Customer Reviews

Bird Box (Unabridged)

First published in March of 2014, British author Josh Malerman’s debut novel ‘Bird Box’ tied together a deeply unnerving horror premise within a powerfully emotive post-apocalyptic premise.

DLS Synopsis:
At first it was just a worry that seemed far off from their own lives. Dubbed ‘The Russia Report’ by the media; strange scenes of escalating violence and seemingly random acts of suicide had been sprouting up around Russia. There seemed to be no common factor linking these brutal acts of violence together. But it was obvious by the mounting reports across the news, that the frequency of these incidents was escalating by the day.

And then, as if from out of nowhere, whatever was happening was out on their own streets. All of a sudden it was real and affecting their own lives. And in one fell swoop, it had stripped away everyone’s basic freedom. Life had suddenly become very detained. Very confined. Very alone.

No one knew exactly what was causing it. But it had generally been accepted that there was something out on the streets, some unknown creatures, which were causing this to happen. Anyone who laid eyes on them was sent insane. Those who saw these creatures were driven to perform senseless acts of murderous violence on anyone around them before ending their own life.

There was only one option left for those who had survived this far. They would have to lock themselves away in their homes, with all windows and doors blocked out with thick blankets. And they would have to hide away. Only ever leaving the relative safety of their hastily secured homes when absolutely necessary. Never once leaving their homes with their eyes open to the world. The pitch blackness of blindfolds had replaced everyone’s vision of the outside world. Never again would they see the sun, the sky, or the bright colours of the world.

For Malorie, when her sister, Shannon, killed herself in their house, she knew she had to get away. She had to find others. She needed the relative safety in numbers. After all, it wasn’t just her own safety that was at stake. Being pregnant and alone, someday in the not-too-distant-future she would need to rely on others. And so she leaves her home and sets off for the commune which had been advertised in the local newspaper as somewhere for people to go. Opening her eyes as infrquently as she could whilst she drove the few miles to the house, Malorie had put her entire life in the hope that there would still be someone to take her in.

And lucky, there was someone there. A group of survivors who would agree to let her in. Let her join them in these nightmarish days where life is confined to the inside of the one house they live within. Although there is still electricity being supplied, their existence is nevertheless a gloomy and darkened one. Devoid of the substance of the world around them. Living in constant fear. Constantly hiding. Constantly listening. Constantly fearing.

And over time Malorie begins to see the house as one big bird box. The world confined to one cardboard box. Like with the one that houses the birds outside. Birds that they put there to help warn them. Boxed in. Forever…

DLS Review:
I have to start off this review by saying how utterly compelling this novel is. Not since David Moody’s debut ‘Straight To You’ (1996) has a post-apocalyptic novel engaged me to the degree that Josh Malerman’s debut has. The novel offers a deeply emotional journey, through a nightmarishly confined existence, that is all shown through a powerfully ‘human’ perspective.

The novel is structured by interweaving simultaneously running storylines from the past and present; told through the perspective of the principal character, Malorie. And in Malorie the reader is given a character who embodies someone who is very real. A character who connects with the reader, drawing strong bonds and a very palpable sympathy. And through this beautifully established connection the real beating heart of the novel is able to build up a tale that will transport the reader into a monumentally claustrophobic and downright unnerving new world.

The post-apocalyptic premise for the story is established reasonably quickly from early on. Within a matter of a handful of short chapters, the world as we know it has been turned inside-out, and it’s pretty much every man for himself. And within the hellish madness, Malorie manages to pull on enough strength to exit her current safe haven and make her way out into the unknown.

With obvious similarities to the likes of John Wyndham’s ‘The Day Of The Triffids’ (1951) or indeed José Saramago’s ‘Blindness’ (1995), there’s a certain element of familiar ground within the main premise of the tale. However, what Malerman has done, is take his story down a far more introspective route – drawing the reader into the tightly confined cage of a close-quartered existence.

Yes, there are moments where Malerman is obviously going out of his way to pull on the readers’ heartstrings. Time and time again these moments crop up. And Malerman executes these powerfully emotive scenes with the absolute skill of an equally emotionally attached storyteller.

Malerman purposefully keeps a great deal of what is out there hidden from the reader. The creatures that have torn the world out from under us are never seen. We know they exist. Their presence is always lurking there; creating an oppressive state of constant fear. And in never once revealing the creatures for what they are, Malerman maintains the worst possible threat. Something that is beyond the reach of your own imagining. Something that, should it be revealed, would send you violently insane.

