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skirk's review
5.0
CongRATulations - An outstanding debut
I decided to take a chance on The Diner and boy am I glad I did! This novel is a page turner that I couldn't put down. In Babs, J.C. Robinson has created both a septaugenerian nightmare and a stark warning to not bite the hand that feeds you.
I decided to take a chance on The Diner and boy am I glad I did! This novel is a page turner that I couldn't put down. In Babs, J.C. Robinson has created both a septaugenerian nightmare and a stark warning to not bite the hand that feeds you.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
5.0
Just how would you react if all your hopes, dreams, and money were invested in a run-down diner, to have the love of your life taken from you prematurely by a drunk driver? Would you go to pieces or would you take decisive action?
It only takes one chapter to be swallowed up by the masterpiece that Robinson has created. The first act of brutality – Bab’s husband being mowed down by a drunken piece of shit had me hooked. We then get a taste for the kind of woman that Babs turns out to be. An interesting character, intriguing background and quite literally living a nightmare. Turn the pages and be prepared to be sucked into extreme violence that is delivered alongside a side of eggs. The plot was seamless, my heart matched my levels of adrenaline and I don’t think it ever slowed, especially with the body count mounting.
The Diner is intelligent as it is ambitious. The plot was freakishly brutal. Bab’s husband's death has a domino effect on her life. If you think that her actions start strange, just keep reading, as you are about to take a walk down psycho street. She’s unhinged, and it's immediately obvious that past events have affected her more than originally thought. I flew through every chapter with vigor and morbid curiosity – Bab’s is a character that grabs your attention by the balls, and then gives you a swift kick. Just when you think you know all she's capable of, then, BOOM, sledgehammer to the head. A woman that seems to always be a step ahead, what will it take to trip her up?
If you thought that this was all in the vain of avenging her dead husband, think again. She develops a taste for ridding the world of “rats” and it becomes obsessive, she needs to see the life drain from the evil beings she chooses for extermination. The characterization was superb and multi-dimensional, this would make a perfect small-screen adaptation. My favourite part of this novel was just how conflicted I ended up feeling. I could get on board with her initial grief and wanting some semblance of revenge but that soon faded when she took it too far. She was bat-shit crazy.
This book is exactly why I am so passionate about indie horror authors. This was a gem in the rough. The cadence of Robinson’s voice and his unique storytelling don’t come around too often. Glourisoly complex and deeply disturbing it was the love child of Clive Barker and Ketchum.
It only takes one chapter to be swallowed up by the masterpiece that Robinson has created. The first act of brutality – Bab’s husband being mowed down by a drunken piece of shit had me hooked. We then get a taste for the kind of woman that Babs turns out to be. An interesting character, intriguing background and quite literally living a nightmare. Turn the pages and be prepared to be sucked into extreme violence that is delivered alongside a side of eggs. The plot was seamless, my heart matched my levels of adrenaline and I don’t think it ever slowed, especially with the body count mounting.
The Diner is intelligent as it is ambitious. The plot was freakishly brutal. Bab’s husband's death has a domino effect on her life. If you think that her actions start strange, just keep reading, as you are about to take a walk down psycho street. She’s unhinged, and it's immediately obvious that past events have affected her more than originally thought. I flew through every chapter with vigor and morbid curiosity – Bab’s is a character that grabs your attention by the balls, and then gives you a swift kick. Just when you think you know all she's capable of, then, BOOM, sledgehammer to the head. A woman that seems to always be a step ahead, what will it take to trip her up?
If you thought that this was all in the vain of avenging her dead husband, think again. She develops a taste for ridding the world of “rats” and it becomes obsessive, she needs to see the life drain from the evil beings she chooses for extermination. The characterization was superb and multi-dimensional, this would make a perfect small-screen adaptation. My favourite part of this novel was just how conflicted I ended up feeling. I could get on board with her initial grief and wanting some semblance of revenge but that soon faded when she took it too far. She was bat-shit crazy.
This book is exactly why I am so passionate about indie horror authors. This was a gem in the rough. The cadence of Robinson’s voice and his unique storytelling don’t come around too often. Glourisoly complex and deeply disturbing it was the love child of Clive Barker and Ketchum.
nwreader's review
5.0
Okay J.C...I see you! THE DINER was such an entertaining read. I laughed way more than I probably should throughout this book.
This is a story about a woman who runs a diner becoming a serial killer. I really enjoyed how her story and experiences were broken up. At first I thought I would get confused but it actually moved the story along nicely and was easy to follow.
May I say, I loved the main character Babs! Even though she's killing all these people you can't help but empathize with her and find her actions almost reasonable
This is a story about a woman who runs a diner becoming a serial killer. I really enjoyed how her story and experiences were broken up. At first I thought I would get confused but it actually moved the story along nicely and was easy to follow.
May I say, I loved the main character Babs! Even though she's killing all these people you can't help but empathize with her and find her actions almost reasonable
michaelrgoodwin's review
3.0
When Babs finds herself the sole owner and operator of the diner she bought with her husband after he dies in an accident, she makes the best of a bad situation. That situation goes from bad to worse when she encounters a variety unsavory customers who treat her and her diner quite poorly. Babs doesn't take crap from anyone, and she handles it all in stride by exterminating them like the "rats" they are.
Robinson doesn't shy away from delivering loads of gruesome and grisly moments. Babs is a dynamic character who has her genesis in grief and her exodus in straight-up serial killer infamy. Her thirst for blood and vengeance progresses and there is good layered suspense throughout.
I enjoyed the book overall, but did have a few slight issues with it. Nothing that kept me from finishing the story, just minor things that any reader of indie books might notice. Despite that, THE DINER is a recommended read and I will definitely check out the sequel in the works to see what else Babs gets up to.
Robinson doesn't shy away from delivering loads of gruesome and grisly moments. Babs is a dynamic character who has her genesis in grief and her exodus in straight-up serial killer infamy. Her thirst for blood and vengeance progresses and there is good layered suspense throughout.
I enjoyed the book overall, but did have a few slight issues with it. Nothing that kept me from finishing the story, just minor things that any reader of indie books might notice. Despite that, THE DINER is a recommended read and I will definitely check out the sequel in the works to see what else Babs gets up to.
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