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Punish the Sinners
Italy 1252. Inquisition. Accusation. Fear. Torture. The guilty and the innocent dying for sins real and imagined in the flames of the burning stake. Neilsville, 1978. Peter Blasam has come to this sleepy desert town to teach its youth, and finds a mystery of mounting horror. Something is happening to the young girls of St. Francis Xavier High School -- something evil. In bloodlet and terror a suicide contagion has swept the two... while a dark order of its holy men enacts a secret medieval ritual. Is hysteria manipulating these innocent children into violent self-destruction? Or has supernatural force, a thirteenth-century madness, returned to... Punish The Sinners .
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
48 people are currently reading
1735 people want to read
About the author
John Saul
149 books2,832 followersJohn Saul is an American author best known for his bestselling suspense and horror novels, many of which have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. Born in Pasadena and raised in Whittier, California, Saul attended several universities without earning a degree. He spent years honing his craft, writing under pen names before finding mainstream success. His breakout novel, Suffer the Children (1977), launched a prolific career, with over 60 million copies of his books in print. Saul’s work includes Cry for the Strangers, later adapted into a TV movie, and The Blackstone Chronicles series. He is also a playwright, with one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle. In 2023, he received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement. Openly gay, he has lived with his partner—also his creative collaborator—for nearly 50 years. Saul divides his time between Seattle, the San Juan Islands, and Hawaii, and frequently speaks at writers’ conferences, including the Maui Writers' Conference. His enduring popularity in the horror genre stems from a blend of psychological tension, supernatural elements, and deep emotional undercurrents that have resonated with readers for decades.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
June 30, 2024
Peter Balsam (a psychology teacher) goes to Neilsville when an old friend (Monsignor Peter Vernon) asks him to come and teach psychology at St. Francis Xavier's school. When he arrives, he feels an aura of evil within the town. He eventually takes the position as teacher and finds his old friend to be quite a changed man. From an easy-going guy to a cold, stern, fanatic when it comes to religion. He wonders what happened to his old schoolfriend. Then, strange things are happening in town. Deaths, suicides… And who is this St. Peter Martyr in which the Monsignor holds in such high regard? Is it time for Peter to leave Neilsville?
I really enjoyed this book, I just wish it ended differently. The storyline was interesting. The cast of characters had a mixture of likable and unlikable people. Monsignor Vernon was forbidding, with erratic behavior. His group, The Society of St. Peter Martr, was pretty strange and creepy with a bunch of old priests doing unthinkable things. Some teenagers at school were quite annoying, especially a clique of girls who kept picking on an unattractive, shy girl. I didn’t like Jim Mulvey (one of the girls’ boyfriends) either, who seemed like a jerk. Peter Balsam was a likable lead character.
Another entertaining read by John Saul.
I really enjoyed this book, I just wish it ended differently. The storyline was interesting. The cast of characters had a mixture of likable and unlikable people. Monsignor Vernon was forbidding, with erratic behavior. His group, The Society of St. Peter Martr, was pretty strange and creepy with a bunch of old priests doing unthinkable things. Some teenagers at school were quite annoying, especially a clique of girls who kept picking on an unattractive, shy girl. I didn’t like Jim Mulvey (one of the girls’ boyfriends) either, who seemed like a jerk. Peter Balsam was a likable lead character.
Another entertaining read by John Saul.
July 16, 2021
This cover is beautiful and I grew up loving John Saul books but for shits sake, I’ve got too many effed up things in my mind to be reading this kind of stuff. I might keep it around to see if it’s ever worth something or I might just trade it in because it was a bit much!
The things they did to Peter was messed up, the girls were messed up and the ending sucked @ss!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
The things they did to Peter was messed up, the girls were messed up and the ending sucked @ss!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 12, 2025
"He resented the girls, resented the way they acted so respectful in his presence, then sneered at him from a distance.
When he had been a child, such impudence had not been tolerated. The nuns had demanded respect all the time, and the boys in the convent had given it , unquestioningly".
Punish the Sinners by John Saul
Trigger alerts – suicide.
My original review did not do this book justice.
I am going to be adding to my review. Therefore, you’ll see a combination of my old review along with some newer stuff.
One of John’s Saul's best. It had a lot more depth then some of his other books and I don’t mean that in a bad way because I think John Saul is a great writer.
But he’s a horror writer. One does not always get the depth one wants in horror.
Punish the sinners is deeply underrated. I was very into John Saul growing up, and I’ve never read anything by him remotely like this.
Peter balsam is the main character, and he comes to a small desert town in Washington state , A town that seems permanently stuck in a time warp..
The community is for all intents and purposes, run by the Monsignor.
He is a cold and undeniably strange man, who believes that almost everything young people do is sinful and that many people or Heretics.
Peter Balsam is offered the chance to teach psychology at the local high school. He knows the Monsignor as the children grew up together in an orphanage.
It is fascinating that both men’s names are Peter.
One would think that would make it confusing, but it really doesn’t. The two men are as different as night and day.
Peter Balsam is what would probably be referred to these days, as a hipster .
He has remarkably few hangups, and also has a rather painful past. He’s running away from a lot of things and accepts the chance to see his old friend the Monsignor and teach psychology at the high school.
But he gets a lot more than he bargained for.
Now we come to the five girls. They are Karen, Penny , Judy, Janet, and Marilyn Crane.
They all take his class, and they all have their own stories.
The Monsignor hates them. He is uncomfortable around all teenage girls, regarding them as uncontrollable, sex, maniacs, and sinners.
Peter Balsam can’t believe the change in his old friend, who warns him that, though he can teach the class, he hast to stay away from certain subjects.
And then the suicides begin….
I feel I must warn anybody who reads this that there are triggers in this book, especially dealing with suicide, and violent murder. The opening scene is about a violent murder that one of the peters witnesses as a child, but we don’t know which one, which Peter.
And then there’s the wave of suicides that begins to permeate through the town, sending hysteria to the adults, as they look with distrust upon Peter Balsam , the Stranger in town, teaching a subject that the towns people do not trust – psychology.
It’s important to note that it’s not just Monsignor Who is conservative to the point of radicalization. It’s the towns people as well. They don’t trust the new energetic psychology teacher, and they do not trust their own kids. At least most of them don’t.
The kids, however, love Balsam. Marilyn Crane, is a gentle, fragile girl, who also is the scapegoat of the whole school. She develops a poignant bond with Balsam.
This book that I read so long ago, but have reread many times in adulthood, is as much of an indictment is on the Catholic Church as anything else. It is fascinating and absorbing and in view of what’s going on in our country today, shockingly relevant, though . It was written a very long time ago.
