Scan barcode
anredman's review
4.0
More like a 3.60 rating.
I enjoyed it a hell of a lot. Hadn't read the previous book, The Keeper, but it did not hinder reading this book at all. Delighted that the characters wren't stock - there were very few firm protagonists or antagonists. The characters were normal, flawed, uncertain people. There wasn't a raving preacher or tough cop or a scientist trying to solve the world's problems. Just people trying to survive. Haven't read anything this genuine in a long time.
It's too long, although I burned through it in three days (I am a hopelessly slow reader). Four hundred pages was maybe fifty too many. Especially considering the despairing conclusion of the book. I liked the humour and insight the author tucked into the characters. If the author writes short fiction, I want to read all of their short fiction.
Suppose my downside was the same thing I liked about the book. Without a leader the story was without direction or real momentum. It wasn't as much of a cross-section of the townspeople as I would have liked. The title of the book, The Missing, honestly feels misleading to me.
I'd recommend the shit out of this book to folks that like swarming invasions of creatures, be them zombies, vampires, infected. Whatever ghoulie en masse makes you happy, read this book as well.
I enjoyed it a hell of a lot. Hadn't read the previous book, The Keeper, but it did not hinder reading this book at all. Delighted that the characters wren't stock - there were very few firm protagonists or antagonists. The characters were normal, flawed, uncertain people. There wasn't a raving preacher or tough cop or a scientist trying to solve the world's problems. Just people trying to survive. Haven't read anything this genuine in a long time.
It's too long, although I burned through it in three days (I am a hopelessly slow reader). Four hundred pages was maybe fifty too many. Especially considering the despairing conclusion of the book. I liked the humour and insight the author tucked into the characters. If the author writes short fiction, I want to read all of their short fiction.
Suppose my downside was the same thing I liked about the book. Without a leader the story was without direction or real momentum. It wasn't as much of a cross-section of the townspeople as I would have liked. The title of the book, The Missing, honestly feels misleading to me.
I'd recommend the shit out of this book to folks that like swarming invasions of creatures, be them zombies, vampires, infected. Whatever ghoulie en masse makes you happy, read this book as well.
jenniferlwatson's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sandygx260's review
1.0
Back when I spent too much time over at Jezebel, there was a discussion about the new wave of female horror authors.I decided to buy three books by highly recommended authors: Come Closer by Sara Gram, The Harrowing by Alexandra Sokoloff, and this atrocious mess.
Here's what I wrote back in 2009. I still stand by this review. I am welded to this review.
Ever encounter a horror novel where you decide if every character in the book perishes you'll cheer "yippee"?
Welcome to "The Missing".
Everything sounded promising. The book won a Stoker award. The author has a masters in creative fiction. A few well-respected and frequently-read authors drooled in profusion over Langan's craft.
Say what?
The immensely talented and always readable Peter Straub should feel ashamed for recommending Langan. His novel "Floating Dragon" soared light years ahead of "The Missing". Kind of him to recommend a fellow novelist but please, recommend one who deserves the praise.
The novel staggered along imitating a bad soap opera centering around a vague supernatural element of supposedly ancient origins. Somewhere toward the last pages Langan decides to throw in a generic sentence or two to sum up the oh so nasty entity. Talk about lazy.
The characters act so conflicted they sound like they emerged from a bad Jerry Springer episode. If I lived in this emotionally ugly Maine town, yes sir, I'd want a supernatural entity to wipe it from the face of the earth to spare anyone else from experiencing the horribly twisted people infecting the place.
Perhaps Langan should refrain from attempting horror and instead craft emotionally-torn soap operas. She excels in creating shallow female characters (shame on her) and cookie-cutter, dominate males. What Langan does not excel at is creating a truly chilling mood. Blood-splattered deaths, mind-control and hungry creepy-crawlies do not signify quality horror.
Here's what I wrote back in 2009. I still stand by this review. I am welded to this review.
Ever encounter a horror novel where you decide if every character in the book perishes you'll cheer "yippee"?
Welcome to "The Missing".
Everything sounded promising. The book won a Stoker award. The author has a masters in creative fiction. A few well-respected and frequently-read authors drooled in profusion over Langan's craft.
Say what?
The immensely talented and always readable Peter Straub should feel ashamed for recommending Langan. His novel "Floating Dragon" soared light years ahead of "The Missing". Kind of him to recommend a fellow novelist but please, recommend one who deserves the praise.
The novel staggered along imitating a bad soap opera centering around a vague supernatural element of supposedly ancient origins. Somewhere toward the last pages Langan decides to throw in a generic sentence or two to sum up the oh so nasty entity. Talk about lazy.
The characters act so conflicted they sound like they emerged from a bad Jerry Springer episode. If I lived in this emotionally ugly Maine town, yes sir, I'd want a supernatural entity to wipe it from the face of the earth to spare anyone else from experiencing the horribly twisted people infecting the place.
