Cody's Bookshelf

I didn’t go into this novel for something of emotional depth; I was not looking for a story with well-done subtext or fully fleshed characters. Having read a string of literary novels, I wanted something grisly and fast and raunchy. Jack Ketchum is that guy. And I got what I was looking for.

Having read and been horrified by The Girl Next Door last October, this book had been on my radar for some time. Sadly, it didn’t quite live up to TGND. That one hooked me from page one and my heart ached for the characters — I loved and was horrified by them. This book seemed to be filled with cardboard characters: a trademark of the slasher genre, sure, but I didn’t care much for any of these people. But Ketchum sure is good at letting the blood fly.

This isn’t much of a review, but I don’t have much to say. I feel so indifferent about this little novel. If you’re looking for a quick, grisly read of cannibalism and the macabre, this is the book for you. Be warned: herein is some heavy stuff.