What do you think?
Rate this book
Monsters in Our Wake
In the idyllic waters of the South Pacific lurks a dangerous and insatiable predator, a monster whose bloodlust and greed threatens the very survival of our planet.
Thousands of miles from the nearest human settlement, deep on the ocean floor, the creatures have lived for millennia. But when an oil drill bursts through their lair, Nøkken attacks, damaging the drilling ship’s engine, trapping the desperate crew.
The longer the humans remain in Nøkken’s territory, struggling to repair their ailing ship, the more confrontations occur between the two species. When the death toll rises, the crew turns on each other, and marine geologist Flora Duchovney realizes the scariest monsters aren’t below the surface.
Thousands of miles from the nearest human settlement, deep on the ocean floor, the creatures have lived for millennia. But when an oil drill bursts through their lair, Nøkken attacks, damaging the drilling ship’s engine, trapping the desperate crew.
The longer the humans remain in Nøkken’s territory, struggling to repair their ailing ship, the more confrontations occur between the two species. When the death toll rises, the crew turns on each other, and marine geologist Flora Duchovney realizes the scariest monsters aren’t below the surface.
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2017
68 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
J.H. Moncrieff
33 books259 followersJ.H. Moncrieff's City of Ghosts won the 2018 Kindle Book Review Award for best Horror/Suspense.
Reviewers have described her work as early Gillian Flynn with a little Ray Bradbury and Stephen King thrown in for good measure.
She won Harlequin's search for “the next Gillian Flynn” in 2016. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
When not writing, she loves exploring the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
To get free ebooks and a new spooky story every week, go to http://bit.ly/MoncrieffLibrary.
Reviewers have described her work as early Gillian Flynn with a little Ray Bradbury and Stephen King thrown in for good measure.
She won Harlequin's search for “the next Gillian Flynn” in 2016. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
When not writing, she loves exploring the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
To get free ebooks and a new spooky story every week, go to http://bit.ly/MoncrieffLibrary.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 24, 2020
I'm a sucker for sea-creature stories, and this one was simply fun.
Sentient sea monsters still roam the oceans...and one unfortunate oil rig managed to find these creatures--creatures which were triple the size of blue whales. Although never actually identified, this family of snake-like leviathans had points of view...which I happened to find fascinating.
Clearly, the point was being made that humans are the monsters, destroying the ocean with our drills and our never-ending trash. The environmentalist in me cheered.
Overall, if you enjoy deep sea novels, you should definitely add this one to your list.
3.5 stars rounded up
Sentient sea monsters still roam the oceans...and one unfortunate oil rig managed to find these creatures--creatures which were triple the size of blue whales. Although never actually identified, this family of snake-like leviathans had points of view...which I happened to find fascinating.
Clearly, the point was being made that humans are the monsters, destroying the ocean with our drills and our never-ending trash. The environmentalist in me cheered.
Overall, if you enjoy deep sea novels, you should definitely add this one to your list.
3.5 stars rounded up
May 16, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
I first discovered Moncrieff’s work through Return to Dyatlov Pass. That book was being praised in the online book community and having loved the movie Devil’s Pass, also based on the incident, I jumped on it. I had a great time with it and really enjoyed the companion piece that Moncrieff had in the Hellhole Anthology last year.
I’m a proud Canadian and when I find out an author is Canadian, I always prioritize their works. So once I found out Moncrieff was a fellow Canuck living in Winnipeg, I also snagged The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave as well as the first few books in the Ghost Writer’s series. I loved The Bear, but haven’t managed to get to the series yet.
At the time I also snagged this book, Monsters in Our Wake. On a recent trip out west for a professional conference, I decided to have a bit of a creature-feature theme for my reads and this was third up, after Master of the Forest and Antarctic Ice Beasts.
When I read Return to Dyatlov Pass, I loved Moncrieff’s character development and ease of creating tension and stress. I ultimately ended up giving it a 4 star rating because I found a few areas felt stunted and wished the book was longer. Not the case here. I message with J.H. a bit, picking her brain about some things and just generally chatting about life. When I mentioned this one was on my docket, she replied that she hoped I enjoyed because it was a bit ‘different.’ After having read it, I know what she meant!
This story takes place entirely at sea, on The Cormorant, a prototype drilling vessel. We are introduced to Flora, an oceanographer who’s been hired on to ensure ideal drilling locations. We meet the Greek Captain, the engineers Thor and Liam and then a small supporting cast of ship crew; Frank and George.
The ‘different’ part of the book is Moncrieff telling a large portion of the tale through the eyes of one of the sea creatures, named Nokken. We meet his wife and son (who reminded me of Joffrey from GOT) and learn a bit of the creatures back story.
Moncrieff does a fantastic job of stacking the odds against Flora as well as the humans in general. The crew themselves are a misogynistic bunch, quickly laying the blame on everything that goes wrong on Flora. “Its bad luck to have a girl on board,” is a tried and true sailor theme, but in this story, that’s probably the ‘nicest’ statement directed towards her. Time and time again, Flora responds and works hard to earn the respect she deserves. I enjoyed the sprinkling of back story for Flora and her son, giving her the much needed ‘why’ for her survival.
And while I found Dyatlov had a few stunted portions that detracted a bit from the flow, Moncrieff delivers here, letting every scenario play out, sometimes in all its magnificent gore-filled glory.
Moncrieff has catapulted herself into one of my “must-read” authors and has planted herself firmly behind Andrew Pyper in my favourite Canadian Author list. I can’t wait for her first release from Flame Tree Press in October, but in the meantime, I’ll be catching up by reading her Ghost Writers Series.
I first discovered Moncrieff’s work through Return to Dyatlov Pass. That book was being praised in the online book community and having loved the movie Devil’s Pass, also based on the incident, I jumped on it. I had a great time with it and really enjoyed the companion piece that Moncrieff had in the Hellhole Anthology last year.
I’m a proud Canadian and when I find out an author is Canadian, I always prioritize their works. So once I found out Moncrieff was a fellow Canuck living in Winnipeg, I also snagged The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave as well as the first few books in the Ghost Writer’s series. I loved The Bear, but haven’t managed to get to the series yet.
At the time I also snagged this book, Monsters in Our Wake. On a recent trip out west for a professional conference, I decided to have a bit of a creature-feature theme for my reads and this was third up, after Master of the Forest and Antarctic Ice Beasts.
When I read Return to Dyatlov Pass, I loved Moncrieff’s character development and ease of creating tension and stress. I ultimately ended up giving it a 4 star rating because I found a few areas felt stunted and wished the book was longer. Not the case here. I message with J.H. a bit, picking her brain about some things and just generally chatting about life. When I mentioned this one was on my docket, she replied that she hoped I enjoyed because it was a bit ‘different.’ After having read it, I know what she meant!
