I have seen Peter Straub’s books on the shelves but it has taken me a long time to actually read one. This was recommended online, and while it was a long book it was just what it promised on the cover – no more and no less.
The author’s writes this book in a very similar way to the folksy small town style often found in Stephen King stories. My personal opinion was that it wasn’t quite up to par, and sometimes I found myself wondering if it would be better to be reading a King book.
But it was definitely a scary book, and I really liked how the author handled the supernatural elements – splicing them into our normal everyday world seamlessly. The villain was especially well done, and it was interesting to read about the bad guy playing the long game.
There are a lot of characters, some of them a little cliche, but for the most part they are deep and complex, and there is quite a bit of psychological spookiness as well as the physical risks involved.
In the end I felt the storyline was kind of predictable – I could clearly see what was coming for the most part. I kept expecting a twist, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. It was quite a long book, and I felt like the author sometimes overwrote situations. This could have been edited down a bit.
Next I am reading Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.
