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The Insect Farm
An eerie debut suspense novel that explores how little one man may know his own brother--and his own mind.
The Maguire brothers each have their own driving, single-minded obsession. For Jonathan, it is his magnificent, talented, and desirable wife, Harriet. For Roger, it is the elaborate universe he has constructed in a shed in their parents' garden, populated by millions of tiny insects. While Jonathan's pursuit of Harriet leads him to feelings of jealousy and anguish, Roger's immersion in the world he has created reveals a capability and talent which are absent from his everyday life.
Roger is known to all as a loving, protective, yet simple man, but the ever-growing complexity of the insect farm suggests that he is capable of far more than anyone believes. Following a series of strange and disturbing incidents, Jonathan begins to question every story he has ever been told about his brother--and if he has so completely misjudged Roger's mind, what else might he have overlooked about his family, and himself?
As the accidents at home multiply and tragedy strikes, a startling picture emerges. One of these brothers is a killer, and the other has no idea.
The Maguire brothers each have their own driving, single-minded obsession. For Jonathan, it is his magnificent, talented, and desirable wife, Harriet. For Roger, it is the elaborate universe he has constructed in a shed in their parents' garden, populated by millions of tiny insects. While Jonathan's pursuit of Harriet leads him to feelings of jealousy and anguish, Roger's immersion in the world he has created reveals a capability and talent which are absent from his everyday life.
Roger is known to all as a loving, protective, yet simple man, but the ever-growing complexity of the insect farm suggests that he is capable of far more than anyone believes. Following a series of strange and disturbing incidents, Jonathan begins to question every story he has ever been told about his brother--and if he has so completely misjudged Roger's mind, what else might he have overlooked about his family, and himself?
As the accidents at home multiply and tragedy strikes, a startling picture emerges. One of these brothers is a killer, and the other has no idea.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2015
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1475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
February 5, 2017
I’ve had The Insect Farm on my TBR shelves for a year but I’ve just never gotten round to it. A couple of weeks ago I decided it was there long enough, and that I needed to get it read.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up The Insect Farm, but what I read definitely wasn’t it! And not necessarily in a bad way either! Just in that kind of, what’s really going on here, way!
I’m not going to dissect the plot, but I will say that the blurb above is not an accurate representation of what goes on in the book, in my opinion. While that is by no means a bad thing, in terms of pacing etc it left me starting off on the back foot a little. I had been expecting one kind of story and got another.
The Insect Farm is most definitely a slow burner as regards any kind of thrilling element, but there is something and nothing happening all the time during the book. If I’m honest, the book didn’t pick up for me until maybe 2/3 of the way through, but from there on it definitely kept my attention.
The titular insect farm almost became another character as it featured quite often. The dark, damp soil and mazes of tunnels were most definitely creepy to read about. If, like me, you don’t like bugs all too much, then this one will give you the shivers at times. However, the presence and almost hypnotic power of the insect farm and its effect on the characters is an interesting aside.
So, The Insect Farm. All is not what it seems with this one. Elements of the macabre, mixed with domestic noir make for a slightly more unusual take on a thriller.
Recommended.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up The Insect Farm, but what I read definitely wasn’t it! And not necessarily in a bad way either! Just in that kind of, what’s really going on here, way!
I’m not going to dissect the plot, but I will say that the blurb above is not an accurate representation of what goes on in the book, in my opinion. While that is by no means a bad thing, in terms of pacing etc it left me starting off on the back foot a little. I had been expecting one kind of story and got another.
The Insect Farm is most definitely a slow burner as regards any kind of thrilling element, but there is something and nothing happening all the time during the book. If I’m honest, the book didn’t pick up for me until maybe 2/3 of the way through, but from there on it definitely kept my attention.
The titular insect farm almost became another character as it featured quite often. The dark, damp soil and mazes of tunnels were most definitely creepy to read about. If, like me, you don’t like bugs all too much, then this one will give you the shivers at times. However, the presence and almost hypnotic power of the insect farm and its effect on the characters is an interesting aside.
So, The Insect Farm. All is not what it seems with this one. Elements of the macabre, mixed with domestic noir make for a slightly more unusual take on a thriller.
Recommended.
August 6, 2015
Two brothers, Jonathan and Roger, Roger has some learning disabilities, mental issues. We never really know just what is wrong with Roger. I think this book would have be far more interesting if we could have heard what Roger was thinking. But the story is from Jonathan's perspective only, he is the narrator. Jonathan takes care of his brother Roger after the death of their parents, which he will do for his entire lifetime. But prior to their parents deaths, Jonathan meets Harriet and they go off to college together and they get married. Jonathan has a bit of a jealous streak. Roger has a insect farm where he spends the majority of his time. The premise of the story is how well do you ever know anyone, especially your mentally handicapped brother. I guess where I felt the story fell down is, hey why don't you ask your brother...but then where would the story be. There are parts that I really like about this book but his descriptions were overly explained, and I found it repetitive and a bit boring, but I still liked the entirety of the story.
August 18, 2015
Full Review at Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2015/0...
The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble is a fascinating look into one man’s life, and his relationship with his brother. Jonathan is the younger brother of a much better looking, but also simple minded Roger. Much of this book revolves around their relationship and the impact it has on Jonathan’s life.
Jonathan is trying to live a normal life. He goes to college, falls in love and seems to be headed there. But, his insecurities can make it difficult. And then he is called back home, leaving the “typical life” behind.
As a reader I couldn’t help but theorize while reading this, trying to solve the mysteries that accrue during the story. And while I got some right, I got others wrong. There is a bit of unpredictability in this. We are seeing things from Jonathan’s perspective, so we only get the information he is aware of and finds important.
This is not a speculative fiction book and I am honestly not sure what I’d classify it as. Maybe mystery? It is more a of a introspective look at the relationship between the brothers. From the description, I expected a creepier, more suspenseful book. But, I really enjoyed the book for what it is. And it definitely has a dark edge to it, sometimes books without any sort of supernatural element can actually be much more disturbing because it is a look into what humans are capable of.
After finishing, I chatted about this book with another reader. I loved getting to do this, because it is a book that really can cause speculation and deeper observation into the motivations of characters. After you finish, you can’t help but still try to puzzle all the pieces together and look back at the entire story from the beginning and wonder about so many things that happened early on. Trying to decide if there were ulterior motives that you might have missed on the initial read.
The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble is a fascinating look into one man’s life, and his relationship with his brother. Jonathan is the younger brother of a much better looking, but also simple minded Roger. Much of this book revolves around their relationship and the impact it has on Jonathan’s life.
