2.5 Stars rounded up
I don't know why this book isn't a new favorite for me. I can state, specifically, issues I had with the book but at the same time, is that enough to make me want to snarl a little at this when I think about it for this review? In the end, I guess so, because since originally writing my review, I've returned a few times to add just that much more about what irked me but at the same time, damn I'm being nitpicky about this book. It's that back and forth that makes me grumble.
It started out strong. Honestly, I was reading this originally at night and had the thought, maybe it would be best to read this in daylight, no? But then the plot continued and I started dwelling on the non-horror aspects of the story.
I kept grumbling over the toxic friendship with an old classmate who made it her mission to isolate Laney because she knew how to hurt Laney's loved ones and she knew Laney would not do a thing to stop her. Laney let her loved ones go, thinking it had to be Laney's fault that they left, and that bugged me so much.
I kept dwelling on the greedy assholes who thought they could force Laney to sell her beloved island by staging occult pranks between guests. Then, when they were caught, they made the most despicable choice and then kept on with their plans.
THIS IS A HORROR NOVEL, for Pete's sake. I was supposed to be covering my eyes and cringing at the entity of the island and what they were doing to Laney's family. I am not supposed to be stewing over a bunch of assholes who do get their comeuppance in some form or another.
Maybe it felt like it dragged? Maybe I've seen this kind of plot before? I can't figure out why I'm stuck growling at things that weren't the central points of the plot. It might have something to do with how I wanted them to realize how their choices had doomed them. Instead, yes they'd been doomed, but only Laney and her family understood that, and I get stuck on wishing at least one of them had realized the horror of their fates. That would have made me feel a little better overall.
I mean, Sadie seemed to be the only one who might have had some inkling about what had happened but it wasn't enough to make it definitive. Garrett was still a raging asshole, determined to come after Laney instead of taking responsibility for his own actions. That couple whose names I can't remember, their story mainly took place off page but readers are only told about what they did and when you learn what happened to them, what I was left with concerning them was yeah, they deserved it.
And then there was Nate. No, I didn't need to see the exact circumstances that came about for this kid but I would have liked to see something of him from before the start of the story. Maybe he leaves a message for Laney on her phone and readers get to see that he had a good sense of humor, or he leaves notes around the house after he cleans up where he gripes about the guests, but only in places that Laney and Madison get to find and it makes it easier for Laney to have strangers in her home, because he understands why she has to let people into her dream space and they can both commiserate about it together. Just something to endear him to me for the sake of the character.
I wanted to care about this kid, who had a sad backstory and a connection to the island, but again, Nate is only in a few flashbacks. Madison admits she liked him, and what happened to him was horrible, yes, without a doubt. But as a driving force for Hemlock Island to up and take arms against intruders, I was left wanting more because it wasn't enough to be the motive for unrelenting revenge and a price to be paid just because she said so.
I cared about Jayla. I cared about Kit. I cared about Madison and to a certain extent, I did care about Laney enough to want to see her reach the end of her ordeal with her loved ones by her side. At least, I cared enough to keep reading to the end so at least there's that
It's vindictive that I wanted those main assholes to suffer just that much more but still, their actions led to that ending, and I can't help feeling that once again, Laney is left dealing with the fallout of someone else's actions. At least let the readers see them suffer in anguish a little on the page. It's a horror novel. Gore is fine to a certain extent, but let villains grovel, beg, maybe even wail a bit, before they bite it. It's the least they can do in stories like this.
And if I grin evilly while they scream, it's all the better in the long run.
Rating: 6 Stars
No comments:
Post a Comment