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Normal by Graeme Cameron
Paperback
Published January 1, 1789
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 20, 2025
Loved this! If you like serial killer books this one is a hell of a ride!
This is one exceptional novel. If you don't read this then you are so not in the cool gang. If you read crime novels a lot like me, or even if you don't, start now, with this one. Honestly, go do it. I freaking loved this book for a million reasons, it messed with my head, blending slight humour through a book about a serial killer is not an easy task, but it was pulled off with finesse. Bravo to Graeme Cameron.
I loved being in the head of this serial killer.
I’m not NORMAL.
He is the man who lives on your street. The one you see in the supermarket and nod hello to.
He’s also a serial killer. Killing is what he’s good at.
He’s the most compelling antihero since Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley.
And you’ll want him to get away with MURDER.
Stuff telling you the plot! It won't work, it gives away too much. Instead I will try to share how this book is like to read, why it is so good, in my humble words. I could just write READ THIS BOOK.
Firstly, I loved the fact that the book is written with us stuck in said serial killer and kidnapper's head. Awesome. Because he is so darn flawed and messed up at times it's just hilarious. Other times it's so dark and nasty. But you never know what you are going to get.
So he kills, you kind of get that right? But then one day everything changes and the floor is shifting under him. From then on this gets really bloody good. I was like jumping up in down and yelling at the characters that I am not even going to mention because again, major spoilers but let me say this loudly.
Erica! Erica! Freak me out, what a brilliantly written character, didn't know where she would take me but loved the ride. Oh yes indeed!
He's the anti-hero, many will end up being on his side, weird huh? That's why you have to read it. The plot is fresh, tight and I could not stop reading from page one. I literally stopped my life to finish it. It was just so fascinating. If you like to people watch, especially damaged people, you will love this like I did.
And the grand finale, the last third of the book. Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!
It was bloody fantastic, just remembering it I am getting all hyped up, so much action, turns of events that will stun your mind. And finally my favourite line in the whole book, and you will get it when you read it;
"It's not what it looks like."
Beg, borrow, buy - just get it, I think a minority won't get what this book is about, but I think it will be a very small minority and judging on early reviews I am right (often am). A memorable read that I am happy to rave on about. 5 easy well earned stars.
::~~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~~::
Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
This is one exceptional novel. If you don't read this then you are so not in the cool gang. If you read crime novels a lot like me, or even if you don't, start now, with this one. Honestly, go do it. I freaking loved this book for a million reasons, it messed with my head, blending slight humour through a book about a serial killer is not an easy task, but it was pulled off with finesse. Bravo to Graeme Cameron.
I loved being in the head of this serial killer.
I’m not NORMAL.
He is the man who lives on your street. The one you see in the supermarket and nod hello to.
He’s also a serial killer. Killing is what he’s good at.
He’s the most compelling antihero since Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley.
And you’ll want him to get away with MURDER.
Stuff telling you the plot! It won't work, it gives away too much. Instead I will try to share how this book is like to read, why it is so good, in my humble words. I could just write READ THIS BOOK.
Firstly, I loved the fact that the book is written with us stuck in said serial killer and kidnapper's head. Awesome. Because he is so darn flawed and messed up at times it's just hilarious. Other times it's so dark and nasty. But you never know what you are going to get.
So he kills, you kind of get that right? But then one day everything changes and the floor is shifting under him. From then on this gets really bloody good. I was like jumping up in down and yelling at the characters that I am not even going to mention because again, major spoilers but let me say this loudly.
Erica! Erica! Freak me out, what a brilliantly written character, didn't know where she would take me but loved the ride. Oh yes indeed!
He's the anti-hero, many will end up being on his side, weird huh? That's why you have to read it. The plot is fresh, tight and I could not stop reading from page one. I literally stopped my life to finish it. It was just so fascinating. If you like to people watch, especially damaged people, you will love this like I did.
And the grand finale, the last third of the book. Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!
It was bloody fantastic, just remembering it I am getting all hyped up, so much action, turns of events that will stun your mind. And finally my favourite line in the whole book, and you will get it when you read it;
"It's not what it looks like."
Beg, borrow, buy - just get it, I think a minority won't get what this book is about, but I think it will be a very small minority and judging on early reviews I am right (often am). A memorable read that I am happy to rave on about. 5 easy well earned stars.