Jonathan is trying to live a normal life. He goes to college, falls in love and seems to be headed there. But, his insecurities can make it difficult. And then he is called back home, leaving the “typical life” behind.
As a reader I couldn’t help but theorize while reading this, trying to solve the mysteries that accrue during the story. And while I got some right, I got others wrong. There is a bit of unpredictability in this. We are seeing things from Jonathan’s perspective, so we only get the information he is aware of and finds important.
This is not a speculative fiction book and I am honestly not sure what I’d classify it as. Maybe mystery? It is more a of a introspective look at the relationship between the brothers. From the description, I expected a creepier, more suspenseful book. But, I really enjoyed the book for what it is. And it definitely has a dark edge to it, sometimes books without any sort of supernatural element can actually be much more disturbing because it is a look into what humans are capable of.
After finishing, I chatted about this book with another reader. I loved getting to do this, because it is a book that really can cause speculation and deeper observation into the motivations of characters. After you finish, you can’t help but still try to puzzle all the pieces together and look back at the entire story from the beginning and wonder about so many things that happened early on. Trying to decide if there were ulterior motives that you might have missed on the initial read.
July 21, 2015
3.5 out of 4 stars
https://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
’ve had a few days to reflect on The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble and yet in spite of the extra time for reflection my thoughts are still a bit of a jumble.
The Insect Farm brings to us the Maguire brothers, Jonathan and Roger. Even though there is something of an age difference the two grow up with a strong bond and are virtually inseparable – up to a point. The point where Jonathan becomes interested in girls and having a social life and Roger’s ambitions take a completely different turn. Roger is a very simple character, I can’t remember whether this is ever elaborated upon in the book but basically put he will never be mentally capable of looking after himself as he remains in an almost perpetual childlike state. As the two mature and Jonathan takes on everyday pursuits that lead him away from the home Roger starts to collect insects and what starts out as a random collection of ants and the like turns into a major project with more exotic creatures kept behind glass. At this point in the story you can see the traits of obsessiveness in both boys. Jonathan becomes completely besotted with his girlfriend and future wife, Harriet, and Roger spends every day at the shed nurturing his insects. It all has this feeling of looming disaster – with creepy crawlies!!
Then catastrophe strikes and the boys’ parents die in an unfortunate accident. Jonathan chooses to put his plans for university on hold and return to look after his brother, effectively putting a few hundred miles between himself and Harriet and thereby setting in motion a series of events that become almost inevitable.
What I really liked about this story was the narration. The tale is told by Jonathan whose voice flows and is really quite compelling and there is an ever mounting sense of ‘things about to go horribly wrong’ that frankly makes you race through the book. Jonathan is the main character and I enjoyed reading his story. Roger and Harriet we only get to see through Jonathan’s eyes which might not be totally reliable after all as we are only getting his side of the story. As the book progresses we start to have a few hints of mistrust, some that may be simple misunderstandings and others created by the suspicions of others, for example, the police. There are also a few snippets of things that appear to be laying a trail of cookie crumbs – a trail that falsely led me straight to a dead end and an unsuspected dead body. Okay, I knew there was going to be a murder from the book description but it still came a little bit out of the blue for me!
I’m not sure whether this is a criticism or not really but i expected this book to be a lot more psychologically chilling and to be honest it just wasn’t. Now, that’s not to say I didn’t like the story or the style of writing, because I did, it just really wasn’t what I was expecting so whilst I didn’t have goosebumps I was still compelled to turn the pages fairly quickly. In one respect I feel like this is somehow a missed opportunity because there is clearly a lot of scope here to be a good deal more creepy but then on the other hand I did enjoy it – conflicted! And that’s my conundrum, I think because I was expecting something more dark and foreboding I couldn’t help feeling a tad disappointed – whilst at the same time being faced with the contradictory feelings of having liked the read overall. I guess it goes to show how much your own expectations can muddy the water sometimes.
The other thing that did occur to me was that the ending was too rushed. We have this really well told story that sucks us in, paints a picture and carefully sets out its stall but then suddenly it’s like the story bolts out of the gates with it’s pants on fire and events flick fowards at a furious rate similar to the digits flying round the clock on Well’s Time Machine. Again, I think this was simply too rushed and it all seemed to be to fit in with one thing, concerning Roger’s ability to remember things, which on reflection just doesn’t gel for me. I can’t elaborate further because it would be a spoiler.
I suppose the other puzzle that has me pondering is whether or not Roger was quite as ‘simple minded’ as everyone really thought or was he more calculating. I’m not sure I really know the answer to that or not – part of me finds it a bit much to have had this character who throughout the book has needed constant care, even though he can clearly look after a whole range of different insects, who now at the conclusion suddenly seems to be a good deal more astute than previously suspected. There’s another quibble – if Roger is more intelligent than he makes out why would he be content to live in this way for the largest part of his life? Anyway, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. I’ll have to think on it some more, is the end a bit of a blunder or is it quite clever and is the author leaving certain decisions up to the reader? I’m not sure I really have the answer and because I’m struggling to find my own resolution it leaves me feeling somewhat unsettled. I don’t think I’m the sort of person who needs spoon feeding and I enjoy the opportunity to figure things out and find my own lightbulb moment but at the moment I feel like I’m in the dark.
In spite of my criticisms I did enjoy this but I think because of my own expectations I didn’t love it as much as I expected and so if you’re intending to read this just be aware that this isn’t a dark, chilling, psychological thriller with insect horror thrown in – more subtle mystery murder..
I received a copy of this from the publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
https://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
’ve had a few days to reflect on The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble and yet in spite of the extra time for reflection my thoughts are still a bit of a jumble.
The Insect Farm brings to us the Maguire brothers, Jonathan and Roger. Even though there is something of an age difference the two grow up with a strong bond and are virtually inseparable – up to a point. The point where Jonathan becomes interested in girls and having a social life and Roger’s ambitions take a completely different turn. Roger is a very simple character, I can’t remember whether this is ever elaborated upon in the book but basically put he will never be mentally capable of looking after himself as he remains in an almost perpetual childlike state. As the two mature and Jonathan takes on everyday pursuits that lead him away from the home Roger starts to collect insects and what starts out as a random collection of ants and the like turns into a major project with more exotic creatures kept behind glass. At this point in the story you can see the traits of obsessiveness in both boys. Jonathan becomes completely besotted with his girlfriend and future wife, Harriet, and Roger spends every day at the shed nurturing his insects. It all has this feeling of looming disaster – with creepy crawlies!!
Then catastrophe strikes and the boys’ parents die in an unfortunate accident. Jonathan chooses to put his plans for university on hold and return to look after his brother, effectively putting a few hundred miles between himself and Harriet and thereby setting in motion a series of events that become almost inevitable.