This story takes place entirely at sea, on The Cormorant, a prototype drilling vessel. We are introduced to Flora, an oceanographer who’s been hired on to ensure ideal drilling locations. We meet the Greek Captain, the engineers Thor and Liam and then a small supporting cast of ship crew; Frank and George.
The ‘different’ part of the book is Moncrieff telling a large portion of the tale through the eyes of one of the sea creatures, named Nokken. We meet his wife and son (who reminded me of Joffrey from GOT) and learn a bit of the creatures back story.
Moncrieff does a fantastic job of stacking the odds against Flora as well as the humans in general. The crew themselves are a misogynistic bunch, quickly laying the blame on everything that goes wrong on Flora. “Its bad luck to have a girl on board,” is a tried and true sailor theme, but in this story, that’s probably the ‘nicest’ statement directed towards her. Time and time again, Flora responds and works hard to earn the respect she deserves. I enjoyed the sprinkling of back story for Flora and her son, giving her the much needed ‘why’ for her survival.
And while I found Dyatlov had a few stunted portions that detracted a bit from the flow, Moncrieff delivers here, letting every scenario play out, sometimes in all its magnificent gore-filled glory.
Moncrieff has catapulted herself into one of my “must-read” authors and has planted herself firmly behind Andrew Pyper in my favourite Canadian Author list. I can’t wait for her first release from Flame Tree Press in October, but in the meantime, I’ll be catching up by reading her Ghost Writers Series.
March 11, 2017
3.5 stars
MONSTERS IN OUR WAKE: A Deep Sea Thriller, by J.H. Moncrieff, takes a unique perspective on a legendary sea monster's confrontation with a human crew out drilling for oil. The use of alternating points-of-view gives readers a chance to look at this first-hand from two opposing sides.
". . . The . . . had the gift of plentitude, but I had two things they did not. Wisdom and Patience. Infinite, infinite patience."
I have to admit that the characterization of the crew--especially the only female on board, Flora--was somewhat lacking in the beginning. In fact, the men's treatment of her really felt "contrary" to how I'd expect a boatful of men to behave with a single woman on the ship. I believe that this kept me from really getting attached to the female lead, as her situation and personality just didn't ring true to me from the very start.
Luckily, the alternating point-of-view took away some of the focus from Flora, and gave me an opportunity to see different interactions and dynamics. There were some mentally potent comments that make you ponder what is it exactly that makes a "monster".
". . . Humans appeared to be on a brutal quest for power, a thirst that was never quenched or even slackened."
At approximately 2/3 of the way through, the novel really began to pick up speed. At this point, interactions among the crew began to seem much more "realistic", as the true nature was coming forth in response to some horrifying situations. While I was still left with a few unanswered questions, I loved the note that the story ended on, and honestly did not see it concluding as it did.
One particular quote that struck me as true for just about all the people and creatures involved was: ". . . No matter how we try to suppress our true nature, it is always there, lurking, waiting for us. It's in our blood."
MONSTERS IN OUR WAKE: A Deep Sea Thriller, by J.H. Moncrieff, takes a unique perspective on a legendary sea monster's confrontation with a human crew out drilling for oil. The use of alternating points-of-view gives readers a chance to look at this first-hand from two opposing sides.
". . . The . . . had the gift of plentitude, but I had two things they did not. Wisdom and Patience. Infinite, infinite patience."
I have to admit that the characterization of the crew--especially the only female on board, Flora--was somewhat lacking in the beginning. In fact, the men's treatment of her really felt "contrary" to how I'd expect a boatful of men to behave with a single woman on the ship. I believe that this kept me from really getting attached to the female lead, as her situation and personality just didn't ring true to me from the very start.
Luckily, the alternating point-of-view took away some of the focus from Flora, and gave me an opportunity to see different interactions and dynamics. There were some mentally potent comments that make you ponder what is it exactly that makes a "monster".
". . . Humans appeared to be on a brutal quest for power, a thirst that was never quenched or even slackened."
At approximately 2/3 of the way through, the novel really began to pick up speed. At this point, interactions among the crew began to seem much more "realistic", as the true nature was coming forth in response to some horrifying situations. While I was still left with a few unanswered questions, I loved the note that the story ended on, and honestly did not see it concluding as it did.
One particular quote that struck me as true for just about all the people and creatures involved was: ". . . No matter how we try to suppress our true nature, it is always there, lurking, waiting for us. It's in our blood."
February 23, 2017
Wonderful story with an unexpected point of view - without spoiling anything for new readers, this book strays from the typical monster horror story to give you a unique perspective. Absolutely loved this and definitely recommend it!
April 1, 2017
This book caught me off guard and I’m glad. I was expecting a great monster story but got something else entirely. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of the classic monster elements are there, but the differences make all the difference.
The story is about a strange connection between an ancient sea creature and a marine geologist. As a single mother, Flora takes a job on an oil rig purely for the money, but between her anxiety and the machismo on the ship, it doesn’t take long to wonder if it’s worth it.
Then there’s Nokken and his dysfunctional (sea creature) family. A bit of sport with an oil rig, something that looks like a toy to him, starts the drama that unfolds. Nokken is somehow torn between sticking to his nature and having compassion for the creatures that could destroy his home.
Being familiar with the reputation of Moncrieff, I was expecting an intense horror story to boggle the mind. That’s what I got, but I felt like the story was more of a science fiction thriller, which make sense because thriller is in the title. Because the story is told from the perspective of both the humans and the sea creatures, there’s an element of terror missing, but it’s still scary.
Right from the start, the creatures are humanized to the reader and the story plays out like a crime drama or thriller from then on. The story becomes a mental battle for the sea creature (Nokken), who has the upper hand in all aspects, to decide what is the right thing to do. All the while, back on the ship, the real monsters begin to show themselves as survival takes a back seat to individual self-preservation. And none of the humans come off looking very good, even Flora.
While she’s the best of humanity on the ship, some of her actions or lack there of, don’t make her the fittest in terms of survival. I wanted to like her more, but I didn’t. There were other characters with likable traits and some who did heroic things, but I didn’t really ‘like’ any of them. Of course, I sympathized with Flora and wanted her to make it out alive more than anyone else; I just don’t know why I didn’t like her more. I can relate to her, though, in one respect. Anxiety is crippling in a way no one can understand unless they’ve experienced it.
Overall, I’d recommend this to horror and sci-fi fans, and to anyone who appreciates a good monster story or one with a twist. Not suitable for pre-teens and young children.
The story is about a strange connection between an ancient sea creature and a marine geologist. As a single mother, Flora takes a job on an oil rig purely for the money, but between her anxiety and the machismo on the ship, it doesn’t take long to wonder if it’s worth it.
