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A review by aoki_reads
Genocide by Aaron Lebold
5.0
Aaron Lebold has done it for me once again. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking horror novels that I’ve read to date. My emotions were all over the place. I happened to shed a few tears, seethe with anger, and admittedly… I had some “hell yeah!” moments while I was (wrongly? idk, idc) rooting on the vigilante main character, who also remains nameless.
This one was dark. The subject of abuse is heavy here, so I advise anyone with childhood trauma to either prepare yourself for a ride of emotions (like I did), or to rain check this book for another time.
I think Genocide brilliantly tackles the controversial question of: “Can a killer be made?” Here we don’t see much nature, but a whole lot of nurture. This becomes a major factor as we watch the violently abused victim become a murderous villain. You watch a child scorned unfold into a revenge-seeking teenager with each page that you turn. And with each turned page comes more and more anticipation.
It starts off with a gut-wrenching background story from a soon-to-be eight year old boy who details his heartbreaking upbringing. Though you never learn something as personal as his name or even what he may look like, Lebold does such an amazing job at using storytelling and narration to grab us by the heart. Mine sure broke in half while reading how angry, hurt, and confused this little boy felt. I had not expected to cry during the first couple of chapters. Eventually the novel changes pace, and you’re thrown into the psyche of a tortured teenager who’s ready for a murder spree.
And a fucking murder spree it is. Whoa. Lebold throws in some crazy kills and the torture scenes are descriptive and vivid. Again, I’m not sure how morally correct I am for rooting on a teenager seeking vengeance in the form of excruciating violence, but I happily cheered him on. Honestly, you probably will too. And that is perfectly okay in my book.
Lebold has a knack for taking a theme in horror and giving it such an original, unthought-of spin. That’s why I love his books. Up until the very last page, you never know exactly what shit you’re about to get into. It’s brilliant. I highly recommend this one for all of my vigilante lovers and those who are into books with heavy kill scenes. Lebold also knows how to create a story out of violence, so there is always a depth to his work that’s highly appreciated. Genocide is a 5/5 for me.
This one was dark. The subject of abuse is heavy here, so I advise anyone with childhood trauma to either prepare yourself for a ride of emotions (like I did), or to rain check this book for another time.
I think Genocide brilliantly tackles the controversial question of: “Can a killer be made?” Here we don’t see much nature, but a whole lot of nurture. This becomes a major factor as we watch the violently abused victim become a murderous villain. You watch a child scorned unfold into a revenge-seeking teenager with each page that you turn. And with each turned page comes more and more anticipation.
It starts off with a gut-wrenching background story from a soon-to-be eight year old boy who details his heartbreaking upbringing. Though you never learn something as personal as his name or even what he may look like, Lebold does such an amazing job at using storytelling and narration to grab us by the heart. Mine sure broke in half while reading how angry, hurt, and confused this little boy felt. I had not expected to cry during the first couple of chapters. Eventually the novel changes pace, and you’re thrown into the psyche of a tortured teenager who’s ready for a murder spree.
And a fucking murder spree it is. Whoa. Lebold throws in some crazy kills and the torture scenes are descriptive and vivid. Again, I’m not sure how morally correct I am for rooting on a teenager seeking vengeance in the form of excruciating violence, but I happily cheered him on. Honestly, you probably will too. And that is perfectly okay in my book.
Lebold has a knack for taking a theme in horror and giving it such an original, unthought-of spin. That’s why I love his books. Up until the very last page, you never know exactly what shit you’re about to get into. It’s brilliant. I highly recommend this one for all of my vigilante lovers and those who are into books with heavy kill scenes. Lebold also knows how to create a story out of violence, so there is always a depth to his work that’s highly appreciated. Genocide is a 5/5 for me.