Wednesday, October 18, 2017

BIRD BOX by JOSH MALERMAN

Yikes, this was a creepy book.  It made me think of the more memorable Twilight Zone episodes I have seen.  I would classify it as Horror, a genre I almost never read, but to my relief it was light on the gore factor and heavier on the suspense side of things.  

It is wisely a fairly short book (my paperback had 258 pages), I only wish I had been able to read it in one go at night…because this book, if you get into it, will make you question those normal creaks and sighs a quiet house makes…perfectly normal sounds…perfectly innocent sounds….nothing to worry about…right? 

The scare factor of Bird Box rests primarily on our fear of the unknown.  In the book, there is something outside which causes humans to go berserk and harm themselves and others when they see it.  To combat this, people have taken to boarding up their windows and if they go outside, they have to use blindfolds.  The main character of the book is Malorie who has been living alone with her two children for four years. At the start of the book, she has decided to take the supreme risk of leaving the house for forever and taking a boat down the river to some sort of sanctuary…and she has to do all this blindfolded with two blindfolded children who are only four years old, not knowing if they will be harmed by the creatures (whatever they are), other humans who may of inexplicably survived and/or other animals. 

My only criticism is the book is that it was a little unclear as to the practicalities of humans and/or dogs surviving on canned food over many years which has a naturally limited shelf life not to mention quantity.  But that is a small niggle. I wanted to read a scary book and this one did the job most adequately! 

This was my second RIP 2017 read which means I have completed Peril the Second! Muah Ha ha! 


8 comments:

  1. Thanks for another very fine review. I also rarely read horror novels but its not easy for an author to disturb and scare their readers, that takes talent and Josh Malerman sounds like a writer to check out. Have you ever read We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Snirley Jackson. Very creepy. Read the book years ago and it has stayed with me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment Kathy! I have read We Have Always Lived in the Castle and I really liked it. I want to read some day some of her "lesser known" novels which have been reprinted recent-ish...like Hangsaman or The Sundial"...maybe for the 2018 Back to the Classic Challenge or RIP next year?

      Delete
  2. Congrats on reaching Peril the Second! And I'm writing this title down for the next time I'm in the mood for a scary read. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment Lark (and the congratulations). I would love to know what you think of this title when you do have an opportunity to try it!

      Delete
  3. Sounds supremely creepy! Yikes, I'm not sure I have what it takes to read it, short though it is. Venturing blindfolded into the unknown is a tried and true theme though usually the blindness is figurative.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the comment Jane! Maybe you will see the movie instead. :) I am pretty sure this is already in development.

      Delete
  4. I can't read anything creepy. I was traumatised by the Daleks in Dr Who when I was younger although I remember I enjoyed some of The Twilight Zone episodes. Maybe I only saw the tame ones.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the comment Carol! I used to be much more sensitive to scary books and films. I still can't deal with gore but I can do suspense.

      Delete