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World's Scariest Places #1
Suicide Forest
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2015)Am Fuße des Mt. Fuji, ganz in der Nähe von Tokyo, liegt der Aokigahara Jukai.
Dieser weitläufige, dicht bewachsene Wald ist eines der schönsten urwüchsigen Gebiete Japans – und eines der berüchtigsten. Denn seit den 1960er Jahren gilt der Aokigahara als unheiliger Magnet für Selbstmörder. Ständig durchkämmen Polizeikräfte und die Feuerwehr den Wald auf der Suche nach Leichen, in dem pro Jahr bis zu 100 Menschen verschwinden. Die Behörden gehen jedoch von weitaus mehr Suizidfällen aus, die jedoch aufgrund der teilweise undurchdringlichen Vegetation des Waldes nicht gefunden werden können.
Der Legende nach sind diese uralten Wälder verflucht. Die Geister der Toten, die sich hier das Leben nahmen, finden keine Ruhe.
Als das schlechte Wetter eine Gruppe jugendlicher Abenteurer davon abhält, den Mt. Fuji zu besteigen, beschließen sie, für die Nacht ihr Lager im Aokigahara Jukai aufzuschlagen. Die Warnungen vor dem Bösen, das hier umgeht, halten alle für puren Aberglauben. Doch als am Morgen darauf einer von ihnen erhängt aufgefunden wird, beginnen die jungen Leute zu ahnen, dass an manchen Legenden mehr dran sein könnte, als man glauben möchte …
SUICIDE FOREST ist der Auftakt einer in dieser Form einmaligen halbdokumentarischen Horror-Roman-Reihe. In jedem Band entführt Jeremy Bates seine Leser an real existierende verfluchte, beängstigende oder berühmt-berüchtigte Schauplätze auf der ganzen Welt, und verbindet den Mythos dieser Orte geschickt mit fiktiven Begebenheiten. Und gerade dieser Bezug zu realen Orten, die der interessierte Leser nach der Lektüre im Prinzip vor Ort selbst erforschen kann, macht diese Romane zu einem Wagnis – oder einem besonderen Vergnügen.
Lesen als Grenzerfahrung.
Dieser weitläufige, dicht bewachsene Wald ist eines der schönsten urwüchsigen Gebiete Japans – und eines der berüchtigsten. Denn seit den 1960er Jahren gilt der Aokigahara als unheiliger Magnet für Selbstmörder. Ständig durchkämmen Polizeikräfte und die Feuerwehr den Wald auf der Suche nach Leichen, in dem pro Jahr bis zu 100 Menschen verschwinden. Die Behörden gehen jedoch von weitaus mehr Suizidfällen aus, die jedoch aufgrund der teilweise undurchdringlichen Vegetation des Waldes nicht gefunden werden können.
Der Legende nach sind diese uralten Wälder verflucht. Die Geister der Toten, die sich hier das Leben nahmen, finden keine Ruhe.
Als das schlechte Wetter eine Gruppe jugendlicher Abenteurer davon abhält, den Mt. Fuji zu besteigen, beschließen sie, für die Nacht ihr Lager im Aokigahara Jukai aufzuschlagen. Die Warnungen vor dem Bösen, das hier umgeht, halten alle für puren Aberglauben. Doch als am Morgen darauf einer von ihnen erhängt aufgefunden wird, beginnen die jungen Leute zu ahnen, dass an manchen Legenden mehr dran sein könnte, als man glauben möchte …
SUICIDE FOREST ist der Auftakt einer in dieser Form einmaligen halbdokumentarischen Horror-Roman-Reihe. In jedem Band entführt Jeremy Bates seine Leser an real existierende verfluchte, beängstigende oder berühmt-berüchtigte Schauplätze auf der ganzen Welt, und verbindet den Mythos dieser Orte geschickt mit fiktiven Begebenheiten. Und gerade dieser Bezug zu realen Orten, die der interessierte Leser nach der Lektüre im Prinzip vor Ort selbst erforschen kann, macht diese Romane zu einem Wagnis – oder einem besonderen Vergnügen.
Lesen als Grenzerfahrung.
522 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2014
3142 people are currently reading
16690 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Bates
47 books1,852 followersUSA TODAY and #1 Amazon bestselling author Jeremy Bates has written over twenty novels and novellas, selling more than one million copies worldwide. His work has been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film and television by major studios. Midwest Book Review has likened his storytelling to that of Stephen King and Joe Lansdale, calling him a "master of the art." Bates is a KDP Select All-Star and the recipient of the Australian Shadows Award and the Canadian Arthur Ellis Award. He was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book honors chosen by readers.
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,263 reviews
November 19, 2015
The only "horror" thing about this was how HORRIBLE it was.
June 3, 2016
--->EXCERPT<---
SUICIDE forest is real. the Japanese call it Aokigahara Jukai, which means "Sea of Trees." Each year local authorities remove from it more than one hundred bodies, most found hanging from tree branches and in various states of decay. Abandoned tents, moldy sleeping bags, dirty daypacks, and miles of ribbon litter the forest floor. It is said the area is haunted by the ghosts of the suicides, and local often report hearing unexplained screams during the night. Signs warn visitors not to leave the hiking trails. These are routinely ignored by thrill seekers hoping to catch a glimpse of the macabre. Most find their way out again. Some never do.
But we have a bunch of idiots that decided since they couldn't climb Mt. Fuji that day, they would go into the suicide forest to hike and stay the night. REALLY?
I have watched b movies and recent movies and documentaries on the forest. I also love hiking but in no way shape or form would I never go into these woods! Anyway, the said idiots are: Ethan, Mel, Ben, Nina, John Scott, Neil and Tomo. They had another friend named Honda with them but he would not go with them. He is the only none idiot of the group!
I did enjoy the character of Tomo. He just talked crazy stuff, just any old thing all of the time. He was quite amusing even when he wasn't trying to be.
--->EXCERPT<---
I wondered about the peculiar silence of the forest and said, "Hey, Tomo. Where are all of the animals?"
He glanced over his shoulder. "What you mean?"
"There're no animals. No birds or anything."
"It fucking haunted forest, man. Birds scared shitless. They go other forest."
I love him. :-D
So Ethan does the narration throughout the whole book and at times I was bored with his thoughts. There were just things from his past and what not, nothing really bad, I just wanted it to be all about the forest. And there were times that I wanted to smack everyone in the group for their stupidity! They acted like they were 5 years-old!
But... at one point the story takes on a whole other twist that I didn't see coming. I enjoyed all of these parts, especially a part where Nina gets some revenge. I wish I could tell you what she did but I will save that for you to find out for yourself!
After all of the craziness is said and done, a few of them make it out alive and some of them don't. I liked the book as I love anything pertaining to the Suicide Forest, not because I'm morbid or want to see any corpses, I just like to learn more about it even if it's in a story or movie.
The author has more places he has written about that I have bought and can't wait to read those too!
And leave the creeping around to the paranormal investigators. LoL
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
September 12, 2018
Not exactly about Aokigahara, setting this suspense-filled, fictional fright inside of Japan's "Suicide Forest" upped the creepy factor considerably. Like sharing ghost-stories in a cemetery. At midnight.
This copy is going to my favorite HS classroom library and I cannot wait to see what "my" students think.
This copy is going to my favorite HS classroom library and I cannot wait to see what "my" students think.
November 2, 2017
DNF at 23%
Spoilers ahead!
