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The Bird Eater
Twenty years ago, the mysterious death of his aunt left Aaron Holbrook orphaned and alone. He abandoned his rural Arkansas hometown vowing never to return, until his seven-year-old son died in an accident, plunging Aaron into a nightmare of addiction and grief. Desperate to reclaim a piece of himself, he returns to the hills of his childhood, to Holbrook House, where he hopes to find peace among the memories of his youth. But solace doesn’t come easy. Someone—or something—has other plans.
Like Aaron, Holbrook House is but a shell of what it once was, a target for vandals and ghost hunters who have nicknamed it “the devil’s den.” Aaron doesn’t believe in the paranormal—at least, not until a strange boy begins following him wherever he goes. Plagued by violent dreams and disturbing visions, Aaron begins to wonder if he’s losing his mind. But a festering darkness lurks at the heart of Holbrook House…a darkness that grins from within the shadows, delighting in Aaron’s sorrow, biding its time.
Like Aaron, Holbrook House is but a shell of what it once was, a target for vandals and ghost hunters who have nicknamed it “the devil’s den.” Aaron doesn’t believe in the paranormal—at least, not until a strange boy begins following him wherever he goes. Plagued by violent dreams and disturbing visions, Aaron begins to wonder if he’s losing his mind. But a festering darkness lurks at the heart of Holbrook House…a darkness that grins from within the shadows, delighting in Aaron’s sorrow, biding its time.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2014
1476 people are currently reading
15902 people want to read
About the author
Ania Ahlborn
19 books7,388 followersBorn in Ciechanow Poland, Ania has always been drawn to the darker, mysterious, and sometimes morbid sides of life. Her earliest childhood memory is of crawling through a hole in the chain link fence that separated her family home from the large wooded cemetery next door. She’d spend hours among the headstones, breaking up bouquets of silk flowers so that everyone had their equal share.
Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.
Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.
For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn
Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.
Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.
For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,413 reviews
May 11, 2024
Really really liked this. A couple of moments that truly unnerved me, Ania Ahlborn is the QUEEN of creepy.
April 3, 2014
**SPOILERS**
The Bird Eater has a creepy, interesting concept, but a poorly conceived plot.
There is a lot of deep, descriptive character development which helps round out the story. However, there are certain characters that are not essential to the plot and can be cut out altogether (e.g. Hazel and Cooper). Hazel’s character is merely used as a plot device, and is only important towards the end of the novel when she gives backstory on Birdie. Birdie’s backstory is used as a big reveal toward the end of the story, and while it is revealing, it is not very fulfilling.
The story relies on coincidences without giving much explanation as to why things are the way they are. For example, how did Birdie influence Aaron and Cheri to name their children the way they did, and why did they choose those names? They connect to Birdie's backstory, but there's no compelling explanation as to why those names were important in the end. Also, why are Birdie, Isaac, Aaron, and Ryder all obsessed with birds? What was the point of having them all linked with the same obsession? The idea of a boy who eats birds is an unsettling, interesting concept. However, the birds do not serve a crucial purpose to the story, leaving the reader wondering why Birdie eats them in the first place.
Some parts of the story don’t make sense, or are inconsistent. For example, there is inconsistency in Eric’s character. He’s really into the paranormal and believes the house is haunted. However, when Aaron tries to come to him for help, Eric is so quick to jump to the conclusion that he’s crazy. Another part of the story that doesn’t make sense is Birdie’s motivation. He's terrorizing this particular family, but it doesn't make sense - the only family member that knew Birdie and had any contact with him was Miranda, and that part of the story is an afterthought. Why was Miranda so special? Why did Birdie pick her? Did she make fun of him? Did she deny eating a bird?
There needed to be more closure with the characters and the story. For instance, Birdie needed more motivation as the main villain in the story. His character was not given much of an arc, making him a weak antagonist. Villains are not as menacing when they are evil just for the sake of being evil. Also, Aaron’s death could have been handled better since it feels like the reader didn’t get much closure with his character.
Generally, the story needed more explanation and the characters needed more motivation.
The Bird Eater has a creepy, interesting concept, but a poorly conceived plot.
There is a lot of deep, descriptive character development which helps round out the story. However, there are certain characters that are not essential to the plot and can be cut out altogether (e.g. Hazel and Cooper). Hazel’s character is merely used as a plot device, and is only important towards the end of the novel when she gives backstory on Birdie. Birdie’s backstory is used as a big reveal toward the end of the story, and while it is revealing, it is not very fulfilling.
The story relies on coincidences without giving much explanation as to why things are the way they are. For example, how did Birdie influence Aaron and Cheri to name their children the way they did, and why did they choose those names? They connect to Birdie's backstory, but there's no compelling explanation as to why those names were important in the end. Also, why are Birdie, Isaac, Aaron, and Ryder all obsessed with birds? What was the point of having them all linked with the same obsession? The idea of a boy who eats birds is an unsettling, interesting concept. However, the birds do not serve a crucial purpose to the story, leaving the reader wondering why Birdie eats them in the first place.
Some parts of the story don’t make sense, or are inconsistent. For example, there is inconsistency in Eric’s character. He’s really into the paranormal and believes the house is haunted. However, when Aaron tries to come to him for help, Eric is so quick to jump to the conclusion that he’s crazy. Another part of the story that doesn’t make sense is Birdie’s motivation. He's terrorizing this particular family, but it doesn't make sense - the only family member that knew Birdie and had any contact with him was Miranda, and that part of the story is an afterthought. Why was Miranda so special? Why did Birdie pick her? Did she make fun of him? Did she deny eating a bird?
There needed to be more closure with the characters and the story. For instance, Birdie needed more motivation as the main villain in the story. His character was not given much of an arc, making him a weak antagonist. Villains are not as menacing when they are evil just for the sake of being evil. Also, Aaron’s death could have been handled better since it feels like the reader didn’t get much closure with his character.
Generally, the story needed more explanation and the characters needed more motivation.
March 6, 2014
His life in shambles, Aaron Holbrook returns to his home town to the house he grew up in, which also happens to be the house his aunt was murdered in. His plan is to rehab the house and sell it. Too bad The Bird Eater has other plans...
I got this as part of the Kindle First program.
The Bird Eater reminded me a lot of the Anne Rice Mayfair Witches series, which is high praise since I think The Witching Hour was the last good book Anne Rice wrote. The Holbrook House has been haunted by a ghostly twelve or thirteen year old boy, the Bird Eater of the title, for generations.
This is one creepy book. Aaron moves into the house and Birdie starts tormenting him from the start. Without giving too much away, Aaron's condition degenerates even as he reconnects with friends from his youth, Eric and Cheri, his first love.
