Scan barcode
abookdork's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite sure how to describe "The Smaller Evil". It captivated my attention from start to finish, yet in the end I feel perplexed. I know what happened in the book, but it doesn't mean that I feel closure in the story.
This is a book that may best be suited for book groups so that a discussion can help ease readers from a bit of a jarring end.
Final thoughts: an interesting read. Glad I read it.
This is a book that may best be suited for book groups so that a discussion can help ease readers from a bit of a jarring end.
Final thoughts: an interesting read. Glad I read it.
qwordyq's review
2.0
I didn’t really get this book. Didn’t care about the characters and so much was left incomplete that it just fell flat at the end.
katlikespie's review
1.0
I downloaded the audio book for a road trip and stupidly had no backup, so I was stuck listening to this for the drive.
Don't be sucked in by the cover art. This book is... I'm sorry, it's really bad.
Don't be sucked in by the cover art. This book is... I'm sorry, it's really bad.
kimily's review
2.0
I received this book as an uncorrected digital review copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss.
Arman sees himself as a useless, pointless kid, who causes nothing but problems for others. He has no friends, his mom and stepfather don’t want him around, and his father is in jail again. In this frame of mind, it is easy for a man like Beau to get in his head with promises of a better life. All Arman has to do is attend a week long retreat, and things will change. He will be a different person: a person he doesn’t hate so much. Things are great when he first arrives. Beau makes it clear that Arman is special, and can make big changes. However, the longer Arman is there, the stranger the “sessions” and the people become. Is Evolve the answer to his prayers? Or is it just the beginning of a nightmare?
(Mild spoilers ahead.)
The idea behind this book was a good one, and had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I feel that potential was squandered in an attempt to make a deep philosophical point that didn’t really come across. We have a teenage kid who hates himself and has no familial support, so let’s invite him to a retreat, set him up as special (compared to everyone else there), and leave him in the care of staff who are not only not on the same page as their leader, but resent the kid for being set apart. What could go wrong? The leaders of this retreat are supposed to be intelligent, evolved people, but the way they behave toward Arman (with the exception of Mari), is ridiculous. The story is convoluted and aggravating. I think the (non-parental) adult characters are supposed to come across as being intellectual, but they just seem pompous and arrogant. The ending of the book was anti-climactic and unsatisfying. I wanted to punch myself in the face because I chose to finish this book instead of reading something else. Maybe I’m stupid, and the whole book just went over my head, who knows? I just don’t see how this book is going to appeal to its target audience any more than it did me. I don’t like to give negative reviews (it’s like telling someone they have an ugly baby), but I take the responsibility of reviewing very seriously, so there you go.
Arman sees himself as a useless, pointless kid, who causes nothing but problems for others. He has no friends, his mom and stepfather don’t want him around, and his father is in jail again. In this frame of mind, it is easy for a man like Beau to get in his head with promises of a better life. All Arman has to do is attend a week long retreat, and things will change. He will be a different person: a person he doesn’t hate so much. Things are great when he first arrives. Beau makes it clear that Arman is special, and can make big changes. However, the longer Arman is there, the stranger the “sessions” and the people become. Is Evolve the answer to his prayers? Or is it just the beginning of a nightmare?
(Mild spoilers ahead.)
The idea behind this book was a good one, and had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I feel that potential was squandered in an attempt to make a deep philosophical point that didn’t really come across. We have a teenage kid who hates himself and has no familial support, so let’s invite him to a retreat, set him up as special (compared to everyone else there), and leave him in the care of staff who are not only not on the same page as their leader, but resent the kid for being set apart. What could go wrong? The leaders of this retreat are supposed to be intelligent, evolved people, but the way they behave toward Arman (with the exception of Mari), is ridiculous. The story is convoluted and aggravating. I think the (non-parental) adult characters are supposed to come across as being intellectual, but they just seem pompous and arrogant. The ending of the book was anti-climactic and unsatisfying. I wanted to punch myself in the face because I chose to finish this book instead of reading something else. Maybe I’m stupid, and the whole book just went over my head, who knows? I just don’t see how this book is going to appeal to its target audience any more than it did me. I don’t like to give negative reviews (it’s like telling someone they have an ugly baby), but I take the responsibility of reviewing very seriously, so there you go.
emdoux's review against another edition
3.0
This was a strange one. Reminded me a lot of Challenger Deep (not in the mental health aspects but in the narration style).
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
I never know where I am going when I pick up one of Kuehn's novels, but I know the ride is always going to be one I trust.
Arman's taking part in a "retreat" of sorts, though it's not quite what it seems. . . and Arman himself isn't quite who he seems. At the core, this is a book about systems and about relationships, and about the ways we value and push people toward independence, even when they aren't ready . . . and even if they don't need to be.
A complex, philosophical novel. I am and I am not surprised to see this as "YA." The average YA reader may not reach for this one, but those who do and who love a novel that will push their minds will be richly rewarded.
