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Playground #2
Playground: Child of Divorce
EVERY PLAYGROUND HAS A PROTOTYPE
Geraldine Borden has realized that there's one thing her bottomless wealth can't grant her: children. When an attempt to remedy her infertility fails, she's left with nothing but rage, jealousy, and a murderous idea. She aims to take a place that all children adore and transform it into a twisted arena of carnage. And while her true masterpiece is still under construction, she seeks to entertain herself with a crude prototype filled with barbaric backyard games.
Several children from a small New England city have gone missing under mysterious circumstances. This group of kids—who once believed fractured family and teen angst were their toughest battles—now have a whole new set of problems. With no parents to guide them, will the children thrust into Geraldine's nightmare world have the grit and determination to escape? Or will they fall victim to their sadistic captor?
The much-anticipated prequel to Aron Beauregard's controversial book "Playground" revisits some of the author's most reprehensible characters. It includes 18 interior illustrations and pushes the limits of incendiary literature even further.
WARNING: This book contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.
Geraldine Borden has realized that there's one thing her bottomless wealth can't grant her: children. When an attempt to remedy her infertility fails, she's left with nothing but rage, jealousy, and a murderous idea. She aims to take a place that all children adore and transform it into a twisted arena of carnage. And while her true masterpiece is still under construction, she seeks to entertain herself with a crude prototype filled with barbaric backyard games.
Several children from a small New England city have gone missing under mysterious circumstances. This group of kids—who once believed fractured family and teen angst were their toughest battles—now have a whole new set of problems. With no parents to guide them, will the children thrust into Geraldine's nightmare world have the grit and determination to escape? Or will they fall victim to their sadistic captor?
The much-anticipated prequel to Aron Beauregard's controversial book "Playground" revisits some of the author's most reprehensible characters. It includes 18 interior illustrations and pushes the limits of incendiary literature even further.
WARNING: This book contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.
220 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2025
256 people are currently reading
1044 people want to read
About the author
Aron Beauregard
85 books3,305 followersAron Beauregard was born and raised in Central Falls, Rhode Island. He's been writing horror since the 6th grade and has now released over 25 books. An avid supporter of horror art and illustration, Aron has made it his standard to hire illustrators for every book that he puts out under his brand AB Horror.
His writing is dark and without boundaries. Known for creating a stir, his work has gone viral on several occasions. He's won the Splatterpunk Award twice after garnering four total nominations. As an independent artist, Beauregard's book "Playground" has achieved #1 Bestseller status under the category of horror on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, his work has been translated to multiple languages.
To get the latest updates about upcoming releases, signed books and merchandise, film news, and so much more, visit his website:
www.ABHorror.com
To subscribe to his free newsletter, join the AB Horror Maggot Mailing List at:
https://aronbeauregard.substack.com/
His writing is dark and without boundaries. Known for creating a stir, his work has gone viral on several occasions. He's won the Splatterpunk Award twice after garnering four total nominations. As an independent artist, Beauregard's book "Playground" has achieved #1 Bestseller status under the category of horror on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, his work has been translated to multiple languages.
To get the latest updates about upcoming releases, signed books and merchandise, film news, and so much more, visit his website:
www.ABHorror.com
To subscribe to his free newsletter, join the AB Horror Maggot Mailing List at:
https://aronbeauregard.substack.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
October 1, 2025
4.5 stars.
Review is coming. Just gotta let my brain de-frazzle first. 🤯
Review is coming. Just gotta let my brain de-frazzle first. 🤯
September 18, 2025
I finished this two days ago and clearly forgot to update that. Full review to come but all you need to know is it has some draw dropping moments that are truly ingrained into my brain, and a plot that didn't end how I thought it would...
July 28, 2025
This review is coming from someone who hasn’t read Playground before, so all of these characters were brand new to me!
What a diabolical little book 😆 As you can see, the cover alone literally screams “child violence,” which is usually a hard pass for me. But after devouring and loving Beauregard’s most recent books, I figured I’d push my limits a bit and I’m glad I did! It actually turned out to be a bloody good time!
What really made this book stand out was the nostalgic 90s references. As a 90s kid myself, I loved all the throwback references—Razor Ramon (huge pro-wrestling fan here), pogs, Super Soaker 50s, Skip-Its—so many fun memories twisted into something nightmarish. And that’s what makes this book so entertaining: Beauregard takes innocent childhood games and transforms them into diabolical, deadly challenges. It’s like ‘One Day at Horrorland’ got a Splatterpunk makeover- except this time, the kids don’t make it out alive.
The group of kids was fun to follow, and each brought their own strengths, but Marco really stood out for me. He’s a gamer and computer geek with no friends, but he’s brave and selfless when it comes to helping others. Watching the kids band together to survive these horrific “games” was one of the story’s best parts.
And then there are the villains, which were utterly vile! A Nazi scientist builds the playground’s torture devices, and things get really disturbing—like, turning a decaying corpse into a robot for Geraldine’s grotesque fetish kind of disturbing... Without giving too much away, let’s just say there’s a scene involving infected hemorrhoids and tea-bagging that definitely turned my stomach. While the over-the-top gross-out moments aren’t really my thing, I know some readers live for that kind of extreme detail.
Despite all that, I had a surprisingly good time with this book. I found myself eagerly anticipating each new horrifying game and curious to see what outrageous death trap came next! The creativity in the kills and scenarios really kept the momentum going.
If you’re into Splatterpunk, have zero sensitivities, and love books that push boundaries and make you feel queasy (but still leave you wanting more from the author), this one’s worth the ride! Just maybe don’t eat right before reading.
What a diabolical little book 😆 As you can see, the cover alone literally screams “child violence,” which is usually a hard pass for me. But after devouring and loving Beauregard’s most recent books, I figured I’d push my limits a bit and I’m glad I did! It actually turned out to be a bloody good time!
What really made this book stand out was the nostalgic 90s references. As a 90s kid myself, I loved all the throwback references—Razor Ramon (huge pro-wrestling fan here), pogs, Super Soaker 50s, Skip-Its—so many fun memories twisted into something nightmarish. And that’s what makes this book so entertaining: Beauregard takes innocent childhood games and transforms them into diabolical, deadly challenges. It’s like ‘One Day at Horrorland’ got a Splatterpunk makeover- except this time, the kids don’t make it out alive.
The group of kids was fun to follow, and each brought their own strengths, but Marco really stood out for me. He’s a gamer and computer geek with no friends, but he’s brave and selfless when it comes to helping others. Watching the kids band together to survive these horrific “games” was one of the story’s best parts.
And then there are the villains, which were utterly vile! A Nazi scientist builds the playground’s torture devices, and things get really disturbing—like, turning a decaying corpse into a robot for Geraldine’s grotesque fetish kind of disturbing... Without giving too much away, let’s just say there’s a scene involving infected hemorrhoids and tea-bagging that definitely turned my stomach. While the over-the-top gross-out moments aren’t really my thing, I know some readers live for that kind of extreme detail.
Despite all that, I had a surprisingly good time with this book. I found myself eagerly anticipating each new horrifying game and curious to see what outrageous death trap came next! The creativity in the kills and scenarios really kept the momentum going.
If you’re into Splatterpunk, have zero sensitivities, and love books that push boundaries and make you feel queasy (but still leave you wanting more from the author), this one’s worth the ride! Just maybe don’t eat right before reading.