Suicide Forest kept popping up on my recommendations, so I decided to give it a go. It seemed like your standard ghost story - a famously haunted location featuring a group ofdumb fucks friends hungry for adventure who each fit into a particular horror stereotype (the jock, the virgin, the comedian, the know-it-all, the insignificant one who dies first... etc).
The Good: --> the writing
The writing was actually pretty decent and the description of the forest gave me the creeps without the usual case of some authors going "Shit's scary, yo!"
The Bad: --> plot holes
Are you trying to tell me that these people have lived in Japan for FOUR YEARS and never, I repeat, NEVER heard of suicide forest?
"The forest is reportedly the most popular site for suicide in Japan and among the top three most popular sites for suicide in the world." (Wikipedia)
It's a very famous place, (even I know of it and I never set foot outside of Europe) so you can probably understand my frustration.
The Ugly: --> the characters
I hated how they had no actual personalities and acted in ways that went against human nature. Now, I know this is a book (a work of FICTION), but every horror book would be 100% scarier if the characters made smart decisions yet still got killed.
For example, this happened like 5 times:
Group: "Hmm... maybe camping out in SUICIDE FOREST isn't such a good idea..."
One person: "Yes it is."
Group: "Wow! Best idea ever!!!!!!!"
********MAJOR FACEPALM*********
Here's a couple more reasons why I hated these people.
Exhibit A:
They have been hiking through the forest for an hour and a half and they were already reduced to half a litre of water after just ONE break with HALF the group. The worst thing about that is that Ethan (the narrator) was confident that that half a litre would last them all through a night of camping AND the walk back. While I'm a self confessed couch potato, even I know that's stupid.
Exhibit B:
Deep in the forest they find a discarded bag with a book in it called "The Complete Manual of Suicide". Ethan's reaction to this:
"Seeing this book was like being slapped in the face with cold, cruel reality" .
You what? You are in a suicide hot spot which is a forest NAMED AFTER the act, there are signs everywhere urging you not to take your life, every person you came across looked at you suspiciously because they were afraid you were there to hang yourself... Why did it take you this long to understand what people do in that forest?? And why react like that to the least shocking piece of evidence?
Exhibit C: (Just so you know, Ethan's brother, Gary, was shot and killed by an 18 year-old heroin addict called Jerome.)
Ethan spent pages and pages thinking about the unfortunate events that led some of his classmates to die in a car crash after one of them decided to go Need for Speed on the city while drunk. He also thought about the people who killed themselves in Suicide Forest, why they did it, what could have stopped them.. etc. But not once does he think about how Jerome ended up like that, how an 18 year old got to the point of robbing people at gunpoint to finance his addiction only to shoot an innocent person, get life in prison and be killed by another inmate seven months into his sentence. I think that's pretty tragic, and while I'm not expecting Ethan to erect a shrine in memory of his brother's killer, his hypocritical behavior pissed me off.
Exhibit D:
So this one isn't really why I hate the characters, but why I hated the book. The portrayal of women was pathetic. Everyone with a vagina was either "hot" or "sexy". Any description of them was pretty much appearance and nothing else, they were simply pretty airheads. Then there was one scene where Ethan saw a woman's discarded bag, and his first (and only) thought about it was "A housewife? A secretary?". *eyeroll*
Bleh
November (2017) update: I wrote this review in early 2016 and my English was... erm... less than stellar back then :D.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Spoilers ahead!
Suicide Forest kept popping up on my recommendations, so I decided to give it a go. It seemed like your standard ghost story - a famously haunted location featuring a group of
The Good: --> the writing
The writing was actually pretty decent and the description of the forest gave me the creeps without the usual case of some authors going "Shit's scary, yo!"
The Bad: --> plot holes
Are you trying to tell me that these people have lived in Japan for FOUR YEARS and never, I repeat, NEVER heard of suicide forest?
"The forest is reportedly the most popular site for suicide in Japan and among the top three most popular sites for suicide in the world." (Wikipedia)
It's a very famous place, (even I know of it and I never set foot outside of Europe) so you can probably understand my frustration.
The Ugly: --> the characters
I hated how they had no actual personalities and acted in ways that went against human nature. Now, I know this is a book (a work of FICTION), but every horror book would be 100% scarier if the characters made smart decisions yet still got killed.
For example, this happened like 5 times:
Group: "Hmm... maybe camping out in SUICIDE FOREST isn't such a good idea..."
One person: "Yes it is."
Group: "Wow! Best idea ever!!!!!!!"
********MAJOR FACEPALM*********
Here's a couple more reasons why I hated these people.
Exhibit A:
They have been hiking through the forest for an hour and a half and they were already reduced to half a litre of water after just ONE break with HALF the group. The worst thing about that is that Ethan (the narrator) was confident that that half a litre would last them all through a night of camping AND the walk back. While I'm a self confessed couch potato, even I know that's stupid.
Exhibit B:
Deep in the forest they find a discarded bag with a book in it called "The Complete Manual of Suicide". Ethan's reaction to this:
"Seeing this book was like being slapped in the face with cold, cruel reality" .
You what? You are in a suicide hot spot which is a forest NAMED AFTER the act, there are signs everywhere urging you not to take your life, every person you came across looked at you suspiciously because they were afraid you were there to hang yourself... Why did it take you this long to understand what people do in that forest?? And why react like that to the least shocking piece of evidence?
Exhibit C: (Just so you know, Ethan's brother, Gary, was shot and killed by an 18 year-old heroin addict called Jerome.)
Ethan spent pages and pages thinking about the unfortunate events that led some of his classmates to die in a car crash after one of them decided to go Need for Speed on the city while drunk. He also thought about the people who killed themselves in Suicide Forest, why they did it, what could have stopped them.. etc. But not once does he think about how Jerome ended up like that, how an 18 year old got to the point of robbing people at gunpoint to finance his addiction only to shoot an innocent person, get life in prison and be killed by another inmate seven months into his sentence. I think that's pretty tragic, and while I'm not expecting Ethan to erect a shrine in memory of his brother's killer, his hypocritical behavior pissed me off.
Exhibit D:
So this one isn't really why I hate the characters, but why I hated the book. The portrayal of women was pathetic. Everyone with a vagina was either "hot" or "sexy". Any description of them was pretty much appearance and nothing else, they were simply pretty airheads. Then there was one scene where Ethan saw a woman's discarded bag, and his first (and only) thought about it was "A housewife? A secretary?". *eyeroll*
Bleh
November (2017) update: I wrote this review in early 2016 and my English was... erm... less than stellar back then :D.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Want to read
January 31, 2018Update: 31/01/18. The Kindle edition is currently gratis in the UK, US and Canada. Hmm. It's got mixed reviews.
May 3, 2015
If there is a horror book that somehow involves a forest, I will read it. It's because I'm chasing the high of The Ritual, which is just... horror perfection (well, the first half anyway, we pretend the second section doesn't exist). I mean, that book made me scared of trees. So I keep hoping for a similar wood-themed horror, and end up reading terrible books like this. Sigh.
This is... well, I don't think it's really a horror at all. Literally nothing happens for the first 50%. A bunch of people (not Japanese, except for one, because god forbid a novel set in a non-English-speaking country actually feature people who live there) get lost and wander around in ~so spooky~ woods. That's it. For like 200 pages. Just... walking around. Getting into dumb fights (one guy punches someone because he doesn't like his jacket, what even). Not drinking for 2 days, which doesn't seem to affect anyone at all.