While I enjoyed the story, it wasn't a fun read by any means. The creepiness was offset by the bleakness, which sucked the enjoyment out of it for me. I really felt bad for Cheri, particularly has her heart was torn to pieces as Aaron slid further into madness.
That's about all I can tell without giving away all the best bits. It was a chilling read and will be of interest to anyone who likes stories featuring creepy kids. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I got this as part of the Kindle First program.
The Bird Eater reminded me a lot of the Anne Rice Mayfair Witches series, which is high praise since I think The Witching Hour was the last good book Anne Rice wrote. The Holbrook House has been haunted by a ghostly twelve or thirteen year old boy, the Bird Eater of the title, for generations.
This is one creepy book. Aaron moves into the house and Birdie starts tormenting him from the start. Without giving too much away, Aaron's condition degenerates even as he reconnects with friends from his youth, Eric and Cheri, his first love.
While I enjoyed the story, it wasn't a fun read by any means. The creepiness was offset by the bleakness, which sucked the enjoyment out of it for me. I really felt bad for Cheri, particularly has her heart was torn to pieces as Aaron slid further into madness.
That's about all I can tell without giving away all the best bits. It was a chilling read and will be of interest to anyone who likes stories featuring creepy kids. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
May 29, 2023
The book started strong with a desperate character named Aaron going back to his rural hometown. Why did his little son really die? What about the death of his mother and his aunt Edie? Can his former friends Eric and Cheri help him to get back on track? Is the house really haunted with regard to a mysterious boy sneaking around? In between the storytelling got a bit tedious (sometimes I felt stuck like in quagmire) but I truly wanted to find out how this haunting tale ends. Eerie, slow moving at parts but plausible characters and relentless in its dark ways. The novel had so many good parts inside that you can overlook some of its winding chapters and repetitions. Not her best effort but nevertheless recommended!
May 25, 2023
The Bird Eater honestly has one of the best opening chapters to a horror book I’ve read. It really sets up the tone of what’s to come, and the terror, so well. 🐦🩸
Ania Ahlborn is back once again with a highly readable, fast-paced horror story that reads exactly like you are watching a movie. She is such a talented writer whose stories feel fresh and exciting each time as she experiments with different sub-genres, but they also have her signature style of packing in some wonderfully described, truly horrifying, scenes.
Ahlborn clearly knows her horror, clear references to The Birds here. Also directly to The Shining as the main character Aaron worries if he is slowly losing his mind á la Jack Torrance.
To truly get over the past, do you have to return to where it happened and face your demons? That is what Aaron Holbrook is doing. Twenty years ago he fled his rural hometown, Ironwood in Arkansas, swearing he would never return there. He had been left orphaned after the mysterious death of his Aunt Edie.
Yet after the death of his seven year old son turned his life upside down, he is returning to the place of his childhood - Holbrook House, where he hopes to find some solace and answers among the memories of his youth. He isn’t the same kid who left, he’s now a depressed alcoholic whose wife has just left him because she doesn’t want to witness him spiralling further into the depths of despair. Maybe reconnecting with his old flame, will help?
Will Holbrook House be the safe haven that Aaron is hoping for or is something lurking in the shadows? He starts being plagued with nightmares and visions, all centring around a strange young boy.
As Aaron worries that the grief is sending him insane, whatever evil lurks within Holbrook House is revelling in his despair, ready to strike… After all it is known as The Devil’s Den.
”`You can’t worry about things you can’t control,’ Doc Jandreau had told him. `You do that, and you’re liable to drive yourself insane.’”
A solid 4 star spooky read! 💀🖤
Ania Ahlborn is back once again with a highly readable, fast-paced horror story that reads exactly like you are watching a movie. She is such a talented writer whose stories feel fresh and exciting each time as she experiments with different sub-genres, but they also have her signature style of packing in some wonderfully described, truly horrifying, scenes.
Ahlborn clearly knows her horror, clear references to The Birds here. Also directly to The Shining as the main character Aaron worries if he is slowly losing his mind á la Jack Torrance.
To truly get over the past, do you have to return to where it happened and face your demons? That is what Aaron Holbrook is doing. Twenty years ago he fled his rural hometown, Ironwood in Arkansas, swearing he would never return there. He had been left orphaned after the mysterious death of his Aunt Edie.
Yet after the death of his seven year old son turned his life upside down, he is returning to the place of his childhood - Holbrook House, where he hopes to find some solace and answers among the memories of his youth. He isn’t the same kid who left, he’s now a depressed alcoholic whose wife has just left him because she doesn’t want to witness him spiralling further into the depths of despair. Maybe reconnecting with his old flame, will help?
Will Holbrook House be the safe haven that Aaron is hoping for or is something lurking in the shadows? He starts being plagued with nightmares and visions, all centring around a strange young boy.
As Aaron worries that the grief is sending him insane, whatever evil lurks within Holbrook House is revelling in his despair, ready to strike… After all it is known as The Devil’s Den.
”`You can’t worry about things you can’t control,’ Doc Jandreau had told him. `You do that, and you’re liable to drive yourself insane.’”
A solid 4 star spooky read! 💀🖤
April 20, 2025
“The Bird Eater” by Ania Ahlborn is a fantastic novel with the most chilling horror I’ve ever read about birds. This felt like a modern version of “The Birds” with a haunted house aesthetic filled with creepy twists. The story gripped me, and even though it just misses perfection, it’s a bird horror gem.
Before I begin my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Suicide
- Drinking and driving
- Self-harm
- Car accidents
- Dead animals (birds)
- Violence against animals (very graphic against birds)
- Alcoholism
- Death of a child
- Domestic abuse
- Violence against kids
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. With that in mind, let’s dive into my review. I’ve read countless horror books in my life, and the first chapter of “The Bird Eater” was incredible. I was shocked by what I read, as it immediately hooked and excited me for what was to come.
If you’re unfamiliar with Ahlborn’s work, her writing style is terrific, especially with how she develops characters. My favorite character in this book was Aaron. Ahlborn’s vivid writing brings Aaron and the eerie haunted house setting to life, especially with fun nods to Guns N’ Roses, GWAR, Pearl Jam, death metal, and even Psycho.
The only setback for me is that this book doesn't quite reach a perfect rating, as many chapters got too heavy with dialogue, repeated conversations, and parts where nothing happens. These parts made the book drag on, but the horror moments helped balance that to a degree.
The book’s horrific dream sequences, which Aaron endures, were a highlight. I would never spoil anything for my fellow horror readers, but these were magnificent. They got more frequent towards the end, and my goodness, what a wild ending!
From a crazy plot twist to all sorts of tension and suspense, this was a satisfying and unpredictable way to end this book. I was astounded by the ending’s shocking reveal, which left me speechless.
