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Animosity
Animosity is the story of Andrew Holland, a bestselling horror writer whose life begins to mirror the fictional nightmares of his novels after he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Andy’s wife recently left him for another man. To keep from getting too depressed about that, Andy has thrown himself into his writing more vigorously than ever, when he’s not spending as much time with his daughter, Samantha, as joint custody allows. His neighbors seem proud to know him (although none of them would admit to reading “that kind of stuff”). The author is the closest thing to a celebrity most of Poinsettia Lane’s residents will ever meet. Everything changes, however, the day Andy discovers the body of a murdered child just several hundred yards from his front door.Almost instantly, his neighbors start to turn on him. Though the authorities clear him of any wrongdoing, as weeks pass with no arrest the local media insinuates connections between the gruesome subject matter of Andy's novels and his tragic discovery. His neighbors’ derision is subtle at first – a nasty look, a friendly wave that is not reciprocated. Ben Souther, with whom Andy once enjoyed cold beers and baseball banter on warm summer nights, offers the writer advice which now hints of something more unsettling than the sly wisdom normally found in his “Let us not make imaginary evils when we have so many real ones to encounter”.His neighbors soon take their disdain to a frightening new level. His phone rings, and when he answers muffled voices curse him, spitting vile accusations. They vandalize his home, trash his vehicle. And just when he thinks things can’t possibly get any worse, another child’s body is found.Andy is no longer sure if he will survive this ordeal with his sanity intact…assuming he does survive.Animosity is a disturbing look into how otherwise good people can allow themselves to be misled by gossip, rumors, and a mob mentality. It is a retelling of the “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street” for the modern age, a morality-play-meets-horror-story in which the monsters wear all-too-familiar faces. Rather than bloodthirsty vampires or brain-eating zombies beating at the door, they are our own friends, our families, our peers…and what in any horror writer’s twisted imagination could be more terrifying? “James Newman’s Animosity courses a chilling descent into madness that’s downright Hitchcockian in the way the suspense slowly strangles the reader, tightening its grip to unbearable levels. And yet Newman brings as much humanity to this startling tale as he does horror. The result is a well-crafted, disturbing, and often heartbreaking foray into the dark netherworlds of the human experience that burrows under your skin, nests there, and continues to feed on you long after you’ve turned out the lights.” - Greg F. Gifune The Bleeding Season; Saying Uncle; Children of Chaos “Combining the simplistic yet adept style of Jack Ketchum, the tongue-in-cheek wit of Richard Laymon, and a smoothly natural delivery, James Newman delivers one of the most energizing reads of the year in Animosity. Newman’s newest skillfully blends the finer elements of suspense, horror, and mystery . . . you won’t be able to put it down!” - Michael Laimo Dead Souls; The Demonologist “This is how good fiction – horror, suspense, or otherwise – should be. Mind-searing, gut-twisting, no brakes applied. Animosity leaves no doubt that Newman is truly a literary force to be reckoned with!”- Ronald Kelly Fear; Hell Hollow; Undertaker’s Moon“Animosity is a cautionary tale that echoes the work of Bentley Little and George Orwell, and has all the elements great horror fiction should have – unstoppable suspense and plot twists that will keep you turning the pages. A spectacular novel that aims for the jugular! I loved it!”- J.F. Gonzalez Survivor; Clickers; The Beloved
194 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
December 12, 2014
I don't even know what to say. I'm moved, I'm pissed off, and I'm shaken. This was a powerful tale.
A brutal story made even more so by the fact that it could (mostly) happen. A child's dead body is discovered by a horror author. From then on, his life will never be the same.
There are many levels here, from a fearless look at mob mentality to a scathing commentary on the sad state of our media. All combining into a monumental explosion of a denouement. The only issue I had was that the story went just a little over the top, as far as being realistic, but by that time, I was too caught up in the drama to care.
Be prepared for a rough ride because Mr. Newman knows all of our buttons, and he pushes every single one of them. Can you handle this kind of Animosity? Come on, I dare you.
My highest recommendation!
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review and this is it.
A brutal story made even more so by the fact that it could (mostly) happen. A child's dead body is discovered by a horror author. From then on, his life will never be the same.
There are many levels here, from a fearless look at mob mentality to a scathing commentary on the sad state of our media. All combining into a monumental explosion of a denouement. The only issue I had was that the story went just a little over the top, as far as being realistic, but by that time, I was too caught up in the drama to care.
Be prepared for a rough ride because Mr. Newman knows all of our buttons, and he pushes every single one of them. Can you handle this kind of Animosity? Come on, I dare you.
My highest recommendation!
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review and this is it.
March 17, 2014
Judge not.
This is one of the most powerful horror novels I have read in my life. Because it can happen. It is happening. And there is no end in sight.
In a world where public opinion, born of baser impulses, rules. Internet judgement. Trial by Facebook. Where a rumor, a flat out lie, can take on a life of it's own, usually from the broken body of the truth, left to rot, forgotten in the mad rush to judgement, which builds from a trickle to a torrent without thought. Fueled by an irresponsible media, for whom shock value means more than fact, the mob builds, as whispers become a roar. And only blood will appease the mindless beast once unleashed. Innocent blood.
Newman offers up the ultimate morality tale, a sleek, powerful monster of a story, that puts the reader in the shoes of Andrew Holland, an innocent victim of that mindless spawn of public opinion gone rabid.....mob justice, cranking up the suspense to a fever pitch as Holland's life becomes a living Hell, pushing him to the limits of his endurance and sanity, to the breaking point where his humanity takes a backseat, and the beast within is unchained, as survival instincts take over.
The author's writing is as tight as a hangman's noose, the pacing and tension as taut as the rope.
It's so timely, it's timeless.
Raw, visceral and so very, very real.
Highest possible recommendation.
This is one of the most powerful horror novels I have read in my life. Because it can happen. It is happening. And there is no end in sight.