September 13, 2025
This prequel to Beauregards original book Playground (2022) provides some background to how the playground came about along with a bit of character development of the residents of the Borden estate. It includes illustrations throughout that display the horrendous acts the children are put through.
The games are just as horrific and Geraldine is just as vile. A few chapters at the start will test your ability to continue reading. It is a fast paced page turner from start to finish just like the original.
This version is a trial run of the games, leaving out the parents and prize. The children are kidnapped from families involving some form of neglect and are forced to play for their survival. If you liked the first book you will definitely enjoy this one with an unexpected ending.
The games are just as horrific and Geraldine is just as vile. A few chapters at the start will test your ability to continue reading. It is a fast paced page turner from start to finish just like the original.
This version is a trial run of the games, leaving out the parents and prize. The children are kidnapped from families involving some form of neglect and are forced to play for their survival. If you liked the first book you will definitely enjoy this one with an unexpected ending.
October 31, 2025
— !! 𖦹「 ✦ 🍪 Happy ACTUAL Birthday🎂 2 me uwu ✦ 」✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
Ok so like now is ma actual b-day oct 30🎉 merry merry 16 years meow :33 <(￣︶￣)> so ma broskiis (my other personalities) have gifted me smth very shockieng ┏(＾0＾)┛the second book to Playground...
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A SECOND BOOK 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 but like it makes sense.. like this book was literally only released 2 months ago so i wouldn't get that much news that Aron damn Beauregard has released the second book 🙃🙃. And i just woke up with it at the side if ma bed and like :OOOOOOO WHY WAS THERE A SECOND BOOK? THE FIRST ONE IS ALREADY A COMPLETE NOVEL. THE BEST BOOK IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF EVERYTHING HAS A 2ND BOOKKKKKK,., , AND ITS A PREQUEL SO LIKE ༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽
anyways da book review is here: 👇⤵️
It's not as good as the first one......duh, since i read that book (and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara) at my lowest point in life so the context of when i read things ofcourse matter when i rate things. But this one is just uhhh 😬😬😬😬😬 a bit embarrassing. Also a little bit unnecessary. We didn't need this second book, the first book is already very complete and ofcourse the best book ever written in the entire history of literature (*＾3＾)/～♡. But don't read it though 😅, I wouldn't recommend it to literally anyone in the world, this genre of literature is too niche for the general audiences.
Synopsis: somehow same as the first..somehow, it's one of the things that i hated in this book (even though i rated it five stars). It does the exact same formula as the first book which is not effective for a PREQUEL!!!!! of all things. Multiple children are kidnapped and is forced to participate in a death game created by pedophiles Geraldine and Adolpho Fuchs. Literally exactly the same as the first book. Which is kinda sad because i expected an entirely different story structure, we didn't need another 'death game' that happened before "The first death game". You get how that's contradictory? The first death game happened in the first book. But this book features a death game and is a PREQUEL. yep something's off with the logic there badly. How is there a death game that happened before the first death game. The book excuses it as a "beta testing" but really??? That's the oh so grand excuse to write the exact same story?
I would have loved it more if the story just revolved around my baby boii ✨Rock✨ (◕ᴗ◕✿) (the real main character of the Playground book), because what else are you going to focus on in a Prequel other than background and the life story of the main character of the first book, my baby boii 🪨Rock🪨. You're not like gonna introduce a whole different set of characters and a whole different "main character" that is not related in any way to the first book that you're going to write on the prequel right???????
...well shit, the main character here is a child named Matthew, who the hell is that 😐. And why is it only Matthew. It's almost like the genius idea that can be found on the first book is just forgotten which was multiple main characters and a hidden real main character.
The first book is essentially playing with your expectations with who the main characters is because you are bound to first assume that the child torture victims are the main characters, which uh oh, plot twist but not really a plot twist, just a change in perspective; the child torture victims of pedophiles, Geraldine and Adolpho Fuchs are NOT the main characters.. it's actually my baby boii ✨Rock✨ 🪨. Rock is da best baby boii, everyone should love Rock ✨⊂(･ω･*⊂) he deserves all the hugs in the world >~<. Rock is the real main character of the first book. Which the book intentionally HIDES from the reader. It is only hinting subtly that Rock is the main character but when the moment you realize that Rock is actually the main charcater? You'll know how genius this strategy is. But in this one??? It's pretty clear that story revolves around Matthew...who is one of the child victims.
On the first chapter or prologue i guess, we are introduced to Matthew. But suspiciously, the novel doesn't focus on him, the entire middle part of the book is dedicated and focused on Steph, pretty weird... So take a guess, who is the actual main character? Matthew or Steph? It's pretty easy to answer that question in which you wouldn't easily do it on the first book. (It's Matthew, pretty damn obvious). It's not hiding on who the main character actually is it's just....right there, the main charcater is Matthew, no more no less.
It now has a more varied and actually more deep character cast. In comparison to the first book that most of the children kidnapped are just random children, the children kidnapped here have very detailed backstories and has a complex relationship with one another, since in the first book no one...knows each other so making all of the victims be related to each other in many different ways and friendships can help make the moral lessons impactful.
Wait moral lessons????. Ok now seemingly this book about child torture actually has many lessons on different things which is one of the reasons why I think the first book is one of the best written books ever, but this time, since the main character is now Matthew instead of my absolute cutest baby boii ✨ Rock ✨. The lessons are different. It now focuses on family and divorce. Matthew is a child of divorce (hence the title, "Child of Divorce") and the effects that divorce has to the well being of a child. It also has lessons on forgiveness and what it means to survive through bad ways. Matthew is forced to do all of these bad and manipulative things because that's the only way for him to survive this sadistic death game. It's different from the lessons of the first book which focuses on breaking free from the cycle of abuse, childhood wonder, freedom and a meaningful life (and how my baby boii Rick deserves all the hugs in the world ^^ ).
Now the disturbing sceness...hmmmmmm. This book is splatterpunk by the way, this genre is built on the notion to just put gore for the sake of gore, literal just write the most disgusting thing an author can write so the quality of the gore and disturbingness is also a factor on how this book compares to the first one and that in comparison.... It's not as good as the first one. This book is surprisingly tamer than the first book.
i mean you have that one game where the participants play basketball with someone's decapitated head....... real good gore right there 👈
but like....other than that, nothing "disturbing" ever reaches the first book's gore scenes (in splatterpunk standards because normal people would literally see every page of this book as the most disturbing thing of all but the thing is I'm already used to the gore scenes in this genre of literature).
But the most infuriating thing of all, the reason why I'm really really sad (even though i still think this is one of the best books written).
IS THE FACT THAT MY BABY BOII ✨ROCK✨ DIDN'T APPEAR MUCH IN THIS BOOK, ALL HE DID WAS MAKE SANDWICH IN THE KITCHEN — AND THAT IS THE MOST SCREEN TIME THAT HE EVER GOT IN HERE im literally biased to my baby boii Rock 😭😭😭, not only is he not the main character in here, he didn't even appear much in this PREQUEL. but i mean...i get to read about him making a sandwich in the kitchen??? AT LEAST IT'S MORE CONTENT ON MY BABY BOII ROCK, EVEN THOUGH ALL HE DID IN THIS BOOK IS MAKE A SANDWICH.
