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The Book of Accidents
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2021)A family returns to their hometown—and to the dark past that haunts them still—in this masterpiece of literary horror by the New York Times bestselling author of Wanderers
Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father—and has never told his family what happened there.
Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom when she saw something she shouldn’t have—and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures.
Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of their hometown in rural Pennsylvania.
Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver.
And now what happened long ago is happening again . . . and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic.
This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family—and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another.
Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father—and has never told his family what happened there.
Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom when she saw something she shouldn’t have—and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures.
Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of their hometown in rural Pennsylvania.
Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver.
And now what happened long ago is happening again . . . and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic.
This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family—and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another.
17 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 20, 2021
2322 people are currently reading
85655 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Wendig
182 books7,244 followersChuck Wendig is a novelist, a screenwriter, and a freelance penmonkey.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.
Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.
He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.
Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.
He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,543 reviews
October 25, 2024
This is the best book written in the style of old-school Stephen King that isn’t actually by him—and it’s absolutely brilliant!
Oh my goodness! Finally, someone has brought back the addictive, engaging, unputdownable spirit of classic Stephen King. This book gave me those incredible Pet Sematary and Salem’s Lot vibes, with a dash of old-school Dean Koontz thrown in for good measure!
I’ve loved Chuck Wendig’s previous works, especially Wanderers, but this creepy, dark, paranormal, and complex story hooked me instantly. I’m thrilled it was long, but honestly, it still wasn’t long enough—I wanted to keep reading it for days.
The characterization, the tense atmosphere of the haunted mine, the house with a nasty ghost, and the gripping, high-tension storytelling turn you into a couch potato, hands glued to your e-reader. You’ll keep turning the pages, barely daring to breathe, jumping at every creak in your house. That’s the magic of this book!
As a fan of ominous, riveting horror/thrillers with quirky, relatable characters, this book felt like a match made in heaven for me—perfect for anyone who loves psychological horror.
The opening is epic! Serial killer Edmund Reese has been caught after killing four innocent young girls. He’s about to be executed in the electric chair, but as a man obsessed with numbers, he keeps muttering correlations and rechecking his calculations. It seems like he’s figured out a way to escape the chair, and sure enough, he vanishes into thin air. Where did he go?
In the present day, police officer Nate Graves learns from his father’s lawyer that his father, who has cancer, wants to sell him his childhood home for one dollar. Nate is furious—his father was an emotional and physical abuser who made his childhood a living hell.
When Nate tells his wife, Maddie, that he’s rejected the offer, their 15-year-old son overhears and intervenes. Their son, who is an empath, has recently experienced a humiliating incident at school due to his heightened sensitivity to others’ pain and fear. He’s desperate for a fresh start, and moving might be just what he needs.
Reluctantly, Nate agrees, and the family of three packs up and moves to the eerie house near Rambling Rock Park—the same area where Edmund Reese took his victims.
Almost immediately, strange things begin to happen. Nate starts seeing his father’s ghost chasing him through the woods, barefoot and in a dream-like state, reminiscent of Pet Sematary. Their horror-novelist neighbor, Jed, even feels like a nod to Pet Sematary’s Jud, with names that are suspiciously similar.
Maddie, too, is haunted by her past. As a child, she saw something terrifying while making dolls in her bedroom, and now, as an artist working on macabre sculptures, she experiences blackouts. When one of her sculptures—one that looks eerily like Edmund Reese—attacks her, things spiral out of control.
Then there’s Olly, who gets bullied on his way home and is saved by Jake, a mysterious young man living in a nearby trailer park. Their growing friendship worries Nate—Jake reminds him of someone, and his gut tells him something’s off. Nate couldn’t be more right.
I’ve already given away too much, so I’ll stop here. But I’m telling you, this book is so good! It took me back to my teenage years when I’d lock myself in my room after school, devouring Stephen King until dinner time. That same excitement filled me as I turned the pages of this book.
The conclusion was satisfying, and I enjoyed every aspect of this story. Five stars don’t feel like enough—I’d give it the entire galaxy if I could!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Del Rey for providing me with this incredible digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Oh my goodness! Finally, someone has brought back the addictive, engaging, unputdownable spirit of classic Stephen King. This book gave me those incredible Pet Sematary and Salem’s Lot vibes, with a dash of old-school Dean Koontz thrown in for good measure!
I’ve loved Chuck Wendig’s previous works, especially Wanderers, but this creepy, dark, paranormal, and complex story hooked me instantly. I’m thrilled it was long, but honestly, it still wasn’t long enough—I wanted to keep reading it for days.
The characterization, the tense atmosphere of the haunted mine, the house with a nasty ghost, and the gripping, high-tension storytelling turn you into a couch potato, hands glued to your e-reader. You’ll keep turning the pages, barely daring to breathe, jumping at every creak in your house. That’s the magic of this book!
As a fan of ominous, riveting horror/thrillers with quirky, relatable characters, this book felt like a match made in heaven for me—perfect for anyone who loves psychological horror.
The opening is epic! Serial killer Edmund Reese has been caught after killing four innocent young girls. He’s about to be executed in the electric chair, but as a man obsessed with numbers, he keeps muttering correlations and rechecking his calculations. It seems like he’s figured out a way to escape the chair, and sure enough, he vanishes into thin air. Where did he go?
In the present day, police officer Nate Graves learns from his father’s lawyer that his father, who has cancer, wants to sell him his childhood home for one dollar. Nate is furious—his father was an emotional and physical abuser who made his childhood a living hell.
When Nate tells his wife, Maddie, that he’s rejected the offer, their 15-year-old son overhears and intervenes. Their son, who is an empath, has recently experienced a humiliating incident at school due to his heightened sensitivity to others’ pain and fear. He’s desperate for a fresh start, and moving might be just what he needs.
Reluctantly, Nate agrees, and the family of three packs up and moves to the eerie house near Rambling Rock Park—the same area where Edmund Reese took his victims.
Almost immediately, strange things begin to happen. Nate starts seeing his father’s ghost chasing him through the woods, barefoot and in a dream-like state, reminiscent of Pet Sematary. Their horror-novelist neighbor, Jed, even feels like a nod to Pet Sematary’s Jud, with names that are suspiciously similar.
Maddie, too, is haunted by her past. As a child, she saw something terrifying while making dolls in her bedroom, and now, as an artist working on macabre sculptures, she experiences blackouts. When one of her sculptures—one that looks eerily like Edmund Reese—attacks her, things spiral out of control.
Then there’s Olly, who gets bullied on his way home and is saved by Jake, a mysterious young man living in a nearby trailer park. Their growing friendship worries Nate—Jake reminds him of someone, and his gut tells him something’s off. Nate couldn’t be more right.
I’ve already given away too much, so I’ll stop here. But I’m telling you, this book is so good! It took me back to my teenage years when I’d lock myself in my room after school, devouring Stephen King until dinner time. That same excitement filled me as I turned the pages of this book.
The conclusion was satisfying, and I enjoyed every aspect of this story. Five stars don’t feel like enough—I’d give it the entire galaxy if I could!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Del Rey for providing me with this incredible digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2023
"They were not girls. They were just things. Each a number. Each a purpose. Each a sacrifice."
I've read a lot of creepy books in my life, but never have I been stopped by TSA because of one. True story: when returning from our trip last week, TSA flagged my bag, and the only item they pulled out and searched was my paperback copy of The Book of Accidents. After vigorously flipping through each page-searching for who knows what-they deemed it safe enough to pass security and continue its journey with me. None of my other books were searched, so I'm going to just chalk it up to another deliciously eerie aspect of this story.
One of the things I love about Chuck Wendig's books is that they all have a different flavor; while his stories are distinctly in the realm of fantastical horror, no two are alike. It's a bold move for authors when they deviate from tried and true formulas, but when it works as it does here, the payout is glorious. The haunted house trope has gone through many different styles over the years, but never have I quite experienced the way it is incorporated into this book before. I absolutely adored the originality of The Book of Accidents, and Wendig has cemented his place on my list of favorite authors.
There is a lot going on in this book and I'm going to try and keep it as spoiler free as possible. The story mostly revolves around a family of three: Nate (father), Mads (mother), and Oliver (son). They are moving out to the boonies of Pennsylvania because Nate's horrendous, abusive father is dying and leaving the house to Nate's family for the low, low price of $1. Sounds like there's a catch, right? There is, and it doesn't take long for these three to start feeling the ramifications of it. Each of these three characters has their own POV to what's going on, and when the three separate threads start tying together, it creates a climax of epic proportions.
"Oliver didn't have any armor. He felt people's pain-literally, he could see it, feel it, like a dark star pulsating. Sometimes the pain was small and sharp, other times like a geyser of sickness fountaining out of a person. Their fear, their worry, their trauma. it shared it with him. And he couldn't turn it off."
I was rooting for all of our "good" characters (yes, even ), but Oliver truly touched a special piece of my heart that I'll continue to carry with me. Something about the generational ramifications of trauma and abuse and the statistics that we see portrayed across this novel completely broke my heart, yet I found it to heal after seeing the glimmer of hope offered by the end. Friends, this is a wild ride, and you may feel as if you're taking the crazy train off the tracks at times, but trust the process and ride it out to the end. There are many nuggets of wisdom applicable to life outside of this fantasy world, and maybe that's why this book felt so profound and memorable. If you can handle some gross out sequences and don't mind horror of Biblical proportions, please don't let this title slip by you in 2021. As always, I'm eagerly awaiting the author's next work, and cannot wait to see what direction he takes us in next.
Trigger Warnings include (but not limited to): Descriptive gore and violence, suicide, murder, substance abuse, domestic and child abuse (this is central to the plot and featured throughout the book), bullying, and an opening scene where a serial killer is sentenced to death via electric chair.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
I've read a lot of creepy books in my life, but never have I been stopped by TSA because of one. True story: when returning from our trip last week, TSA flagged my bag, and the only item they pulled out and searched was my paperback copy of The Book of Accidents. After vigorously flipping through each page-searching for who knows what-they deemed it safe enough to pass security and continue its journey with me. None of my other books were searched, so I'm going to just chalk it up to another deliciously eerie aspect of this story.
