Reviews

This is probably one of the greatest terrifying novellas I've read this year.
Not to mention that this story was not all fiction as the "ghost" in this story was inspired by R. Budd Dwyer, a politician in Pennsylvania who committed a public suic+de in 1989.

I'm a curious, little girl (who likes these kinds of things i.e dark web stuffs and such) so I searched for the clip. This made me so f+c-ing scared.
THE ACTUAL CLIP OF R.BUDD DWYER doing what he did in 1989 at a public conference in Pennsylvania.

While I'm reading this novella, it scares me a little bit to read this alone and in the dark. I was thinking that Hardy was looking at me with bloodshot eyes. This rarely happens but I WAS SCARED.

I actually read this book cuz I saw it from one of my booksta friends who also like this kind of books. I immediately read it right after reading her review cuz mate I'm so down for this!

Overall, this novella just scares the hell out of me. And that clip will forever be in my mind. No doubt.

opheliasviolence's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

4.0

The writer said he originally wanted to write something with a lighter tone after finishing Devil's Creek. A coming of age story. While he absolutely didn't write something light, he succeeded in writing a haunting story that I probably won't forget.

This story is about three teenage boys trying to download porn. What they stumble upon instead changes their lives forever.

The story is inspired by a real event that was televised and that the author watched as an 11 year old. That and the subject matter make this novella anything but lighthearted. As dark as this story was, I still managed to enjoy the 1998 setting.

This is really short at just over 100 pages, I read it in one sitting alone. I meant to only read a few chapters and found myself unable to stop reading. Like the video in the story, this will have you hooked.

Obviously, due to the subject matter I'd say skip this if you're sensitive to the topic of suicide.

In the afterword, the author states that writing has always been his therapy. "I think that's why my work tends to be so dark. I exercise the demons on paper so they don't manifest elsewhere." I love that.

This book reminded me of movies like The Ring and Pulse. If you're into those, then definitely give this a try. I'm looking forward to reading Devil's Creek from this author.

Content Warnings