What I really liked about this story was the narration. The tale is told by Jonathan whose voice flows and is really quite compelling and there is an ever mounting sense of ‘things about to go horribly wrong’ that frankly makes you race through the book. Jonathan is the main character and I enjoyed reading his story. Roger and Harriet we only get to see through Jonathan’s eyes which might not be totally reliable after all as we are only getting his side of the story. As the book progresses we start to have a few hints of mistrust, some that may be simple misunderstandings and others created by the suspicions of others, for example, the police. There are also a few snippets of things that appear to be laying a trail of cookie crumbs – a trail that falsely led me straight to a dead end and an unsuspected dead body. Okay, I knew there was going to be a murder from the book description but it still came a little bit out of the blue for me!
I’m not sure whether this is a criticism or not really but i expected this book to be a lot more psychologically chilling and to be honest it just wasn’t. Now, that’s not to say I didn’t like the story or the style of writing, because I did, it just really wasn’t what I was expecting so whilst I didn’t have goosebumps I was still compelled to turn the pages fairly quickly. In one respect I feel like this is somehow a missed opportunity because there is clearly a lot of scope here to be a good deal more creepy but then on the other hand I did enjoy it – conflicted! And that’s my conundrum, I think because I was expecting something more dark and foreboding I couldn’t help feeling a tad disappointed – whilst at the same time being faced with the contradictory feelings of having liked the read overall. I guess it goes to show how much your own expectations can muddy the water sometimes.
The other thing that did occur to me was that the ending was too rushed. We have this really well told story that sucks us in, paints a picture and carefully sets out its stall but then suddenly it’s like the story bolts out of the gates with it’s pants on fire and events flick fowards at a furious rate similar to the digits flying round the clock on Well’s Time Machine. Again, I think this was simply too rushed and it all seemed to be to fit in with one thing, concerning Roger’s ability to remember things, which on reflection just doesn’t gel for me. I can’t elaborate further because it would be a spoiler.
I suppose the other puzzle that has me pondering is whether or not Roger was quite as ‘simple minded’ as everyone really thought or was he more calculating. I’m not sure I really know the answer to that or not – part of me finds it a bit much to have had this character who throughout the book has needed constant care, even though he can clearly look after a whole range of different insects, who now at the conclusion suddenly seems to be a good deal more astute than previously suspected. There’s another quibble – if Roger is more intelligent than he makes out why would he be content to live in this way for the largest part of his life? Anyway, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. I’ll have to think on it some more, is the end a bit of a blunder or is it quite clever and is the author leaving certain decisions up to the reader? I’m not sure I really have the answer and because I’m struggling to find my own resolution it leaves me feeling somewhat unsettled. I don’t think I’m the sort of person who needs spoon feeding and I enjoy the opportunity to figure things out and find my own lightbulb moment but at the moment I feel like I’m in the dark.
In spite of my criticisms I did enjoy this but I think because of my own expectations I didn’t love it as much as I expected and so if you’re intending to read this just be aware that this isn’t a dark, chilling, psychological thriller with insect horror thrown in – more subtle mystery murder..
I received a copy of this from the publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
November 2, 2015
I have a lot of thoughts on this one, and I'm pretty sure they all contradict each other. So if this review makes very little sense, it's because my feelings about The Insect Farm make very little sense.
This is the story of Jonathan Maguire and his brother Roger, who has an unidentified mental disability. The plot is set in 1960s/70s England as Jonathan grows up, goes to school, gets married, etc. To give away too much of the plot would fall into major spoilers category, but let's just say it's mainly a family drama, with a side of mystery and a few plot twists thrown in.
While overall I guess I liked the second half better (maybe? I don't know! I warned you, my thoughts on this are a mess), the first half does a good job with Jonathan's younger years. I thought the early chapters did a great job showing how egocentric childhood often is. Jonathan is completely enraptured by the joys of summer camp as a young boy and doesn't give much thought to his brother at home, but is hurt by the thought that maybe Roger didn't constantly miss him either. It also did a good job of showing the pretension of the teen years. God, teenage Harriet was insufferable, which was the point I think. What teen doesn't think that their thoughts are monumentally big and priceless, that no one has ever felt this way before?
What didn't work for me was Jonathan as the narrator / main character. I never got attached to him or felt much for him at all. Really, none of the characters wowed me. I can forgive a million faults in a book if it has at least one character that captures my heart. This one didn't. I also wasn't enamored of the writing. It wasn't bad, but I just wasn't a fan personally.
My other big issue was
That said, I never once considered not finishing it. Even when it annoyed me, or failed to completely connect, I was still interested to see how it would end. Long story short, I liked it but I didn't.
The Insect Farm was a freebie from Goodreads First Reads. Thanks Goodreads!
This is the story of Jonathan Maguire and his brother Roger, who has an unidentified mental disability. The plot is set in 1960s/70s England as Jonathan grows up, goes to school, gets married, etc. To give away too much of the plot would fall into major spoilers category, but let's just say it's mainly a family drama, with a side of mystery and a few plot twists thrown in.
While overall I guess I liked the second half better (maybe? I don't know! I warned you, my thoughts on this are a mess), the first half does a good job with Jonathan's younger years. I thought the early chapters did a great job showing how egocentric childhood often is. Jonathan is completely enraptured by the joys of summer camp as a young boy and doesn't give much thought to his brother at home, but is hurt by the thought that maybe Roger didn't constantly miss him either. It also did a good job of showing the pretension of the teen years. God, teenage Harriet was insufferable, which was the point I think. What teen doesn't think that their thoughts are monumentally big and priceless, that no one has ever felt this way before?
What didn't work for me was Jonathan as the narrator / main character. I never got attached to him or felt much for him at all. Really, none of the characters wowed me. I can forgive a million faults in a book if it has at least one character that captures my heart. This one didn't. I also wasn't enamored of the writing. It wasn't bad, but I just wasn't a fan personally.
My other big issue was
That said, I never once considered not finishing it. Even when it annoyed me, or failed to completely connect, I was still interested to see how it would end. Long story short, I liked it but I didn't.
The Insect Farm was a freebie from Goodreads First Reads. Thanks Goodreads!
March 18, 2016
Roger is Jonathan's older brother and though he has a mental handicap, he is always sure to protect Jonathan and keep him safe from childhood bullies or anyone else who may want to hurt or upset him, as an older brother should.