I give “The Bird Eater” by Ania Ahlborn a 4/5 for being one hell of a bird horror ride. I enjoyed the story, characters, plot twist, and all the unique horror in this book. Ahlborn once again delivered a solid book, and if it weren’t for parts dragging on due to too many conversations and dialogue that wasn’t needed, it would have been a perfect 5/5 for me. Either way, this is worth reading if you already enjoy Ahlborn’s work and want a refreshing twist on bird horror done so brilliantly, you’ll think twice the next time you see a crow.
Ryder was here.
Before I begin my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Suicide
- Drinking and driving
- Self-harm
- Car accidents
- Dead animals (birds)
- Violence against animals (very graphic against birds)
- Alcoholism
- Death of a child
- Domestic abuse
- Violence against kids
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. With that in mind, let’s dive into my review. I’ve read countless horror books in my life, and the first chapter of “The Bird Eater” was incredible. I was shocked by what I read, as it immediately hooked and excited me for what was to come.
If you’re unfamiliar with Ahlborn’s work, her writing style is terrific, especially with how she develops characters. My favorite character in this book was Aaron. Ahlborn’s vivid writing brings Aaron and the eerie haunted house setting to life, especially with fun nods to Guns N’ Roses, GWAR, Pearl Jam, death metal, and even Psycho.
The only setback for me is that this book doesn't quite reach a perfect rating, as many chapters got too heavy with dialogue, repeated conversations, and parts where nothing happens. These parts made the book drag on, but the horror moments helped balance that to a degree.
The book’s horrific dream sequences, which Aaron endures, were a highlight. I would never spoil anything for my fellow horror readers, but these were magnificent. They got more frequent towards the end, and my goodness, what a wild ending!
From a crazy plot twist to all sorts of tension and suspense, this was a satisfying and unpredictable way to end this book. I was astounded by the ending’s shocking reveal, which left me speechless.
I give “The Bird Eater” by Ania Ahlborn a 4/5 for being one hell of a bird horror ride. I enjoyed the story, characters, plot twist, and all the unique horror in this book. Ahlborn once again delivered a solid book, and if it weren’t for parts dragging on due to too many conversations and dialogue that wasn’t needed, it would have been a perfect 5/5 for me. Either way, this is worth reading if you already enjoy Ahlborn’s work and want a refreshing twist on bird horror done so brilliantly, you’ll think twice the next time you see a crow.
Ryder was here.
June 11, 2020
“You couldn’t live with the devil and expect to come out whole.”
First of all, there’s a dog called Barney in The Bird Eater, so we’re off to a great start in this review! The book is commendable for that reason alone.
Ahlborn writes some of the most readable, yet highly addictive horror stories. When you pick up one of her books time flies by and before you know it, you’ve devoured 100 pages. Usually 100 spooky, chilling pages - it is always a pleasure!
I really enjoy those stories wherein we are watching a character struggling with their inner demons. Their life has been flipped upside down by some tragic event, they turn to alcohol or drugs and push away everyone that is close to them. Our protagonist, Aaron, is already losing his grip before he returns to his childhood home, and what he encounters there only pushes him further toward the edge. He is tormented by a strange boy that won’t leave him alone, and piles of dead birds keep appearing in the house....
As is always the case with Ahlborn, I love how she unravels the story and slowly drops creepy little pieces of information into the narrative. You’re constantly kept on your toes and left wondering - is it the grief and addiction driving him crazy? Or is it something more sinister?
I always say that Ahlborn doesn’t disappoint with her endings, and this one is no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed this disturbing book and would highly recommend to any horror fan! 4 stars.
First of all, there’s a dog called Barney in The Bird Eater, so we’re off to a great start in this review! The book is commendable for that reason alone.
Ahlborn writes some of the most readable, yet highly addictive horror stories. When you pick up one of her books time flies by and before you know it, you’ve devoured 100 pages. Usually 100 spooky, chilling pages - it is always a pleasure!
I really enjoy those stories wherein we are watching a character struggling with their inner demons. Their life has been flipped upside down by some tragic event, they turn to alcohol or drugs and push away everyone that is close to them. Our protagonist, Aaron, is already losing his grip before he returns to his childhood home, and what he encounters there only pushes him further toward the edge. He is tormented by a strange boy that won’t leave him alone, and piles of dead birds keep appearing in the house....
As is always the case with Ahlborn, I love how she unravels the story and slowly drops creepy little pieces of information into the narrative. You’re constantly kept on your toes and left wondering - is it the grief and addiction driving him crazy? Or is it something more sinister?
I always say that Ahlborn doesn’t disappoint with her endings, and this one is no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed this disturbing book and would highly recommend to any horror fan! 4 stars.
September 24, 2014
This book had the biggest plot hole of all plot holes - a complete and total lack of internet usage and/or research.
If you are going to go through the trouble of making the best friend an amateur ghost hunter, I would think he would have a file about five inches thick with all the research he did on the ghost that lives in the house where his best friend lived and that everyone admits is haunted.
Every page, I kept waiting for Eric to say "Hey, I did some research and...." But that never happened. Even stupid Cheri, who lost the love of her life, never once got on the internet and looked some things up? I don't buy it. It was like nobody in this town owned a computer. Was there no library? No historical society?
The ghost is clearly the smartest person in the book.
If you are going to go through the trouble of making the best friend an amateur ghost hunter, I would think he would have a file about five inches thick with all the research he did on the ghost that lives in the house where his best friend lived and that everyone admits is haunted.
Every page, I kept waiting for Eric to say "Hey, I did some research and...." But that never happened. Even stupid Cheri, who lost the love of her life, never once got on the internet and looked some things up? I don't buy it. It was like nobody in this town owned a computer. Was there no library? No historical society?
The ghost is clearly the smartest person in the book.
September 7, 2017
After starting out with a nasty murder by a boy with a maniacal grin, I was expecting The Bird Eater to be so much better than it actually turned out to be.
Twenty-one years after the chilling events in the opening scene, Aaron returns to his dilapidated and reputedly haunted childhood home hoping to heal his freshly broken life. Apparently his therapist advised him to do so despite the fact that he witnessed a murder in the house and he’s currently struggling with depression, borderline substance abuse, separation from his wife and the death of his young son. Yep, being all alone in a murder house will surely cure his woes. I hope he didn’t pay that person too much for the shitty advice.
The problem for me with this story was Aaron and all of the other main characters. Aaron was a broken man and remained that way throughout the story and, quite honestly, his self-loathing exhausted me and the way the book was written kept me from feeling his anguish. There was a disconnect between Aaron and I which kept me from feeling much of anything. Aaron reconnects with his childhood friends and his childhood love and I found that so bizarre and unbelievably frustrating that I nearly have no words. I mean, 21 years have passed, he was 14 freaking years old when his world crumbled and this Cheri person is still carrying a torch for him?!!!
