Bird Box

So, maybe Im just picky but if Im going to read/listen to a book, for the love of God, do not start the book with one ginormous plot hole followed by many more plot holes, flat characters, a drab story line, and literally nothing to keep the story moving. Other than flopping back and forth between past and present, this book could be one long, agonizing, chapter. Like the Lamb Chop song. It never ends. 1. The only thing that ties the victims together is that they see something… Yea? And how is that even plausible to assume? Couldve smelled something. Couldve heard something. Regardless, no one would have a single way of knowing as if you observe this you would also presumably die. Watch some Forensic Files. Or befriend an intelligent human who can explain why that would be impossible to prove. 2.Driving with your eyes shut. Has anyone ever tried that? Cant imagine youd be here to tell us of your experience. 3.An open water well in Detroit. (Name something that does not belong.) 4.They have water but are using buckets to go to the bathroom. There is something wrong with our generation if this group of survivors have no idea how a toilet works. 5. PS- BOIL THE DAMN WATER IF YOURE WORRIED ITS NOT SAFE. 6. They live in Detroit and theyre all white. (As a gal from Michigan I can point out an inconsistency or two.) 7. This author has never ever kayaked. 20 miles blindfolded. Thats hilarious. 20 MILES ROWING DOWN A RIVER IN A BOAT… I mean, thats grueling enough. 8. I dont believe people say things like What was that you were wearing when I arrived? In a post-apocalyptic world, you would have to imagine that people would speak a little more passionately. 8.a. I had to go back and add this. Have you ever walked across your yard blindfolded? How about the entire neighborhood? Youre biggest concern would be finding your way back. Youre blindfolded and not from the area. Cmon guy! 9. I could keep going. Really, I could. Let me finish this by saying, the reviews were more savory to read than this book. The gal who read it was fine.

I feel that this had potential to be a great book however, the details are in the wrong places. Not up to the hype.

I can\’t say enough good things about this story. Its so good. What to expect: This is a quiet slow book. Its told both in present tense and via flash backs. A sense of terror surrounds every word. I haven\’t read anything so dreadful since Cormac McCarthy\’s The Road. Not much in the action department. But you will be on the edge of your seat due to Malerman\’s excellent delivery. I\’d completely recommend this story. I was expecting less. Thought it could have fallen apart at any time. But it works all the way to the end. Out of the many hundreds of audible books I have listened to, this is up there with the best of them.

Malorie and her sister have moved into a house together when reports start to come in from all over the world: normal people are glimpsing something that instantly turns them into crazed killers. While the Internet boils with theories, people gradually stop driving, stop shopping, and finally they just barricade themselves in their homes with the doors and windows blocked. Society eventually falls apart, yet Malorie finds hope and musters the strength to go on. But she can\’t live like a prisoner forever, so she begins a terrifying blindfolded journey to what she desperately hopes will be enduring safety. I have to say it took me a good half-hour to get into this one. The narrator didn\’t really do it for me, with uneven reading volume and more angst than seemed necessary. It didn\’t help that Malorie imbues even the most boring object with intense dramatic feelings. But I\’m really glad I spent the time, because Bird Box turned out to be one of the best books I\’ve listened to for a while. After the first chapter or two, we meet the real Malorie (not just the dramatic one) and hear her story–which is compelling, to say the least. By midway through, I completely understood the feelings those objects brought up, and the angst, too. The real star of this book is the author\’s handling of his themes: fear, bravery, putting faith and trust in others and yourself. All those things can be scary, but sometimes you just have to face them anyway, even when you\’re blindfolded. Malorie and her friends give it their best, with varying results, in an evocative illustration of what it\’s like to be part of a group of survivors. Throughout the book, Malorie\’s memories of the past alternate with her frightening present, creating suspense that made it really hard to stop listening. I did the last three hours in one go, putting off bedtime again and again. There isn\’t a lot of how-and-why here, and logic nitpickers (\”That couldn\’t possibly happen! It\’d be more like…\” etc) will probably be driven insane. But if you\’re looking for real horror, Bird Box is a sustained scare that will keep you thinking long after the book is over.

I first heard of this book years ago, while I was hunting for fresh authors producing novel horror and thriller books, and then later downloaded it this summer. About 1/4 of the way through, I was disappointed, and by the time I was 3/4 of the way there I stopped listening. With the hype surrounding the (possibly even worse) Netflix remake, I wanted to leave a review to hopefully save another Audible members monthly credit. While an interesting concept (despite one that is rapidly losing originality), the loss of a sight and near isolation from the outdoors that plagued the characters in this novel was not pushed to its fullest potential. There are plenty of build up scenes-one in particular involving a well-that seems to lead something incredible, but quickly deflates. Repeat ad nauseam, and you have a book with only flat characters featuring frustrating quirks/motivations, many poorly or completely unexplained plot holes, and a lackluster rehash of themes and concepts weve seen before. The narration was fine and only became grating later on, which is completely a result of the characters she was required to portray.

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