As they age they each have their own desires and obsessions, Jonathan's is his wife Harriet and Roger's is his insect farm. Circumstances lead to Jonathan becoming Roger's guardian, he refuses to have him put into a 'home' and changes his life plans to take care of his brother. While thought of as a 'simple' man, Jonathan is often surprised at Roger's lifelong dedication to and his knowledge of the workings of his insect farm and wonders how much he knows of what is going on in Roger's mind, how much Roger really knows about what is going on around him and how much he may be involved in the events of their lives.
The Insect Farm is a well written psychological thriller that asks the question how well do we really know the people closest to us ... the ones we think we know the best
As they age they each have their own desires and obsessions, Jonathan's is his wife Harriet and Roger's is his insect farm. Circumstances lead to Jonathan becoming Roger's guardian, he refuses to have him put into a 'home' and changes his life plans to take care of his brother. While thought of as a 'simple' man, Jonathan is often surprised at Roger's lifelong dedication to and his knowledge of the workings of his insect farm and wonders how much he knows of what is going on in Roger's mind, how much Roger really knows about what is going on around him and how much he may be involved in the events of their lives.
The Insect Farm is a well written psychological thriller that asks the question how well do we really know the people closest to us ... the ones we think we know the best
May 18, 2015
DNF 13%
Just a big ol' bowl of ehhhh.
Just a big ol' bowl of ehhhh.
August 17, 2016
I'm very conflicted when it comes to this book.
On one hand it was a very enjoayble read, the plot was very interesting and huge YAY for an unreliable narrator that was FINALLY properly constructed!
so props for you, Stuart!
My main problem is with the ending.
It was obvious who's the killer like 5 minutes after the murder. Even though, I really enjoyed following the main chcracter and was curious if the police will find out who'd done it.
The ending was very anticlimatic, I was really expecting something horrible happening to Jonathan, and when the moment came I was all like "wait, what? That's all?".
The only chcracter that I couldn't stand was Harriet. She was insufferable!
I know that we all think that everything that we say when we're teenagres is so damn profoud, so wonderful, that we're all misunderstood. Yeah, I know that. But her jazz/blues/opera metaphor was so far-fetched that the only thing I wanted to do was to punch her in the face.
Just shut up, you sound like Paulo Coehlo!
It was very exciting to see how police worked in the 70s. I have no idea if any of it is showing how it really was, but if it is, then I'd be surprised that ANY crime was solved.
It was also very interesting when you get to think that if this crime happened now it would be all so different.
On one hand it was a very enjoayble read, the plot was very interesting and huge YAY for an unreliable narrator that was FINALLY properly constructed!
so props for you, Stuart!
My main problem is with the ending.
It was obvious who's the killer like 5 minutes after the murder. Even though, I really enjoyed following the main chcracter and was curious if the police will find out who'd done it.
The ending was very anticlimatic, I was really expecting something horrible happening to Jonathan, and when the moment came I was all like "wait, what? That's all?".
The only chcracter that I couldn't stand was Harriet. She was insufferable!
I know that we all think that everything that we say when we're teenagres is so damn profoud, so wonderful, that we're all misunderstood. Yeah, I know that. But her jazz/blues/opera metaphor was so far-fetched that the only thing I wanted to do was to punch her in the face.
Just shut up, you sound like Paulo Coehlo!
It was very exciting to see how police worked in the 70s. I have no idea if any of it is showing how it really was, but if it is, then I'd be surprised that ANY crime was solved.
It was also very interesting when you get to think that if this crime happened now it would be all so different.
July 23, 2015
This book has an intriguing plot, no doubt, but it's another book about men and their quest to own women - their bodies, their sex lives, their careers. I'm just so tired of this narrative.
January 15, 2019
Finished reading: January 13th 2019
“In my mind, and what keeps coming back to me is that the insect farm has been a hidden player in so much that has happened - the continuing thread running behind so many of the milestones along the way.”
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
October 18, 2019
Slow burning book, but you get to connect with the characters.
I felt the narrator’s emotions to the point, whenever he was angry, hurt, sad or in love, I strongly felt the same. By no means do I say that he is a good person, far from it! But the book was narrated beautifully.
I wish the pace was a bit faster though because I got bored so many times where I was about to DNF the book. Overall, it was alright
2.5/5 stars
I felt the narrator’s emotions to the point, whenever he was angry, hurt, sad or in love, I strongly felt the same. By no means do I say that he is a good person, far from it! But the book was narrated beautifully.
I wish the pace was a bit faster though because I got bored so many times where I was about to DNF the book. Overall, it was alright
2.5/5 stars
June 16, 2018
Un roman vraiment étrange mais envoûtant. C'est l'histoire d'une relation fraternelle très forte et qui inspire un profond malaise, pourtant cela se lit d'une traite et nous entraîne dans les méandres d'une psychose paranoïaque qu'on ne voit pas venir et qui nous scotche aux pages du bouquin. Clap your hands. **3.5 stars**
http://blogclarabel.canalblog.com/arc...
http://blogclarabel.canalblog.com/arc...
Want to read
September 29, 2020Haven't read this yet, but it's on sale for Kindle for $1.99, if you wanna try it out. Check it out here.
November 8, 2015
I found this psychological narrative in the science fiction section of the bookstore, which is what peaked by interest. At first, I thought the novel had been misplaced. The insect farm, itself, does play an important role in the novel. It is a setting, yes, but - in many ways - a character by way of community/microcosm. But does that warrant its placement in the sci-fi genre? As I read on, and the story unfolded, it began to make a little more sense. The insect farm does play a more important role than it appears because of what it reveals about its caretaker/owner - Roger. Roger, we discover, has a God-complex; it comes from serving as God to this microcosm - the insect farm. And that complex makes all the difference in how the novel plays out.
When I was at OSU I took a class in Disability Studies - which involved the representation/portrayal of disabled characters in literature. I wonder how this would fare in that class. We have a character presented with something akin to Downs Syndrome but - more highly functioning. The author does a good job in creating this Downs Syndrome character as complex - something that would break down the stereotype of how we tend to view this population of people. So, in that regard, the novel is very interesting in character development of the "abled" and the "not so abled".
Really, this is a story about two brothers and their father (what story isn't?). It's about the choices they make and the effects of these choices (both short-term and long-term) as they make their way in the world and consider what family is and what family should be.
And there is music. Musicians. Artists/scientists and all that entails. It is, really, very interesting. Anyone interested in psychological novels would enjoy it - I think. Hard core sci fi readers may not find it as interesting as the sci fi is definitely "soft" but...someone interested in the subtleties of the science and how science can affect human lives and the human psyche more than we probably think/realize should enjoy the story.
There is some interesting theological and philosophical discussion that could take place around this novel too.