Dayam, even I gave up on Corey Hart after a year and moved on with my life when he didn’t show up to whisk me away and I was in luv.
Reality should’ve kicked in for Cheri at some point in those 21 years!
And did I mention that Cheri is also MARRIED to some poor schlub who works his bum off so she can buy nice things and she’s ready to toss him away because her grief ridden true love has returned!? Cheri thinks she can fix Aaron. Ugh, Cheri was a weak, pathetic excuse for a character and only managed to suck any enjoyment out of this story for me. Aaron’s other childhood friend is a supposed ghost hunter but doesn’t do any ghost hunting in the local haunted house. WTF is going on with these characters?!
Whew, glad that’s out of the way. There were a few things I enjoyed; the creep factor, the crazed Birdboy, the atmosphere and the slow build (to a lame reveal) but obviously this is not a book I would ever reread.
It’s getting 2 ½ stars and, yes, I am rounding down because I am bothered!
Twenty-one years after the chilling events in the opening scene, Aaron returns to his dilapidated and reputedly haunted childhood home hoping to heal his freshly broken life. Apparently his therapist advised him to do so despite the fact that he witnessed a murder in the house and he’s currently struggling with depression, borderline substance abuse, separation from his wife and the death of his young son. Yep, being all alone in a murder house will surely cure his woes. I hope he didn’t pay that person too much for the shitty advice.
The problem for me with this story was Aaron and all of the other main characters. Aaron was a broken man and remained that way throughout the story and, quite honestly, his self-loathing exhausted me and the way the book was written kept me from feeling his anguish. There was a disconnect between Aaron and I which kept me from feeling much of anything. Aaron reconnects with his childhood friends and his childhood love and I found that so bizarre and unbelievably frustrating that I nearly have no words. I mean, 21 years have passed, he was 14 freaking years old when his world crumbled and this Cheri person is still carrying a torch for him?!!!
Dayam, even I gave up on Corey Hart after a year and moved on with my life when he didn’t show up to whisk me away and I was in luv.
Reality should’ve kicked in for Cheri at some point in those 21 years!
And did I mention that Cheri is also MARRIED to some poor schlub who works his bum off so she can buy nice things and she’s ready to toss him away because her grief ridden true love has returned!? Cheri thinks she can fix Aaron. Ugh, Cheri was a weak, pathetic excuse for a character and only managed to suck any enjoyment out of this story for me. Aaron’s other childhood friend is a supposed ghost hunter but doesn’t do any ghost hunting in the local haunted house. WTF is going on with these characters?!
Whew, glad that’s out of the way. There were a few things I enjoyed; the creep factor, the crazed Birdboy, the atmosphere and the slow build (to a lame reveal) but obviously this is not a book I would ever reread.
It’s getting 2 ½ stars and, yes, I am rounding down because I am bothered!
August 14, 2014
Buddy read with two fabulous ladies: Shandra and Anasylvia
3-3.5 Stars
This was quite an interesting read to say the least. If you are looking for creepy, then just like the cover implies, you get creepy.
Positives:
-Easy read. I read this within a 48 hour period, even while juggling a couple of other books. The pages just flew by.
-Vivid. The fact that the pages just flew by is a testament of how well the story was told. It read just as a movie might. I really could visualize the entire story as well as the characters within.
-It sucked me in. Once I started this read, I just didn't want to put it down. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next.
Negatives:
-It was heavy. I did anticipate that this story would be dark but I didn't realize how dark. As the book progresses is gets darker and darker.
-It was depressing. It seems that all of the characters never seem to get a break. Even when reading dark novels, I do hope to see someone, even if just one person, conquer evil. Not here. Not by a long shot.
-It left me feeling yucky. Toward the last few pages I just wanted it to end. Not because it wasn't a good book or that it wasn't written well, no, because I couldn't bear anymore negativity. I know that horror is horror, but books such as "It" or any other horror novel, there is a sense of some excitement or fun. No fun here what-so-ever. You have to prepare yourself for this type of read, or at least I do.
So all-in-all, it was a very well written and engaging book. I am a bit torn because I was sucked in but I was left feeling drained...completely drained. If you are looking for a truly dark read then this is the one for you. I liked this book but I don't think that I was quite prepared by how heavy it was.
3-3.5 Stars
This was quite an interesting read to say the least. If you are looking for creepy, then just like the cover implies, you get creepy.
Positives:
-Easy read. I read this within a 48 hour period, even while juggling a couple of other books. The pages just flew by.
-Vivid. The fact that the pages just flew by is a testament of how well the story was told. It read just as a movie might. I really could visualize the entire story as well as the characters within.
-It sucked me in. Once I started this read, I just didn't want to put it down. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next.
Negatives:
-It was heavy. I did anticipate that this story would be dark but I didn't realize how dark. As the book progresses is gets darker and darker.
-It was depressing. It seems that all of the characters never seem to get a break. Even when reading dark novels, I do hope to see someone, even if just one person, conquer evil. Not here. Not by a long shot.
-It left me feeling yucky. Toward the last few pages I just wanted it to end. Not because it wasn't a good book or that it wasn't written well, no, because I couldn't bear anymore negativity. I know that horror is horror, but books such as "It" or any other horror novel, there is a sense of some excitement or fun. No fun here what-so-ever. You have to prepare yourself for this type of read, or at least I do.
So all-in-all, it was a very well written and engaging book. I am a bit torn because I was sucked in but I was left feeling drained...completely drained. If you are looking for a truly dark read then this is the one for you. I liked this book but I don't think that I was quite prepared by how heavy it was.
February 9, 2019
Downright Creepy!
Rural Ozark Arkansas. There's something wrong with the house at the end of Old Mill Road....and with Aaron Holbrook. Both are broken down and haunted by a deadly past.
In THE BIRD EATER, Aaron returns to his childhood home to face old demons and try to eradicate more recent ones, but all does not go so well when unsettling visions and disturbing nightmares begin; and bad turns to worse when Aaron encounters the hellish poltergeist of death house.
Except for a couple of undeveloped plot holes, the one with Eric in particular, THE BIRD EATER turned out to be an insanely well done work of horror....if you have a palate for birds and like it DARK.
April 8, 2014
'What if insanity is just a heightened sense of perception?' Food for thought in this tale of love and loss and terror.
Aaron Holbrook is the epitome of a broken man. His attempts at combating his guilt over an accident resulting in the death of his seven year old son have netted him nothing but an addiction to booze & pills, a doomed marriage, and a rather elaborate array of tattoos with a most definite bird theme. His therapist's suggestion that Aaron return to Ironwood, Arkansas turns out to be the proverbial blow that killed the father.