Arman's taking part in a "retreat" of sorts, though it's not quite what it seems. . . and Arman himself isn't quite who he seems. At the core, this is a book about systems and about relationships, and about the ways we value and push people toward independence, even when they aren't ready . . . and even if they don't need to be.
A complex, philosophical novel. I am and I am not surprised to see this as "YA." The average YA reader may not reach for this one, but those who do and who love a novel that will push their minds will be richly rewarded.
faerietears's review against another edition
2.0
This was…. a strange book. I want to like it, but ultimately, I just don’t get it. What was the point?
Arman is kind of an outcast. He doesn’t fit in, he’s on all kinds of medications for ADD and anxiety whatnot. He meets this guy, Beau, who invites him to a “retreat”. A couple of sort-of friends come along as well, but otherwise it’s mostly old people.
Then Beau is murdered. Or kills himself. Or maybe he didn’t and Arman is just crazy. Now we spend half the book not sure what is real and what is not, and this is actually very cool. But… the end comes along and we’re left with more questions than answers.
I think people who like really philosophical mind bending books might be into this, but it was just too weird for me. Maybe reading it a second time knowing the ending would give more clues as to what the hell is actually happening in the earlier parts of the book, but I’m not going to waste my time doing that. I honestly only grabbed this book because I was pretty sure the “retreat” was really a cult (and it basically is) and that sort of fascinates me. In the end though, I wish I hadn’t bothered. I wasn’t left satisfied and I still don’t feel like I really know any of the characters.
I just don’t understand what the point of the story was. Not that every story needs to end with an earth shattering, mind opening purpose—I enjoy fluffy books as much as the next reader—but, at least knowing what the hell actually happened is sort of a must for me.
So would I recommend this book? No. Not really. There were some good parts, but overall I was left underwhelmed and without a sense of closure.
I received an ARC of this book from Penguin First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
Arman is kind of an outcast. He doesn’t fit in, he’s on all kinds of medications for ADD and anxiety whatnot. He meets this guy, Beau, who invites him to a “retreat”. A couple of sort-of friends come along as well, but otherwise it’s mostly old people.
Then Beau is murdered. Or kills himself. Or maybe he didn’t and Arman is just crazy. Now we spend half the book not sure what is real and what is not, and this is actually very cool. But… the end comes along and we’re left with more questions than answers.
I think people who like really philosophical mind bending books might be into this, but it was just too weird for me. Maybe reading it a second time knowing the ending would give more clues as to what the hell is actually happening in the earlier parts of the book, but I’m not going to waste my time doing that. I honestly only grabbed this book because I was pretty sure the “retreat” was really a cult (and it basically is) and that sort of fascinates me. In the end though, I wish I hadn’t bothered. I wasn’t left satisfied and I still don’t feel like I really know any of the characters.
I just don’t understand what the point of the story was. Not that every story needs to end with an earth shattering, mind opening purpose—I enjoy fluffy books as much as the next reader—but, at least knowing what the hell actually happened is sort of a must for me.
So would I recommend this book? No. Not really. There were some good parts, but overall I was left underwhelmed and without a sense of closure.
I received an ARC of this book from Penguin First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
kimily's review against another edition
2.0
I received this book as an uncorrected digital review copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss.
Arman sees himself as a useless, pointless kid, who causes nothing but problems for others. He has no friends, his mom and stepfather don’t want him around, and his father is in jail again. In this frame of mind, it is easy for a man like Beau to get in his head with promises of a better life. All Arman has to do is attend a week long retreat, and things will change. He will be a different person: a person he doesn’t hate so much. Things are great when he first arrives. Beau makes it clear that Arman is special, and can make big changes. However, the longer Arman is there, the stranger the “sessions” and the people become. Is Evolve the answer to his prayers? Or is it just the beginning of a nightmare?
(Mild spoilers ahead.)
The idea behind this book was a good one, and had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I feel that potential was squandered in an attempt to make a deep philosophical point that didn’t really come across. We have a teenage kid who hates himself and has no familial support, so let’s invite him to a retreat, set him up as special (compared to everyone else there), and leave him in the care of staff who are not only not on the same page as their leader, but resent the kid for being set apart. What could go wrong? The leaders of this retreat are supposed to be intelligent, evolved people, but the way they behave toward Arman (with the exception of Mari), is ridiculous. The story is convoluted and aggravating. I think the (non-parental) adult characters are supposed to come across as being intellectual, but they just seem pompous and arrogant. The ending of the book was anti-climactic and unsatisfying. I wanted to punch myself in the face because I chose to finish this book instead of reading something else. Maybe I’m stupid, and the whole book just went over my head, who knows? I just don’t see how this book is going to appeal to its target audience any more than it did me. I don’t like to give negative reviews (it’s like telling someone they have an ugly baby), but I take the responsibility of reviewing very seriously, so there you go.