When I was at OSU I took a class in Disability Studies - which involved the representation/portrayal of disabled characters in literature. I wonder how this would fare in that class. We have a character presented with something akin to Downs Syndrome but - more highly functioning. The author does a good job in creating this Downs Syndrome character as complex - something that would break down the stereotype of how we tend to view this population of people. So, in that regard, the novel is very interesting in character development of the "abled" and the "not so abled".
Really, this is a story about two brothers and their father (what story isn't?). It's about the choices they make and the effects of these choices (both short-term and long-term) as they make their way in the world and consider what family is and what family should be.
And there is music. Musicians. Artists/scientists and all that entails. It is, really, very interesting. Anyone interested in psychological novels would enjoy it - I think. Hard core sci fi readers may not find it as interesting as the sci fi is definitely "soft" but...someone interested in the subtleties of the science and how science can affect human lives and the human psyche more than we probably think/realize should enjoy the story.
There is some interesting theological and philosophical discussion that could take place around this novel too.
June 15, 2015
I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.
'The Insect Farm' is the story of Jonathan and his older brother Roger. Roger has an unidentified mental handicap that gives him a youthful glee for Jonathan's cheesy jokes, an obsessive enthusiasm for insects, and a blank stare he can hide his secrets behind. The story is told from Jonathan's perspective - he meets a girl, goes off to college, then his parents die and he has to move home to take care of Roger and Roger's insect farm. The opening scene is totally creepy, and the story is definitely a thriller.
I read 90% of this book in one sitting: it is well written and the plot flows well, which made it pretty easy to devour. The story was a little bit lacking in character development (hence the four star review), but I liked the way the author used Roger as a mouthpiece for analogies in the book. It reminded me a lot of 'House Rules' by Jodi Picoult, combined with the Tell-Tale Heart, so I found the ending fairly predictable, but it was an enjoyable read. I found the Roger character fascinating - the whole point of the story is that Roger is unreadable, even by his brother, the person who knows him better than anyone else. I would have loved to have read chapters from Roger's perspective, simply because I am beyond curious about what goes on in his head, but peeking behind that curtain would have ruined the main thematic drive of the plot.
Four stars.
'The Insect Farm' is the story of Jonathan and his older brother Roger. Roger has an unidentified mental handicap that gives him a youthful glee for Jonathan's cheesy jokes, an obsessive enthusiasm for insects, and a blank stare he can hide his secrets behind. The story is told from Jonathan's perspective - he meets a girl, goes off to college, then his parents die and he has to move home to take care of Roger and Roger's insect farm. The opening scene is totally creepy, and the story is definitely a thriller.
I read 90% of this book in one sitting: it is well written and the plot flows well, which made it pretty easy to devour. The story was a little bit lacking in character development (hence the four star review), but I liked the way the author used Roger as a mouthpiece for analogies in the book. It reminded me a lot of 'House Rules' by Jodi Picoult, combined with the Tell-Tale Heart, so I found the ending fairly predictable, but it was an enjoyable read. I found the Roger character fascinating - the whole point of the story is that Roger is unreadable, even by his brother, the person who knows him better than anyone else. I would have loved to have read chapters from Roger's perspective, simply because I am beyond curious about what goes on in his head, but peeking behind that curtain would have ruined the main thematic drive of the plot.
Four stars.
June 13, 2015
The Insect Farm was a terrific read. The novel revolves around the obsessive lives of the Maguire brothers. Jonathan's obsession is Harriet who eventually becomes his wife and Roger's is insects and has created a world for them in a shed.
The novel follows the lives of two brothers. Jonathan who leads a normal life and Roger who is "simple" and views the world as a child would. As the brothers grow older Jonathan moves on to university and Roger remains engrossed in his insect world.
A house fire claims the lives of the brothers' parents and Jonathan leaves university to stay and take care of Roger. Jonathan and Harriet marry but Harriet resides at university 300 miles away. This puts a strain on their marriage and Jonathan is worried that Harriet is cheating on him.
I'm not continuing to review this to the end of the book as I do not want to ruin the ending of the novel. However I was not prepared for the ending. I went back to the prologue and then "WOW" it hit me. I got it!
I received a copy of Insect Farm for free from Goodreads First Reads.
The novel follows the lives of two brothers. Jonathan who leads a normal life and Roger who is "simple" and views the world as a child would. As the brothers grow older Jonathan moves on to university and Roger remains engrossed in his insect world.
A house fire claims the lives of the brothers' parents and Jonathan leaves university to stay and take care of Roger. Jonathan and Harriet marry but Harriet resides at university 300 miles away. This puts a strain on their marriage and Jonathan is worried that Harriet is cheating on him.
I'm not continuing to review this to the end of the book as I do not want to ruin the ending of the novel. However I was not prepared for the ending. I went back to the prologue and then "WOW" it hit me. I got it!
I received a copy of Insect Farm for free from Goodreads First Reads.
February 4, 2020
Actual rating: 2.5, rounded to 3
Ugh the dialogues ugh. They are SO unnatural, they kill me. I skipped a whole 100 pages though.
Ugh the dialogues ugh. They are SO unnatural, they kill me. I skipped a whole 100 pages though.
May 8, 2024
Very quick and kept me super intrigued. Kinda dark but def would recommend
June 3, 2015
This book had me interested from the beginning which started with police drawn to what was a shed because neighbors had been complaining about the smell. Finally after numerous complaints, a war veteran told them it smelled like decaying flesh, the police arrive at the scene. What they find when they open the door are millions of insects pushing their way out, and two partial skeletons.
Then the story begins, Jonathan and his brother Roger are extremely close growing up. Roger is the older of the two but has an unspecified learning disability. The boys parents continually worry what will become of Roger when they are no longer there to care for him.
While Jonathan is away at college their is a fire in his parents home which leaves both of them dead and even after thorough investigation the mystery of how the fire started is unsolved.
Jonathan leaves school to care for Roger. There is enough insurance money to take care of both of them and they move into a home together.
Roger is obsessed with insects. He had begun his insect farm in a shed at his parents home.When they move, Jonathan purchases a large shed on an allotment close to the house. While Roger's hobby becomes more and more obsessive and complex we begin to see that Roger's mind is capable of constructing increasingly intricate ecosystems for the different insects, many of which he obtains through mail order.
Roger and Harriet, friends and lovers from college marry but it becomes increasingly hard to maintain the strong relationship with her increasing course work as well as gigs playing in a quartet which make it hard for Harriet to continue to travel back home Jonathan cannot leave Roger alone so can't travel to Newcastle .He however continues to be obsessed with her and whatever she is "up to" while she is away.