If Aron Beauregard would write a third book can we pls actually write a proper prequel????. A prequel that has a different story structure, even if it's not labeled as the splatterpunk genre in itself, just make a book that details my baby boii Rock's history. This book doesn't feel like a prequel and just reads like a bonus chapter for the first book. Ok wow that is actually a great way to call this book, "A Bonus Chapter", definitely not prequel material. But I'll take what I can take, this is a greatly well written book that i still don't recommend literally anyone to read along with the first one. I'm glad that this book exists and finally I know how my baby boii Rock makes a sandwich in the kitchen — as it is the only major scene that he's been in.
(sry not sry on forgetting the actual main character of this book which is Matthew, he's extremely well written but come on, my baby boii Rock is clearly way more cuter than him so people should only focus on my baby boii than Matthew.)
Ok so like now is ma actual b-day oct 30🎉 merry merry 16 years meow :33 <(￣︶￣)> so ma broskiis (my other personalities) have gifted me smth very shockieng ┏(＾0＾)┛the second book to Playground...
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A SECOND BOOK 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 but like it makes sense.. like this book was literally only released 2 months ago so i wouldn't get that much news that Aron damn Beauregard has released the second book 🙃🙃. And i just woke up with it at the side if ma bed and like :OOOOOOO WHY WAS THERE A SECOND BOOK? THE FIRST ONE IS ALREADY A COMPLETE NOVEL. THE BEST BOOK IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF EVERYTHING HAS A 2ND BOOKKKKKK,., , AND ITS A PREQUEL SO LIKE ༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽
anyways da book review is here: 👇⤵️
It's not as good as the first one......duh, since i read that book (and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara) at my lowest point in life so the context of when i read things ofcourse matter when i rate things. But this one is just uhhh 😬😬😬😬😬 a bit embarrassing. Also a little bit unnecessary. We didn't need this second book, the first book is already very complete and ofcourse the best book ever written in the entire history of literature (*＾3＾)/～♡. But don't read it though 😅, I wouldn't recommend it to literally anyone in the world, this genre of literature is too niche for the general audiences.
Synopsis: somehow same as the first..somehow, it's one of the things that i hated in this book (even though i rated it five stars). It does the exact same formula as the first book which is not effective for a PREQUEL!!!!! of all things. Multiple children are kidnapped and is forced to participate in a death game created by pedophiles Geraldine and Adolpho Fuchs. Literally exactly the same as the first book. Which is kinda sad because i expected an entirely different story structure, we didn't need another 'death game' that happened before "The first death game". You get how that's contradictory? The first death game happened in the first book. But this book features a death game and is a PREQUEL. yep something's off with the logic there badly. How is there a death game that happened before the first death game. The book excuses it as a "beta testing" but really??? That's the oh so grand excuse to write the exact same story?
I would have loved it more if the story just revolved around my baby boii ✨Rock✨ (◕ᴗ◕✿) (the real main character of the Playground book), because what else are you going to focus on in a Prequel other than background and the life story of the main character of the first book, my baby boii 🪨Rock🪨. You're not like gonna introduce a whole different set of characters and a whole different "main character" that is not related in any way to the first book that you're going to write on the prequel right???????
...well shit, the main character here is a child named Matthew, who the hell is that 😐. And why is it only Matthew. It's almost like the genius idea that can be found on the first book is just forgotten which was multiple main characters and a hidden real main character.
The first book is essentially playing with your expectations with who the main characters is because you are bound to first assume that the child torture victims are the main characters, which uh oh, plot twist but not really a plot twist, just a change in perspective; the child torture victims of pedophiles, Geraldine and Adolpho Fuchs are NOT the main characters.. it's actually my baby boii ✨Rock✨ 🪨. Rock is da best baby boii, everyone should love Rock ✨⊂(･ω･*⊂) he deserves all the hugs in the world >~<. Rock is the real main character of the first book. Which the book intentionally HIDES from the reader. It is only hinting subtly that Rock is the main character but when the moment you realize that Rock is actually the main charcater? You'll know how genius this strategy is. But in this one??? It's pretty clear that story revolves around Matthew...who is one of the child victims.
On the first chapter or prologue i guess, we are introduced to Matthew. But suspiciously, the novel doesn't focus on him, the entire middle part of the book is dedicated and focused on Steph, pretty weird... So take a guess, who is the actual main character? Matthew or Steph? It's pretty easy to answer that question in which you wouldn't easily do it on the first book. (It's Matthew, pretty damn obvious). It's not hiding on who the main character actually is it's just....right there, the main charcater is Matthew, no more no less.
It now has a more varied and actually more deep character cast. In comparison to the first book that most of the children kidnapped are just random children, the children kidnapped here have very detailed backstories and has a complex relationship with one another, since in the first book no one...knows each other so making all of the victims be related to each other in many different ways and friendships can help make the moral lessons impactful.
Wait moral lessons????. Ok now seemingly this book about child torture actually has many lessons on different things which is one of the reasons why I think the first book is one of the best written books ever, but this time, since the main character is now Matthew instead of my absolute cutest baby boii ✨ Rock ✨. The lessons are different. It now focuses on family and divorce. Matthew is a child of divorce (hence the title, "Child of Divorce") and the effects that divorce has to the well being of a child. It also has lessons on forgiveness and what it means to survive through bad ways. Matthew is forced to do all of these bad and manipulative things because that's the only way for him to survive this sadistic death game. It's different from the lessons of the first book which focuses on breaking free from the cycle of abuse, childhood wonder, freedom and a meaningful life (and how my baby boii Rick deserves all the hugs in the world ^^ ).
Now the disturbing sceness...hmmmmmm. This book is splatterpunk by the way, this genre is built on the notion to just put gore for the sake of gore, literal just write the most disgusting thing an author can write so the quality of the gore and disturbingness is also a factor on how this book compares to the first one and that in comparison.... It's not as good as the first one. This book is surprisingly tamer than the first book.
i mean you have that one game where the participants play basketball with someone's decapitated head....... real good gore right there 👈
but like....other than that, nothing "disturbing" ever reaches the first book's gore scenes (in splatterpunk standards because normal people would literally see every page of this book as the most disturbing thing of all but the thing is I'm already used to the gore scenes in this genre of literature).
But the most infuriating thing of all, the reason why I'm really really sad (even though i still think this is one of the best books written).
IS THE FACT THAT MY BABY BOII ✨ROCK✨ DIDN'T APPEAR MUCH IN THIS BOOK, ALL HE DID WAS MAKE SANDWICH IN THE KITCHEN — AND THAT IS THE MOST SCREEN TIME THAT HE EVER GOT IN HERE im literally biased to my baby boii Rock 😭😭😭, not only is he not the main character in here, he didn't even appear much in this PREQUEL. but i mean...i get to read about him making a sandwich in the kitchen??? AT LEAST IT'S MORE CONTENT ON MY BABY BOII ROCK, EVEN THOUGH ALL HE DID IN THIS BOOK IS MAKE A SANDWICH.
If Aron Beauregard would write a third book can we pls actually write a proper prequel????. A prequel that has a different story structure, even if it's not labeled as the splatterpunk genre in itself, just make a book that details my baby boii Rock's history. This book doesn't feel like a prequel and just reads like a bonus chapter for the first book. Ok wow that is actually a great way to call this book, "A Bonus Chapter", definitely not prequel material. But I'll take what I can take, this is a greatly well written book that i still don't recommend literally anyone to read along with the first one. I'm glad that this book exists and finally I know how my baby boii Rock makes a sandwich in the kitchen — as it is the only major scene that he's been in.
