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Banana Brain
If Black Mirror and The Babadook had a deranged monkey baby, this would be it.
Adam’s barely holding it together. Broke, haunted, desperate for redemption. His new job as the night guard at a crumbling zoo felt like a first step. Until one drunken night, his phone ended up in the hands of the zoo’s newest chimpanzee.
Then the text messages began.
The animal knew things it shouldn’t. Secrets, sins, faces from the past. It wanted more than just the phone. It was playing a slow, unraveling, game of torture.
The cage door swings open in C.S. Fritz’s latest novel with a bizarre fever dream of primal dread, emotional extortion, and something far darker than guilt.
Adam’s barely holding it together. Broke, haunted, desperate for redemption. His new job as the night guard at a crumbling zoo felt like a first step. Until one drunken night, his phone ended up in the hands of the zoo’s newest chimpanzee.
Then the text messages began.
The animal knew things it shouldn’t. Secrets, sins, faces from the past. It wanted more than just the phone. It was playing a slow, unraveling, game of torture.
The cage door swings open in C.S. Fritz’s latest novel with a bizarre fever dream of primal dread, emotional extortion, and something far darker than guilt.
- GenresHorror
451 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2025
2 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Fritz
39 books150 followersCasey "C.S." Fritz grew up on a farm in Oregon, where he milked cows and had a pet pig. To escape the endless chores of cleaning chicken coops and watering tomatoes...Casey would draw.
As a young child, Casey's family moved to Arizona. It was there beneath the fiery gaze of the Southwestern sun, that he spent most of his life. Graduating school, marrying the love of his life and having two wild kids. It was also there that C.S. Fritz's work began to take traction with local galleries and art publications.
C.S. Fritz now is an award-winning author and illustrator with published children's titles as...
The Cottonmouth Trilogy, Good Night Tales, The Moonman Cometh, Seekers, and Good Night Classics!
Fritz's debut novel, A Fig For All The Devils released Halloween, 2021. Fig won best in horror with the IBPA's and is now in the works to be a major motion picture.
Other horror works by Fritz are, All Creatures Living Beneath The Sun, Banana Brain and Cabbage.
As a young child, Casey's family moved to Arizona. It was there beneath the fiery gaze of the Southwestern sun, that he spent most of his life. Graduating school, marrying the love of his life and having two wild kids. It was also there that C.S. Fritz's work began to take traction with local galleries and art publications.
C.S. Fritz now is an award-winning author and illustrator with published children's titles as...
The Cottonmouth Trilogy, Good Night Tales, The Moonman Cometh, Seekers, and Good Night Classics!
Fritz's debut novel, A Fig For All The Devils released Halloween, 2021. Fig won best in horror with the IBPA's and is now in the works to be a major motion picture.
Other horror works by Fritz are, All Creatures Living Beneath The Sun, Banana Brain and Cabbage.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 29, 2025
This one got a little too weird/over the top. I wouldn’t have minded it if the characters and dialogue were a bit more well rounded. Both these aspects fell flat unfortunately.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Albatross Book Co for a copy!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Albatross Book Co for a copy!
November 25, 2025
This was wild lol.
Honestly it was a fun read if you're not going into it expecting it to not be at least a little silly. Things definitely went off the rails at certain points and I wish it had focused more on the chimp and his history and built a bit more suspense around him seemingly being normal and the MC being tormented by him and unable to convince anyone of what was happening.
The writing is sold. It was a good pace where nothing felt like it sat for too long and it kept the story going. However, on the other end of that, there was a lot of interpersonal stuff that got explained very quickly then dropped because there wasn't quite enough time to fully build out the characters and their stories. I think this book would have benefitted a lot from being a bit longer and spending more time with each character.
One thing I can really give this book credit for is that it does have a very unique premise, and I loved the cover. The atmosphere was good, but I wish it had stayed more grounded and focused on a single "antagonist" as it were rather than branching out too much into the supernatural occurrences plaguing each character.
Thank you to Netgalley and Albatross for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🍌
Honestly it was a fun read if you're not going into it expecting it to not be at least a little silly. Things definitely went off the rails at certain points and I wish it had focused more on the chimp and his history and built a bit more suspense around him seemingly being normal and the MC being tormented by him and unable to convince anyone of what was happening.