The characters are painfully trope-y, flat, and unlikeable. Also totally inconsistent. Our main guy loves his girlfriend so very much but tries to get with the only other girl in the group Our comic relief is the familiar, xenophobic "foreign guy who doesn't speak English well, isn't that KOOKY?" stereotype. There's the military jock. The nerd. It's painfully familiar.
The actual horror element, when you find out what it is, is decently cool. It's interesting, but not new or particularly original. Plus, it doesn't even explain some things, like . Then there's the mushrooms subplot--the author obviously watched Shrooms, the most hilariously bad horror movie I've seen in a long time, and drew some inspiration.
And for my main gripe, let's talk about factual inaccuracies. Characters here spout some truly incorrect facts all over the place. At first I thought it was just a "quirk" of one character, but no one else seemed to think he was wrong and then everyone started doing it. Let's take a look at some of them:
"Japan has the highest suicide rate in the developed world."
False. Japan is 7 on the list, not even top 5. So easy to just Google this.
"Fire ants... they're responsible for more human deaths than any other predatory animal on the planet."
Not even close. The #1 killer of humans are *drumroll* humans! If you're going for non-human predatory animals, it's snakes.
A character states that "most people" who attempt suicide by gun "end up permanently maiming themselves."
Haha, what even? Botched suicides via gunshot are quite rare. It's definitely not "most people" who try.
Then there's the insistence that India is a horrible place for women and that rape is a common occurrence there. Someone's been watching the news too much. Statistics are 1.9 to 2.0 cases of sexual assault per 100,000 people in India. In the US? 28.6 per 100,000. Of course these are statistics for reported crimes--there's an estimated 54-60% that do NOT get reported in India (which still puts them under the US--and keep in mind that many are unreported in the US as well). This is a real sore spot for me--when authors just paint an entire country as being barbaric compared to those great white people who are so much better! This information is SO easy to Google. Urgh.
Also, worst horror novel ending ever?
This is... well, I don't think it's really a horror at all. Literally nothing happens for the first 50%. A bunch of people (not Japanese, except for one, because god forbid a novel set in a non-English-speaking country actually feature people who live there) get lost and wander around in ~so spooky~ woods. That's it. For like 200 pages. Just... walking around. Getting into dumb fights (one guy punches someone because he doesn't like his jacket, what even). Not drinking for 2 days, which doesn't seem to affect anyone at all.
The characters are painfully trope-y, flat, and unlikeable. Also totally inconsistent. Our main guy loves his girlfriend so very much but tries to get with the only other girl in the group Our comic relief is the familiar, xenophobic "foreign guy who doesn't speak English well, isn't that KOOKY?" stereotype. There's the military jock. The nerd. It's painfully familiar.
The actual horror element, when you find out what it is, is decently cool. It's interesting, but not new or particularly original. Plus, it doesn't even explain some things, like . Then there's the mushrooms subplot--the author obviously watched Shrooms, the most hilariously bad horror movie I've seen in a long time, and drew some inspiration.
And for my main gripe, let's talk about factual inaccuracies. Characters here spout some truly incorrect facts all over the place. At first I thought it was just a "quirk" of one character, but no one else seemed to think he was wrong and then everyone started doing it. Let's take a look at some of them:
"Japan has the highest suicide rate in the developed world."
False. Japan is 7 on the list, not even top 5. So easy to just Google this.
"Fire ants... they're responsible for more human deaths than any other predatory animal on the planet."
Not even close. The #1 killer of humans are *drumroll* humans! If you're going for non-human predatory animals, it's snakes.
A character states that "most people" who attempt suicide by gun "end up permanently maiming themselves."
Haha, what even? Botched suicides via gunshot are quite rare. It's definitely not "most people" who try.
Then there's the insistence that India is a horrible place for women and that rape is a common occurrence there. Someone's been watching the news too much. Statistics are 1.9 to 2.0 cases of sexual assault per 100,000 people in India. In the US? 28.6 per 100,000. Of course these are statistics for reported crimes--there's an estimated 54-60% that do NOT get reported in India (which still puts them under the US--and keep in mind that many are unreported in the US as well). This is a real sore spot for me--when authors just paint an entire country as being barbaric compared to those great white people who are so much better! This information is SO easy to Google. Urgh.
Also, worst horror novel ending ever?
December 7, 2025
I went searching for a book online about the Suicide Forest at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan because it intrigues me. Morbid, I know. I found this book by Jeremy Bates, and with a subtitle, 'World's Scariest Places', I thought I had found what I was searching for and quickly purchased it.
It wasn't until it arrived and I started to read that I realised my mistake - this book is fictional. It is the story of a young couple who decide to climb Mount Fuji. They are American, but live and work in Japan. Anyway, through circumstances, they end up as a small group who are turned away as the weather is not suitable for a climb. It is then that they decide to camp out in the Suicide Forest until the weather clears.
All of them, to varying degrees, want to experience the forest although a couple actually want to see bodies, and it is here where the bulk of the story takes place as they face the bizarre, eerie and terrifying events over a couple of days.
Aside from mistakenly believing this was a non-fiction book, I also marked it down as it is quite slow. There is a lot of build up to a bizarre ending that is almost too weird. There are a couple of times when things happen and you feel like the story is about to really take off, only for its pace to slow again. I feel the author was trying to go for a tense build but it was more just a tiresome wait for action.
Not sure this is something I would recommend but it will definitely be a pleasureable read for some.
It wasn't until it arrived and I started to read that I realised my mistake - this book is fictional. It is the story of a young couple who decide to climb Mount Fuji. They are American, but live and work in Japan. Anyway, through circumstances, they end up as a small group who are turned away as the weather is not suitable for a climb. It is then that they decide to camp out in the Suicide Forest until the weather clears.
All of them, to varying degrees, want to experience the forest although a couple actually want to see bodies, and it is here where the bulk of the story takes place as they face the bizarre, eerie and terrifying events over a couple of days.
Aside from mistakenly believing this was a non-fiction book, I also marked it down as it is quite slow. There is a lot of build up to a bizarre ending that is almost too weird. There are a couple of times when things happen and you feel like the story is about to really take off, only for its pace to slow again. I feel the author was trying to go for a tense build but it was more just a tiresome wait for action.
Not sure this is something I would recommend but it will definitely be a pleasureable read for some.
March 28, 2016
I really liked this story . To be clear it has nothing to do with the new movie out. When it starts out you think you know where it's headed then it takes a U turn . It was interesting and kept me engaged so I do recommend this to people who love horror. I have the other two I. This series as well and I can't wait to read them .
January 15, 2015
Book – Suicide Forest
Author – Jeremy Bates
Publication Date – December 14, 2014
Genre – Horror/Suspense
Type – Stand Alone
Cliffhanger – No
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary Copy generously provided by author for Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I have to share with you that this book had the most interesting twist that totally caught me off guard. I was reading this and having flashbacks of Blair Witch Project.
This book was unique with not only the setting and the premise but just about everything else in this story. Throughout the book, I kept wondering – What the hell is going on? How the hell does this all tie in? and most importantly Who is going to survive?
Yes, the beginning was a bit slow…and to tell the truth, I did skim over parts when the characters would digress to their past, but overall this was such an enjoyable read.
Final thoughts…if it rains when you want to climb Mt. Fuji….DON’T CAMP OUT - GO BACK TO YOUR HOTEL!
Re-Cap
I think the Synopsis summarizes this book perfectly and I really can’t do it any more justice.