The ending for the novel is as breath-taking and fitting as the rest of the tale has been. Reading the final few chapters, it’s nigh on impossible not to have goose bumps tingling across your arms as everything is brought to that one final moment. Quite simply, Malerman delivers a truly incredible ending to an absolutely stunning novel. One where there is that smallest glimmer of light in a world of complete darkness.

This is one that no one should miss. So far, the absolute highlight of 2014.

The novel runs for a total of 232 pages.

I won't waste words. This is fantastic, a truly chilling thriller just like the publisher's hype would have you believe, only it's actually true for once. John Wyndham's 'Day Of The Triffids' is an obvious point of reference but Bird Box is very much its own book, wringing every last ounce of paranoia out of what in a lesser writer's hands might have seemed a slightly shopworn 'end of all civilisation' scenario.
If you like classic Wyndham, John Christopher or Scott Smith's 'The Ruins' you will lap this up, show the empty dish to your Mum and ask if you can please have some more.

What a very odd book

The plot: Something is driving people mad when they see it - and is book is about the struggles of people to survive, and in particular one mother and 2 kids.

Nothing is ever explained about why people are going mad, it is just known that if you see this mythical something then you will go mad. Think of it like the Happening (M Night Shymalan film where plants did a similar thing) but nothing is ever really found out why.

So what we end up with is a great idea, but something that is very difficult to put to page. Some of the book works really well, building up a sense of unease and suspense in the reader - but some didn't work as well for me (the jumping between 2 times and the internal monologue). This is not to say it isn't well written, it is, but it didn't push my buttons at certain points.

Well worth a read

We are initially introduced to Malorie, she lives with two children but it is that past that we are taken to in order to comprehend why her four year olds who are not allowed to open their eyes if they go or look outside. It dwells on things that appeared in the US perhaps form Russia, although that is a little vague that drove people to the brink or insanity. Malorie realises she cannot continue living the way they are existing on near starvation and in constant fear. She decides to make a break.She binds their eyes shut and takes her chances.

I found the book profoundly disturbing. It could be a glimpse into a chaotic future where the population is constantly under terror. It could be metaphoric. I was never really sure; I found it difficult to keep reading but perhaps I dd not grasp the true meaning ot the book. It was not for me, despite being intrigued by the book's own jacket cover. The character of Marjorie however was very well portrayed and her genuine fear for her children, as any mother would be, was well recounted.

Subtitled “Don’t Open Your Eyes”, which gives you more of an idea what to expect.

This is an apocalyptic SF/Horror story in the grand tradition of The Day of the Triffids. Set in a near-future America, it opens with Malorie and the two young children she cares for making the agonising decision to leave the besieged but relative safety of The House. They don’t quite know what awaits them Outside, but it’s terrifying.

There are two threads to this tale. One is the journey of Malorie and her charges, all blindfolded, on a boat up the river to an uncertain rendezvous.

The other is the backstory of how Malorie ended up in the claustrophobia of the house with a few other survivors, and how she ends up alone with the two children on this perilous quest after several harrowing events.

It seems that the planet has been invaded, and that the very sight of these invaders drives people mad and into a frenzy of murder and self-destruction. The only way to survive is by avoiding seeing any of them. Which means the few survivors live in houses with windows blanketed, never daring to look outside. And whenever they do have to venture outside, they have to blindfold themselves and make sure nothing gets into the house with them on their return.

Nothing of the nature of these creatures is known. Or could they even be classed as “creatures”? And is it even an “invasion” or just an unfortunate intersecting of different dimensions?

An early character’s description of what he’s heard these stalking beings look like is almost Lovecraftian in its dimension warping language and suggestions.

The two threads to this tale are woven together very effectively; the peril and tension are always there. The writing is pared-down, but disturbingly poetic in places. Some scary episodes will stay with me!

If I had to be picky, I wasn’t very convinced about how the electricity supply, telephones, etc. was supposed to still be operational in this world of isolation and chaos. Yes, an explanation is given but I wasn’t convinced. But that’s OK.

Some reviewers have found the ending disappointing, unresolved, expecting a sequel, a little cheated. I’d prefer to give the benefit of the doubt to the author, who seems to know what he’s doing. The story does reach a clear destination. But it’s clearly not the end of the journey for Malorie and the children.

I think the tone of the ending is just right, if unexpected. With a story of such existential terror and courage “they sorted it out and they all lived happily ever after” probably isn’t going to work. It’s enough they’ve survived, and have hard-won new possibilities to live a fuller life.