Although the Ozarks setting is not a huge component in the story, the author has it correct. The desultory buzz of cicadas, an old GE refrigerator abandoned in the front yard of a trailer house for 20-plus years, the fat man wearing a too small teeshirt emblazoned with a fish mouthing 'Quit staring at my bass' - yep, they're all here, as is Bull Shoals Lake and Rockaway Beach. The small town vibe is alive and well, and the author nailed it.
The plot isn't quite as tight as it could be (weak links were Eric and Cheri), but the overall tone is right on the money. Cover art isn't the be all and end all with me, but this one was killer. What will step out of the darkness next?
Aaron Holbrook is the epitome of a broken man. His attempts at combating his guilt over an accident resulting in the death of his seven year old son have netted him nothing but an addiction to booze & pills, a doomed marriage, and a rather elaborate array of tattoos with a most definite bird theme. His therapist's suggestion that Aaron return to Ironwood, Arkansas turns out to be the proverbial blow that killed the father.
Although the Ozarks setting is not a huge component in the story, the author has it correct. The desultory buzz of cicadas, an old GE refrigerator abandoned in the front yard of a trailer house for 20-plus years, the fat man wearing a too small teeshirt emblazoned with a fish mouthing 'Quit staring at my bass' - yep, they're all here, as is Bull Shoals Lake and Rockaway Beach. The small town vibe is alive and well, and the author nailed it.
The plot isn't quite as tight as it could be (weak links were Eric and Cheri), but the overall tone is right on the money. Cover art isn't the be all and end all with me, but this one was killer. What will step out of the darkness next?
June 9, 2019
Creepy as fuck! 😱
Aaron Holbrook is returning home after 16 years of being gone. After his aunt died under curious circumstances when he was just a young teen, he up and disappeared leaving his hometown and his friends behind. But Aaron has demons. Some he will bring with him and some he will face inside the house that has stood vacant for nearly two decades. The question is, who will be the victor in this battle with demons of the past?
Wow! This is my second Ania Ahlborn novel and I have to say... just wow! After having read The Shuddering and liked it so much I knew that I was in for a treat with this book but I had no idea how much. Ahlborn writes almost flawlessly as she weaves her web of chaos and darkness.
Let me just say that I'm a pretty jaded person and it takes quite a bit to scare me. being a horror fanatic I have both seen read and heard quite a lot that scares the average Joe. I am able to look past and see what is in the woodwork of things that scare normal folk. This book was fantastic in the genre of horror. I can safely say that for the average reader this book would be terrifying! It had me looking twice in dark corners several times. Very awesome!
I am pleased to say that, though this took me awhile to read because of my mental health issues, this is definitely a novel that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good scare! 👻 WARNING: Don't read this book in the dark!
Aaron Holbrook is returning home after 16 years of being gone. After his aunt died under curious circumstances when he was just a young teen, he up and disappeared leaving his hometown and his friends behind. But Aaron has demons. Some he will bring with him and some he will face inside the house that has stood vacant for nearly two decades. The question is, who will be the victor in this battle with demons of the past?
Wow! This is my second Ania Ahlborn novel and I have to say... just wow! After having read The Shuddering and liked it so much I knew that I was in for a treat with this book but I had no idea how much. Ahlborn writes almost flawlessly as she weaves her web of chaos and darkness.
Let me just say that I'm a pretty jaded person and it takes quite a bit to scare me. being a horror fanatic I have both seen read and heard quite a lot that scares the average Joe. I am able to look past and see what is in the woodwork of things that scare normal folk. This book was fantastic in the genre of horror. I can safely say that for the average reader this book would be terrifying! It had me looking twice in dark corners several times. Very awesome!
I am pleased to say that, though this took me awhile to read because of my mental health issues, this is definitely a novel that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good scare! 👻 WARNING: Don't read this book in the dark!
March 10, 2014
This book was a captivating tale of depression, hauntings, and madness. The story flowed so well, that it captivated my attention from the very first chapter, right to the ending paragraph. A very intense, thought-provoking read.
March 28, 2022
As with every Ania book, I absolutely loved it!!
I’ve come to realize that her books are definitely an acquired taste, so before you jump in, come to expect:
A slow burn
Lots of string of consciousness narration
Lots of dreamlike sequences
Animal violence (particularly birds)
Child violence
Drug and alcohol use
Some relationship drama
Blood and gore
These are common themes in mostly all of Anias books I’ve read so far (I believe this is my 8th book of hers?), and some of the things I hear most people not liking/being turned off on.
BUT. I thought this was a VERY effective haunting story that definitely got under my skin. It’s creepy and atmospheric with some pretty trippy and gruesome scenes, and I love how she incorporated grief as a key component in the story.
I’ve come to realize that her books are definitely an acquired taste, so before you jump in, come to expect:
A slow burn
Lots of string of consciousness narration
Lots of dreamlike sequences
Animal violence (particularly birds)
Child violence
Drug and alcohol use
Some relationship drama
Blood and gore
These are common themes in mostly all of Anias books I’ve read so far (I believe this is my 8th book of hers?), and some of the things I hear most people not liking/being turned off on.
BUT. I thought this was a VERY effective haunting story that definitely got under my skin. It’s creepy and atmospheric with some pretty trippy and gruesome scenes, and I love how she incorporated grief as a key component in the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2015
I think I would've liked this book better if I'd read it before the author's other book, 'Within These Walls.' I gave that one 4 stars - and I can't really argue that it was necessarily a superior book - but it was a very similar book. I suspect that if you read this one first, you might feel that 'Within These Walls' was the bit of a letdown. Both share the same basic 'haunted house' plot outline and progression.
Here, Aaron Holbrook is grief-stricken and drinking too much after the death of his young son in a car accident - an accident that he blames himself for. His failure to get himself together has also precipitated his relationship toward a divorce. Separated from his wife, he decides to go back to his hometown and renovate the home that was left to him by his aunt.
He hasn't been back there since his aunt, his guardian, died in an accident in that home when he was just a boy. Returning is a bit of a shock, as he discovers that the town had all kinds of rumors about his disappearance - rumors that he was actually dead, that he'd murdered his aunt, that the house left empty was haunted. Reconnecting with his childhood best friend and first girlfriend is emotionally fraught, and being in Holbrook House doesn't seem to be helping Aaron's already-fragile mental state.
It's not bad, and there were definitely some tense and chilling moments. It just didn't feel strikingly original. Recommended for fans of the haunted house genre.
Here, Aaron Holbrook is grief-stricken and drinking too much after the death of his young son in a car accident - an accident that he blames himself for. His failure to get himself together has also precipitated his relationship toward a divorce. Separated from his wife, he decides to go back to his hometown and renovate the home that was left to him by his aunt.
