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The Smaller Evil
Sometimes the greater good requires the smaller evil.
17-year-old Arman Dukoff is struggling with severe anxiety and a history of self-loathing when he arrives at an expensive self-help retreat in the remote hills of Big Sur. He’s taken a huge risk—and two-thousand dollars from his meth-head stepfather—for a chance to "evolve," as Beau, the retreat leader, says.
Beau is complicated. A father figure? A cult leader? A con man? Arman's not sure, but more than anyone he's ever met, Beau makes Arman feel something other than what he usually feels—worthless.
The retreat compound is secluded in coastal California mountains among towering redwoods, and when the iron gates close behind him, Arman believes for a moment that he can get better. But the program is a blur of jargon, bizarre rituals, and incomprehensible encounters with a beautiful girl. Arman is certain he's failing everything. But Beau disagrees; he thinks Arman has a bright future—though he never says at what.
And then, in an instant Arman can't believe or totally recall, Beau is gone. Suicide? Or murder? Arman was the only witness and now the compound is getting tense. And maybe dangerous.
As the mysteries and paradoxes multiply and the hints become accusations, Arman must rely on the person he's always trusted the least: himself.
17-year-old Arman Dukoff is struggling with severe anxiety and a history of self-loathing when he arrives at an expensive self-help retreat in the remote hills of Big Sur. He’s taken a huge risk—and two-thousand dollars from his meth-head stepfather—for a chance to "evolve," as Beau, the retreat leader, says.
Beau is complicated. A father figure? A cult leader? A con man? Arman's not sure, but more than anyone he's ever met, Beau makes Arman feel something other than what he usually feels—worthless.
The retreat compound is secluded in coastal California mountains among towering redwoods, and when the iron gates close behind him, Arman believes for a moment that he can get better. But the program is a blur of jargon, bizarre rituals, and incomprehensible encounters with a beautiful girl. Arman is certain he's failing everything. But Beau disagrees; he thinks Arman has a bright future—though he never says at what.
And then, in an instant Arman can't believe or totally recall, Beau is gone. Suicide? Or murder? Arman was the only witness and now the compound is getting tense. And maybe dangerous.
As the mysteries and paradoxes multiply and the hints become accusations, Arman must rely on the person he's always trusted the least: himself.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2016
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2696 people want to read
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August 4, 2016The only lies are the ones you tell yourself.
That you’re a good person.
That you’re doing what’s best.
I actually can't rate this bizarre little book.
At first, I opted for the standard noncommittal three stars. But honestly, there isn't a star rating for this book. Maybe there would be if I was sure what the hell just happened. What did I just read?!
Kuehn is known for writing outside the box, and I like that. I like her weirdass mystery/thrillers that play with memories and unreliable narrators to keep you guessing and even wondering if something paranormal is at play. However, either I'm getting stupider or this one was her weirdest yet. I'm not exaggerating when I say I don't know what happened; feel free to enlighten me with suggestions.
The third person narrative is odd from the start, though rich with highly-quotable sentences, which is typical of the author. We follow a teenager called Arman as he arrives at an isolated self-help retreat. He has a strange relationship bordering on obsession with the retreat leader - a mysterious man called Beau. As well as this, he quickly falls into a sexual relationship with the unnamed "cook".
But then Arman starts to become unsure about the compound and its strange practices, and he decides to leave. Out on the road, he runs into Beau and that's when things get really wacky. He turns up back at the compound with an uneven story and broken memories of how he found Beau cut up and bleeding out.
And where is Beau now? Did he commit suicide? Was he murdered? Did Arman imagine the whole thing?
It was compelling, I'll give it that. Kuehn knew exactly how to keep me turning pages in my need to find out what was going on. But I, personally, got no satisfaction from the ending. I still don't know the truth, but not in an interesting, open to interpretation way, more in a "I think I'm supposed to understand something here but I don't" way.
I finished the book with so many questions. I didn't get it. And if we were supposed to be left wondering what was real, then even that didn't come across clearly either. When so much of the book is built up around the mystery (that is basically what we're reading for), it was hard not to be disappointed when I felt like I was left with more questions than answers. Also,
Great prose, quick read, not a fucking clue what happened.
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July 15, 2016
What even just happened? Stephanie Kuehn's writing is on point as usual. The problem here is I don't get it... I'm left wondering if it all went over my head or if I'm missing something?
Basically seventeen year old Arman, riddled with anxiety, is headed to a secluded self-help retreat with a couple peers all drawn to the experience by Beau, the retreat leader. Arman is charmed by Beau in this weird father figure type way. The retreat itself is odd with peculiar individuals. It all doesn't quite make sense especially to Arman.
Eventually Arman leaves the compound, runs into Beau, & comes back raising a whole lot of questions as to what happened to Beau.
A lot of odd things occur making the reader wonder whether everything is even real or not. Is Arman crazy? Could everything be a hallucination? Or a dream? Did it even happen? What is going on? I'm still not sure what went on. I thought I could piece it together, but failed. Maybe as the other reviews start piling in I can make sense of this one a little more. Regardless, I can't deny the outstanding writing.
Basically seventeen year old Arman, riddled with anxiety, is headed to a secluded self-help retreat with a couple peers all drawn to the experience by Beau, the retreat leader. Arman is charmed by Beau in this weird father figure type way. The retreat itself is odd with peculiar individuals. It all doesn't quite make sense especially to Arman.
Eventually Arman leaves the compound, runs into Beau, & comes back raising a whole lot of questions as to what happened to Beau.
A lot of odd things occur making the reader wonder whether everything is even real or not. Is Arman crazy? Could everything be a hallucination? Or a dream? Did it even happen? What is going on? I'm still not sure what went on. I thought I could piece it together, but failed. Maybe as the other reviews start piling in I can make sense of this one a little more. Regardless, I can't deny the outstanding writing.
July 22, 2016
Holy crap on a cracker! What did I just read? This book is off the chain. I don't even know what the end of the book meant! Lol, someone else read it and tell me what happened!
There is this poor dude named Arman who is taken in by a man named Beau. He talks him into coming on some retreat thing along with some other kids. They end up at this bizarre place where there are more bizarre people. Young, old, naked, clothed.
Arman tries to leave and some weird stuff goes down and he thinks Beau is dead. Well, they can't find a body and then some other weird stuff happens.
Then they find Beau and some other weird stuff happens.
Arman seems to be a nice kid, but I'm just as confused as he is and I feel like I have been on the crazy train.
I really like the idea of the book, hence the three stars, but I have no clue what really happened in the end. Maybe I got lost in translation, but the whole book to me seemed like some crazy drugged up dream.
Okay, some of my crazy GR friends need to read this and tell me what is going on, what went on, an what happened at the end. I feel like I just dreamed this book!
*I would like to thank Penguin Random House and the First To Read program for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my crazy review.*
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
September 3, 2016
Too deep for me.
Want to read
December 7, 2015This is by the same author who messed with my head and blew my mind with Charm and Strange. Saying I need this in my life is an understatement.
Read
June 29, 2016I never know where I am going when I pick up one of Kuehn's novels, but I know the ride is always going to be one I trust.
Arman's taking part in a "retreat" of sorts, though it's not quite what it seems. . . and Arman himself isn't quite who he seems. At the core, this is a book about systems and about relationships, and about the ways we value and push people toward independence, even when they aren't ready . . . and even if they don't need to be.
A complex, philosophical novel. I am and I am not surprised to see this as "YA." The average YA reader may not reach for this one, but those who do and who love a novel that will push their minds will be richly rewarded.
Arman's taking part in a "retreat" of sorts, though it's not quite what it seems. . . and Arman himself isn't quite who he seems. At the core, this is a book about systems and about relationships, and about the ways we value and push people toward independence, even when they aren't ready . . . and even if they don't need to be.
A complex, philosophical novel. I am and I am not surprised to see this as "YA." The average YA reader may not reach for this one, but those who do and who love a novel that will push their minds will be richly rewarded.
August 20, 2016
The Smaller Evil is about a troubled boy, Arman, who meets a charismatic self-help community leader, Beau, and follows him to the secluded retreat where people like him - lost, unhappy and depressed - are trying to find answers. After failing to fit into the crowd of happily (or not so) transforming people he decides to leave the compound - and he almost does. But then he becomes a witness of some mysterious, tragic events and decides to return to the compound.
Without any proof of what he just saw and with a long history of mental illness, Arman is really hard to believe, so supervisors of the retreat persuade him that he was just stressed and confused. Unsurprisingly, the boy starts to doubt himself and wonder whether he has officially gone crazy. Did what he see actually happen or was it a figment of his imagination?
You’ll have your answers, but I can’t guarantee you’ll like them.
