鸟盒

It wasn't very well written and was full of plot holes, but I found the pacing worked excellently to build suspense. I kept expecting things to happen differently from how they did, which certainly helped with that. I've read very little horror, but I imagine the format with alternating past and present can feel clichéd for those who have. The author's linking of the two, with events at the start of a chapter seeming to lead on from those in the other time, was nice. I love the premise and thought the ending leaving everything unanswered was the right decision. Given how horrifying the world is and how little hope there seems to be of finding a solution I struggle to see how someone could try so hard to survive.

A tale that will chill you, leave you breathless, and haunt you for days thanks to a particularly suspenseful and isolating final act, Malerman uses Bird Box's simple premise to electrifying effect, making this one of the finest debut novels in recent memory.

I found so much wrong with this book. Firstly, the main character was just annoying. She went through the whole novel and was so unhappy, until she could actually tell people what to do. When we got to the present storylines, every time her children who she annoyingly called "Boy and Girl," throughout the book, until the last couple sentences, she'd smack them. No wonder why they were always so quiet.
I also knew someone in the house was going to betray them, so I wasn't even surprised by that one bit. The ending also fell so flat. I should've seen it coming, but I just didn't.

Many reviews describe this as a horror novel, but I'd classify it as a suspense thriller. If you've seen the movies "The Happening" or "Pitch Black," it's a very similar premise, set in the context of a post-apocalyptic survivor drama. While the themes might not be too original, it was a very entertaining read with well-drawn characters that I'd recommend, but with the caveat that animals do come to harm in the story (although the descriptions aren't overly graphic).