Adam L. G. Nevill

Obviously inspired by The Day of the Triffids, War of the Worlds and an element of the Quiet Place; this should have been perfect fare for me. Yet I was somewhat disappointed, despite being a lover of post-apoc/dystopian fiction and I'm trying to ascertain why. It's very adjective heavy - always a criticism of the authors books in my view - and whilst there are only so many ways of describing an ominous red sky, it was almost getting to mirror the worst bits of Lovecraftian excess in places. Thankfully nothing eldritch was mentioned though.... Characterization was good but something for me, just didn't gel and I can't really explain more without plot spoilers. For all the end of days horror described and it really is an end of days horror situation, I didn't get the overwhelming feeling of dread that Mr Nevill usually does so excellently and in places without surpass. Kept my attention but felt the whole story was too one directional somehow and dragged in places, despite the events all happening at a frantic pace. A 3.75 stars job.… (lisätietoja)

I haven't read a book before by Adam Neville so picked this one as its folk horror and that is something I do enjoy. This story follows a family who move into a house and have neighbours from hell.

I have managed to read about 30% of this book and unfortunately have for the time bring had to DNF. I was just not getting on with it all. There becomes a slight fantasy element to it and that is just not my thing. I like horror and all things supernatural and spooky but just don't do fantasy.

Reading some other reviews I have felt that I am not going to like this book which is a shame as I really wanted to. I would give Adam Neville another go in the future or even may decide to try again with this one. The book deserves more than one star but that is my own rating for a DNF.… (lisätietoja)

After spending so much time in online book communities and getting recommendations from people I trust, I almost never take a risk on a book I know nothing about. But it's good to step out of your comfort zone once in a while, and how risky can a book be that's been labeled "British Fantasy Award Winner for Best Horror Novel of the Year"?

Well. Hmm. On the one hand, this book is hilariously awful. I'm not sure when I've last seen such intrusively awkward writing. On the other, though, the story was so interesting and inventive that I just kept reading in spite of it. I was even able to forget to be annoyed by the writing style, for brief periods of time.

The writing features frequently incomplete sentences, commas missing or randomly inserted, and seemingly premature periods. I sometimes had to stop and re-read sentences to understand them. For example:

Catherine glanced again at the doorway. And realized Edith's silhouette was no longer looking in her direction, but to the side of the unlit room, opposite the door. From which direction there now issued a scraping. Sharp metal against masonry, but faint. And then a flap of cloth. She would have screamed if her air wasn't sealed inside her petrified lungs.

I get that he's describing sounds that Catherine is hearing, but my first thought was still, "what about the flap of cloth?" before realizing the author meant she was hearing the sound of cloth flapping, not describing an object.

I suppose it's possible that the writing style represents some kind of local speech pattern that I'm just not familiar with, as little attempt has been made to "Americanize" the word choices, etc. for the US edition. The author does demonstrate standard sentence structure and punctuation in the acknowledgements, so it's clearly a choice of writing style on his part.

As for the story, I'm evidently not the only one who finds both puppets and taxidermy super creepy. And that awful doll in Trilogy of Terror. Now just combine them all into a single concept and be prepared to sleep with the lights on.

Hardcover edition, picked up on a whim from a Halloween display at my public library.… (lisätietoja)