The Ruins

by Scott Smith

'Superior horror literature' New York Times
'A compelling set-up and provocative premise' Kirkus
'There's no let-up, not so much as a chapter-break where you can catch your breath' Stephen King
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Craving an adventure to wake them from their lethargic Mexican holiday before they return home, four friends set off in search of one of their own who has travelled to the interior to investigate an archaeological dig in the Mayan ruins.

After a long journey into the jungle, the group come across a partly camouflaged trail and a captivating hillside covered with red flowers. Lured by these, the group move closer until they happen across a gun-toting Mayan horseman who orders them away. In the midst of the confrontation, one of the group steps inadvertently backwards into the flowering vine. And at that moment their world changes for ever...

• ISBN10: 0552152706
• ISBN13: 9780552152709
• Publish Date: 1 August 2007 (first published 1 January 2006)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
• Imprint: Corgi Books
• Format: Paperback (A-Format (178x111 mm))
• Pages: 528
• Language: English

Reviews

[empressbrooke]

The title is a bit of a misnomer - there aren't really any ruins to speak of, just a hill with a mine shaft in it. It IS horrific, though, when a group of tourists end up on this hill and aren't allowed to leave.

These tourists aren't particularly brave, which makes this horror novel interesting. Rather than being about a group of heroes who rise up and face the terror head on, The Ruins seems to be about normal people who end up in a terrible situation. It was kind of refreshing, because as annoyed as I was with everyone, I realized that it was probably a lot more true-to-life than most books and movies in this genre.

It only gets three stars instead of four because it did move pretty slowly, and I kept waiting for something MORE to happen. I do, though, like that it doesn't answer all the questions it presents - it's certainly creepier and more enjoyable in its ambiguity.