::~~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~~::
Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
January 31, 2024
Loved the suspense and the twist on the story
October 21, 2024
Loved this. Reminded me of Dexter in the best way possible. It was dark and funny while also keeping to the horror of a man who locks up girls in cages. I can’t wait to read the second one!
December 21, 2023
I'm not usually much of a thriller type person but honestly I really loved this book. it was fast pace, exciting and honestly caught my attention from the very beginning.
Having a book told by the viewpoint of a serial killer is such a strange thing to see however I think it was told really well. The main character uses his role to explain his reasonings for all of his actions throughout the book which allows us to have a different perspective on the things he is doing. even though what he is doing is wrong the way to book is told, flips the roles and makes the side characters come across as the villains when in reality we all know he is the villain of the story.
Erica's character shows a lot of development throughout her time in the book and after being confined to only seeing him, it almost seems that she finds comfort in him and is almost scared to go home once she is allowed to leave.
the ending was very unexpected which tied the whole book together and make Erica's character development even more visual.
Having a book told by the viewpoint of a serial killer is such a strange thing to see however I think it was told really well. The main character uses his role to explain his reasonings for all of his actions throughout the book which allows us to have a different perspective on the things he is doing. even though what he is doing is wrong the way to book is told, flips the roles and makes the side characters come across as the villains when in reality we all know he is the villain of the story.
Erica's character shows a lot of development throughout her time in the book and after being confined to only seeing him, it almost seems that she finds comfort in him and is almost scared to go home once she is allowed to leave.
the ending was very unexpected which tied the whole book together and make Erica's character development even more visual.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2025
Absolutely loved this. You are taken for a ride from the pov of a serial killer. You are in his head. At times it is horrifying and bleak, other times pleasant and dreamy. Sometimes downright hilarious. Our killer is the perfect antihero, highly flawed and, yes, you do find yourself rooting for him. Packed with other fantastic characters such as his “victim”, who will keep you guessing until the end, a sudden and unexpected friend and the girl who sets his world into a spiral…
It is not a long read, less than 300 pages but is gripping, fun and entertaining.
My only gripe would possibly be that there was a bit more than hinted at some of his activities and erm… tastes… in the beginning of the book that fell away after the first few chapters and I wish it would have continued. Also, due the characters wit and apparently high intellect (although there is nothing to suggest how he got that way considering his past) the inner monologue of our antihero can get a bit poetic… think Hannibal. But this didn’t stop me plowing through at a great rate!!
It is not a long read, less than 300 pages but is gripping, fun and entertaining.
My only gripe would possibly be that there was a bit more than hinted at some of his activities and erm… tastes… in the beginning of the book that fell away after the first few chapters and I wish it would have continued. Also, due the characters wit and apparently high intellect (although there is nothing to suggest how he got that way considering his past) the inner monologue of our antihero can get a bit poetic… think Hannibal. But this didn’t stop me plowing through at a great rate!!
December 18, 2024
It was interesting to watch two people unravel in different directions—one, a serial killer-turned hopeless lover with a growing heart and regret, the other an innocent girl who just needed a cage to unearth her depravity.
Although it was a great character study, the ending was a let down, where the serial killer has been turned into a blubbering, helpless mess with no sense of who he once was (maybe it would have been interesting to see him struggle with his constant urges to kill because he doesn’t want to be that person now that he’s found his lover, instead of how he simply stopped being interested in killing all together). Erica was annoyingly insane and he just put up with her for some reason. Rachel died un-climactically and I don’t think I really cared because her lover was no longer a realistic character to me.
Although it was a great character study, the ending was a let down, where the serial killer has been turned into a blubbering, helpless mess with no sense of who he once was (maybe it would have been interesting to see him struggle with his constant urges to kill because he doesn’t want to be that person now that he’s found his lover, instead of how he simply stopped being interested in killing all together). Erica was annoyingly insane and he just put up with her for some reason. Rachel died un-climactically and I don’t think I really cared because her lover was no longer a realistic character to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2024
Bruh, I loooooooove this book so much!!! People said I was crazy for reading this book, but I don't care, the end made me cry for real.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews