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dream_master's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
skmoen19's review
4.0
So I was audiobooking this and it just ended around the 70% mark and jumped to the credits... super weird. It ended with mari telling armond to go to his cabin but that he couldn't leave until they said. Right after we find out his dad ODd
That wasn't the end, right?
That wasn't the end, right?
sheffner07's review
3.0
I received an Advanced Readers copy of this book from First to Read, in exchange for an honest review.
I'm with everyone else here... I have no idea what to think of this book. I was sure the ending was going to be one thing, and it ended up being completely different.
It was a fast read and kept my attention. But it was certainly a head scratcher, what just happened kind of a read.
I'm with everyone else here... I have no idea what to think of this book. I was sure the ending was going to be one thing, and it ended up being completely different.
Spoiler
What was with those random chapters? Did Arman stay at the compound or leave?It was a fast read and kept my attention. But it was certainly a head scratcher, what just happened kind of a read.
lostgirlsw's review
3.0
I was immediately drawn into the story. Kuehn kept me guessing right up until the final page. Arman suffers from anxiety, self loathing and a host of other issues when he meets Beau. Beau is a father figure to Arman, who offers him a chance to change and grow. To become a new person. Arman journeys with Beau, and a couple of other kids he knows from school, to a retreat in the mountains of California. Not long after they arrive, things begin to fall apart. Beau goes missing and Arman no longer knows what is real or who to trust.
Arman's character was believable. I sympathized with him and felt his pain and anxiety. Kuehn's writing was gripping. I couldn't put the book down. I just had to know how it ended. This book will definitely mess with your mind. I admit, once I finished this story I was still a bit lost. I had to go back and reread many of the passages and attempt to put the pieces together. The vague ending left me with a few questions and a lingering feeling that I may have missed something important.
I'm very curious to hear what others think of this book and the insights that they glean from it. I enjoyed Kuehn's writing style and I fully intend to check out more of her work.
Thank you Penguin Random House and the First to Read program for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-SW
Arman's character was believable. I sympathized with him and felt his pain and anxiety. Kuehn's writing was gripping. I couldn't put the book down. I just had to know how it ended. This book will definitely mess with your mind. I admit, once I finished this story I was still a bit lost. I had to go back and reread many of the passages and attempt to put the pieces together. The vague ending left me with a few questions and a lingering feeling that I may have missed something important.
I'm very curious to hear what others think of this book and the insights that they glean from it. I enjoyed Kuehn's writing style and I fully intend to check out more of her work.
Thank you Penguin Random House and the First to Read program for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-SW
breezlo's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
vickimarie2002's review
3.0
This was a pretty fast read but it was a little confusing. I can't say I didn't like it but I'm not fully sure what happened in the end. I think Beau accomplished what he wanted to with Arman but yet I'm not sure what it was he wanted from him. If someone fully understands, let me know! Haha!
xokristim's review
2.0
So I really thought I would love this book, by the synopsis, but it just didn't hook me. The twists and turns were awesome but just a bit overdone in my opinion. I found it slightly hard to follow. I think it was a solidly written book with a great story line, but just wasn't for me.
ARC REVIEW
ARC REVIEW
pagesplotsandpints's review
2.0
Initial Impressions 7/27/16: 2.5 stars
What even what this book? It was kind of bizarre but for me personally, not in a good way. The book revolves largely (or really, entirely) in and around a cult (although the word isn't really specifically used, that's how it came off to me) and it was just kind of weird to read.
Things got interesting about a third of the way in and then they fizzled back out to just plain strange. I was hoping it was going to keep venturing toward mystery/thriller and while I guess that's where I'd probably categorize this book, there was a lot more curiosity than just a thriller.
The ending was really not satisfying at all. There are definite answers which I always appreciate but it didn't really seem to have a huge change on the entire outcome of the book. I guess yes, Arman did change through this experience but why THIS experience? I don't know how else to say it. Just plain weird.
At least it was a quick read but it'd be hard for me to recommend this one. Might be a hit if you like things that are quite unusual. I love things that venture away from the norm but this was out there for me and cults are always a hard thing to read about.
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 8/12/16: actually received THE SMALLER EVIL to review in two forms — a hardcover from Penguin and an audiobook from The Listening Library. Since I’ve been slow to read my physical forms, I quickly started up the audio in the hopes of a fast and fierce thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from THE SMALLER EVIL but the book was surely unique from my usual reads.
I’ve heard that Stephanie Kuehn incorporates an interesting, twisty side to her novels and that was definitely true for THE SMALLER EVIL. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, though. I tend to go into books (mostly) blind and usually this enhances my reading experience but sometimes the books catch me by surprise. THE SMALLER EVIL caught me a little by surprise since I didn’t realize exactly what the plot entailed. This was definitely more of a cult-feel although the group that Arman becomes involved with is never really blatantly called a cult (though it is speculated later in Arman’s stream of consciousness) but that’s what I’m calling it and the atmosphere was just … weird. I have a hard time with cults and too many times I just wanted to shake these people like, “What are you thinking??” I think it’s just something that’s hard for me to read about and doesn’t make for the most exciting topic since it’s frustrating!