One of the things I love about Chuck Wendig's books is that they all have a different flavor; while his stories are distinctly in the realm of fantastical horror, no two are alike. It's a bold move for authors when they deviate from tried and true formulas, but when it works as it does here, the payout is glorious. The haunted house trope has gone through many different styles over the years, but never have I quite experienced the way it is incorporated into this book before. I absolutely adored the originality of The Book of Accidents, and Wendig has cemented his place on my list of favorite authors.
There is a lot going on in this book and I'm going to try and keep it as spoiler free as possible. The story mostly revolves around a family of three: Nate (father), Mads (mother), and Oliver (son). They are moving out to the boonies of Pennsylvania because Nate's horrendous, abusive father is dying and leaving the house to Nate's family for the low, low price of $1. Sounds like there's a catch, right? There is, and it doesn't take long for these three to start feeling the ramifications of it. Each of these three characters has their own POV to what's going on, and when the three separate threads start tying together, it creates a climax of epic proportions.
"Oliver didn't have any armor. He felt people's pain-literally, he could see it, feel it, like a dark star pulsating. Sometimes the pain was small and sharp, other times like a geyser of sickness fountaining out of a person. Their fear, their worry, their trauma. it shared it with him. And he couldn't turn it off."
I was rooting for all of our "good" characters (yes, even ), but Oliver truly touched a special piece of my heart that I'll continue to carry with me. Something about the generational ramifications of trauma and abuse and the statistics that we see portrayed across this novel completely broke my heart, yet I found it to heal after seeing the glimmer of hope offered by the end. Friends, this is a wild ride, and you may feel as if you're taking the crazy train off the tracks at times, but trust the process and ride it out to the end. There are many nuggets of wisdom applicable to life outside of this fantasy world, and maybe that's why this book felt so profound and memorable. If you can handle some gross out sequences and don't mind horror of Biblical proportions, please don't let this title slip by you in 2021. As always, I'm eagerly awaiting the author's next work, and cannot wait to see what direction he takes us in next.
Trigger Warnings include (but not limited to): Descriptive gore and violence, suicide, murder, substance abuse, domestic and child abuse (this is central to the plot and featured throughout the book), bullying, and an opening scene where a serial killer is sentenced to death via electric chair.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
May 26, 2021
4.5 Stars
So many things happened long ago. So many things are happening in the present.
Nate and Maddie both have experienced things their past that still linger beneath the surface. Hiding, dormant, waiting to come to the surface. Maddie was always an artist. When she was a child, she was in her room, yet witnessed something and began making haunting sculptures. Nate, former police officer now game warden, grew up in a home in the country with his abusive father. When his father passed away, Nate is left his childhood home. Their son, Oliver (Olly) feels things deeply, specifically he can feel the pain in (of) others.
Now living in Nate's childhood home, things are beginning to happen. Strange things. Creepy things. Sinister things. Each member of the family feels and experiences them. What do they make of them? Are they only tired from moving? Is it stress? Moving to a new place and changing schools is hard, but Oliver begins to make friends (and catches the eye of two bullies), but one of them is not like the others. He has a dark edge; he has secrets and a love of dark magic.
Soon things take a dark turn...
Weighing in at 544 pages this book packs a punch. It begins with circling ants and just keeps getting creepier from there. This read like a horror story from yesteryear. Reminiscent of all the horror greats. I loved how things began to happen, it is almost as if they house is saying "shh, don't get too comfortable, be on the ready, get prepared because, things are about to get REAL really fast." There is a sense of foreboding, a sense of dread, a sense of danger, and an underlying current of unease. Plus, the chapter headers! Very clever.
Wendig has crafted such a dark and creepy tale while giving nods to those writers who influenced him. This was pure magic! Besides the storyline, this book gave me the same chills that I experienced when reading early King.
For me, this book was more creepy than scary. I loved the underlying feel of it. That river of dread, the unease about what could/would happen next. You know that dread and unease that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The characters in the book experienced it as did I.
Be warned there is a lot going on in this book. I will not mention everything because I do not want to give away the farm, so just know that Wendig throws everything but the kitchen sink at these characters. It is a dark journey from page one. With a lot going on, there is a lot to tie up. Not everything will be tied up to everyone's liking but I did not mind.
This book is on the longer side, but it did not feel long to me. Some readers may feel the length of it. His previous book Wanderers felt way too long to me but I also did not enjoy that book as I did this one. So happy I decided to give him another chance.
Creepy, dark, and full of dread.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
So many things happened long ago. So many things are happening in the present.
Nate and Maddie both have experienced things their past that still linger beneath the surface. Hiding, dormant, waiting to come to the surface. Maddie was always an artist. When she was a child, she was in her room, yet witnessed something and began making haunting sculptures. Nate, former police officer now game warden, grew up in a home in the country with his abusive father. When his father passed away, Nate is left his childhood home. Their son, Oliver (Olly) feels things deeply, specifically he can feel the pain in (of) others.
Now living in Nate's childhood home, things are beginning to happen. Strange things. Creepy things. Sinister things. Each member of the family feels and experiences them. What do they make of them? Are they only tired from moving? Is it stress? Moving to a new place and changing schools is hard, but Oliver begins to make friends (and catches the eye of two bullies), but one of them is not like the others. He has a dark edge; he has secrets and a love of dark magic.
Soon things take a dark turn...
Weighing in at 544 pages this book packs a punch. It begins with circling ants and just keeps getting creepier from there. This read like a horror story from yesteryear. Reminiscent of all the horror greats. I loved how things began to happen, it is almost as if they house is saying "shh, don't get too comfortable, be on the ready, get prepared because, things are about to get REAL really fast." There is a sense of foreboding, a sense of dread, a sense of danger, and an underlying current of unease. Plus, the chapter headers! Very clever.
Wendig has crafted such a dark and creepy tale while giving nods to those writers who influenced him. This was pure magic! Besides the storyline, this book gave me the same chills that I experienced when reading early King.
For me, this book was more creepy than scary. I loved the underlying feel of it. That river of dread, the unease about what could/would happen next. You know that dread and unease that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The characters in the book experienced it as did I.
Be warned there is a lot going on in this book. I will not mention everything because I do not want to give away the farm, so just know that Wendig throws everything but the kitchen sink at these characters. It is a dark journey from page one. With a lot going on, there is a lot to tie up. Not everything will be tied up to everyone's liking but I did not mind.
This book is on the longer side, but it did not feel long to me. Some readers may feel the length of it. His previous book Wanderers felt way too long to me but I also did not enjoy that book as I did this one. So happy I decided to give him another chance.
Creepy, dark, and full of dread.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
July 23, 2021
First of all, THAT COVER!!! Absolutely perfect! 😍
Nathan, Maddie, and their 15 year old son Ollie are given an opportunity to leave the city behind when Nate's abusive father passes away and leaves him the family home for a measly $1.00. Nate would rather never return but Maddie insists this will be what's best for the family and so he agrees.
Odd things start to happen as soon as they arrive in the house. Nate begins seeing the ghost of his late father. Maddie's sculptures begin to come alive. Ollie meets a new friend, the mysterious Jake, whose intentions seem less than genuine.
Wendig from here spins an epic tale of good versus evil.
A lot of people are comparing this to old school Stephen King and I will agree in the sense that this is lengthy (500+ pages) and incredibly vivid in detail. The first 75% of this I was gripping my kindle with white knuckles. Loving the journey and loving the characters. Nate, Maddie, and especially the empathetic Ollie really stole my heart. In this kind of book you need to have characters to root for and Wendig nailed their characterization. After the 75% mark is when my interest began to wane which is a shame as we are now coming to the huge finale. As the action ramps up my confusion started setting in. I wish an editor had stepped in and told the author that less is more. At least 100 pages could have been removed without any of the story being lost. It just became too much. Too convoluted. My biggest gripe in books that I read is tedium. Oh, how I hate to read the same things over and over again and this book had a lot of chapters that read just like the others.
This is an ambitious novel without a doubt and Wendig has obvious talent not only in his writing but in his world building which is something I admire very much. Take any of my complaints with a grain of salt. Horror lovers should definitely give this one a try. 3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for granting my wish to read this arc.
Nathan, Maddie, and their 15 year old son Ollie are given an opportunity to leave the city behind when Nate's abusive father passes away and leaves him the family home for a measly $1.00. Nate would rather never return but Maddie insists this will be what's best for the family and so he agrees.
Odd things start to happen as soon as they arrive in the house. Nate begins seeing the ghost of his late father. Maddie's sculptures begin to come alive. Ollie meets a new friend, the mysterious Jake, whose intentions seem less than genuine.
Wendig from here spins an epic tale of good versus evil.
A lot of people are comparing this to old school Stephen King and I will agree in the sense that this is lengthy (500+ pages) and incredibly vivid in detail. The first 75% of this I was gripping my kindle with white knuckles. Loving the journey and loving the characters. Nate, Maddie, and especially the empathetic Ollie really stole my heart. In this kind of book you need to have characters to root for and Wendig nailed their characterization. After the 75% mark is when my interest began to wane which is a shame as we are now coming to the huge finale. As the action ramps up my confusion started setting in. I wish an editor had stepped in and told the author that less is more. At least 100 pages could have been removed without any of the story being lost. It just became too much. Too convoluted. My biggest gripe in books that I read is tedium. Oh, how I hate to read the same things over and over again and this book had a lot of chapters that read just like the others.
This is an ambitious novel without a doubt and Wendig has obvious talent not only in his writing but in his world building which is something I admire very much. Take any of my complaints with a grain of salt. Horror lovers should definitely give this one a try. 3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for granting my wish to read this arc.
August 31, 2023
My thanks to Random House/Ballantine, Chuck Windig and Netgalley. This book is exactly why I read. It's one of those stories that have become rare for me in the horror/sci-fi field. It was fantastic! Not really scary, but eerie as anything I've read before. It also wasn't a new story, but it was told well! I loved every tense, butt clenching moment. Also, I do love a good ending, and this did not disappoint! Kudos!
July 28, 2021
Review originally published for Tor Nightfire:
https://tornightfire.com/the-book-of-...
This book has two fucking prologues. Two. You may just want to stand back a few feet from this review, because it might get a little cussy and I tend to spit when I’m excited. Also, wild hand gesturing; flailing. Where were we?
Two. Fucking. Prologues.