Of all John Saul’s books this is the one I would’ve liked to see a part two of. It had huge emotional depth and the characters were drawn very well and it was a page turner.
It was also extremely provocative and it’s fanaticism in this little sleepy mountain town is not an anomaly. There’s plenty of small towns like this, so wasn’t hard to buy into that aspect.
Some of the other aspects are more of a thriller nature, and this is where I must put in spoilers. If you plan on reading this book, don’t read any further unless you don’t mind spoilers.
SPOILERS
I really liked Punish the Sinners. I found the topic fascinating and I got attached to Peter Balsam who made a great main character. Now however comes the negatives, along with an explanation of why I could not get this five stars.
Like other John Saul books things do not end well here and that’s an understatement.
I am putting that as a spoiler but likely everybody who reads John Saul already knows this.
The man just does not seem to be capable of happily ever after endings. I am really wanting to read a John Saul book where the good guys and girls all survive in the end. I want happy happy joy joy joy! However I don’t think I’m going to get that and one sure will not with this book.
I was emotionally invested in this book. I really was not down with the fact that just about every good human being dies at the end and it really kind of brought me down. But then again it is John Saul! I should have known what I was getting into.
As I grew up, my literary tastes changed drastically. I got away from horrors and romance, and got more into other types of books, although my love of historical fiction and mysteries still remain strong.
But my love for this book never went away. I have to say that the ending kind of ruined things for me. I don’t profess to be one of those people who needs a joyful ending in every book. In fact, some of my favorite books do not have happy endings at all. But man come on John! Can you end any book on a good note? Does everybody have to be killed off? Does anyone get their happily ever after?
Like I said above, at the end of this book, all the good main characters almost all of them are dead. And nobody ever finds out the truth about balsam it bothered me and it still bothers me today:
I wish he could rewrite it with a different ending!
I would’ve liked to know more about the mind control as well and how it was able to be done.
in spite of the criticisms, which I think are valid,, Punish the Sinners is still a great book. 4.5 stars and it is one of his best.
When he had been a child, such impudence had not been tolerated. The nuns had demanded respect all the time, and the boys in the convent had given it , unquestioningly".
Punish the Sinners by John Saul
Trigger alerts – suicide.
My original review did not do this book justice.
I am going to be adding to my review. Therefore, you’ll see a combination of my old review along with some newer stuff.
One of John’s Saul's best. It had a lot more depth then some of his other books and I don’t mean that in a bad way because I think John Saul is a great writer.
But he’s a horror writer. One does not always get the depth one wants in horror.
Punish the sinners is deeply underrated. I was very into John Saul growing up, and I’ve never read anything by him remotely like this.
Peter balsam is the main character, and he comes to a small desert town in Washington state , A town that seems permanently stuck in a time warp..
The community is for all intents and purposes, run by the Monsignor.
He is a cold and undeniably strange man, who believes that almost everything young people do is sinful and that many people or Heretics.
Peter Balsam is offered the chance to teach psychology at the local high school. He knows the Monsignor as the children grew up together in an orphanage.
It is fascinating that both men’s names are Peter.
One would think that would make it confusing, but it really doesn’t. The two men are as different as night and day.
Peter Balsam is what would probably be referred to these days, as a hipster .
He has remarkably few hangups, and also has a rather painful past. He’s running away from a lot of things and accepts the chance to see his old friend the Monsignor and teach psychology at the high school.
But he gets a lot more than he bargained for.
Now we come to the five girls. They are Karen, Penny , Judy, Janet, and Marilyn Crane.
They all take his class, and they all have their own stories.
The Monsignor hates them. He is uncomfortable around all teenage girls, regarding them as uncontrollable, sex, maniacs, and sinners.
Peter Balsam can’t believe the change in his old friend, who warns him that, though he can teach the class, he hast to stay away from certain subjects.
And then the suicides begin….
I feel I must warn anybody who reads this that there are triggers in this book, especially dealing with suicide, and violent murder. The opening scene is about a violent murder that one of the peters witnesses as a child, but we don’t know which one, which Peter.
And then there’s the wave of suicides that begins to permeate through the town, sending hysteria to the adults, as they look with distrust upon Peter Balsam , the Stranger in town, teaching a subject that the towns people do not trust – psychology.
It’s important to note that it’s not just Monsignor Who is conservative to the point of radicalization. It’s the towns people as well. They don’t trust the new energetic psychology teacher, and they do not trust their own kids. At least most of them don’t.
The kids, however, love Balsam. Marilyn Crane, is a gentle, fragile girl, who also is the scapegoat of the whole school. She develops a poignant bond with Balsam.
This book that I read so long ago, but have reread many times in adulthood, is as much of an indictment is on the Catholic Church as anything else. It is fascinating and absorbing and in view of what’s going on in our country today, shockingly relevant, though . It was written a very long time ago.
Of all John Saul’s books this is the one I would’ve liked to see a part two of. It had huge emotional depth and the characters were drawn very well and it was a page turner.
It was also extremely provocative and it’s fanaticism in this little sleepy mountain town is not an anomaly. There’s plenty of small towns like this, so wasn’t hard to buy into that aspect.
Some of the other aspects are more of a thriller nature, and this is where I must put in spoilers. If you plan on reading this book, don’t read any further unless you don’t mind spoilers.
SPOILERS
I really liked Punish the Sinners. I found the topic fascinating and I got attached to Peter Balsam who made a great main character. Now however comes the negatives, along with an explanation of why I could not get this five stars.
Like other John Saul books things do not end well here and that’s an understatement.
I am putting that as a spoiler but likely everybody who reads John Saul already knows this.
The man just does not seem to be capable of happily ever after endings. I am really wanting to read a John Saul book where the good guys and girls all survive in the end. I want happy happy joy joy joy! However I don’t think I’m going to get that and one sure will not with this book.
I was emotionally invested in this book. I really was not down with the fact that just about every good human being dies at the end and it really kind of brought me down. But then again it is John Saul! I should have known what I was getting into.
As I grew up, my literary tastes changed drastically. I got away from horrors and romance, and got more into other types of books, although my love of historical fiction and mysteries still remain strong.
But my love for this book never went away. I have to say that the ending kind of ruined things for me. I don’t profess to be one of those people who needs a joyful ending in every book. In fact, some of my favorite books do not have happy endings at all. But man come on John! Can you end any book on a good note? Does everybody have to be killed off? Does anyone get their happily ever after?
Like I said above, at the end of this book, all the good main characters almost all of them are dead. And nobody ever finds out the truth about balsam it bothered me and it still bothers me today:
I wish he could rewrite it with a different ending!