He hasn't been back there since his aunt, his guardian, died in an accident in that home when he was just a boy. Returning is a bit of a shock, as he discovers that the town had all kinds of rumors about his disappearance - rumors that he was actually dead, that he'd murdered his aunt, that the house left empty was haunted. Reconnecting with his childhood best friend and first girlfriend is emotionally fraught, and being in Holbrook House doesn't seem to be helping Aaron's already-fragile mental state.
It's not bad, and there were definitely some tense and chilling moments. It just didn't feel strikingly original. Recommended for fans of the haunted house genre.
July 22, 2016
3.5 stars
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals every dared to dream before...-- Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven
The Bird Eater is an effective measure of horror and suspense, opening with a potent first chapter describing the gruesome background of the 'haunted' house that could, if anything, be merited a five-star all on its own.
Ahlborn uses iconic psychological bits from well-loved Hitchcockian thrillers like The Birds-
She screamed against the onslaught of beaks jabbing at her arms, her breasts, her legs, back of her head.
--and Psycho-
Soft whispers sounded from behind the shower curtain, like someone fluttering their fingers against the draped plastic that hung from the rod...There was someone behind the curtain; he was certain of it.
--and blends in a traumatized protagonist whose mental stability is as questionable as the unnamed narrator in Fight Club-
-to create an effectively chilling concoction.
We all go a little mad a little...
Plotlines aren't purely original nor over-the-top gory, although some scenes do have their share of sanguineousness. Ahlborn keeps an even-handed exchange between supernatural beliefs and the reality of hereditary mental illness, while controlling suspense at a strongly pulsating pace.
This was my first read from this goth-promising author whose other works I would definitely consider. Excerpts from her previous book The Shuddering follow my kindle copy of The Bird Eater and seem worth pecking at.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals every dared to dream before...-- Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven
The Bird Eater is an effective measure of horror and suspense, opening with a potent first chapter describing the gruesome background of the 'haunted' house that could, if anything, be merited a five-star all on its own.
Ahlborn uses iconic psychological bits from well-loved Hitchcockian thrillers like The Birds-
She screamed against the onslaught of beaks jabbing at her arms, her breasts, her legs, back of her head.
--and Psycho-
Soft whispers sounded from behind the shower curtain, like someone fluttering their fingers against the draped plastic that hung from the rod...There was someone behind the curtain; he was certain of it.
--and blends in a traumatized protagonist whose mental stability is as questionable as the unnamed narrator in Fight Club-
-to create an effectively chilling concoction.
We all go a little mad a little...
Plotlines aren't purely original nor over-the-top gory, although some scenes do have their share of sanguineousness. Ahlborn keeps an even-handed exchange between supernatural beliefs and the reality of hereditary mental illness, while controlling suspense at a strongly pulsating pace.
This was my first read from this goth-promising author whose other works I would definitely consider. Excerpts from her previous book The Shuddering follow my kindle copy of The Bird Eater and seem worth pecking at.
November 6, 2024
4.5 stars!
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFcKMSWC/
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFcKMSWC/
August 24, 2014
I didn't enjoy this one as much as Seed and The Shuddering.
For the first few chapters I though this was going to be another anxiety-ridden read, but unfortunately, it wasn't.
I would have liked to know more about Isaac, his father and the murder of his foster mother.
Also, the whole bird thing didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Eric, I thought, was rather bland. For someone with a life-long obsession with the paranormal, he showed little interest in a house rumored to be haunted for over twenty years. I really didn't see much purpose to him being in the story. As a childhood friend yes, as an amateur ghost hunter, no.
Hazel was another character who puzzled me. Best friends with Aaron's Aunt Edie, she makes a few appearances until towards the end when she crashes her car and goes missing. I'm not sure of her purpose in the story. I thought perhaps she was the one who would fill Aaron in on the family history of his mother's suicide in that wretched house. But no.
The ending appealed to me, but in between it was difficult to stay interested. I finished to book with unanswered questions.
For the first few chapters I though this was going to be another anxiety-ridden read, but unfortunately, it wasn't.
I would have liked to know more about Isaac, his father and the murder of his foster mother.
Also, the whole bird thing didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Eric, I thought, was rather bland. For someone with a life-long obsession with the paranormal, he showed little interest in a house rumored to be haunted for over twenty years. I really didn't see much purpose to him being in the story. As a childhood friend yes, as an amateur ghost hunter, no.
Hazel was another character who puzzled me. Best friends with Aaron's Aunt Edie, she makes a few appearances until towards the end when she crashes her car and goes missing. I'm not sure of her purpose in the story. I thought perhaps she was the one who would fill Aaron in on the family history of his mother's suicide in that wretched house. But no.
The ending appealed to me, but in between it was difficult to stay interested. I finished to book with unanswered questions.
March 13, 2022
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 2.5 Stars
Story - 2.5 Stars
August 16, 2014
I listened to The Bird Eater on audio and was struck immediately with how intense the narration was from Peter Berkrot, the only problem for me was it remained on that sort of level throughout the story. Even going for a coffee or any other mundane activity was described in this same extreme style that in the end left the parts that should have been heightened by speeding the narration, just sort of fade into the background. The resultant cacophony is kind of exhausting for the listener and it forces you to concentrate even more so, hanging on every last word, wondering what you’ve missed when your attention is diverted.
The story is a combination of haunted house, tied in with a mentally ravaged individual, recovering from the loss of a son and his predictable descent into madness. That about sums it up for me in one sentence.
The author handles the suspense well, there are some seriously terrifying moments and the protagonist is vividly portrayed but it can only ever end in one way.
And it was a chilling descent to insanity.
Can’t help but think this would have been better purely read and not listened to.
A 3.5 Rating.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
The story is a combination of haunted house, tied in with a mentally ravaged individual, recovering from the loss of a son and his predictable descent into madness. That about sums it up for me in one sentence.
The author handles the suspense well, there are some seriously terrifying moments and the protagonist is vividly portrayed but it can only ever end in one way.
And it was a chilling descent to insanity.
Can’t help but think this would have been better purely read and not listened to.
A 3.5 Rating.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
March 13, 2014
I picked this up as a freebie via the new Kindle First program, and hoo boy. Creepy. It's been a while since I've read a book that actually made me hesitate before walking through a darkened part of the house.
I have to admit there was a particular direction I thought it was going (), but it didn't go that way. I'm glad -- it was already dark enough and it wouldn't quite have made sense with the way things were playing out.
I didn't totally love the ending, but for me, horror tends to be about the anticipation rather than the specific resolution. I thought the pacing was excellent, the characters were solid, and I spent a significant portion of the book with this look on my face:
Good times.