In a world where public opinion, born of baser impulses, rules. Internet judgement. Trial by Facebook. Where a rumor, a flat out lie, can take on a life of it's own, usually from the broken body of the truth, left to rot, forgotten in the mad rush to judgement, which builds from a trickle to a torrent without thought. Fueled by an irresponsible media, for whom shock value means more than fact, the mob builds, as whispers become a roar. And only blood will appease the mindless beast once unleashed. Innocent blood.
Newman offers up the ultimate morality tale, a sleek, powerful monster of a story, that puts the reader in the shoes of Andrew Holland, an innocent victim of that mindless spawn of public opinion gone rabid.....mob justice, cranking up the suspense to a fever pitch as Holland's life becomes a living Hell, pushing him to the limits of his endurance and sanity, to the breaking point where his humanity takes a backseat, and the beast within is unchained, as survival instincts take over.
The author's writing is as tight as a hangman's noose, the pacing and tension as taut as the rope.
It's so timely, it's timeless.
Raw, visceral and so very, very real.
Highest possible recommendation.
June 12, 2015
Animosity is one of those books that no matter your preferred genre, should definitely be read. An incredibly powerful story that will leave a lasting impression. James Newman proves he is a master storyteller with a tale that builds the tension in a slow, measured fashion, bordering on torture until an almost surreal explosion of hatred brings an incredulous finale.
There’s no fantastical elements, no ghosts or horror as such, just a gritty tale of realism, that you could envisage actually happening, that explores the depths and the evil that seemingly normal people, friends even, can reach when confronted with horrific events and an ideal target.
Andrew Holland is a bestselling author of horror novels, an occupation that never really sat well with his neighbours but he was the streets celebrity and treated as such. While out walking his dog he discovers the body of a child and is shaken to his very core. Not considered a suspect, at least by the Police anyway, his life is put under the proverbial microscope by the press, his every mistake laid bare and as his neighbours turn against him, his comfortable life is about to become anything but.
I have experienced real horror. I have known true evil. Its name is human nature.'
Anger, hatred, fury, outrage, resentment, all these feelings fester in the minds of his friends and neighbours, until things start to happen, little things at first but when it starts, there’s no going back.
'The only rigidity lies in our will, our conviction that we are on the right road and that our initiatives are most pressing.'
This is normality gone crazy and its way more frightening and thought provoking than the majority of horror out there at the moment, the animosity hidden behind a wry smile, a barbed comment, something you can easily dismiss until it takes the next step.
Also posted at http://www.screamhorrormag.com/animos...
and http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
There’s no fantastical elements, no ghosts or horror as such, just a gritty tale of realism, that you could envisage actually happening, that explores the depths and the evil that seemingly normal people, friends even, can reach when confronted with horrific events and an ideal target.
Andrew Holland is a bestselling author of horror novels, an occupation that never really sat well with his neighbours but he was the streets celebrity and treated as such. While out walking his dog he discovers the body of a child and is shaken to his very core. Not considered a suspect, at least by the Police anyway, his life is put under the proverbial microscope by the press, his every mistake laid bare and as his neighbours turn against him, his comfortable life is about to become anything but.
I have experienced real horror. I have known true evil. Its name is human nature.'
Anger, hatred, fury, outrage, resentment, all these feelings fester in the minds of his friends and neighbours, until things start to happen, little things at first but when it starts, there’s no going back.
'The only rigidity lies in our will, our conviction that we are on the right road and that our initiatives are most pressing.'
This is normality gone crazy and its way more frightening and thought provoking than the majority of horror out there at the moment, the animosity hidden behind a wry smile, a barbed comment, something you can easily dismiss until it takes the next step.
Also posted at http://www.screamhorrormag.com/animos...
and http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
May 31, 2014
This suspense novel is damned near perfect. The only things keeping me from proclaiming this the best thriller I've ever read are some decisions two characters make in the second half of the novel that I didn't quite find believable. Other people might read the whole book and have no idea what I'm talking about, and that would be great. That would mean that they loved this thing even more than I did.
This book does everything a suspense novel should do:
- It kept me up late
- It prevented me from doing far more important things
- It made me feel physically tense most of the time I was reading it
- It caused me to hold my breath at several junctures
- It kept me flipping pages like mad to see what happens next
- It forced me to consume the story in just a few huge gulps
A damn fine read!
This book does everything a suspense novel should do:
- It kept me up late
- It prevented me from doing far more important things
- It made me feel physically tense most of the time I was reading it
- It caused me to hold my breath at several junctures
- It kept me flipping pages like mad to see what happens next
- It forced me to consume the story in just a few huge gulps
A damn fine read!
January 12, 2016
*3.5 Stars*
This is the type of story that I'm a sucker for: the focus on the dark-side of human nature and how society naturally can turn on itself and become something terrifying. Here, we follow a commercially successful horror writer that stumbles onto the corpse of a raped and murdered little girl, and the way that the media and gossip causes his small town to turn against him.
Much of your enjoyment of this novel might hinge on how well you think the transition into the mob mentality works. And it didn't work for me as much as I'd hoped. And no, I'm not naive. It's not that I don't believe that people and the nature of society are capable of such depravity (because they are), it's just that I was never able to truly buy into the fact that these particular people would react so quickly in this way, in this particular situation. I wish that the book was longer and spent a little more time building the case against Andy, or more time on building the town gossip's snowball effect. And this is coming from a guy who wishes that all books could be novella length. But if more time was spent involving the child victim's family for example, if we felt their involvement more in community and the story, if their agony and desperate suspicions helped to fuel the town's anger, and the cycle that would come from that, that would have helped. I'm sure that's part of what caused the town to react in the way they did, I just wish we got more of a sense of it in the book. If there was a little more of a build-up, I might have bought more into the idea of a bunch of over-the-hill housewives brandishing garden shears and ganging up for a public lynching, or a soft-spoken pregnant woman reduced to attempting to claw out the eyes of an 11-year-old girl. I know the speed of the transition to brutality is the whole point and I understood it intellectually but it just never really rang as genuine to me. I also could've done without the whole summary of the novel's themes in the epilogue, as if I needed it all spelled out for me...