The writing is sold. It was a good pace where nothing felt like it sat for too long and it kept the story going. However, on the other end of that, there was a lot of interpersonal stuff that got explained very quickly then dropped because there wasn't quite enough time to fully build out the characters and their stories. I think this book would have benefitted a lot from being a bit longer and spending more time with each character.
One thing I can really give this book credit for is that it does have a very unique premise, and I loved the cover. The atmosphere was good, but I wish it had stayed more grounded and focused on a single "antagonist" as it were rather than branching out too much into the supernatural occurrences plaguing each character.
Thank you to Netgalley and Albatross for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🍌
October 21, 2025
This is different. Unique. An absurd horror. It has lovable characters and villains you'll loath. Easter eggs. The most unsettling events and situations are back stories and connections. Buckle up, this is a wild one, and a lot of fun.
November 22, 2025
I guess I don't know what I expected? Yeah it's stupid. Yeah there is no character consistency, no decent proofreading. Actually kind of had me scared though to be honest. Pretty funny when they brought up the chimp in Connecticut. Yeah apes are scary as fuck. The incessant Coldplay references?
I wish I hadn't spent money on this book man
I wish I hadn't spent money on this book man
October 8, 2025
2 Stars⭐️⭐️
I just could not get in to this. I was intrigued by the plot, but it just didn’t deliver for me. This is just my personal opinion, so definitely don’t let it sway you from picking this up if you’re interested.
I just could not get in to this. I was intrigued by the plot, but it just didn’t deliver for me. This is just my personal opinion, so definitely don’t let it sway you from picking this up if you’re interested.
September 21, 2025
Banana Brain is not just another horror story with unhinged character (my favourites) and creepy events, it’s a full-blown descent into chaos wrapped in trauma, wit, and a homicidal monkey with a vendetta. Did I say something about those damn bananas already ? (watching with unease the banana I just bring from the kitchen).
We’re following Adam, a broke, emotionally wrecked guy trying to hold it together after his parents’ tragic death. Now he’s the guardian of his 12-year-old sister—a foul-mouthed, razor-sharp gremlin of a child—and he’s scrambling to build a life stable enough to keep her out of the system (or far from his weirdo of an uncle).
Enter: the local zoo. A ghost-town of a job that smells like redemption (and animal’s defecation). But on night one, after a few drinks and some questionable decisions, Adam’s phone ends up in the hands of a chimp. Not just any chimp. This one is a bit too human and it texts. And it knows things. Too many things. Secrets. Regrets. Faces from the past. And it’s not just texting—it’s playing a slow, twisted game of psychological torment.
I was hooked. Like, feral. I’ve read some bangers this year in the horror section, but this one? Top three for 2025, no contest.
It gave me the same chaotic joy as those crack fics where the author clearly lost their mind in the best way possible. You know the weird ones—written for fun, full of insomniac creativity, and somehow still emotionally devastating. That’s high praise from me. Fanfic writers are some of the most talented storytellers out there, and this book channels that exact energy.
The plot? Looks basic on paper. But it’s layered like a cursed onion. Every chapter peels back something darker, weirder, and more brilliant. I started writing this review at 32% because one scene had me laughing so hard I told my coworker, “If I don’t dream about a banana killer tonight, something’s wrong.” and yes she definitely looked at me like I am totally crazy.
Also, heads up: the author hates Coldplay. Like, passionately. You’ve been warned. And I so get it ! #TeamColdplayIsCheapAssPop
🍌 Banana-fueled fever dream: ✅
🐒 Unhinged characters with actual depth (not just chaos for chaos’ sake): ✅✅
🧠 Twisted, wicked, surprisingly emotional plot: Oh hell yes, ✅
It’s dark. It’s funny (in a creepy “what the hell am I reading” kind of way). It’s gory and crass and clever and somehow still manages to punch you in the feelings. I was halfway through and already obsessed, trying to decode where Fritz was taking me—and loving every second of the confusion.