Some great storytelling and writing and imagination.

The blurb on the back cover of this book was what drew my attention to this, and made me get hold of a review copy. It did look like it could be slightly different and possibly quite intriguing, and I am glad I have now read it. I will admit that whilst reading this though I did have to wonder if this could turn out to be a bit of a 'Marmite' book.

The story starts with us getting to know Malorie, and her two children, but as you carry on not only do you read what happens next, but you are also taken into the near past with 'flashback' chapters. Malorie's two children are both now four years old, but the story really starts before their birth. With reports initially from Russia it seems that people are seeing something that drives them mad, killing others, and then themselves. Some believe these tales whereas others are much more sceptical, but gradually reports start coming in from other countries. As people are dying, and Malorie has just lost her sister, she needs to find some place of safety to give birth. Having to drive whilst trying to keep her eyes shut isn't that easy, but Malorie does find somewhere to stay.

There is quite a bit of suspense here, especially as the story flips back and forth between present and past, but it is the group dynamics in the house where Malorie goes that provides the strongest and most interesting parts of this book. We are never really certain about what people see which causes them to go mad; we can only assume that the 'creatures' are either aliens or some type of Lovecraftian beast. By people having to wear blindfolds outside, and always be aware of the creatures, as well as the decimation in the population this has caused, we perhaps do get a better understanding of what it must be like to suddenly lose your sight.

This is more of a suspense thriller than an outright horror story, and it has to be admitted there are a few weak points here, especially the two four year old children, who seem to be very wooden. Despite the few small problems with this though, on the whole this is still a good book to get to grips with.

When I was young I had difficulty washing my hair as when in the shower with my eyes closed I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something in there with me, even with the door locked. The feeling would grow so bad that I would have to open at least one eye, get it full of soap, just to check what I already knew that I was alone.
So the Bird Box, a story about a world were people are too frightened to open their eyes outside in the sure belief it will do them harm struck a cord with me.
I could really imagine what it would feel like being blindfolded and your imagination running riot with the knowledge that you couldn't remove the blindfold.

The story revolves around a woman called Malorie and alternates between her present situation and a back story explaining how she got to that point. This is well written and I didn't get confused between the present and past that I sometimes can with books that switch back and forth.

The story is great, well told and the tension and paranoia that builds up is palpable. The characters are strong and although some to me felt a little cliched and could have done with fleshing out a bit it in no way spoiled the story.

I could just imagine Alfred Hitchcock making a film of this as it had the feeling of The Birds about it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book well done Josh Malerman.

Certainly kept me intrigued and I couldn't figure out what was happening. To be honest a lot of what happened is left unexplained as there's only one central figure, Malorie, telling the tale. Malorie tends to relate certain details clearly while leaving others in the shade. Makes for a lot of ambiguity and suspense.

Malorie is surviving in a world supposedly haunted by 'creatures' whose appearance renders mankind insane. Once insane they turn upon themselves and one another with devastating consequences and the body count continues to rise. The only protection against insanity is very simply 'don't look' and the surviving population endure a life spent indoors, blindfolded or merely glancing quickly from beneath their lashes.

There's a clever line between reality and fantasy. Some believe in the 'creatures' and some don't. Even Malorie's own personal tragedy is set up to be maybe or maybe not, at least at the beginning, and the use of real time and flashbacks goes a long way towards enhancing the mystery.

There are two very subtle and cleverly worked threads running through Birdbox. One explores the world of how it may feel to live in the world of the sightless while the other suggests what it might be like to suddenly lose your sight.

Some parts of Bird Box are incredibly creepy and Gothic. There's one particular river boating scene I thought was simply excellent but, unfortunately, there are a few clunky bits and pieces that hold it back from a 5* star review. My main dislike would have to be Malorie's two children who remain shadowy and unexplained in the background. I also found the novel somewhat confusing as it doesn't fit into any one genre.

Bird Box is quite a short novel running to a total of 232 pages of large, well spaced text and I had no problem reading it in a couple of hours. For the first time I'm awarding a 4* review for potential. This author could become something special and I'd certainly read him again.

I can't remember the last book that I sat down and read start to finish so quickly. The entire premise would make for a really unsettling movie one day. I never review books but I am recommending this book to everyone. Very glad I listened to the other reviews and bought this book.

This book is a real page turner! Scared myself silly reading it but I simply had to keep going, brilliant characters that I genuinely cared for, overall a really good read.