(sry not sry on forgetting the actual main character of this book which is Matthew, he's extremely well written but come on, my baby boii Rock is clearly way more cuter than him so people should only focus on my baby boii than Matthew.)
November 3, 2025
Absolutely sickening and disgusting. Five stars. 🤫
August 1, 2025
The much anticipated prequel to the infamous Playground is finally here! And boy does it arrive with a bang!! Likely to stir the old trolls back up too, but anyone worth anything knows that's because they can't handle the gruesome, depraved ingenuity of Beauregard's beautifully disturbing, yet highly entertaining and thought provoking mind. 😉
Matthew is a child of Divorce, his mum's new man is trying to buy his affections, while his dad is wallowing in self pity and squalor. Matthew just wants things to go back to "normal", he doesn't like the changes happening in his life. If only he could get things to alter, to go back to the way they were. But it looks like he is going to have bigger problems to deal with first......
This story tugs savagely at your heart strings from the off, and has so much underlying depth to it. Kids from broken homes, with issues, traumas and desires, all just trying to find their way in the world, discover who they are, what their meaning in life is, then to have it all ripped brutally out from under their feet, in the most sadistically, twisted and horrific ways.
The kids are forced to grow up fast, to take on responsibilities no adult should have to endure and to come to terms with their mortality far sooner than they should. And to discover that sometimes you can be completely broken, dead even, while you're still alive!
A desperate fight for survival, through the most abhorrent, playground games. Like a modern day escape room, but without the escape.
You can't even escape our favourite old nemesis, because good old Geraldine will have your gag reflexes popping once again...🤢😂
We also get a bit more insight into Rock's backstory, a more in depth look at what makes him tick, why he does what he does.. and I absolutely fell in love with him all over again!
A slick as fuck narrative that pulls you in without you even realising, holding you rigid with fear and horror, and leaving you with faceache from all the grim expressions you'll be pulling, whether youre conscious of it or not!
I love the genius imagination Aron has in thinking up all the games, the little twists and turns that make them all the more abhorrent, shocking and horrific. There are some very inventive kills once again, and I am always here for that!
Absolutely goretastic!!
Anyone for fermented Beaver? It's a bit of an acquired taste though..…🤢
Matthew is a child of Divorce, his mum's new man is trying to buy his affections, while his dad is wallowing in self pity and squalor. Matthew just wants things to go back to "normal", he doesn't like the changes happening in his life. If only he could get things to alter, to go back to the way they were. But it looks like he is going to have bigger problems to deal with first......
This story tugs savagely at your heart strings from the off, and has so much underlying depth to it. Kids from broken homes, with issues, traumas and desires, all just trying to find their way in the world, discover who they are, what their meaning in life is, then to have it all ripped brutally out from under their feet, in the most sadistically, twisted and horrific ways.
The kids are forced to grow up fast, to take on responsibilities no adult should have to endure and to come to terms with their mortality far sooner than they should. And to discover that sometimes you can be completely broken, dead even, while you're still alive!
A desperate fight for survival, through the most abhorrent, playground games. Like a modern day escape room, but without the escape.
You can't even escape our favourite old nemesis, because good old Geraldine will have your gag reflexes popping once again...🤢😂
We also get a bit more insight into Rock's backstory, a more in depth look at what makes him tick, why he does what he does.. and I absolutely fell in love with him all over again!
A slick as fuck narrative that pulls you in without you even realising, holding you rigid with fear and horror, and leaving you with faceache from all the grim expressions you'll be pulling, whether youre conscious of it or not!
I love the genius imagination Aron has in thinking up all the games, the little twists and turns that make them all the more abhorrent, shocking and horrific. There are some very inventive kills once again, and I am always here for that!
Absolutely goretastic!!
Anyone for fermented Beaver? It's a bit of an acquired taste though..…🤢
July 18, 2025
WOW. I was skeptical about whether this could compete with Playground but it sure did.
The prototype is just as sick and twisted as I predicted it would be. Geraldine, however, is even more of a nasty bitch than I thought she was - had to hold back a gag during one or two scenes.
Bonus points for the NOSTALGIA this book provided which is sad given the circumstances. Also, huge bonus points for the ending.
5 stars. No notes.
The prototype is just as sick and twisted as I predicted it would be. Geraldine, however, is even more of a nasty bitch than I thought she was - had to hold back a gag during one or two scenes.
Bonus points for the NOSTALGIA this book provided which is sad given the circumstances. Also, huge bonus points for the ending.
5 stars. No notes.
September 2, 2025
Prequel to Playground: This is the backstory from how Rock was adopted by Geraldine and when she met Fuchs. This is when they had the prototype to the infamous playground. Rock and Fuchs snatched up a few kids and these are the ones to test it out for the very first time! All different games and outcomes. The ending took me by surprise though, in a good way! I love the flow of Aron’s writing, it just feels so good. This one had a few “page 40’s” lol this was an incredible prequel 🖤
October 28, 2025
Absolutely vile in the best way. Beauregard doesn’t just write stories, he stages psychological endurance tests wrapped in unspeakable trauma and gore. The games here are every bit as depraved as the first installment, but there’s still that strange humanity shining through the kids’ found-family bond that makes it hit harder. I was honestly relieved there was far less of Geraldine and her grotesque sexual perversions this time around. Brutal, heartbreaking, and just as revoltingly impressive as ever. 4 stars for ruining my night exactly as intended.
July 26, 2025
I’ve been waiting for this prequel for so long. After having finished Playground I wasn’t sure how Aron could deliver another installment that could live up to the hype that the first book delivered but boy did he! Child of Divorce is significantly shorter than Playground but it was filled with the sick and twisted depravity we all were hoping for. I loved that this took place in the 90’s and included loads of nostalgia. Beloved toys from that period of time made an appearance in this playground prototype but definitely not in the fun way we all enjoyed back in the day. 😳🫣
We got to see more into Rock’s character and how he came to be. Geraldine is even more foul in this story. There are a couple of “page 40” moments btw. Fuch’s even brought back someone from Geraldine’s past and you won’t want to miss that. The kills were more emotional this time around, for me at least. I found myself really attached to a few characters. And the ENDING. Fucking amazing 🙌😭
Go snag a hardcover deluxe copy over on his website or wait until it releases everywhere else on August 15th. The choice is yours. 🛝
We got to see more into Rock’s character and how he came to be. Geraldine is even more foul in this story. There are a couple of “page 40” moments btw. Fuch’s even brought back someone from Geraldine’s past and you won’t want to miss that. The kills were more emotional this time around, for me at least. I found myself really attached to a few characters. And the ENDING. Fucking amazing 🙌😭
Go snag a hardcover deluxe copy over on his website or wait until it releases everywhere else on August 15th. The choice is yours. 🛝
July 28, 2025
I’ve been looking forward to this book for months, and somehow it still exceeded what I hoped for. Playground: Child of Divorce is brutal, creative, and deeply personal. Which seems to be the running theme with Beauregaurd’s works. The writing hits hard, not just because of the violence (and trust me, it’s plentiful), but because it’s coming from a place of real pain and lived emotion. Aron has a way of making you care about characters in Extreme horror, which is a talent within the genre that is rare in my opinion.
