jpaulthunders77's reviews
270 reviews

I really need the next volume. That ending—WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?????

An author's legacy is not solely defined by the number of books that have climbed through the bestseller's list nor the number of works that have transcended from page to screen. The quality of work, as what the genre and the literary scholars define, is the primary indicator of the author's success as an artist.

Hailed as the master of horror, Stephen King has cemented his name on the hall of fame of modern classic authors. When it comes to the genre that will shake your core, unsettle your nerves, and make your galloping heart question the existence of a benevolent Higher Being—the country you live in doesn't matter— his stories appear everywhere. Go search the internet for best horror books , and his name is always there.

Someone might ask, "Well, if he's the master of horror, then what is his masterpiece?" Surely, this question won't garner a single response, for there is a universal truth that like love languages, the trigger of a fear bone varies on every person. Horror comes in different shapes and form based on culture and experiences. A fictional bullied girl with telekinesis might frighten real life bully bitches, an obsessed, deranged fan could send live wire shivers down an author's spine. In my case, a simple province boy with a snobbish pet cat, a sematary (cemetery) that brings back anything buried deep is a premise I don't want to happen in my entire life.

As what the synopsis says, when the Creeds moved to a beautiful, rural Maine town, they discovered a bizarre (comical in a way) lot at the back of their house where the beloved pets lay their final resting. What they hadn't known was behind that seemingly ordinary cemetery lied another cemetery with a bone-chilling origin and history.

I must admit, reading the book didn't send me a surfeit dose of anxiety or panic attacks, BUT what struck me the most was Stephen King's ability to write an atmospheric, character-driven, slow burn horror, without plunging the readers into the cesspool of boredom. There was something whimsical with the quality of his prose, that even when he was describing a deadfall or a timothy grass, you, as a reader would be dreaded with an anticipation that something evil was coming. Every sentence mattered, every character's backstory—even the most insignificant ones—shone and contributed to the entirety of the story.

The book's main theme dove into the multifaceted structure of grief and how it crippled each character in different ways. The level of details that King incorporated with the stages and process of grief was utterly magnificent. Each character had different ways to cope up with grief, but the unifying feature of them was how this particular emotion could be cyclical, debilitating, and most of all, EVOLVING. It could bring out the best in a person after the process but once you've trapped yourself, letting the MONSTER fester and conquer inside, it's just as good as a death sentence. Something would die permanently. Your body, your soul, your sanity—oh how hard would it be to tell?

For my final point, I just want to say that I was astonished with his impeccable stitching of the concepts of theology (Jesus and Lazarus analogy), medicine, philosophy, mythology, and psychology to bring us one powerful story that aims to teach one simple lesson: sometimes, dead is better

So if I were to ask what I would consider as Stephen King's piece de resistance, my answer would be simple: Pet Sematary

Sincerely yours,

Wendigo

ok. this is cool. the vibe kinda reminds me of Rosemary's Baby. A huge apartment building, the gargoyles, and the reclusive, secretive world of rich people. the twist is a bit predictable but what really amazes me are the commentaries near the end:

Spoiler

how the rich abuses the despair of the poor, their need of money, for the benefit of doing illegal work, which is of course, as we know, organ trafficking.

somehow, when i finished the book, i thought about the possibility that this could happen, given the current situation of the world. that's where the real horror comes in. the realism.

the ending could've been more enjoyable, had the author didn't try to tie it up together, stringing a 'happy ending'.

still, this is some good shit.

A haiku review:

His name is Ocean
With words of pure elegance
He's fucking deep, man!

I decided to read this novella as a warm up for my next deep dive into Fredrik Backman's books. Boy, this novella was so heartwarming. I fell in love with the characters, especially Noahnoah. Backman can really write human emotions well. And that ending—damn, it almost made me tear up.

I'm excited to see what he could offer to me when I read his long works.

Never been a huge fan poetry because I've always thought before that my brain can't process the hidden meaning behind each word, but Poet X managed to capture my attention and my heart by its captivating prose that were both easy to digest and full of color.

The themes such as identity crisis, family dynamics, objectification of women, and rigid beliefs of one's religion were incorporated throughout the book with care. These sensitive topics were weighed properly in a way that both helped the main character, Xiomara, realize who she really was and what she should do with her life.

Brilliant. Poignant. Exquisite.

Hands down, wig snatched!

Before anything else, I just want to pat myself in the shoulder for conquering this book in just 6 days. On the average, without audiobook, I think I would have finished this two to three days from now. For the review, I'm not gonna say anything that hasn't been already said since this book came out 5 years ago.

In my opinion, this is a good character study, an excellent coming-of-age story, and a devastating tale of friendship, family, and life (as what the title says). I must commend Hanya Yanigahara's ability to tell the character's backstories, especially Jude (despite the torture porn) in the most reflective and poignant ways possible.

I was kinda numb with the torture shit that had happened. For me, what struck my dead cold heart the most are the things that happened in the present. On how Jude viewed his and other people's lives. It made me ponder on my life, too because somehow I have experienced some of Jude's traumas (not gonna disclose which but two of those I am yet to get through).

The writing was a bit tedious and hard to get into at times, but there were also a lot of beautiful proses to digest. They made me pause and take it down in my notebook, for future references.

I didn't cry. I don't know why. Should I be proud of myself or should I be worried?

PS: this book doesn't have a good representation of gays and bisexuals. You may disagree with me but I don't think this is the paragon of gay literature.

I am out of words. This book is just beyond amazing. The only book that truly resonated with me.

this has one of the best writing I have ever come across with. i really enjoyed the way their relationship blossomed, the longing for each other despite their differences in timeline and values—and how they overcome it—was truly magnificent. the 3 star rating, although a bit low since what i've written are nothing but rave reviews, was because of the disconnect that i felt at some plot points of the story. the physics aspect was not something that i did find enjoyable to read. don't get me wrong, i love science (i have a degree in biology, just wanna share) but i guess those technical terms just didn't sit with me. let's just say, i didn't care about them as much as I did with the romance of the book and the writing per se.

it was still a good read, and the sapphic energy from this book made me feel hopeful and happy.

i recommend this book to people who want 1.) something short 2.) fans of Call Me By Your Name and the feels and 3.) those who are interested with penpal romances 4.) people who want to look for a romance read that's a little bit different and not trope heavy.