I agree with those saying that the book is somewhat weird and confusing, but I can’t say it was bad. Seeing all those «What the hell was that all about?» and «Could someone please explain me what I have just read?» I prepared myself for a strange, unsatisfying open ending or some random explanation in cue of mental illness or something.
So I was surprised to find all the answers, neat and clear, right where they’re supposed to be - in the end of the book. Everything is explained and you are not left wondering. What you are left with is an anticlimactic reveal - unexpected, yes, but a bit rushed and unsatisfying.
This book is definitely not my cup of tea, but I can’t but mention the author’s amazing writing style. The narration flows smoothly and easily, drawing you into the atmosphere of the exclusive, mysterious retreat. Well-rounded, complex and relatable characters is another advantage of the story - I was really impressed by the deep and profound insight into Arman’s mind, his anxieties, pain, problems with connecting with people and, ultimately, his development as a character.
In general, the story felt a bit slow to me and the ending was a disappointment, but I think this book may receive more stars form a true fan of this genre. Which I’m not.
I've received access to the galley of this book for free through the First to Read program.
Without any proof of what he just saw and with a long history of mental illness, Arman is really hard to believe, so supervisors of the retreat persuade him that he was just stressed and confused. Unsurprisingly, the boy starts to doubt himself and wonder whether he has officially gone crazy. Did what he see actually happen or was it a figment of his imagination?
You’ll have your answers, but I can’t guarantee you’ll like them.
I agree with those saying that the book is somewhat weird and confusing, but I can’t say it was bad. Seeing all those «What the hell was that all about?» and «Could someone please explain me what I have just read?» I prepared myself for a strange, unsatisfying open ending or some random explanation in cue of mental illness or something.
So I was surprised to find all the answers, neat and clear, right where they’re supposed to be - in the end of the book. Everything is explained and you are not left wondering. What you are left with is an anticlimactic reveal - unexpected, yes, but a bit rushed and unsatisfying.
This book is definitely not my cup of tea, but I can’t but mention the author’s amazing writing style. The narration flows smoothly and easily, drawing you into the atmosphere of the exclusive, mysterious retreat. Well-rounded, complex and relatable characters is another advantage of the story - I was really impressed by the deep and profound insight into Arman’s mind, his anxieties, pain, problems with connecting with people and, ultimately, his development as a character.
In general, the story felt a bit slow to me and the ending was a disappointment, but I think this book may receive more stars form a true fan of this genre. Which I’m not.
I've received access to the galley of this book for free through the First to Read program.
August 8, 2016
I enjoyed Stephanie Kuehn’s Delicate Monsters so much that I couldn’t wait to read her latest book The Smaller Evil. However, I was a little concerned when I read some early reviews from several people who said they didn’t understand the ending. After reading it, I’m not sure what the ending means either.
Arman is a seventeen-year-old who has anxiety issues and hates himself, so he goes to this weeklong retreat in Big Sur with two of his friends, Dale and Kira. Beau is the leader and Arman seems to idolize him. They have all of these weird sharing meetings. It sounds like one of those brainwashing cult things where they get you to follow their bizarre beliefs. Beau disappears and when Arman explains Beau’s disappearance to everyone, nobody believes him. Arman feels trapped so he has no choice but to solve Beau’s disappearance.
I like weird novels, but sometimes, such as this one, they’re so weird that I don’t understand them. I have a college degree. I consider myself to have at least average intelligence. Granted, I have more of a creative mind than a logical one, but generally, I can make heads or tails about the novels I read. This novel made me feel stupid because I’m not exactly sure what the point of the story was. I have some theories, but I’m not even sure if I can share some of them without giving anything away.
At the beginning of the novel, Arman wanted to be accepted and not feel invisible, but he thought he was a complete screw-up at everything he did. He felt clueless and asked a lot of questions, but everyone around him seemed to know what was going on at the retreat. After Beau disappeared, Arman didn’t have a choice but to stand up for himself. Maybe that was the point. I could be totally wrong, after all, Stephanie Kuehn is a post-doctoral fellow in clinical psychology, so maybe there’s some deeper meaning.
I had to Google “doctrine of double effect” although it’s defined in the story and it’s the only time that I recall the novel mentioning the title.
In between the chapters, there are shorter segments that are italicized, but it’s unclear who is speaking or its purpose.
Overall, I’m disappointed. I’m barely giving this three stars. It’s not horrible, just confusing. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but at the end, I had more questions than answers. If you’ve never read a Stephanie Kuehn novel, I recommend Delicate Monsters, but I’m not sure if I’d recommend The Smaller Evil.
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Arman is a seventeen-year-old who has anxiety issues and hates himself, so he goes to this weeklong retreat in Big Sur with two of his friends, Dale and Kira. Beau is the leader and Arman seems to idolize him. They have all of these weird sharing meetings. It sounds like one of those brainwashing cult things where they get you to follow their bizarre beliefs. Beau disappears and when Arman explains Beau’s disappearance to everyone, nobody believes him. Arman feels trapped so he has no choice but to solve Beau’s disappearance.
I like weird novels, but sometimes, such as this one, they’re so weird that I don’t understand them. I have a college degree. I consider myself to have at least average intelligence. Granted, I have more of a creative mind than a logical one, but generally, I can make heads or tails about the novels I read. This novel made me feel stupid because I’m not exactly sure what the point of the story was. I have some theories, but I’m not even sure if I can share some of them without giving anything away.
At the beginning of the novel, Arman wanted to be accepted and not feel invisible, but he thought he was a complete screw-up at everything he did. He felt clueless and asked a lot of questions, but everyone around him seemed to know what was going on at the retreat. After Beau disappeared, Arman didn’t have a choice but to stand up for himself. Maybe that was the point. I could be totally wrong, after all, Stephanie Kuehn is a post-doctoral fellow in clinical psychology, so maybe there’s some deeper meaning.
I had to Google “doctrine of double effect” although it’s defined in the story and it’s the only time that I recall the novel mentioning the title.
In between the chapters, there are shorter segments that are italicized, but it’s unclear who is speaking or its purpose.
Overall, I’m disappointed. I’m barely giving this three stars. It’s not horrible, just confusing. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but at the end, I had more questions than answers. If you’ve never read a Stephanie Kuehn novel, I recommend Delicate Monsters, but I’m not sure if I’d recommend The Smaller Evil.
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October 27, 2016
EDIT OCT. 27: Somehow I was thinking about this book today, and I reached the conclusion I didn't actually like it enough to give it 3 stars, so I lowered it to a 2. I'll still be checking out Kuehn's other books, though.
**********
This book was weird. And that's saying the least.
I read Stephanie Kuehn's Charme & Strange and I loved it. I devoured that book, reading it in a few hours, and it instantly became one of my favorites of 2016. I was excited to pick up her new release because I was expecting something like that; something different, a little mysterious and a little strange, but definitely a rewarding read. But I'm not sure of what I just read.
Maybe it's because I'm too dumb, I don't know. But you know that feeling when something happens in a book, and you're left completely dumbfounded? That was me the entire time I was reading this.
The writing is beautiful, definitely. And while I didn't particularly like the main character, I think Kuehn did a wonderful job of accurately depicting how someone with severe anxiety and ADHD feels when faced with the simplest situations. But the plot... I don't even know where to begin. By the end of the book, when things are explained and you're meant to understand what happened (supposedly), I was even more confused.
I'm not even sure I should be rating this — 3 stars is more of a safe bet than anything else, because I'm not sure that I actually enjoyed it. I enjoyed the beautiful prose, and I really couldn't put the book down because I desperately to know what the heck was going on, but can you truly enjoy a book that makes you feel like you were too stupid to understand its true meaning?
Maybe this is one of those stories that get better once you reread them. For now, I'll try to move on from this book—although that will be easier said than done, because the mystery I didn't end up getting will drill itself into my brain for quite some time.
**********
That's the thing about seeking hope and clarity, freedom and well-being. None of us are immune to kindess or flattery or admiration. None of us can resist the sway of charisma. But there's power in helping others believe they can.
This book was weird. And that's saying the least.
I read Stephanie Kuehn's Charme & Strange and I loved it. I devoured that book, reading it in a few hours, and it instantly became one of my favorites of 2016. I was excited to pick up her new release because I was expecting something like that; something different, a little mysterious and a little strange, but definitely a rewarding read. But I'm not sure of what I just read.
Maybe it's because I'm too dumb, I don't know. But you know that feeling when something happens in a book, and you're left completely dumbfounded? That was me the entire time I was reading this.
The writing is beautiful, definitely. And while I didn't particularly like the main character, I think Kuehn did a wonderful job of accurately depicting how someone with severe anxiety and ADHD feels when faced with the simplest situations. But the plot... I don't even know where to begin. By the end of the book, when things are explained and you're meant to understand what happened (supposedly), I was even more confused.