I would’ve liked to know more about the mind control as well and how it was able to be done.
in spite of the criticisms, which I think are valid,, Punish the Sinners is still a great book. 4.5 stars and it is one of his best.
December 26, 2024
I’ve avoided John Saul books for over 35 years and now that I’ve actually read one of them I can tell you I was right to.
My full blog review:
http://toomuchhorrorfiction.blogspot....
My full blog review:
http://toomuchhorrorfiction.blogspot....
November 6, 2016
**3.5** I enjoyed this book so much more than I was expecting to. Saul's writing is super easy to read and the story sucked me in from the beginning. I found the idea of the extreme Catholic Church very frightening and really enjoyed how he chose to end it. Overall I was really impressed and will definitely pick up another one of his books in the future!
April 17, 2022
I can see why a lot of people didn’t like this one. It was frustrating, upsetting at times, and very, very slow. It was also pretty long, probably like 150 pages too long, but I read it fairly quickly and liked it for what it was! I wish it ended differently, and that it would have been a bit crazier and more drawn out, but the ending we got definitely worked.
December 3, 2016
John Saul is among a class of horror and thriller writers I feel deserves so much more attention than he gets. I read When the Wind Blows and Suffer the Children, so I was looking forward to reading my third novel of Saul's and did so as a buddy read with Julie from A Girl and a Book on Booktube. I felt When the Wind Blows was really good, while Suffer the Children was good. I would say that Punish the Sinners falls in between, where I feel that it was dark and brutal, yet I feel that in this second novel of Saul's, he has been able to find explanations for everything at hand. This novel proves to be quite intense with its explanation into religious contradictories within a cult within the Catholic church and graphically explores the topic of suicide, but I would stand by the idea that it is very well written and tackles the subject matter head on.
Peter Balsam was previous a student at St. Francis Xavier that specializes in psychology, has written and argued about the topic of suicide, married and separated from his wife, and is now being called by Monsignor Peter Vernon to take a position as a Latin and Psychology teacher at St. Francis Xavier's Catholic high school. It is Peter's teaching of psychology that catches the most attention, for it strays away from the laws of the church and instead reflects his belief as to how the subject matter should be taught. Among his students are Judy Nelson, Karen Morton, Penny Anderson, and Janet Connally, who are friends, Jim Mulvey, Karen's boyfriend, and Marilyn Crane, an outcast to the rest of the group. Peter's methods of teaching involve hands on approaches, many of which involve experimentation on a rat and its actions when it comes to completing mazes, such as one on frustration and how the more difficult and impossible an obstacle becomes, the more frustrated the rat will become.
Peter's teaching, and his presence, lead to a sense of agitation among the students, but placing the blame on him is not necessarily the most accurate thing to do. Students begin attempting suicide, while the parents possess an inability to misunderstand their children, which I feel if anyone, the parents are the most annoying characters in the entire book for how narrow-minded and self-considerate they really are. While I feel they love their children, they have the crappiest timing. Jim Mulvey does not hold a great impression on me, either. At the same time, Peter is being restricted by the Monsignor as to what he can teach and Peter is frequently scolded for his material and how he executes it. While Peter talks about resigning, the Monsignor does not want him to do so, for he needs him much more than Peter could imagine. He even wants Peter to join his group that worships St. Peter Martyr, which presents in itself horrors that are bound to cement something into the minds of readers.
I really like Peter Balsam and I really feel that his classes are meaningful. I feel like I would get something out of them. He does, however, reflect a teaching environment like that in Dead Poets Society, where Balsam portrays the role that Robin Williams did when he played John Keating (who was an individual thinking English teacher), while Vernon is a bit of a more eccentric version of Headmaster Nolan (played by Norman Lloyd). When it comes to controversial, Peter proves to carry that label and it is just about impossible to rip off. Novels of this nature where everyone is oblivious to what is really happening have the tendency to bother me, but since they give reasons (or unsubstantial reasons) as to everyone's oblivion and due to the nature of suicide, the explanation to me is strong enough and does not take away from the substance of the work at hand. The teenagers are a bit shallow in how they see one another and those they find lower than them, but I feel that in many cases their attitude is accurate with that necessary dose of horrific happenings, especially with that historical horror that took place between St. Peter Balsam and St. Peter of Verona.
This novel is not for everyone: the sensitive, the squeamish, or for those that get frustrated very easily. It is, however, a novel that is bound to be intense and keep you on the edge of your seat. John Saul has an answer to everything he has to offer and has the ability to present something so horrific and lingering and make such a monstrosity that inflicts itself onto what ever group or individual he is aiming. The characters, both good, bad, and frustrating, are well developed and the horrors that seek through the minds of the citizens of Neilsville, Washington are also really rich and powerful. This novel made me think and that is exactly what I like getting out of anything I read. I would recommend everything I have read from John Saul and this is no exception to the rule.
Here is a video review of Punish the Sinners I completed on the Literary Gladiators channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-xSa...
Peter Balsam was previous a student at St. Francis Xavier that specializes in psychology, has written and argued about the topic of suicide, married and separated from his wife, and is now being called by Monsignor Peter Vernon to take a position as a Latin and Psychology teacher at St. Francis Xavier's Catholic high school. It is Peter's teaching of psychology that catches the most attention, for it strays away from the laws of the church and instead reflects his belief as to how the subject matter should be taught. Among his students are Judy Nelson, Karen Morton, Penny Anderson, and Janet Connally, who are friends, Jim Mulvey, Karen's boyfriend, and Marilyn Crane, an outcast to the rest of the group. Peter's methods of teaching involve hands on approaches, many of which involve experimentation on a rat and its actions when it comes to completing mazes, such as one on frustration and how the more difficult and impossible an obstacle becomes, the more frustrated the rat will become.
Peter's teaching, and his presence, lead to a sense of agitation among the students, but placing the blame on him is not necessarily the most accurate thing to do. Students begin attempting suicide, while the parents possess an inability to misunderstand their children, which I feel if anyone, the parents are the most annoying characters in the entire book for how narrow-minded and self-considerate they really are. While I feel they love their children, they have the crappiest timing. Jim Mulvey does not hold a great impression on me, either. At the same time, Peter is being restricted by the Monsignor as to what he can teach and Peter is frequently scolded for his material and how he executes it. While Peter talks about resigning, the Monsignor does not want him to do so, for he needs him much more than Peter could imagine. He even wants Peter to join his group that worships St. Peter Martyr, which presents in itself horrors that are bound to cement something into the minds of readers.
