Barely surpassing 100 pages, I expected this to be a neat, tidy, compact horror short story that packed a punch on an accelerated yet exhilarating timBarely surpassing 100 pages, I expected this to be a neat, tidy, compact horror short story that packed a punch on an accelerated yet exhilarating timeline. The premise sounded odd and likely wasn't something that I would take a gamble on for a new-to-me author, but Malerman has done strange well in the past. Unfortunately, none of those expectations came to fruition, and I was left questioning whether I would pick up any of Malerman's future short stories.
My main takeaway from this book is that Malerman should abstain from writing romances. The featured relationship wasn't believable from page one, and it served as a focal point of the book such that it couldn't be ignored or swept under the rug. Moreover, there were minimal other plot points or narrative elements to distract from the relationship, so readers are forced to sit and watch as it miserably crashes and burns. It's been a long time since a literary relationship has made me this viscerally uncomfortable, resulting in an unpleasant reading experience all around. These characters were perplexingly young, making me wonder if this was intended for a young adult audience. However, even if I had read this as a teenager, I don't think I would have been on board with this relationship whatsoever.
The dialogue is painful and cringeworthy. No human would speak in such a stilted, awkward, non-linear fashion, yet that is the quality of the dialogue that's present throughout the story. The prose and narration doesn't offer much respite, reading as bland and non-descriptive in settings that easily could have been cast in a curious or mysterious light. The writing overall does not feel reminiscent of Malerman's work, and I wouldn't have pegged this as a publication of his based on the writing alone.
Similarly, I didn't enjoy the illogical and magical realism elements of this book. It made this read feel far too whimsical, effervescent, and nonsensical for the premise that was promised, and this left me confused and frustrated rather than intrigued and excited to keep reading. If I had known this was magical realism at the outset, I would have stayed far, far away. I typically don't enjoy speculative fiction, and there was too much ambiguity, uncertainty, and confusion in this narrative for my personal taste. The plot is completely nonsensical, unnecessarily difficult to comprehend, and impossible to predict, leaving me feeling off-kilter and lost for the entirety of the reading experience.
Lastly, I fell victim to false marketing with this short story. It is NOT horror, despite its classification within the genre at various book retailers and even on Goodreads. There were no scenes that were remotely frightening unless you consider the uncomfortable dynamic and interactions between the love interests. However, I don't think these scenes were intended to be satirically horrifying... I get the sense that readers were supposed to root for this couple and fully support their ongoing relationship. There was no mounting suspense, twists and turns, or dramatic moments that turned my perception of the book upside down. Instead, the final chapter left me wondering what portion of the book I was supposed to enjoy or find frightening. I wonder if Malerman is starting to lose his touch......more
Scandinavian crime series have always intrigued me, and I was excited to pick this one up as my first foray into the genre. I've found translated thriScandinavian crime series have always intrigued me, and I was excited to pick this one up as my first foray into the genre. I've found translated thrillers and mysteries to be hit or miss in the past, with the potential for quite a few of the details and nuances to be lost in translation. However, that wasn't the case for The Bat, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this! Apparently, I've been sleeping on Scandinavian crime novels and Jo Nesbo's books, and I have quite the backlist to work through!
As the first book in the Harry Hole series, I enjoyed the in-depth insights that the novel provided about Harry and his backstory. This made his character feel more realistic and fully developed, and it helped to put the remainder of the narrative into perspective. I have a feeling he's going to undergo some pretty dramatic character arcs throughout the series, so I'm glad that I started reading the books in chronological order. Most importantly, Harry was a flawed protagonist, and watching his mistakes unfold added another element of realism to the tale. He wasn't the perfect detective that magically surmised every twist and turn with minimal effort and some heavy-handed guesswork. It was refreshing to see a detective stumble his way through a case, making wrong turns and prematurely jumping to conclusions that weren't substantiated by any evidence.
I haven't read many police procedurals to date, but I found the structure of this one leant itself to fast, exciting pacing, excellent detective work, and some misleading twists and turns that kept me guessing for the entirety of the book. Clues weren't being handed out left and right, and the detectives truly had to work to uncover answers and leads. While all of my predictions turned out to be horribly, comically incorrect, I had a blast trying to guess the solution by piecing together the available information. Nesbo had an unparalleled attention to detail throughout the book that was reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, and it was entertaining to uncover all of the details and foreshadowing that I had blatantly ignored and overlooked earlier in the book.