But it seems like I'm the only one who thinks this. The book has mostly 5-star reviews here on Goodreads, which means Richard is an almost one-man minority with this less than great review, so don't let this stop you from reading it. I still enjoyed it; it's still a tense, suspenseful read, and the furthest thing from boring. Superficially, the novel still really works as a great thriller. It's definitely worth a read and seems like it would be a great conversation starter. Many might wonder why this novel is considered horror. There are no ghouls, goblins, ghosts, vampires, demons, or werewolves. But what this book is about is something way more horrifying. It's about the the possibilities of violence that human nature has in store for us all, and the fact that we all have potential of being the victims or the perpetrators. A scary thought.
This is the type of story that I'm a sucker for: the focus on the dark-side of human nature and how society naturally can turn on itself and become something terrifying. Here, we follow a commercially successful horror writer that stumbles onto the corpse of a raped and murdered little girl, and the way that the media and gossip causes his small town to turn against him.
Much of your enjoyment of this novel might hinge on how well you think the transition into the mob mentality works. And it didn't work for me as much as I'd hoped. And no, I'm not naive. It's not that I don't believe that people and the nature of society are capable of such depravity (because they are), it's just that I was never able to truly buy into the fact that these particular people would react so quickly in this way, in this particular situation. I wish that the book was longer and spent a little more time building the case against Andy, or more time on building the town gossip's snowball effect. And this is coming from a guy who wishes that all books could be novella length. But if more time was spent involving the child victim's family for example, if we felt their involvement more in community and the story, if their agony and desperate suspicions helped to fuel the town's anger, and the cycle that would come from that, that would have helped. I'm sure that's part of what caused the town to react in the way they did, I just wish we got more of a sense of it in the book. If there was a little more of a build-up, I might have bought more into the idea of a bunch of over-the-hill housewives brandishing garden shears and ganging up for a public lynching, or a soft-spoken pregnant woman reduced to attempting to claw out the eyes of an 11-year-old girl. I know the speed of the transition to brutality is the whole point and I understood it intellectually but it just never really rang as genuine to me. I also could've done without the whole summary of the novel's themes in the epilogue, as if I needed it all spelled out for me...
But it seems like I'm the only one who thinks this. The book has mostly 5-star reviews here on Goodreads, which means Richard is an almost one-man minority with this less than great review, so don't let this stop you from reading it. I still enjoyed it; it's still a tense, suspenseful read, and the furthest thing from boring. Superficially, the novel still really works as a great thriller. It's definitely worth a read and seems like it would be a great conversation starter. Many might wonder why this novel is considered horror. There are no ghouls, goblins, ghosts, vampires, demons, or werewolves. But what this book is about is something way more horrifying. It's about the the possibilities of violence that human nature has in store for us all, and the fact that we all have potential of being the victims or the perpetrators. A scary thought.
May 3, 2015
5 stars
Wow, this was one powerful read! I really enjoyed this fast paced horror thriller by new to me author James Newman and I'll definitely be checking out more of his books.
December 26, 2015
Wow! This was a surprisingly impressive read. I finished it this morning, and I'm still feeling on edge about the whole experience. I think my mind believes it experienced the ordeal for real.
This is a fast paced suspense horror thriller. It had me feeling slightly uneasy, very paranoid, afraid, panicky, stressed, in tears (the poisoning part, oh no, so sad), angry, and having to read as fast as I possibly could to find out what happens next.
This is a very believable and somewhat unnerving reminder of the darkest side of human nature.
"I have experienced real horror.
I have known true evil.
Its name is human nature."
I liked the little mention of Clive Barker, as he's my favourite author.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys suspense, thrillers, horror or crime novels.
My best advice to anyone planning to read this, is read it when you have a few hours to put aside. Unfortunately I started reading this while very busy, so could only read a bit at a time at first. This book is VERY hard to put down. So hard to put down that I read the whole second half this morning, and ended up getting out of bed about 2 hours later than normal, which meant I had to frantically catch up on the work I should have been doing while I was in fact reading, tut, tut.
This is a fast paced suspense horror thriller. It had me feeling slightly uneasy, very paranoid, afraid, panicky, stressed, in tears (the poisoning part, oh no, so sad), angry, and having to read as fast as I possibly could to find out what happens next.
This is a very believable and somewhat unnerving reminder of the darkest side of human nature.
"I have experienced real horror.
I have known true evil.
Its name is human nature."
I liked the little mention of Clive Barker, as he's my favourite author.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys suspense, thrillers, horror or crime novels.
My best advice to anyone planning to read this, is read it when you have a few hours to put aside. Unfortunately I started reading this while very busy, so could only read a bit at a time at first. This book is VERY hard to put down. So hard to put down that I read the whole second half this morning, and ended up getting out of bed about 2 hours later than normal, which meant I had to frantically catch up on the work I should have been doing while I was in fact reading, tut, tut.
February 25, 2019
Wow, that was intense. While reading this I kept thinking of what I have read about the Salem Witch Trials and the hysteria that overtook people and communities in the 1690s. Are we the same people as back then just with better technology? I'm sure the neighbor from next door in this book would have some sort of quote that fits somewhere in there, but I digress. This was another fantastically entertaining book from James Newman and I love his writing style because he goes into the places other authors only go up to the door of and knock before backing away. Graphic AF but with feelings and personality and not just a high body count and gore. After reading Ugly As Sin, which I loved as well, I realized I had other books by him on my Kindle that I had bought years ago but never got around to, which made me happy. Hooray for past Chris's buying habits. This book has a little bit more to say about society than Ugly As Sin, especially about friendships and the media, but does not get heavy handed at all or lapse into long-winded, preachy monologues. Overall a very fun and fast paced read with a bunch of "Damnnnnn, he went there" moments.