Just add in a jealous boyfriend, a jealous girlfriend, a cocky ass, and OMG…my FAVORITE character from Japan ---- close deaths and some thoughts of suicide from the past and you have the story to a tee!
If you liked Blair Witch Project and Hills Have Eyes…this is a perfect book for you!!
Reason for Reading – Blog Tour
Story – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – N/A out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 3.75 out of 5 Stars
Told In – Ethan’s POV
Heroine/Personality –
Hero/Personality – Ethan – is annoying at times with his jealousy and denial but overall likeable
HEA (Spoiler) -
Would Read More from Author? Maybe
Recommend To – anyone who loves a great suspense/horror
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Author – Jeremy Bates
Publication Date – December 14, 2014
Genre – Horror/Suspense
Type – Stand Alone
Cliffhanger – No
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary Copy generously provided by author for Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I have to share with you that this book had the most interesting twist that totally caught me off guard. I was reading this and having flashbacks of Blair Witch Project.
This book was unique with not only the setting and the premise but just about everything else in this story. Throughout the book, I kept wondering – What the hell is going on? How the hell does this all tie in? and most importantly Who is going to survive?
Yes, the beginning was a bit slow…and to tell the truth, I did skim over parts when the characters would digress to their past, but overall this was such an enjoyable read.
Final thoughts…if it rains when you want to climb Mt. Fuji….DON’T CAMP OUT - GO BACK TO YOUR HOTEL!
Re-Cap
I think the Synopsis summarizes this book perfectly and I really can’t do it any more justice.
Just add in a jealous boyfriend, a jealous girlfriend, a cocky ass, and OMG…my FAVORITE character from Japan ---- close deaths and some thoughts of suicide from the past and you have the story to a tee!
If you liked Blair Witch Project and Hills Have Eyes…this is a perfect book for you!!
Reason for Reading – Blog Tour
Story – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – N/A out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 3.75 out of 5 Stars
Told In – Ethan’s POV
Heroine/Personality –
Hero/Personality – Ethan – is annoying at times with his jealousy and denial but overall likeable
HEA (Spoiler) -
Would Read More from Author? Maybe
Recommend To – anyone who loves a great suspense/horror
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
May 20, 2020
4.0 Stars
This was easily one of the best pieces of survival horror that I have read in a long time. A lot of work was spent developing the characters and their interpersonal relationships, which made the deterioration of the group so much more personal. The characters did somehow fall into the classic "roles" of a survival story, but I still found them to be reasonably complex and realistically flawed group of people.
I have a personal fascination (and possible obsession) with Japan so I really enjoyed that the narrative revolved so much around the culture. At times,those sections felt a bit like "info dumps", but I honestly enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the country and its people.
I also appreciated that this book dealt with the topic of suicide in a sensitive, respectful manner. The suicidal individuals in this book were not stigmatized, but instead acknowledged as people with deep untreated pain.
As a survival story, this novel dealt a lot with realistic horror involving thirst, hunger, and physical danger. This book will particularly appeal to read that prefer less supernatural influences in their horror stories. Walking the line between the thriller and horror genres, this was more suspenseful than outright scary. Yet, I found myself absolutely gripped by the narrative and didn't want to stop reading. The story pacing is actually quite slow with lots of flashbacks, but it created a good build to the climax. The ending was not exactly what I was hoping for, but that has more to do with my reading preferences than an actual criticism of the book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone looking for a survival story to binge read.
This was easily one of the best pieces of survival horror that I have read in a long time. A lot of work was spent developing the characters and their interpersonal relationships, which made the deterioration of the group so much more personal. The characters did somehow fall into the classic "roles" of a survival story, but I still found them to be reasonably complex and realistically flawed group of people.
I have a personal fascination (and possible obsession) with Japan so I really enjoyed that the narrative revolved so much around the culture. At times,those sections felt a bit like "info dumps", but I honestly enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the country and its people.
I also appreciated that this book dealt with the topic of suicide in a sensitive, respectful manner. The suicidal individuals in this book were not stigmatized, but instead acknowledged as people with deep untreated pain.
As a survival story, this novel dealt a lot with realistic horror involving thirst, hunger, and physical danger. This book will particularly appeal to read that prefer less supernatural influences in their horror stories. Walking the line between the thriller and horror genres, this was more suspenseful than outright scary. Yet, I found myself absolutely gripped by the narrative and didn't want to stop reading. The story pacing is actually quite slow with lots of flashbacks, but it created a good build to the climax. The ending was not exactly what I was hoping for, but that has more to do with my reading preferences than an actual criticism of the book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone looking for a survival story to binge read.
November 14, 2017
What happened in this story was completely unexpected. This is one of those stories that sticks with you a while and gives you the creeps.
December 4, 2017
Update, 4th Dec 2017: I had a quick look through some of my old reviews/ratings and saw this one, and you know what? I'm changing my rating to one star. It is a 1.5 star read at best (for me).
Original review, written 27th March 2017:
This book had a creepy, interesting sounding premise and a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it was long winded, drawn-out and just rather dull, honestly.
So: This book is about an American guy, Ethan, who lives in Japan. One weekend, he, his girlfriend and 3 of their friends plan a trip to climb Mt Fuji. However, it looks like it is going to rain so they have to postpone their climb. While deciding what to do instead, they meet an Israeli couple who are going to camp the night in Aokigahara - Japan's notorious 'Suicide Forest', where hundreds of people a year go to kill themselves and which is said to be haunted by 'Yūrei', the ghosts of those left to die during the practice of 'Ubasute' (where people would abandon the young or elderly in the forest to die if they couldn't afford to feed them) and the 5 of them decide to tag along. However, when morning comes one of them is found hanging from a tree, dead. Could it be the Yūrei?
Sounds like a great premise for a creepy horror story, right?? I thought so! Especially because this book is portrayed as a horror story... but it's not. I mention that last part in my description of the book - that one of them is found hanging - only because the blurb mentions this itself. You know when this actually happens? Halfway through the freaking book. HALF the book is literally just them deciding to go camping, and then walking through the forest to find a good camping spot. HALF THE BOOK. The author tries to create suspense, I think, by questioning things such as 'why are there no animals/birds here? Why's there no wind? Why's it so quiet? OoOoOohh' but it doesn't work for me. It's just dull and hard to read.
This book finally started to pick up for me around 75% of the way in, and then I started to almost enjoy the next 20%. This is the only reason it gets 2 stars, not one.
...Then the last 5% happened (for some reason). Without spoiling anything: as with all horror-style stories, the survivor/s go/es back home at the end of the story. Usually we see a little bit of them trying to cope with whatever happened to them while trying to fit back into their previous life. Sometimes, if the writer plans a sequel, we see a little glimpse of the horrors they faced finding them at home. Neither of these things happen in this book - instead, the few pages of being back home are vague and just absolutely ridiculous. And had nothing to do with the whole rest of the book!
Also: I really did not like any of the characters.
I'm disappointed in this book.... I think, the author could have written an ok story. But not a full length horror.
If he'd written this as a short story, I think I might have enjoyed it. The amount of things that actually happened would have been perfect for a short story. Instead, to bulk it out as a full length novel, it takes 4 pages for Ethan to take a piss in the bush (literally. Not exaggerating here. 4 pages).
Alternatively, I think the author could write an ok drama as a full length novel. His writing works for that. But just not for horror/thriller in my opinion. Sorry, Jeremy Bates.