And do you remember Mick LaSalle’s movie reviews in the San Francisco Chronicle? (I’m sorry if he’s actually still doing those, I don’t live in Cali anymore so I don’t get the SF Chron-Chron, as we called it.) There was always this little cartoon graphic that accompanied his reviews. For the movies that LaSalle really enjoyed, this was the graphic:
And that was me after the first prologue. I jumped out of my seat and stood on it and clapped like a maniac, just like the little bald man in the cartoon. Why? Because Wendig brought it. He brought in the first prologue.
Brought what, Sadie?
THE HORROR. The Book of Accidents is a horror novel. Some reviews might be using other genre labels–mystery, thriller, science fiction, dark fantasy–but make no mistake, Mother Horror is claiming this book as one of her own. This is straight-up, unadulterated, supernatural, paranormal, spooky, eerie, HORROR.
This isn’t Wendig’s first foray into the dark genre. His Miriam Black series (of which I am a massive fan) is also unadulterated, supernatural, paranormal, creepy, fucked-up, spooky urban horror. I claim that series for the horror genre too. And then there’s Wanderers. Folks, let’s call it what it is: Chuck Wendig is a horror writer.
The Book of Accidents is a chunky, meaty, time-travelish, family-centric, horrific, generationally profound, THING. At first, Wendig lights up all those mechanisms in your brain that are responsible for following the plot and retaining information.
It’s tempting to start trying to “figure things out” early on, but after reading the whole book and then going back and re-reading portions of it for this review, my suggestion is to take information as it comes and tuck it away for later. Wendig intentionally rolls the story out layer by layer, and there’s no competition between readers for being the first to “see it coming.”
So relax and settle in with the family unit at the core of this novel. Their love for one another is the driving force behind the entire storyline. Maddie, Nate, and Oliver. I feel like I need one of those graphic t-shirts where the names of the characters are listed down the side right over your heart. Because that’s where they ultimately take up residence: right there in your heart, where you’re all squishy and vulnerable.
Maddie, the artist.
Nate, the good guy.
Oliver, the neuro-diverse empath.
Nate moves his family into his childhood home and almost immediately, things begin to change. Some of the changes are just the normal things people would experience living in their hometown after being away for a while. But some of the changes are unsettling and mysterious.
As Nate and Maddie grapple with their individual and personal hauntings from their past traumas, their son, Oliver makes an unusual new friend.
As the underlying darkness begins to grow stronger and stronger, each member of the family encounters this strange, powerful magic in different ways until it gathers them together in an epic life-or-death battle.
Through it all, the reader is right there with them, helplessly and hopelessly invested. As I read, I tried to protect my brain from fear as much as I tried to protect my heart from being crushed. Wendig does not hold anything back. He pushes this family’s limits to the breaking point. It absolutely took my breath away. There were times where I was secretly whispering threats to Chuck as I read: “Oooooh, you better not let that happen” or “Damn it, Wendig if you do this, I will NEVER forgive you.”
In the end, the destination was so worth the harrowing journey. Every worry, every heart-pounding moment, every hitch in my chest, and every swear word uttered…
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is up for being emotionally pulled through the wringer. I promise you won’t regret it.
https://tornightfire.com/the-book-of-...
This book has two fucking prologues. Two. You may just want to stand back a few feet from this review, because it might get a little cussy and I tend to spit when I’m excited. Also, wild hand gesturing; flailing. Where were we?
Two. Fucking. Prologues.
And do you remember Mick LaSalle’s movie reviews in the San Francisco Chronicle? (I’m sorry if he’s actually still doing those, I don’t live in Cali anymore so I don’t get the SF Chron-Chron, as we called it.) There was always this little cartoon graphic that accompanied his reviews. For the movies that LaSalle really enjoyed, this was the graphic:
And that was me after the first prologue. I jumped out of my seat and stood on it and clapped like a maniac, just like the little bald man in the cartoon. Why? Because Wendig brought it. He brought in the first prologue.
Brought what, Sadie?
THE HORROR. The Book of Accidents is a horror novel. Some reviews might be using other genre labels–mystery, thriller, science fiction, dark fantasy–but make no mistake, Mother Horror is claiming this book as one of her own. This is straight-up, unadulterated, supernatural, paranormal, spooky, eerie, HORROR.
This isn’t Wendig’s first foray into the dark genre. His Miriam Black series (of which I am a massive fan) is also unadulterated, supernatural, paranormal, creepy, fucked-up, spooky urban horror. I claim that series for the horror genre too. And then there’s Wanderers. Folks, let’s call it what it is: Chuck Wendig is a horror writer.
The Book of Accidents is a chunky, meaty, time-travelish, family-centric, horrific, generationally profound, THING. At first, Wendig lights up all those mechanisms in your brain that are responsible for following the plot and retaining information.
It’s tempting to start trying to “figure things out” early on, but after reading the whole book and then going back and re-reading portions of it for this review, my suggestion is to take information as it comes and tuck it away for later. Wendig intentionally rolls the story out layer by layer, and there’s no competition between readers for being the first to “see it coming.”
So relax and settle in with the family unit at the core of this novel. Their love for one another is the driving force behind the entire storyline. Maddie, Nate, and Oliver. I feel like I need one of those graphic t-shirts where the names of the characters are listed down the side right over your heart. Because that’s where they ultimately take up residence: right there in your heart, where you’re all squishy and vulnerable.
Maddie, the artist.
Nate, the good guy.
Oliver, the neuro-diverse empath.
Nate moves his family into his childhood home and almost immediately, things begin to change. Some of the changes are just the normal things people would experience living in their hometown after being away for a while. But some of the changes are unsettling and mysterious.
As Nate and Maddie grapple with their individual and personal hauntings from their past traumas, their son, Oliver makes an unusual new friend.
As the underlying darkness begins to grow stronger and stronger, each member of the family encounters this strange, powerful magic in different ways until it gathers them together in an epic life-or-death battle.
Through it all, the reader is right there with them, helplessly and hopelessly invested. As I read, I tried to protect my brain from fear as much as I tried to protect my heart from being crushed. Wendig does not hold anything back. He pushes this family’s limits to the breaking point. It absolutely took my breath away. There were times where I was secretly whispering threats to Chuck as I read: “Oooooh, you better not let that happen” or “Damn it, Wendig if you do this, I will NEVER forgive you.”
In the end, the destination was so worth the harrowing journey. Every worry, every heart-pounding moment, every hitch in my chest, and every swear word uttered…
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is up for being emotionally pulled through the wringer. I promise you won’t regret it.
June 27, 2021
4.5 stars
I was so surprised by how much I loved this!
Reading vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/RuO1Ip26H-I
I was so surprised by how much I loved this!
Reading vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/RuO1Ip26H-I
March 11, 2021
Creepy and fascinating. Started this by lantern light during the Texas snowstorm and it was exactly the sort of scary book you should not read at midnight in a house without power. That's a compliment. 4.5 stars.
July 22, 2021
Published 7/20
"Edmund Walker Reese was a man of numbers...he sat strapped to an electric chair...Everything was part of an equation...the truest language of the universe was not our words, or our body language...[From Journal 37 of serial killer Edmund Walker Reese]". Guards on Death Row said, "Walker disappeared the moment they flipped the switch on that chair, he went away, rode the lightning." Nate Graves was one of the prison guards in attendance.
The Graves' ancestral home was located on thirteen acres in Upper Bucks County, PA. Nate Graves, a city cop, was offered this property..."a free and clear transaction...price one dollar." His father, Nate Sr. made this offer on his deathbed. Nate had no love, only disdain for his abusive father. Upon his death, "[Nate] saw his dad, standing in the corner. Him, but not him. Like a ghost...a hallucination."
Why move the family to the stone colonial farmhouse? Nate welcomed a job with less stress. He would be a Game Warden Ranger working alongside new partner "Fig". Nate's wife Maddie was a sculptor working with repurposed materials. With this move, she could set up a studio in a pole barn built using repurposed telephone poles buried deep in the ground. Oliver [Olly] age 15, felt like a 'nobody among somebodies". A change of schools was a chance to make friends. Olly was different from other kids. He was intensely compassionate. His empathetic nature allowed him to understand and share the feelings of others, a power he could not turn off.
"These are strange times, and we live in a curious area...near Ramble Rocks Park and the old stone train tunnel abandoned in the 1940's. The "haunted" tunnel was a place of mysterious accidents, a place of murder, a place of ghosts. Enter at your own risk!
"...the house seemed to loom over Nate...a house of...bad dreams...Nate heard the rumble of a voice: his father's voice. Had the house unsettled him? Maddie purchased a carving chain saw after finding downed trees in the nearby woods. "She did not approach with any expectation...it was more of an uncovering...to find what the material was trying to hide...wings, a beak, an owl...She remembered losing control. Going dark. The owl she made, gone". At lunch in his new school, Olly joined a group of gamers. A chaotic fight broke out in the lunchroom. Bullied off school grounds, an older boy named Jake recued Olly then walked him home. "Why did this kid seem so familiar?"
"The Book of Accidents" by Chuck Wendig is a dark, supernatural thriller, a work of horror and a battle between good and evil. A Halloween shindig at the Graves Farmhouse introduces the reader to the many flawed, well-developed characters that populate this tome. How and why "travelers" appear and disappear and their connectedness in versions of Earth is fascinating. Fans of the paranormal, science fiction, horror and magic will be thrilled to take this wild, fantastical ride. Highly recommended.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/ Del Rey Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Edmund Walker Reese was a man of numbers...he sat strapped to an electric chair...Everything was part of an equation...the truest language of the universe was not our words, or our body language...[From Journal 37 of serial killer Edmund Walker Reese]". Guards on Death Row said, "Walker disappeared the moment they flipped the switch on that chair, he went away, rode the lightning." Nate Graves was one of the prison guards in attendance.
The Graves' ancestral home was located on thirteen acres in Upper Bucks County, PA. Nate Graves, a city cop, was offered this property..."a free and clear transaction...price one dollar." His father, Nate Sr. made this offer on his deathbed. Nate had no love, only disdain for his abusive father. Upon his death, "[Nate] saw his dad, standing in the corner. Him, but not him. Like a ghost...a hallucination."