December 10, 2014
Well, where do I start?
Animosity is my first read from James Newman, and as a caveat I must point out that I was the lucky recipient of a free copy the author offered in exchange for a fair and honest review.
No problem! I loved it! Hands down, this is the best book I have read this year, and I read a lot. Pretty much constantly if I can manage it.
I have read other reader's reviews and I don't see the need to get all redundant and waste words rehashing what everyone is saying already.
What I will say is that if you want a gut-wrenching, mind-bending, fast paced-in your face dose of what could happen when gossip and slander get out of control and infectious, look no further. James Newman has his finger on the pulse of "real" horror, and he's jabbing it over and over in this book.
The story is about Andrew Holland, best-selling horror author and recently divorced father, who lives on Poinsettia lane, a street like any other in Anywhere USA. When Andy takes his best friend Norman (so named as an homage to Norman Bates) for, a walk and discovers the horribly defiled body of a young girl, it doesn't take long until his neighbors are jacking their jaws and stirring up unsubstantiated rumors that throw a shadow of suspicion upon the unwitting protagonist. Andrew Holland is a well crafted character, and Newman does a great job crafting him as a likeable everyman who just happens to be a famous author before literally throwing him to the wolves, ripping the fabric of his existence away and forcing him into the role of guilty until proven innocent.
As it races towards one of the most insane denouements of any book I have read, things get real heavy and the realistic aspect of the story veers into suspension of disbelief, but it does make perfect sense. I, like so many others, was completely enthralled and ready to believe anything that happened, and welcomed this shift without missing a beat. I read this book in one day, and am eager to delve into more works by the author as soon as possible.
This book takes an unflinching look at the darkest corners of the American dream and dares to reveal them as the nightmares lurking and ready to shatter the illusion of innocence and peace of suburbia at the slightest provocation. Truly a must read. Highly recommended!
Animosity is my first read from James Newman, and as a caveat I must point out that I was the lucky recipient of a free copy the author offered in exchange for a fair and honest review.
No problem! I loved it! Hands down, this is the best book I have read this year, and I read a lot. Pretty much constantly if I can manage it.
I have read other reader's reviews and I don't see the need to get all redundant and waste words rehashing what everyone is saying already.
What I will say is that if you want a gut-wrenching, mind-bending, fast paced-in your face dose of what could happen when gossip and slander get out of control and infectious, look no further. James Newman has his finger on the pulse of "real" horror, and he's jabbing it over and over in this book.
The story is about Andrew Holland, best-selling horror author and recently divorced father, who lives on Poinsettia lane, a street like any other in Anywhere USA. When Andy takes his best friend Norman (so named as an homage to Norman Bates) for, a walk and discovers the horribly defiled body of a young girl, it doesn't take long until his neighbors are jacking their jaws and stirring up unsubstantiated rumors that throw a shadow of suspicion upon the unwitting protagonist. Andrew Holland is a well crafted character, and Newman does a great job crafting him as a likeable everyman who just happens to be a famous author before literally throwing him to the wolves, ripping the fabric of his existence away and forcing him into the role of guilty until proven innocent.
As it races towards one of the most insane denouements of any book I have read, things get real heavy and the realistic aspect of the story veers into suspension of disbelief, but it does make perfect sense. I, like so many others, was completely enthralled and ready to believe anything that happened, and welcomed this shift without missing a beat. I read this book in one day, and am eager to delve into more works by the author as soon as possible.
This book takes an unflinching look at the darkest corners of the American dream and dares to reveal them as the nightmares lurking and ready to shatter the illusion of innocence and peace of suburbia at the slightest provocation. Truly a must read. Highly recommended!
June 17, 2014
This is a literary anxiety attack that will leave you popping Xanax like it's candy. I was legitimately frightened by this one and that doesn't happen often. The final 25% made my muscles sore because I was so tensed up while reading. I may need to adjust my top 5 books of all time. It is definitely one of the most important horror novels I ever read.
This needs a wider audience and an eventual film deal. Somebody should get on that.
This needs a wider audience and an eventual film deal. Somebody should get on that.
June 10, 2016
3.5
A moving example of how the media can propagate the facts of an event, thereby inciting the public to act in ways that will bring even more drama for their market.
This poor guy is stereotyped for being a Horror writer. when asked why I write Horror, I like to answer that I prefer writing about something that is true as opposed to something that presents false impressions, such as Romance... or politics!
October 10, 2011
Whenever I review a piece of work I try very hard to find a balance between the good and bad. While my reviews generally focus more on the positive aspects of a novel, out of fairness to the author, I always try to highlight any flaws I see. ANIMOSITY, by James Newman, however, is one of those rare novels that left me with absolutely nothing negative to say about it, and as such was one of my best reads of 2011 so far.
What is really unique about ANIMOSITY is how much tension it manages to create from such a modest premise. There’s no end of the world, science fiction infused, epicness here, just a man and his dog living in a modest house in a modest neighbourhood. It’s something we can all identify easily with, which is why the tension builds so naturally throughout the pages when the story’s conflict presents itself.
The main character is a horror author named Andrew Holland. Estranged from his wife and struggling to maintain a relationship with his young daughter, Andrew’s life is thrown upside down when he discovers the recently murdered body of a preteen girl on one of his daily walks. Doing the right thing, he calls the police immediately and gives a statement. They believe him of course; why wouldn’t they? But speculation from the local press leads to his ‘friendly’ neighbours being a little less trusting of him. What begins as a subtle hate-campaign against the innocent author soon escalates into a hell far worse than anything he could ever hope to describe in one of his horror novels. When a second murder is committed, Andrew begins to fear for his life.