I'm not even sure I should be rating this — 3 stars is more of a safe bet than anything else, because I'm not sure that I actually enjoyed it. I enjoyed the beautiful prose, and I really couldn't put the book down because I desperately to know what the heck was going on, but can you truly enjoy a book that makes you feel like you were too stupid to understand its true meaning?
Maybe this is one of those stories that get better once you reread them. For now, I'll try to move on from this book—although that will be easier said than done, because the mystery I didn't end up getting will drill itself into my brain for quite some time.
September 5, 2016
I'm at a loss. I adored Kuehn's first book, Charm & Strange. Loved it with all my heart. Liked the second one fairly well, though the authorial voice made me deeply uneasy, somehow. This one had moments of pure, bone-chilling clarity but I lost my way. The ending didn't make any sense to me, I don't know what happened in the last scene, and because of that, I can't figure out what I thought of the book.
August 12, 2016
Initial Impressions 7/27/16: 2.5 stars
What even what this book? It was kind of bizarre but for me personally, not in a good way. The book revolves largely (or really, entirely) in and around a cult (although the word isn't really specifically used, that's how it came off to me) and it was just kind of weird to read.
Things got interesting about a third of the way in and then they fizzled back out to just plain strange. I was hoping it was going to keep venturing toward mystery/thriller and while I guess that's where I'd probably categorize this book, there was a lot more curiosity than just a thriller.
The ending was really not satisfying at all. There are definite answers which I always appreciate but it didn't really seem to have a huge change on the entire outcome of the book. I guess yes, Arman did change through this experience but why THIS experience? I don't know how else to say it. Just plain weird.
At least it was a quick read but it'd be hard for me to recommend this one. Might be a hit if you like things that are quite unusual. I love things that venture away from the norm but this was out there for me and cults are always a hard thing to read about.
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 8/12/16: actually received THE SMALLER EVIL to review in two forms — a hardcover from Penguin and an audiobook from The Listening Library. Since I’ve been slow to read my physical forms, I quickly started up the audio in the hopes of a fast and fierce thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from THE SMALLER EVIL but the book was surely unique from my usual reads.
I’ve heard that Stephanie Kuehn incorporates an interesting, twisty side to her novels and that was definitely true for THE SMALLER EVIL. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, though. I tend to go into books (mostly) blind and usually this enhances my reading experience but sometimes the books catch me by surprise. THE SMALLER EVIL caught me a little by surprise since I didn’t realize exactly what the plot entailed. This was definitely more of a cult-feel although the group that Arman becomes involved with is never really blatantly called a cult (though it is speculated later in Arman’s stream of consciousness) but that’s what I’m calling it and the atmosphere was just … weird. I have a hard time with cults and too many times I just wanted to shake these people like, “What are you thinking??” I think it’s just something that’s hard for me to read about and doesn’t make for the most exciting topic since it’s frustrating!
There were several moments in the book that I thought didn’t need to be as extreme as they were — from random sexual encounters to moments of panic to character details — there were a few things that were just over the top that I didn’t quite buy into. This was my first book of Stephanie Kuehn’s and I was hoping I’d love that dark and twisty feel but this was not the way I expected it to come out. I was hoping for more psychological thriller that messed with my head and instead I was mostly just confused. It was thrilling and the book did mess with me a little bit but then things quickly fizzled out again once they got twisty. I was excited for a massive twist but it didn’t quite happen.
The ending was mostly disappointing. Some things were wrapped up but mostly I felt like I didn’t know why this whole thing happened. Yes, Arman grew and learned from this experience but why this experience? Why a cult? The things that were grandiose weren’t the things that I wanted to be large and then the places I hoped for something big to happen, it just didn’t. I felt like there were missed opportunities and the story just really didn’t quite come together for me.
AUDIOBOOK IMPRESSIONS
Source: Received for review from Listening Library
Narrator: Ryan Gessel
Performance: Pretty decent but I didn’t really fall in love
This was the first narration I’ve heard from Ryan Gessel and it was a good performance. Nothing outstanding, not one of my favorites, but it was a solid narration and his voice was very pleasant to listen to but I didn’t feel like he got a lot of emotion into the book. His narration was kind of flat so I wasn’t super engaged but it wasn’t enough that I got bored. I probably wouldn’t actively seek out books that he narrates but I’d definitely be up for another one if it was a book I wanted to read!
What even what this book? It was kind of bizarre but for me personally, not in a good way. The book revolves largely (or really, entirely) in and around a cult (although the word isn't really specifically used, that's how it came off to me) and it was just kind of weird to read.
Things got interesting about a third of the way in and then they fizzled back out to just plain strange. I was hoping it was going to keep venturing toward mystery/thriller and while I guess that's where I'd probably categorize this book, there was a lot more curiosity than just a thriller.
The ending was really not satisfying at all. There are definite answers which I always appreciate but it didn't really seem to have a huge change on the entire outcome of the book. I guess yes, Arman did change through this experience but why THIS experience? I don't know how else to say it. Just plain weird.
At least it was a quick read but it'd be hard for me to recommend this one. Might be a hit if you like things that are quite unusual. I love things that venture away from the norm but this was out there for me and cults are always a hard thing to read about.
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 8/12/16: actually received THE SMALLER EVIL to review in two forms — a hardcover from Penguin and an audiobook from The Listening Library. Since I’ve been slow to read my physical forms, I quickly started up the audio in the hopes of a fast and fierce thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from THE SMALLER EVIL but the book was surely unique from my usual reads.
I’ve heard that Stephanie Kuehn incorporates an interesting, twisty side to her novels and that was definitely true for THE SMALLER EVIL. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, though. I tend to go into books (mostly) blind and usually this enhances my reading experience but sometimes the books catch me by surprise. THE SMALLER EVIL caught me a little by surprise since I didn’t realize exactly what the plot entailed. This was definitely more of a cult-feel although the group that Arman becomes involved with is never really blatantly called a cult (though it is speculated later in Arman’s stream of consciousness) but that’s what I’m calling it and the atmosphere was just … weird. I have a hard time with cults and too many times I just wanted to shake these people like, “What are you thinking??” I think it’s just something that’s hard for me to read about and doesn’t make for the most exciting topic since it’s frustrating!
There were several moments in the book that I thought didn’t need to be as extreme as they were — from random sexual encounters to moments of panic to character details — there were a few things that were just over the top that I didn’t quite buy into. This was my first book of Stephanie Kuehn’s and I was hoping I’d love that dark and twisty feel but this was not the way I expected it to come out. I was hoping for more psychological thriller that messed with my head and instead I was mostly just confused. It was thrilling and the book did mess with me a little bit but then things quickly fizzled out again once they got twisty. I was excited for a massive twist but it didn’t quite happen.
The ending was mostly disappointing. Some things were wrapped up but mostly I felt like I didn’t know why this whole thing happened. Yes, Arman grew and learned from this experience but why this experience? Why a cult? The things that were grandiose weren’t the things that I wanted to be large and then the places I hoped for something big to happen, it just didn’t. I felt like there were missed opportunities and the story just really didn’t quite come together for me.
AUDIOBOOK IMPRESSIONS
Source: Received for review from Listening Library
Narrator: Ryan Gessel
Performance: Pretty decent but I didn’t really fall in love
This was the first narration I’ve heard from Ryan Gessel and it was a good performance. Nothing outstanding, not one of my favorites, but it was a solid narration and his voice was very pleasant to listen to but I didn’t feel like he got a lot of emotion into the book. His narration was kind of flat so I wasn’t super engaged but it wasn’t enough that I got bored. I probably wouldn’t actively seek out books that he narrates but I’d definitely be up for another one if it was a book I wanted to read!
August 5, 2016
The Smaller Evil by Stephanie Kuehn
4.5 stars
"It's a philosophical principle that states an immoral act can sometimes be considered moral if the greater good outweighs the smaller evil."
Character Scale: 4.5
Plotastic Scale: 4.25
Cover Thoughts: Is this a chameleon? If so, damn this cover is symbolic. Chameleons blend to match those around them and the recruiters of these cults blend in to appeal to everyday people and then transition into their cult presence at the compounds. Awesome cover!
Thank you, First Reads, Penguin, and Dutton for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
Arman is a young man struggling with a lot of inner turmoil. He deals with anxiety, depression, and self-loathing among other things. His story starts when he meets Beau, an enigmatic man who offers the sanctity of a compound dedicated to healing. This is Arman’s chance to change… to evolve…Everything begins to unravel around Arman and instead of facing the positive changes he hopes to encounter he comes face to face with a smaller evil within the compound. I honestly have no clue what I just read and this seems to be the case with most readers. I’m not unsatisfied, but befuddled. I honestly didn’t know what was going on and felt just as confused as Arman for the majority of the novel and by the end I spoke the coveted words of the marking of a good psychological novel, “What the fuck?” Make no mistake this novel is incredibly immersed in psychology. In fact, this book has no plot but offers a character study. This review may be spoilery because I’m trying to figure out what I just read and the best way to understand the unexplainable is to write about until it makes sense.