The “trap” scenes? Absolutely insane. Imagine Saw but through the lens of whimsical childhood traumas, each room plays like a twisted game of pretend, complete with rules scrawled like playground commandments. I won’t spoil anything (wink wink), but let’s just say I’ll never look at a bowl of milk the same way again 🥴🥛
The “trap” scenes? Absolutely insane. Imagine Saw but through the lens of whimsical childhood traumas, each room plays like a twisted game of pretend, complete with rules scrawled like playground commandments. I won’t spoil anything (wink wink), but let’s just say I’ll never look at a bowl of milk the same way again 🥴🥛
September 3, 2025
get rid of the creepy gross sex stuff and this would be a much better book. the plot has such good potential, but that nasty shit ruins it.
August 24, 2025
The wait for this book was honestly one of the highlights of my year. Nobody can write Splatterpunk like Aaron Beauregard. Sure there is gore and you probably shouldn’t eat while reading his books, but he actually writes stories. Shock value is so common in the genre and I think a lot of SP writers get caught up in how they can out do the last guy they forget that readers do tend to like an actual story to ya know, read. AB is NOT that author and he never fails to bring everything you want in a splatterpunk novel to life and more.
When I read Playground ( before TikTok found it and it became this weird game as to weather you could make it through a certain chapter or not ) I was first a tad disturbed then we moved onto disgust and bewildered ( because I mean who thinks of this stuff?! ) but then I found I was oddly rooting for a character in the book. Let me repeat: I WAS ROOTING FOR A CHARACTER IN A SPLATTERPUNK BOOK THATS MAIN STORYLINE WAS CHILDREN GETTING KILLED ON A PLAYGROUND. That is how well written Aaron Beauregard’s characters are. So I was hoping for more of that with this one and per usual, he didn’t disappoint. Yet again I found myself hoping Rock had a chance at something good in these pages. More of his personality shows a little in this book and if I can say anything to AB it’s Thank You for making Rock the weird beacon of light inside this very dark and strange world you’ve made.
The only reason I’m giving 4 stars is I was expecting more of the nasty stuff. The promo was “this is going to be more than the original” and I just didn’t see that. Was there some sick stuff written, yes but nothing that made my jaw drop like the original. There was no pausing the reading session to get images out of my head. But honestly how do you top the whole “situation” with Geraldine and her mothers…. Excrement.
Either way I’m giving this one a solid 4.5 because what it lacks in disgust it makes up for in plot and story. Per usual you HATE the bad guys and LOVE the good ones.
When I read Playground ( before TikTok found it and it became this weird game as to weather you could make it through a certain chapter or not ) I was first a tad disturbed then we moved onto disgust and bewildered ( because I mean who thinks of this stuff?! ) but then I found I was oddly rooting for a character in the book. Let me repeat: I WAS ROOTING FOR A CHARACTER IN A SPLATTERPUNK BOOK THATS MAIN STORYLINE WAS CHILDREN GETTING KILLED ON A PLAYGROUND. That is how well written Aaron Beauregard’s characters are. So I was hoping for more of that with this one and per usual, he didn’t disappoint. Yet again I found myself hoping Rock had a chance at something good in these pages. More of his personality shows a little in this book and if I can say anything to AB it’s Thank You for making Rock the weird beacon of light inside this very dark and strange world you’ve made.
The only reason I’m giving 4 stars is I was expecting more of the nasty stuff. The promo was “this is going to be more than the original” and I just didn’t see that. Was there some sick stuff written, yes but nothing that made my jaw drop like the original. There was no pausing the reading session to get images out of my head. But honestly how do you top the whole “situation” with Geraldine and her mothers…. Excrement.
Either way I’m giving this one a solid 4.5 because what it lacks in disgust it makes up for in plot and story. Per usual you HATE the bad guys and LOVE the good ones.
August 6, 2025
Well, it certainly is as gross as the first book. Writer Aron Beauregard has really stumbled onto an interesting formula with Playground and this prequel, Playground: Child of Divorce. The early parts of this book are so mean, spirited and grotesque, those with weaker constitutions will find it impossible to continue. Pages 52-54 are the new “page 40”, and it’s even worse. But I powered through, and found myself completely desensitized, ready to cheer and marvel at the imagination and creativity of the twisted mind behind Playground, and how he decides to off child after child. Splatterpunk horror is not for everyone, as it takes a certain mindset and certain stomach to glean pleasure from such fiction. I got there at the end. I think I enjoyed the more polished and sophisticated playground in the first book, but they are pretty much on par with each other.
August 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
August 21, 2025
This book was disgustingly wonderful. I just love Arons' ability to gross you completely out but still tell a story that keeps you sucked in. Truly one of the best in splatter. Plus the 90s nostalgia throughout this one was a treat. If you're looking to get into this genre, I can't recommend this series enough!
October 16, 2025
GOOD FOR WHAT IT TRIED TO ACHIEVE.
PREMISE: There's one thing Geraldine Borden's bottomless wealth can't grant her: children. So she wants to get revenge on the creator who allowed others to bare children. How about building a prototype of a playground with twisted games?
THOUGHTS: I thought the first book was good. This is a prequel to that first book and I get what Beauregard was setting out to do. Again it's a slow start which included character development with no pay off. But the actual games were interesting. All I advise is: know what you're getting into if you wish to read this. It's an adult horror with many warnings for a reason.
4 Stars!
xoxo.
PREMISE: There's one thing Geraldine Borden's bottomless wealth can't grant her: children. So she wants to get revenge on the creator who allowed others to bare children. How about building a prototype of a playground with twisted games?
THOUGHTS: I thought the first book was good. This is a prequel to that first book and I get what Beauregard was setting out to do. Again it's a slow start which included character development with no pay off. But the actual games were interesting. All I advise is: know what you're getting into if you wish to read this. It's an adult horror with many warnings for a reason.
4 Stars!
xoxo.
September 14, 2025
Fantastic prequel to the ideas of Saw ft. all the children you can kidnap. The descriptive nature paints a picture you wouldn't want to hang. Also not made with paint. I would 100% read a 3rd if there were one.
September 11, 2025
Could’ve done without the detailed account of popping haemorrhoids in your mouth actually
September 12, 2025
Well… here we go again.
Aron doesn’t just write horror—he reached into my gut, and ripped out the slimiest, most rancid parts of humanity, and smeared them across the page like rotting meat.
If Playground made you gag, Child of Divorce will make you choke. This isn’t a book you “read”—it’s a book you can smell. A rancid cocktail of blood, bile, and shit clinging to your nostrils before you’ve even made it through chapter two. Yes, Geraldine, I’m looking at you. 🤢
From the very first chapters, Aron dragged me back, way back, back into the foul, festering world of Geraldine Borden. And if you thought she was vile before, think again—she’s nastier, hungrier, and dripping with cruelty that makes your skin crawl. Oh, and let's not forget Mildred, too. She is a new weapon of mass destruction. Together, they turned innocence into absolute carnage.
Don’t let the word playground fool you. In Aron's world this is no haven for children, where laughter is fun and contagious...Oh no, Aron’s playground has blood-slick monkey bars, intestines for skipping ropes, and bone splinters crunching under bare feet. This time it’s harsher, bloodier, and far deadlier—leaving you to wonder if anyone can possibly survive.
Some books cut deep. Some books scar. But Aron’s work doesn’t just scar—it festers. It rots. It oozes.