Then there’s Nokken and his dysfunctional (sea creature) family. A bit of sport with an oil rig, something that looks like a toy to him, starts the drama that unfolds. Nokken is somehow torn between sticking to his nature and having compassion for the creatures that could destroy his home.
Being familiar with the reputation of Moncrieff, I was expecting an intense horror story to boggle the mind. That’s what I got, but I felt like the story was more of a science fiction thriller, which make sense because thriller is in the title. Because the story is told from the perspective of both the humans and the sea creatures, there’s an element of terror missing, but it’s still scary.
Right from the start, the creatures are humanized to the reader and the story plays out like a crime drama or thriller from then on. The story becomes a mental battle for the sea creature (Nokken), who has the upper hand in all aspects, to decide what is the right thing to do. All the while, back on the ship, the real monsters begin to show themselves as survival takes a back seat to individual self-preservation. And none of the humans come off looking very good, even Flora.
While she’s the best of humanity on the ship, some of her actions or lack there of, don’t make her the fittest in terms of survival. I wanted to like her more, but I didn’t. There were other characters with likable traits and some who did heroic things, but I didn’t really ‘like’ any of them. Of course, I sympathized with Flora and wanted her to make it out alive more than anyone else; I just don’t know why I didn’t like her more. I can relate to her, though, in one respect. Anxiety is crippling in a way no one can understand unless they’ve experienced it.
Overall, I’d recommend this to horror and sci-fi fans, and to anyone who appreciates a good monster story or one with a twist. Not suitable for pre-teens and young children.
April 21, 2017
I have to admit I had my doubts when I began reading Ms. Moncrieff's Monsters In Our Wake. I'm a huge fan of multiple character POV storytelling and this book has three main characters. But, um, one of them is the sea monster himself. The fact he comes across like an urbane snooty was a little offsetting. At first. I should've had faith in Ms. Moncrieff's storytelling abililties. She--and the book--won me over. It's a fast-moving, suspenseful, surprising thrill ride about oil drillers out on the ocean stumbling across a nuclear core family of sea monsters. Sure, the tale's nothing original, but it's in the telling. And the serpents narration layers an interesting dimension on top of it, giving us a sort of insider's ecological-minded take. The human characters are very well-developed, the writing is crisp and assured and by God, if there wasn't some suspense and dread building through this sucker up until the ending! Oh, and there's one of the most squirm-inducing amputation scenes I've ever read (not that I've read a lot of them, mind you, just sayin'). This is a surprising, excellent horror tale. Recommended.
November 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this quick read. J.H. Moncrieff brings about a different element that was surprising but enjoyable. I found I wanted to keep reading right from the beginning and the characters instantly reeled me in.
March 14, 2017
Here’s a writer that gives us just what we need. What I mean is that Moncrieff gets us right into the crux of the story without any fluff. Her descriptions are vivid and well-placed. What’s really impressive is how she creates a pretty large cast of different characters without overwhelming the reader. There’s a gradual reveal as we naturally get to know them. Moncrieff doesn’t need to give us the full back story of everyone, but gives us enough to get an understanding of what makes them tick. We get a lot through the realistic and colorful dialogue.
Moncrieff shifts POV between a couple of the crew members, as well as that of one of the sea monsters. I really enjoyed the creativity in that perspective. Another thing I really appreciated is the way the author employs a subtle commentary on gender roles. On the ship, Flora battles the rest of the crew and their inability to handle her being the only woman onboard—it really gets ugly at times. Her character arc involves her sense of herself and her feminine characteristics. These qualities are viewed negatively by most of her fellow crewmembers, but end up really being her greatest strength.
On the flip side, the sea monster bewails the fact that his wife is more powerful than he is. He plays second fiddle to her for most of the story, but things take a turn as he comes to terms with what he is and what he must do at the close of the novel.
For horror fans, there is a lot of gore to be gobbled up on these pages. There’s also a constant sense of dread as we wonder if the crew is going to survive the ancient creatures’ plot to destroy them all. A few chilling scenes are when the monsters show themselves to the crew, often with grisly results.
Being an environmentalist at heart, I can’t help but see this as a cautionary tale about what happens when man attempts to disrupt the balance of nature for their own monetary gain.
Get yourself a copy of this gripping story and follow Moncrief and her other dark works of fiction. You won’t be disappointed.
Rating… A
(Review: Theresa Braun) www.readsandreels.com
Moncrieff shifts POV between a couple of the crew members, as well as that of one of the sea monsters. I really enjoyed the creativity in that perspective. Another thing I really appreciated is the way the author employs a subtle commentary on gender roles. On the ship, Flora battles the rest of the crew and their inability to handle her being the only woman onboard—it really gets ugly at times. Her character arc involves her sense of herself and her feminine characteristics. These qualities are viewed negatively by most of her fellow crewmembers, but end up really being her greatest strength.
On the flip side, the sea monster bewails the fact that his wife is more powerful than he is. He plays second fiddle to her for most of the story, but things take a turn as he comes to terms with what he is and what he must do at the close of the novel.
For horror fans, there is a lot of gore to be gobbled up on these pages. There’s also a constant sense of dread as we wonder if the crew is going to survive the ancient creatures’ plot to destroy them all. A few chilling scenes are when the monsters show themselves to the crew, often with grisly results.
Being an environmentalist at heart, I can’t help but see this as a cautionary tale about what happens when man attempts to disrupt the balance of nature for their own monetary gain.
Get yourself a copy of this gripping story and follow Moncrief and her other dark works of fiction. You won’t be disappointed.
Rating… A
(Review: Theresa Braun) www.readsandreels.com
March 12, 2017
Wow... this book blew my mind. I started reading it intending to just do a couple chapters, and before I knew it, it was three in the morning and I was saying "Holy @#$%" to myself as I read the ending-- with a twist that I never saw coming. It's a brilliant take on the Man vs. Sea Monster story that will leave you wondering just who the real monsters are. The writing is great, with hints of Stephen King and some lovely dark humour. The characters are complex and realistic, with not a single one-dimensional stereotype to be found. It was fun to watch the shy, insecure protagonist, Flora, gradually become assertive and grow into her position--and even better to see a parallel growth among the sea monsters. For these are not ordinary monsters, but an ancient and intelligent species who would love to be left alone. But when these sentient and powerful beings cross paths with oil prospectors in the deep ocean, right and wrong become blurred, and the survival of both species is at stake.
I won't give away more of the plot, but will say that this is a powerful and moving story, both as an adrenaline-fueled adventure tale and a thoughtful exploration of the nature of our relationship with the natural world and the unknown. This story works on multiple levels, and would make a killer movie. I can't wait to read more of Moncrieff's work!