I have to admit there was a particular direction I thought it was going (), but it didn't go that way. I'm glad -- it was already dark enough and it wouldn't quite have made sense with the way things were playing out.
I didn't totally love the ending, but for me, horror tends to be about the anticipation rather than the specific resolution. I thought the pacing was excellent, the characters were solid, and I spent a significant portion of the book with this look on my face:
Good times.
August 5, 2021
If Blink-182 can have Halloween on Christmas, then I can have it in summer!
During the past week or so I have marathoned through Ania Ahlborn's chilling catalogue of work and have really appreciated them all. Her paranormal horror impressed me more than her monstrous creations, but I still had a great time with every book I have so far read.
It was this title, The Bird Eater, that first piqued my interest in this author yet somehow it became the penultimate book I read, during this time. I definitely kept one of the best until almost last though and completing it has me very sad to only have one more title from this author to immerse myself in.
The events here were centred around one sinister household. Holbrook House stood isolated from its surrounding community. It had a history of darkness but for Aaron it was once his childhood home and has become his present place of solace and escape, after he leaves his wife and current abode following the death of their son. He finds the property as a place to grieve in peace but it might have entirely other ideas for him.
This was such a chilling read! The spooky elements begun almost immediately and continued on until the just as eerie conclusion. Most of what occurred left the protagonists plagued with doubt over what was really transpiring around them. This combination of fear and disbelief ensured the reader became caught up in the quest to discover what and how and why the shifting shadows, bumps in the night, and inexplicable apparitions were happening.
I loved learning the history of the house's former occupants, as well as for the characters who currently peppered the book. Each had a tragic history that made this read as mysterious as it was ominous, and as bleak as it was spooky.
During the past week or so I have marathoned through Ania Ahlborn's chilling catalogue of work and have really appreciated them all. Her paranormal horror impressed me more than her monstrous creations, but I still had a great time with every book I have so far read.
It was this title, The Bird Eater, that first piqued my interest in this author yet somehow it became the penultimate book I read, during this time. I definitely kept one of the best until almost last though and completing it has me very sad to only have one more title from this author to immerse myself in.
The events here were centred around one sinister household. Holbrook House stood isolated from its surrounding community. It had a history of darkness but for Aaron it was once his childhood home and has become his present place of solace and escape, after he leaves his wife and current abode following the death of their son. He finds the property as a place to grieve in peace but it might have entirely other ideas for him.
This was such a chilling read! The spooky elements begun almost immediately and continued on until the just as eerie conclusion. Most of what occurred left the protagonists plagued with doubt over what was really transpiring around them. This combination of fear and disbelief ensured the reader became caught up in the quest to discover what and how and why the shifting shadows, bumps in the night, and inexplicable apparitions were happening.
I loved learning the history of the house's former occupants, as well as for the characters who currently peppered the book. Each had a tragic history that made this read as mysterious as it was ominous, and as bleak as it was spooky.
November 17, 2017
The first chapter was really good, but unfortunately, it was the best part of the book.
Ahlborn's writing was a bit much. There were descriptors squashed in everywhere. The wallpaper couldn't be just wallpaper, it was always's "Edie's old wallpaper." The curtains were "Edie's white curtains." The richest parts of the book were the details about the characters' pasts and childhoods, but like the descriptions, these were often shoved into the text, distracting from the overall story.
For me, this sentences sums up the writing style of the book. It's unnecessary to say cola, Coke, and soda all in the same sentence. TOO MUCH.
As a ghost story, I found this extremely unsatisfying (as is usually the case with me and ghost stories, to be fair), and as a story of a man's broken psyche I found it equally unsatisfying. I enjoyed Ahlborn's Brother much more.
Ahlborn's writing was a bit much. There were descriptors squashed in everywhere. The wallpaper couldn't be just wallpaper, it was always's "Edie's old wallpaper." The curtains were "Edie's white curtains." The richest parts of the book were the details about the characters' pasts and childhoods, but like the descriptions, these were often shoved into the text, distracting from the overall story.
Grabbing for the cup of cola in the center console, he sucked down four successive gulps of Coke, wishing it were something other than soda, something that could soothe his nerves.
For me, this sentences sums up the writing style of the book. It's unnecessary to say cola, Coke, and soda all in the same sentence. TOO MUCH.
As a ghost story, I found this extremely unsatisfying (as is usually the case with me and ghost stories, to be fair), and as a story of a man's broken psyche I found it equally unsatisfying. I enjoyed Ahlborn's Brother much more.
June 21, 2016
The beginning of this book was quite intense and had me hooked right away. Aaron never knew his parents. He was raised by his aunt until the horrible day he lost her. At that time he was whisked away from his friends, and his childhood girlfriend never to return or contact them again...until another tragedy sends him home to Holbrook house. Aaron is in a terrible state of mind, and the fact that his childhood home is now considered the local haunted house by the towns people doesn't help matters any. He really is not a believer in ghosts or hauntings, but something has been waiting a very long time for Aaron to come home. I enjoyed this book though I can't say it blew me away like the previous work I read by this author "Brother"
August 4, 2023
4⭐️’s
This was a really good book, I just feel like there could have been more. However I love this author! I love her dark stories! This was a disturbing tale and sometimes I thought I was crazy myself it was super compelling.
This was a really good book, I just feel like there could have been more. However I love this author! I love her dark stories! This was a disturbing tale and sometimes I thought I was crazy myself it was super compelling.
October 16, 2015
3.5 stars
It seems I can’t get away from the is-it-really-horror-or-is-the-main-character-simply-going-insane type of books this Halloween 2015 season: The Haunting of Hill House (a group/buddy read with The Pantsless Ones), Bird Box, and now The Bird Eater.
I originally purchased this in early 2014 as part of the Amazon Kindle First program. After a few pickups and putdowns, I decided I would finally read this in conjunction with the RMFAO group genre challenge for this month: RMFAO October is Horror Month.
Synopsis: Aaron Holbrook returns home after a 21-year absence, taken away after a horrific event leaves him without adult supervision. On the advice of his therapist, he moves back to Arkansas after the death of his son in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, for which he blames himself. This old, dilapidated home is not the place of fond memories, and is also a place that his haunted by a brutal teenaged ghost. Great setup, no?
This horror story hit the mark in some areas, and missing completely in others. The hits include Aunt Edie’s backstory, as well as the story of Aaron’s son, providing some sympathetic characters. A major miss includes the whole idea that Cheri, Aaron’s girlfriend from middle school (when they are both 14), would pine away for 21 years awaiting his return. It was simply too farfetched for me, and that whole “rekindled” relationship just didn’t sit right, leaving me cold. Another miss is the lack of motivation of almost all of the characters. Why should we care about Aaron, Eric, Cheri, Hazel or any of the others? They all needed a lot more development.