He is the king of literary rot, crafting horror so vile and depraved you’ll gag, flinch, maybe even set the book down for a breather—only to pick it right back up because you have to see how much worse it can get.
By the final act, Child of Divorce isn’t just a story anymore—it’s a latrine of human remains boiling over, splattering your shoes, staining your soul.
⚠️ Not for the faint of heart. Not for the easily offended. But if you dare… step inside Geraldine’s hellscape. Just don’t expect to leave clean.
⭐ Brutal. Offensive. Brilliantly depraved. It is Aron Beauregard at his absolute foulest. ⭐
Aron doesn’t just write horror—he reached into my gut, and ripped out the slimiest, most rancid parts of humanity, and smeared them across the page like rotting meat.
If Playground made you gag, Child of Divorce will make you choke. This isn’t a book you “read”—it’s a book you can smell. A rancid cocktail of blood, bile, and shit clinging to your nostrils before you’ve even made it through chapter two. Yes, Geraldine, I’m looking at you. 🤢
From the very first chapters, Aron dragged me back, way back, back into the foul, festering world of Geraldine Borden. And if you thought she was vile before, think again—she’s nastier, hungrier, and dripping with cruelty that makes your skin crawl. Oh, and let's not forget Mildred, too. She is a new weapon of mass destruction. Together, they turned innocence into absolute carnage.
Don’t let the word playground fool you. In Aron's world this is no haven for children, where laughter is fun and contagious...Oh no, Aron’s playground has blood-slick monkey bars, intestines for skipping ropes, and bone splinters crunching under bare feet. This time it’s harsher, bloodier, and far deadlier—leaving you to wonder if anyone can possibly survive.
Some books cut deep. Some books scar. But Aron’s work doesn’t just scar—it festers. It rots. It oozes.
He is the king of literary rot, crafting horror so vile and depraved you’ll gag, flinch, maybe even set the book down for a breather—only to pick it right back up because you have to see how much worse it can get.
By the final act, Child of Divorce isn’t just a story anymore—it’s a latrine of human remains boiling over, splattering your shoes, staining your soul.
⚠️ Not for the faint of heart. Not for the easily offended. But if you dare… step inside Geraldine’s hellscape. Just don’t expect to leave clean.
⭐ Brutal. Offensive. Brilliantly depraved. It is Aron Beauregard at his absolute foulest. ⭐
October 27, 2025
Playground: Child of Divorce is the prequel to Beaugard’s viral splatterpunk hit, which allows him to return readers to the monstrous playgrounds manufactured by Geraldine Borden and Adolpho Fuchs. Set in the 1990s, it presents an experience that is just as nasty and considerably even darker than the original novel. It can even be argued that these kids - Steph, Kayla, Josh, Marco, Danny, and even Matthew, who could have been the rotten apple of the bunch, similar to Bobby - are pretty sympathetic and likable in comparison to the victims of the original novel.
These kids’ lives are painted as being difficult with domestic strife and poverty before they get kidnapped. When they are forced to go through Fuchs’ prototypes, they are forced to have the things that brought them such joy get brutally taken away from them as part of Geraldine’s brutal games while trying to stay alive. The idea of applying Saw-esque mechanics to childhood classics is pretty disturbing, but I do admire the creativity of these horrific instruments, such as explosive Skip-Its and acid-filled Super-Soakers. Turning these childhood classics into death traps injects a cruel irony, communicating the Playground’s cruel and nauseating nature.
However, like the original Playground, the book’s prose can be wonky in description sequences, and Fuchs’s German Nazi scientist caricature still feels cartoonish. The prequel also continues to rehash exposition concerning our antagonists, such as Borden, Fuchs, and Rock, which can get repetitive if they read the original novel. The intent of Borden’s nasty habits is pretty obvious, as they were put there to disgust through juvenile shock value, allowing the story to lose impact when contributing to a meaningful narrative that also features a high level of gore.
Still, the most disturbing moments would have to be the emotionally damaging scenes concerning the children. It would either have to be Josh forced to watch his pet rat, Polly, get dissolved into a puddle by purple gas, or Steph being forced to watch her father figure, Coach Cal, get decapitated and being forced to use his severed head as a basketball in order to score a hoop.
Aaron Beaugard has crafted an equally grotesque and worthy prequel to the original book, while sadly retaining some of its similar issues.
These kids’ lives are painted as being difficult with domestic strife and poverty before they get kidnapped. When they are forced to go through Fuchs’ prototypes, they are forced to have the things that brought them such joy get brutally taken away from them as part of Geraldine’s brutal games while trying to stay alive. The idea of applying Saw-esque mechanics to childhood classics is pretty disturbing, but I do admire the creativity of these horrific instruments, such as explosive Skip-Its and acid-filled Super-Soakers. Turning these childhood classics into death traps injects a cruel irony, communicating the Playground’s cruel and nauseating nature.
However, like the original Playground, the book’s prose can be wonky in description sequences, and Fuchs’s German Nazi scientist caricature still feels cartoonish. The prequel also continues to rehash exposition concerning our antagonists, such as Borden, Fuchs, and Rock, which can get repetitive if they read the original novel. The intent of Borden’s nasty habits is pretty obvious, as they were put there to disgust through juvenile shock value, allowing the story to lose impact when contributing to a meaningful narrative that also features a high level of gore.
Still, the most disturbing moments would have to be the emotionally damaging scenes concerning the children. It would either have to be Josh forced to watch his pet rat, Polly, get dissolved into a puddle by purple gas, or Steph being forced to watch her father figure, Coach Cal, get decapitated and being forced to use his severed head as a basketball in order to score a hoop.
Aaron Beaugard has crafted an equally grotesque and worthy prequel to the original book, while sadly retaining some of its similar issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2025
10/10 Breathtaking
Every playground has a prototype… and this prequel proves it in the most haunting, unforgettable way possible.
I absolutely loved Playground: Child of Divorce. Aron Beauregard has a way of dragging readers into the ugliest corners of the human mind, and this book does exactly that while showing how Playground came to be. It’s disturbing, raw, and emotionally heavy—but also incredibly well-crafted. As dark as it gets, every page feels intentional. You can tell there’s meaning behind the madness.
This prequel does more than just set up the original—it deepens it. We see the origins of Geraldine Borden’s twisted obsessions, her desperation for control, and the warped “motherhood” that fuels her cruelty. It’s equal parts psychological horror and human tragedy. Watching how her pain and envy spiral into something so monstrous gives the Playground story a chilling new layer of realism.
What really stood out to me was how the children’s side of the story was handled. They’re not just victims; they’re survivors navigating fear, grief, and fractured family dynamics in the most unimaginable circumstances. That mix of innocence and horror is what makes this book hit so hard—it feels painfully real even in its insanity.
The tone is dark and insane, yes—but that’s exactly what makes it so gripping. Beauregard doesn’t hold back, and the result is a brutal, relentless story that sticks with you long after you’ve finished. It’s the kind of book that makes you uncomfortable in the best possible way, the kind that reminds you why horror can be so powerful when it’s done right.
If you thought Playground was wild, Child of Divorce will leave you speechless. It’s brutal, twisted, and tragic—a perfect storm of pain, imagination, and horror that only Aron Beauregard could deliver.
Every playground has a prototype… and this prequel proves it in the most haunting, unforgettable way possible.