Why move the family to the stone colonial farmhouse? Nate welcomed a job with less stress. He would be a Game Warden Ranger working alongside new partner "Fig". Nate's wife Maddie was a sculptor working with repurposed materials. With this move, she could set up a studio in a pole barn built using repurposed telephone poles buried deep in the ground. Oliver [Olly] age 15, felt like a 'nobody among somebodies". A change of schools was a chance to make friends. Olly was different from other kids. He was intensely compassionate. His empathetic nature allowed him to understand and share the feelings of others, a power he could not turn off.
"These are strange times, and we live in a curious area...near Ramble Rocks Park and the old stone train tunnel abandoned in the 1940's. The "haunted" tunnel was a place of mysterious accidents, a place of murder, a place of ghosts. Enter at your own risk!
"...the house seemed to loom over Nate...a house of...bad dreams...Nate heard the rumble of a voice: his father's voice. Had the house unsettled him? Maddie purchased a carving chain saw after finding downed trees in the nearby woods. "She did not approach with any expectation...it was more of an uncovering...to find what the material was trying to hide...wings, a beak, an owl...She remembered losing control. Going dark. The owl she made, gone". At lunch in his new school, Olly joined a group of gamers. A chaotic fight broke out in the lunchroom. Bullied off school grounds, an older boy named Jake recued Olly then walked him home. "Why did this kid seem so familiar?"
"The Book of Accidents" by Chuck Wendig is a dark, supernatural thriller, a work of horror and a battle between good and evil. A Halloween shindig at the Graves Farmhouse introduces the reader to the many flawed, well-developed characters that populate this tome. How and why "travelers" appear and disappear and their connectedness in versions of Earth is fascinating. Fans of the paranormal, science fiction, horror and magic will be thrilled to take this wild, fantastical ride. Highly recommended.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/ Del Rey Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2021
Since reading last year's WANDERERS, I've become a fan of Mr. Wendig. Now, with his latest book, my fandom is locked in. THE BOOK OF ACCIDENTS is full of heart, while packing in the pain and the scares, in new and delicious ways.
Nate's estranged father is dying which is fine with Nate because he hates the man. Both Nate and his wife grew up in the same town and they decide to move back into Nate's childhood home along with their son, Oliver. Right from the beginning things are not right; Nate sees his dad's ghost, his wife Maddie carves wooden animals that sometimes disappear and Oliver? Well, Oliver feels pain. Everyone's pain. How will this family cope with these odd happenings? Are these events harmful? Will the family survive this house? You'll have to read this to find out!
In some ways this narrative reminded me of old Stephen King novels, and other novels of the late 70's and early 80's. A small rural town in Pennsylvania, old mines, the town's history so vivid you feel like you can touch it. For me, those portions reminded me a lot of Salem's Lot specifically, and how we got to know that town.
Then there's the characters-Nate, troubled by his abusive childhood. Maddie, driven to create art even if she doesn't know why. And Oliver, the poor young man who is so empathetic he feels the pain of others as his own. The author makes us care for them so much, and then he rips our hearts out.
There is a lot going on here, and I can't get into it all, but Chuck Wendig blends it together seamlessly. There are other worlds than these, right? (Another thing that put me in mind of Stephen King.) The protagonists here are easy to love and the antagonists easy to hate, but these are not simple characters. They're complicated and messy and even more realistic as a result.
This is a long book, but never once did I feel it was too long; I was too immersed in the story to care. THE BOOK OF ACCIDENTS is a marvelous read that will have you on the edge of your seat, either cringing or cheering, and who doesn't love that?
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
Nate's estranged father is dying which is fine with Nate because he hates the man. Both Nate and his wife grew up in the same town and they decide to move back into Nate's childhood home along with their son, Oliver. Right from the beginning things are not right; Nate sees his dad's ghost, his wife Maddie carves wooden animals that sometimes disappear and Oliver? Well, Oliver feels pain. Everyone's pain. How will this family cope with these odd happenings? Are these events harmful? Will the family survive this house? You'll have to read this to find out!
In some ways this narrative reminded me of old Stephen King novels, and other novels of the late 70's and early 80's. A small rural town in Pennsylvania, old mines, the town's history so vivid you feel like you can touch it. For me, those portions reminded me a lot of Salem's Lot specifically, and how we got to know that town.
Then there's the characters-Nate, troubled by his abusive childhood. Maddie, driven to create art even if she doesn't know why. And Oliver, the poor young man who is so empathetic he feels the pain of others as his own. The author makes us care for them so much, and then he rips our hearts out.
There is a lot going on here, and I can't get into it all, but Chuck Wendig blends it together seamlessly. There are other worlds than these, right? (Another thing that put me in mind of Stephen King.) The protagonists here are easy to love and the antagonists easy to hate, but these are not simple characters. They're complicated and messy and even more realistic as a result.
This is a long book, but never once did I feel it was too long; I was too immersed in the story to care. THE BOOK OF ACCIDENTS is a marvelous read that will have you on the edge of your seat, either cringing or cheering, and who doesn't love that?
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
October 31, 2023
good grief, is this author some kind of shut-in that has only learned about life via Twitter & TikTok & other embarrassing websites? realizing what an author's perspective is on the world is a key part of understanding their works, but when their political stances become the text instead of the subtext, that's just bad writing and I get agitated. e.g. Lovecraft in general is great, but he's unbearable to read when he's going on about scary neighborhoods full of apparently subhuman immigrants. this is like the liberal version of that bullshit. The Book of Accidents felt like it was put together by the editorial board of the Washington Post after being given an assignment to write a horror novel that will earn snaps & claps from terminally online progressives. as a progressive myself, I'm triggered! this book is a macroagression. creativity dies in the darkness of a basement that an author refuses to leave. novels this desperate to score topical points and to be on the right side of history need to be taken out of the house, into the real world, and then shot. put this book out of its misery, it's too embarrassing to live. or to finish.
post-script: if you want horror with a decidedly progressive point of view that engages with current topics such as colonialism and race, yet is still ambiguous, subtle, and full of real characters, check out the Dutch miniseries Ares on Netflix. the subtext doesn't become text until the finale, but the points being made were there all along.
post-script: if you want horror with a decidedly progressive point of view that engages with current topics such as colonialism and race, yet is still ambiguous, subtle, and full of real characters, check out the Dutch miniseries Ares on Netflix. the subtext doesn't become text until the finale, but the points being made were there all along.
September 8, 2021
Ungth, maybe I’ll try again some day. Just couldn’t get into it. Some was ok. I don’t know…… Possibly reading the physical book would be easier!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
June 29, 2021
I am speechless after reading this.
I mean, I was already a huge fan of Wendig but I never realized that he could pick something like this... an almost Stephen King kind of setup that has echoes of the Shining, shake it up so hard and brutal, and give us a very SK story that is every bit as original as SK but without the many divergences.
What we have here is a classic horror that is very much a Wendig. And if you know Wendig, you know he knows how to deal with the small stuff, the many great details, and the language. But he also knows how to do the mind-f**king-blowing big stuff, too. The wild fantasy, the deep horror, and pull off a massive fractal WRONGNESS that is all parts delicious.
And that's where we are with The Book of Accidents. I love all these characters but love Oliver the most. It is, after all, all about the pain. And what delicious pain it is.
(And if you think it's pain in any normal sense of the word, you have another thing coming. It's not just abuse and everyone else's pain, but it's about ALL the pain. And Wendig pulls several fantastic rabbits out of this particular hat.)
No spoilers. But this is a truly delightful horror that will stick with me for quite some time. It's rich, very twisty and twisted, and quite heartbreaking. And then there are the awesome Lovecraftian elements that never overwhelm but truly drive the story home.
I'm extremely happy with this one!
I mean, I was already a huge fan of Wendig but I never realized that he could pick something like this... an almost Stephen King kind of setup that has echoes of the Shining, shake it up so hard and brutal, and give us a very SK story that is every bit as original as SK but without the many divergences.
What we have here is a classic horror that is very much a Wendig. And if you know Wendig, you know he knows how to deal with the small stuff, the many great details, and the language. But he also knows how to do the mind-f**king-blowing big stuff, too. The wild fantasy, the deep horror, and pull off a massive fractal WRONGNESS that is all parts delicious.
And that's where we are with The Book of Accidents. I love all these characters but love Oliver the most. It is, after all, all about the pain. And what delicious pain it is.
(And if you think it's pain in any normal sense of the word, you have another thing coming. It's not just abuse and everyone else's pain, but it's about ALL the pain. And Wendig pulls several fantastic rabbits out of this particular hat.)
No spoilers. But this is a truly delightful horror that will stick with me for quite some time. It's rich, very twisty and twisted, and quite heartbreaking. And then there are the awesome Lovecraftian elements that never overwhelm but truly drive the story home.
I'm extremely happy with this one!
December 31, 2021
Now a Goodreads Choice finalist in Horror!
I will fully admit I went into this not expecting to like it at all. For one, I was not a fan of Chuck Wendig’s previous book, Wanderers, and wrote a lengthy review detailing exactly why. But I did decide to pick up The Book of Accidents, not just because I was feeling major amounts of FOMO after several of my friends loved it, but because this was a genre departure from Wanderers. Also I’m usually one for second chances.
The book follows the Graves family, Nate, Maddie and their son Oliver, as they move into a rundown home Nate’s father used to own and left to him shortly before his death. As with most books featuring creepy old houses, unsettling things start happening to the Graves family that challenge how they perceive the world. But even before moving to rural Pennsylvania, there were things that were different about the Graves’. Oliver can feel the pain of those around him, wriggling and gnashing inside their bodies. Maddie and Nate have their secrets too, and the whole family is looking for a fresh start.
By and large I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot was clever and hard to predict, which kept me frantically turning the pages. And for me, it was also pretty scary, though for some reason I kept reading it late at night. (do not recommend!) There’s also a good deal of supernatural elements which were handled well, along with the rest of the ‘grounded’ plot. Though a lot of the creepy, crawly magic stuff seems like it clambered solely from the mind of Mr. Wendig, the themes of family, cyclical abuse and being able to choose a kinder world were much more universal human ideas that gave the story even more depth.
