Jackmerius Tacktheripup

Let me start by saying I enjoyed Head Full of Ghosts and still believe it’s Tremblay’s best work. He’s always had a talent for using perspective to leave things ambiguous and unsettling. The more I think about this one after the fact, the more it grows on me a bit. It was at first tied for my least favorite of Tremblay’s next Disappearance at Devil’s Rock…but it’s better than that one imo. Still: Nothing seems to happen in this book, and it took some real effort to finish. We follow Art Barbara as he worries about everything in the world page after page, with one or two mildly interesting moments that are way too spaced out. There’s no haunting atmosphere or overarching spooky tale; it’s just sad. Maybe that’s the point, it’s more of a tragedy. Watching the protagonist’s mental and physical health deteriorate until it comes to a head. Which reflecting on it, is pretty horrifying in a very real way. But still, the book really drags through the middle with a slight bit of excitement at the last chapter. It’s Art’s slow decent into obsession and madness, emphasis on slow

Editing my previous review. If I had not read the book beforehand, I probably would have given it a better rating. The review here that says the last 20 minutes is the only entertaining part is right. If it was a straight to tv release in the early 2000s, probably would have been a hit on the SciFi channel. For book readers: the characters are out of whack, and Pendergast is missing entirely. Woof. Might be a fun 8 episode show for the 2020’s with the right team behind it; but currently it’s tough to watch. Enjoyed seeing the monster brought to screen though. Thoroughly enjoyed the book.