Kuehn is definitely a brilliant writer, maybe more so than some of the big psychological writers that are popping up right now. Her writing is quiet and her characters are frantic, unreliable, and induced with panic that leaves the pace to fill all over the place when there is nothing happening. I love cult novels; I find them incredibly fascinating and I’ve always wondered what drives people into the arms of another individual who offers promise, safety, and acceptance away from our world. Kuehn quietly shows us exactly how this process occurs. The novel opens up with a second (but also switches to third?) person POV- this person feels disjointed, cruel, manipulative, calculating- it’s incredibly unsettling how he targets those around them in continuous chapters to submit to his ideals and sway. It’s creepy and incredibly well done (especially after the last chapter). Speaking of the last chapter- what the actual fuck? How brilliant was that?!
Whimsical Writing Scale: 4.75
Arman is a very overwhelming character to read about. He’s being sucked into this web. We learn only what Arman is aware of and he knows nothing then we know nothing. There’s nothing to like about Arman, he’s an underdog because he essentially ruins situations for himself and it’s incredibly sad to see how much of a lost soul he is. Until the very end, because like what the actual fuck? Biggest character development plot twist and it was happening the whole time.
"It's a philosophical principle that states an immoral act can sometimes be considered moral if the greater good outweighs the smaller evil."
There are also a lot of characters Kira and Dale (two outsiders who Arman travels with into the compound), the cook (whose name we learn at the end) that needs to have sex with Arman all the time, Dr. Gary, Daniel, and Mari (who all play intricate parts to the compound and its secrets, and Beau- who is the leader of the compound and is a presence even when he isn’t around. I also called that Beau was grooming Arman for something!
Character Scale: 4.5
I honestly have no clue exactly what happened in this novel, but I think that’s the strong defining factor of this book. I’m definitely recommending it to anyone who loves psychological thrillers, cults, and crazy characters because this book is jammed with these things.
Plotastic Scale: 4.25
Cover Thoughts: Is this a chameleon? If so, damn this cover is symbolic. Chameleons blend to match those around them and the recruiters of these cults blend in to appeal to everyday people and then transition into their cult presence at the compounds. Awesome cover!
Thank you, First Reads, Penguin, and Dutton for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review!
July 6, 2016
I received a complimentary e-copy of THE SMALLER EVIL in exchange for my honest review.
GRADE: D
Arman and two acquaintances from school attend Evolve, a retreat for realizing one's potential (a cult). His history of anxiety and self doubt and is surprised when Beau, the not-so-charismatic leader sees him as special.
I'm normally a big fan of Stephanie Kuehn, but THE SMALLER EVIL wasn't for me. I had a hard time following the plot, wondering was what real and what might be fantasy or hallucination. I never knew whether to take Arman's experiences at face value, and neither did he. Written in Arman's third person perspective, I never warmed up to the character. I liked that he wanted to do right by others and hoped he would be safe. Arman's interesting backstory and his mental health history, left unexplored, were far more interesting than his character.
I love Kuehn's writing style, but hated the plot and content of the story, even the ending and answers to some of the questions felt flat and uninspired. THE SMALLER EVIL felt like a boring story that didn't need to be told. I wish I had a more positive review, but I just can't recommend this novel.
GRADE: D
Arman and two acquaintances from school attend Evolve, a retreat for realizing one's potential (a cult). His history of anxiety and self doubt and is surprised when Beau, the not-so-charismatic leader sees him as special.
I'm normally a big fan of Stephanie Kuehn, but THE SMALLER EVIL wasn't for me. I had a hard time following the plot, wondering was what real and what might be fantasy or hallucination. I never knew whether to take Arman's experiences at face value, and neither did he. Written in Arman's third person perspective, I never warmed up to the character. I liked that he wanted to do right by others and hoped he would be safe. Arman's interesting backstory and his mental health history, left unexplored, were far more interesting than his character.
I love Kuehn's writing style, but hated the plot and content of the story, even the ending and answers to some of the questions felt flat and uninspired. THE SMALLER EVIL felt like a boring story that didn't need to be told. I wish I had a more positive review, but I just can't recommend this novel.
July 22, 2016
I read 72 pages, and I don't think I like this book. Stephanie Kuehn's writing is fabulous--I thought the same thing about Charm and Strange, but I also DNFed that book because her stuff is just too weird for me and I feel disconnected from the narrative and characters.
I went to look at some reviews after considering whether I should DNF or not, and based on what I am seeing, most people seem to not understand the ending, and some are even blaming themselves. To me, that is not a reader problem. It's an author problem. If you can't write your book so that people understand it, then maybe it should have been written differently?
This is the second book by this author that I've tried and they just don't work for me. It's time to admit that maybe we aren't an author-reader match.
I went to look at some reviews after considering whether I should DNF or not, and based on what I am seeing, most people seem to not understand the ending, and some are even blaming themselves. To me, that is not a reader problem. It's an author problem. If you can't write your book so that people understand it, then maybe it should have been written differently?
This is the second book by this author that I've tried and they just don't work for me. It's time to admit that maybe we aren't an author-reader match.
December 18, 2016
I have a bit of a thing for books about cults, so I figured I'd try this one. At first I wasn't sure I was that into it, but the middle third of the book was great: riveting, disorienting, exciting. But the climax didn't live up to the potential (though this isn't that uncommon in this kind of book) and everything wrapped up much too quickly. Wanted more more more and just didn't get it, sadly.
I did the audiobook and wasn't a huge fan of the narrators.
I did the audiobook and wasn't a huge fan of the narrators.
dnf-2016-onward
July 11, 2017dnf @ 15%
I made it about as far as the completely random and unnecessarily explicit rape scene then I noped my way out of there. Looking at other reviews leads me to believe that this book just gets more nonsensical as it goes along and the ending is completely ambiguous so yeah, the only reason I'd keep reading this would be to see if the mystery explained. No thanks. Bye.
I made it about as far as the completely random and unnecessarily explicit rape scene then I noped my way out of there. Looking at other reviews leads me to believe that this book just gets more nonsensical as it goes along and the ending is completely ambiguous so yeah, the only reason I'd keep reading this would be to see if the mystery explained. No thanks. Bye.
unfinished-try-again-later
June 24, 2017I just can't do it. I'm not into this for some reason. It's just kind of dull and I'm not really connecting with the characters. I have so many other books that I want to be reading and am eager to devour that this one is turning into a chore. Oh well. Maybe another time.
Read
August 6, 2016You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Literally no idea, guys. I am so confused right now. I finished this last night (well, technically early this morning, but shh), and I figured I'd think about it for a bit before writing down my thoughts. But then I realized that I don't really have any quality thoughts because I have no idea what just happened.
I really enjoyed Stephanie's Delicate Monsters last year- even though it too had some definite strangeness, I was very intrigued! (You can see my review here- in which I say "this book was messed the hell up".) And don't misunderstand, I was incredibly intrigued by The Smaller Evil, too! I just haven't the vaguest idea what I read.
Here are some plusses about the book, because I assure you, there are plusses:
The writing is, as I have come to expect from Stephanie Kuehn, extraordinary. Seriously, the writing is so on point. Even when I didn't know what was happening at all, I just kept wanting to read because the author does such a great job of making the words jump off the page.
It's a short and addicting sort of book. I read it in about two hours, and needed to know what was going to happen to Arman- hell, I needed to know what was currently happening to Arman, let's be honest!
I really did feel for Arman, even if I wasn't super connected to him. It was hard to connect to him because the situation he was in was so... bizarre. But the kid had a rough time, and it was easy to sympathize with him, and understand how he'd be in this weird ass place to begin with. And when no one believed Arman, and I wasn't sure if he was even a reliable narrator, I still rooted for him.
There's a cult vibe, and I love a cult vibe. I won't say anything beyond that (let's be honest, I couldn't even if I wanted to), but the feel was definitely eerie and "off", which is fabulous in this type of book.
I did understand a bit of the plot, and I liked that particular direction!
The only negative I have for this book is... what even is it!?
And that's kind of a biggie, really. I actually was pretty convinced that it was just me- maybe I was just missing something? But then I looked at Goodreads, and I don't think I am alone. That said, maybe someone with a little better ability to think outside the box will have a better grip on this? Like, it is a quick, exciting, and well written book, so I want you all to read it, mostly so someone can figure out what went on.
Bottom Line: I think this should be a team effort, and someone can explain this to me. It wasn't a bad book at all, and the writing and atmosphere alone make it worth it. But if you don't like being confused... well, then maybe it won't work. But if you enjoy a well-written and unique book, this totally fits that bill.