Around the middle of the book some strange things begin to happen, Roger manipulates his insects to get along together even if that means killing some of the insects which don't fit it. Jonathan continues to try to get Roger to reveal more of what happened before and during the fire which claimed their parents but Roger won't talk and all we know is that he was found crouching in the shed when fire fighters arrived.
Then a horrible act is committed which Jonathan has little memory of as he was passed out from drinking too much. There are twists and turns and time passes. Roger remains mute on the subject of the event.
What makes this book special is the relationship between the brothers which is well described. I would have liked to know more about Roger, although at that time no one really evaluated him so we are left with no real diagnosis of his illness or his capabilities.
Jonathan's role in the story seems more than a little unbelievable. To give up his education, friends and being with the love of his life is a little hard to grasp. Even so the plot is a good one and the insect farm a very original setting. I did figure out the "whodunit" but the big reveal still had some surprises.
Then the story begins, Jonathan and his brother Roger are extremely close growing up. Roger is the older of the two but has an unspecified learning disability. The boys parents continually worry what will become of Roger when they are no longer there to care for him.
While Jonathan is away at college their is a fire in his parents home which leaves both of them dead and even after thorough investigation the mystery of how the fire started is unsolved.
Jonathan leaves school to care for Roger. There is enough insurance money to take care of both of them and they move into a home together.
Roger is obsessed with insects. He had begun his insect farm in a shed at his parents home.When they move, Jonathan purchases a large shed on an allotment close to the house. While Roger's hobby becomes more and more obsessive and complex we begin to see that Roger's mind is capable of constructing increasingly intricate ecosystems for the different insects, many of which he obtains through mail order.
Roger and Harriet, friends and lovers from college marry but it becomes increasingly hard to maintain the strong relationship with her increasing course work as well as gigs playing in a quartet which make it hard for Harriet to continue to travel back home Jonathan cannot leave Roger alone so can't travel to Newcastle .He however continues to be obsessed with her and whatever she is "up to" while she is away.
Around the middle of the book some strange things begin to happen, Roger manipulates his insects to get along together even if that means killing some of the insects which don't fit it. Jonathan continues to try to get Roger to reveal more of what happened before and during the fire which claimed their parents but Roger won't talk and all we know is that he was found crouching in the shed when fire fighters arrived.
Then a horrible act is committed which Jonathan has little memory of as he was passed out from drinking too much. There are twists and turns and time passes. Roger remains mute on the subject of the event.
What makes this book special is the relationship between the brothers which is well described. I would have liked to know more about Roger, although at that time no one really evaluated him so we are left with no real diagnosis of his illness or his capabilities.
Jonathan's role in the story seems more than a little unbelievable. To give up his education, friends and being with the love of his life is a little hard to grasp. Even so the plot is a good one and the insect farm a very original setting. I did figure out the "whodunit" but the big reveal still had some surprises.
March 23, 2015
When his parents die in a house fire, Jonathan Maguire decides to give up his studies at Newcastle University and move back to London to live with his brother. Six years older but with the mind of an eight-year-old, Roger has little understanding of the workings of the social world, but is an expert on the community of insects he breeds in glass-fronted cages in a garden shed. Despite their age difference, the boys were extremely close as children and Jonathan is determined to do the right thing by his brother, but his loyalty comes at a cost. Not only does he give up his degree, but it means separation from his girlfriend, Harriet, a talented flautist much admired by young men. Their marriage, just before Harriet returns to university after the summer break, does little to assuage Jonathan’s suspiciousness and jealousy, especially when she is the only woman in a classical quartet that includes his nemesis, Brendan Harcourt, who has never attempted to hide his attraction to Harriet. With Harriet’s support, and the occasional fiery confrontation, Jonathan seems to be learning to manage his emotions, when Roger reveals something he witnessed between them after a performance by the quartet.
Full review http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdo...
Full review http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdo...
May 17, 2025
This book is about both the Maguire brothers. Roger has a few disabilities such as mental issues. Jonathan is the brother who after both their parents die in a fire. He takes care of Roger and sacrifice his chance to go to university along with his wife Harriet. And so at this point a chain-reaction unfolds.
This story is quite difficult to explain but I loved it. Yes, there’s plot holes like the prologue what happened there? We never got a straight forward answer but most likely it was Roger and Jonathan.
The book was slow in the first half but than I got to the second half and I actually was at the edge of my seat. At some point I felt like I was in Jonathan’s shoes. I cared for both brothers even though both did horrible things I was rooting for them.
I think this book is not for everyone but if you like suspense and thriller this is it for you.
This story is quite difficult to explain but I loved it. Yes, there’s plot holes like the prologue what happened there? We never got a straight forward answer but most likely it was Roger and Jonathan.
The book was slow in the first half but than I got to the second half and I actually was at the edge of my seat. At some point I felt like I was in Jonathan’s shoes. I cared for both brothers even though both did horrible things I was rooting for them.
I think this book is not for everyone but if you like suspense and thriller this is it for you.
April 21, 2018
I finished the book last night and was okay with it.
After reading a review about how the prologue connected to the book itself (which it didn't at a glance) I enjoyed the story much more.
I found the over all book a little repetitive, with Jonathan's constant complaining and distrust of Harriet which made him rather unlikeable to me. And the rituals of waking up Roger although that is probably used to portray his autism, because they seemed to happen so close together.
The twists were very obvious, and no spoilers, but the reveal didn't seem like a reveal, more like a confirmation of everything that had happened.
It reads rather quickly (when reading it), but I never felt connected and went long periods without picking it up.
After reading a review about how the prologue connected to the book itself (which it didn't at a glance) I enjoyed the story much more.
I found the over all book a little repetitive, with Jonathan's constant complaining and distrust of Harriet which made him rather unlikeable to me. And the rituals of waking up Roger although that is probably used to portray his autism, because they seemed to happen so close together.
The twists were very obvious, and no spoilers, but the reveal didn't seem like a reveal, more like a confirmation of everything that had happened.
It reads rather quickly (when reading it), but I never felt connected and went long periods without picking it up.
March 19, 2017
This book started out fairly slowly for me. I am not a fan of traditional love stories, but as the love became more unconventional, the characters took on much more interesting personas. This book is a very good mix of love, hate, and all the life that happens in between. The only reason for 3 stars was because of the amount of time it took to get started and the fact I had it all figured out before the end; however, the book is a good read. As one of the characters says toward the end, "We move in mysterious ways."
September 5, 2015
I liked this book. I finished reading it a few days ago and I'm still thinking about it. It's not really about a serial killer brother like the book sleeve suggests. It's more about the 2 brothers and their relationship.
December 8, 2021
Not the best psychological crime book I've ever read. That 2 stars is for suprising plot twists in the book.
