5/5

I will be honest. I did not read the description of this book before I dove in. It was by Gualtieri, who I had previously reviewed with Bill the Vampire, which was hilarious. I probably was expecting similar hilarity in this novel, and while a few good parts did make me laugh (anything involving Paula) this book was not meant for hilarity. It is first, and foremost, a horror. I hate the horror genre! Why am I reading this novel? Besides the aforementioned, it was by Rick Gualtieri. Well then…

Plot: Six teenagers go camping in the woods. Within the woods they encounter something that wants to destroy them apart. Sound like a campy horror movie plot? Sure, it is, but it’s also done in a way that is not redundant. Enter the actual Bigfoot Hunters, a group of men that know the secret of these elusive creatures. Saying too much more gives away a few of the plot twists, which we know I’m not about doing. I despise spoilers. However, about 30% through I was wondering where the novel could possibly go from there and found that the six teenagers camping in the woods was just the prelude to the true horror.

Characters: There were quite a few characters in this novel, from the six teenagers, the four Hunters, and the townspeople surrounding the forest. Gualtieri surprised me with a few characters because they were not what I was expecting and the ending was not where I expected it to go. Every character has a unique quality, which is amazing considering that this is not a long novel.

Only complaints about this novel is what I normally would complain about in horror movies: body count. I have a bleeding heart at times during novels so it is rough for me to see a character I was rooting for die. Horribly. But Gualtieri does what needs to be done while covering the destruction it all leaves in the wake. Excellent writing style that has improved since the last novel I’ve read by him and great for any fans of horror, or people who want to read horror that has actual character development.

Reasons to read:

4. Beautifully written for such horrible destruction

3. Bigfoot

2. Compelling story while following horror cliché

1. Paula is just ridiculous enough to at least lighten the mood

Reasons not to read:

3. You absolutely hate the horror genre

2. You think Bigfoot should act like Harry

1. You don’t like descriptions of blood and gore

Love,

 Solace Winter