Imagine Goosebumps (the books, not that sad excuse of a show) grew up, got therapy, and then relapsed into madness. Now mix that with Black Mirror, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and a monkey with a PhD in criminology. That’s Banana Brain. If you’re a horror-loving, chaos-craving adult weirdo like me, you’re gonna devour this.
And Adam? My heart. He’s a mess. But he’s trying. You can feel the desperation, the guilt, the love. He’s clawing his way through grief and trauma with nothing but duct tape and determination. I rooted for him hard.
The way this book handles heavy stuff—mental health, grief, guilt, life’s worst curveballs—is raw and weirdly tender. All while drenched in dread and banana-scented madness.
C.S. Fritz crafted a masterpiece of unease. The atmosphere is thick, the tension is surgical, and the whole thing reads like a nightmare you don’t want to wake up from. It slinks through your brain like smoke in a locked room.
You’ll tiptoe through every page, and when it’s over, you’ll stare at the bananas on your counter and wonder if they’re watching you.
We’re following Adam, a broke, emotionally wrecked guy trying to hold it together after his parents’ tragic death. Now he’s the guardian of his 12-year-old sister—a foul-mouthed, razor-sharp gremlin of a child—and he’s scrambling to build a life stable enough to keep her out of the system (or far from his weirdo of an uncle).
Enter: the local zoo. A ghost-town of a job that smells like redemption (and animal’s defecation). But on night one, after a few drinks and some questionable decisions, Adam’s phone ends up in the hands of a chimp. Not just any chimp. This one is a bit too human and it texts. And it knows things. Too many things. Secrets. Regrets. Faces from the past. And it’s not just texting—it’s playing a slow, twisted game of psychological torment.
I was hooked. Like, feral. I’ve read some bangers this year in the horror section, but this one? Top three for 2025, no contest.
It gave me the same chaotic joy as those crack fics where the author clearly lost their mind in the best way possible. You know the weird ones—written for fun, full of insomniac creativity, and somehow still emotionally devastating. That’s high praise from me. Fanfic writers are some of the most talented storytellers out there, and this book channels that exact energy.
The plot? Looks basic on paper. But it’s layered like a cursed onion. Every chapter peels back something darker, weirder, and more brilliant. I started writing this review at 32% because one scene had me laughing so hard I told my coworker, “If I don’t dream about a banana killer tonight, something’s wrong.” and yes she definitely looked at me like I am totally crazy.
Also, heads up: the author hates Coldplay. Like, passionately. You’ve been warned. And I so get it ! #TeamColdplayIsCheapAssPop
🍌 Banana-fueled fever dream: ✅
🐒 Unhinged characters with actual depth (not just chaos for chaos’ sake): ✅✅
🧠 Twisted, wicked, surprisingly emotional plot: Oh hell yes, ✅
It’s dark. It’s funny (in a creepy “what the hell am I reading” kind of way). It’s gory and crass and clever and somehow still manages to punch you in the feelings. I was halfway through and already obsessed, trying to decode where Fritz was taking me—and loving every second of the confusion.
Imagine Goosebumps (the books, not that sad excuse of a show) grew up, got therapy, and then relapsed into madness. Now mix that with Black Mirror, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and a monkey with a PhD in criminology. That’s Banana Brain. If you’re a horror-loving, chaos-craving adult weirdo like me, you’re gonna devour this.
And Adam? My heart. He’s a mess. But he’s trying. You can feel the desperation, the guilt, the love. He’s clawing his way through grief and trauma with nothing but duct tape and determination. I rooted for him hard.
The way this book handles heavy stuff—mental health, grief, guilt, life’s worst curveballs—is raw and weirdly tender. All while drenched in dread and banana-scented madness.
C.S. Fritz crafted a masterpiece of unease. The atmosphere is thick, the tension is surgical, and the whole thing reads like a nightmare you don’t want to wake up from. It slinks through your brain like smoke in a locked room.
You’ll tiptoe through every page, and when it’s over, you’ll stare at the bananas on your counter and wonder if they’re watching you.
December 16, 2025
In ‘Banana Brain’, Adam takes a job as a night guard at a rundown zoo. Things quickly go sideways when he gets drunk one night, and his phone ends up in the hands of the zoo’s new chimpanzee.