There’s something about Wendig’s style of writing here that is really approachable, but also started to annoy me after a while. The characters spoke beyond conversationally, like in trying to seem exceedingly casual it just came off even more contrived. The pendulum swinging the other way, so to speak. And every time there was a non-dialogue sound—something slamming, buzzing, etc.—the author would describe the sound as you typically would find in a book, but then he’d also write it out phonetically. There was an overflow of onomatopoeia to where it became distracting. I mean, “the doorbell was ringing, ding-dong, ding-dong”, was this really necessary, Chuck??
But I think the thing that earned the biggest eye-roll from me was the complete shoehorning in of whatever hot-button political issue the author could come up with into nearly every conversation. In some instances closer to the end there’s more of an excuse for naming all the ‘bad things’ of the world in this way, but he did this from the very beginning too. If the story has nothing to do with climate change or immigration or whatever topic, and doesn’t offer any meaningful commentary, then I would just skip it. Leave it out, otherwise it feels like you’re just trying to tick boxes. If this book was being published next year instead of this month, I guarantee he would have worked in Britney’s conservatorship somehow.
Those things, though grating, didn’t impact my time with the story as a whole, but probably prevented it from being five stars. The thing I disliked most about Wanderers, how poorly constructed the ending was compared to the first half, was not an issue at all here. I actually loved the ending in The Book of Accidents. It wasn’t too neat or too open-ended, and offered real resolution where it could still be forged. I think Wendig will probably be a hit-or-miss author for me going forward. And it’s going to be dependent or not whether he can keep himself from trying to cover everything at once. Keep the story more localized, don’t try to encompass every social and political struggle of the moment, and I think the final product will be better for it.
*Thanks Del Rey Books & Netgalley for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
I will fully admit I went into this not expecting to like it at all. For one, I was not a fan of Chuck Wendig’s previous book, Wanderers, and wrote a lengthy review detailing exactly why. But I did decide to pick up The Book of Accidents, not just because I was feeling major amounts of FOMO after several of my friends loved it, but because this was a genre departure from Wanderers. Also I’m usually one for second chances.
The book follows the Graves family, Nate, Maddie and their son Oliver, as they move into a rundown home Nate’s father used to own and left to him shortly before his death. As with most books featuring creepy old houses, unsettling things start happening to the Graves family that challenge how they perceive the world. But even before moving to rural Pennsylvania, there were things that were different about the Graves’. Oliver can feel the pain of those around him, wriggling and gnashing inside their bodies. Maddie and Nate have their secrets too, and the whole family is looking for a fresh start.
By and large I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot was clever and hard to predict, which kept me frantically turning the pages. And for me, it was also pretty scary, though for some reason I kept reading it late at night. (do not recommend!) There’s also a good deal of supernatural elements which were handled well, along with the rest of the ‘grounded’ plot. Though a lot of the creepy, crawly magic stuff seems like it clambered solely from the mind of Mr. Wendig, the themes of family, cyclical abuse and being able to choose a kinder world were much more universal human ideas that gave the story even more depth.
There’s something about Wendig’s style of writing here that is really approachable, but also started to annoy me after a while. The characters spoke beyond conversationally, like in trying to seem exceedingly casual it just came off even more contrived. The pendulum swinging the other way, so to speak. And every time there was a non-dialogue sound—something slamming, buzzing, etc.—the author would describe the sound as you typically would find in a book, but then he’d also write it out phonetically. There was an overflow of onomatopoeia to where it became distracting. I mean, “the doorbell was ringing, ding-dong, ding-dong”, was this really necessary, Chuck??
But I think the thing that earned the biggest eye-roll from me was the complete shoehorning in of whatever hot-button political issue the author could come up with into nearly every conversation. In some instances closer to the end there’s more of an excuse for naming all the ‘bad things’ of the world in this way, but he did this from the very beginning too. If the story has nothing to do with climate change or immigration or whatever topic, and doesn’t offer any meaningful commentary, then I would just skip it. Leave it out, otherwise it feels like you’re just trying to tick boxes. If this book was being published next year instead of this month, I guarantee he would have worked in Britney’s conservatorship somehow.
Those things, though grating, didn’t impact my time with the story as a whole, but probably prevented it from being five stars. The thing I disliked most about Wanderers, how poorly constructed the ending was compared to the first half, was not an issue at all here. I actually loved the ending in The Book of Accidents. It wasn’t too neat or too open-ended, and offered real resolution where it could still be forged. I think Wendig will probably be a hit-or-miss author for me going forward. And it’s going to be dependent or not whether he can keep himself from trying to cover everything at once. Keep the story more localized, don’t try to encompass every social and political struggle of the moment, and I think the final product will be better for it.
*Thanks Del Rey Books & Netgalley for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
August 21, 2021
3.5⭐️ maybe?
I’m so sorry. It’s Me. Not You.
Started out SO strong. Lost me about mid way. This is full of tropes I can’t stand. Perfectly competent and if you enjoy these tropes-you’ll love this!
I’m so sorry. It’s Me. Not You.
Started out SO strong. Lost me about mid way. This is full of tropes I can’t stand. Perfectly competent and if you enjoy these tropes-you’ll love this!
February 22, 2022
FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!!! Wow. Just wow. Some of my favorite books are those that just completely catch me by surprise, and this one did and then some!! Idk what I was expecting, but it sure wasn’t this world bending, multi-layered, atmospheric, and creepy as hell epic adventure of a horror novel!! If I had finished this when I started it last year, this would have easily been in my top 3 favorite horror novels of 2021, maybe even taking the #1 spot.
January 20, 2022
4.5 Stars
This was an engrossing piece of epic fiction. Told over multiple perspectives, the author wove a complex, mind bending story, which blends together speculative fiction elements into a horror novel. The character development was key to this story, which addresses themes surrounding generation abuse and family. At its core, this is an emotional story surrounding family and generational abuse. I would recommend it to fans of these giant, epic horror stories in the vein of Stephen King.
This was an engrossing piece of epic fiction. Told over multiple perspectives, the author wove a complex, mind bending story, which blends together speculative fiction elements into a horror novel. The character development was key to this story, which addresses themes surrounding generation abuse and family. At its core, this is an emotional story surrounding family and generational abuse. I would recommend it to fans of these giant, epic horror stories in the vein of Stephen King.
April 24, 2021
This dark, supernatural book scared me to death. I'm not a huge fan of dark magic, but the author was a genius at weaving it in and out of the story that it did not affect my reading. It has been compared to Stephen King's Pet Sematary, an argumentative comparison.
Beginning with a serial killer in the electric chair for the killing of 4 young girls, Edmund Reese is a number guru and begins his plot of escape. Just as the charge runs through his veins ....POOF!!!!....he is gone. The haunting on innocent victims continues. Is he dead or alive??
Main character Nate inherits his father's house under strange circumstances. After moving his wife , Mattie and son in with him, details come to life of his abusive father, as well as his ghost. It combines science fiction-time travel, time loops, doppelganger or life after death...I'm not sure what all was going on. I just know it was creepy. The inherited home is located near dark, abandoned coal mines at Ramble Rocks... where the serial killer carries his victims...so scary.
Nate's son, Oliver, awkward as most 15 year old teens, befriends Jake, a mysterious untrustworthy kid with some strange and dangerous ideas. It becomes bone-chilling and suspenseful with gore and violence intricately throughout.
There were times I could not adhere to what was happening and this is probably due to the author's intelligent use of vague perceptions or maybe because I was reading it through my fingers over my eyes...
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Beginning with a serial killer in the electric chair for the killing of 4 young girls, Edmund Reese is a number guru and begins his plot of escape. Just as the charge runs through his veins ....POOF!!!!....he is gone. The haunting on innocent victims continues. Is he dead or alive??
Main character Nate inherits his father's house under strange circumstances. After moving his wife , Mattie and son in with him, details come to life of his abusive father, as well as his ghost. It combines science fiction-time travel, time loops, doppelganger or life after death...I'm not sure what all was going on. I just know it was creepy. The inherited home is located near dark, abandoned coal mines at Ramble Rocks... where the serial killer carries his victims...so scary.
Nate's son, Oliver, awkward as most 15 year old teens, befriends Jake, a mysterious untrustworthy kid with some strange and dangerous ideas. It becomes bone-chilling and suspenseful with gore and violence intricately throughout.
There were times I could not adhere to what was happening and this is probably due to the author's intelligent use of vague perceptions or maybe because I was reading it through my fingers over my eyes...
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 26, 2021
Nate’s awful and abusive father is dying, and one of the provisions of his will is that he will not bequeath the childhood home Nate grew up in, but Nate can buy it for $1. There must be a catch, right? But his son Oliver isn’t doing well at his current school and when Oliver expresses interest in leaving, Nate and his wife Maddie decide a fresh start for their son is worth it. Nearly as soon as they arrive however, weird things start to happen. The animals act oddly, Nate starts seeing things, and Maddie suffers blackouts while making her art. Instead of leaving immediately as any normal person would do (this is horror after all!), they decide to stay, and soon things go from creepy to downright sinister.
I'm not one of those people who reads to fall asleep. In fact, I've always been mystified by people who say they can't read because it makes them tired. I'm one of those "just one more chapter" people who stays up far too late when a story has me hooked and I just can't put it down. I fell asleep reading this. Three times. If this hadn’t been an ARC, I have to be honest, I think I would have put it down after the second time I nodded off and never looked back. So why the high rating?
I think this was a case of it's not you, it's me. I simply am not the right reader for this book. I’ve been reading (and loving) some books that crossed over into the horror genre lately and so I figured since I’d dipped my toes in, I may as well wade out a bit further. I stepped out of my comfort zone and learned what doesn't work for me, but I don't think this was a bad book at all, and can see it being great for other readers.
Wendig is clearly a great writer. While the story itself wasn’t for me, it was beautifully written, and the world-building was fantastic. I also loved the themes of generational trauma, toxic masculinity and breaking cycles of abuse that he worked into this story. But speaking of themes, my goodness did the author throw the kitchen sink at us here. Every single hot button political issue seemed to make its way in, despite most not given the time or depth they deserve. And Oliver has absolutely horrifying visions of pretty much every violent act of human atrocity you can think of. It read to me as if Wendig had too many ideas to feasibly fit into a single novel, but couldn’t give any of them up. And so the end product is both bloated and also full of things that weren’t explored enough. Some editing and subtlety would have worked wonders here.
