (both original and the reboot) with the script of the original film allows truth and fiction to get a little muddled. The idea of victim/perpetrator is also quite fuzzy...and with the cast and crew pushing the limits on the movie set, it's hard to distinguish how much they are at fault when things go south and how much it's just acting. Especially when the main character, who takes the brunt of the abuse, seems to be playing along for his own mysterious motivations.

Definitely want to read other books by Tremblay now.

Oct 01, 2025

Oct 13, 2024