I really like Peter Balsam and I really feel that his classes are meaningful. I feel like I would get something out of them. He does, however, reflect a teaching environment like that in Dead Poets Society, where Balsam portrays the role that Robin Williams did when he played John Keating (who was an individual thinking English teacher), while Vernon is a bit of a more eccentric version of Headmaster Nolan (played by Norman Lloyd). When it comes to controversial, Peter proves to carry that label and it is just about impossible to rip off. Novels of this nature where everyone is oblivious to what is really happening have the tendency to bother me, but since they give reasons (or unsubstantial reasons) as to everyone's oblivion and due to the nature of suicide, the explanation to me is strong enough and does not take away from the substance of the work at hand. The teenagers are a bit shallow in how they see one another and those they find lower than them, but I feel that in many cases their attitude is accurate with that necessary dose of horrific happenings, especially with that historical horror that took place between St. Peter Balsam and St. Peter of Verona.
This novel is not for everyone: the sensitive, the squeamish, or for those that get frustrated very easily. It is, however, a novel that is bound to be intense and keep you on the edge of your seat. John Saul has an answer to everything he has to offer and has the ability to present something so horrific and lingering and make such a monstrosity that inflicts itself onto what ever group or individual he is aiming. The characters, both good, bad, and frustrating, are well developed and the horrors that seek through the minds of the citizens of Neilsville, Washington are also really rich and powerful. This novel made me think and that is exactly what I like getting out of anything I read. I would recommend everything I have read from John Saul and this is no exception to the rule.
Here is a video review of Punish the Sinners I completed on the Literary Gladiators channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-xSa...
June 15, 2024
Another winner from John Saul! 1978's Punish the Sinners is his second novel and has so many elements that make Saul great - troubled teens, cosmic/supernatural weirdness, Gothic small town vibes, and an air of mystery where you're not quite sure if some things are real or imagined - all which I love. He takes the horror right to the last page, just like Suffer the Children. He has scenes and situations and details in this book that I've never read in any horror novel before or since, and I've read a lot. Bizarre rituals, Catholic Inquisition, a secret society, mortification/flagellation, a suicide contagion, and mind control all factor into Saul's horror in this one. The fact that he published this in 1978 is amazing. Unlike some modern extreme horror that rely more on graphic descriptions of violence and bizarre depravity rather than story elements to shock you, Saul shocks you with his characters and story elements, and by dragging his readers into the abyss of mental anguish that his characters endure while also teaching you some strange religious history along the way. And the fact that he's a gay man writing horror works itself into the story big-time, but I can't reveal anything else to you. I've read five of Saul's, all excellent. I will read his whole bibliography over the next few years, I'm sure.
September 1, 2021
You had to live through the 1970s to appreciate the depth and breadth of this "Satan Scare decade," which I'm sure was some sort of histrionic overreaction to the cultural and political upheavals of the 1960s. Suddenly the drugstore paperback racks and TV screens of middle America were filled with images of devil worship, second sight, multiple personalities, ESP, reincarnation ... and creepy guys in faddish long hair, turtleneck sweaters and elbow-patched sport coats trying to explain and solve it all.
My mom ate this stuff up with two spoonfuls, and our house was littered with piles of paperbacks with titles like THE UNWANTED and THE DAMNED and THE UNFORGIVEN and the like. So John Saul books were easy to come across when I was a preteen cultural sponge. Rereading Saul now, more than forty years later, I'm struck by how perfectly he was suited to take advantage of this moment because stories like PUNISH THE SINNERS were so deadly earnest in their belief in ridiculous darkness.
The idea that one deranged man could master "relaxation therapy" hypnosis to the extent of being put in absolute authority over a Catholic church and bend it to his Inquisition-minded will is silly enough, but to set it in an isolated community in Eastern Washington (where apparently no Latinos exist)? That the madmen's target is teenage girls who are so silly and addled with the apparently untenable burden of being teenage girls in the 1970s that they buy into it? Laughable ... only it isn't, because Saul believes it, and he makes the reader want to believe it, and that dark sincerity gives this popcorn thriller its extra irresistible drizzle of salted butter.
Even at age fifty-six, I was mesmerized to the final page. So it cannot be said that PUNISH THE SINNERS, silly as it is, does not succeed at what it sets out to do, though I do have to say that with my more critically developed faculties between the me of 1979 and the me of today, a lot of character arcs are left unsatisfyingly unresolved. But all its pleasures are frontloaded, and so I kind of hope that should the urge to read this novel again in another forty-two years come along, I won't be around to indulge it.
My mom ate this stuff up with two spoonfuls, and our house was littered with piles of paperbacks with titles like THE UNWANTED and THE DAMNED and THE UNFORGIVEN and the like. So John Saul books were easy to come across when I was a preteen cultural sponge. Rereading Saul now, more than forty years later, I'm struck by how perfectly he was suited to take advantage of this moment because stories like PUNISH THE SINNERS were so deadly earnest in their belief in ridiculous darkness.
The idea that one deranged man could master "relaxation therapy" hypnosis to the extent of being put in absolute authority over a Catholic church and bend it to his Inquisition-minded will is silly enough, but to set it in an isolated community in Eastern Washington (where apparently no Latinos exist)? That the madmen's target is teenage girls who are so silly and addled with the apparently untenable burden of being teenage girls in the 1970s that they buy into it? Laughable ... only it isn't, because Saul believes it, and he makes the reader want to believe it, and that dark sincerity gives this popcorn thriller its extra irresistible drizzle of salted butter.
Even at age fifty-six, I was mesmerized to the final page. So it cannot be said that PUNISH THE SINNERS, silly as it is, does not succeed at what it sets out to do, though I do have to say that with my more critically developed faculties between the me of 1979 and the me of today, a lot of character arcs are left unsatisfyingly unresolved. But all its pleasures are frontloaded, and so I kind of hope that should the urge to read this novel again in another forty-two years come along, I won't be around to indulge it.
July 14, 2023
The Dark Rapture of a Medieval Terror has come back to claim the young and innocent one by one... by one...
John Saul always has some bat-shit endings to his books. I didn't see this one coming at all.
John Saul always has some bat-shit endings to his books. I didn't see this one coming at all.
May 31, 2014
Enjoyable, but not great writing. This was early on in Saul's writing career, so perhaps it gets better
October 1, 2016
While not being exceptionally well written, Punish the Sinners stands apart in the John Saul canon.
Most John Saul novels are simply stories. They have no subtext or social commentary. Punish The Sinners examines the conflict between traditional Catholic Church doctrine versus a more contemporary view. This is the only novel where Saul examines any subject of any consequence.
Saul’s views are quite clear on the subject. The strong beliefs and unyielding passion of Peter Vernon were certainly cast in the role of evil. Balsam’s more humane and contemporary views were heroic. Saul is also clear on who he thought was winning. Evil triumphed good in Punish the Sinners. This is also unique in Saul’s canon when good always triumphs over evil.