Literally no idea, guys. I am so confused right now. I finished this last night (well, technically early this morning, but shh), and I figured I'd think about it for a bit before writing down my thoughts. But then I realized that I don't really have any quality thoughts because I have no idea what just happened.
I really enjoyed Stephanie's Delicate Monsters last year- even though it too had some definite strangeness, I was very intrigued! (You can see my review here- in which I say "this book was messed the hell up".) And don't misunderstand, I was incredibly intrigued by The Smaller Evil, too! I just haven't the vaguest idea what I read.
Here are some plusses about the book, because I assure you, there are plusses:
The writing is, as I have come to expect from Stephanie Kuehn, extraordinary. Seriously, the writing is so on point. Even when I didn't know what was happening at all, I just kept wanting to read because the author does such a great job of making the words jump off the page.
It's a short and addicting sort of book. I read it in about two hours, and needed to know what was going to happen to Arman- hell, I needed to know what was currently happening to Arman, let's be honest!
I really did feel for Arman, even if I wasn't super connected to him. It was hard to connect to him because the situation he was in was so... bizarre. But the kid had a rough time, and it was easy to sympathize with him, and understand how he'd be in this weird ass place to begin with. And when no one believed Arman, and I wasn't sure if he was even a reliable narrator, I still rooted for him.
There's a cult vibe, and I love a cult vibe. I won't say anything beyond that (let's be honest, I couldn't even if I wanted to), but the feel was definitely eerie and "off", which is fabulous in this type of book.
I did understand a bit of the plot, and I liked that particular direction!
The only negative I have for this book is... what even is it!?
And that's kind of a biggie, really. I actually was pretty convinced that it was just me- maybe I was just missing something? But then I looked at Goodreads, and I don't think I am alone. That said, maybe someone with a little better ability to think outside the box will have a better grip on this? Like, it is a quick, exciting, and well written book, so I want you all to read it, mostly so someone can figure out what went on.
Bottom Line: I think this should be a team effort, and someone can explain this to me. It wasn't a bad book at all, and the writing and atmosphere alone make it worth it. But if you don't like being confused... well, then maybe it won't work. But if you enjoy a well-written and unique book, this totally fits that bill.
Yes, my rating is a Shrugpony. Because... how?
February 13, 2017
I'm going to assume that's a chameleon tail on the cover and I'm then going to infer that it's representative of both the story's main character as well as the character he so admires. Otherwise, I have no idea what a curled lizard tail has to do with this story and it certainly has nothing to do with the title.
I thought this would be interesting. There's this kid, Arman, I think he's 17, and he's just stolen his step-father's ill-gotten money in order to pay for a stay at a self-discovery retreat led by a spiritual guidance guru person who has been courting Arman for awhile and for whom Arman feels a puppy-like loyalty. This is pretty great because the kid really does need to discover himself. He's angry at the world, distrustful, and has some self-described mental illnesses, one of which makes him want to please everyone and do whatever anyone says and always follow the rules, even though that is the opposite of what he does throughout the entire book. However, the retreat, far off in the mountains, is really kind of a cult and it's mostly older people who are looking for spiritual guidance. Also, it may be a scam, which he and his two teenage compatriots discover during their stay...like, over the course of four days.
At least, I think that's what happened. I'm not really sure about the point of this tale. I am sure there was one, but I think I missed it. That it's standard operating procedure for a girl you just saw for the first time in your life to have sex with you behind the kitchen counter after about 20 minutes and then she'll continue to want to have sex with you all the time for reasons? That some people act nice and they really are while other people act creepy and they really are? That spirital gurus are weird? Mostly, I was bored and found the entire thing miserably tedious. It's pretty short, less than 300 pages, but it took me a long time to read it because I'd get through a page or two, then put it down and look for something else more stimulating to read, like Gabe's cigar catalog in the bathroom.
I'm sure this will appeal to someone. I don't know whom, and it wasn't me, but it's gotta be a suspenseful, riveting tale to some tribe of readers out there.
I thought this would be interesting. There's this kid, Arman, I think he's 17, and he's just stolen his step-father's ill-gotten money in order to pay for a stay at a self-discovery retreat led by a spiritual guidance guru person who has been courting Arman for awhile and for whom Arman feels a puppy-like loyalty. This is pretty great because the kid really does need to discover himself. He's angry at the world, distrustful, and has some self-described mental illnesses, one of which makes him want to please everyone and do whatever anyone says and always follow the rules, even though that is the opposite of what he does throughout the entire book. However, the retreat, far off in the mountains, is really kind of a cult and it's mostly older people who are looking for spiritual guidance. Also, it may be a scam, which he and his two teenage compatriots discover during their stay...like, over the course of four days.
At least, I think that's what happened. I'm not really sure about the point of this tale. I am sure there was one, but I think I missed it. That it's standard operating procedure for a girl you just saw for the first time in your life to have sex with you behind the kitchen counter after about 20 minutes and then she'll continue to want to have sex with you all the time for reasons? That some people act nice and they really are while other people act creepy and they really are? That spirital gurus are weird? Mostly, I was bored and found the entire thing miserably tedious. It's pretty short, less than 300 pages, but it took me a long time to read it because I'd get through a page or two, then put it down and look for something else more stimulating to read, like Gabe's cigar catalog in the bathroom.
I'm sure this will appeal to someone. I don't know whom, and it wasn't me, but it's gotta be a suspenseful, riveting tale to some tribe of readers out there.
September 23, 2016
This was…. a strange book. I want to like it, but ultimately, I just don’t get it. What was the point?
Arman is kind of an outcast. He doesn’t fit in, he’s on all kinds of medications for ADD and anxiety whatnot. He meets this guy, Beau, who invites him to a “retreat”. A couple of sort-of friends come along as well, but otherwise it’s mostly old people.
Then Beau is murdered. Or kills himself. Or maybe he didn’t and Arman is just crazy. Now we spend half the book not sure what is real and what is not, and this is actually very cool. But… the end comes along and we’re left with more questions than answers.
I think people who like really philosophical mind bending books might be into this, but it was just too weird for me. Maybe reading it a second time knowing the ending would give more clues as to what the hell is actually happening in the earlier parts of the book, but I’m not going to waste my time doing that. I honestly only grabbed this book because I was pretty sure the “retreat” was really a cult (and it basically is) and that sort of fascinates me. In the end though, I wish I hadn’t bothered. I wasn’t left satisfied and I still don’t feel like I really know any of the characters.
I just don’t understand what the point of the story was. Not that every story needs to end with an earth shattering, mind opening purpose—I enjoy fluffy books as much as the next reader—but, at least knowing what the hell actually happened is sort of a must for me.
So would I recommend this book? No. Not really. There were some good parts, but overall I was left underwhelmed and without a sense of closure.
I received an ARC of this book from Penguin First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
Arman is kind of an outcast. He doesn’t fit in, he’s on all kinds of medications for ADD and anxiety whatnot. He meets this guy, Beau, who invites him to a “retreat”. A couple of sort-of friends come along as well, but otherwise it’s mostly old people.
Then Beau is murdered. Or kills himself. Or maybe he didn’t and Arman is just crazy. Now we spend half the book not sure what is real and what is not, and this is actually very cool. But… the end comes along and we’re left with more questions than answers.
I think people who like really philosophical mind bending books might be into this, but it was just too weird for me. Maybe reading it a second time knowing the ending would give more clues as to what the hell is actually happening in the earlier parts of the book, but I’m not going to waste my time doing that. I honestly only grabbed this book because I was pretty sure the “retreat” was really a cult (and it basically is) and that sort of fascinates me. In the end though, I wish I hadn’t bothered. I wasn’t left satisfied and I still don’t feel like I really know any of the characters.
I just don’t understand what the point of the story was. Not that every story needs to end with an earth shattering, mind opening purpose—I enjoy fluffy books as much as the next reader—but, at least knowing what the hell actually happened is sort of a must for me.
So would I recommend this book? No. Not really. There were some good parts, but overall I was left underwhelmed and without a sense of closure.
I received an ARC of this book from Penguin First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 1, 2016Yeah, I'm not going to be able to rate this.
DNF. I might get back to it again in the future.
First, I don't know if I understand the story. I don't know if this was intended by the author, although it does seem like it. Second, despite the slow pacing, the story is intriguing because of its characters. I think this book isn't recommended for everybody, not unless they have read Kuehn's works. Even if I've read Delicate Monsters and Charm & Strange, I don't think it was enough to prepare me for this book. I mean, I like her writing. But her latest novel, The Smaller Evil, is too twisted and unpredictable for my liking. I can't say I like it, because I struggled at some point trying to get through the book. I can't say I hate it, because I actually liked the book's premise and its mystery. In short, I don't know what I feel about this book. It is very different from the books I've read this year so far.