I’m at a loss as to how to rate this one. I don’t want to mark it down too much for my lack of subjective enjoyment, but objectively I do feel some of my issues aren’t just a *me* thing. 4 “I’m going to let genre fans guide me here” stars… However, if you are not normally a horror fan, and old school Steven King doesn’t do it for you, I wouldn't recommend this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Del Ray Books for a copy of this book for review.
I'm not one of those people who reads to fall asleep. In fact, I've always been mystified by people who say they can't read because it makes them tired. I'm one of those "just one more chapter" people who stays up far too late when a story has me hooked and I just can't put it down. I fell asleep reading this. Three times. If this hadn’t been an ARC, I have to be honest, I think I would have put it down after the second time I nodded off and never looked back. So why the high rating?
I think this was a case of it's not you, it's me. I simply am not the right reader for this book. I’ve been reading (and loving) some books that crossed over into the horror genre lately and so I figured since I’d dipped my toes in, I may as well wade out a bit further. I stepped out of my comfort zone and learned what doesn't work for me, but I don't think this was a bad book at all, and can see it being great for other readers.
Wendig is clearly a great writer. While the story itself wasn’t for me, it was beautifully written, and the world-building was fantastic. I also loved the themes of generational trauma, toxic masculinity and breaking cycles of abuse that he worked into this story. But speaking of themes, my goodness did the author throw the kitchen sink at us here. Every single hot button political issue seemed to make its way in, despite most not given the time or depth they deserve. And Oliver has absolutely horrifying visions of pretty much every violent act of human atrocity you can think of. It read to me as if Wendig had too many ideas to feasibly fit into a single novel, but couldn’t give any of them up. And so the end product is both bloated and also full of things that weren’t explored enough. Some editing and subtlety would have worked wonders here.
I’m at a loss as to how to rate this one. I don’t want to mark it down too much for my lack of subjective enjoyment, but objectively I do feel some of my issues aren’t just a *me* thing. 4 “I’m going to let genre fans guide me here” stars… However, if you are not normally a horror fan, and old school Steven King doesn’t do it for you, I wouldn't recommend this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Del Ray Books for a copy of this book for review.
May 31, 2024
The Book of Accidents is a fantastic science-fiction/horror tale which was made even better by the phenomenal narration of vocal performers Xe Sands and George Newbern. It was a thrill and quite often mind-bending going along with the characters as they went through alternate worlds and different versions of themselves. Listening in on all their dark secrets, betrayals, suffering, etcetera easily kept me captivated from start to finish. Chuck Wendig does not disappoint. Recommend.
May 19, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Book of Accidents.
I haven't read any books by this author before but the premise was so intriguing I was excited when my request was approved.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
The Book of Accidents is not a typical story; rather, it's a blend of genres that include supernatural, horror, science fiction, and a little coming of age.
It's about family, loyalty, love and the strength of friendship and belief.
When Nate's abusive father dies and leaves him his childhood home, he makes the reluctant decision to return to his hometown with his wife and sensitive son, Oliver, in tow.
It's not long when things become...odd.
And the family of three realize that the fate of their universe rests on their very human, fragile shoulders.
Good thing they're stronger than they look.
I liked Nate, Maddie and Olly; character development was good and they were relatable characters, people you would want to know in real life.
Fig was also a good person; he's not in it much but his loyalty to Nate and his family makes him a worthy character to mention.
There were aspects of the story I really enjoyed; Ramble Rocks as the origin of all that is wrong in all the worlds, the multiverse, Jake's true identity, how corruption and hate has twisted our world (and numerous variations) into something almost unbearable to live in.
There's a lot going on, as some reviewers noted, and sometimes it got confusing and muddled.
When I finished reading, I had a ton of questions:
Who/what is the demon?
Why was Jake chosen as the vessel? Because his doppelgangers possesses certain psychic abilities?
Is Reese's murders the turning point in hastening the destruction of his particular world?
Why does Maddie possess supernatural artistic abilities?
What does killing Reese prove or change anything?
What's up with the lighting?
Where did the Book of Accidents originate from?
The first half of the book kept me engaged.
The last third dragged, especially as the showdown between Jake and Olly drew near.
The writing was good.
I just wished the narrative was tighter, more focused on the fate of the universe(s) and why this family wields such influence and power on being able to save their world.
I haven't read any books by this author before but the premise was so intriguing I was excited when my request was approved.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
The Book of Accidents is not a typical story; rather, it's a blend of genres that include supernatural, horror, science fiction, and a little coming of age.
It's about family, loyalty, love and the strength of friendship and belief.
When Nate's abusive father dies and leaves him his childhood home, he makes the reluctant decision to return to his hometown with his wife and sensitive son, Oliver, in tow.
It's not long when things become...odd.
And the family of three realize that the fate of their universe rests on their very human, fragile shoulders.
Good thing they're stronger than they look.
I liked Nate, Maddie and Olly; character development was good and they were relatable characters, people you would want to know in real life.
Fig was also a good person; he's not in it much but his loyalty to Nate and his family makes him a worthy character to mention.
There were aspects of the story I really enjoyed; Ramble Rocks as the origin of all that is wrong in all the worlds, the multiverse, Jake's true identity, how corruption and hate has twisted our world (and numerous variations) into something almost unbearable to live in.
There's a lot going on, as some reviewers noted, and sometimes it got confusing and muddled.
When I finished reading, I had a ton of questions:
Who/what is the demon?
Why was Jake chosen as the vessel? Because his doppelgangers possesses certain psychic abilities?
Is Reese's murders the turning point in hastening the destruction of his particular world?
Why does Maddie possess supernatural artistic abilities?
What does killing Reese prove or change anything?
What's up with the lighting?
Where did the Book of Accidents originate from?
The first half of the book kept me engaged.
The last third dragged, especially as the showdown between Jake and Olly drew near.
The writing was good.
I just wished the narrative was tighter, more focused on the fate of the universe(s) and why this family wields such influence and power on being able to save their world.
November 30, 2021
Calling all fans of Blake Crouch and Stuart Turton!
Chuck Wendig’s The Book of Accidents is a great addition to the science fiction thriller category. While I originally thought this book would be more gothic in nature, (check out that fabulous cover!) it fits best in this genre. Be prepared to time travel through different dimensions and timelines with Nate Graves, as he fights to protect and save his family from from an evil serial killer that threatens to eliminate his world.
While the length of this book initially seemed intimidating, I easily flew through the pages. It is also written with a fun sense of humor, as highlighted by Maddie’s foul sailor mouth. The plot is clever, though not completely original (Think Back to the Future). I still felt invested in the characters and wanted to see how events were going to ultimately play out.
I do have one bone to pick with the nickname that Nate and Maddie use for Oliver. Would you really call your son Dude??
Overall, this book was not really a stand out for me, but I did enjoy the journey!
3.5/5 stars
Chuck Wendig’s The Book of Accidents is a great addition to the science fiction thriller category. While I originally thought this book would be more gothic in nature, (check out that fabulous cover!) it fits best in this genre. Be prepared to time travel through different dimensions and timelines with Nate Graves, as he fights to protect and save his family from from an evil serial killer that threatens to eliminate his world.
While the length of this book initially seemed intimidating, I easily flew through the pages. It is also written with a fun sense of humor, as highlighted by Maddie’s foul sailor mouth. The plot is clever, though not completely original (Think Back to the Future). I still felt invested in the characters and wanted to see how events were going to ultimately play out.
I do have one bone to pick with the nickname that Nate and Maddie use for Oliver. Would you really call your son Dude??
Overall, this book was not really a stand out for me, but I did enjoy the journey!
3.5/5 stars
July 30, 2021
I like me a good multiverse story, and generally, this is a pretty good one. I'd have rated it much higher than three stars if not for one glaring issue I had with it.
THIS BOOK NEEDS AN EDITOR WITH A FUCKING CHAINSAW IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The book is extremely long winded. Almost every scene in the book just doesn't know when, how, or even if it should ever get to the point. It meanders all around the point, before eventually actually getting there.
You could probably shave a good quarter of the word count out of this book in just tightening scenes up, tightening the general writing up, and just getting the freaking point faster, and you wouldn't even notice the difference. When you can remove text from a book without impacting story or characters in any way, YOU SHOULD. This book really needed an editor to take a hatchet to it and cut away all of the superfluous text.
It's an enjoyable story with enjoyable characters, but good god did it need some trimming.
THIS BOOK NEEDS AN EDITOR WITH A FUCKING CHAINSAW IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The book is extremely long winded. Almost every scene in the book just doesn't know when, how, or even if it should ever get to the point. It meanders all around the point, before eventually actually getting there.
You could probably shave a good quarter of the word count out of this book in just tightening scenes up, tightening the general writing up, and just getting the freaking point faster, and you wouldn't even notice the difference. When you can remove text from a book without impacting story or characters in any way, YOU SHOULD. This book really needed an editor to take a hatchet to it and cut away all of the superfluous text.
It's an enjoyable story with enjoyable characters, but good god did it need some trimming.
September 12, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐
Very Kingesque, gave me chills and thrills, a really really tasteful psychological thriller/horror (at least for my taste).
It starts off really strong, the atmosphere is quite gripping and the characters remind me a lot of the ones in Stephen King's Pet Sematary and even The Shining . It's a great mix of psychological horror, paranormal activity, science fiction elements and really well individualised characters.
I've been waiting for a good horror like this for quite some time and I finally found it. So if you are a fan of Stephen King's works like I am, I do recommend this for a chilling, gripping and unputdownable experience!
Very Kingesque, gave me chills and thrills, a really really tasteful psychological thriller/horror (at least for my taste).
It starts off really strong, the atmosphere is quite gripping and the characters remind me a lot of the ones in Stephen King's Pet Sematary and even The Shining . It's a great mix of psychological horror, paranormal activity, science fiction elements and really well individualised characters.
I've been waiting for a good horror like this for quite some time and I finally found it. So if you are a fan of Stephen King's works like I am, I do recommend this for a chilling, gripping and unputdownable experience!
May 25, 2022
If your looking for a reboot Stephen King type novel, this is it! Fantastic storyline, horror, thriller and mystery all in one. It takes off from page one and keeps running. Some head scratching but it all gets explained and then you'll palm your head be like..Ohhh!!!
This author is going on favorites list!
This author is going on favorites list!