I won't give away more of the plot, but will say that this is a powerful and moving story, both as an adrenaline-fueled adventure tale and a thoughtful exploration of the nature of our relationship with the natural world and the unknown. This story works on multiple levels, and would make a killer movie. I can't wait to read more of Moncrieff's work!
January 3, 2018
This is the first book I've read by the author and it makes me want to read more by her. Monsters in Our Wake is a suspenseful, thrilling and scary (in a good way) book about the monsters that lurk in the sea. The kind of monsters you hope never to meet. I found it to be a compulsive read and didn't want to put it down until I found out what happened to the heroine of the story, a plucky geologist who struggles with working far away from home on an oil drilling ship, as well as having to deal with an all-male crew who resent having her in their midst. The book goes back and forth between the perspectives of the crew and the sea monsters who threaten them. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat, as well as inspire a few nightmares about sea monsters attacking my own sailboat. A great read which I highly recommend.
June 8, 2018
3.0 Stars
This is an fairly unique take on the classic creature horror story with part of the narrative told from the perspective from one of the sea monsters. These mysterious creatures were written as highly intelligent beings with an almost human quality to them. This made the Nøkken fascinating, yet not particularly scary.
I liked how the author addresses the unfortunate challenges the female scientists can face in their profession. The main character was a nice, sympathetic woman, although I did not find any of the human characters particularly memorable and was always excited to return to the perspective of the sea creature.
I requested a digital copy from the author.
This is an fairly unique take on the classic creature horror story with part of the narrative told from the perspective from one of the sea monsters. These mysterious creatures were written as highly intelligent beings with an almost human quality to them. This made the Nøkken fascinating, yet not particularly scary.
I liked how the author addresses the unfortunate challenges the female scientists can face in their profession. The main character was a nice, sympathetic woman, although I did not find any of the human characters particularly memorable and was always excited to return to the perspective of the sea creature.
I requested a digital copy from the author.
March 16, 2023
This was my first novel from J.H Moncrieff and was it ever an engaging read. Moncrieff's unique take on a classic tale of being stranded at sea while being watched by an ominous being turned this creature feature into a page turner I could not put down.
With a progressive voice and multiple untold perspectives, Monsters In Our Wake really makes you question who the monster really is.. The entire time I was reading it I thought about what an amazing movie this would be. Dark, well paced, and twists that will keep you on your toes. I am excited to see what else this author has to offer.
With a progressive voice and multiple untold perspectives, Monsters In Our Wake really makes you question who the monster really is.. The entire time I was reading it I thought about what an amazing movie this would be. Dark, well paced, and twists that will keep you on your toes. I am excited to see what else this author has to offer.
February 27, 2017
As I found from her previous novella, The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave, J.H. Moncrieff writes unusual horror. She takes a well known trope - in this case an ancient, gigantic sea creature - and creates a whole new perspective. I loved the way the plot and characters developed, and the change in point of view worked exceptionally well as it could have easily fallen flat in less capable hands. I read the whole story in one riveting read and loved it.
May 18, 2017
Some people think of space as the final frontier but we have another unexplored area that is a lot closer to us. The deepest part of the ocean is still a mystery and who knows what kind of creatures live down there. In the deep waters of the South Pacific an oil drilling ship is about to find what lurks bellow and they will be very sorry they disturbed it. The ship lowers its drill into the territory of a family of Nokkens who hate humans with a passion.
The Nokkens are more intelligent than humans think and in their minds its the humans who are the inferior creatures. In retaliation for invading their space, one of the Nokkens attacks the ship leaving it disabled and thousands of miles away from anyone who can help. Now the humans are starting to turn on the lone woman on the ship, marine biologist Flora Duchovney Flora begins to wonder if the worst monsters are on the ship or in the depths of the ocean.
The first thing that sticks out about Monsters In Our Wake by J.H Moncrieff is that the book starts from the monster’s point of view. Right off the bat that made this book better than your average horror novel. The point of view shifts from the Nokken to Flora, to the members of the ship’s crew. The big question in this book is who really is the monster? The Nokkens, the humans, or both.
The who is the monster theme lasts throughout this book. We get to hear about how the Nokkens hate the humans because of the damage they have done to the ocean and its creatures. Another reason why the Nokkens think of humans as monsters is because they kill each other, which to them is insane. We see this start to play out on the ship as well when the crew become desperate. The Nokkens show how they can be monsters too though as they teach the humans lessons in respect.
Flora was my favorite character in the book because despite things being bad for her she is the strongest character. When things go wrong she takes the blame whether it was her fault or not and at one point she even gets labeled as a witch because the rest of the crew believes she summoned the monster. What I found most interesting about her though is when we see her having an anxiety attack as she wonders about how she will survive and get back to her son at home. Though when things get worse on the ship she does what she needs to do and has no problem with her anxiety.
There was a lot to like about Monsters In Our Wake, the book is a lot of fun. While it’s mostly a horror novel with a deep meaning to it, it has a little humor to it also. There are some unanswered questions about the creatures that I would like to know, but it didn’t take anything away from the overall story. The characters have a lot of depth to them, they are shades of gray instead of black and white. The Nokkens have done some terrible things to the humans, but also show compassion. On the other hand, some of the humans have shown that they have a heart but do some evil things as well. The only one who can be described as good is Flora and she comes across as the most interesting character in the book. Despite some minor flaws, this was an entertaining read and I’m hoping to read more from J.H. Moncrieff in the future.
The Nokkens are more intelligent than humans think and in their minds its the humans who are the inferior creatures. In retaliation for invading their space, one of the Nokkens attacks the ship leaving it disabled and thousands of miles away from anyone who can help. Now the humans are starting to turn on the lone woman on the ship, marine biologist Flora Duchovney Flora begins to wonder if the worst monsters are on the ship or in the depths of the ocean.
The first thing that sticks out about Monsters In Our Wake by J.H Moncrieff is that the book starts from the monster’s point of view. Right off the bat that made this book better than your average horror novel. The point of view shifts from the Nokken to Flora, to the members of the ship’s crew. The big question in this book is who really is the monster? The Nokkens, the humans, or both.
The who is the monster theme lasts throughout this book. We get to hear about how the Nokkens hate the humans because of the damage they have done to the ocean and its creatures. Another reason why the Nokkens think of humans as monsters is because they kill each other, which to them is insane. We see this start to play out on the ship as well when the crew become desperate. The Nokkens show how they can be monsters too though as they teach the humans lessons in respect.
Flora was my favorite character in the book because despite things being bad for her she is the strongest character. When things go wrong she takes the blame whether it was her fault or not and at one point she even gets labeled as a witch because the rest of the crew believes she summoned the monster. What I found most interesting about her though is when we see her having an anxiety attack as she wonders about how she will survive and get back to her son at home. Though when things get worse on the ship she does what she needs to do and has no problem with her anxiety.