But this isn’t just any chimp; it’s a deranged, possibly demonic, supernatural one. As it taunts Adam, slowly unraveling his life in torturous ways, things take a dark turn.
I was ABSOLUTELY HERE for the plot and the writing. It kept me so engaged, I literally finished the book in two hours.
The dialogue could use some work, though? Like what’s with the potty-mouth on Ruby, the 12-year-old sister, double orphan or not, lol (is double orphan even a thing? Where I’m from, we just call it “anak yatim piatu”).
So that sometimes took me out of the story. But I did appreciate the random, real-life chimpanzee facts that added some depth to the supernatural aspect because it made the whole story feel just a tiny bit more believable.
I don’t think Uncle Jeff and Emma's characters really moved the story forward because they didn’t make a difference in the end either. But maybe that’s just me.
Also don’t expect any character development because the chimpanzee is the real star here, not anyone else. So yeah, the ending is bleak, but that’s why I loved it, hence, 4 stars.
The minus 1 star is due to all the annoying Coldplay references. Though, now I see that was probably the point; mirroring Adam’s own frustration. But it’s a bit different since his frustration was more on the traumatic side.
So is it unrealistic? Yes. Is it chimp-shit crazy? Yes. Does it make zero sense? Absolutely, suspend all disbelief.
But it’s HELLA entertaining, because I would definitely watch a movie based on this.
Thank you NetGalley and Albatross Book Co. for the e-ARC!
But this isn’t just any chimp; it’s a deranged, possibly demonic, supernatural one. As it taunts Adam, slowly unraveling his life in torturous ways, things take a dark turn.
I was ABSOLUTELY HERE for the plot and the writing. It kept me so engaged, I literally finished the book in two hours.
The dialogue could use some work, though? Like what’s with the potty-mouth on Ruby, the 12-year-old sister, double orphan or not, lol (is double orphan even a thing? Where I’m from, we just call it “anak yatim piatu”).
So that sometimes took me out of the story. But I did appreciate the random, real-life chimpanzee facts that added some depth to the supernatural aspect because it made the whole story feel just a tiny bit more believable.
I don’t think Uncle Jeff and Emma's characters really moved the story forward because they didn’t make a difference in the end either. But maybe that’s just me.
Also don’t expect any character development because the chimpanzee is the real star here, not anyone else. So yeah, the ending is bleak, but that’s why I loved it, hence, 4 stars.
The minus 1 star is due to all the annoying Coldplay references. Though, now I see that was probably the point; mirroring Adam’s own frustration. But it’s a bit different since his frustration was more on the traumatic side.
So is it unrealistic? Yes. Is it chimp-shit crazy? Yes. Does it make zero sense? Absolutely, suspend all disbelief.
But it’s HELLA entertaining, because I would definitely watch a movie based on this.
Thank you NetGalley and Albatross Book Co. for the e-ARC!
September 23, 2025
2.5 stars rounded to 3. Putting grammatical errors aside (to be fair, no typos detected, but syntax needs professional editing), there's a very strong story here, with lots of potential. I finished it in one sitting. Loved the illustrations! However, I was disappointed by the author's rather crude sense of how horror works: a chimpanzee acting demonically possessed, destroying every zoo it's been in, is a terrific idea; so why undermine it by introducing, with an utterly straight face, people slowly turning into banana mush and getting attacked by bananas, bananas being the sociopaths of the story, instead of the primate itself? Every time the creature appears, I felt dread and anticipated the worse - in vain: the chimp just acts like a chimp, attacking, maiming, killing as any chimp would - except when it has an iPhone in its hands: then, it sends messages pretending to be the phone's owner. Oh and sometimes it grins wickedly. Not that scary. Though the humans in the story act incredibly bizarre, it all makes some sort of sense by the end of the book, when secrets are revealed explaining somewhat their irrational behavior. That said, the ending is admittedly quite strong - but it has nothing to do with the chimp (which, by the way, is called a monkey even by professionals in the book - what gives?). Although I don't regret reading the book, and would recommend people giving it a chance, I have to confess that it did put me off bananas and Coldplay for some time LOL!