July 25, 2021
This was my first Wendig book. I heard good things from reviewers I trust so I bought it. It started great and I liked the three main characters, but as the book went on my enjoyment started to bleed away and the book dropped from a 4 star to a 3 star and then finally a 2. My issues were:
1. It’s way too long. At least 200 pages could’ve been carved off to make it a much better book. The last 100 pages I just wanted to him wrap it up already.
2. The mom is ridiculous. She keeps leaving her kid/husband over and over for stupid reasons and I think it was just to move the plot and the male characters into situations to create drama. She started strong, but just got stupider as the book went on.
3. I thought this was a haunted house/horror story and it really isn’t. That’s probably on me for not realizing what I was getting into, but the book went in a direction I didn’t like. The book is a mash up of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and weirdly a serial killer book. That would be fine if it was what I wanted. I wanted a haunted house type story.
4. Stephen King and Blake Crouch already wrote this book.
*possible slight spoilers if you’ve read certain books ahead*
My fourth issue normally wouldn’t bother me because authors often write similar characters/themes/situations, but the last 300 pages felt like a mash up of Dark Tower, The Talisman, and Dark Matter. All those books did this better with more memorable characters. Wendig also inserts so many pop culture references (and a few political ones) that it started to pull me out of the story. It didn’t feel natural more like, “hey let me insert all these things I like/want to say in my behemoth of a book”. In the beginning he says he wrote this for himself and I believe that. I think this is his version of King/Straub/Crouch /Shea and others who’ve told this same story. It disappointed me because he’s a good writer. I think if I hadn’t read as much horror, fantasy and sci-fi this would be a really good book, but I couldn’t help seeing the similarities to all those other books. I just can’t give this more than 2 stars even though I liked his writing and the first 200 pages.
1. It’s way too long. At least 200 pages could’ve been carved off to make it a much better book. The last 100 pages I just wanted to him wrap it up already.
2. The mom is ridiculous. She keeps leaving her kid/husband over and over for stupid reasons and I think it was just to move the plot and the male characters into situations to create drama. She started strong, but just got stupider as the book went on.
3. I thought this was a haunted house/horror story and it really isn’t. That’s probably on me for not realizing what I was getting into, but the book went in a direction I didn’t like. The book is a mash up of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and weirdly a serial killer book. That would be fine if it was what I wanted. I wanted a haunted house type story.
4. Stephen King and Blake Crouch already wrote this book.
*possible slight spoilers if you’ve read certain books ahead*
My fourth issue normally wouldn’t bother me because authors often write similar characters/themes/situations, but the last 300 pages felt like a mash up of Dark Tower, The Talisman, and Dark Matter. All those books did this better with more memorable characters. Wendig also inserts so many pop culture references (and a few political ones) that it started to pull me out of the story. It didn’t feel natural more like, “hey let me insert all these things I like/want to say in my behemoth of a book”. In the beginning he says he wrote this for himself and I believe that. I think this is his version of King/Straub/Crouch /Shea and others who’ve told this same story. It disappointed me because he’s a good writer. I think if I hadn’t read as much horror, fantasy and sci-fi this would be a really good book, but I couldn’t help seeing the similarities to all those other books. I just can’t give this more than 2 stars even though I liked his writing and the first 200 pages.
February 7, 2022
There was a lot going on in this incredibly atmospheric and creepy horror story.
Nate and Maggie return to their home town where memories of childhood trauma have been awakened by an old and dark magic. The safe haven they had hoped for is ripped apart when evil forces make moves to change the world as we know it. There were a few points where I was had no idea what was happening as the story jumps POVs frequently but I can't say more than that with out spoiling it. Lets just say that things eventually became clear, and quite frankly, a little bit terrifying. I really enjoyed the writing style and will check out other books by this author.
CW:
Nate and Maggie return to their home town where memories of childhood trauma have been awakened by an old and dark magic. The safe haven they had hoped for is ripped apart when evil forces make moves to change the world as we know it. There were a few points where I was had no idea what was happening as the story jumps POVs frequently but I can't say more than that with out spoiling it. Lets just say that things eventually became clear, and quite frankly, a little bit terrifying. I really enjoyed the writing style and will check out other books by this author.
CW:
July 20, 2021
Wendig's "The Book of Accidents" is a must-read for 2021. It is a masterpiece of plotting and character development. The Graves family, consisting of Nate (not Nathan), Maddie, and Oliver is a family like no other, each struggling with demons, both personal and otherworldly.
In an accident or coincidence, Nate inherits his father's home, a blessing and a curse as Nate (like anyone whoever met Carl) resents the curmudgeon. It's a move that takes the Graves out of the city (Philadelphia) and out into the country, but perhaps it's a move that takes them too close to a haunted tunnel, an old mine, a park filled with ghastly moving boulders.
No longer a police officer, Nate is now a Fish and Game Officer. Oliver comes face to face with the school bullies on day one. Maddie retreats into her artist's studio where she seems to have fainting spells while working with a chainsaw. The new abode makes them all uncomfortable, particularly when Nate sees people lingering in the dark and his dead father roaming about.
What makes this book work so brilliantly is that Wendig doesn't quite level with the reader where this epic is going or what the stakes are. Thus, you the reader will be completely unprepared and unmoored when everything explodes and everything stops making sense.
All three members of the Graves family are important to the story. Not one of them carries it by themselves. Fate and free will play into this too as does empathy and lack of choice. The edges of reality become blurred and often our characters cannot discern dreams from wakefulness.
Then again, maybe what makes this work is Wendig throws everything in here from serial killers marching to the electric chair to devil spawn to betrayals to teenage angst to places that seem outside experience. This book is at once horror, crime fiction, speculative fiction, and family story.
You know it's a winner from the sparse opening pages and you keep hoping that it will live up to its promise throughout. Spoiler: it does.
In an accident or coincidence, Nate inherits his father's home, a blessing and a curse as Nate (like anyone whoever met Carl) resents the curmudgeon. It's a move that takes the Graves out of the city (Philadelphia) and out into the country, but perhaps it's a move that takes them too close to a haunted tunnel, an old mine, a park filled with ghastly moving boulders.
No longer a police officer, Nate is now a Fish and Game Officer. Oliver comes face to face with the school bullies on day one. Maddie retreats into her artist's studio where she seems to have fainting spells while working with a chainsaw. The new abode makes them all uncomfortable, particularly when Nate sees people lingering in the dark and his dead father roaming about.
What makes this book work so brilliantly is that Wendig doesn't quite level with the reader where this epic is going or what the stakes are. Thus, you the reader will be completely unprepared and unmoored when everything explodes and everything stops making sense.
All three members of the Graves family are important to the story. Not one of them carries it by themselves. Fate and free will play into this too as does empathy and lack of choice. The edges of reality become blurred and often our characters cannot discern dreams from wakefulness.
Then again, maybe what makes this work is Wendig throws everything in here from serial killers marching to the electric chair to devil spawn to betrayals to teenage angst to places that seem outside experience. This book is at once horror, crime fiction, speculative fiction, and family story.
You know it's a winner from the sparse opening pages and you keep hoping that it will live up to its promise throughout. Spoiler: it does.
December 22, 2021
This book, The Book of Accidents had a lot of favorable buzz surrounding it when it came out, and a coworker of mine recommended it to me since she was in the middle of reading it. So of course, I put a hold on it since the synopsis looked fun with a striking cover to boot. I had no idea what I was getting into since the book summary hinted at a lot of things without giving anything away.
The story introduced our family of main characters moving to the boonies of Pennsylvania after they decided to move from the big city of Philadelphia. Nathan grew up in this small town with a sordid past full of eerie events and a renowned serial killer and brings his wife, Maddie, and his son, Oliver, along with him. The family descends into each of their own struggles fitting in and handling the weirdness that surrounds the small town which soon becomes a race of survival against outside forces and themselves. This book has a little of everything such as ghosts, demons, monsters, magic, serial killers, alternate realities, time travel, and other paranormal hi-jinks.
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book. In fact, I think the more prominent reveal of this book was finding out what was going on as it threw many things at you. The story could have gone any way with the events that happened from strangers standing outside in the middle of the night, to ghosts of dead relatives, to a mysterious disappearance surrounding a murderer who has a hankering for numbers, to even a creepy tunnel filled with chilling random POVs, and a labyrinth of abandoned mine tunnels. A good aspect about this book was that it didn’t keep the reveals until the end of the book.
Things were discovered quite quickly especially after a character reveal I saw coming a mile away. There were three main POVs that this novel followed other than some throwaway chapters following here or there. The POV changes got to the point that they would even alternate between paragraphs. I for one, am not someone who likes too many POV switches in a story, but these switches were done right and each were distinguishable enough to not get lost in the pages.
The characters were one feature of the story that I really liked. Each character was flawed, and they were all developed so thoroughly. The novel examined different parts of their personality in different ways with different plot devices. Motivations of characters were also explored in depth. What I really loved though is that infuriating secrets that characters keep for the length of a whole story in other books were shared relatively early on. Not only were they shared in between the main characters, but the supporting cast were informed of the absurd surrounding events as well and even witnessed a couple of them occurring.
Almost all of the supporting characters were written compellingly while also going through character developments of their own. The backgrounds of numerous characters were delved into with childhood trauma and abuse explored extensively as well as the cycle of violence that comes with it.
I liked this book more than I thought I would. The story seemed to be a cross of Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky and a Stephen King novel. I could list a plethora of things I liked about the book which has been done ad nauseam with other reviews, but instead I will list some of the things that other readers might not like. The story has some dark subject matter. The topic of child abuse is prevalent throughout the story, and it is not just mentioned as an off-screen thing. Scenes featuring it are shown multiple times up to an uncomfortable amount even for a horror reader like me.
Other dark topics are talked about as well, but the child abuse is featured more than anything else. Another thing that could dissuade some readers from reading this novel is just how jam packed and convoluted the story becomes. It is hard to track with how much is going on in the novel with overhanging stories that are left to the side until later in the book.