There was a lot to like about Monsters In Our Wake, the book is a lot of fun. While it’s mostly a horror novel with a deep meaning to it, it has a little humor to it also. There are some unanswered questions about the creatures that I would like to know, but it didn’t take anything away from the overall story. The characters have a lot of depth to them, they are shades of gray instead of black and white. The Nokkens have done some terrible things to the humans, but also show compassion. On the other hand, some of the humans have shown that they have a heart but do some evil things as well. The only one who can be described as good is Flora and she comes across as the most interesting character in the book. Despite some minor flaws, this was an entertaining read and I’m hoping to read more from J.H. Moncrieff in the future.
April 18, 2017
Plesiosaurs are smarter than we think.
At first read I thought I would not finish this story. However, I am glad I gave it a chance. Very unusual monster in the water story. Very original ideas. Think jaws and alien put together. Interesting characters - all of them. This would make a very different type of movie. I can recommend this book. Just remember: I read books for entertainment, I overlook little things and move on. I don't enjoy nitpicking books. This has a few flaws, but I enjoyed the ride immensely.
At first read I thought I would not finish this story. However, I am glad I gave it a chance. Very unusual monster in the water story. Very original ideas. Think jaws and alien put together. Interesting characters - all of them. This would make a very different type of movie. I can recommend this book. Just remember: I read books for entertainment, I overlook little things and move on. I don't enjoy nitpicking books. This has a few flaws, but I enjoyed the ride immensely.
April 14, 2017
My first book by this Author and I must say I am now a fan. Wow, what a neat twist to an old idea about sea creatures. I was so captivated that I did not a single thing all day but read this story (and fed my poor neglected dog). I would recommend this book to those on the fence. It is a pretty quick and easy read with an addicting story line. Kudo's J. H. Moncrieff!
March 31, 2017
I read this book over the course of just a couple days and kept having to force myself to put it away and go to bed. The suspense is immediate. The characters draw you in right away. And the perspective is one I've never read before.
The story alternates between the creatures below the surface and the humans above, following a female marine geologist on a boat full of rough sailors. Who are the villains and where is the danger coming from? Well...it's not always the places you'll expect.
The story alternates between the creatures below the surface and the humans above, following a female marine geologist on a boat full of rough sailors. Who are the villains and where is the danger coming from? Well...it's not always the places you'll expect.
May 10, 2017
Review copy
The cover and title of J.H. Moncrieff's latest novel Monsters In Our Wake gives the reader a good idea of what they're in for, but this work is far from your typical sea creature trope.
When the novel you're reading begins from the perspective of a giant sea creature who's home is being threatened by oil drilling you know you're on to something different.
When the creature takes action to protect its territory, the result is a disabled ship and a stranded crew. I always enjoy stories with a limited cast of characters, cut off from the rest of the world, with something out there.
“'Nah,' George said, pointing at Flora, 'I think she’s crazy. But I’ve seen horror movies. I know how this goes. You crackers always make the black man go first. I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to fix any generator, I’m not going to investigate the scary noise, and I’m definitely not going in the water.'”
Monsters In Our Wake is not my first creature from the deep book, but it certainly is the most original and a helluva lot of fun. It does require readers to check their disbelief at the door, but if you can do that I think you'll enjoy where this deep sea adventure takes you. Recommended.
Monsters In Our Wake is available from Severed Press in paperback, e-book, and Audible formats. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - J.H. Moncrieff writes psychological and supernatural suspense novels that let her readers safely explore the dark corners of the world. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
The first two novels of her new GhostWriters series, City of Ghosts and The Girl Who Talks to Ghosts, will be officially released on May 16, 2017.
When not writing, J.H. loves visiting the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
The cover and title of J.H. Moncrieff's latest novel Monsters In Our Wake gives the reader a good idea of what they're in for, but this work is far from your typical sea creature trope.
When the novel you're reading begins from the perspective of a giant sea creature who's home is being threatened by oil drilling you know you're on to something different.
When the creature takes action to protect its territory, the result is a disabled ship and a stranded crew. I always enjoy stories with a limited cast of characters, cut off from the rest of the world, with something out there.
“'Nah,' George said, pointing at Flora, 'I think she’s crazy. But I’ve seen horror movies. I know how this goes. You crackers always make the black man go first. I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to fix any generator, I’m not going to investigate the scary noise, and I’m definitely not going in the water.'”
Monsters In Our Wake is not my first creature from the deep book, but it certainly is the most original and a helluva lot of fun. It does require readers to check their disbelief at the door, but if you can do that I think you'll enjoy where this deep sea adventure takes you. Recommended.
Monsters In Our Wake is available from Severed Press in paperback, e-book, and Audible formats. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - J.H. Moncrieff writes psychological and supernatural suspense novels that let her readers safely explore the dark corners of the world. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
The first two novels of her new GhostWriters series, City of Ghosts and The Girl Who Talks to Ghosts, will be officially released on May 16, 2017.
When not writing, J.H. loves visiting the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
March 13, 2017
Monsters In Our Wake is another captivating tale from J.H. Moncrieff.
In my opinion, Moncrieff successfully manages to take a fairly classic story and turn it into something completely her own. Even though the characters aren't always on the same side, I found myself rooting for most of them -- especially the monster, which made for some great, tension filled scenes. There are also some great elements of horror and fantasy that completely suit the unique tone of the story. As I read, I found that I only wanted more, chapter after chapter, and finished reading in two sittings. I couldn't help myself. I just had to find out what happened next!
In my opinion, Moncrieff successfully manages to take a fairly classic story and turn it into something completely her own. Even though the characters aren't always on the same side, I found myself rooting for most of them -- especially the monster, which made for some great, tension filled scenes. There are also some great elements of horror and fantasy that completely suit the unique tone of the story. As I read, I found that I only wanted more, chapter after chapter, and finished reading in two sittings. I couldn't help myself. I just had to find out what happened next!
March 17, 2017
Monsters in our Wake is exactly that - a deep sea thriller. Flora Duchovney is the only woman aboard an oil drilling ship, the Cormorant. She's a marine-geologist, helping the crew find the right place to drill. When the drill suddenly snaps off and they pull it up, she's the first to notice the enormous teeth marks on it. Moncrieff tells this story from the perspective of both the Sea Creature and the crew, mostly Flora. The Sea Creatures are none too happy about their home being invaded. The tension builds as the ship stalls, crew members are attacked, and family members get out of hand. The moral of this story is: If you have a woman on the ship who has strong intuition, Listen to her! This was a great read that anyone from teens to older adults would enjoy.
January 4, 2019
Originally published on the book blog Creature From the Book Lagoon.