Original review, written 27th March 2017:
This book had a creepy, interesting sounding premise and a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it was long winded, drawn-out and just rather dull, honestly.
So: This book is about an American guy, Ethan, who lives in Japan. One weekend, he, his girlfriend and 3 of their friends plan a trip to climb Mt Fuji. However, it looks like it is going to rain so they have to postpone their climb. While deciding what to do instead, they meet an Israeli couple who are going to camp the night in Aokigahara - Japan's notorious 'Suicide Forest', where hundreds of people a year go to kill themselves and which is said to be haunted by 'Yūrei', the ghosts of those left to die during the practice of 'Ubasute' (where people would abandon the young or elderly in the forest to die if they couldn't afford to feed them) and the 5 of them decide to tag along. However, when morning comes one of them is found hanging from a tree, dead. Could it be the Yūrei?
Sounds like a great premise for a creepy horror story, right?? I thought so! Especially because this book is portrayed as a horror story... but it's not. I mention that last part in my description of the book - that one of them is found hanging - only because the blurb mentions this itself. You know when this actually happens? Halfway through the freaking book. HALF the book is literally just them deciding to go camping, and then walking through the forest to find a good camping spot. HALF THE BOOK. The author tries to create suspense, I think, by questioning things such as 'why are there no animals/birds here? Why's there no wind? Why's it so quiet? OoOoOohh' but it doesn't work for me. It's just dull and hard to read.
This book finally started to pick up for me around 75% of the way in, and then I started to almost enjoy the next 20%. This is the only reason it gets 2 stars, not one.
...Then the last 5% happened (for some reason). Without spoiling anything: as with all horror-style stories, the survivor/s go/es back home at the end of the story. Usually we see a little bit of them trying to cope with whatever happened to them while trying to fit back into their previous life. Sometimes, if the writer plans a sequel, we see a little glimpse of the horrors they faced finding them at home. Neither of these things happen in this book - instead, the few pages of being back home are vague and just absolutely ridiculous. And had nothing to do with the whole rest of the book!
Also: I really did not like any of the characters.
I'm disappointed in this book.... I think, the author could have written an ok story. But not a full length horror.
If he'd written this as a short story, I think I might have enjoyed it. The amount of things that actually happened would have been perfect for a short story. Instead, to bulk it out as a full length novel, it takes 4 pages for Ethan to take a piss in the bush (literally. Not exaggerating here. 4 pages).
Alternatively, I think the author could write an ok drama as a full length novel. His writing works for that. But just not for horror/thriller in my opinion. Sorry, Jeremy Bates.
December 17, 2015
Very fast paced. Good & intense. The story is well written & I had no dislikes with it or the characters. I would read more from this author.
June 27, 2020
Someone had painted what looked to be a white arrow about ten feet up
on each trunk. They pointed in opposite directions.
"Are those arrows?" Mel said, frowning.
"I reckon the police made them,"
Neil said, "to find their way to other trails."
"Or bodies," I said.
Everyone looked at me.
I was expecting a supernatural horror tale like The Forest movie starring Natalie Dormer from this novel set in Aokigahara Jukai, the japanese Sea of Trees better known as the Forest of Suicides, and first part was pointing that way with well developed characters, very bad things happening to them and a strong Blair Witch Project vibe.
If Aokigahara was unsettling during the daylight, it was ten times worse at night and away from the perceived safety of the fire. The blackness of the forest pressed against us like a physical force.
Then a very unexpected twist happened, and I litterally devoured in just one session last 100+ pages.
"So where is it?" Mel said, brushing back the hair that had fallen in front of her face. "Where's the ribbon?"
"That's why I stopped," John Scott said. "I think we're lost."
More a ☆☆☆ - ☆☆☆ 1/2 read, but the setting and the suicides theme rised a lot the creepiness factor of this book and I really haven't seen that ending coming, a rarity in my late horror readings.
Shadows emerged from their daytime sanctuaries, perverting the trees more than they already were, turning them into looming monsters out of a sadistic fairytale. Grays became charcoals, and charcoals, blacks. Then night was upon us like a thief, swiftly and silently. If anyone tells you they're not afraid of the dark, that's because they have never spent a night in Aokigahara Jukai.
Not for everybody, but if you are into all things above give it a try and enjoy.
September 23, 2015
I didn't like anything about this book. Firstly the plot was so slow that nothing seemed likely to ever happen. It was a bunch of people wandering around a forest and waiting for something to happen. To amuse themselves on this exciting adventure, they fight, swear and plan sexual encounters. Nothing new or original there.
The characters are uninspiring, obnoxious clowns. The young Japanese characters sound like wannabe gangsta rappers with their language. We got n***** this, n***** that and there were more m***********s and fbombs than the entire population of China. It was a swearfest and showed little imagination for witty dialogue or character development. I wanted the idiots to die, which is not a great start to the book. Of course our heroic MC is the usual drugged up waste of space that you expect in books, along with the steriotype rude, brash, obnoxious American guy John. John is a truly dreadful character and I hated him from page one. The girls as usual were all dippy idiots just there for the guys to feast their eyes on and served no other purpose except to whine constantly. You just wanted everyone to die. NOW.
This is basically a cheaply written book with a z movie plot about disrespectful asshats wandering around looking for their brains.
The characters are uninspiring, obnoxious clowns. The young Japanese characters sound like wannabe gangsta rappers with their language. We got n***** this, n***** that and there were more m***********s and fbombs than the entire population of China. It was a swearfest and showed little imagination for witty dialogue or character development. I wanted the idiots to die, which is not a great start to the book. Of course our heroic MC is the usual drugged up waste of space that you expect in books, along with the steriotype rude, brash, obnoxious American guy John. John is a truly dreadful character and I hated him from page one. The girls as usual were all dippy idiots just there for the guys to feast their eyes on and served no other purpose except to whine constantly. You just wanted everyone to die. NOW.
This is basically a cheaply written book with a z movie plot about disrespectful asshats wandering around looking for their brains.
April 26, 2018
I am obsessed with this subject. This forest. If anyone hears of anymore books, etc., let me know. Please. I heard about this and then I saw this book and read it and his other available works about the scariest places. I love scary places. These are places I want to visit. (Not in a stupid, oh my gosh it’s dark, I’m going to run into the forest by myself with no provisions or gps etc., and so on kind- of -way)
I just find the mysticism around these places interesting. The urban myths vs facts. I like the spookiness.
Don’t even get me started on the Winchester Mansion.
So this book is a good starter about the Aokigahara forest, I think. I would love to read some from a Japanese POV.
I just find the mysticism around these places interesting. The urban myths vs facts. I like the spookiness.
Don’t even get me started on the Winchester Mansion.
So this book is a good starter about the Aokigahara forest, I think. I would love to read some from a Japanese POV.
March 4, 2015
Let's talk about death.
Death is always a touchy subject. Well, not just death, which is often a benign abstract thing that we tend to voice in impersonal and hypothetical tones. But dying. That’s a tough one. Not the dying you do when you are old and gray and ready to go. The type of dying that comes to you, a friend or a loved one suddenly, uninvited, and usually rudely. The ones you want to avoid but can’t. Accidents. Murder. Suicide….