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a free ARC to review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a free ARC to review.
September 30, 2025
This book intrigued me by the cover and description, and I always love when a book is written around a phrase/definition, so I was excited when I started the book and got the definition of what ‘Banana Brain’ means. This book isn’t the worst horror I’ve ever read, but it doesn’t really stand out. I’m not sure if the book is meant to have been left up to the reader to determine what they believe happened, or if I just wasn’t understanding.
Banana Brain is a strange horror book that dips into some dark topics but doesn’t actually seem to explore them, like the grief of losing parents at a young age and the loss of a pregnancy. The sibling relationship felt like it was written by someone who has never had siblings, the 12-year-old sister’s personality was pretty much entirely crude insults at her brother. The other characters also felt like they were just a little too flat, no one really felt unique. And I felt like the horror elements were just for shock value up until the end.
Overall this was an okay read, nice and short if you just want a small horror to read, but don’t expect the best from it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher/author for the digital ARC in exchange for my personal review.
Banana Brain is a strange horror book that dips into some dark topics but doesn’t actually seem to explore them, like the grief of losing parents at a young age and the loss of a pregnancy. The sibling relationship felt like it was written by someone who has never had siblings, the 12-year-old sister’s personality was pretty much entirely crude insults at her brother. The other characters also felt like they were just a little too flat, no one really felt unique. And I felt like the horror elements were just for shock value up until the end.
Overall this was an okay read, nice and short if you just want a small horror to read, but don’t expect the best from it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher/author for the digital ARC in exchange for my personal review.
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December 8, 2025Please check your trigger warnings. Your mental health matters. 🖤
Disclaimer: I read this book as an eARC from NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
DNF at 30%
One of my biggest pet peeves with movies is continuity error. The food a character is eating keeps changing in size depending on the angle of the shot and so on. Drives me bonkers. I have never experienced it within a book before. Either due my lack of attention to detail with prior novels or it is truly is just that blatant in this book. Talking about squishing a banana in your hand and then give a banana to an animal intact...it's the same banana. I know this because I read it three times over thinking I was going crazy. So which is it?
The premise of the book is over the top and silly. I understand that is intentional. You can have a ridiculous premise and still knock it out of the park with a novel. This book suffers from inconsistency, attempted banter that reads poorly and feels childish, flat characters and a lack of engaging plot. I think I understand where the author was attempting to go with the incessant Coldplay references, the idea that was being trying to be relayed, but this also became grating and unenjoyable.
Disclaimer: I read this book as an eARC from NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
DNF at 30%
One of my biggest pet peeves with movies is continuity error. The food a character is eating keeps changing in size depending on the angle of the shot and so on. Drives me bonkers. I have never experienced it within a book before. Either due my lack of attention to detail with prior novels or it is truly is just that blatant in this book. Talking about squishing a banana in your hand and then give a banana to an animal intact...it's the same banana. I know this because I read it three times over thinking I was going crazy. So which is it?
The premise of the book is over the top and silly. I understand that is intentional. You can have a ridiculous premise and still knock it out of the park with a novel. This book suffers from inconsistency, attempted banter that reads poorly and feels childish, flat characters and a lack of engaging plot. I think I understand where the author was attempting to go with the incessant Coldplay references, the idea that was being trying to be relayed, but this also became grating and unenjoyable.
September 22, 2025
DNF at 28%
Title/author: Banana Brain by C.S Fritz
Pages: allegedly 449 in print, approx 250 in ebook
Format: ebook through NetGalley’s reader
For fans of: Stephen King’s lesser works
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, provided in exchange for an honest review.
I once again must insist that I don’t typically reviews DNFs. Despite having the ARC I really couldn’t get through this one especially since I was flipping between this and the newest Ronald Malfi that kept calling my name.
I struggle because I think this could have been a good mid-grade horror or even a graphic novel. As it is though, this lacks stylistic flair or compelling plot and the characters were……contemptible. I like reading about unlikable characters as much as the next dummy but I eventually got to the point where I was just rolling my eyes at the charmless misanthropy of these people. The nuts and bolts writing I also felt lacked something - whether that be voice or point of view or something else I couldn’t really put my thumb on.
