The Smaller Evil

by Stephanie Kuehn

Sometimes the greater good requires the smaller evil.
 
17-year-old Arman Dukoff can't remember life without anxiety and chronic illness when he arrives at an expensive self-help retreat in the remote hills of Big Sur. He’s taken a huge risk—and two-thousand dollars from his meth-head stepfather—for a chance to "evolve," as Beau, the retreat leader, says.

Beau is complicated. A father figure? A cult leader? A con man? Arman's not sure, but more than anyone he's ever met, Beau makes Arman feel something other than what he usually feels—worthless.

The retreat compound is secluded in coastal California mountains among towering redwoods, and when the iron gates close behind him, Arman believes for a moment that he can get better. But the program is a blur of jargon, bizarre rituals, and incomprehensible encounters with a beautiful girl. Arman is certain he's failing everything. But Beau disagrees; he thinks Arman has a bright future—though he never says at what.

And then, in an instant Arman can't believe or totally recall, Beau is gone. Suicide? Or murder? Arman was the only witness and now the compound is getting tense. And maybe dangerous.

As the mysteries and paradoxes multiply and the hints become accusations, Arman must rely on the person he's always trusted the least: himself.

• ISBN10: 1101994703
• ISBN13: 9781101994702
• Publish Date: 2 August 2016
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 25 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: E P Dutton & Co Inc
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight




Literally no idea, guys. I am so confused right now. I finished this last night (well, technically early this morning, but shh), and I figured I'd think about it for a bit before writing down my thoughts. But then I realized that I don't really have any quality thoughts because I have no idea what just happened.

I really enjoyed Stephanie's Delicate Monsters last year- even though it too had some definite strangeness, I was very intrigued! (You can see my review here- in which I say "this book was messed the hell up".) And don't misunderstand, I was incredibly intrigued by The Smaller Evil, too! I just haven't the vaguest idea what I read.

Here are some plusses about the book, because I assure you, there are plusses: 

• The writing is, as I have come to expect from Stephanie Kuehn, extraordinary. Seriously, the writing is so on point. Even when I didn't know what was happening at all, I just kept wanting to read because the author does such a great job of making the words jump off the page.


• It's a short and addicting sort of book. I read it in about two hours, and needed to know what was going to happen to Arman- hell, I needed to know what was currently happening to Arman, let's be honest!


• I really did feel for Arman, even if I wasn't super connected to him. It was hard to connect to him because the situation he was in was so... bizarre. But the kid had a rough time, and it was easy to sympathize with him, and understand how he'd be in this weird ass place to begin with. And when no one believed Arman, and I wasn't sure if he was even a reliable narrator, I still rooted for him.


• There's a cult vibe, and I love a cult vibe. I won't say anything beyond that (let's be honest, I couldn't even if I wanted to), but the feel was definitely eerie and "off", which is fabulous in this type of book.


• I did understand a bit of the plot, and I liked that particular direction! 

The only negative I have for this book is... what even is it!?



And that's kind of a biggie, really. I actually was pretty convinced that it was just me- maybe I was just missing something? But then I looked at Goodreads, and I don't think I am alone. That said, maybe someone with a little better ability to think outside the box will have a better grip on this? Like, it is a quick, exciting, and well written book, so I want you all to read it, mostly so someone can figure out what went on.

Bottom Line: I think this should be a team effort, and someone can explain this to me. It wasn't a bad book at all, and the writing and atmosphere alone make it worth it. But if you don't like being confused... well, then maybe it won't work. But if you enjoy a well-written and unique book, this totally fits that bill.

Source

Yes, my rating is a Shrugpony. Because... how?