What is more remarkable about this novel is its presience. This conflict would not come to the fore until a couple decades after Punish the Sinners was written. Also addressed on the periphery of the novel is sexual deviance which became the defining issue for Catholics in the 2000s.
Another issue in the book not typically discussed in decent company in the 1970s was teen suicide. Peter and the hospital psychologist debate the phenomenon of suicide contagion. The suicide contagion is the idea that when one teen commits suicide, other teens get caught up in the romantic notion of suicide and kill themselves. In a more modern era where teen suicide is addressed openly as a social affliction, suicide contagion and how it works is an issue of public discussion.
This social and religious debate and subtext is unique in Saul’s canon. Also unusual is the fact that Punish the Sinners is not a particularly well plotted or well written.
Saul’s books are all plot driven. He plots carefully and seldom leaves holes or gaps. He provides great twists that are believable and well conceived. Punish the Sinners has several gaping plot holes that detract from an otherwise dark and riveting novel.
We never learn just how it is that the Society of St. Peter Martyr and Peter Vernon are able to engage in such dominating mind control? It all takes place out of sight of the reader. What was the motivation? The reader learns in the twist that Peter Vernon was that little boy who witnessed his parents’ murder when Saul leads us to believe through most of the novel it was Balsam. But nothing in the text shows us how that hatred of young girls grows and festers. The hate is just there. More development of the malice would have improved this novel immensely.
I have read Saul’s entire library. I have enjoyed all his novels to varying degrees. However, I look at many Saul novels sitting on my bookshelf and have no recollection of the characters or the plot. They don’t stick with me. This book has stuck with me over the years because it is so dark and does provide that social commentary and subtext.
John Saul is regarded as a good horror writer among those who read horror. But he is never mentioned in the same voice as the greats of the genre. One wonders how his stature might have been different had he continued to provide subtext and social commentary in his novels.
Most John Saul novels are simply stories. They have no subtext or social commentary. Punish The Sinners examines the conflict between traditional Catholic Church doctrine versus a more contemporary view. This is the only novel where Saul examines any subject of any consequence.
Saul’s views are quite clear on the subject. The strong beliefs and unyielding passion of Peter Vernon were certainly cast in the role of evil. Balsam’s more humane and contemporary views were heroic. Saul is also clear on who he thought was winning. Evil triumphed good in Punish the Sinners. This is also unique in Saul’s canon when good always triumphs over evil.
What is more remarkable about this novel is its presience. This conflict would not come to the fore until a couple decades after Punish the Sinners was written. Also addressed on the periphery of the novel is sexual deviance which became the defining issue for Catholics in the 2000s.
Another issue in the book not typically discussed in decent company in the 1970s was teen suicide. Peter and the hospital psychologist debate the phenomenon of suicide contagion. The suicide contagion is the idea that when one teen commits suicide, other teens get caught up in the romantic notion of suicide and kill themselves. In a more modern era where teen suicide is addressed openly as a social affliction, suicide contagion and how it works is an issue of public discussion.
This social and religious debate and subtext is unique in Saul’s canon. Also unusual is the fact that Punish the Sinners is not a particularly well plotted or well written.
Saul’s books are all plot driven. He plots carefully and seldom leaves holes or gaps. He provides great twists that are believable and well conceived. Punish the Sinners has several gaping plot holes that detract from an otherwise dark and riveting novel.
We never learn just how it is that the Society of St. Peter Martyr and Peter Vernon are able to engage in such dominating mind control? It all takes place out of sight of the reader. What was the motivation? The reader learns in the twist that Peter Vernon was that little boy who witnessed his parents’ murder when Saul leads us to believe through most of the novel it was Balsam. But nothing in the text shows us how that hatred of young girls grows and festers. The hate is just there. More development of the malice would have improved this novel immensely.
I have read Saul’s entire library. I have enjoyed all his novels to varying degrees. However, I look at many Saul novels sitting on my bookshelf and have no recollection of the characters or the plot. They don’t stick with me. This book has stuck with me over the years because it is so dark and does provide that social commentary and subtext.
John Saul is regarded as a good horror writer among those who read horror. But he is never mentioned in the same voice as the greats of the genre. One wonders how his stature might have been different had he continued to provide subtext and social commentary in his novels.
April 30, 2020
I'm pretty sure John Saul is just not for me. Overwritten, boring drama-filled soap opera. Not really for well-versed Horror readers. Perfect if you're coming off R.L Stine or Christopher Pike. Hard to get into if you've read much else.
I've heard his middle career novels are a bit better, so I'll try those at some point.
DNF about 150 pages in.
I've heard his middle career novels are a bit better, so I'll try those at some point.
DNF about 150 pages in.
March 20, 2022
Unfortunately I did not enjoy this novel.
April 14, 2014
This book is very special to me cause this was my very first book I read from Mr. Saul. I loved this book and it was so very twisted and scary.
July 19, 2014
All I can say about this book without giving any spoilers is I love it when a book doesn't end how the reader whats it to...it really breaks away from the normal and leaves me wanted more.....
August 24, 2017
Punish the Sinners
By John Saul
Genre: Horror
I have several favorite horror authors—my GO-TO set. Stephen King, Dean Koontz and John Saul. Although, to be truly honest, I really prefer Saul’s later work. Occasionally, however, I will choose to look back at some of John Saul’s earlier books. This is one.
Like so many of his stories, this one starts with a prologue. A little boy is playing in his parent’s bedroom when he hears them coming up the stairs. He hides in the closet. He’s not supposed to be in their room, of course. Unfortunately, he finds himself privy to some very intimate sights and sounds. Suddenly, his older sister bursts onto the scene and murders her parents, in their bed, with an axe!
The real story begins some 30-odd years later. Peter Balsam, our main character, is hired to teach Latin and Psychology at the St. Francis Xavier High School in Neilsville, Washington. The principal of the school, Peter Vernon, is an old friend of Balsam’s. MONSIGNOR Vernon, is NOT the boy Balsam remembers. He is a rigid and cruel man who gives off an air of superiority that Balsam finds upsetting.
*****
I must interrupt myself here to point out that these two main characters have the same first name. I’ve noticed that the author, John Saul, does that a lot in several of his books. In this book—as you’ll see in a moment—there is even a THIRD Peter. OMGOSH! Trying to keep them all straight pulls me, the reader, right out of the story and annoys me to no end. It’s distracting to the point of madness! But, I digress…
*****
As Monsignor Vernon shows Peter Balsam to the class room he’s going to be using for the year, Balsam notices a statue sitting in a cubby-hole in the wall and asks about it. Monsignor tells Balsam that it is a statue of St. Peter Martyr. Monsignor, it appears to Balsam, is highly enamored of St. Peter Martyr. He suggests to Balsam that he join himself and a small group of priests who call themselves The Society of St. Peter Martyr at their next meeting.