Again - I think this could be reworked and be closer to a success but even as a horror fan this really was not for me.
Title/author: Banana Brain by C.S Fritz
Pages: allegedly 449 in print, approx 250 in ebook
Format: ebook through NetGalley’s reader
For fans of: Stephen King’s lesser works
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, provided in exchange for an honest review.
I once again must insist that I don’t typically reviews DNFs. Despite having the ARC I really couldn’t get through this one especially since I was flipping between this and the newest Ronald Malfi that kept calling my name.
I struggle because I think this could have been a good mid-grade horror or even a graphic novel. As it is though, this lacks stylistic flair or compelling plot and the characters were……contemptible. I like reading about unlikable characters as much as the next dummy but I eventually got to the point where I was just rolling my eyes at the charmless misanthropy of these people. The nuts and bolts writing I also felt lacked something - whether that be voice or point of view or something else I couldn’t really put my thumb on.
Again - I think this could be reworked and be closer to a success but even as a horror fan this really was not for me.
September 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Banana Brain by C.S. Fritz. I was drawn in by the cover and the description comparing it to Black Mirror and The Babadook, but unfortunately the book did not deliver.
The writing leaned too heavily on purple prose, with similes and metaphors that often did not make sense, alongside noticeable grammatical errors and odd sentence structures. This made the flow difficult, as I had to stop and reread passages multiple times. The characters also fell flat. Ruby, a 12-year-old girl, is written as unrealistically profane, using insults like “cockface” and “cockwaffle” in a way that felt forced and edgy rather than believable. Most of the characters blurred together in their voices, relying on the same repetitive profanity that did not add to the story.
There were glimpses of more serious themes such as death and grief, but these moments were overshadowed by over-explaining and attempts at shock value. While the premise had potential, the unconvincing characters and clunky writing ultimately made this a frustrating read.
The writing leaned too heavily on purple prose, with similes and metaphors that often did not make sense, alongside noticeable grammatical errors and odd sentence structures. This made the flow difficult, as I had to stop and reread passages multiple times. The characters also fell flat. Ruby, a 12-year-old girl, is written as unrealistically profane, using insults like “cockface” and “cockwaffle” in a way that felt forced and edgy rather than believable. Most of the characters blurred together in their voices, relying on the same repetitive profanity that did not add to the story.
There were glimpses of more serious themes such as death and grief, but these moments were overshadowed by over-explaining and attempts at shock value. While the premise had potential, the unconvincing characters and clunky writing ultimately made this a frustrating read.
October 8, 2025
This book was INCREDIBLE!
Thank you so much Albatross for giving me a chance to read this.
I didn't expect much when I picked this up, I honestly thought it'd be a bit of a laugh.
But out of the 68 books I've read this year, this would make it in the top 5.
This is every inch the contemporary absurd horror that I needed.
The way the author writes is so current, and so very well encapsulates the essence of so many different types and generations of characters.
I was obsessed with the way they incorporated the chimp's history with the unsettling events of the novel. The illustrations were the perfect accompaniment to immerse yourself into the world.
I never knew where the story was headed next. You have characters you root for, events that devastate you and characters you loathe.
I couldn't shut up about this book when I was reading it, I was immediately telling friends and colleagues about it.
I can't believe it was 449 pages because I INHALED IT.
Thank you so much Albatross for giving me a chance to read this.
I didn't expect much when I picked this up, I honestly thought it'd be a bit of a laugh.
But out of the 68 books I've read this year, this would make it in the top 5.
This is every inch the contemporary absurd horror that I needed.
The way the author writes is so current, and so very well encapsulates the essence of so many different types and generations of characters.
I was obsessed with the way they incorporated the chimp's history with the unsettling events of the novel. The illustrations were the perfect accompaniment to immerse yourself into the world.
I never knew where the story was headed next. You have characters you root for, events that devastate you and characters you loathe.
I couldn't shut up about this book when I was reading it, I was immediately telling friends and colleagues about it.
I can't believe it was 449 pages because I INHALED IT.
