Reviews

Billy Silver by Daniel J. Volpe

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ghostlyweeds's review

2.0

2.5 ⭐️

I don’t consider myself a “horror girlie” when it comes to entertainment. I’ve watched the occasional movie and my first true bookish foray into this genre came last year with Paul Tremblay’s Head Full of Ghosts. Then I came across splatterpunk last October and I thought that since I hadn’t been traumatized by my horror reads so far that I was ready for it.

I think Billy Silver will make my third, fourth?, splatterpunk read and I always find it hard to rate these books (or novellas). Do I rate it off how grotesque it was? How much it scared me? The plot? The characters? Like what is the system for rating books like these? Either way, I struggle entirely on how to frame my thoughts and feelings on this genre.

This read was quick and to the point and yet there were details that I would have liked to see. What about Talia, the tattoo, the dreams? I feel like I needed more of this, I could have had a whole backstory and been content. And also I found myself disappointed in his acts of self mutilation, the synopsis made me think he was going to become another Julie from Return of the Living Dead 3, but alas he did not live up to those standards.

littlespookysmut's review

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4.0

After reading Talia, I knew I had to read this one and it did not disappoint!! So gory and gross and so many unlikable characters. I’m giving 4 stars cause I would have loved a reasoning behind the tattoo or what Talia was up to.

fullmooneaters's review

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2.0

I so so so so so badly wanted to like this book. I have enjoyed other things by Volpe. I can’t even think of one decent thing to say about it. It isn’t the worst thing I’ve read, I’ll give it that. There’s zero likable characters. Zero. I guess Jeannine is sympathetic but at the same time she’s so one dimensional, who even cares? Talia has no personality but somehow is the femme fatale. I haven’t read Talia but I’m sure she’s a demon or succubus or something. Yeah it’s cool the stories are connected, but if I need to read another book to fully grasp the antagonist, why even bother reading this one? Billy Silver is a piece of crap with zero redeeming qualities. His drug dealer, friends, and associates are all awful as well. The first half focused too much on Billy and Jeannine. For once, there was too much build up. All I wanted was for something revolting to happen to Billy, and that never really happened. I kept thinking, let Billy Silver get what’s coming to him, that’s the only reason I’m finishing this book. And nothing ever did.

On top of all that, I couldn’t help but laugh my ass off because of the similarities between this and the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode Freedom Cobra. It’s basically the same thing, which could be a good thing, if this novel was executed correctly. Which, it wasn’t.

This book was a big nothing burger of scattered ideas shaded as extreme horror. Billy Silver is an awful character. I love morally grey and even criminal characters, but there is just nothing remotely charming about him. If we had… I don’t know, a sympathetic back story, or a reason why he was bad, or even one tiny little good quality, then maybe I wouldn’t have rated this book so low. But no. He just likes to do drugs and beat women and treat his friends like crap and use and abuse people. There is nothing there. 1.5 stars only because I’ve read a few other things that are worse.

read_and_teach's review

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dark fast-paced

1.0

hbrom13's review

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5.0

Such a good read/listen! I loved this story. The way Billy is portrayed is excellent. A junkie. Only worried about sex, drugs, booze. You feel sorry for him and hate him all at the same time. Talia makes an appearance and I smiled so big! I love her! This story.. Filthy.. gory.. all the best things! Honestly, didn’t expect the ending but I’m not mad about it.

Can’t wait to read more by Daniel Volpe!