Suicide Forest by Jeremy Bates is about that type of dying. He places his tale is a very real place. Aokigahara in Japan, also known as the Sea of Trees or Suicide Forest. It is a popular place for people to go to commit suicide. Up to 100 suicides happen in the forest every year. In Bates’ creepy but riveting novel, the main character Ethan, along with six others, plan to hike to the top of Mt. Fuji but are prevented by the weather. They then choose, with some reluctantly agreeing, to camp overnight in the famed Suicide Forest. The others include Ethan’s girlfriend Melinda, a late invitee John Scott who knows Melinda from before, Ethan’s work friend Neil, a Japanese student named Tomo, and recently met Israeli travelers Ben and Nina. We find out that all of them have their secrets and brushes with death or even suicide. Ethan is the first person narrator, so we find out most about his own past but all of them reveal bits and pieces of themselves as the story develops. It is a slow development but the author is quite good at that sort of thing. He is also very good at building atmosphere and describing natural environments. You will feel like you can visualize the forest. In fact, I looked at photos of the forest after reading the book and they perfectly matched Bates’ literary description! The novel reads more like an eerie psychological drama until everyone wakes up after a night in the forest and discover one of their group is hanging dead from a tree branch.
Suicide Forest holds you to the end. Narration, dialog, and descriptions all pull together realistically to place you in the moment. This is one of those books that invite you to read it in one sitting. Lovers of visceral horror may be disappointed, at least until the end, but those who like tense character based horror and thrillers will be rewarded. As for myself, I was intrigued on how Bates used each character to illustrate various reactions to tragedy and death from the ones who tries to stay in control to the ones who go into denial to the ones who fall apart. It becomes a little lesson in grief and coping. Yet it never loses sense of the story and keeps you wondering what is really happening. At first I was a little off-balanced by the climax as I was expecting something else, but soon I realized it worked as it was and I relaxed and enjoyed the ride.
From the book’s cover that read “World Scariest Places !”, it appears that this may be one of the series of novels using actual places on Earth. It is an intriguing concept and one I hope the author continues with. His first experiment is clearly a success. Suicide Forest is for the reader who likes his thrills slowly revealed and full of psychological and interpersonal drama but still shocking and scary. Suicide Forest may not have you buying a plane ticket for Japan to camp amongst the corpses but it will still transport you to the forest and reveal its secrets.
Death is always a touchy subject. Well, not just death, which is often a benign abstract thing that we tend to voice in impersonal and hypothetical tones. But dying. That’s a tough one. Not the dying you do when you are old and gray and ready to go. The type of dying that comes to you, a friend or a loved one suddenly, uninvited, and usually rudely. The ones you want to avoid but can’t. Accidents. Murder. Suicide….
Suicide Forest by Jeremy Bates is about that type of dying. He places his tale is a very real place. Aokigahara in Japan, also known as the Sea of Trees or Suicide Forest. It is a popular place for people to go to commit suicide. Up to 100 suicides happen in the forest every year. In Bates’ creepy but riveting novel, the main character Ethan, along with six others, plan to hike to the top of Mt. Fuji but are prevented by the weather. They then choose, with some reluctantly agreeing, to camp overnight in the famed Suicide Forest. The others include Ethan’s girlfriend Melinda, a late invitee John Scott who knows Melinda from before, Ethan’s work friend Neil, a Japanese student named Tomo, and recently met Israeli travelers Ben and Nina. We find out that all of them have their secrets and brushes with death or even suicide. Ethan is the first person narrator, so we find out most about his own past but all of them reveal bits and pieces of themselves as the story develops. It is a slow development but the author is quite good at that sort of thing. He is also very good at building atmosphere and describing natural environments. You will feel like you can visualize the forest. In fact, I looked at photos of the forest after reading the book and they perfectly matched Bates’ literary description! The novel reads more like an eerie psychological drama until everyone wakes up after a night in the forest and discover one of their group is hanging dead from a tree branch.
Suicide Forest holds you to the end. Narration, dialog, and descriptions all pull together realistically to place you in the moment. This is one of those books that invite you to read it in one sitting. Lovers of visceral horror may be disappointed, at least until the end, but those who like tense character based horror and thrillers will be rewarded. As for myself, I was intrigued on how Bates used each character to illustrate various reactions to tragedy and death from the ones who tries to stay in control to the ones who go into denial to the ones who fall apart. It becomes a little lesson in grief and coping. Yet it never loses sense of the story and keeps you wondering what is really happening. At first I was a little off-balanced by the climax as I was expecting something else, but soon I realized it worked as it was and I relaxed and enjoyed the ride.
From the book’s cover that read “World Scariest Places !”, it appears that this may be one of the series of novels using actual places on Earth. It is an intriguing concept and one I hope the author continues with. His first experiment is clearly a success. Suicide Forest is for the reader who likes his thrills slowly revealed and full of psychological and interpersonal drama but still shocking and scary. Suicide Forest may not have you buying a plane ticket for Japan to camp amongst the corpses but it will still transport you to the forest and reveal its secrets.
September 16, 2018
Release Date: December 14, 2014
Genre: Horror
Actual Rating: 3 stars
In my quest to read a ton of scary books for Halloween, I stumbled upon this one. Suicide Forest or Aokigahara is a real forest in Japan. It's a dreary place where people go to end their lives in peace. It's all very tragic but unfortunately true. Anyway, when I stumbled upon this one with it's creepy cover and then saw it was a part of kindle unlimited I knew I needed to give it a try. For the most part, it's a good book. There are spine-chilling moments and definitely sad moments, but most of all thrilling moments. However, the ending was not something I was expecting and it kind of felt like a let down. I won't say why because there are people who will want to read this and experience it for themselves, but for me it was just meh. Furthermore, while this is a horror novel, I found myself feeling more depressed then I did scared. Maybe it's because of what the forest encompasses? Or the fact that it is a real place? I don't know. But it made me feel sad. I guess I shouldn't have done some research on the actual forest while reading it because it hurt my heart (I don't recommend finding images on google for this novel... Just saying. You won't like what you see).
Anyway, all of this added together made it an okay read for me, and while I devoured it page by page, it wasn't a favorite and I certainly won't be reading it again. The characters are decent (I would probably rate them 4 stars), the plot was fast paced and a little scary, but again, depressing for me (2.5 stars), and the ending was cool, but not something I thought it was going to be so I would 3 star it.
If you like shows like scariest places on earth , haunting reads based on real places, or just plain scary novels with a bit of mystery to them then I would recommend this one. This is the first book in a series of standalones that feature stories (all fictional) about the scariest places on earth. Interesting concept, right? I will be reading another one to see if I like it better then this one.
Genre: Horror
Actual Rating: 3 stars
In my quest to read a ton of scary books for Halloween, I stumbled upon this one. Suicide Forest or Aokigahara is a real forest in Japan. It's a dreary place where people go to end their lives in peace. It's all very tragic but unfortunately true. Anyway, when I stumbled upon this one with it's creepy cover and then saw it was a part of kindle unlimited I knew I needed to give it a try. For the most part, it's a good book. There are spine-chilling moments and definitely sad moments, but most of all thrilling moments. However, the ending was not something I was expecting and it kind of felt like a let down. I won't say why because there are people who will want to read this and experience it for themselves, but for me it was just meh. Furthermore, while this is a horror novel, I found myself feeling more depressed then I did scared. Maybe it's because of what the forest encompasses? Or the fact that it is a real place? I don't know. But it made me feel sad. I guess I shouldn't have done some research on the actual forest while reading it because it hurt my heart (I don't recommend finding images on google for this novel... Just saying. You won't like what you see).