December 7, 2025
Banana Brain was a very intriguing story. Overall I enjoyed it. The pacing was good and the story was creepy/spooky (++). I didn't care much for the Coldplay stuff, maybe bc im just not into the music so I didn't get it. So I won't dock anything for that bc I completely skipped over those parts and I don't feel like I missed anything. I do wish there was a bit more development with the characters, everything did feel explained when it needed to be explained. (--)
I personally did NOT enjoy the sketches. They were a nice touch tho, good jump scares (++). I liked the mixed media of emails and story, im a sucker for books like that (++).
3.5/5
Other thing I didn't love:
SPOILERS AHEAD
I personally did NOT enjoy the sketches. They were a nice touch tho, good jump scares (++). I liked the mixed media of emails and story, im a sucker for books like that (++).
3.5/5
Other thing I didn't love:
SPOILERS AHEAD
October 23, 2025
Never eating bananas again (probably will)
Halfway through this book, I found myself in bed googling chimpanzees (my husband had just told me about some mask wearing chimps? how they were learning to conceive themselves) and I was horrified by the pictures of what once were simple innocent looking little chimpanzees. I felt my skin crawl at the sight of their weirdly familiar face.
Thanks to this book I now have an irrational fear of chimpanzees (maybe not irrational because they can for sure claw your face off and they’re extremely strong lol but I keep picturing Dilly standing by my bedroom door) AND of rotting fruit, just the thought of it makes me very uncomfortable.
Words I would use to describe this book:
Creepy
Sickening
Terrifying
Disgustingly fascinating
(In the best way possible!!!)
Halfway through this book, I found myself in bed googling chimpanzees (my husband had just told me about some mask wearing chimps? how they were learning to conceive themselves) and I was horrified by the pictures of what once were simple innocent looking little chimpanzees. I felt my skin crawl at the sight of their weirdly familiar face.
Thanks to this book I now have an irrational fear of chimpanzees (maybe not irrational because they can for sure claw your face off and they’re extremely strong lol but I keep picturing Dilly standing by my bedroom door) AND of rotting fruit, just the thought of it makes me very uncomfortable.
Words I would use to describe this book:
Creepy
Sickening
Terrifying
Disgustingly fascinating
(In the best way possible!!!)
November 8, 2025
This book was bananas. While it was trying to hit creepy vibes, I found the over-the-top premise too far fetched to resonate a sense of eerie unease. The uncanny depends on a certain level of belief or willingness on part of the reader to suspend belief but I found no reasonable attempt made to bring me on board so I felt like I was watching a series of weird events unfold and couldn’t immerse myself in the story.
Every chapter started with a Coldplay lyric - I’m a huge Coldplay fan so this was a win 😂 but even I was getting tired of the main character playing Coldplay then saying “I hate Coldplay” and this behaviour was supposed to give the character enough backstory for depth?
I guess this one just wasn’t for me. I love horror and mystery so it wasn’t the genre but rather the handling of the idea that fell flat for me.
Every chapter started with a Coldplay lyric - I’m a huge Coldplay fan so this was a win 😂 but even I was getting tired of the main character playing Coldplay then saying “I hate Coldplay” and this behaviour was supposed to give the character enough backstory for depth?
I guess this one just wasn’t for me. I love horror and mystery so it wasn’t the genre but rather the handling of the idea that fell flat for me.
December 20, 2025
New subgenre alert- banana horror! 🍌
I read this in one day, and man was it a wild ride. We follow our main character, Adam, as he tries to stay afloat while caring for his pre-teen sister after an accident which left them orphaned. His uncle mercifully hires him as night shift security at the local zoo, but things have been strange since the arrival of their newest chimpanzee, Daffodil.
The story proceeds to spiral into progressive levels of madness including a mysteriously humanoid chimpanzee and… shapeshifting bananas?
It’s all very creative and humorous in a campy way. Definitely read this if you enjoy unique and zany twists on horror. There are also some mystery and family drama elements as well as a teensy romance subplot.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-book ARC. Opinions are my own.
