cornerfolds
Written on Apr 1, 2020
Liv Fleming is done with childhood fantasies. Done pretending she believes her missing father’s absurd theories about alien abduction. Done going through the motions of checking the traps he set just for her friend Doug’s sake. But on the very day she chooses to destroy the traps, she discovers in one of them a creature so inhuman it can only be one thing. In that moment, she’s faced with a painful realisation: Her dad was telling the truth. And no one believed him.
Now she and Doug have a choice to make. They can turn the alien over to the authorities . . . or they can take matters into their own hands.
On the heels of the worldwide success of The Shape of Water, Daniel Kraus returns with a horrifying and heartbreaking thriller about the lengths people go to find justice.
- ISBN10 1250151678
- ISBN13 9781250151674
- Publish Date 1 March 2020 (first published 25 February 2020)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 2 December 2023
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Henry Holt & Company Inc
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 304
- Language English
Reviews
shannonmiz
Written on Jan 12, 2020
3.5*
This is such a wonderfully bizarre book. Dark at times, and absolutely strange, it will leave you stunned in the best of ways. So let's chat about what was great and what was less so!
The Good:
- • This is absolutely unlike anything else I have read. The unique genre mashup just works, somehow, even though I'll fully admit that I was skeptical.
- • The ending is perfect. You know how I talked about when endings ruin books? Well, what about when endings make books? For me, the ending made me adore this book! I obviously cannot talk about it other than to say I thought it was phenomenally done, and it made me appreciate the book a lot more.
- • It's incredibly dark. But please note, that some of the stuff is absolutely triggering, in the form of some really messed up torture/abuse. But if you are down with dark, it's really quite messed up, especially the way that some of the characters justify their actions. (And frankly, it says a lot about current societal issues and people overlooking and/or justifying monstrous acts, just my two cents.)
- • There's no doubt it will provoke all the thoughts. Oh yes, this one is going to make you think, and wonder how you'd react to a lot of various scenarios. Many are spoilery, but one that is in the synopsis sparks questions: What would you do if your beloved family member claimed to be kidnapped by aliens? Is there any way you'd believe them? And that's just the beginning!
The Not-As-Good:
- • I felt almost no connection to the main character. And the connection I did feel, I didn't really like her? I mean, I understand that she's flawed and trying to get through a lot of junk so I was able to cut her some slack, but I think that had I felt a little better connection, I would have been able to overlook some of her more unpleasant qualities.
- • The pacing is a little messy. When it picks up, it's quite good, but in the slower moments, it's definitely a bit of a slog. I still think it is worth reading, and dealing with the slower bits though.
Bottom Line: Unique and full of surprises, it's definitely worth the ride.