What makes this novel a masterpiece (yes, I said it) is the subtlety. Things progress in such a finely detailed manner that you can’t help but be sucked into the daily life of Andrew Holland and experience the horrors that he goes through as though it were happening to you. The human nature we witness within the pages of ANIMOSITY is enough to make you feel sickened by the world, because it’s true. We can absolutely believe that the story here could quite easily happen in real life, and that’s what makes this book so frightening.
If I really dig deep to find a criticism it would be that there is not enough payoff at the end. Certain people in the story deserved to be punished so bad that I was left unfulfilled when I was left to assume their fates. Part of me wanted it in black and white so I could have closure on the nightmare I had just experienced. I think an extra few paragraphs at the end of the book could have achieved this. That’s me just being picky though.
This is the first time I have encountered James Newman, but it definitely won’t be the last. He can officially count me as a ‘fan’, and after reading ANIMOSITY you will most likely be a fan too.
What is really unique about ANIMOSITY is how much tension it manages to create from such a modest premise. There’s no end of the world, science fiction infused, epicness here, just a man and his dog living in a modest house in a modest neighbourhood. It’s something we can all identify easily with, which is why the tension builds so naturally throughout the pages when the story’s conflict presents itself.
The main character is a horror author named Andrew Holland. Estranged from his wife and struggling to maintain a relationship with his young daughter, Andrew’s life is thrown upside down when he discovers the recently murdered body of a preteen girl on one of his daily walks. Doing the right thing, he calls the police immediately and gives a statement. They believe him of course; why wouldn’t they? But speculation from the local press leads to his ‘friendly’ neighbours being a little less trusting of him. What begins as a subtle hate-campaign against the innocent author soon escalates into a hell far worse than anything he could ever hope to describe in one of his horror novels. When a second murder is committed, Andrew begins to fear for his life.
What makes this novel a masterpiece (yes, I said it) is the subtlety. Things progress in such a finely detailed manner that you can’t help but be sucked into the daily life of Andrew Holland and experience the horrors that he goes through as though it were happening to you. The human nature we witness within the pages of ANIMOSITY is enough to make you feel sickened by the world, because it’s true. We can absolutely believe that the story here could quite easily happen in real life, and that’s what makes this book so frightening.
If I really dig deep to find a criticism it would be that there is not enough payoff at the end. Certain people in the story deserved to be punished so bad that I was left unfulfilled when I was left to assume their fates. Part of me wanted it in black and white so I could have closure on the nightmare I had just experienced. I think an extra few paragraphs at the end of the book could have achieved this. That’s me just being picky though.
This is the first time I have encountered James Newman, but it definitely won’t be the last. He can officially count me as a ‘fan’, and after reading ANIMOSITY you will most likely be a fan too.
July 22, 2014
Absolutely, unquestionably, one of the best books I have ever come across! James Newman throws out all the emotions you would expect to encounter in a horror novel--and then takes it up several notches! What makes ANIMOSITY stand out so far among the other books out there, is that this is a story of something that COULD happen. It explores some of the evil in our world today, when Andy (a horror novelist) finds the recently raped and murdered body of a little girl in an empty lot on his street.
From that point on, the novel takes an even more sinister turn towards the evil inside of EVERY person--even people you think you know. As the suspicions of his neighbors begin focusing on Andy, every word I read became a jaw-dropping revelation. The things that humans are capable of when the "mob mentality" takes over and consumes them is far worse than any single, horrifying act.
This story literally chilled me from first page to last--leaving in its wake a haunting, unsettling "edginess", and fear that I still haven't quite managed to shake. This story will plague you mentally; for you see, it is a story that COULD actually happen to someone.
How well do you think you know your neighbors?
Highest possible recommendation!
From that point on, the novel takes an even more sinister turn towards the evil inside of EVERY person--even people you think you know. As the suspicions of his neighbors begin focusing on Andy, every word I read became a jaw-dropping revelation. The things that humans are capable of when the "mob mentality" takes over and consumes them is far worse than any single, horrifying act.
This story literally chilled me from first page to last--leaving in its wake a haunting, unsettling "edginess", and fear that I still haven't quite managed to shake. This story will plague you mentally; for you see, it is a story that COULD actually happen to someone.
How well do you think you know your neighbors?
Highest possible recommendation!
September 7, 2016
My expectations were so high coming into this one, I was almost afraid to read it. I’m glad I did, and I wasn’t disappointed. There is a palpable sense of dread and building tension, in Animosity, that grabs you around the throat until it is hard to breathe.
Andy writes horror, and now, he gets to live one.
Andy has neighbors, and now, he gets to kill some.
An idyllic town goes sideways, after the death of a young girl, in a frenzy of mob mentality “fueled by their idiotic prejudices and misguided perceptions” they target the local horror writer and peg him for the crimes.
As his neighbors turn against him, Andy must find a way to survive the growing unease and violence on his once peaceful little street.
A solid 4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 based on the strength and ease of the writing. Another winner from James Newman. Highly Recommended.
Andy writes horror, and now, he gets to live one.
Andy has neighbors, and now, he gets to kill some.
An idyllic town goes sideways, after the death of a young girl, in a frenzy of mob mentality “fueled by their idiotic prejudices and misguided perceptions” they target the local horror writer and peg him for the crimes.
As his neighbors turn against him, Andy must find a way to survive the growing unease and violence on his once peaceful little street.
A solid 4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 based on the strength and ease of the writing. Another winner from James Newman. Highly Recommended.
October 21, 2015
A solid 3.5 stars.
Bestselling horror writer Andy Holland is walking his dog one morning when he comes upon the corpse of a 7yr old girl.
With a statutory rape conviction in his past,the police and his neighbors begin to question his innocence,and the subject matter of his books.
