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Inanimate
Evil comes in many forms—sometimes with button eyes and stitched smiles.
After a devastating loss and a childhood steeped in neglect, young Connor’s grief festers into something monstrous. When a mysterious entity offers him the power to bring his dolls to life, the line between imagination and nightmare shatters.
What begins as comfort quickly becomes vengeance. The dolls are no longer toys. They obey, they watch, and they kill.
As Connor loses control of the horrors he’s unleashed, he must face a terrifying truth: the greatest monster may not be the dolls… but what he’s becoming.
After a devastating loss and a childhood steeped in neglect, young Connor’s grief festers into something monstrous. When a mysterious entity offers him the power to bring his dolls to life, the line between imagination and nightmare shatters.
What begins as comfort quickly becomes vengeance. The dolls are no longer toys. They obey, they watch, and they kill.
As Connor loses control of the horrors he’s unleashed, he must face a terrifying truth: the greatest monster may not be the dolls… but what he’s becoming.
569 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2015
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 11, 2026
Inanimate by Deryck Jason is a dark, emotional horror story that mixes grief, neglect, and killer dolls in a way that really sticks in your head. Connor starts as a bright, lonely boy who only really connects with his dolls, and the book does a good job showing how his life slowly falls apart after his mothers death and his fathers new relationship. By the time he ends up in a facility and meets The Eye, you understand why he is so angry and why the offer of revenge through his dolls is so tempting. I liked how the dolls feel like a twisted little family, each with its own role and personality, and how the story moves from sad to truly scary as Connor sends them into the small town that hurt him. The tone is very much classic horror, with a strong emotional core so it is not just gore for the sake of it.
Goods:
- Strong emotional backstory for Connor that makes his turn to revenge believable
- Creepy and memorable use of dolls as living characters, each with its own role in the story
- Clear, fast paced writing that is easy to follow and keeps the story moving
- Interesting moral angle that makes you question who the real villain is, Connor or the people who wronged him
Bads:
- The story is very dark and sad, which may be heavy for readers who prefer lighter horror
- Some side characters, like people in the town and staff at the facility, feel a bit flat and mostly there to be part of the plot
- There are moments where the violence and cruelty might feel too strong for sensitive readers
- Readers who like very detailed worldbuilding or explanations about The Eye may find those parts a bit thin
Why I would recommend this book:
I'd recommend Inanimate if you like horror that mixes real life pain with supernatural revenge. It is a good pick if you enjoy stories about damaged characters making terrible choices, creepy doll horror, and a plot that asks you to think about how much blame belongs to the victim and how much belongs to the people who broke him in the first place.
Every book hits differently for every reader.
Thanks for reading my review.
- Corey
Goods:
- Strong emotional backstory for Connor that makes his turn to revenge believable
- Creepy and memorable use of dolls as living characters, each with its own role in the story
- Clear, fast paced writing that is easy to follow and keeps the story moving
- Interesting moral angle that makes you question who the real villain is, Connor or the people who wronged him
Bads:
- The story is very dark and sad, which may be heavy for readers who prefer lighter horror
- Some side characters, like people in the town and staff at the facility, feel a bit flat and mostly there to be part of the plot
- There are moments where the violence and cruelty might feel too strong for sensitive readers
- Readers who like very detailed worldbuilding or explanations about The Eye may find those parts a bit thin
Why I would recommend this book:
I'd recommend Inanimate if you like horror that mixes real life pain with supernatural revenge. It is a good pick if you enjoy stories about damaged characters making terrible choices, creepy doll horror, and a plot that asks you to think about how much blame belongs to the victim and how much belongs to the people who broke him in the first place.
Every book hits differently for every reader.
Thanks for reading my review.
- Corey
Displaying 1 of 1 review