As Balsam settles into his teaching regime, he finds himself at odds with parents, the town and even Monsignor and the church. Parents are concerned he’s putting strange ideas into the heads of their children during his psychology class at St. Francis. The town suspects him of being less than moral when he begins to see a Divorcee, socially. (This book, you must remember, was written in the 1970’s.) And, Monsignor begins to question Balsam’s loyalty to himself AND the Catholic church. They have several small verbal skirmishes over doctrine. To make things worse, one of his students attempts to kill herself by slashing her wrists.
As it sometimes happens, following the first child’s failed attempt at suicide, several other girls choose to end their lives and several succeed, in some sort of suicide “contagion”. Suddenly, the town is out to get Peter Balsam.
Monsignor Vernon begins to press Balsam to join the Society of Peter Martyr. It is the only way to clear Balsam of the charges being brought against him, he intimates. Balsam agrees. His first meeting with the other priests is awkward, uncomfortable and just aggravating as Balsam feels himself to be the victim of a modern-day inquisition. However, at subsequent meetings something changes. He remembers going to the meetings, but nothing remains after his arrival! He can’t remember anything. His girlfriend suggests he wears a recording device to the next meeting…
I won’t go any further. I hate spoilers!
I will tell you this. FOR ME…this story was incredibly slow and boring. At least through most of it. The last 150 pages or so picked up speed, more of my interest and a little bit (finally) of that “scary” vibe I’m after in a horror book. However, it seemed to take FOREVER to get to this point. I almost put the book down for good, more than once.
This was NOT one of my favorite John Saul books.
While most Saul books are written for no other reason than just plain scary fun, this one seemed—at least to me—to have a hidden message contained within its prose… a very anti-Catholic or maybe just anti-religion message. That’s okay. People have a right to feel how they feel and if I don’t agree with their opinions I can put the book down or exercise MY right to say I don’t agree. I didn’t/don’t feel the need to do either. Just pointing out an insight.
Unfortunately, what I saw as the true purpose of the story left several gaping holes in the plot of this book. Saul is usually much better at clearing up such things than he was with this story.
If you’re looking for an intellectual read that will keep your mind pondering for days after finishing…don’t look here. If you’re looking for something to keep you busy for a few hours each night before bed, I would say this one might do. Just don’t expect too much.
By John Saul
Genre: Horror
I have several favorite horror authors—my GO-TO set. Stephen King, Dean Koontz and John Saul. Although, to be truly honest, I really prefer Saul’s later work. Occasionally, however, I will choose to look back at some of John Saul’s earlier books. This is one.
Like so many of his stories, this one starts with a prologue. A little boy is playing in his parent’s bedroom when he hears them coming up the stairs. He hides in the closet. He’s not supposed to be in their room, of course. Unfortunately, he finds himself privy to some very intimate sights and sounds. Suddenly, his older sister bursts onto the scene and murders her parents, in their bed, with an axe!
The real story begins some 30-odd years later. Peter Balsam, our main character, is hired to teach Latin and Psychology at the St. Francis Xavier High School in Neilsville, Washington. The principal of the school, Peter Vernon, is an old friend of Balsam’s. MONSIGNOR Vernon, is NOT the boy Balsam remembers. He is a rigid and cruel man who gives off an air of superiority that Balsam finds upsetting.
*****
I must interrupt myself here to point out that these two main characters have the same first name. I’ve noticed that the author, John Saul, does that a lot in several of his books. In this book—as you’ll see in a moment—there is even a THIRD Peter. OMGOSH! Trying to keep them all straight pulls me, the reader, right out of the story and annoys me to no end. It’s distracting to the point of madness! But, I digress…
*****
As Monsignor Vernon shows Peter Balsam to the class room he’s going to be using for the year, Balsam notices a statue sitting in a cubby-hole in the wall and asks about it. Monsignor tells Balsam that it is a statue of St. Peter Martyr. Monsignor, it appears to Balsam, is highly enamored of St. Peter Martyr. He suggests to Balsam that he join himself and a small group of priests who call themselves The Society of St. Peter Martyr at their next meeting.
As Balsam settles into his teaching regime, he finds himself at odds with parents, the town and even Monsignor and the church. Parents are concerned he’s putting strange ideas into the heads of their children during his psychology class at St. Francis. The town suspects him of being less than moral when he begins to see a Divorcee, socially. (This book, you must remember, was written in the 1970’s.) And, Monsignor begins to question Balsam’s loyalty to himself AND the Catholic church. They have several small verbal skirmishes over doctrine. To make things worse, one of his students attempts to kill herself by slashing her wrists.
As it sometimes happens, following the first child’s failed attempt at suicide, several other girls choose to end their lives and several succeed, in some sort of suicide “contagion”. Suddenly, the town is out to get Peter Balsam.
Monsignor Vernon begins to press Balsam to join the Society of Peter Martyr. It is the only way to clear Balsam of the charges being brought against him, he intimates. Balsam agrees. His first meeting with the other priests is awkward, uncomfortable and just aggravating as Balsam feels himself to be the victim of a modern-day inquisition. However, at subsequent meetings something changes. He remembers going to the meetings, but nothing remains after his arrival! He can’t remember anything. His girlfriend suggests he wears a recording device to the next meeting…
I won’t go any further. I hate spoilers!
I will tell you this. FOR ME…this story was incredibly slow and boring. At least through most of it. The last 150 pages or so picked up speed, more of my interest and a little bit (finally) of that “scary” vibe I’m after in a horror book. However, it seemed to take FOREVER to get to this point. I almost put the book down for good, more than once.
This was NOT one of my favorite John Saul books.
While most Saul books are written for no other reason than just plain scary fun, this one seemed—at least to me—to have a hidden message contained within its prose… a very anti-Catholic or maybe just anti-religion message. That’s okay. People have a right to feel how they feel and if I don’t agree with their opinions I can put the book down or exercise MY right to say I don’t agree. I didn’t/don’t feel the need to do either. Just pointing out an insight.
Unfortunately, what I saw as the true purpose of the story left several gaping holes in the plot of this book. Saul is usually much better at clearing up such things than he was with this story.
If you’re looking for an intellectual read that will keep your mind pondering for days after finishing…don’t look here. If you’re looking for something to keep you busy for a few hours each night before bed, I would say this one might do. Just don’t expect too much.
