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ktb97's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Very fun to read if you like those “what the hell is happening” type of stories. Unfortunately, the ending was confusing and felt rushed. As someone who cares more about atmosphere and story progression than endings themselves, I enjoyed it.
stephanieluxton's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book starts out with a dishevelled man walking into a bar in middle of nowhere Alaska and confessing to murdering a bunch of people. Id say we have two main characters in this novel - we have Paul whose twin brother Danny went missing in Dreads Hand Alaska a year ago and Jill, a cop who is dealing with the case.
Paul heads to Dreads Hand to see if his brother is one of the victims. He then starts trying to unravel what happened. Jill is doing her own research as well. It's a goddamn weird town.
This book started off strong and full of mystery. The isolation that comes with the setting creates the perfect canvas for horror. There's quite a few frightening scenes and the author does an excellent job at building up a sense of unease. I found myself very invested and wondering what the heck is going on. Is there an entity? Is it the devil? Is the town a cult? Is there wendigos in the forest? The possibilities were endless. The forest was creepy - it reminded me slighly of that Natalie Dormer movie (although that movie wasn't great - it had a few excellent scenes). The fact that Danny and Paul are twins also created some really interesting moments and character interactions that added to the suspense and mystery.
Here's my problems with the book. Jill shouldn't have been in this book. I loved the scene of her exploring the abandoned house and I really loved the night where we are with the other cop as he's supervising the murderer for the night. Unfortunately, Jill and Paul are very much so doing their own investigations. They aren't exactly partners in the story so it feels like all the info Jill gets is purely for the audience. I'd have preferred them to have had more of a relationship.
****NOW IM GOING TO DO THE SPOILERS SO I CAN COMPLAIN PROPERLY****
I don't like Paul. Paul was written weirdly. He was framed as the responsible, level headed brother where Danny was the impulsive, selfish, delinquent. The ending of this book pissed me right off. I liked that Danny found Paul in the woods. I was surprised by that. Then everything went to shit. If Paul hadn't experienced any weird shit, then I would have found it fair that he would brush off everything Danny is saying about the Devil being in the woods and possessing people. BUT PAUL LITERALLY ALREADY EXPERIENCED ALL THE WEIRD THINGS THAT DANNY DESCRIBED EXPERIENCING BEFORE THE DEVIL ALMOST TOOK HIM. Paul just went through a very frightening ordeal and that experience should have resulted in him believing Danny. Eeven if he doesn't trust that Danny is doing the right things, he should have spent more time talking to him instead of impulsively deciding to burn down the cabin and all the crosses that were keeping them safe from the devil. At this point in the story, I had wondering if Paul was already possessed and thats why he burnt the cabin down which ultimately ended in Danny being killed, but that doesn't appear to be the case.
At the same time, Jill is chatting with a woman who's husband killed her son (years ago) in a similar fashion to the murderer at the start of the book. We get basically a huge exposition dump about how the devil is in the woods and if he touches you, your soul gets tainted and you become evil. Am I to believe that no cop has ever talked to this woman before? Why would she tell a cop now and not 10 years ago? None of it was any fault of hers.
There were other things that didn't get fully explained either. Was it Danny who wrote "You shouldn't be here" all over the motel room? Paul assumed it was but we don't know that. If the townsfolk don't want outsider to come, why do they even have a motel room available? Why wouldn't Danny contact Paul for over a year? He knows Paul would never go to Alaska to visit, so why not just shoot him a text once in awhile and tell him that he's living off grid and that he's okay. That literally would have been enough for Paul. Is there just one devil or multiple? If the devil is in the woods, was it also in the police station? Did Joe get possessed and that's why he killed himself or did the devil make him do it? Why was there a huge hole in the church? I feel like the townsfolk should have been a cult. That would have been fun. Did the townsfolk know that Danny and Joe were partners? Whats with all the weird shit and blacked out windows in joes house? Why didn't any of the other houses near by have that? Was it the devil peeping in Pauls window and breathing on the glass? I AM CONFUSED.
This book was almost really good but the ending murdered it.
Paul heads to Dreads Hand to see if his brother is one of the victims. He then starts trying to unravel what happened. Jill is doing her own research as well. It's a goddamn weird town.
This book started off strong and full of mystery. The isolation that comes with the setting creates the perfect canvas for horror. There's quite a few frightening scenes and the author does an excellent job at building up a sense of unease. I found myself very invested and wondering what the heck is going on. Is there an entity? Is it the devil? Is the town a cult? Is there wendigos in the forest? The possibilities were endless. The forest was creepy - it reminded me slighly of that Natalie Dormer movie (although that movie wasn't great - it had a few excellent scenes). The fact that Danny and Paul are twins also created some really interesting moments and character interactions that added to the suspense and mystery.
Here's my problems with the book. Jill shouldn't have been in this book. I loved the scene of her exploring the abandoned house and I really loved the night where we are with the other cop as he's supervising the murderer for the night. Unfortunately, Jill and Paul are very much so doing their own investigations. They aren't exactly partners in the story so it feels like all the info Jill gets is purely for the audience. I'd have preferred them to have had more of a relationship.