Well written,creepy and well within the realm of possibilities.
Bestselling horror writer Andy Holland is walking his dog one morning when he comes upon the corpse of a 7yr old girl.
With a statutory rape conviction in his past,the police and his neighbors begin to question his innocence,and the subject matter of his books.
Well written,creepy and well within the realm of possibilities.
January 28, 2022
A successful Horror writer comes across the body of a young girl while walking the dog and is suddenly thrown into a real horror scenario of his own as the police and community slowly turn against him. I loved the idea and it kept me reading, but I didn’t feel it captured the mood or built the tension as well as it might have. I felt detached throughout. Worth trying though!
June 13, 2016
Overall, I wasn't quite as "wowed" as most, but I did like it. The first half of the book steadily increased my anxiety level, for sure. By the end of the first half I was so pissed off at these neighbors that I was cursing them quietly while I was reading.
Side note: I've lived in my house for 16 years and my neighbors on both sides have changed a couple of times. One of them -a grown man with kids-I caught sneaking down my driveway with a bow and arrow, following my cat. I confronted him and my last words to him were "if anything EVER happens to my animals, I will make your life miserable! Do you understand me?!!" Now, does that make me the crazy unstable neighbor, or that guy? I was pissed and paranoid for awhile after that...
Back to the book...
I was following this creepy tale up until the "mob mentality" took over. As circumstances started feeling highly impossible I began to detach from the story. The anxiety dissipated and I just went through the motions to finish the book.
Yes, the writing itself was good, the premiss was intriguing, the characters had me until the second half. If you don't usually read horror, then this will probably knock your socks off. If you read pretty much anything that's horror, you'll probably also like this. If you're kind of selective about what horror you read, this one might disappoint.
The first half was a 4, the second half maybe 3. I'll commit to 3.5
Side note: I've lived in my house for 16 years and my neighbors on both sides have changed a couple of times. One of them -a grown man with kids-I caught sneaking down my driveway with a bow and arrow, following my cat. I confronted him and my last words to him were "if anything EVER happens to my animals, I will make your life miserable! Do you understand me?!!" Now, does that make me the crazy unstable neighbor, or that guy? I was pissed and paranoid for awhile after that...
Back to the book...
I was following this creepy tale up until the "mob mentality" took over. As circumstances started feeling highly impossible I began to detach from the story. The anxiety dissipated and I just went through the motions to finish the book.
Yes, the writing itself was good, the premiss was intriguing, the characters had me until the second half. If you don't usually read horror, then this will probably knock your socks off. If you read pretty much anything that's horror, you'll probably also like this. If you're kind of selective about what horror you read, this one might disappoint.
The first half was a 4, the second half maybe 3. I'll commit to 3.5
January 3, 2015
I heard so many good things about this one that by the time I got to read it certain expectations were in place and Animosity didn't disappoint. It starts off horrifyingly and ends the same way, last chapter being one of the most graphically disturbing things I've read recently including the news. And then the middle of the book tell the readers how a quaint suburban community turned into a Danteesque nightmare. There is no supernatural element here at all, unlike in so many horror books(including the ones penned by the story's protagonist), it's just human nature at its barefaced worst, which is what makes is so frightening to behold. When a local celebrity writer becomes a focus of his neighborhood's attention in light of a recent crime, rationality and any pretense at civility just fades away and manicured loans and white pickets fences reveal the real ugliness inside. Spurned on by ingroup biases, irrational smallminded fears, engulfed by mass hysteria...turns out the formerly friendly folksy and ever so pleasantly average folks are just s step removed from villagers with pitchforks and their idyllic quaint neighborhood is nothing but a front, pancake makeup hiding corpse's skin. All very much in line with my views on human kind and all made for an incredibly compelling unputdownable sort of read. I got through it in one setting, just over 3 hours. Went by quick. Newman's writing isn't amazing in itself, but it's consistently solid and he creates a great dynamic with his pacing, making for a very immersive narrative. Great book, genuinely unsettling, definitely verifies a certain Sartre's quote, might make one rethink their stance on humanity or at least their living situation. But that's what books are suppose to do, aren't they. Entertain, while making think. Highly recommended.
December 2, 2015
I first discovered James Newman briefly in his excellent werewolf short story, The Virgin O' Full Moon Falls and I was looking forward to the much hyped Animosity. Let me tell ya, the hype was warranted. Newman delivered and then some.
Andy is a successful horor author. He's a beloved figure on his cul de sac getting along well with his neighbors. His books are featured down at the local convenience store. Although Andy is trying to get over a painful divorce where his wife ran off with the guy that she cheated on him with, life seems to be ok. Then one day, while taking his dog for a walk, Andy discovers the body of little girl who has been raped and murdered. Next thing you know, the neighbors, fueled by the yellow journalism of the local media, begin doubting Andy's integrity. Paranoia ensues to the 10th power and Andy is at the mercy of the media and his crazed neighbors that want to smell blood in the water.
Animosity is a wonderful parody of yellow journalism run amok and how many of American's drink the media's Kool Aid without engaging their brains. You will cringe and shudder while reading Animosity. Newman does a wonderful job painting a scenario out of control and you won't be able to put it down. Excellent read.
5 neighbors foaming at the mouth out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2J1...
Andy is a successful horor author. He's a beloved figure on his cul de sac getting along well with his neighbors. His books are featured down at the local convenience store. Although Andy is trying to get over a painful divorce where his wife ran off with the guy that she cheated on him with, life seems to be ok. Then one day, while taking his dog for a walk, Andy discovers the body of little girl who has been raped and murdered. Next thing you know, the neighbors, fueled by the yellow journalism of the local media, begin doubting Andy's integrity. Paranoia ensues to the 10th power and Andy is at the mercy of the media and his crazed neighbors that want to smell blood in the water.