Arman sees himself as a useless, pointless kid, who causes nothing but problems for others. He has no friends, his mom and stepfather don’t want him around, and his father is in jail again. In this frame of mind, it is easy for a man like Beau to get in his head with promises of a better life. All Arman has to do is attend a week long retreat, and things will change. He will be a different person: a person he doesn’t hate so much. Things are great when he first arrives. Beau makes it clear that Arman is special, and can make big changes. However, the longer Arman is there, the stranger the “sessions” and the people become. Is Evolve the answer to his prayers? Or is it just the beginning of a nightmare?
(Mild spoilers ahead.)
The idea behind this book was a good one, and had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I feel that potential was squandered in an attempt to make a deep philosophical point that didn’t really come across. We have a teenage kid who hates himself and has no familial support, so let’s invite him to a retreat, set him up as special (compared to everyone else there), and leave him in the care of staff who are not only not on the same page as their leader, but resent the kid for being set apart. What could go wrong? The leaders of this retreat are supposed to be intelligent, evolved people, but the way they behave toward Arman (with the exception of Mari), is ridiculous. The story is convoluted and aggravating. I think the (non-parental) adult characters are supposed to come across as being intellectual, but they just seem pompous and arrogant. The ending of the book was anti-climactic and unsatisfying. I wanted to punch myself in the face because I chose to finish this book instead of reading something else. Maybe I’m stupid, and the whole book just went over my head, who knows? I just don’t see how this book is going to appeal to its target audience any more than it did me. I don’t like to give negative reviews (it’s like telling someone they have an ugly baby), but I take the responsibility of reviewing very seriously, so there you go.
booksavvyreviews's review against another edition
4.0
"You only fear what you believe will kill you, never what will."
When it comes to this genre - suspense, mystery, thriller - I usually don't pick up these books. I'm one of those that usually guesses the plot before it even hits the middle and I ruin the movie for myself. That was not the case with this book AT ALL. Just when you think you know what is happening, you really have no clue because this book makes you question everything you had thought you may have been thinking, or were you thinking it at all?
Arman is an anxiety ridden paranoid seventeen-year-old that is sought out by a man named Beau and he convinces him to join his new camp, a retreat of sorts for those who need to be inoculated against the sickness of society. So he pairs up with two other teens, one girl he knew from school and the other he didn't know. They begin their journey to the retreat and immediately are immersed into a cult-like place.
The practices are strange. Beliefs strange. Antics strange. This entire book is bizarre. Just as the idea began to settle in my brain it switched and I had no idea what was going on. I've never read any of Stephanie Kuehn's work, but it's truly gripping. I felt engaged the entire book and I wanted to know, I just wanted to know and wanted answers which were never really presented which I think would have frustrated me if I had any knowledge of what actually took place.
Mind blown.
That being said... I think I give it a 3.5 crown rating.
Website - Facebook - Instagram
kyleg99's review against another edition
3.5
3.5 stars
The first 70 pages of this one start out really strong, then kind of dulls out until the second half when Kuehn's ramps up the tension, building up to what the reader expects to be a massive reveal.
Instead, we get something relatively anticlimactic, with underdeveloped answers, however intentional that was. It's definitely a good story, but it almost feels like Kuehn herself didn't figure out what was going on when she wrote this, at least how it was going to end. It felt a little lazy. I used to think I was a fan of books that don't always answer all of your questions, but the last few books I've read that attempted this did not sit right with me.
On the positive side, this does have a great beginning and end (mostly), and Kuehn is a strong writer, and knows how to pull the reader into the story and create genuine tension. I think it actually would've been more intense had it been written in 1st person present tense, but that's a stylistic preference of mine.
Although this isn't her best work, I still cannot wait for any new releases coming from Stephanie in the future, as well as [b:Delicate Monsters|23014725|Delicate Monsters|Stephanie Kuehn|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1417567082s/23014725.jpg|40360440], which I still have to read since it's sat on my shelf collecting dust.
The first 70 pages of this one start out really strong, then kind of dulls out until the second half when Kuehn's ramps up the tension, building up to what the reader expects to be a massive reveal.
Instead, we get something relatively anticlimactic, with underdeveloped answers, however intentional that was. It's definitely a good story, but it almost feels like Kuehn herself didn't figure out what was going on when she wrote this, at least how it was going to end. It felt a little lazy. I used to think I was a fan of books that don't always answer all of your questions, but the last few books I've read that attempted this did not sit right with me.
On the positive side, this does have a great beginning and end (mostly), and Kuehn is a strong writer, and knows how to pull the reader into the story and create genuine tension. I think it actually would've been more intense had it been written in 1st person present tense, but that's a stylistic preference of mine.
Although this isn't her best work, I still cannot wait for any new releases coming from Stephanie in the future, as well as [b:Delicate Monsters|23014725|Delicate Monsters|Stephanie Kuehn|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1417567082s/23014725.jpg|40360440], which I still have to read since it's sat on my shelf collecting dust.