January 30, 2012
This, to me, seemed more like a horror novel written specifically for Catholics but I did enjoy it, despite my distance from that sect. I thought it had some interesting concepts in regards to some of the more obscure saints and what an American Inquisition would look like. I wish we might've been able to delve deeper into the psychological make-up of Peter Vernon once his true past is revealed to us but I understand that these types of pulp fiction aren't expected to get too lofty. All and all, a fun read but I also thought it it wrapped itself up too quickly.
July 24, 2016
Not sure what I was expecting, but I wanted more from this book. The basic plot seemed very repetitive and the final outcome didn't leave me fulfilled. There was not a sense of building suspense or press for time to help move the story along and make it more involving. The main characters also seemed very thin without much development. Just a bit disappointed.
June 20, 2012
SPOILER - however much a book may be exciting, if, at the end, nothing has really happened, it is a waste.
November 15, 2015
Not so hot
Poorly proofread and badly edited. Does no one notice proper grammar or spelling anymore? Plot unbelievable. Sorry I wasted my day on this one.
Poorly proofread and badly edited. Does no one notice proper grammar or spelling anymore? Plot unbelievable. Sorry I wasted my day on this one.
April 29, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up. I liked this book, as I've liked all John Saul books I've read. But this one felt a little watered down to me. The first 100 pages had me hooked- an evil ancient religious cult, teenage suicide, the outsider returning to his hometown, I mean, what a great premise for a creepy, creepy story. Unfortunately, when I reached page 200/ish, the plot was finally starting to pick up, the creepiness was FINALLY getting good, and I'm not really sure it was worth it to wait that long.
For a 400 page book, about half of it seemed to be filled with fluff. I probably could have read the first 200 pages, skipped to page 400 and read it until the end, and gotten all the information I needed from the book. A ton of middle parts just felt totally unnecessary and boring.
Definitely not my favorite Saul book, but I am eager to continue with his stories to see what other kinds of creepy things he has in store.
For a 400 page book, about half of it seemed to be filled with fluff. I probably could have read the first 200 pages, skipped to page 400 and read it until the end, and gotten all the information I needed from the book. A ton of middle parts just felt totally unnecessary and boring.
Definitely not my favorite Saul book, but I am eager to continue with his stories to see what other kinds of creepy things he has in store.
July 23, 2021
Ha salido bueno, este libro. No me extraña que sea de los más conocidos de este autor.
Como de costumbre en el caso de John Saul, buena parte de los personajes son adolescentes. Como de costumbre, niños y adolescentes no están a salvo. Como de costumbre, no tiene por qué haber un final feliz.
IMPORTANTE: TW SUICIDIO.
Para más TW/CW, ya sabéis que solo estoy a un mensajito de distancia.
Como de costumbre en el caso de John Saul, buena parte de los personajes son adolescentes. Como de costumbre, niños y adolescentes no están a salvo. Como de costumbre, no tiene por qué haber un final feliz.
IMPORTANTE: TW SUICIDIO.
Para más TW/CW, ya sabéis que solo estoy a un mensajito de distancia.
July 20, 2018
I loved this book!! great story!! 2nd book I have read by this author!! will read more of his books!!
April 6, 2024
Saul at his best. This is right up there with Suffer The Children. LOVED the ending.
November 30, 2022
3.5 stars
Punish the Sinners is one of those rare books that, in and of itself, isn’t “great”, but has that unique ability to keep you engrossed and glued to its pages.
Saul’s ability to write simply, yet effectively, makes this a very easy book to get into and to read.
The story is just ok, with a few to many plot holes, however those can be overlooked by the overall creepiness of the main antagonist and one of the best examples of a bleak/unhappy ending I’ve read in a book in very long time.
This was my first John Saul novel but I wager it will not be my last.
Punish the Sinners is one of those rare books that, in and of itself, isn’t “great”, but has that unique ability to keep you engrossed and glued to its pages.
Saul’s ability to write simply, yet effectively, makes this a very easy book to get into and to read.
The story is just ok, with a few to many plot holes, however those can be overlooked by the overall creepiness of the main antagonist and one of the best examples of a bleak/unhappy ending I’ve read in a book in very long time.
This was my first John Saul novel but I wager it will not be my last.
July 11, 2016
Ever see a comedy or cartoon where the character says, “I was not expecting that?” Well, Punish the Sinners had that effect on me—only it wasn’t funny. Indeed, as one might expect upon knowing how famous John Saul is within the horror genre, there isn’t anything intended (as far as one can tell) to be funny or even provide comedy relief. I grabbed the book on the premise of an ancient evil from the Inquisition trying to permeate its way into a modern (but very traditional and very uptight) town. As the story unfolded, I had to repeat the mantra about not expecting what happened a number of times.
Normally, a story which kept taking me off-guard would rank high in my esteem. Punish the Sinners troubled me in much the same way the protagonist’s, one Peter Balsam’s (failed candidate for priesthood), crash-course in hagiology troubled him. I get that the Catholic Church has serious problems within its dwindling clergy ranks and I understand that some people blame the church’s historical rather black and white interpretations of sin for burdening them with grief. I find it historically fascinating to consider the human cost in terms of “The Inquisition,” although my sourcebook is Edward Burman’s The Inquisition: The Hammer of Heresy from 1984 rather than Henry Charles Lea’s turn of the 20th century The Inquisition of the Middle Ages. Still, I felt that Saul would draw more connections to medieval feuds and powers rather than the main conflict of the novel (can’t explain it without spoilers, but trust me that the set-up is clever—just not enough substance for my taste).
It must be noted that there is some homoerotic imagery in this story—almost all of it tied to the priesthood. If masturbation in the confessional is crossing the line for you, there are many lines crossed in Punish the Sinners. In one sense, the antagonist becomes a cliché for problems in the modern priesthood and in another sense, there is a pervasive fog of misogyny that settles over the story. Within the realm of story, there is that mixture of curiosity, experimentation, and guilt which often surrounds activities where adults become judgmental and panicky. Yes, there are scenes of heterosexual sex, as well. But whether same sex or complementary sexual union is described, there seems to be a sense of one of the partners taking violent advantage of the other. There are two exceptions to this perception but neither ends well for the partners in the long run.
I suppose Saul should be commended for not giving his readers the typical ending of a horror story. He almost captured the Lovecraftian sense of insanity without reverting to archaic language. I just wish the connections with the Inquisition would have been a little more enlightening and that more of the exposition within the novel had used flourishes based on those connections.