Animosity is a wonderful parody of yellow journalism run amok and how many of American's drink the media's Kool Aid without engaging their brains. You will cringe and shudder while reading Animosity. Newman does a wonderful job painting a scenario out of control and you won't be able to put it down. Excellent read.
5 neighbors foaming at the mouth out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2J1...
February 19, 2020
This book sums up perfectly how the majority of the public take everything the media tells them as gospel and how easy we can be sucked into a vortex of an adrenaline rush mob mental state.
But it makes one ponder are writers of horror more likely to do evil things?
Are they living out their fantasies through their books?
And what does that say for us readers of horror? Are we more likely to turn a peaceful protest into something ugly or join a hate group? I think not.
What made this story so good for me is that it was so realistic. Yes, it could truly happen (give or take a few parts). I was able to get to know Andy on a personal/emotional level which made the book scarier as I felt so invested in his character. I was scared for Andy. And Norman, Oh Norman how I loved him as if he were my own. Any dog lover will fall in love with Norman from the very beginning. Animals plus horror equals tears!
5 STARS!
But it makes one ponder are writers of horror more likely to do evil things?
Are they living out their fantasies through their books?
And what does that say for us readers of horror? Are we more likely to turn a peaceful protest into something ugly or join a hate group? I think not.
What made this story so good for me is that it was so realistic. Yes, it could truly happen (give or take a few parts). I was able to get to know Andy on a personal/emotional level which made the book scarier as I felt so invested in his character. I was scared for Andy. And Norman, Oh Norman how I loved him as if he were my own. Any dog lover will fall in love with Norman from the very beginning. Animals plus horror equals tears!
5 STARS!
June 28, 2014
In the introduction to the Necessary Evil Press edition to "Animosity" Ray Garton speaks to events in his own life that parallel the events in this Masterfully written tale of lies, fear, and hatred toward an innocent writer of best selling horror novels.
Andy Holland the main character lives in a neighborhood just like our neighborhood. His neighbors are our just like our neighbors. He has a great dog and a beautiful daughter. Mr. Newman is convincingly able to show us how hatred and ugliness in the people we think we know, share a beer with and converse with every day is able cause violent ugly and and heart wrenching acts of vile animosity to ruin lives.
Be warned. This is not a heart warming read. This is a cautionary tale of how quickly the control we think we have can be lost.
All together an excellent read.
Andy Holland the main character lives in a neighborhood just like our neighborhood. His neighbors are our just like our neighbors. He has a great dog and a beautiful daughter. Mr. Newman is convincingly able to show us how hatred and ugliness in the people we think we know, share a beer with and converse with every day is able cause violent ugly and and heart wrenching acts of vile animosity to ruin lives.
Be warned. This is not a heart warming read. This is a cautionary tale of how quickly the control we think we have can be lost.
All together an excellent read.
February 21, 2016
In a tautly written, well-crafted thriller, James Newman presents a grim tale of suburban horror that begs the question: do we really know our neighbors, those folks we've said hello to almost every day, shared beers and weekend barbecues with, laughed and cried with?
Bestselling horror novelist, Andrew Holland, stumbles upon a horrific discovery one day while out walking his dog, and soon becomes trapped in a maelstrom of terror and madness.
Highly recommended!
Bestselling horror novelist, Andrew Holland, stumbles upon a horrific discovery one day while out walking his dog, and soon becomes trapped in a maelstrom of terror and madness.
Highly recommended!
January 10, 2024
Holy shit this was a intense read. This is one hell of a psychological thriller that is truly horrific and also it is able to paint a very vivid and very real look at the cruelty humans can inflict on one another especially when a group of people are unified in their belief no matter what. This book is truly horrific because what happens in this book can, has, and probably always will happen. I highly recommend this one
May 16, 2018
This book shows perfectly how the media can alter people perceptions, and how rumours can develop into something much more sinister. Apart from maybe a little too much mob mentality towards the end, this is believable and harrowing, and will anger you to your core.
Read
September 25, 2016What a dark, DARK novel. Human monsters, can it get more real?
July 5, 2014
Ten minutes ago I killed three of my neighbors...Four, if you count the baby. What a start! to a fantastic rollercoaster of a ride the leaves the reader breathless right to the last page. Andy Holland is a horror writer (and we love horror writers!) living single at home from his estranged wife Karen (who he found in an uncompromising position with her boss!) and daughter Samantha. Andy is carrying a lot of heartache there’s just him now, and his good old buddy his faithful dog Norman and one day whilst the faithful pair are out walking they make the horrific discovery of the naked body of a dead child and thereafter things are never the same...”Truth be told, I knew exactly what was bothering Norman. Ever since that fateful morning, I could tell my dog had not been the same. It wasn’t anything I could put a finger on, really, other than a slight tension in the retriever’s haunches, a cautious twitch of his ears every few minutes. Yet I knew he sensed the wrongness that had festered within our neighbourhood these last few days. An ominous feeling lingered on every breeze, like the ozone scent of a storm looming just seconds away. The air around us crackled with a strange, electric quiet. Gone were the low, rattling drone of skateboard wheels atop asphalt and the ticking of playing cards in bicycle spokes and the carefree laughter of children which normally echoed up and down our block......”
