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bookwyrm76's review against another edition
5.0
I've been getting more and more requests from the middle graders in my library for scary stories. There are only so many times I can recommend Goosebumps (also they are not every kids favorite flavor of scary), Holly Black's Doll Bones, or Gaiman's Coraline. I loved this book. It was the book version of a camp fire story in all the best ways plus there was a friendship story underneath. Kind of like a Baby Sitters Club meets Friday the 13th?
Not for the timid reader, but for those chapter book readers craving an entry to the horror genre, this one will not disappoint.
Not for the timid reader, but for those chapter book readers craving an entry to the horror genre, this one will not disappoint.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
The Smashed Man of Dread Street was a wonderfully creepy middle grade horror. I don’t read horror any higher because I’m squeamish and this was perfectly on level with what I could handle.
The atmosphere is delightfully dreary. The Smashed Man is a wicked villain. I got chills when they discussed him. The fear of him literally jumped off the page. I loved how the stakes kept jumping higher just adding to the tension.
The girls are fun protagonists. I really bought their friendship and I like how Noe did not slide easily in. It made it more realistic the way she and the girls had to learn to work around one another. Especially given the trauma that basically glued the original 3 together. I liked the initial friction. It was all the more worthwhile when they were able to band together.
I enjoyed the backstory and explanation for the Smashed Man particularly with how it plays into the ending. I could even see the potential for sequels in the same universe.
Bottom line I think it’s a solid showing. I'd pick up another book from the author in a heartbeat.
The atmosphere is delightfully dreary. The Smashed Man is a wicked villain. I got chills when they discussed him. The fear of him literally jumped off the page. I loved how the stakes kept jumping higher just adding to the tension.
The girls are fun protagonists. I really bought their friendship and I like how Noe did not slide easily in. It made it more realistic the way she and the girls had to learn to work around one another. Especially given the trauma that basically glued the original 3 together. I liked the initial friction. It was all the more worthwhile when they were able to band together.
I enjoyed the backstory and explanation for the Smashed Man particularly with how it plays into the ending. I could even see the potential for sequels in the same universe.
Bottom line I think it’s a solid showing. I'd pick up another book from the author in a heartbeat.
purple676's review against another edition
3.0
creepy, fun and new but it slowed down often. I think it should have been a bit shorter.
readingwith_bre's review against another edition
4.0
Such a spooky and wholesome book. I could see myself reading this every October.
nicolemhill's review against another edition
3.0
That was legitimately creepy for a middle grade story.
jcschildbach's review against another edition
4.0
This was fun and clever, although I can't say I could exactly explain how the different elements come together here -- some of it gets a little complicated. But that's okay, I'm not the book's target audience, and younger readers will probably have no trouble at all with the various moving parts.
whaydengilbert's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, I’m going to sound like a bit sourpus and that may turn some potential readers away. So right up front, I want to get the obvious out of the way: I am not the intended audience for this book. I’m not the biggest fan of YA fiction in general.
But I do love monsters and was interested in seeing what kind of unique creature Ocker cooked up here. When I saw the title “Smashed Man” and read that he described the book as being about an entire neighborhood that’s haunted by an all new kind of monster, I was very intrigued. Unfortunately, I think I would’ve preferred the more straightforward thing that comes to your brain when you hear “The Smashed Man”. Rather than the ghost of some dude who walked under an anvil or some strange physical predator that seeks shelter in small spaces, the entity here is an inter-dimensional 2D…guy?
And since this is YA, it’s preoccupied with rules. Oh boy, are there rules. And that’s fun as heck when you’re a kid. Figuring out new parameters in which to fight a monster is half the enjoyment from monster stories when you’re young.
But as an adult I hate rules in horror, so I really felt like the Grinch, yelling about All the rules, rules, rules, rules!
And, as always, YA fiction just has this really annoying convention of having to throw out really stupid names for everything: Darkwash, cell knowledge, stuck places, Elberexes, Nonatukes, Amberonks.
All of the complaints that came before, completely disregard them if this is your genre. I fully admit I’m being too hard on something that was written for 8-12 year olds. However, something I feel is a legitimate criticism is that there were a few missed opportunities to use all these rules to the books advantage: adults can’t see the Smashed Man, and instead their eyes glow purple. So I was really looking forward to a moment in the climax where are teens were using the glowing eyes of adults as a signal to know the smashed man was closing in when they couldn’t see him. There are also two characters that are so traumatized by the ever-present threat of the SM that they draw him and make paper cut outs of him obsessively. I was absolutely positive that there would be a fakeout where Noe thought she was looking at a drawing or a cutout, and then it moved on its own to suddenly reveal that it was in fact our 2D monster.
But you know, despite my own grumpiness, the characters are well drawn. I legitimately liked the relationship between the two sisters and their parents, and the other neighborhood girls eventually came into their own as well. I suspect any kids 7-13 would really get a kick out of this, so while this review was mostly dumping on this thing, I have to give it a recommend to the people it was really written for.
But I do love monsters and was interested in seeing what kind of unique creature Ocker cooked up here. When I saw the title “Smashed Man” and read that he described the book as being about an entire neighborhood that’s haunted by an all new kind of monster, I was very intrigued. Unfortunately, I think I would’ve preferred the more straightforward thing that comes to your brain when you hear “The Smashed Man”. Rather than the ghost of some dude who walked under an anvil or some strange physical predator that seeks shelter in small spaces, the entity here is an inter-dimensional 2D…guy?
And since this is YA, it’s preoccupied with rules. Oh boy, are there rules. And that’s fun as heck when you’re a kid. Figuring out new parameters in which to fight a monster is half the enjoyment from monster stories when you’re young.
But as an adult I hate rules in horror, so I really felt like the Grinch, yelling about All the rules, rules, rules, rules!
And, as always, YA fiction just has this really annoying convention of having to throw out really stupid names for everything: Darkwash, cell knowledge, stuck places, Elberexes, Nonatukes, Amberonks.
All of the complaints that came before, completely disregard them if this is your genre. I fully admit I’m being too hard on something that was written for 8-12 year olds. However, something I feel is a legitimate criticism is that there were a few missed opportunities to use all these rules to the books advantage: adults can’t see the Smashed Man, and instead their eyes glow purple. So I was really looking forward to a moment in the climax where are teens were using the glowing eyes of adults as a signal to know the smashed man was closing in when they couldn’t see him. There are also two characters that are so traumatized by the ever-present threat of the SM that they draw him and make paper cut outs of him obsessively. I was absolutely positive that there would be a fakeout where Noe thought she was looking at a drawing or a cutout, and then it moved on its own to suddenly reveal that it was in fact our 2D monster.
But you know, despite my own grumpiness, the characters are well drawn. I legitimately liked the relationship between the two sisters and their parents, and the other neighborhood girls eventually came into their own as well. I suspect any kids 7-13 would really get a kick out of this, so while this review was mostly dumping on this thing, I have to give it a recommend to the people it was really written for.
jen776's review against another edition
5.0
This was an excellent, delightful read.
Imagine, a monster lives in your basement and it’s up to you and your friends to get rid of him? I enjoyed the premise and I think this would be perfect for a family read.
Imagine, a monster lives in your basement and it’s up to you and your friends to get rid of him? I enjoyed the premise and I think this would be perfect for a family read.