***Huge thanks to Penguin's First to Read Program for the chance to read this book a month earlier!
DNF. I might get back to it again in the future.
First, I don't know if I understand the story. I don't know if this was intended by the author, although it does seem like it. Second, despite the slow pacing, the story is intriguing because of its characters. I think this book isn't recommended for everybody, not unless they have read Kuehn's works. Even if I've read Delicate Monsters and Charm & Strange, I don't think it was enough to prepare me for this book. I mean, I like her writing. But her latest novel, The Smaller Evil, is too twisted and unpredictable for my liking. I can't say I like it, because I struggled at some point trying to get through the book. I can't say I hate it, because I actually liked the book's premise and its mystery. In short, I don't know what I feel about this book. It is very different from the books I've read this year so far.
***Huge thanks to Penguin's First to Read Program for the chance to read this book a month earlier!
July 21, 2016
The Smaller Evil joins my mental list of YA to shove at people who are dismissive of YA novels. Kuehn’s definitely a talent, and her works are in no way derivative or pedestrian in the way a Literary snob could turn their nose up at.
That said, Kuehn’s novels are too smart for me. Like, I actually do not understand what happened at the end. Well, actually, that’s not quite true. I think I mostly understand the ending, but I don’t really get what I’m supposed to take away from it. Basically, I closed the book and went “what. the. fuck.” and scratched my head.
Up until that point, though, I was actually pretty into this book. Kuehn’s strengths lie in plotting and creepiness more than character though, something I noticed in her debut as well. Arman, for all his quirks and issues, felt almost a non-entity, and everyone else could easily have been the creation of his mind for how real they felt. The disturbing cult setting and completely unpredictable plot had me reading almost the whole book in one setting, though.
I’m not really sure what to say about a book I didn’t really get. It was a good read, but I wish I’d read it as part of a group of smart people so I could figure out more of what it means. I’m curious how teens will react to it, because wow.
That said, Kuehn’s novels are too smart for me. Like, I actually do not understand what happened at the end. Well, actually, that’s not quite true. I think I mostly understand the ending, but I don’t really get what I’m supposed to take away from it. Basically, I closed the book and went “what. the. fuck.” and scratched my head.
Up until that point, though, I was actually pretty into this book. Kuehn’s strengths lie in plotting and creepiness more than character though, something I noticed in her debut as well. Arman, for all his quirks and issues, felt almost a non-entity, and everyone else could easily have been the creation of his mind for how real they felt. The disturbing cult setting and completely unpredictable plot had me reading almost the whole book in one setting, though.
I’m not really sure what to say about a book I didn’t really get. It was a good read, but I wish I’d read it as part of a group of smart people so I could figure out more of what it means. I’m curious how teens will react to it, because wow.
March 13, 2017
This was a strange one. Reminded me a lot of Challenger Deep (not in the mental health aspects but in the narration style).
Read
December 4, 2023It’s like the author took a bunch of deep sentences that make no sense together, stuck them into a book and called it a day
January 13, 2020
Arman struggles with the idea that everything revolves around him. The stranger behind him is following him, the people around him are judging him. His anxiety overcomes him and he can barely cope. So, when a man called Beau promises to help him, he readily accepts. After making an excuse about where he’ll be (although neither of his parents seem to care) he travels to a compound in the mountains for one week of a program that he hopes will fix him.
When they arrive, Arman and two of his classmates who also seek what Beau promises partake in a number of cult-like activities. The rituals all have a visible purpose on the surface, but there are details that at times make the story feel like a fever dream. Gradually, things start to appear like they really do revolve around Arman. Events happen that mean Arman is either going crazy, or his fears of being the center of some elaborate plot he isn’t in on have come true. This book is definitely a thrilling read with a lot to take away.
I loved The Smaller Evil right up until the last few chapters, but the conclusion left me feeling like there was something I just wasn’t getting. Although Kuehn’s writing is incredible and the imagery is so on point, the end was unsatisfactory. With the deliberateness and thought provoking hidden meanings the rest of the novel constantly provided, I find it hard to believe the end is as shallow as it seems to be. But, that being said, I also find it hard to uncover what deeper concepts it could be hiding.
After such a thought out beginning and middle with so many pieces that all seemed to be leading up to something great and profound, the ending seemed cheap and unsatisfactory. It felt like a cop-out. I’d say it’s comparable to when a story ends with “and then he woke up”. Although it gives a conclusion, it doesn’t tie pieces together individually and is so abrupt that it leaves a reader unsatisfied and confused. Such a great thriller should have a thrilling ending, and this novel just didn’t deliver.
I would say this book is kind of intense. From what I’ve heard and read it’s always a good idea to research potential triggers before reading Kuehn’s work. Arman very quickly develops a sexual relationship with “the cook”. There are some explicit scenes surrounding this relationship, including borderline rape. There are also descriptions of murder and mentions of suicide, drugs, and self harm. Arman is repeatedly taken advantage of, groomed, and manipulated.
There are many good things about this book. The writing is so good in itself. It’s the type of novel where I could really picture every single scene. Kuehn’s physical descriptions contribute so much to the story and its meaning. How every scene was described added so much to the story, which is something I don’t see often and so well done in YA novels. Everything about the book (sans ending) was so deliberate, I felt like every detail had some sort of takeaway. This deliberateness not only made the novel profound, but also made it very thought provoking, which is a plus
“When it comes time for you to start, you don’t play favorites. Your audience is rapt and your job is to keep it that way. You talk and talk and soon the expressions on their faces become ones you anticipate. There’s awe. Affirmation. Followed by the desire for approval.
Yours, of course.
You talk more and they keep listening. But all the while you’re listening, too. Group dynamics are your specialty. You glean information from every silence and passing glance until you know just what drives each one of them. Until you know how to play them to your advantage.
Young people are the easiest to read, you’ve found still pliable, still eager. And these three have been taught well, at least for your purposes. They’re products of their time, willing to take on debt and more debt with no job in sight because they don’t know any other way to try. Individualism is their birthright, their false ideal. This means they’ve learned to question the truth, but never their dreams, and that above all else, they believe deeply in what they want to see, not the image that’s right in front of them.
What they want, of course, isn’t what you can give them
What you’re selling is the hope you can.”
When they arrive, Arman and two of his classmates who also seek what Beau promises partake in a number of cult-like activities. The rituals all have a visible purpose on the surface, but there are details that at times make the story feel like a fever dream. Gradually, things start to appear like they really do revolve around Arman. Events happen that mean Arman is either going crazy, or his fears of being the center of some elaborate plot he isn’t in on have come true. This book is definitely a thrilling read with a lot to take away.
I loved The Smaller Evil right up until the last few chapters, but the conclusion left me feeling like there was something I just wasn’t getting. Although Kuehn’s writing is incredible and the imagery is so on point, the end was unsatisfactory. With the deliberateness and thought provoking hidden meanings the rest of the novel constantly provided, I find it hard to believe the end is as shallow as it seems to be. But, that being said, I also find it hard to uncover what deeper concepts it could be hiding.
After such a thought out beginning and middle with so many pieces that all seemed to be leading up to something great and profound, the ending seemed cheap and unsatisfactory. It felt like a cop-out. I’d say it’s comparable to when a story ends with “and then he woke up”. Although it gives a conclusion, it doesn’t tie pieces together individually and is so abrupt that it leaves a reader unsatisfied and confused. Such a great thriller should have a thrilling ending, and this novel just didn’t deliver.
I would say this book is kind of intense. From what I’ve heard and read it’s always a good idea to research potential triggers before reading Kuehn’s work. Arman very quickly develops a sexual relationship with “the cook”. There are some explicit scenes surrounding this relationship, including borderline rape. There are also descriptions of murder and mentions of suicide, drugs, and self harm. Arman is repeatedly taken advantage of, groomed, and manipulated.
There are many good things about this book. The writing is so good in itself. It’s the type of novel where I could really picture every single scene. Kuehn’s physical descriptions contribute so much to the story and its meaning. How every scene was described added so much to the story, which is something I don’t see often and so well done in YA novels. Everything about the book (sans ending) was so deliberate, I felt like every detail had some sort of takeaway. This deliberateness not only made the novel profound, but also made it very thought provoking, which is a plus
“When it comes time for you to start, you don’t play favorites. Your audience is rapt and your job is to keep it that way. You talk and talk and soon the expressions on their faces become ones you anticipate. There’s awe. Affirmation. Followed by the desire for approval.
Yours, of course.
You talk more and they keep listening. But all the while you’re listening, too. Group dynamics are your specialty. You glean information from every silence and passing glance until you know just what drives each one of them. Until you know how to play them to your advantage.
