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gretchen_lynn's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was actually pretty nice and spooky. The situation in which I read it kinda killed the vibe but overall I did enjoy it. I just wish it would have made more sense overall; I feel like I didn’t the the background I really needed to understand what was happening. Overall it was pretty good though!
unlifeoftheparty's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Words cannot explain how much I dislike the mc....or most of the other characters tbh...or the unbelievable plot.
However, if you're claustrophobic, like I am...this book was terrifying.
However, if you're claustrophobic, like I am...this book was terrifying.
ekhastings98's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
jenny_breul's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
balladsandbookends's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
beccawallage's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mariam415's review
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
alongreader's review
3.0
It's a mixed review! We haven't had one of those in a while.
I'm loving the spooky books that are coming out lately, and I really enjoy anything that goes behind the scenes on movies and TV. This isn't quite as revealing as some, as the whole concept is that the contestants are just locked into a cave; it's not as staged and managed as some are. The idea itself is clever; put contestants into 'haunted' places and see if their own imaginations overtake them. I'd never be able to watch an episode, but I think it would do well.
Sadly, I didn't much like the characters. I didn't dislike them, mind; there's just not enough known about them for me to have an opinion. Jackie is a Ruthless Business Woman. Lex has Some Kind of History that we don't really learn a lot about. There's a YouTube Guy, a Girly Girly and a Research Girl, a Cute But Troubled Guy...none of them have any real depth, in my opinion. It almost felt like they thought the same thing, as when people start dying there's very little reaction from anyone.
The story rattles along nicely and the atmosphere is great - I felt quite claustrophobic at times! I did enjoy this read, but I wish it had more depth. The ending was very clever, too.
Overall, good but not great. I remember thinking that another of Kathryn's books had a clever conceit but wasn't explained well enough for the reading; this one is better, and I hope that the next one will be even more clever. She definitely has talent.
I'm loving the spooky books that are coming out lately, and I really enjoy anything that goes behind the scenes on movies and TV. This isn't quite as revealing as some, as the whole concept is that the contestants are just locked into a cave; it's not as staged and managed as some are. The idea itself is clever; put contestants into 'haunted' places and see if their own imaginations overtake them. I'd never be able to watch an episode, but I think it would do well.
Sadly, I didn't much like the characters. I didn't dislike them, mind; there's just not enough known about them for me to have an opinion. Jackie is a Ruthless Business Woman. Lex has Some Kind of History that we don't really learn a lot about. There's a YouTube Guy, a Girly Girly and a Research Girl, a Cute But Troubled Guy...none of them have any real depth, in my opinion. It almost felt like they thought the same thing, as when people start dying there's very little reaction from anyone.
The story rattles along nicely and the atmosphere is great - I felt quite claustrophobic at times! I did enjoy this read, but I wish it had more depth. The ending was very clever, too.
Overall, good but not great. I remember thinking that another of Kathryn's books had a clever conceit but wasn't explained well enough for the reading; this one is better, and I hope that the next one will be even more clever. She definitely has talent.
bookedwithcourtney's review
1.0
First, big thanks to Net Galley, Source Books Fire, and Kathryn Foxfield for giving me an advanced review copy of this book. Much appreciated! I had high hopes for this book; the idea in the synopsis seemed unique and exciting: A few teens are contestants on a reality TV show titled What's Behind You?, and this season takes them to the caves of a town called Umber Gorge. Not only are they questioning whether or not they're alone in the caves, but they also begin to question what secrets everyone is hiding. It this REALLY a reality show, or is the show just a smokescreen for some kind of horror?
I was immediately turned off by the lack of character development. You cannot confine 4-6 characters in a small space and not give them any personality at all. Having a girlfriend and being a viral YouTuber do not count as personality traits or nuances. I wanted to know more about the characters. Foxfield did the bare minimum here. Also, the small bits we did get to know about the characters were both superficial and artificial, like what producer Jackie wears (nice clothes, because she produces a hit reality show -- who woulda thunk?!).
The apparitions of the Puckered Maiden seemed forced and unrealistic. Well-written horror has the reader constantly questioning reality. The so-called "appearances" of the ghost of the Puckered Maiden are synonymous with my husband not being able to find something in the fridge: "Nevermind -- that isn't the butter. That's actually just cream cheese." Keep us questioning for a little while, Kathryn! Don't give up so quickly.
Also, when the characters found a dead body of someone that they knew who was JUST alive and well in the cave from them, there was ZERO REACTION. They were all, "Awww. Should we put a sheet over them?" THESE ARE TEENS TRAPPED IN A DANG CAVE. There's no way they wouldn't be panicking! This isn't the discovery of a squirrel that got run over. It's a human! That they knew!
I gave it one star because that's the lowest rating available.
I was immediately turned off by the lack of character development. You cannot confine 4-6 characters in a small space and not give them any personality at all. Having a girlfriend and being a viral YouTuber do not count as personality traits or nuances. I wanted to know more about the characters. Foxfield did the bare minimum here. Also, the small bits we did get to know about the characters were both superficial and artificial, like what producer Jackie wears (nice clothes, because she produces a hit reality show -- who woulda thunk?!).
The apparitions of the Puckered Maiden seemed forced and unrealistic. Well-written horror has the reader constantly questioning reality. The so-called "appearances" of the ghost of the Puckered Maiden are synonymous with my husband not being able to find something in the fridge: "Nevermind -- that isn't the butter. That's actually just cream cheese." Keep us questioning for a little while, Kathryn! Don't give up so quickly.
Also, when the characters found a dead body of someone that they knew who was JUST alive and well in the cave from them, there was ZERO REACTION. They were all, "Awww. Should we put a sheet over them?" THESE ARE TEENS TRAPPED IN A DANG CAVE. There's no way they wouldn't be panicking! This isn't the discovery of a squirrel that got run over. It's a human! That they knew!
I gave it one star because that's the lowest rating available.