Perhaps Langan should refrain from attempting horror and instead craft emotionally-torn soap operas. She excels in creating shallow female characters (shame on her) and cookie-cutter, dominate males. What Langan does not excel at is creating a truly chilling mood. Blood-splattered deaths, mind-control and hungry creepy-crawlies do not signify quality horror.
jen286's review
3.0
This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland
The Missing was a good read. It was interesting because I didn't really like any of the characters. I didn't care if any of them lived or died. They all had such strange thought processes and just were not really great people. This was the first book by this author I have read and I didn't realize it was the second in a series when I started. I don't think I needed to read the first book to read this one, but it would have added to the background knowledge for sure.
This book starts off with Lois who is just such so sad. She is with this guy who she doesn't really seem to like or think that much of and her bff is terrible to her. Her mom is a nightmare and she has chances to get out, to do something great for herself and she just doesn't. She is just...I didn't really understand her. I didn't much care for her and her poor me seeming ways. She takes her kids to the woods outside of the town next to theirs where there was a huge fire and chemical contamination not too long ago (the story of the first book apparently). Why? Not sure. She just does. When she gets there things are worse than she thought they would be. Everything seems to be dead. Plants, animals, not much to see and do. She still keeps up her field trip though and when one of the boys gets left behind he unearths the evil that infects the town.
Through the story you meet other characters and see what they go through when people start getting sick and things quickly deteriorate. As I said before I didn't really like any of them. Meg was just...I really didn't understand her and how she thought. It is just everyone in this town seems to be miserable, but they don't do anything about it. They are miserable and all I hate other people, but then they think no, I don't hate them. I love them. And back and forth. The way the evil spreads and how it works was kind of cool. Different, but like a combination of a few different monsters.
I did enjoy the story and I liked how it ended. Even though I didn't understand the people and found them strange it was still an enjoyable read.
The Missing was a good read. It was interesting because I didn't really like any of the characters. I didn't care if any of them lived or died. They all had such strange thought processes and just were not really great people. This was the first book by this author I have read and I didn't realize it was the second in a series when I started. I don't think I needed to read the first book to read this one, but it would have added to the background knowledge for sure.
This book starts off with Lois who is just such so sad. She is with this guy who she doesn't really seem to like or think that much of and her bff is terrible to her. Her mom is a nightmare and she has chances to get out, to do something great for herself and she just doesn't. She is just...I didn't really understand her. I didn't much care for her and her poor me seeming ways. She takes her kids to the woods outside of the town next to theirs where there was a huge fire and chemical contamination not too long ago (the story of the first book apparently). Why? Not sure. She just does. When she gets there things are worse than she thought they would be. Everything seems to be dead. Plants, animals, not much to see and do. She still keeps up her field trip though and when one of the boys gets left behind he unearths the evil that infects the town.
Through the story you meet other characters and see what they go through when people start getting sick and things quickly deteriorate. As I said before I didn't really like any of them. Meg was just...I really didn't understand her and how she thought. It is just everyone in this town seems to be miserable, but they don't do anything about it. They are miserable and all I hate other people, but then they think no, I don't hate them. I love them. And back and forth. The way the evil spreads and how it works was kind of cool. Different, but like a combination of a few different monsters.
I did enjoy the story and I liked how it ended. Even though I didn't understand the people and found them strange it was still an enjoyable read.
stickit72's review
3.0
The writing was excellent, but I'm just not into this type of book. Someone lent it to me. If you're into horror type books, then you'll enjoy this.
kvltprincess's review
4.0
Very creepy, much in the same vein as the first one. A little bit repetitive. But gross and unsettling!
firefightrix's review
2.0
Not a bad zombie book, but after reading "The Rising" (best zombie book ever) I was dissapointed with it.
lakecake's review
3.0
The Missing was sort of like The Stand Lite....or 28 Days Later in book form, maybe. The town of Corpus Christi, Maine is infected by a virus of sorts--it travels quickly, and it turns the infected evil. Pretty hardcore evil. The book is scary and gruesome, and a fun read, but at the end I just felt kind of unfulfilled. Langan has a very Stephen King-like way with descriptions, but she lacks King's empathy for his subjects. Where Uncle Stevie makes you root for his characters and redeems at least some of them, Langan makes you want to care about them and then subjects them to a Job-esque existence where nothing goes right and the world sucks in the end. Arguably, that's more realistic, but in books I'd really like something to hope for. Definitely a good stormy night read, but prepare something light and uplifting for afterwards--you'll need it.
claws13's review
3.0
I didn't mind this. It was a slow burn and I did get bored in spots. But I really enjoyed how the author portrayed the husband's decent into madness. I didn't realise this was the 2nd in a trilogy. To me it read like a stand alone.