" In the idyllic waters of the South Pacific lurks a dangerous and insatiable predator, a monster whose bloodlust and greed threatens the very survival of our planet. Thousands of miles from the nearest human settlement, deep on the ocean floor, the creatures have lived for millennia. But when an oil drill bursts through their lair, Nøkken attacks, damaging the drilling ship’s engine, trapping the desperate crew. The longer the humans remain in Nøkken’s territory, struggling to repair their ailing ship, the more confrontations occur between the two species. When the death toll rises, the crew turns on each other, and marine geologist Flora Duchovney realizes the scariest monsters aren’t below the surface."
Monsters in Our Wake had a monster that anyone would recognize due to a creature that is said to inhabit a certain infamous loch in Scotland (Nessie turns out to be the cousin of the sea creatures that are in this story). The Plesiosaurs. One of my very favorite dinosaurs! I love the plesiosaur and I am happy to see this creature having a revival in modern sea creature horror. But here’s the thing…. Moncrieff has put a little spin on this creature. They are telepathic and they are venomous!
The creatures being telepathic was interesting. They talked back and forth between their family members like a typical family. They knew what humans were and things about human life. Every other chapter in the book was actually in the point of view of the sea creatures. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about that. I don’t think I like the “monster” being an intelligent, civilized creature. But I did warm up to the idea as the story moved on. It was neat getting to see the events from perspectives on both sides.
The fact that the creatures were venomous opened up a whole terrible can of worms. I don’t want to give anything more away. Let’s just say that this fact made things even more difficult for the crew! And it was such a creative and fun twist to put on a venomous creature! I loved the situations that the venom caused. Pretty clever.
It didn’t take very long for things to really heat up in this story. I was very curious how everyone was going to make it out of the danger zone. WAS anyone even going to make it out of the danger zone? 😮 The pages flew by fast and before I knew it, the book was over. Here’s the thing, though… the ending… was a little bit TOO abrupt. The book ends and we still don’t know what happened to the creatures and what happened to the survivors. Did the creatures die? Did the humans make it home? Don’t know. It wasn’t badly written, it just -to me- did not feel like it had a clear conclusion. There were just too many answers in the end. :/
Monsters in Our Wake was an interesting sea creature story. It took a sea creature we all know and love and put a unique spin on it. This was a quick read and it leaves you dying to know how it will end. Sadly the ending was a little bit unclear and left a few too many answers. Still a very fun title and worth checking out.
" In the idyllic waters of the South Pacific lurks a dangerous and insatiable predator, a monster whose bloodlust and greed threatens the very survival of our planet. Thousands of miles from the nearest human settlement, deep on the ocean floor, the creatures have lived for millennia. But when an oil drill bursts through their lair, Nøkken attacks, damaging the drilling ship’s engine, trapping the desperate crew. The longer the humans remain in Nøkken’s territory, struggling to repair their ailing ship, the more confrontations occur between the two species. When the death toll rises, the crew turns on each other, and marine geologist Flora Duchovney realizes the scariest monsters aren’t below the surface."
Monsters in Our Wake had a monster that anyone would recognize due to a creature that is said to inhabit a certain infamous loch in Scotland (Nessie turns out to be the cousin of the sea creatures that are in this story). The Plesiosaurs. One of my very favorite dinosaurs! I love the plesiosaur and I am happy to see this creature having a revival in modern sea creature horror. But here’s the thing…. Moncrieff has put a little spin on this creature. They are telepathic and they are venomous!
The creatures being telepathic was interesting. They talked back and forth between their family members like a typical family. They knew what humans were and things about human life. Every other chapter in the book was actually in the point of view of the sea creatures. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about that. I don’t think I like the “monster” being an intelligent, civilized creature. But I did warm up to the idea as the story moved on. It was neat getting to see the events from perspectives on both sides.
The fact that the creatures were venomous opened up a whole terrible can of worms. I don’t want to give anything more away. Let’s just say that this fact made things even more difficult for the crew! And it was such a creative and fun twist to put on a venomous creature! I loved the situations that the venom caused. Pretty clever.
It didn’t take very long for things to really heat up in this story. I was very curious how everyone was going to make it out of the danger zone. WAS anyone even going to make it out of the danger zone? 😮 The pages flew by fast and before I knew it, the book was over. Here’s the thing, though… the ending… was a little bit TOO abrupt. The book ends and we still don’t know what happened to the creatures and what happened to the survivors. Did the creatures die? Did the humans make it home? Don’t know. It wasn’t badly written, it just -to me- did not feel like it had a clear conclusion. There were just too many answers in the end. :/
Monsters in Our Wake was an interesting sea creature story. It took a sea creature we all know and love and put a unique spin on it. This was a quick read and it leaves you dying to know how it will end. Sadly the ending was a little bit unclear and left a few too many answers. Still a very fun title and worth checking out.
February 5, 2020
When I decided to do a creature feature theme for my reading in 2020, I knew that I wanted to read about sea monsters. When one thinks of sea monsters, they, at least I, think about mindless eating machines that terrorize unsuspecting humans. In addition to the threat of being eaten, the terror partly comes from knowing that they cannot be reasoned with. Monsters in Our Wake was recommended to me on Twitter, and I'm glad I picked this one up because it did something that I didn't expect when I decided to read about sea monsters, it made me root for the beast. The beast, in this case, is Nokken, a giant creature that lives in a cavern under the sea with his wife and son. Yes. His wife and son.
When The Cormorant, an experimental oil drilling rig, pokes a hole in his roof and puts his son's shipwreck collection in danger, Nokken decides he needs to deal with these pesky humans at the surface. His wife wants to kill them and sink the ship, but Nokken just wants to scare them off, so he messes up their oil drill with his humongous teeth. This causes a disagreement that creates some marital tension in the giant, idyllic, undersea cave.
On The Cormorant, Flora is an ocean scientist (I can't remember what kind), and she's quite sure that the oil drill was bitten, but the men on the ship decide that since she's a woman, she can't be trusted. If something bit the drill, maybe she did with her lady teeth and her lies. Also, it's her fault that something's wrong with the boat because why not. I know that "women are bad luck on boats" is a stereotypical sailor superstition, but it seemed over the top. Maybe it wasn't, I've never been on an oil survey ship that is being attacked by hyper-intelligent sea monsters, so perhaps I'd act the same way.
The human characters, including Flora, are a bit boring and one-note, so that I kept looking forward to reading more from Nokken's POV. I still can't believe that the humans messed up the part of the cave that they use for entertaining. The characters and the dialogue were fine if slightly one dimensional.
I'm rating this 3 stars because it's a creative spin on a creature feature but didn't bring enough scares/terror for me. If you're looking for a creature feature that doesn't read like a mindless monster, you will probably enjoy this one. I did.
Nokken did nothing wrong.