There are two men (Jonathan and Roger). Roger is 25 y.o and he has learning disabilities (autism/down syndrome) while Jonathan (his brother) is 21. Jonathan has a girlfriend named Harriet, they got married and lived together with Jonathan and Roger. Jonathan and Rogers's parents died because they committed suicide. They intended to get the insurance money if they died so they made it happened. They made like there's some fire incident that killed both of them. The parents left a letter to Roger and asked him to give it to his brother (Jonathan) when he's 57 years old. He learned that his dad had early Parkinson disease. He thought that he might retire soon so he increased his insurance money. His wife and himself decided to die together since their plan is that after they died, the insurance money can go to Jonathan and Roger. Everyone believes that their parents died due to fire incident. They got the insurance money.
Long story short, Roger killed Harriet since she had an affair with her bandmate (Brendan). Jonathan thought that he's the one who killed Harriet and he didn't know it was his brother Roger. Roger revealed that when they're in their 50's. After all these years, Roger is the murderer. Jonathan has a plan to ask Roger to get rid off the insect farm so then the story ended just like that. BUT in the prologue; it mentions that two skeletons found in the insect farm. The most possible conclusion is that they're Jonathan and Roger because it was impossible if it was Harriet since her remains totally gone after got eaten by some carnivore insects. It was also impossible, if the skeletons belong to their parents (since their parents died in the house) of course the police took care of the remains. It was also very unlikely they're Harriet's bandmates (since they also knew about the affair this could be possible) but Jonathan mentioned that he didn't keep in touch with them anymore. Therefore, the two skeletons belong to the brothers. BUT how the died still remains a mystery. It could be that they had a fight since Jonathan wanted to get rid of the insect farm. Roger got angry and they had a big fight. Another possibility is they intentionally committed suicide together (since Jonathan knew and Roger didn't or did know that his parents committed suicide), or the most possible answer is Roger made himself and Jonathan commit suicide together since Roger kept mentioning what age his father died. his father died at age of 57 which he said that 'we still have long time' something like that. I knew since the moment he asked Jonathan about how old his father died, that moment I thought he was planning to kill himself at that exact age. So I guess he did.
There are two men (Jonathan and Roger). Roger is 25 y.o and he has learning disabilities (autism/down syndrome) while Jonathan (his brother) is 21. Jonathan has a girlfriend named Harriet, they got married and lived together with Jonathan and Roger. Jonathan and Rogers's parents died because they committed suicide. They intended to get the insurance money if they died so they made it happened. They made like there's some fire incident that killed both of them. The parents left a letter to Roger and asked him to give it to his brother (Jonathan) when he's 57 years old. He learned that his dad had early Parkinson disease. He thought that he might retire soon so he increased his insurance money. His wife and himself decided to die together since their plan is that after they died, the insurance money can go to Jonathan and Roger. Everyone believes that their parents died due to fire incident. They got the insurance money.
Long story short, Roger killed Harriet since she had an affair with her bandmate (Brendan). Jonathan thought that he's the one who killed Harriet and he didn't know it was his brother Roger. Roger revealed that when they're in their 50's. After all these years, Roger is the murderer. Jonathan has a plan to ask Roger to get rid off the insect farm so then the story ended just like that. BUT in the prologue; it mentions that two skeletons found in the insect farm. The most possible conclusion is that they're Jonathan and Roger because it was impossible if it was Harriet since her remains totally gone after got eaten by some carnivore insects. It was also impossible, if the skeletons belong to their parents (since their parents died in the house) of course the police took care of the remains. It was also very unlikely they're Harriet's bandmates (since they also knew about the affair this could be possible) but Jonathan mentioned that he didn't keep in touch with them anymore. Therefore, the two skeletons belong to the brothers. BUT how the died still remains a mystery. It could be that they had a fight since Jonathan wanted to get rid of the insect farm. Roger got angry and they had a big fight. Another possibility is they intentionally committed suicide together (since Jonathan knew and Roger didn't or did know that his parents committed suicide), or the most possible answer is Roger made himself and Jonathan commit suicide together since Roger kept mentioning what age his father died. his father died at age of 57 which he said that 'we still have long time' something like that. I knew since the moment he asked Jonathan about how old his father died, that moment I thought he was planning to kill himself at that exact age. So I guess he did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2023
After reading (and not liking) The Bridge by the same author I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.
The two biggest issues I have with this book are how it was marketed, and the prologue. I was led to believe that this was going to be a page turning thriller that maybe bordered on horror and this was very much not the case. This book is more of an introspection about brotherhood, jealousy, love, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we care about. Is this a bad thing? Not at all. But when you go into a book expecting one thing and get something completely different you get a whiplash of sorts.
This leads me to my second issue with this book: the prologue. When first reading the prologue you fully expect a murder mystery thriller, but that never comes to fruition. Honestly you would be better off skipping it entirely because the end barely even ties into it.
Overall I really did enjoy the book and the three main characters. It did keep me engaged and guessing the whole time and had some decent misdirects thrown in. Again, after reading The Bridge my expectations were pretty low with this book so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Also makes me wonder what the hell happened with The Bridge since the author proves he can write an engaging story.
The two biggest issues I have with this book are how it was marketed, and the prologue. I was led to believe that this was going to be a page turning thriller that maybe bordered on horror and this was very much not the case. This book is more of an introspection about brotherhood, jealousy, love, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we care about. Is this a bad thing? Not at all. But when you go into a book expecting one thing and get something completely different you get a whiplash of sorts.
This leads me to my second issue with this book: the prologue. When first reading the prologue you fully expect a murder mystery thriller, but that never comes to fruition. Honestly you would be better off skipping it entirely because the end barely even ties into it.
Overall I really did enjoy the book and the three main characters. It did keep me engaged and guessing the whole time and had some decent misdirects thrown in. Again, after reading The Bridge my expectations were pretty low with this book so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Also makes me wonder what the hell happened with The Bridge since the author proves he can write an engaging story.
June 5, 2021
[ BOOK IG: @clumsyciel ]
overall rating: 4/5 ⭐️
time taken to read: ~2 days
" 'I have been looking after you, Roger, but equally, my friend, it seems that you have been looking after me.'