There were several moments in the book that I thought didn’t need to be as extreme as they were — from random sexual encounters to moments of panic to character details — there were a few things that were just over the top that I didn’t quite buy into. This was my first book of Stephanie Kuehn’s and I was hoping I’d love that dark and twisty feel but this was not the way I expected it to come out. I was hoping for more psychological thriller that messed with my head and instead I was mostly just confused. It was thrilling and the book did mess with me a little bit but then things quickly fizzled out again once they got twisty. I was excited for a massive twist but it didn’t quite happen.
The ending was mostly disappointing. Some things were wrapped up but mostly I felt like I didn’t know why this whole thing happened. Yes, Arman grew and learned from this experience but why this experience? Why a cult? The things that were grandiose weren’t the things that I wanted to be large and then the places I hoped for something big to happen, it just didn’t. I felt like there were missed opportunities and the story just really didn’t quite come together for me.
AUDIOBOOK IMPRESSIONS
Source: Received for review from Listening Library
Narrator: Ryan Gessel
Performance: Pretty decent but I didn’t really fall in love
This was the first narration I’ve heard from Ryan Gessel and it was a good performance. Nothing outstanding, not one of my favorites, but it was a solid narration and his voice was very pleasant to listen to but I didn’t feel like he got a lot of emotion into the book. His narration was kind of flat so I wasn’t super engaged but it wasn’t enough that I got bored. I probably wouldn’t actively seek out books that he narrates but I’d definitely be up for another one if it was a book I wanted to read!
What even what this book? It was kind of bizarre but for me personally, not in a good way. The book revolves largely (or really, entirely) in and around a cult (although the word isn't really specifically used, that's how it came off to me) and it was just kind of weird to read.
Things got interesting about a third of the way in and then they fizzled back out to just plain strange. I was hoping it was going to keep venturing toward mystery/thriller and while I guess that's where I'd probably categorize this book, there was a lot more curiosity than just a thriller.
The ending was really not satisfying at all. There are definite answers which I always appreciate but it didn't really seem to have a huge change on the entire outcome of the book. I guess yes, Arman did change through this experience but why THIS experience? I don't know how else to say it. Just plain weird.
At least it was a quick read but it'd be hard for me to recommend this one. Might be a hit if you like things that are quite unusual. I love things that venture away from the norm but this was out there for me and cults are always a hard thing to read about.
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 8/12/16: actually received THE SMALLER EVIL to review in two forms — a hardcover from Penguin and an audiobook from The Listening Library. Since I’ve been slow to read my physical forms, I quickly started up the audio in the hopes of a fast and fierce thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from THE SMALLER EVIL but the book was surely unique from my usual reads.
I’ve heard that Stephanie Kuehn incorporates an interesting, twisty side to her novels and that was definitely true for THE SMALLER EVIL. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, though. I tend to go into books (mostly) blind and usually this enhances my reading experience but sometimes the books catch me by surprise. THE SMALLER EVIL caught me a little by surprise since I didn’t realize exactly what the plot entailed. This was definitely more of a cult-feel although the group that Arman becomes involved with is never really blatantly called a cult (though it is speculated later in Arman’s stream of consciousness) but that’s what I’m calling it and the atmosphere was just … weird. I have a hard time with cults and too many times I just wanted to shake these people like, “What are you thinking??” I think it’s just something that’s hard for me to read about and doesn’t make for the most exciting topic since it’s frustrating!
There were several moments in the book that I thought didn’t need to be as extreme as they were — from random sexual encounters to moments of panic to character details — there were a few things that were just over the top that I didn’t quite buy into. This was my first book of Stephanie Kuehn’s and I was hoping I’d love that dark and twisty feel but this was not the way I expected it to come out. I was hoping for more psychological thriller that messed with my head and instead I was mostly just confused. It was thrilling and the book did mess with me a little bit but then things quickly fizzled out again once they got twisty. I was excited for a massive twist but it didn’t quite happen.
The ending was mostly disappointing. Some things were wrapped up but mostly I felt like I didn’t know why this whole thing happened. Yes, Arman grew and learned from this experience but why this experience? Why a cult? The things that were grandiose weren’t the things that I wanted to be large and then the places I hoped for something big to happen, it just didn’t. I felt like there were missed opportunities and the story just really didn’t quite come together for me.
AUDIOBOOK IMPRESSIONS
Source: Received for review from Listening Library
Narrator: Ryan Gessel
Performance: Pretty decent but I didn’t really fall in love
This was the first narration I’ve heard from Ryan Gessel and it was a good performance. Nothing outstanding, not one of my favorites, but it was a solid narration and his voice was very pleasant to listen to but I didn’t feel like he got a lot of emotion into the book. His narration was kind of flat so I wasn’t super engaged but it wasn’t enough that I got bored. I probably wouldn’t actively seek out books that he narrates but I’d definitely be up for another one if it was a book I wanted to read!