Reviews

The Fisherman it's such a beautiful representation of grief and how it was written and the prose used just dragged u deeper into this book unraveling a story about the non-ordinary

But to me the most interesting aspect of this book is not the horror of what here is shown or whatever lies in the dark waters of shallow greek but how grief pulls u down and destroys you in much more deeper ways than any super natural thing could

christophehermans's review

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5.0

I read this book while on vacation in Norway, with the (sometimes nauseating) smell of fish and cries of sea fowl permeating the air. When I looked up from the pages, I saw fishing boats and craggy peaks overcast with misty clouds. It has been the best experience with a book I have ever had.

The first 50 or so pages has you following Abe and Dan, two grieving fishermen. It can be a bit of drag to get through this first part, but even still it is great. I cried at a certain point here, which a book has never done to me before. Next there is an excellent frame narrative that is the majority of the book, and might easily have been a short story or novella in its own right. And finally we return to Abe and Dan for the remaining 60 or 70 pages.

This book is weird fiction elevated. If you are a fan of Lovecraft especially, you will love this novel.

ollieoxnfree's review

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3.0

I get the hype, I do. There were moments where I was so lost in the story, in complete amazement. But the story of the beginning, the original fisherman, was told differently. Wait, getting ahead of myself.
Let’s start with the “horror” aspect. There is a foreboding feeling throughout the entire tale. The actual horror, or moments of fear, are few and far between. When they happen, it’s worth it. A slow build that unleashes a perfect H. P. Lovecraft image of cosmic horror proportions. Rare in that feeling a true fan knows, but pulled off all the same.
It was told as dialogue the entire time. A true art of the story teller that at times wasn’t pulled off. The rhythm and continued reminder of this kept breaking the spell. There were several times where I found myself lost in what was happening. Names were thrown around that I couldn’t remember who these people were. These small characters that were so plentiful but had no real meaning of emotional connection made for the reader. It felt like actually hearing an older person tell a story. And you arrive at the moment where it’s taking too long, you’re drifting away, but they don’t notice. The end of it could have been wrapped up much easier and more coherently.
Otherwise, the entirety of the last fisherman’s story I enjoyed very much. He felt like such a better story teller. In a way this doesn’t make sense since he is really the one telling the whole story, relating another story he was told in the middle of the book. But it felt very different when he spoke of his experience. In that, there is obvious talent shown by the writer to make you feel the difference, but I just didn’t enjoy that half of the story.