Once again we sat quietly, each with our own thoughts. I considered the secret lives we all lead inside our minds, the thoughts we have which remain unknown to those around us as we go about our business." (page 371)
The Insect Farm is written in the perspective of Jonathan. he seems to be quite insecure, as he is incredibly jealous when it comes to the love of his life, Harriet. as much as he loves her, he tries his best to lessen his jealousy.
apart from Harriet, Jonathan's other favourite person is his older brother, Roger. though Roger is six years older, he is written as a person with a 'mental handicap' (as said in the book), and attends a special school that caters for students with similar conditions. Roger's best friend is a student with down syndrome.
what caught my eye for this book was the picture of the bloodied butterfly on the cover. it reminded me of The Butterfly Garden (by Dot Hutchison). after a quick search on goodreads, i had found out that this was a thriller/crime book and was instantly intrigued. i've always been fond of stories involving crime and such since i was little.. whoops.
what i really loved about Prebble's writing was the simplicity of it. the plot did progress quite slowly in the beginning, such as the background information about Jonathan's life, however the pacing of the plot (after the background info) went quite smoothly. it was at the 'perfect' length to keep me thinking about the truth behind the main crime in the book, and when it was revealed at the end of the book, it made my jaw drop.
after the truth sets in, the moment of realisation, made me go back to re-read the prologue of book as all the pieces clicked into place. it was genius, really.
(the truth about Harriet made me want to 🤜👩)
i would have given 5 stars if there was more character development to Jonathan as well as the way Prebble wrote about Roger; it wasn't too bad, but it could have been more in depth.
overall rating: 4/5 ⭐️
time taken to read: ~2 days
" 'I have been looking after you, Roger, but equally, my friend, it seems that you have been looking after me.'
Once again we sat quietly, each with our own thoughts. I considered the secret lives we all lead inside our minds, the thoughts we have which remain unknown to those around us as we go about our business." (page 371)
The Insect Farm is written in the perspective of Jonathan. he seems to be quite insecure, as he is incredibly jealous when it comes to the love of his life, Harriet. as much as he loves her, he tries his best to lessen his jealousy.
apart from Harriet, Jonathan's other favourite person is his older brother, Roger. though Roger is six years older, he is written as a person with a 'mental handicap' (as said in the book), and attends a special school that caters for students with similar conditions. Roger's best friend is a student with down syndrome.
what caught my eye for this book was the picture of the bloodied butterfly on the cover. it reminded me of The Butterfly Garden (by Dot Hutchison). after a quick search on goodreads, i had found out that this was a thriller/crime book and was instantly intrigued. i've always been fond of stories involving crime and such since i was little.. whoops.
what i really loved about Prebble's writing was the simplicity of it. the plot did progress quite slowly in the beginning, such as the background information about Jonathan's life, however the pacing of the plot (after the background info) went quite smoothly. it was at the 'perfect' length to keep me thinking about the truth behind the main crime in the book, and when it was revealed at the end of the book, it made my jaw drop.
after the truth sets in, the moment of realisation, made me go back to re-read the prologue of book as all the pieces clicked into place. it was genius, really.
(the truth about Harriet made me want to 🤜👩)
i would have given 5 stars if there was more character development to Jonathan as well as the way Prebble wrote about Roger; it wasn't too bad, but it could have been more in depth.
February 19, 2019
I started to hate this books somewhere around the middle. The writing style is too long winded. The author might say, "I decided, indeed, to circumnavigate the table - deciding that their was little else one could do if one were unable to move through matter - in order to reach my mug of tea, which I had placed there earlier in the hopes that it might cool down by the time i was ready to enjoy it." Instead of just saying, "I picked up my tea." Or something like that.
Why does British authors always have to say 'indeed'? It sounds so pompous.
The book was also moving so slow that I had the impression I was reading an artificially inflated short story or novella.
But this is a good example of how the ending of a book can make up for earlier short comings. The book picks up momentum right up until the end, and it is a satisfying twist.
Note: One thing I thought about was the 'dead girl' trope that is present in this book. How the wife, Harriet, is used as a prop to tell a male story, a prop that so many other stories have used.
Why does British authors always have to say 'indeed'? It sounds so pompous.
The book was also moving so slow that I had the impression I was reading an artificially inflated short story or novella.
But this is a good example of how the ending of a book can make up for earlier short comings. The book picks up momentum right up until the end, and it is a satisfying twist.
Note: One thing I thought about was the 'dead girl' trope that is present in this book. How the wife, Harriet, is used as a prop to tell a male story, a prop that so many other stories have used.
April 5, 2020
Disclaimer: Only now that I read the summary again, I realize that it does not say serial killer but just killer. Still knowing my expectations may be helpful??? Not sure, but I'm too lazy to fix my review.
This book was not as advertised on the front cover but I still enjoyed the story for the human aspects rather than the promised serial killer brother. I was expecting this book to be some creepy romp into the mind of a killer who desposed of bodies via insects or killed with them. What I got was a very distraught story of a man's young life having gone very wrong starting with the death of his parents and his attempts to salvage what he has. Johnathan felt very real to me and I was genuinely angry with the people in his life that caused him such pain and grief. This book was very frustrating and heartbreaking in a way that I did not expect. So, even though it's not the story the summary claims, I very much enjoyed.
Side note: I found this book at the DollarTree. So, if you see it, it's definitely worth the $1.
This book was not as advertised on the front cover but I still enjoyed the story for the human aspects rather than the promised serial killer brother. I was expecting this book to be some creepy romp into the mind of a killer who desposed of bodies via insects or killed with them. What I got was a very distraught story of a man's young life having gone very wrong starting with the death of his parents and his attempts to salvage what he has. Johnathan felt very real to me and I was genuinely angry with the people in his life that caused him such pain and grief. This book was very frustrating and heartbreaking in a way that I did not expect. So, even though it's not the story the summary claims, I very much enjoyed.
Side note: I found this book at the DollarTree. So, if you see it, it's definitely worth the $1.
November 10, 2018
Readable but predictable. Main character wasn’t particularly engaging or believable, and whilst I know he was specifically written as a jealous type, I couldn’t warm to him. Author over-repeated main character’s use of adjectives like ‘lovely’ when referring to main character’s wife, elements of misogynistic descriptions - over-reliant on references to physicality and especially breasts when describing main female character.
First half of the book is a slow burner, second half is pacier. The ‘twists’ I found predictable (I guessed both quite early on and hoped the obvious twists were red herrings and there’d be a completely unexpected one from very left-field - but there wasn’t). The twists were very much set up for in the writing style and content.
Having said that, this book is not terrible. It’s perfectly readable and it’s not one you’d give up on. I can see some will really enjoy it. What you might call a holiday book.
First half of the book is a slow burner, second half is pacier. The ‘twists’ I found predictable (I guessed both quite early on and hoped the obvious twists were red herrings and there’d be a completely unexpected one from very left-field - but there wasn’t). The twists were very much set up for in the writing style and content.
Having said that, this book is not terrible. It’s perfectly readable and it’s not one you’d give up on. I can see some will really enjoy it. What you might call a holiday book.
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