Normally, a story which kept taking me off-guard would rank high in my esteem. Punish the Sinners troubled me in much the same way the protagonist’s, one Peter Balsam’s (failed candidate for priesthood), crash-course in hagiology troubled him. I get that the Catholic Church has serious problems within its dwindling clergy ranks and I understand that some people blame the church’s historical rather black and white interpretations of sin for burdening them with grief. I find it historically fascinating to consider the human cost in terms of “The Inquisition,” although my sourcebook is Edward Burman’s The Inquisition: The Hammer of Heresy from 1984 rather than Henry Charles Lea’s turn of the 20th century The Inquisition of the Middle Ages. Still, I felt that Saul would draw more connections to medieval feuds and powers rather than the main conflict of the novel (can’t explain it without spoilers, but trust me that the set-up is clever—just not enough substance for my taste).
It must be noted that there is some homoerotic imagery in this story—almost all of it tied to the priesthood. If masturbation in the confessional is crossing the line for you, there are many lines crossed in Punish the Sinners. In one sense, the antagonist becomes a cliché for problems in the modern priesthood and in another sense, there is a pervasive fog of misogyny that settles over the story. Within the realm of story, there is that mixture of curiosity, experimentation, and guilt which often surrounds activities where adults become judgmental and panicky. Yes, there are scenes of heterosexual sex, as well. But whether same sex or complementary sexual union is described, there seems to be a sense of one of the partners taking violent advantage of the other. There are two exceptions to this perception but neither ends well for the partners in the long run.
I suppose Saul should be commended for not giving his readers the typical ending of a horror story. He almost captured the Lovecraftian sense of insanity without reverting to archaic language. I just wish the connections with the Inquisition would have been a little more enlightening and that more of the exposition within the novel had used flourishes based on those connections.
April 29, 2013
okay, first of all, I really hate books were the bad guys win. In Punish the Sinners, a young, innocent teacher Peter Balsam takes a job at a Catholic school in the tiny town of Neillsville. The school (and pretty much the town) is virtually ruled by the Msgr.who is obsessed with the Inquisition. He and a small group of priests are part of the Justin Martyr society, and when teenage girls begin killing themselves and attempting to kill themselves, with the survivors saying that they felt like they were being forced to do it by some outside agent, the main character becomes certain that the insane monsignor and his priests are behind it. And of course, he is right – you find out in the end why the monsignor has the excessive hatred of teenage girls and why he did what he did. The book does not really get into how – you know that hypnotism is part of it, but it's never explicitly explain how the society had access to the minds of the children. I was very frustrated that the bad guys won in the story – the main character dies, murdered at the hands of the monsignor, and a group of priests continue driving girls to suicide while the dead body of Balsam is desecrated and burned because he is blamed for the suicide contagion.
I am giving it three stars though because the book definitely held my interest. I was just disappointed in the ending – although I have to say that when the bad guys win, it is kind of unusual and therefore unexpected. However, I ended up shaking my head wondering what the purpose of the entire story was.
I am giving it three stars though because the book definitely held my interest. I was just disappointed in the ending – although I have to say that when the bad guys win, it is kind of unusual and therefore unexpected. However, I ended up shaking my head wondering what the purpose of the entire story was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2012
Rediscovering John Saul Book Number 2
Punish the Sinners is the type of story that, when it was originally published, would probably shock many readers. The plot revolves around a small town, Catholic community that is rocked by a so-called "suicide contagion" that is claiming the lives of students of St. Francis Xavier High School. What's causing the students to commit these sinful acts? Could it be the new Psychology teacher putting evil thoughts into the minds of the innocent youth? Or is it something even more ancient and terrifying haunting the halls of the school?!
Even as I write this, I am still debating on how many stars to give in the rating. It could easily be a three star book, because I did enjoy it. Some sections are a little slow, and there were several times when a character would do something and I would have to raise my eyebrows and question the rationale behind their thoughts and actions. Then again, that's usually the fun part of horror books or movies...the characters stupidity gets them into deep doo doo. Also, I like the fact that Saul isn't afraid to end the story the way that he does this story. No spoilers here, so don't worry. So, what the heck...3 stars
Punish the Sinners is the type of story that, when it was originally published, would probably shock many readers. The plot revolves around a small town, Catholic community that is rocked by a so-called "suicide contagion" that is claiming the lives of students of St. Francis Xavier High School. What's causing the students to commit these sinful acts? Could it be the new Psychology teacher putting evil thoughts into the minds of the innocent youth? Or is it something even more ancient and terrifying haunting the halls of the school?!
Even as I write this, I am still debating on how many stars to give in the rating. It could easily be a three star book, because I did enjoy it. Some sections are a little slow, and there were several times when a character would do something and I would have to raise my eyebrows and question the rationale behind their thoughts and actions. Then again, that's usually the fun part of horror books or movies...the characters stupidity gets them into deep doo doo. Also, I like the fact that Saul isn't afraid to end the story the way that he does this story. No spoilers here, so don't worry. So, what the heck...3 stars
October 12, 2013
HERE WE GO: JOHN SAUL #2. ...
This was just weird - old saints and girls committing suicide which we all knew was murder. The how it was done was very convoluted - I won't go into it here due to spoilers but I think my idea was more fun. The book wasn't scary at all. It was more like a "how dunnit" vs. "whodunnit" because I knew who did it immediately. I think the reader is supposed to question the lead character's sanity but I never did. There was no suspense for me just the how. There were also some questions left unanswered like the icky orgies --- that is not really a spoiler and there is nothing super graphic either.
I saw one episode of American Horror Story: Asylum because a friend was in it. It was all I could do to watch it until she came on screen mid episode. I was 100% creeped out. Therefore, I know for a fact that mid-20th century Catholic institutions still scare me. This leads me to conclude that this book was not scary. I do wonder if John Saul gets scarier later on. I don't remember either this book or the first one. We'll see how I do with the 3rd, now to read every one else's reviews.
This was just weird - old saints and girls committing suicide which we all knew was murder. The how it was done was very convoluted - I won't go into it here due to spoilers but I think my idea was more fun. The book wasn't scary at all. It was more like a "how dunnit" vs. "whodunnit" because I knew who did it immediately. I think the reader is supposed to question the lead character's sanity but I never did. There was no suspense for me just the how. There were also some questions left unanswered like the icky orgies --- that is not really a spoiler and there is nothing super graphic either.
I saw one episode of American Horror Story: Asylum because a friend was in it. It was all I could do to watch it until she came on screen mid episode. I was 100% creeped out. Therefore, I know for a fact that mid-20th century Catholic institutions still scare me. This leads me to conclude that this book was not scary. I do wonder if John Saul gets scarier later on. I don't remember either this book or the first one. We'll see how I do with the 3rd, now to read every one else's reviews.
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