Anyway, all of this added together made it an okay read for me, and while I devoured it page by page, it wasn't a favorite and I certainly won't be reading it again. The characters are decent (I would probably rate them 4 stars), the plot was fast paced and a little scary, but again, depressing for me (2.5 stars), and the ending was cool, but not something I thought it was going to be so I would 3 star it.
If you like shows like scariest places on earth , haunting reads based on real places, or just plain scary novels with a bit of mystery to them then I would recommend this one. This is the first book in a series of standalones that feature stories (all fictional) about the scariest places on earth. Interesting concept, right? I will be reading another one to see if I like it better then this one.
March 1, 2015
Ethan, Mel, Neil, Tomo, and John Scott's hike to Mt Fuji is cancelled by rain. When they meet an Israeli couple named Ben and Nina who decide to travel to Aokigahara Jukai a.k.a. Suicide Forest, The friends follow them to see if the place is really haunted. Can they survive their trip into the Suicide forest? Read on and find out.
This was a pretty good and horrifying read. Fans of horror will enjoy this story. I recommend this to anyone that likes horror stories and tales of the supernatural. I found this book for free on Smashwords so look for it there and wherever ebooks are sold.
This was a pretty good and horrifying read. Fans of horror will enjoy this story. I recommend this to anyone that likes horror stories and tales of the supernatural. I found this book for free on Smashwords so look for it there and wherever ebooks are sold.
November 1, 2022
This book is absolutely awful🤷🏾♀️
This is unbelievably poorly written.
The writing is juvenile at best.
The storyline is silly and not psychologically terrifying AT ALL.
The author also chooses to use the n-word gratuitously and it's both gross and racist.
This is unbelievably poorly written.
The writing is juvenile at best.
The storyline is silly and not psychologically terrifying AT ALL.
The author also chooses to use the n-word gratuitously and it's both gross and racist.
March 14, 2024
I would place this solidly between the suspense and horror genres. It may not be everybody’s cup of tea, some may find it simplistic or to B-movie-ish in plot and dialogue. Nevertheless, as simplistic as it comes across, its character development feels sufficiently constructed the plot how no holes. If you like foreign places, especially Japan, then you may find some points of interests and localities about the country which are descriptive and well-chosen. There are interpersonal conflicts within the group of travelers that are believable and kindle ones interest .
Overall, the characters and their interactions make sense and I found myself wondering how they would make it out of the eponymous suicide forest.
Overall, the characters and their interactions make sense and I found myself wondering how they would make it out of the eponymous suicide forest.
December 29, 2015
Pretty tense horror novel about a very scary real life place. I remember seeing a documentary that discussed the Suicide Forest in Japan, and it was downright chilling. This novel takes that real life eeriness and adds in some pretty cool thrills and chills.
Basically a group of hikers gets lost and then..well, you know what happens next.
This is a very bleak story, especially when you consider the entire premise is based around real-life suicides. That being said, the story is very entertaining and emotional. If you want a dark horror story, try this one.
Basically a group of hikers gets lost and then..well, you know what happens next.
This is a very bleak story, especially when you consider the entire premise is based around real-life suicides. That being said, the story is very entertaining and emotional. If you want a dark horror story, try this one.
October 31, 2015
This book is as formulaic as it gets: a group of people decide to camp in a scary place. Bad things happen. People die. Blah blah blah. Yet I enjoyed reading it...until about the last 80 pages. Then it went downhill, and fast! When I finished I decided it was the worst horror story I've read in a very long time. I'm so glad it was free and I'm so sorry I wasted time reading it.
February 15, 2018
More like a 2.5 read for me.
October 31, 2020
Woah, well okay. Suicide Forest has a speed and a rhythm and that is to scare you shitless with its atmosphere and its tension. So, Japan has always intrigued me and it’s one of my places to visit when the pandemic is over. It’s all so enchanting but also has an air of ominous both with its culture and its history. One that has always stirred my imagination is that of Aokigahara (the suicide forest). You don’t want to examine the why’s of the forest for too long – it could plunge your psyche into a dark place.
It’s a very real-life place and it’s not for the light-hearted or for a hike, not unless, of course, you are into macabre tourism. A group of friends aim to hike up Mt Fuji, but bad weather makes it impossible, just as they are squabbling amongst them what to do, they run into two strangers, Israeli’s Ben, and Nina. They are heading to Aokigahara (The Suicide Forest) and invite them along for the ride…it’s a ride that they might soon regret taking!
The author has done a fantastic job of analysing the consequences of human decisions. Why, even with most of the facts in front of you do you make extremely risky choices? Why, given the fact that your Japanese driver has warned you off entering the Suicide Forest, do you think that it’s still a great idea? If it had been me, you wouldn’t have seen me for dust! The mind is a mysterious and times a stupid organ!
I was enthralled with the descriptive narrative as they entered the forest. The interaction with the hikers coming out. The foreboding nature of the signage, the densely populated trees that neither let much light in nor allowed a wind to break through. I truly saw it through Ethan, our protagonists, eyes. I was frightened and I was on edge. I saw everything and yet I didn’t see everything, and that initial vista would become distorted with the fall of darkness. The forest doesn’t want to be disturbed…it wants its secrets to stay just that…a secret.
What should have been an enjoyable camping trip amongst friends quickly turns into a nightmarish episode. We have John Scott’s obsession with finding a corpse, Ben and Nina’s strange behaviour and friction between Ethan and Mel. There’s some horrendously scary scenes from there night in the Suicide Forest, and there was points that I was sitting on the edge of my seat.
However, the flashbacks to Ethan’s past became boring and dragged on too long. Instead of providing the reader with a solid backstory it just seemed to be filling the wordcount. The ending was also highly disappointing and not what I was expecting at all. I won’t say what it was but for me it was rushed and not true to the character development we had witnessed so far. It was still a good, creepy read and was just what I needed on the runup to Halloween.
It’s a very real-life place and it’s not for the light-hearted or for a hike, not unless, of course, you are into macabre tourism. A group of friends aim to hike up Mt Fuji, but bad weather makes it impossible, just as they are squabbling amongst them what to do, they run into two strangers, Israeli’s Ben, and Nina. They are heading to Aokigahara (The Suicide Forest) and invite them along for the ride…it’s a ride that they might soon regret taking!
The author has done a fantastic job of analysing the consequences of human decisions. Why, even with most of the facts in front of you do you make extremely risky choices? Why, given the fact that your Japanese driver has warned you off entering the Suicide Forest, do you think that it’s still a great idea? If it had been me, you wouldn’t have seen me for dust! The mind is a mysterious and times a stupid organ!
I was enthralled with the descriptive narrative as they entered the forest. The interaction with the hikers coming out. The foreboding nature of the signage, the densely populated trees that neither let much light in nor allowed a wind to break through. I truly saw it through Ethan, our protagonists, eyes. I was frightened and I was on edge. I saw everything and yet I didn’t see everything, and that initial vista would become distorted with the fall of darkness. The forest doesn’t want to be disturbed…it wants its secrets to stay just that…a secret.
What should have been an enjoyable camping trip amongst friends quickly turns into a nightmarish episode. We have John Scott’s obsession with finding a corpse, Ben and Nina’s strange behaviour and friction between Ethan and Mel. There’s some horrendously scary scenes from there night in the Suicide Forest, and there was points that I was sitting on the edge of my seat.
However, the flashbacks to Ethan’s past became boring and dragged on too long. Instead of providing the reader with a solid backstory it just seemed to be filling the wordcount. The ending was also highly disappointing and not what I was expecting at all. I won’t say what it was but for me it was rushed and not true to the character development we had witnessed so far. It was still a good, creepy read and was just what I needed on the runup to Halloween.
July 12, 2015
When I heard the synopsis of this book I knew I had to read it. The story takes place in Aokigahara Jukai, also known as the Suicide Forest or Sea of Trees, located at the foot of Mount Fuji. Aokigahara is known as the location with the second highest suicide rate just behind the Golden Gate Bridge. Something about the forest draws people within its depths to end their lives most often via hanging. It is believed to be haunted.
The story is told through the eyes of Ethan, an American currently teaching English in Japan. Ethan's girlfriend Mel, along with friends Tomo, Neil, and John Scott, plan to hike up Mount Fuji but due to inclement weather find they must change their plans. When they run into an Israeli couple, Ben and Nina, they instead decide to join them camping in nearby Aokigahara. The legend of the forest holds a fascination for each member of the group, for some it's on a very personal level revealed through memory flashbacks throughout the story, and for some it's just morbid curiosity.
The group ventures beyond the posted signs warning people against entering the forest. The trees grow over hardened magma from previous eruptions of Mount Fuji which prevents the roots from growing deep into the ground causing the trees to lean at odd angles. There is also a deathly quietness to Aokigahara, and the group soon notices the absence of any wildlife sounds. The denseness of the forest quickly disorients the group and by morning, one of them goes missing.
The book was slow to start and I found the memory flashbacks a bit annoying at times.
I think the story for me truly picked up around chapter 10 so I would suggest sticking with it at least to that point before giving up and missing what ultimately turned out to be a great book. The characters were very well developed and they, along with the forest itself, helped build tension within the narrative all the way to the climactic ending.
Definitely worth picking up!
The story is told through the eyes of Ethan, an American currently teaching English in Japan. Ethan's girlfriend Mel, along with friends Tomo, Neil, and John Scott, plan to hike up Mount Fuji but due to inclement weather find they must change their plans. When they run into an Israeli couple, Ben and Nina, they instead decide to join them camping in nearby Aokigahara. The legend of the forest holds a fascination for each member of the group, for some it's on a very personal level revealed through memory flashbacks throughout the story, and for some it's just morbid curiosity.
The group ventures beyond the posted signs warning people against entering the forest. The trees grow over hardened magma from previous eruptions of Mount Fuji which prevents the roots from growing deep into the ground causing the trees to lean at odd angles. There is also a deathly quietness to Aokigahara, and the group soon notices the absence of any wildlife sounds. The denseness of the forest quickly disorients the group and by morning, one of them goes missing.
The book was slow to start and I found the memory flashbacks a bit annoying at times.
I think the story for me truly picked up around chapter 10 so I would suggest sticking with it at least to that point before giving up and missing what ultimately turned out to be a great book. The characters were very well developed and they, along with the forest itself, helped build tension within the narrative all the way to the climactic ending.
Definitely worth picking up!
December 24, 2021
I listened to this audio book months ago, but never wrote a review. Maybe it scared me so bad I just couldn't review it? :) That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
The basics: A group of friends travel to Japan to climb Mt. Fuji. When their climbing plans fall through, they decide to camp out in Aokigahara Forest instead. The infamous Suicide Forest. Legends state that the spirits of those who kill themselves in the forest are still there. Turns out, camping out in the ancient forest is a very, very bad idea!
I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by Joe Hempel, the audio is just over 10 hours. Hempel does a great job of voice acting. His performance brought this creepy story to life!
Definitely a creepy tale! The forest below Mt. Fuji looks ancient and beautiful in the photos I've seen....but I would never, ever, ever camp out there over night! Nope, nope, nope. Big large nope.
Another great creepy story from Jeremy Bates!
The basics: A group of friends travel to Japan to climb Mt. Fuji. When their climbing plans fall through, they decide to camp out in Aokigahara Forest instead. The infamous Suicide Forest. Legends state that the spirits of those who kill themselves in the forest are still there. Turns out, camping out in the ancient forest is a very, very bad idea!
I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by Joe Hempel, the audio is just over 10 hours. Hempel does a great job of voice acting. His performance brought this creepy story to life!
Definitely a creepy tale! The forest below Mt. Fuji looks ancient and beautiful in the photos I've seen....but I would never, ever, ever camp out there over night! Nope, nope, nope. Big large nope.
Another great creepy story from Jeremy Bates!
December 30, 2023
This book took a bit to get into. But once it did it was a lot of fun. I didn’t know where it was going and I was really surprised by the ending!
Author did a great job building character of all the cast making what happing to the later really hit.
It wasn’t the best book I’ve read but it was still fun and it wasn’t trying to be something it’s not witch I like.
I’m not sure if I would re-read this book, but I will definitely be reading more books this author.
Author did a great job building character of all the cast making what happing to the later really hit.
It wasn’t the best book I’ve read but it was still fun and it wasn’t trying to be something it’s not witch I like.
I’m not sure if I would re-read this book, but I will definitely be reading more books this author.
September 11, 2016
Aokigahara -4.5 stars...
I absolutely love books with unique settings so when I came across this series I was completely psyched! This first book is set in Aokigahara and it's about a group of ESL teachers living in Japan that want to climb Mt. Fugi before they leave. On the day of their trip though, the weather takes a turn for the worse and their climb gets delayed. So in order to kill time, they decide it would be fun to camp for a night in Aokigahara, then hopefully climb Mt. Fugi the next day. Once they get in the forest though, a number of things start happening and their "fun" camping trip turns into their worst nightmare.
I can honestly say that I never want to visit Aokigahara after reading this book but I had tons of fun reading about their trip! LoL It was creepy and intense and Bates kept me in suspense the whole time. I thought the horror element was nicely done too. It wasn't too over-the-top which I really liked and thought lent the story some added realism.
The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars was because there were a few minor plot holes here and there that probably could have better fleshed out. For example:
None of those things distracted from my enjoyment of the story though. It was tremendously good and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a thrill! As soon as I finished reading it, I vowed to read every other book in the series and I immediately bought the second book Catacombs online. I can't wait to start reading it and see what awaits me in Paris. : )
*I read this book for my 2016 Halloween Book Bingo: ~Grave or Graveyard~ square
I absolutely love books with unique settings so when I came across this series I was completely psyched! This first book is set in Aokigahara and it's about a group of ESL teachers living in Japan that want to climb Mt. Fugi before they leave. On the day of their trip though, the weather takes a turn for the worse and their climb gets delayed. So in order to kill time, they decide it would be fun to camp for a night in Aokigahara, then hopefully climb Mt. Fugi the next day. Once they get in the forest though, a number of things start happening and their "fun" camping trip turns into their worst nightmare.
I can honestly say that I never want to visit Aokigahara after reading this book but I had tons of fun reading about their trip! LoL It was creepy and intense and Bates kept me in suspense the whole time. I thought the horror element was nicely done too. It wasn't too over-the-top which I really liked and thought lent the story some added realism.
The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars was because there were a few minor plot holes here and there that probably could have better fleshed out. For example:
None of those things distracted from my enjoyment of the story though. It was tremendously good and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a thrill! As soon as I finished reading it, I vowed to read every other book in the series and I immediately bought the second book Catacombs online. I can't wait to start reading it and see what awaits me in Paris. : )
*I read this book for my 2016 Halloween Book Bingo: ~Grave or Graveyard~ square
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