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frogggirl2's review against another edition
dark
tense
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
3.5
Seemingly every British novel is about classism - this is a horror novel about what can happen when you have the worst possible condescending, posh neighbors. This book succeeds on theme, writing and ambience. It fails on pacing and characterization.
From a practical standpoint, the character's decisions bothers me: How come they moved to this place at all since the wife clearly didn't want to? She is shown throughout to be a pragmatic woman who is not a doormat. How come they never have a conversation about everything that's going on? The husband and wife never sit down and have any conversation at all throughout the entire book. Why doesn't he propose sending their child to a grandparent's house or a friend's house or an uncle's house or literally anywhere early on? I think the answer to all this from the author's point of view would be the curse, but, that doesn't doesn't really work - to me the character actions don't seem entirely plausible. I think this is all down to the fact that more time is spent on the many denouements than on character building. After the first bit of the novel, his wife and daughter become nonexistent - they're basically just motivations for the male character - which is always a poor use of female characters.
Also, do we really need these voluminous story notes which basically just explain the plot? Either you succeeded with the story or we need these story notes. Not both.
From a practical standpoint, the character's decisions bothers me: How come they moved to this place at all since the wife clearly didn't want to? She is shown throughout to be a pragmatic woman who is not a doormat. How come they never have a conversation about everything that's going on? The husband and wife never sit down and have any conversation at all throughout the entire book. Why doesn't he propose sending their child to a grandparent's house or a friend's house or an uncle's house or literally anywhere early on? I think the answer to all this from the author's point of view would be the curse, but, that doesn't doesn't really work - to me the character actions don't seem entirely plausible. I think this is all down to the fact that more time is spent on the many denouements than on character building. After the first bit of the novel, his wife and daughter become nonexistent - they're basically just motivations for the male character - which is always a poor use of female characters.
Also, do we really need these voluminous story notes which basically just explain the plot? Either you succeeded with the story or we need these story notes. Not both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, and Animal death
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