Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father-and has never told his family what happened there. Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom when she saw something she shouldn’t have-and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures. Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of rural Pennsylvania. Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver. And now what happened long ago is happening again . . . and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic. This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family-and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another.
A horrifying tale centered around one family and their desire to stay together despite the odds. Nate, Maddie, and Oliver Graves are a loving family looking for a change after living in the city. Nate soon finds himself facing an opportunity to move back into his childhood home after the death of his estranged father. Not without hesitation, Nate moves his family out to the country and into his old home. Nate and Maddie soon find themselves wondering if the move out of the city was the right thing for Oliver after all. Oliver soon has a new friend named Jake, who has some devilish secrets too sinister to tell. The Graves family soon finds themselves not only fighting for their lives but for answers to secrets they never knew their family held.
I felt this novel had it all, horror, suspense, and a dash of sci-fi. I was captivated by this story from the very beginning, as it started with a bang. Wendig did a shockingly excellent job at introducing the antagonists from the start, setting up this page-turner to only become more engaging as the story progressed. This was my first novel from Wendig, soon not to be my last as he gives off strong King vibes. Everything from his style to character development shows hints of King throughout, making for a scary delightful read.
I was impressed by this incredibly twisty plot, as soon as I thought things were about to settle down for the Graves, things just began to get weirder. The characters were original and bold, bringing depth and life to each one introduced along the way. Some of the characters were likable, I found myself rooting for them hoping for the best. Others I found myself in a love/hate relationship with, I wanted nothing more than to dislike them. Yet as truths came to the surface, I found myself having a great deal of sympathy for them. Aside from King, these were some of the richest characters I have come across in the horror genre in a long time.
Not only did this novel deliver some truly intense characters along with spectacular depth and development it also delivered an astonishing plot. From the first page to the last it kept me engaged and captivated, constantly leaving me to wonder what could happen next to the Graves family. The shock value of events was perfectly placed throughout leaving a feeling of dread and wonder up until the very end. I honestly thought I had a lot of things figured out when I was left staying up until the wee hours of the night looking for answers. There were some slower parts throughout that I thought were not needed but soon proved to be valuable information. This is a novel you do not want to skim through, there is so much detail hidden in those pages.
Overall, this was an astonishing novel filled with action, thrills, and unbreakable family ties. Although it was a long read, I enjoyed every moment of it. This was an excellent choice for my Halloween reads as it had thrills around every page. A wonderful addition to any horror lover’s collection or for anyone wanting to start exploring the horror genre. I highly recommend this enthralling novel to all readers alike as there is something in here for everyone to enjoy.
PAGES: 530
PUBLISHED: July 20th, 2021
GENRE: Adult Fiction – Horror
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