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A review by zoe_e_w
The Hollower by Mary SanGiovanni
4.0
Dave Kohlar and his sister Sally have a problem with a phantom. Dave believes only he can see it, and his sister is instead projecting his problems into her own deluded fantasies, but after the suicide of a friend of Sally's, Dave begins to learn how many other people have seen the strange man without a face. The other people who have come to know the chilling voice of the Hollower gather together in search of a way to kill something which seems ageless, and whose only desire is to feed on them through their fears.
Everyone looks to Dave for answers, and yet his own insecurities keep him trapped in his own pattern of second guessing himself. But then this is consistent for most everyone under the influence of the Hollower. It is they who generate their own pains and fears, and the Hollower amplifies their feelings. So this theme of uncertainty is a common trait that the group shares, and in many ways, it is what has defined them for their entire lives. Long before the Hollower arrived, the characters were already haunted people, and that's partly what makes the monster that much more effective.
The pace of the book is quick, and the balance between action and character development is good. I only felt minor disappointment for the low body count, but that's just me being a cynic. There's certainly no shortage of grisly visuals, and the descriptions of the Hollower's attacks are always vivid and brutal. The book is a good read, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a new horror story with a wicked monster.
Everyone looks to Dave for answers, and yet his own insecurities keep him trapped in his own pattern of second guessing himself. But then this is consistent for most everyone under the influence of the Hollower. It is they who generate their own pains and fears, and the Hollower amplifies their feelings. So this theme of uncertainty is a common trait that the group shares, and in many ways, it is what has defined them for their entire lives. Long before the Hollower arrived, the characters were already haunted people, and that's partly what makes the monster that much more effective.
The pace of the book is quick, and the balance between action and character development is good. I only felt minor disappointment for the low body count, but that's just me being a cynic. There's certainly no shortage of grisly visuals, and the descriptions of the Hollower's attacks are always vivid and brutal. The book is a good read, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a new horror story with a wicked monster.