I absolutely loved Playground: Child of Divorce. Aron Beauregard has a way of dragging readers into the ugliest corners of the human mind, and this book does exactly that while showing how Playground came to be. It’s disturbing, raw, and emotionally heavy—but also incredibly well-crafted. As dark as it gets, every page feels intentional. You can tell there’s meaning behind the madness.
This prequel does more than just set up the original—it deepens it. We see the origins of Geraldine Borden’s twisted obsessions, her desperation for control, and the warped “motherhood” that fuels her cruelty. It’s equal parts psychological horror and human tragedy. Watching how her pain and envy spiral into something so monstrous gives the Playground story a chilling new layer of realism.
What really stood out to me was how the children’s side of the story was handled. They’re not just victims; they’re survivors navigating fear, grief, and fractured family dynamics in the most unimaginable circumstances. That mix of innocence and horror is what makes this book hit so hard—it feels painfully real even in its insanity.
The tone is dark and insane, yes—but that’s exactly what makes it so gripping. Beauregard doesn’t hold back, and the result is a brutal, relentless story that sticks with you long after you’ve finished. It’s the kind of book that makes you uncomfortable in the best possible way, the kind that reminds you why horror can be so powerful when it’s done right.
If you thought Playground was wild, Child of Divorce will leave you speechless. It’s brutal, twisted, and tragic—a perfect storm of pain, imagination, and horror that only Aron Beauregard could deliver.
July 26, 2025
Playground: Child Of Divorce- Out 15th August 🛝🔥
So I was late to the splatterpunk party, only reading playground a couple of months ago, but my god did I eat it up & I fast became a massive fan of @ABHorror & his creations!
I have been rapidly devouring his books ever since, so when I randomly got a message from the legend himself last night, telling me I’d earned an arc I just about died on the spot!! I’ve never ran to my kindle to start something as fast 🤣
Fxxk me, this was unreal!! Seeing how it all began, the prototypes, how the relationships formed ect I absolutely loved it!! Page 113/114 was the 🤢 moment for me…nice to see Geraldine was always rotten…👀🤮 groooooss!!!
Oh and the illustrations in this one really are something else, I always love that the characters are shown in the way you envision them but wow, these are crazy!! I definitely said OMG out loud a couple of times, especially reading it on the kindle & all of a sudden you’re jump-scared with the pic!! 😱
Honestly I can’t wait for others to read this & to own it soon for myself too. The deluxe versions need to be on my bookshelf ASAP! I truly do love this guys books so much & I’m so so thankful for the ARC, thank you again!👏🏼
Coming 15th August, Makesure to get your preorders in! And it goes without saying, check the triggers!! ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I was late to the splatterpunk party, only reading playground a couple of months ago, but my god did I eat it up & I fast became a massive fan of @ABHorror & his creations!
I have been rapidly devouring his books ever since, so when I randomly got a message from the legend himself last night, telling me I’d earned an arc I just about died on the spot!! I’ve never ran to my kindle to start something as fast 🤣
Fxxk me, this was unreal!! Seeing how it all began, the prototypes, how the relationships formed ect I absolutely loved it!! Page 113/114 was the 🤢 moment for me…nice to see Geraldine was always rotten…👀🤮 groooooss!!!
Oh and the illustrations in this one really are something else, I always love that the characters are shown in the way you envision them but wow, these are crazy!! I definitely said OMG out loud a couple of times, especially reading it on the kindle & all of a sudden you’re jump-scared with the pic!! 😱
Honestly I can’t wait for others to read this & to own it soon for myself too. The deluxe versions need to be on my bookshelf ASAP! I truly do love this guys books so much & I’m so so thankful for the ARC, thank you again!👏🏼
Coming 15th August, Makesure to get your preorders in! And it goes without saying, check the triggers!! ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 9, 2025
5 solid stars, hands down! Just like the first installment of ‘Playground’, ‘Playground: Child of Divorce’ was packed to the brim with unrelenting gore and juvenile peril. The scene building and emotional rollercoaster the reader unsuspectingly rides from chapter to chapter is insanity. The writing never leaves you wanting for more as the scenes build on top of each other seamlessly.
This book of course is splatterpunk genre so take that into high consideration when picking this one up, or really any Aron Beauregard books.
Beauregard brings phenomenal talent to the splatterpunk genre, where it’s not just gore for gores sake & is in no way your run-of-the-mill horror. The Playground universe is definitely not for the faint of heart. The illustrations also elevate the scenes to such an extent your eyes just get glued to the page. Best not to eat while reading this one, gotta save room for some Playground Puffs!
This book of course is splatterpunk genre so take that into high consideration when picking this one up, or really any Aron Beauregard books.
Beauregard brings phenomenal talent to the splatterpunk genre, where it’s not just gore for gores sake & is in no way your run-of-the-mill horror. The Playground universe is definitely not for the faint of heart. The illustrations also elevate the scenes to such an extent your eyes just get glued to the page. Best not to eat while reading this one, gotta save room for some Playground Puffs!
September 6, 2025
This book is the perfect beginning to Aron's first book The playground. It will shock you while pulling on your heart strings. The adults in this book piss me off but, Geraldine she enrages me and disgusts me she's just plain crazy! Thanks to Geraldine I now have a list of food I will never see the same way again.
Once again Aron shows us what an amazing writer he is... but why did you have to ruin pizza sauce for me!!! Evil just evil. 🤣
Once again Aron shows us what an amazing writer he is... but why did you have to ruin pizza sauce for me!!! Evil just evil. 🤣
September 14, 2025
*3.5 rounded down*
I read the first playground book during spooky season last year and loved it so I was very excited to go back to this crazy place!!
I loved the deaths in this (not happy with who died!) but god were they good!! Just like the first book we have an owl touch of haemorrhoids again 🤢 but we won’t discuss that….
I buddy read this so made me enjoy the book more than what I probably would have if I read it by myself!
I read the first playground book during spooky season last year and loved it so I was very excited to go back to this crazy place!!
I loved the deaths in this (not happy with who died!) but god were they good!! Just like the first book we have an owl touch of haemorrhoids again 🤢 but we won’t discuss that….
I buddy read this so made me enjoy the book more than what I probably would have if I read it by myself!
October 27, 2025
A grim and fascinating prequel that adds a whole new layer to the original Playground. Seeing more of Geraldine’s desires and witnessing her plans shift to wanting to have the parents present offered an interesting perspective, to say the least. The body horror is still strong (the haemorrhoids scene… I’ll never recover🤢😭), but it never feels like it’s trying to outdo the first book. It’s disturbing in a way that feels intentional, not excessive, and that’s what makes it stick with you 👀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2025
I can’t decide if the audiobook or paperback is grosser. Anyway, I started the paperback because I literally refused to wait less than a week for the paperback to come out and it ended up coming in my box literally right as I finished the audiobook. Kismet.
Both this and the first books are painted for a signing, too.
Both this and the first books are painted for a signing, too.
September 7, 2025
If you would look through the past novels on my "read" list, you would see that I read all kinds of novels. Happy-go-lucky, sad, romantic, mysterious, thriller and, as you can see here, splatterpunk. I read the first "Playground" by Aron Beauregard and liked it, so I grabbed this book as soon as it was released (ironically, on my birthday). This review is going to be almost exactly like the review for the first novel for all the same reasons.