Young people are the easiest to read, you’ve found still pliable, still eager. And these three have been taught well, at least for your purposes. They’re products of their time, willing to take on debt and more debt with no job in sight because they don’t know any other way to try. Individualism is their birthright, their false ideal. This means they’ve learned to question the truth, but never their dreams, and that above all else, they believe deeply in what they want to see, not the image that’s right in front of them.
What they want, of course, isn’t what you can give them
What you’re selling is the hope you can.”
August 20, 2016
Internal monologue after finishing The Smaller Evil: Well, I’ve no clue what just happened. Or what exactly this was about. Consequently, I’ll not stop until I’ve figured out what the hell I just read and if it takes ages!
*15hours, 23minutes and 47 seconds later, concerned pedestrians reported sightings of a seemingly insane and obsessed person to the local chief of police. Second occurrence of that kind in only one week, the poor man thought by himself. Please, he whispered to whatever God would listen, please, don’t let it be HER again! I promise to be good! I’ll donate half my money! But please, please-
A knock at his office door. Mentally preparing himself, the man turned his chair around and ordered: “Come in!” The door opened and an officer –Ms. Schulz- led the exact person he dreaded most into his office, before quickly slinking out of the door, a pitying look on her face.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Schmidt, but the book I just read! Omg, you won’t believe it! I finally got what it’s about! Well, at least I think I do. Anyway, it’s called The Smaller Evil and-“
“Yes, Ms. Brandes, I don’t believe it! With all due respect but no matter how good or earth-shattering a book is you can’t just walk around and scream at complete strangers about it. People get scared because of actions like that. We talked this through only two days earlier. And all those months before. Ms. Brandes, YOU’LL HAVE TO STOP THAT.”
“I know. I really do. But please listen! The Smaller Evil is weird and quite different from all other books I’ve read so far. It’s about seventeen-year-old Arman who is struggling with severe anxiety and self-loathing. The book starts with him and two peers (the couple Kira and Dale) traveling to a self-help retreat. With the help of the retreat’s leader, Beau, and other trainees the participants have the chance to “evolve”. After a few days, Beau goes missing. Arman thinks he witnessed his suicide –but all the evidence disappears. Soon, other possibilities emerge: was it actually murder, committed by the other trainees who seem to have different beliefs about the future of the retreat? Or is Arman losing his mind and did he actually kill Beau? What is really happening in this remote retreat?”
“This is all really interesting but-“
“Right? It sounds amazing! Unfortunately, I had some issues with it. First of all, I love weird things. BUT. This was quite extreme and I feel like I’m missing things. I get the general plot but there are events that aren’t really logically to me. And at the end it all felt rushed and things got solved a bit too…smoothly. I don’t know. I just feel like this all isn’t quite logical. And before you say something-“
“Really, Miss, I didn’t intend to-“
“-I do know that it’s supposed to be strange. I really get that and I liked this element of the book where the author really messed with her reader’s head. But in my opinion, the solution of the whole mystery concerning Beau, the girl and the retreat in general is flawed. Granted, it’s very hard to come up with such a thing and the book really keeps you guessing until the end. But the end was what let me down a bit. And this was not the only thing that bothered me.”
“Please, Ms. Brandes-“
“Ah, we’ve already spend so much time together, Mr. Schmidt, you can call me Nikola!”
“Well, …Nikola, you really don’t have to elaborate this, I really do get your point-“
“Oh no, you and the book both deserve a thorough analysis of it! Where was I? Right. *takes out a long list* The characters. Or rather, the non-existent character development. Frankly, both Kira and Dale felt as real as a cardboard stand-up. They had no actual personality and I was genuinely surprised when they were called Arman’s "friends" during the last part of the novel. Ehm, when did that happen? Just because they noticed him and understood his actions doesn’t mean they’re his friends. That’s just basic observation skills. But Arman and all other figures, too, fell flat for me. Their personalities never were truly developed.
Moreover, there were some opinions I not only disagreed on but that I found quite harmful and wished that had been addressed as such.
I’m sure you’ll agree that men have more on their mind than just sex. And then there we have this:
Neither this last question nor the later given explanation that really point out how horribly wrong and harmful Arman’s opinion is. Yes, I’m actually saying an opinion is wrong but before you kill me-“
*The chief of police takes a deep breath to object*
“-please let me explain. People don’t commit suicide because they feel like it or because they are being extremely selfish and don’t care about others. People commit suicide because they see it as the last viable option. In fact, depression can cause you to think that you’re utterly worthless, a waste of space and oxygen. You can end up thinking that your friends and family would be better off without you, would be happier without you. Others calling those with depression and those who contemplate suicide as “selfish” or “lazy” (suicide being “the easy way out”) only decreases their feeling of self-worth and makes everything worse. It’s so, so harmful and while the author vaguely criticises Arman’s sentiment, in my opinion, this was just not clear enough.
*After a short pause*
Gosh, you have to think that I loathed this book despite the claims I stated above! But no, not everything was bad. Like I said, it kept me hooked from page one and after 180 pages or so I thought I found out the solution but no, I was wrong! The ending really surprised me, even if it let me down. The writing style was fluent and quite captivating as well. All in all, I think the book can be described best with this quote:
“Ehm, well, Ms. Brandes-“
“Nikola.“
“Right. Nikola. Well, this is all good to hear but you really need to stop running around and waving your books at strangers.”
“But that’s what a bookworm does, Mr.Schmidt. That’s what a passionate bookworm always does.”
*15hours, 23minutes and 47 seconds later, concerned pedestrians reported sightings of a seemingly insane and obsessed person to the local chief of police. Second occurrence of that kind in only one week, the poor man thought by himself. Please, he whispered to whatever God would listen, please, don’t let it be HER again! I promise to be good! I’ll donate half my money! But please, please-
A knock at his office door. Mentally preparing himself, the man turned his chair around and ordered: “Come in!” The door opened and an officer –Ms. Schulz- led the exact person he dreaded most into his office, before quickly slinking out of the door, a pitying look on her face.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Schmidt, but the book I just read! Omg, you won’t believe it! I finally got what it’s about! Well, at least I think I do. Anyway, it’s called The Smaller Evil and-“
“Yes, Ms. Brandes, I don’t believe it! With all due respect but no matter how good or earth-shattering a book is you can’t just walk around and scream at complete strangers about it. People get scared because of actions like that. We talked this through only two days earlier. And all those months before. Ms. Brandes, YOU’LL HAVE TO STOP THAT.”
“I know. I really do. But please listen! The Smaller Evil is weird and quite different from all other books I’ve read so far. It’s about seventeen-year-old Arman who is struggling with severe anxiety and self-loathing. The book starts with him and two peers (the couple Kira and Dale) traveling to a self-help retreat. With the help of the retreat’s leader, Beau, and other trainees the participants have the chance to “evolve”. After a few days, Beau goes missing. Arman thinks he witnessed his suicide –but all the evidence disappears. Soon, other possibilities emerge: was it actually murder, committed by the other trainees who seem to have different beliefs about the future of the retreat? Or is Arman losing his mind and did he actually kill Beau? What is really happening in this remote retreat?”
“This is all really interesting but-“
“Right? It sounds amazing! Unfortunately, I had some issues with it. First of all, I love weird things. BUT. This was quite extreme and I feel like I’m missing things. I get the general plot but there are events that aren’t really logically to me. And at the end it all felt rushed and things got solved a bit too…smoothly. I don’t know. I just feel like this all isn’t quite logical. And before you say something-“
“Really, Miss, I didn’t intend to-“
“-I do know that it’s supposed to be strange. I really get that and I liked this element of the book where the author really messed with her reader’s head. But in my opinion, the solution of the whole mystery concerning Beau, the girl and the retreat in general is flawed. Granted, it’s very hard to come up with such a thing and the book really keeps you guessing until the end. But the end was what let me down a bit. And this was not the only thing that bothered me.”
“Please, Ms. Brandes-“
“Ah, we’ve already spend so much time together, Mr. Schmidt, you can call me Nikola!”
“Well, …Nikola, you really don’t have to elaborate this, I really do get your point-“
“Oh no, you and the book both deserve a thorough analysis of it! Where was I? Right. *takes out a long list* The characters. Or rather, the non-existent character development. Frankly, both Kira and Dale felt as real as a cardboard stand-up. They had no actual personality and I was genuinely surprised when they were called Arman’s "friends" during the last part of the novel. Ehm, when did that happen? Just because they noticed him and understood his actions doesn’t mean they’re his friends. That’s just basic observation skills. But Arman and all other figures, too, fell flat for me. Their personalities never were truly developed.
Moreover, there were some opinions I not only disagreed on but that I found quite harmful and wished that had been addressed as such.
Her hips swayed and her voice lured, and he followed her like a snake to the grass or an early bird after its worm, and wasn’t that the weakness of his gender? This single-minded pursuit of warmth and release.