I read this in one day, and man was it a wild ride. We follow our main character, Adam, as he tries to stay afloat while caring for his pre-teen sister after an accident which left them orphaned. His uncle mercifully hires him as night shift security at the local zoo, but things have been strange since the arrival of their newest chimpanzee, Daffodil.
The story proceeds to spiral into progressive levels of madness including a mysteriously humanoid chimpanzee and… shapeshifting bananas?
It’s all very creative and humorous in a campy way. Definitely read this if you enjoy unique and zany twists on horror. There are also some mystery and family drama elements as well as a teensy romance subplot.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-book ARC. Opinions are my own.
September 21, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
First of all, I love Coldplay (lol)
Secondly, I wish this had been more about the monkey oddly enough? it started off in such an intense way, and the focus on the banana imagery took me out of the story too often, to the point where I was just hoping to get back to Dilly and what he'd do next. It was really well written, and a lot of lines stood out to me as unique and thoughtfully done. All in all a fun, scary story!
First of all, I love Coldplay (lol)
Secondly, I wish this had been more about the monkey oddly enough? it started off in such an intense way, and the focus on the banana imagery took me out of the story too often, to the point where I was just hoping to get back to Dilly and what he'd do next. It was really well written, and a lot of lines stood out to me as unique and thoughtfully done. All in all a fun, scary story!
September 20, 2025
A wildly imaginative and surprisingly meaningful read!
C.S. Fritz has such a gift for weaving together horror, humor, and heart. Banana Brain is one of those rare books that feels scary on the surface but carries layers of depth the more you sit with it. The illustrations are rad and full of personality, perfectly complementing the storyline.
Highly recommend!
C.S. Fritz has such a gift for weaving together horror, humor, and heart. Banana Brain is one of those rare books that feels scary on the surface but carries layers of depth the more you sit with it. The illustrations are rad and full of personality, perfectly complementing the storyline.
Highly recommend!
September 27, 2025
So lucky to have stumbled upon this one on NetGalley. One of the weirdest, creepiest, terrifying books I’ve ever read, and I loved every second of it. I never want to eat another banana in my life. Or listen to Coldplay. But I wouldn’t be surprised if this one blew up in the horror community.
November 24, 2025
Rating: A
Much more insane than I expected.
Banana Brain is a psychological horror about Adam, a young man trying to make a living to support himself and his teenaged sister Ruby. He ends up employed at his uncle's zoo and runs into Daffodil, a chimpanzee transferred from another facility to the current zoo. Through memory loss, strange events, raging characters and unexplainable horror, Adam comes face-to-face with something unfathomable.
This one was just super weird. It was gory, crazy and weird and I'm willing to forgive a lot for the ride. I loved the character voice for Ruby she really felt like a young teen and I really appreciated Adam's efforts to help her; the injustice of the story really upset me and I felt so bad for him by the end of it. I liked the inclusion of the mixed media in the book and all the character's reactions to the constant repetition of Coldplay music over the radio and in their world. The gore is crazy and the body horror, world-bending horror by the end is just so intense and insane.
The book even goes into the backstory of Daffodil. It really could be a Black Mirror episode, it was so easy to read, just went down like water.
Such a fun read; thank you Netgalley for a free copy.
Much more insane than I expected.
Banana Brain is a psychological horror about Adam, a young man trying to make a living to support himself and his teenaged sister Ruby. He ends up employed at his uncle's zoo and runs into Daffodil, a chimpanzee transferred from another facility to the current zoo. Through memory loss, strange events, raging characters and unexplainable horror, Adam comes face-to-face with something unfathomable.
This one was just super weird. It was gory, crazy and weird and I'm willing to forgive a lot for the ride. I loved the character voice for Ruby she really felt like a young teen and I really appreciated Adam's efforts to help her; the injustice of the story really upset me and I felt so bad for him by the end of it. I liked the inclusion of the mixed media in the book and all the character's reactions to the constant repetition of Coldplay music over the radio and in their world. The gore is crazy and the body horror, world-bending horror by the end is just so intense and insane.
The book even goes into the backstory of Daffodil. It really could be a Black Mirror episode, it was so easy to read, just went down like water.
Such a fun read; thank you Netgalley for a free copy.
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