No surprise here, but I would NOT recommend this book to the average reader. All of the violence is aimed towards children and, being splatterpunk, it does not stray from the gory and disturbing details. I personally have no triggers whatsoever, but I know other people do, so I cannot openly scream to the heavens that everyone should read this. That being said, if you can handle splatterpunk stories, this may be something that catches your interest.
Since this novel is a prequel, the three main villains from the first novel made an appearance again. Rock, one of these "villains", was my favorite character in both stories. While he was considered an antagonist, he was the only one that had a heart and understood that what was happening was wrong. Geraldine was also my least favorite character once more. This novel obviously couldn't end like the first one had due to being a prequel, so I knew what was going to happen to these antagonists, but I won't go into any detail to avoid spoilers. Because of this, though, the ending to this novel wasn't nearly as satisfying as the ending to the first novel. I won't take any stars off for that reason, though, because prequels obviously have to be written with less twists to make the events in the other novels make sense.
Like the first book, this book had many moments that felt straight out of the "Saw" series or the "Squid Game" show seasons. They were extremely creative (albeit a bit unbelievable). I don't know which one I would count as the most inventive, though. They each had interesting rules and twists attached to them. The parents being involved in the first novel, while the children were totally alone in this novel, made it feel like less was at stake at times; but, like I previously mentioned, that was due to this being a prequel, so I can't blame Beauregard for making that decision.
Now, why is it four rather than five stars? It's literally the same reasons why the first novel was four rather than five stars.
First off, the children's ages. The only two children we knew the exact ages for were Josh, who was 14, and Danny, who was 11. None of the other ages were mentioned. Steph *might* have been the same age as Josh, but that was the closest information we got for her. So...which characters were acting their age? Josh supposedly sold drugs, which seems totally odd for a 14-year-old. He seemed much, MUCH older than that, both with his side hobbies and how he acted on the playground. If I wasn't given an age, I would have thought he was 17 or 18. Steph came off around the age of a 14-year-old, but she still had moments where she sounded older; that could possibly be due to her younger sister being with her, though. Kayla may have been around 9 if the hints given were correct, so that made sense. We were never told anything about Teddy, Jasmine, Matthew or Marco, though, so it jarred me not knowing if they were acting their ages or not. For example, Matthew didn't know how to use the swings on a playground by himself. That makes sense for maybe a four-year-old, but how old was this kid supposed to be? Anyone first grade or older should be able to know how to work the swings at a playground, right? This was the same major issue I had with the children in the first novel.
Along the same lines, Geraldine's sidekick was a former Nazi. It was mentioned here and there in the first novel, but in this novel, it was pounded into your head with a sledgehammer. Every time he was mentioned, you just HAD to remember that the dude was a former Nazi, so that's why he was so evil!! That was frustrating. This novel is fictional, but there's nothing fictional about Nazism, so adding that element to a character just to make them more hated comes off as lazy and annoying.
There were also a few, smaller things that irked me, such as Matthew's father living in a bug infested apartment but being told he was a dentist. I work at a dentist office and there's NO WAY you'd live in filth like that making a dentist's salary. Also, how the heck did the ex-Nazi have a game set to the tune of "Hungry Eyes"? He discovered the song using Kayla's stolen Walkman; these games were created before the children were kidnapped, so how did one of the games involve a song that Fooks had heard for the first time AFTER the children were kidnapped? That seemed a little odd to me. I don't know if these two things would play towards a star being taken off of my rating, though, since they were pretty minor.
As I mentioned before, I will never suggest splatterpunk novels to the average book lover. I would only suggest it to people who can read the genre or don't have any major triggers. If you like the genre, this is a book to check out! If you aren't, though, stay far away. It definitely isn't a story for everyone.
No surprise here, but I would NOT recommend this book to the average reader. All of the violence is aimed towards children and, being splatterpunk, it does not stray from the gory and disturbing details. I personally have no triggers whatsoever, but I know other people do, so I cannot openly scream to the heavens that everyone should read this. That being said, if you can handle splatterpunk stories, this may be something that catches your interest.
Since this novel is a prequel, the three main villains from the first novel made an appearance again. Rock, one of these "villains", was my favorite character in both stories. While he was considered an antagonist, he was the only one that had a heart and understood that what was happening was wrong. Geraldine was also my least favorite character once more. This novel obviously couldn't end like the first one had due to being a prequel, so I knew what was going to happen to these antagonists, but I won't go into any detail to avoid spoilers. Because of this, though, the ending to this novel wasn't nearly as satisfying as the ending to the first novel. I won't take any stars off for that reason, though, because prequels obviously have to be written with less twists to make the events in the other novels make sense.
Like the first book, this book had many moments that felt straight out of the "Saw" series or the "Squid Game" show seasons. They were extremely creative (albeit a bit unbelievable). I don't know which one I would count as the most inventive, though. They each had interesting rules and twists attached to them. The parents being involved in the first novel, while the children were totally alone in this novel, made it feel like less was at stake at times; but, like I previously mentioned, that was due to this being a prequel, so I can't blame Beauregard for making that decision.
Now, why is it four rather than five stars? It's literally the same reasons why the first novel was four rather than five stars.
First off, the children's ages. The only two children we knew the exact ages for were Josh, who was 14, and Danny, who was 11. None of the other ages were mentioned. Steph *might* have been the same age as Josh, but that was the closest information we got for her. So...which characters were acting their age? Josh supposedly sold drugs, which seems totally odd for a 14-year-old. He seemed much, MUCH older than that, both with his side hobbies and how he acted on the playground. If I wasn't given an age, I would have thought he was 17 or 18. Steph came off around the age of a 14-year-old, but she still had moments where she sounded older; that could possibly be due to her younger sister being with her, though. Kayla may have been around 9 if the hints given were correct, so that made sense. We were never told anything about Teddy, Jasmine, Matthew or Marco, though, so it jarred me not knowing if they were acting their ages or not. For example, Matthew didn't know how to use the swings on a playground by himself. That makes sense for maybe a four-year-old, but how old was this kid supposed to be? Anyone first grade or older should be able to know how to work the swings at a playground, right? This was the same major issue I had with the children in the first novel.
Along the same lines, Geraldine's sidekick was a former Nazi. It was mentioned here and there in the first novel, but in this novel, it was pounded into your head with a sledgehammer. Every time he was mentioned, you just HAD to remember that the dude was a former Nazi, so that's why he was so evil!! That was frustrating. This novel is fictional, but there's nothing fictional about Nazism, so adding that element to a character just to make them more hated comes off as lazy and annoying.
There were also a few, smaller things that irked me, such as Matthew's father living in a bug infested apartment but being told he was a dentist. I work at a dentist office and there's NO WAY you'd live in filth like that making a dentist's salary. Also, how the heck did the ex-Nazi have a game set to the tune of "Hungry Eyes"? He discovered the song using Kayla's stolen Walkman; these games were created before the children were kidnapped, so how did one of the games involve a song that Fooks had heard for the first time AFTER the children were kidnapped? That seemed a little odd to me. I don't know if these two things would play towards a star being taken off of my rating, though, since they were pretty minor.
As I mentioned before, I will never suggest splatterpunk novels to the average book lover. I would only suggest it to people who can read the genre or don't have any major triggers. If you like the genre, this is a book to check out! If you aren't, though, stay far away. It definitely isn't a story for everyone.
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