****NOW IM GOING TO DO THE SPOILERS SO I CAN COMPLAIN PROPERLY****
I don't like Paul. Paul was written weirdly. He was framed as the responsible, level headed brother where Danny was the impulsive, selfish, delinquent. The ending of this book pissed me right off. I liked that Danny found Paul in the woods. I was surprised by that. Then everything went to shit. If Paul hadn't experienced any weird shit, then I would have found it fair that he would brush off everything Danny is saying about the Devil being in the woods and possessing people. BUT PAUL LITERALLY ALREADY EXPERIENCED ALL THE WEIRD THINGS THAT DANNY DESCRIBED EXPERIENCING BEFORE THE DEVIL ALMOST TOOK HIM. Paul just went through a very frightening ordeal and that experience should have resulted in him believing Danny. Eeven if he doesn't trust that Danny is doing the right things, he should have spent more time talking to him instead of impulsively deciding to burn down the cabin and all the crosses that were keeping them safe from the devil. At this point in the story, I had wondering if Paul was already possessed and thats why he burnt the cabin down which ultimately ended in Danny being killed, but that doesn't appear to be the case.
At the same time, Jill is chatting with a woman who's husband killed her son (years ago) in a similar fashion to the murderer at the start of the book. We get basically a huge exposition dump about how the devil is in the woods and if he touches you, your soul gets tainted and you become evil. Am I to believe that no cop has ever talked to this woman before? Why would she tell a cop now and not 10 years ago? None of it was any fault of hers.
There were other things that didn't get fully explained either. Was it Danny who wrote "You shouldn't be here" all over the motel room? Paul assumed it was but we don't know that. If the townsfolk don't want outsider to come, why do they even have a motel room available? Why wouldn't Danny contact Paul for over a year? He knows Paul would never go to Alaska to visit, so why not just shoot him a text once in awhile and tell him that he's living off grid and that he's okay. That literally would have been enough for Paul. Is there just one devil or multiple? If the devil is in the woods, was it also in the police station? Did Joe get possessed and that's why he killed himself or did the devil make him do it? Why was there a huge hole in the church? I feel like the townsfolk should have been a cult. That would have been fun. Did the townsfolk know that Danny and Joe were partners? Whats with all the weird shit and blacked out windows in joes house? Why didn't any of the other houses near by have that? Was it the devil peeping in Pauls window and breathing on the glass? I AM CONFUSED.
This book was almost really good but the ending murdered it.
emanation12's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
3.75 Glowing-eyed wolves out of 5. A story that sets up a small-town horror story and then as it nears its end ramps up the stakes to an epic conclusion.
bmobley's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
calliek927's review against another edition
2.0
I honestly don't even know how to review this one, because I simply got bored with it. The story was SLOW moving and the characters didn't really feel like anything.
I will still read more Ronald Malfi, as I've read his books before and they were better, but this one was just a nope from me.
Giving it 2 stars because I didn't DNF...
I will still read more Ronald Malfi, as I've read his books before and they were better, but this one was just a nope from me.
Giving it 2 stars because I didn't DNF...
winlei's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.75
Gives very much season 1 of True Detective/Sharp Objects. Well written, but one of those slow creeping mysteries with shadows of supernatural ideas that leave you wondering.
gt_guest's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
aileen369's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
craigmatthews87's review against another edition
4.0
I recently read and enjoyed Come With Me, so was excited to pick up my next Ronald Malfi book. With my love of stories set in small towns and snowy wilderness, in this case Alaska, and a new UK release coming this month, what better choice than Bone White?
This story was a hit from me right from the start. Every time I thought I had a handle on where the plot was going, there'd be a twist or turn that left my blindsided, and reminded me that I couldn't feel safe at any point. It's very rare for a book to go as far as to scare me these days, but there are numerous very creepy moments throughout Bone White, and more than one that managed to get under my skin.
There's a reasonably large cast of characters, though while the main players are well fleshed out and I always looked forward to spending time with them, a number of the more supporting roles felt a little two-dimensional at times, as if they were obviously there to progress the plot. I also found a few moments towards the middle a little repetitive, and almost like they were pulling us back from the next reveal. Other than these criticisms, I'm finding it difficult to fault the book - I thought it was an engaging and entertaining read throughout, combing elements of dread-inducing mythology with police procedural descriptions that felt accurate and realistic, a mix that nearly always works for me.
The highest praise I can give the book is the sense of disappointment I felt when I noticed I was in the last 5%. The ending was satisfying, giving enough information without over-explaining, but I'd have still happily carried on reading and wasn't ready to leave the world Malfi had built. I get the feeling that my next read of his won't be far in the future.
9/10
This story was a hit from me right from the start. Every time I thought I had a handle on where the plot was going, there'd be a twist or turn that left my blindsided, and reminded me that I couldn't feel safe at any point. It's very rare for a book to go as far as to scare me these days, but there are numerous very creepy moments throughout Bone White, and more than one that managed to get under my skin.
There's a reasonably large cast of characters, though while the main players are well fleshed out and I always looked forward to spending time with them, a number of the more supporting roles felt a little two-dimensional at times, as if they were obviously there to progress the plot. I also found a few moments towards the middle a little repetitive, and almost like they were pulling us back from the next reveal. Other than these criticisms, I'm finding it difficult to fault the book - I thought it was an engaging and entertaining read throughout, combing elements of dread-inducing mythology with police procedural descriptions that felt accurate and realistic, a mix that nearly always works for me.
The highest praise I can give the book is the sense of disappointment I felt when I noticed I was in the last 5%. The ending was satisfying, giving enough information without over-explaining, but I'd have still happily carried on reading and wasn't ready to leave the world Malfi had built. I get the feeling that my next read of his won't be far in the future.
9/10