The Book of Accidents is a thought-provoking book full of interesting characters, and a complex and original plot full of twists and turns. The subject matter is dark so check the disclaimers if something might be too much. The grand scope of the setting really allows for future books to take place in a multiverse type of way like Stephen Kings books. I would definitely read another book set in the same universe and recommend this book to horror lovers of all kinds since it has little of everything.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
The story introduced our family of main characters moving to the boonies of Pennsylvania after they decided to move from the big city of Philadelphia. Nathan grew up in this small town with a sordid past full of eerie events and a renowned serial killer and brings his wife, Maddie, and his son, Oliver, along with him. The family descends into each of their own struggles fitting in and handling the weirdness that surrounds the small town which soon becomes a race of survival against outside forces and themselves. This book has a little of everything such as ghosts, demons, monsters, magic, serial killers, alternate realities, time travel, and other paranormal hi-jinks.
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I picked up this book. In fact, I think the more prominent reveal of this book was finding out what was going on as it threw many things at you. The story could have gone any way with the events that happened from strangers standing outside in the middle of the night, to ghosts of dead relatives, to a mysterious disappearance surrounding a murderer who has a hankering for numbers, to even a creepy tunnel filled with chilling random POVs, and a labyrinth of abandoned mine tunnels. A good aspect about this book was that it didn’t keep the reveals until the end of the book.
Things were discovered quite quickly especially after a character reveal I saw coming a mile away. There were three main POVs that this novel followed other than some throwaway chapters following here or there. The POV changes got to the point that they would even alternate between paragraphs. I for one, am not someone who likes too many POV switches in a story, but these switches were done right and each were distinguishable enough to not get lost in the pages.
The characters were one feature of the story that I really liked. Each character was flawed, and they were all developed so thoroughly. The novel examined different parts of their personality in different ways with different plot devices. Motivations of characters were also explored in depth. What I really loved though is that infuriating secrets that characters keep for the length of a whole story in other books were shared relatively early on. Not only were they shared in between the main characters, but the supporting cast were informed of the absurd surrounding events as well and even witnessed a couple of them occurring.
Almost all of the supporting characters were written compellingly while also going through character developments of their own. The backgrounds of numerous characters were delved into with childhood trauma and abuse explored extensively as well as the cycle of violence that comes with it.
I liked this book more than I thought I would. The story seemed to be a cross of Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky and a Stephen King novel. I could list a plethora of things I liked about the book which has been done ad nauseam with other reviews, but instead I will list some of the things that other readers might not like. The story has some dark subject matter. The topic of child abuse is prevalent throughout the story, and it is not just mentioned as an off-screen thing. Scenes featuring it are shown multiple times up to an uncomfortable amount even for a horror reader like me.
Other dark topics are talked about as well, but the child abuse is featured more than anything else. Another thing that could dissuade some readers from reading this novel is just how jam packed and convoluted the story becomes. It is hard to track with how much is going on in the novel with overhanging stories that are left to the side until later in the book.
The Book of Accidents is a thought-provoking book full of interesting characters, and a complex and original plot full of twists and turns. The subject matter is dark so check the disclaimers if something might be too much. The grand scope of the setting really allows for future books to take place in a multiverse type of way like Stephen Kings books. I would definitely read another book set in the same universe and recommend this book to horror lovers of all kinds since it has little of everything.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
August 12, 2025
Hoy les traigo la reseña de un libro al que tenía muchas ganas desde que salió publicado, tanto la portada como la sinopsis me parecieron de lo más llamativas, y aunque no ha sido exactamente lo que me esperaba en un principio eso no tiene por qué ser necesariamente algo negativo.
Es bueno dejarse sorprender de vez en cuando :)
Aclarar que la novela de terror tiene más bien poco, si es verdad que tiene partes realmente macabras y perturbadoras pero el género que predomina es el de la fantasía oscura, para ser más precisos.
Desde el inicio logró atraparme, porque todo eran incógnitas y eventos paranormales muy extraños que no tardan en ir a más y con ello las dudas sobre lo que ocurre realmente.
La trama puede parecer la típica de una familia que se muda a una casa que han heredado y en la que empiezan a sucederse cada vez hechos más insólitos.
Como si el autor hubiera metido en una coctelera un poco de El Resplandor con un toque de Stranger Things (con ese grupo de amigos y sus partidas a D&D), y también una pizca de Dark, esa serie alemana que me hizo explotar la cabeza cuando la visioné hace ya unos años, por esa mina que está siempre muy presente y que oculta algo en su interior. Pero tomando todo un rumbo bien distinto a raíz de nuevos personajes que van haciendo su aparición. Entre ellos y especialmente Jake, ese amigo que parece salvar a Oliver de cada apuro en el que se mete.
Pasando también desde ese reo a punto de ser ajusticiado con el que Wendig nos presenta el comienzo de toda esta oscura aventura llena de sorpresas, algunas no muy agradables, hasta animales que se comportan de forma extraña, niños con poderes igualmente peculiares, desapariciones y apariciones varias, una mina abandonada y todas las leyendas locales en torno a ella que te puedas imaginar y, por supuesto, nuestra familia protagonista: Nate, Maddie y el hijo de ambos, Oliver, que también guardan algún que otro secreto.
Y en medio de todo esto, la casa, el epicentro de todo.
Esto es solo un pequeñísimo aperitivo de todo lo que se van a encontrar.
Créanme cuando les digo que Wendig sabe lo que hace, y es que desde que abrí la primera página y me encontré con esa épica dedicatoria me ganó por completo 😂
No voy a desvelar nada más de la trama, ahora les toca a ustedes descubrir lo que se oculta en esa pequeña zona rural de Pensilvania.
Cuanto más a ciegas lleguen a ella más se disfruta, como hice yo.
Así que, como siempre digo, si les llama la atención, no lo duden y adéntrese sin miedo a su extensión (casi seiscientas páginas), es ponerte y no querer parar de leer. El estilo de Wendig lo hace muy fácil con ese ritmo ágil y la habilidosa manera que tiene de ir dejando un camino de cuestiones por resolver que lo harán, como es lógico, a su debido tiempo.
Y, a pesar de algún tramo más pausado de lo que me hubiera gustado y un final que se hace de rogar, el balance general es muy positivo porque hay hasta espacio para hacer alguna que otra crítica social de temas tan actuales como el bullying, entre otros.
👌🏻💥🖤 En definitiva, "El libro de los accidentes" es una novela que da justo lo que promete y que reúne lo mejor de varios géneros, entre ellos esa mezcla de ciencia ficción y fantasía oscura que juega en todo momento con el terror y situaciones grotescas sin dejar nunca de lado el sentido del humor, dotando a sus personajes de un gran carisma y que me ha mantenido muy intrigada por saber qué estaba pasando.
Sin duda, seguiré leyendo al autor, de hecho tengo "Los sonámbulos" pendiente y no creo que tarde mucho en ponerme con el.
Por todo ello, es una lectura que no dudaré en recomendar 👌🏻
🖤 "Oliver miró hacia el vacío, y el vacío le devolvió la mirada."
https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 🖤📚
Es bueno dejarse sorprender de vez en cuando :)
Aclarar que la novela de terror tiene más bien poco, si es verdad que tiene partes realmente macabras y perturbadoras pero el género que predomina es el de la fantasía oscura, para ser más precisos.
Desde el inicio logró atraparme, porque todo eran incógnitas y eventos paranormales muy extraños que no tardan en ir a más y con ello las dudas sobre lo que ocurre realmente.
La trama puede parecer la típica de una familia que se muda a una casa que han heredado y en la que empiezan a sucederse cada vez hechos más insólitos.
Como si el autor hubiera metido en una coctelera un poco de El Resplandor con un toque de Stranger Things (con ese grupo de amigos y sus partidas a D&D), y también una pizca de Dark, esa serie alemana que me hizo explotar la cabeza cuando la visioné hace ya unos años, por esa mina que está siempre muy presente y que oculta algo en su interior. Pero tomando todo un rumbo bien distinto a raíz de nuevos personajes que van haciendo su aparición. Entre ellos y especialmente Jake, ese amigo que parece salvar a Oliver de cada apuro en el que se mete.
Pasando también desde ese reo a punto de ser ajusticiado con el que Wendig nos presenta el comienzo de toda esta oscura aventura llena de sorpresas, algunas no muy agradables, hasta animales que se comportan de forma extraña, niños con poderes igualmente peculiares, desapariciones y apariciones varias, una mina abandonada y todas las leyendas locales en torno a ella que te puedas imaginar y, por supuesto, nuestra familia protagonista: Nate, Maddie y el hijo de ambos, Oliver, que también guardan algún que otro secreto.
Y en medio de todo esto, la casa, el epicentro de todo.
Esto es solo un pequeñísimo aperitivo de todo lo que se van a encontrar.
Créanme cuando les digo que Wendig sabe lo que hace, y es que desde que abrí la primera página y me encontré con esa épica dedicatoria me ganó por completo 😂
No voy a desvelar nada más de la trama, ahora les toca a ustedes descubrir lo que se oculta en esa pequeña zona rural de Pensilvania.
Cuanto más a ciegas lleguen a ella más se disfruta, como hice yo.
Así que, como siempre digo, si les llama la atención, no lo duden y adéntrese sin miedo a su extensión (casi seiscientas páginas), es ponerte y no querer parar de leer. El estilo de Wendig lo hace muy fácil con ese ritmo ágil y la habilidosa manera que tiene de ir dejando un camino de cuestiones por resolver que lo harán, como es lógico, a su debido tiempo.
Y, a pesar de algún tramo más pausado de lo que me hubiera gustado y un final que se hace de rogar, el balance general es muy positivo porque hay hasta espacio para hacer alguna que otra crítica social de temas tan actuales como el bullying, entre otros.
👌🏻💥🖤 En definitiva, "El libro de los accidentes" es una novela que da justo lo que promete y que reúne lo mejor de varios géneros, entre ellos esa mezcla de ciencia ficción y fantasía oscura que juega en todo momento con el terror y situaciones grotescas sin dejar nunca de lado el sentido del humor, dotando a sus personajes de un gran carisma y que me ha mantenido muy intrigada por saber qué estaba pasando.
Sin duda, seguiré leyendo al autor, de hecho tengo "Los sonámbulos" pendiente y no creo que tarde mucho en ponerme con el.
Por todo ello, es una lectura que no dudaré en recomendar 👌🏻
🖤 "Oliver miró hacia el vacío, y el vacío le devolvió la mirada."
https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 🖤📚
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