The pacing and tone varied considerably throughout the book. There were high-action scenes that made my heart race and my palms sweaty, yet these were interspersed with slower, more informational chapters that provided additional background about the characters or lore from this particular region. I enjoyed these lulls in the action - they provided a well-needed change of pace, and also provided me some additional time to theorize where the narrative was heading next and who was responsible for the crimes at hand.
Overall, the compelling writing style shone through during this read, and all of the elements that I look for in the crime genre were well-executed and meticulously planned with the perfect amount of intrigue and suspense. The inclusion of Australian and Aboriginal history and traditions provided a unique backdrop for this story, and the premise, plot, and characters were similarly creative and original. I was a little surprised that the first book in the series didn't take place in the protagonist's native Norway - that would have seemed like a more logical starting point for the character, with the potential for him to branch out to other countries and continents in subsequent works. I hear that the later books in the series are even better than the earlier installments, so I'm looking forward to continuing with this series! I'm also open to any and all recommendations for Scandinavian crime authors and novels that I should pick up next!...more
This novella was the perfect blending of a crime story with a dreamy, fairytale-esque tale that toes the border with the horror genre. There was mountThis novella was the perfect blending of a crime story with a dreamy, fairytale-esque tale that toes the border with the horror genre. There was mounting suspense and uncertainty throughout the entire short story, and this culminated in a surprising yet satisfying conclusion. The latter half of the book was terrifying, and I was waiting with bated breath to see how the story would unfold and whether our protagonist would live to see another day. The creature of this tale was unique, horrifying, and unpredictable, making this an even more enjoyable read. Even by the final pages of the story, there was a degree of uncertainty about the monster, and I found these unanswered questions both chilling and thought-provoking.
Overall, this was a fast-paced, exhilarating read that I couldn't put down! It was atmospheric with the perfect spooky atmosphere, and there were many aspects paying homage to works like Grimm's Fairy Tales. After having a very rocky opinion of Josh Malerman's previous works, especially when it comes to his short stories, I was shocked that I enjoyed this one - perhaps he's finally hitting its stride when it comes to shorter formats?...more
This novella immediately brought back childhood fears, like the monster hiding under the bed ready to snatch your ankles as soon as they dangled withiThis novella immediately brought back childhood fears, like the monster hiding under the bed ready to snatch your ankles as soon as they dangled within reach. It probably doesn't help that I read this immediately before going to bed, but it made the reading experience that much more terrifying! This premise was unique, original, and captivating, and Hendrix took the time to add a few of his characteristic twists along the way. Hendrix takes no time to introduce the horror elements, and these ranged from jump scares to a dark, creepy atmosphere to gory body horror. The protagonist's paranoia was visceral and tangible, and it permeated the entire narrative in all of the right ways.
I loved the conclusion of this book, particularly the circuitous nature and potential for further propagation of the horrors that were introduced. This novella was the perfect length to pack a maximal punch (even at 29 pages), and I'm glad that it wasn't unnecessarily drawn out. I think it speaks to Grady Hendrix's writing that he can terrify readers regardless of the amount of time that he has to do so. This one was compelling and horrifying from the first page to the last one, and I won't hesitate to pick up any novellas that Hendrix publishes in the future!...more
This novella had a dark, eery atmosphere that was reminiscent of Pet Sematary or The Shining. I would classify the story as a whole as creepy and unseThis novella had a dark, eery atmosphere that was reminiscent of Pet Sematary or The Shining. I would classify the story as a whole as creepy and unsettling rather than truly horrifying. The frightening scenes were reliant on gore and body horror, and these chapters felt unnecessarily brief and stunted. I wanted more in terms of the horror components, and I was always disappointed when these scenes drew to a seemingly premature close. I'm not sure if this was a reflection of trying to keep the novella within an arbitrary page count, but these scenes could have been further fleshed out for additional dramatic effect and impact.
There was also a prevalent theme of grief and loss throughout this novella, further reminding me of Pet Sematary because of the emotional execution. I think this would have been more impactful if it had been explored in a longer format that would allow readers additional time to understand and sympathize with the characters. I didn't feel the same emotional investment in these characters or the unfolding events because I was introduced to them only 5 pages prior, and it left the characters and plot feeling lackluster and flat.
The concluding twist and reliance on supernatural elements felt rushed and unnecessarily compressed. They weren't well explained or well fleshed out, leaving me with more questions than answers. Unfortunately, the ambiguity didn't work for me within the confines of such a short novella, and I'm not sure how this could have been rectified in such a short page count....more