Ultimately, I enjoy Ania Ahlborn’s writing. She’s definitely talented and has a real knack for description and capturing emotions. This wasn’t her best effort (I’m still partial to Seed), but it wasn’t a bad read, either. If you enjoy a novel with a creepiness factor cranked up to 11, this is a book I’d recommend.
It seems I can’t get away from the is-it-really-horror-or-is-the-main-character-simply-going-insane type of books this Halloween 2015 season: The Haunting of Hill House (a group/buddy read with The Pantsless Ones), Bird Box, and now The Bird Eater.
I originally purchased this in early 2014 as part of the Amazon Kindle First program. After a few pickups and putdowns, I decided I would finally read this in conjunction with the RMFAO group genre challenge for this month: RMFAO October is Horror Month.
Synopsis: Aaron Holbrook returns home after a 21-year absence, taken away after a horrific event leaves him without adult supervision. On the advice of his therapist, he moves back to Arkansas after the death of his son in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, for which he blames himself. This old, dilapidated home is not the place of fond memories, and is also a place that his haunted by a brutal teenaged ghost. Great setup, no?
This horror story hit the mark in some areas, and missing completely in others. The hits include Aunt Edie’s backstory, as well as the story of Aaron’s son, providing some sympathetic characters. A major miss includes the whole idea that Cheri, Aaron’s girlfriend from middle school (when they are both 14), would pine away for 21 years awaiting his return. It was simply too farfetched for me, and that whole “rekindled” relationship just didn’t sit right, leaving me cold. Another miss is the lack of motivation of almost all of the characters. Why should we care about Aaron, Eric, Cheri, Hazel or any of the others? They all needed a lot more development.
Ultimately, I enjoy Ania Ahlborn’s writing. She’s definitely talented and has a real knack for description and capturing emotions. This wasn’t her best effort (I’m still partial to Seed), but it wasn’t a bad read, either. If you enjoy a novel with a creepiness factor cranked up to 11, this is a book I’d recommend.
February 16, 2016
A solid, creepy novel. I was leaning toward a 3.5 rating, but the ending kind of let me down. I like Ahlborn's style, and I look forward to reading her other books.
March 11, 2016
As usual I received this book for free. This time it was from Kindle Firsts. I'm glad I did because it was a breathless four hours on the sofa.
To describe this book in a nutshell, it's one of those wonderfully ambivalent horror novels that mystify you with their gruesomeness as you're reading and leave you with a big question mark at the end. The novel is fairly gory in bits but not outrageously so and those with a passionate fixation for kindness towards birds would be well advised to steer clear because they are among the primary victims of unpleasantness.
To the positive side, this book strikes a good balance between inspiring horror and providing background. The first chapter is vivid, cruel and horrifying in the extreme but after it gets you hooked things do settle down into a more standard pace. The author is clearly very practiced and proficient at descriptions of things that most of us just don't want to think about. I came away with some very clear mental pictures of this evil that are likely to haunt my dreams for a while.
The only negative I could really come up with is that while the over-arching story is fairly unique, some of the specific mechanisms that the author uses to get there are pretty standard. I can't really mention... any of them... because I don't want to spoil anything but I think you'll know them when you see them. Despite this tiny, and I do mean tiny, negative, the effect of the author's writing is still exceptionally strong.
In summary, this is one to curl up with when you have 4 hours to sit and blast through the whole thing in one go. I did it bright and early on a Saturday morning but the results in the middle of the night would be soul-shaking. Highly recommended for those who don't mind a bit of gore and who don't mind NOT having an iron-clad answer to the question of "So what exactly happened...?"
--
Rob Slaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatteredthread/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RobSlave...
WordPress: https://tthread.wordpress.com/
To describe this book in a nutshell, it's one of those wonderfully ambivalent horror novels that mystify you with their gruesomeness as you're reading and leave you with a big question mark at the end. The novel is fairly gory in bits but not outrageously so and those with a passionate fixation for kindness towards birds would be well advised to steer clear because they are among the primary victims of unpleasantness.
To the positive side, this book strikes a good balance between inspiring horror and providing background. The first chapter is vivid, cruel and horrifying in the extreme but after it gets you hooked things do settle down into a more standard pace. The author is clearly very practiced and proficient at descriptions of things that most of us just don't want to think about. I came away with some very clear mental pictures of this evil that are likely to haunt my dreams for a while.
The only negative I could really come up with is that while the over-arching story is fairly unique, some of the specific mechanisms that the author uses to get there are pretty standard. I can't really mention... any of them... because I don't want to spoil anything but I think you'll know them when you see them. Despite this tiny, and I do mean tiny, negative, the effect of the author's writing is still exceptionally strong.
In summary, this is one to curl up with when you have 4 hours to sit and blast through the whole thing in one go. I did it bright and early on a Saturday morning but the results in the middle of the night would be soul-shaking. Highly recommended for those who don't mind a bit of gore and who don't mind NOT having an iron-clad answer to the question of "So what exactly happened...?"
--
Rob Slaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatteredthread/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RobSlave...
WordPress: https://tthread.wordpress.com/
May 28, 2014
4.5 Stars
The Bird Eater is a well written atmospheric thriller of a horror novel. Ania Ahlborn has quietly moved up my list of favorite horror authors that I have Caitlin Kiernan perched a top of. Ahlborn writes horror by ensuring that suspense, world building, tension, and atmosphere take the center stage. This book is no exception. The protagonist of this novel, Aaron is broken in so many ways that the outcome of this book to me was clear from the start.
I love how Alborn slowly told us just how messed up Aaron is and about how many awful things have happened to him. She also did a great job at tying in these revelations as more and more of the bird eater is revealed.
Sure this book is not perfect, but who cares it is an easy, rewarding, and fun read. To me the only real problem that I had was that I could see the end coming from early on.
I am a huge fan of Ania Ahlborn and if you have not read her before, then you should.
Highly recommended.
The Bird Eater is a well written atmospheric thriller of a horror novel. Ania Ahlborn has quietly moved up my list of favorite horror authors that I have Caitlin Kiernan perched a top of. Ahlborn writes horror by ensuring that suspense, world building, tension, and atmosphere take the center stage. This book is no exception. The protagonist of this novel, Aaron is broken in so many ways that the outcome of this book to me was clear from the start.
I love how Alborn slowly told us just how messed up Aaron is and about how many awful things have happened to him. She also did a great job at tying in these revelations as more and more of the bird eater is revealed.
Sure this book is not perfect, but who cares it is an easy, rewarding, and fun read. To me the only real problem that I had was that I could see the end coming from early on.
I am a huge fan of Ania Ahlborn and if you have not read her before, then you should.
Highly recommended.
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