This is a delicious story that starts of slow with the horror and the reality of Andy’s situation building to a bloody crescendo and in the end Andy discovers that the good life he thought he had was in reality a myth and those he hoped he could trust disappeared and turned against him. There were three great characters of note Ronnie “Round Man” Miller proprietor of the 7th Avenue Stop-N-Shop and two of Andy’s neighbours: Mona Purfield “an obese senior citizen who dyed her hair the brightest orange I have ever seen. When the sun hit it just right, her head looked like it was on fire. She always wore three or four times more make-up than necessary for a woman her age, dressed in flowery muumuus and neon pink flip-flops wherever she went, and spoke in the most nasally, obnoxious voice you can imagine” and Ben Souther who always had a handy quote whenever and wherever he needed it. “Everyone is a moon” Ben Souther said, “and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”
So will the killer be discovered?, will Andy ever have the good life again? And will he still be loved and revered by the good people of Poinsettia Lane? Dear readers you are in for a wonderful treat James Newman is one of the greatest living exponents of the the horror genre and this novel is truly brilliant...so read..and enjoy and be thankful for the support and love of good neighbours
This is a delicious story that starts of slow with the horror and the reality of Andy’s situation building to a bloody crescendo and in the end Andy discovers that the good life he thought he had was in reality a myth and those he hoped he could trust disappeared and turned against him. There were three great characters of note Ronnie “Round Man” Miller proprietor of the 7th Avenue Stop-N-Shop and two of Andy’s neighbours: Mona Purfield “an obese senior citizen who dyed her hair the brightest orange I have ever seen. When the sun hit it just right, her head looked like it was on fire. She always wore three or four times more make-up than necessary for a woman her age, dressed in flowery muumuus and neon pink flip-flops wherever she went, and spoke in the most nasally, obnoxious voice you can imagine” and Ben Souther who always had a handy quote whenever and wherever he needed it. “Everyone is a moon” Ben Souther said, “and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”
So will the killer be discovered?, will Andy ever have the good life again? And will he still be loved and revered by the good people of Poinsettia Lane? Dear readers you are in for a wonderful treat James Newman is one of the greatest living exponents of the the horror genre and this novel is truly brilliant...so read..and enjoy and be thankful for the support and love of good neighbours
November 12, 2017
I lucked out again and this awesome author sent me a free copy of this book for an honest review. This is my second book by Newman and while it was different than Odd Man Out, there were some things that were similar: crowd psychology and social norms, the monsters that live inside us, and just sheer fear and terror. I found that the more of this book I read, the faster I was turning the pages. It's almost as if my excitement, anxiety, and fear were all linked to the main character's as his story unfolded. People are just assholes. Conformity can lead to bad decisions. And you can find hope in the last place on earth you'd think to look. Another 5-star review from me for James Newman. I am officially a fan for life!
February 15, 2019
I've been an avid fan of James Newman for years and, although his first novel MIDNIGHT RAIN will always remain my favorite, this one packed a meaner punch... one that will stick with me for a long time.
Andrew Holland, the main character in ANIMOSITY, is a successful author of horror novels. As with other authors of "genre fiction", his success comes with a bit of eye-rolling and turned-up noses from a portion of the population who disapproves of such fare. They're the same folks who believed that Dungeons & Dragons was satanic or that playing a KISS album backwards will reveal a demonic ritual.
If you enjoy the horror genre, you know that people like that, though they exist, are on the fringe, and that most others see such an interest as something akin to an enthusiasm for roller coasters or a passion for mixed martial arts. It serves as an escape from the everyday doldrums of the modern world.
Andrew Holland, however, finds out that one unfortunate incident can trigger a cascade of hatred, vitriol, and ultimately, mass hysteria targeting the local horror author. Each page adds more tension until something must break... and, boy, does it ever.
By the end of this book, I actually hated some of the characters.
Andrew Holland, the main character in ANIMOSITY, is a successful author of horror novels. As with other authors of "genre fiction", his success comes with a bit of eye-rolling and turned-up noses from a portion of the population who disapproves of such fare. They're the same folks who believed that Dungeons & Dragons was satanic or that playing a KISS album backwards will reveal a demonic ritual.
If you enjoy the horror genre, you know that people like that, though they exist, are on the fringe, and that most others see such an interest as something akin to an enthusiasm for roller coasters or a passion for mixed martial arts. It serves as an escape from the everyday doldrums of the modern world.
Andrew Holland, however, finds out that one unfortunate incident can trigger a cascade of hatred, vitriol, and ultimately, mass hysteria targeting the local horror author. Each page adds more tension until something must break... and, boy, does it ever.
By the end of this book, I actually hated some of the characters.
July 19, 2014
Animosity by James Newman
Opened July 16, Closed July 18, 2014
Recommended by friends from Goodreads
Borrowed
As well as I remember I have only read one other book by James Newman and that was Midnight Rain. I must say of the two, Animosity was my favorite.
The story starts out at the end of the story, so that I was wondering what the heck happened for friends and neighbors to end up like this.
The plot moved along nicely. It was difficult to put this book down and continue with my activities of daily living. Such a good story and study of human nature.
I could say more, but I don't want to give any thing away. Read this book, you will enjoy it. I plan to read more by this author.
4 stars for amazon and Shelfari. 5 stars on Goodreads
Recommended
Opened July 16, Closed July 18, 2014
Recommended by friends from Goodreads
Borrowed
As well as I remember I have only read one other book by James Newman and that was Midnight Rain. I must say of the two, Animosity was my favorite.
The story starts out at the end of the story, so that I was wondering what the heck happened for friends and neighbors to end up like this.
The plot moved along nicely. It was difficult to put this book down and continue with my activities of daily living. Such a good story and study of human nature.
I could say more, but I don't want to give any thing away. Read this book, you will enjoy it. I plan to read more by this author.
4 stars for amazon and Shelfari. 5 stars on Goodreads
Recommended
January 11, 2018
Full Review
4.5 Stars
Animosity is a short but amazing novel. It tells the story of how an average person can be swept up in a witch-hunt in an exciting yet all too convincing way. I finished this book satisfied with the story, yet disappointed from being reminded of the depths people can sink to. This is a must-read for all horror fans.
4.5 Stars
Animosity is a short but amazing novel. It tells the story of how an average person can be swept up in a witch-hunt in an exciting yet all too convincing way. I finished this book satisfied with the story, yet disappointed from being reminded of the depths people can sink to. This is a must-read for all horror fans.
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