I’m sure you’ll agree that men have more on their mind than just sex. And then there we have this:
Although that couldn’t be true, Arman realized now, because he didn’t believe in suicide. In part, because it was a dramatic gesture he didn’t think he deserved, but also because suicide was something selfish people did. People who couldn’t be bothered to care about others.
Wasn’t it?
Neither this last question nor the later given explanation that really point out how horribly wrong and harmful Arman’s opinion is. Yes, I’m actually saying an opinion is wrong but before you kill me-“
*The chief of police takes a deep breath to object*
“-please let me explain. People don’t commit suicide because they feel like it or because they are being extremely selfish and don’t care about others. People commit suicide because they see it as the last viable option. In fact, depression can cause you to think that you’re utterly worthless, a waste of space and oxygen. You can end up thinking that your friends and family would be better off without you, would be happier without you. Others calling those with depression and those who contemplate suicide as “selfish” or “lazy” (suicide being “the easy way out”) only decreases their feeling of self-worth and makes everything worse. It’s so, so harmful and while the author vaguely criticises Arman’s sentiment, in my opinion, this was just not clear enough.
*After a short pause*
Gosh, you have to think that I loathed this book despite the claims I stated above! But no, not everything was bad. Like I said, it kept me hooked from page one and after 180 pages or so I thought I found out the solution but no, I was wrong! The ending really surprised me, even if it let me down. The writing style was fluent and quite captivating as well. All in all, I think the book can be described best with this quote:
”It’s just about this…well, nothing makes sense.” “Of course it makes sense,” Marie told him in the kindest way possible. […] “You just don’t know how.”
“Ehm, well, Ms. Brandes-“
“Nikola.“
“Right. Nikola. Well, this is all good to hear but you really need to stop running around and waving your books at strangers.”
“But that’s what a bookworm does, Mr.Schmidt. That’s what a passionate bookworm always does.”
November 3, 2022
Libby: I want to give this zero stars but Goodreads won't let me.
This teen gets recruited to a cult camp (he's supposed to only go for a week, like, o-kay) because he has daddy issues and turns the leader into his surrogate father. Also, he has sex with a random girl that he does not learn the name of until the veeeerrry last minute of this book (only refers to her as "the cook with bare legs" which is gross by itself). But it's definitely sexual assault that gets breezed over just because she's young and sort of hot.
Then, for basically no reason, he sees his mentor have slit wrists in the back of a van that then disappears when he tries to say Beau is hurt....only to have no suspense in the fact that the cult leader was behind it the whole time because he saw potential in the MC and wanted him to feel like he was needed by the cult and shouldn't try to kill himself again like he'd done years ago (a secret I'm still not sure how Beau found out about).
Also, the MCs name is something dumb that I don't remember but sounded like Arm-man. I'm almost done ranting, but surprise the cook was the cult leader's daughter so it was even more f'd up that she hooked up with Arman behind everyone's backs. Maybe the dad put her up to it? Literally could not care less.
Read by Ryan Gesell & Mark Bramhall. #booksin22
This teen gets recruited to a cult camp (he's supposed to only go for a week, like, o-kay) because he has daddy issues and turns the leader into his surrogate father. Also, he has sex with a random girl that he does not learn the name of until the veeeerrry last minute of this book (only refers to her as "the cook with bare legs" which is gross by itself). But it's definitely sexual assault that gets breezed over just because she's young and sort of hot.
Then, for basically no reason, he sees his mentor have slit wrists in the back of a van that then disappears when he tries to say Beau is hurt....only to have no suspense in the fact that the cult leader was behind it the whole time because he saw potential in the MC and wanted him to feel like he was needed by the cult and shouldn't try to kill himself again like he'd done years ago (a secret I'm still not sure how Beau found out about).
Also, the MCs name is something dumb that I don't remember but sounded like Arm-man. I'm almost done ranting, but surprise the cook was the cult leader's daughter so it was even more f'd up that she hooked up with Arman behind everyone's backs. Maybe the dad put her up to it? Literally could not care less.
Read by Ryan Gesell & Mark Bramhall. #booksin22
July 6, 2018
I don't understand what happened at the end. It's weird, because usually I feel like authors overexplain, like I'll be all "We get it!" But this time, I could have gone for much more explanation. I thought the book was pretty interesting, but I was missing that "aha!" moment at the end.
March 12, 2017
* in reality 3.5/5 stars.
Well, that was unexpected. I'm not sure how I feel. I do intend to read more Stephanie Kuehn books in the future. Which ones do you recommend?
Well, that was unexpected. I'm not sure how I feel. I do intend to read more Stephanie Kuehn books in the future. Which ones do you recommend?
September 5, 2016
I really, really love Stephanie Kuehn and her books. She does a really good job of writing tense thrillers and well plotted mysteries for a teen audience, as well and an adult audience. My favorite of hers is CHARM AND STRANGE, a book that I found to be very tense and also incredibly heartbreaking. So any time she has a new book coming out, I seek it out almost immediately. Her newest book is THE SMALLER EVIL. Much like her other books, it involves teens who are going through issues, and while I don't think that it's as strong as CHARM AND STRANGE, it still feels very much like a Kuehn novel.
Arman has stolen a lot of money from his drug dealing stepfather, and has found himself on the run. Tormented by serious anxiety issues and no where to go, he finds himself on the way to a self help retreat run by a man named Beau. Beau is seemingly compassionate and kind, and when Arman arrives at his retreat grounds in Big Sur he feels like maybe he's found a place he can finally fit in. But the complex is strange, filled with a lot of people who seem grounded and supportive. But the strange rituals and a few of the people rub Arman the wrong way. After trying to back out and move on, Arman finds himself wrapped up in lost memories, and a potentially dangerous situation where he doesn't know who he can trust, if anyone.
So okay, part of the time I was super disoriented about what was happening in the story, but I think that that was kind of the point. Arman is struggling to remember what happened and how he got into the threatening situation, and as he struggles to figure out what happened, the reader gets to see bits and pieces of his life and experiences that help put together the puzzle of him. I went in thinking that I was going to be more interested in the weird group cult aspect of the group that Arman found himself in, but when it became evident that this group was less Jonestown, more Lifespring, my interest shifted to Arman himself. We learn about his issues with anxiety and mental illness, seeing how it progressed and seeing how it originated. I was definitely invested in Arman, and while I didn't really wonder if he was crazy or not (there's something that I took as a hint when the book dropped the movie BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING in one of it's scenes, which said a lot to me given the plot..... spoilers, obviously), I did wonder just how he was going to get out of this situation, and if there was any hope for him in general. Kuehn is very good at writing very messed up characters who have moments of true ugliness, but also moments where sympathy is very easy to apply to them, and Arman is no exception. I do wish that the cult aspect would have been a bit more hyped up, but that's just my own love for dramatics and everything sinister.
THE SMALLER EVIL is a solid new mystery and another deep and twisted thriller from Stephanie Kuehn! She keeps me on my toes and keeps my interest up for the next novel she writes!
Arman has stolen a lot of money from his drug dealing stepfather, and has found himself on the run. Tormented by serious anxiety issues and no where to go, he finds himself on the way to a self help retreat run by a man named Beau. Beau is seemingly compassionate and kind, and when Arman arrives at his retreat grounds in Big Sur he feels like maybe he's found a place he can finally fit in. But the complex is strange, filled with a lot of people who seem grounded and supportive. But the strange rituals and a few of the people rub Arman the wrong way. After trying to back out and move on, Arman finds himself wrapped up in lost memories, and a potentially dangerous situation where he doesn't know who he can trust, if anyone.
So okay, part of the time I was super disoriented about what was happening in the story, but I think that that was kind of the point. Arman is struggling to remember what happened and how he got into the threatening situation, and as he struggles to figure out what happened, the reader gets to see bits and pieces of his life and experiences that help put together the puzzle of him. I went in thinking that I was going to be more interested in the weird group cult aspect of the group that Arman found himself in, but when it became evident that this group was less Jonestown, more Lifespring, my interest shifted to Arman himself. We learn about his issues with anxiety and mental illness, seeing how it progressed and seeing how it originated. I was definitely invested in Arman, and while I didn't really wonder if he was crazy or not (there's something that I took as a hint when the book dropped the movie BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING in one of it's scenes, which said a lot to me given the plot..... spoilers, obviously), I did wonder just how he was going to get out of this situation, and if there was any hope for him in general. Kuehn is very good at writing very messed up characters who have moments of true ugliness, but also moments where sympathy is very easy to apply to them, and Arman is no exception. I do wish that the cult aspect would have been a bit more hyped up, but that's just my own love for dramatics and everything sinister.
THE SMALLER EVIL is a solid new mystery and another deep and twisted thriller from Stephanie Kuehn! She keeps me on my toes and keeps my interest up for the next novel she writes!
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