When The Cormorant, an experimental oil drilling rig, pokes a hole in his roof and puts his son's shipwreck collection in danger, Nokken decides he needs to deal with these pesky humans at the surface. His wife wants to kill them and sink the ship, but Nokken just wants to scare them off, so he messes up their oil drill with his humongous teeth. This causes a disagreement that creates some marital tension in the giant, idyllic, undersea cave.
On The Cormorant, Flora is an ocean scientist (I can't remember what kind), and she's quite sure that the oil drill was bitten, but the men on the ship decide that since she's a woman, she can't be trusted. If something bit the drill, maybe she did with her lady teeth and her lies. Also, it's her fault that something's wrong with the boat because why not. I know that "women are bad luck on boats" is a stereotypical sailor superstition, but it seemed over the top. Maybe it wasn't, I've never been on an oil survey ship that is being attacked by hyper-intelligent sea monsters, so perhaps I'd act the same way.
The human characters, including Flora, are a bit boring and one-note, so that I kept looking forward to reading more from Nokken's POV. I still can't believe that the humans messed up the part of the cave that they use for entertaining. The characters and the dialogue were fine if slightly one dimensional.
I'm rating this 3 stars because it's a creative spin on a creature feature but didn't bring enough scares/terror for me. If you're looking for a creature feature that doesn't read like a mindless monster, you will probably enjoy this one. I did.
Nokken did nothing wrong.
April 13, 2020
An intense and suspenseful read!
Wow. What a ride. This story and its author did NOT play games. This just grabs you by the throat and hauls you along until you reach the end in no time.
First, the characterization was wonderful. All the main players have a fully realized character to where you feel you know them, root for them, and in some cases, hate them. Flora and Thor in particular were incredibly memorable and sympathetic characters that you grow to love in a surprisingly short time.
In addition, I found it to be such an added benefit and a unique element that the author chose to give some rather “unconventional characters” a point of view in this story. I can’t say more without giving spoilers but suffice it to say, it was an intriguing move that added depth to a story that could have just been okay and nothing more. But this was so much more!! It took something that’s become nothing more than sensationalism in our world and made it more plausible.
The author’s writing style was smooth, with great description, an emotional connection for the reader, and an overall fast pace that made the book seem to go by in a blink because I was so engaged. The events had a creep factor, tons of suspense, had me hanging on the edge of my seat, and contained twists and turns I didn’t expect. When I reached the final page, I was so disappointed that it was over. I wanted more and was immediately hoping she did a sequel to this story. Fantastic read!! I’ll definitely be checking out other works by this author!
Wow. What a ride. This story and its author did NOT play games. This just grabs you by the throat and hauls you along until you reach the end in no time.
First, the characterization was wonderful. All the main players have a fully realized character to where you feel you know them, root for them, and in some cases, hate them. Flora and Thor in particular were incredibly memorable and sympathetic characters that you grow to love in a surprisingly short time.
In addition, I found it to be such an added benefit and a unique element that the author chose to give some rather “unconventional characters” a point of view in this story. I can’t say more without giving spoilers but suffice it to say, it was an intriguing move that added depth to a story that could have just been okay and nothing more. But this was so much more!! It took something that’s become nothing more than sensationalism in our world and made it more plausible.
The author’s writing style was smooth, with great description, an emotional connection for the reader, and an overall fast pace that made the book seem to go by in a blink because I was so engaged. The events had a creep factor, tons of suspense, had me hanging on the edge of my seat, and contained twists and turns I didn’t expect. When I reached the final page, I was so disappointed that it was over. I wanted more and was immediately hoping she did a sequel to this story. Fantastic read!! I’ll definitely be checking out other works by this author!
September 16, 2019
My favorite thing about any story by J.H. is her ability to captivate your imagination and make you believe in beautiful, fantastical things, even in the midst of a horror story. "Monsters In Our Wake" was especially suspenseful for me as the ocean has always scared me, with its great depths and mysteries. The creatures, like many in her writings, were equal parts scary and endearing. I love the idea of magic, and fantastic beasts so having the story be from the creatures POV occasionally was a wonderful touch that put this story in the realm of fantasy as well. It was so well-written that it played out like a movie in my mind and put me though all the emotions a good story is meant to. I can't wait to see what J.H. comes up with in the years to come!
April 29, 2017
This was a lot of fun. A "Nessie" type Leviathan is accidently angered when an oil drilling ship begins drilling right near "his" home, somewhere in the hugely isolated area of the South Pacific, where "his family (himself, wife and son) have been living for thousands and thousands of years. It was a bad mistake on the human's part, and they paid dearly for it.
This story is told from both the human and "creature's" point of view, so very different, and extremely entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like "creature" stories, I think you would enjoy this one.
This story is told from both the human and "creature's" point of view, so very different, and extremely entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like "creature" stories, I think you would enjoy this one.
September 3, 2017
We are going to need a bigger boat!
Interesting novel which takes into consideration the thoughts of the sea creatures whose geographic area is imperiled by man invading looking for oil,etc.Who are the real monsters,manor these creatures.
Interesting novel which takes into consideration the thoughts of the sea creatures whose geographic area is imperiled by man invading looking for oil,etc.Who are the real monsters,manor these creatures.
April 22, 2017
Absolutely not.
November 14, 2023
Will anyone make it out of this insanity alive? A crew is trapped on a damaged ship in monster infested waters, and the monsters are angry. Alliances are uneasy ones. Friendships are fragile. Monsters aren’t what they seem. Death is everywhere, all the time, waiting. No one is ever safe.
“Monsters in Our Wake” is a thrilling, frightening, well paced, excellent read. Moncrieff builds suspense masterfully, teasing the reader without revealing the full scope of each catastrophe about to unfold, leading up to a crescendo that is as terrible as it is satisfying. In the moments when death seem imminent (example-a diver in the water, oblivious to the monster approaching) Moncrieff delays the violence, allowing the reader to let their guard down, believe that danger has passed, before being confronted with the full horror of events.
A page turner for sure. Come along for the ride.
“Monsters in Our Wake” is a thrilling, frightening, well paced, excellent read. Moncrieff builds suspense masterfully, teasing the reader without revealing the full scope of each catastrophe about to unfold, leading up to a crescendo that is as terrible as it is satisfying. In the moments when death seem imminent (example-a diver in the water, oblivious to the monster approaching) Moncrieff delays the violence, allowing the reader to let their guard down, believe that danger has passed, before being confronted with the full horror of events.
A page turner for sure. Come along for the ride.
March 1, 2017
My favorite thing about any story by J.H. is her ability to captivate your imagination and make you believe in beautiful, fantastical things, even in the midst of a horror story. "Monsters In Our Wake" was especially suspenseful for me as the ocean has always scared me, with its great depths and mysteries. The creatures, like many in her writings, were equal parts scary and endearing. I love the idea of magic, and fantastic beasts so having the story be from the creatures POV occasionally was a wonderful touch that put this story in the realm of fantasy as well. It was so well-written that it played out like a movie in my mind and put me though all the emotions a good story is meant to. I can't wait to see what J.H. comes up with in the years to come!
June 21, 2023
I am not sure how to rate this one because I did not enjoy it at all but I've read worse.
This is the third time in a row I can't get into a short book. Sometimes I think that this is because the story would have needed more space to develope but this time it's good that it didn't drag on much longer.
I like monster/creature stories because they make me wonder and make the world feel bigger. This book made the world feel smaller. Sure, humans are the real horror and all that but if there isn't even a bit of awe or wonder about your creature, why even write a creature story? I love monster stories, i love monsters, I love monster stories with nuance and monsters with nuance, I love creatures that are just trying to live their life instead of being a serial human-killer for some odd reason like in 99% of creature/monster stories. This book went down the opposite way of this narrative and somehow still came out just as wrong. Some chapters are written from the perspective of the monster and they were written in such a clumsy and unremarkable way that it came out downright comical. And not in a good way. The idea is neat and has not been done very often. But the execution is very poor and takes you out of it. It reads like a childrens book about nessies family. Which is something I would have loved as a kid bit it feels so displaced here. The creature calling his female partner wife and speaking of marriage made me think that maybe destroying unknown deep sea creatures wasn't so bad if they somehow managed to invent the exact same societal patterns as modern human structures and terms (or exact equivalents of them) all on their own. And kept them up for thousands of years without progressing. The idea of making the female creatures bigger and the males the ones who have to respect them also isn't groundbreaking or alien at all. Just another stupid sentient species of idiots determening social hierarchy by physical stregth despite their high cognitive abilities. That's patriarchal thinking right there. But all of that aside: This is all just so so boring and unimaginative!
I mean come on. There is an extremely intelligent ancient species of deep sea creatures with long life spans and and awareness of human society and the author doesn't bother to give them any other culture/thoughts/societal structures than those of your average married human guy being bothered by his pesky neigbours?? Again: comical, perfect for a childrens book to teach the kids about modern conservative heteronormativity: deep sea creature edition. But I am taking a guess that maybe that wasn't exactly the plan here. The possibilities of this idea are endless and all of them were ignored. I can't say this enough: It's so, so boring and uninspiring.
The hostile attitude towards the only woman in an otherwise completely male work environment is sadly quite realistic. I've read other reviews who said that this was over the top but let me tell you, it's even more harmless than some of the shit women have to endure in male dominated fields. Some are lucky and don't have to experience this, some become "the cool girl" and help to uphold the misogynistic bullshit to protect themselves and most just drop out of that work field because it's just not worth it being dehumanized every day. Which in turn leads to men screaming that "women just aren't cut out to work X job, see!!". Still, I don't see how so many books just HAVE to include abuse and rape when the main character is a woman. All of this was realistic I guess but didn't make the book more enjoyable or interesting. I can read stories with these themes but only if there is literally anything else going on that makes the read enjoyable.
After the last few books I've read this year the main female character in this one came off as incredibly boring and not fleshed out. The male characters were all forgettable but maybe that's a me-issue because I've read too many books full of interesting women the past years.
And oh I hate pop culture references so so much. When I get them, they feel cheap. When I do not get them, they feel random and cheap. It's like a cheeky little annoying wink from the author "oh you nerds will love this Marvel reference tehe". No I do not.
All in all I hope this book makes someone else happy because I'll put it into one of those phone booth libraries.
This is the third time in a row I can't get into a short book. Sometimes I think that this is because the story would have needed more space to develope but this time it's good that it didn't drag on much longer.
I like monster/creature stories because they make me wonder and make the world feel bigger. This book made the world feel smaller. Sure, humans are the real horror and all that but if there isn't even a bit of awe or wonder about your creature, why even write a creature story? I love monster stories, i love monsters, I love monster stories with nuance and monsters with nuance, I love creatures that are just trying to live their life instead of being a serial human-killer for some odd reason like in 99% of creature/monster stories. This book went down the opposite way of this narrative and somehow still came out just as wrong. Some chapters are written from the perspective of the monster and they were written in such a clumsy and unremarkable way that it came out downright comical. And not in a good way. The idea is neat and has not been done very often. But the execution is very poor and takes you out of it. It reads like a childrens book about nessies family. Which is something I would have loved as a kid bit it feels so displaced here. The creature calling his female partner wife and speaking of marriage made me think that maybe destroying unknown deep sea creatures wasn't so bad if they somehow managed to invent the exact same societal patterns as modern human structures and terms (or exact equivalents of them) all on their own. And kept them up for thousands of years without progressing. The idea of making the female creatures bigger and the males the ones who have to respect them also isn't groundbreaking or alien at all. Just another stupid sentient species of idiots determening social hierarchy by physical stregth despite their high cognitive abilities. That's patriarchal thinking right there. But all of that aside: This is all just so so boring and unimaginative!
I mean come on. There is an extremely intelligent ancient species of deep sea creatures with long life spans and and awareness of human society and the author doesn't bother to give them any other culture/thoughts/societal structures than those of your average married human guy being bothered by his pesky neigbours?? Again: comical, perfect for a childrens book to teach the kids about modern conservative heteronormativity: deep sea creature edition. But I am taking a guess that maybe that wasn't exactly the plan here. The possibilities of this idea are endless and all of them were ignored. I can't say this enough: It's so, so boring and uninspiring.
The hostile attitude towards the only woman in an otherwise completely male work environment is sadly quite realistic. I've read other reviews who said that this was over the top but let me tell you, it's even more harmless than some of the shit women have to endure in male dominated fields. Some are lucky and don't have to experience this, some become "the cool girl" and help to uphold the misogynistic bullshit to protect themselves and most just drop out of that work field because it's just not worth it being dehumanized every day. Which in turn leads to men screaming that "women just aren't cut out to work X job, see!!". Still, I don't see how so many books just HAVE to include abuse and rape when the main character is a woman. All of this was realistic I guess but didn't make the book more enjoyable or interesting. I can read stories with these themes but only if there is literally anything else going on that makes the read enjoyable.
After the last few books I've read this year the main female character in this one came off as incredibly boring and not fleshed out. The male characters were all forgettable but maybe that's a me-issue because I've read too many books full of interesting women the past years.
And oh I hate pop culture references so so much. When I get them, they feel cheap. When I do not get them, they feel random and cheap. It's like a cheeky little annoying wink from the author "oh you nerds will love this Marvel reference tehe". No I do not.
All in all I hope this book makes someone else happy because I'll put it into one of those phone booth libraries.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews