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Bird Box #2
Malorie
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2020)Now from the mind of a true master of suspense comes the next chapter in Bird Box. This time, Malorie is front and center, and she will confront the dangers of her world head-on.
Twelve years after Malorie and her children rowed up the river to safety, a blindfold is still the only thing that stands between sanity and madness. One glimpse of the creatures that stalk the world will drive a person to unspeakable violence. There remains no explanation. No solution.
All Malorie can do is survive.
But then comes what feels like impossible news. And with it, the first time Malorie has allowed herself to hope. Someone very dear to her, someone she believed dead, may be alive.
Malorie has a harrowing choice to make: to live by the rules of survival that have served her so well, or to venture into the darkness and reach for hope once more.
Twelve years after Malorie and her children rowed up the river to safety, a blindfold is still the only thing that stands between sanity and madness. One glimpse of the creatures that stalk the world will drive a person to unspeakable violence. There remains no explanation. No solution.
All Malorie can do is survive.
But then comes what feels like impossible news. And with it, the first time Malorie has allowed herself to hope. Someone very dear to her, someone she believed dead, may be alive.
Malorie has a harrowing choice to make: to live by the rules of survival that have served her so well, or to venture into the darkness and reach for hope once more.
301 pages, ebook
First published July 21, 2020
About the author
Josh Malerman
86 books7,776 followersJosh Malerman is the New York Times best selling author of BIRD BOX, MALORIE, GOBLIN, PEARL, GHOUL n THE CAPE, and more.
He's also one of two singer/songwriter for the rock band The High Strung.
He's also one of two singer/songwriter for the rock band The High Strung.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,754 reviews
November 6, 2021
Well that was pointless.
November 19, 2020
oooh, goodreads choice awards finalist for best horror 2020! what will happen?
possible oblique spoilers for Bird Box.
i wouldn't have thought that Bird Box needed a sequel six years later (and 2 years after the disappointing—YEAH, I SAID IT—netflix adaptation), but here we are and here it is and honestly? i thought it was great. when i first read Bird Box, the premise blew me away; answering the question, "what if lovecraft was actually scary?" by centering a horror novel around an unfaaathomable beastie, or species of beastie, that broke the mind, driving anyone who looked even indirectly at one into an uncontrollable homicidal and suicidal frenzy, causing...everything that happened in Bird Box.
this picks up seventeen years later, where survivors are still living behind closed eyes so they don't see any creatures, always at risk of being berserker-murdered by someone else's having seen a creature.
what breaks MY mind to think about it is that, in a situation like this, the threat could have passed and you would have NO WAY OF KNOWING. there you’d be, long after all the creatures had died or moved on, blindfolded and stumbling through what remained of the world making life harder for yourself for no reason. ‘course, you could also be here in this sequel, more than a decade after the creatures appeared and think “surely i am safe by now,” and risk a peek and OH NOOOOO!
i would not last very long at all, with my poor sense of time, fear of the dark and dislike of vulnerability. it would be the biggest fomo of all; i’d be convinced that i was the only person still blindfolded whilst everyone else in the world was frolicking around unencumbered, either laughing silently at me behind their hands while they looted all the good shit or creeping up behind me creeping up behind me creeping up behind me NO, BLINDFOLD OFF NOW!
ANYWAY, BACK TO BOOK
people more stalwart and patient than i am have adapted to living alongside these monsters—whose presence can be sensed if not seen—but all things evolve, and since the creatures have been thriving and increasing in number all these years, it's a bit concerning.
and no one is more concerned about the creatures than malorie.
after fleeing the place they ended up at the end of Bird Box under spectacularly unpleasant circumstances, malorie and her children have spent the past ten years living quietly and simply in an isolated farmhouse, where she has become the very incarnation of the concept of surviving without living, or in her words—having become a living blindfold; her days entirely consumed by establishing routines and rules to protect herself and the children, her safety measures increasing rather than relaxing over the years.
olympia and tom are now teenagers, and they've never lived in a world that was safe enough to actually see. olympia's understanding of human behavior and how the world used to be has come from novels, while tom is more interested in the future, restless with longing to be somewhere else, somewhere people are making scientific advancements and finding ways to live in—and even look at—this monsterfilled world. he's a teenager, so he knows everything, and he's a rebellious little scamp, impatient with his mother's overcautious paranoia and her strangling apronstrings.
fortunately, something occurs that gives them all the opportunity to meet new people and experience new things. unfortunately, THE WORLD IS FILLED WITH MONSTERS.
it's a smart and shivery horror novel, and re-reading it now in mid-pandemic isolation has added an extra level of horror onto the situation for me, the experience of watching a global health crisis unfold and fundamentally change the way people live; keeping them apart, limiting their movements, sacrificing their freedom—swap out a blindfold for a surgical mask and we're all malorie; threatened by some new monster we don't know how to stop (yet), not knowing how long it will last, how much damage it will do, when its next wave will hit and what fresh hells that will bring. and out there, there're the same range of precautions and reactions—some people aren't even wearing gloves while others are out walking their dogs in full-on gas masks with layers of plastic trash bags over the rest of them and some people have gone mad and are yelling with anachronistic fury at actors on the teevee screen, "STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE! STOP TOUCHING EACH OTHER! DON'T GO OUTSIDE, YOU FOOL!" where a and c are me.
but here's the thing—josh malerman created the hellscape of Bird Box and ended it on apositive cautiously optimistic note. and this sequel balances the monster-horror with themes of family and future and progress and hope and *spoiler alert* it does not end in complete soul-crushing despair.
so maybe we'll get through this.
stay cautiously optimistic with me.
********************************
well, look at this!
wait, no—i mean DON'T look at this. AAAAAAAAHHHHH COVER YOUR DAMN EYES!!!
come to my blog!
possible oblique spoilers for Bird Box.
i wouldn't have thought that Bird Box needed a sequel six years later (and 2 years after the disappointing—YEAH, I SAID IT—netflix adaptation), but here we are and here it is and honestly? i thought it was great. when i first read Bird Box, the premise blew me away; answering the question, "what if lovecraft was actually scary?" by centering a horror novel around an unfaaathomable beastie, or species of beastie, that broke the mind, driving anyone who looked even indirectly at one into an uncontrollable homicidal and suicidal frenzy, causing...everything that happened in Bird Box.
this picks up seventeen years later, where survivors are still living behind closed eyes so they don't see any creatures, always at risk of being berserker-murdered by someone else's having seen a creature.
what breaks MY mind to think about it is that, in a situation like this, the threat could have passed and you would have NO WAY OF KNOWING. there you’d be, long after all the creatures had died or moved on, blindfolded and stumbling through what remained of the world making life harder for yourself for no reason. ‘course, you could also be here in this sequel, more than a decade after the creatures appeared and think “surely i am safe by now,” and risk a peek and OH NOOOOO!
i would not last very long at all, with my poor sense of time, fear of the dark and dislike of vulnerability. it would be the biggest fomo of all; i’d be convinced that i was the only person still blindfolded whilst everyone else in the world was frolicking around unencumbered, either laughing silently at me behind their hands while they looted all the good shit or creeping up behind me creeping up behind me creeping up behind me NO, BLINDFOLD OFF NOW!
ANYWAY, BACK TO BOOK
people more stalwart and patient than i am have adapted to living alongside these monsters—whose presence can be sensed if not seen—but all things evolve, and since the creatures have been thriving and increasing in number all these years, it's a bit concerning.
and no one is more concerned about the creatures than malorie.
after fleeing the place they ended up at the end of Bird Box under spectacularly unpleasant circumstances, malorie and her children have spent the past ten years living quietly and simply in an isolated farmhouse, where she has become the very incarnation of the concept of surviving without living, or in her words—having become a living blindfold; her days entirely consumed by establishing routines and rules to protect herself and the children, her safety measures increasing rather than relaxing over the years.
olympia and tom are now teenagers, and they've never lived in a world that was safe enough to actually see. olympia's understanding of human behavior and how the world used to be has come from novels, while tom is more interested in the future, restless with longing to be somewhere else, somewhere people are making scientific advancements and finding ways to live in—and even look at—this monsterfilled world. he's a teenager, so he knows everything, and he's a rebellious little scamp, impatient with his mother's overcautious paranoia and her strangling apronstrings.
fortunately, something occurs that gives them all the opportunity to meet new people and experience new things. unfortunately, THE WORLD IS FILLED WITH MONSTERS.
it's a smart and shivery horror novel, and re-reading it now in mid-pandemic isolation has added an extra level of horror onto the situation for me, the experience of watching a global health crisis unfold and fundamentally change the way people live; keeping them apart, limiting their movements, sacrificing their freedom—swap out a blindfold for a surgical mask and we're all malorie; threatened by some new monster we don't know how to stop (yet), not knowing how long it will last, how much damage it will do, when its next wave will hit and what fresh hells that will bring. and out there, there're the same range of precautions and reactions—some people aren't even wearing gloves while others are out walking their dogs in full-on gas masks with layers of plastic trash bags over the rest of them and some people have gone mad and are yelling with anachronistic fury at actors on the teevee screen, "STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE! STOP TOUCHING EACH OTHER! DON'T GO OUTSIDE, YOU FOOL!" where a and c are me.
but here's the thing—josh malerman created the hellscape of Bird Box and ended it on a
so maybe we'll get through this.
stay cautiously optimistic with me.
********************************
well, look at this!
wait, no—i mean DON'T look at this. AAAAAAAAHHHHH COVER YOUR DAMN EYES!!!
come to my blog!
May 27, 2022
When I first hear about one of my favorite apocalyptic horror read’s sequel is coming out I asked myself: is it really necessary? I was already happy with the outcome: even though it was evasive, questioning but still promising.
Well, I’m getting my words back! I hate the movie adaptation of Netflix and I wish they won’t work with the same screenwriters team for this sequel: it is SO MUCH BETTER to be wasted!
It’s still claustrophobic, dark, disturbing, irritatingly apocalyptic, pessimistic make you think the another version of dangerous world you’re living right now: there are political monsters outside use your vulnerability for their own benefits as you wear surgical masks instead of blindfolds ( sometimes I prefer to stay blindfolded not to read horrible news) so there are terrifyingly resembling things catch your attention during your read make you more horrified.
You already learn the feeling of being trapped in some place and having no idea what the future will bring! That’s why this sequel grows on you and hits you harder than the first book because of the circumstances you’re dealing with right now!
I’m not gonna give so many clues about the new book. Here’s my key point summary:
Yes, the place where the book ended became under attack: madness conquered the building so Malorie took the kids and fled away. She started to build a life at an abandoned farmhouse.
10 years have already passed. Now both Tom and Olympia are teenagers who never lived in a safe world or have any idea what the safety means. Malorie is abusively protective about their safety, preventing them to connect with outside world.
When Olympia’s world view consists of novels she has read, Tom wants to learn more about the people’s fights against the monster and thinking alternative ways to defeat them as he also concentrated on different technological discoveries. As his mother becomes more paranoid, obsessed with her routine of her trapped life, he becomes more rebellious to explore more about the outside world. And they finally have opportunity to bring new people into their lives but yes... monsters are still waiting for their hunt.
Yes, it’s scary as hell and impeccably written! I devoured it at one sit. My requests of the book got lost at the pending purgatory but that’s okay: because it’s truly worth to my every penny!
It’s fantastic, gripping, extremely dark, intense five starred reading that I highly recommend!
Well, I’m getting my words back! I hate the movie adaptation of Netflix and I wish they won’t work with the same screenwriters team for this sequel: it is SO MUCH BETTER to be wasted!
It’s still claustrophobic, dark, disturbing, irritatingly apocalyptic, pessimistic make you think the another version of dangerous world you’re living right now: there are political monsters outside use your vulnerability for their own benefits as you wear surgical masks instead of blindfolds ( sometimes I prefer to stay blindfolded not to read horrible news) so there are terrifyingly resembling things catch your attention during your read make you more horrified.
You already learn the feeling of being trapped in some place and having no idea what the future will bring! That’s why this sequel grows on you and hits you harder than the first book because of the circumstances you’re dealing with right now!
I’m not gonna give so many clues about the new book. Here’s my key point summary:
Yes, the place where the book ended became under attack: madness conquered the building so Malorie took the kids and fled away. She started to build a life at an abandoned farmhouse.
10 years have already passed. Now both Tom and Olympia are teenagers who never lived in a safe world or have any idea what the safety means. Malorie is abusively protective about their safety, preventing them to connect with outside world.
When Olympia’s world view consists of novels she has read, Tom wants to learn more about the people’s fights against the monster and thinking alternative ways to defeat them as he also concentrated on different technological discoveries. As his mother becomes more paranoid, obsessed with her routine of her trapped life, he becomes more rebellious to explore more about the outside world. And they finally have opportunity to bring new people into their lives but yes... monsters are still waiting for their hunt.
Yes, it’s scary as hell and impeccably written! I devoured it at one sit. My requests of the book got lost at the pending purgatory but that’s okay: because it’s truly worth to my every penny!
It’s fantastic, gripping, extremely dark, intense five starred reading that I highly recommend!
March 10, 2021
I’m thinking maybe this series just isn’t for me 🤷♀️
“Just because she’s taken every precaution to avoid the creatures, actual people have always been and will always be just as bad.”
So I was in the minority with Bird Box. I loved it up until the end where it just wasn’t enough for me. When I heard there was a sequel with the potential for more answers I was intrigued.
However this one still didn’t fulfil my need for more information!!
Unfortunately not my bag at all. 3 instead of 2 because it was pretty fast paced. But probably more like 2.5.
*******************
This is...unexpected??
“Just because she’s taken every precaution to avoid the creatures, actual people have always been and will always be just as bad.”
So I was in the minority with Bird Box. I loved it up until the end where it just wasn’t enough for me. When I heard there was a sequel with the potential for more answers I was intrigued.
However this one still didn’t fulfil my need for more information!!
Unfortunately not my bag at all. 3 instead of 2 because it was pretty fast paced. But probably more like 2.5.
*******************
This is...unexpected??
August 17, 2020
4.5 Stars * I got the hardback at my used bookstore! I lucked out and I loved the book!
I thought the book was fantastic! It started out with shit going down right out of the gate! I didn’t expect the turn of events but loved it all the same!! I hope they make a movie out of this one. And I freaking love the cover!
After some things happen, Malorie and the kids have their own home and the kids are teens!! They growed up 😃
There are a few different revelations that I thought were awesome!! I won’t say any more so you guys can experience it yourself and either love it or hate it!!
Happy Reading Sweet Peas 😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
I thought the book was fantastic! It started out with shit going down right out of the gate! I didn’t expect the turn of events but loved it all the same!! I hope they make a movie out of this one. And I freaking love the cover!
After some things happen, Malorie and the kids have their own home and the kids are teens!! They growed up 😃
There are a few different revelations that I thought were awesome!! I won’t say any more so you guys can experience it yourself and either love it or hate it!!
Happy Reading Sweet Peas 😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
August 1, 2020
o conceito de ler esse livro no meio de uma PANDEMIA
August 30, 2020
I loved this. I read this entire book in one day because I couldn’t put it down. After loving Bird Box I was pretty stoked about this sequel, but then I saw some mixed reviews coming in and I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high and get let down, but this book was everything I wanted it to be and more. This is a perfect mix of mystery, horror, and psychological horror and fear of the unknown. I love that this book takes place ten years after the events of the first book and we are following Malorie and the two (now) sixteen year old kids. I love that we bounce back and forth between all their POV’s and hearing what’s going on in each of their heads.
This book has a perfect blend of slow burn mystery and suspense and intense action!! My heart was racing for them and I was flipping the pages so fast in some scenes. But I also appreciated the slower thought provoking chapters of these characters reading about people’s experiences with these creatures and wondering what makes a life worth living? And questioning is life worth living if you constantly live in fear and can never see outside again? It’s all so fascinating and I love that we keep this mystery about the creatures throughout most of this book just like the first book. I think fear of the unknown is truly the creepiest thing about this book. I also just loved getting to explore more of this world and see how different and how similar their world still is ten years later.
I love these characters so much, Josh Malerman is an exceptional writer. He really brings these characters to life in this book and the pacing was just perfect, there was never a dull moment for me. There were some good twists at the end and my heart freaking swelled and I just wanted to cry for them. I’m just so impressed and so happy with this book, I think I might’ve enjoyed this one even more than Bird Box.
This book has a perfect blend of slow burn mystery and suspense and intense action!! My heart was racing for them and I was flipping the pages so fast in some scenes. But I also appreciated the slower thought provoking chapters of these characters reading about people’s experiences with these creatures and wondering what makes a life worth living? And questioning is life worth living if you constantly live in fear and can never see outside again? It’s all so fascinating and I love that we keep this mystery about the creatures throughout most of this book just like the first book. I think fear of the unknown is truly the creepiest thing about this book. I also just loved getting to explore more of this world and see how different and how similar their world still is ten years later.
I love these characters so much, Josh Malerman is an exceptional writer. He really brings these characters to life in this book and the pacing was just perfect, there was never a dull moment for me. There were some good twists at the end and my heart freaking swelled and I just wanted to cry for them. I’m just so impressed and so happy with this book, I think I might’ve enjoyed this one even more than Bird Box.
March 8, 2020
MALORIE: A BIRD BOX NOVEL Review
The version I read was a pre-ARC file that Josh received from his editor, but judging from the file, I believe this will be the final version of the novel.
And what a novel it is.
My objectives with this pseudo-review are twofold:
a) I want to avoid any and all spoilers. The last thing I want to do is ruin this experience for any of you.
b) I’d like to share my feelings about the book as clearly as I can.
So with the above two objectives in mind, I’ve created a Q&A featuring questions you might have about the book and the best answers I can provide.
Here we go!
1. Why did Josh Malerman write this novel? We’ve all seen and read sequels and prequels of varying quality. Is MALORIE a money grab or an essential story?
Let me answer this question with a question: For those of you familiar with BIRD BOX, at the end of that story did you think Malorie’s character was finished evolving? Had she *really* come to terms with this new world? Listen, I really loved the first book, but even though Malorie changed in BIRD BOX, I didn’t feel like her journey was over. There are so many issues she still needs to work out, so many questions that still haven’t been answered.
And what about her children? What would it be like growing up in this world? Living by the blindfold? How would a young person feel if constrained by these strictures? These are important questions, and their urgency proves that this is *absolutely* a story that needs to be told.
This novel, though riveting, suspenseful, and at times flat-out scary, is all about the characters, and that’s why it succeeds so thoroughly. At the end of JAWS (the film version), Chief Brody’s story was complete. Same for Andy Dufresne and Red in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (novella or movie, take your pick). But the story of Malorie and her kids is not done at the end of BIRD BOX. There’s so much more for them to learn, to endure, to battle, and to (maybe) overcome.
For all these reasons, I can tell you that, yes, this novel is absolutely essential. Josh doesn’t write for the money or the prestige; he writes because he loves storytelling, and his imagination is as vivid as anyone working today. This world called to him and demanded to be explored, and now having experienced the journey, I’m grateful he heeded the call.
2. Does it live up to the original?
This is going to be a controversial statement, but while I consider the original novel a modern classic of suspense, I slightly prefer MALORIE. My reason for feeling this way lies in the heartbreaking resonance of the book’s central relationships. There were sections of this novel that were difficult to read because they rang too true. Rarely do I understand and relate to both sides of a conflict the way I did with Malorie and her son Tom. I won’t say more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything, but if I were Malorie, I’d think exactly the way she thinks, and if I were Tom, I’d undergo the same feelings he experiences. These opposing scripts comprise one of the novel’s most powerful elements. And for me, relationships like these elevate MALORIE just a small notch above BIRD BOX.
3. Is it scary?
Good gravy, is it ever. There are scenes here that had me curling my toes in dread. Josh knows how to ambush the reader, and he knows how to subvert a reader’s expectations. So many times I thought I knew what was coming, only to have my expectations confounded by an unforeseen development that was twice as compelling as what I’d assumed would happen. This is a rare and marvelous gift. So…yes. It’s scary. Damned scary.
4. Is it emotional?
This is why I love the book so much. Frights only take a story so far. There’s gotta be heart. And MALORIE has emotion by the trainload. I genuinely rooted for most of the characters, and I detested a couple of them too. Yet at no time did the story feel manipulative. This novel choked me up, made heart hammer, and caused me to pump my fists in joy. That’s a wondrous combination.
5. Any final thoughts?
I love the structure of MALORIE. To talk too much about it would be to ruin it, so I’ll simply say this: Everything in this novel has a purpose. Seemingly minor events take on gargantuan meaning in unexpected ways. A line of dialogue or a fleeting moment that seems self-contained ends up connecting to another development in a way that makes you smile, cringe, or utter a breathless laugh of admiration.
I loved MALORIE. Now that I’ve read the novel, I can’t imagine it *not* existing. It’s as essential as a second book can be. I have to imagine that Josh felt some pressure to make this book special, but it sure doesn’t read that way. It reads like a gloriously natural continuation of BIRD BOX written by a blazingly-talented author in total command of his craft.
The version I read was a pre-ARC file that Josh received from his editor, but judging from the file, I believe this will be the final version of the novel.
And what a novel it is.
My objectives with this pseudo-review are twofold:
a) I want to avoid any and all spoilers. The last thing I want to do is ruin this experience for any of you.
b) I’d like to share my feelings about the book as clearly as I can.
So with the above two objectives in mind, I’ve created a Q&A featuring questions you might have about the book and the best answers I can provide.
Here we go!
1. Why did Josh Malerman write this novel? We’ve all seen and read sequels and prequels of varying quality. Is MALORIE a money grab or an essential story?
Let me answer this question with a question: For those of you familiar with BIRD BOX, at the end of that story did you think Malorie’s character was finished evolving? Had she *really* come to terms with this new world? Listen, I really loved the first book, but even though Malorie changed in BIRD BOX, I didn’t feel like her journey was over. There are so many issues she still needs to work out, so many questions that still haven’t been answered.
And what about her children? What would it be like growing up in this world? Living by the blindfold? How would a young person feel if constrained by these strictures? These are important questions, and their urgency proves that this is *absolutely* a story that needs to be told.
This novel, though riveting, suspenseful, and at times flat-out scary, is all about the characters, and that’s why it succeeds so thoroughly. At the end of JAWS (the film version), Chief Brody’s story was complete. Same for Andy Dufresne and Red in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (novella or movie, take your pick). But the story of Malorie and her kids is not done at the end of BIRD BOX. There’s so much more for them to learn, to endure, to battle, and to (maybe) overcome.
For all these reasons, I can tell you that, yes, this novel is absolutely essential. Josh doesn’t write for the money or the prestige; he writes because he loves storytelling, and his imagination is as vivid as anyone working today. This world called to him and demanded to be explored, and now having experienced the journey, I’m grateful he heeded the call.
2. Does it live up to the original?
This is going to be a controversial statement, but while I consider the original novel a modern classic of suspense, I slightly prefer MALORIE. My reason for feeling this way lies in the heartbreaking resonance of the book’s central relationships. There were sections of this novel that were difficult to read because they rang too true. Rarely do I understand and relate to both sides of a conflict the way I did with Malorie and her son Tom. I won’t say more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything, but if I were Malorie, I’d think exactly the way she thinks, and if I were Tom, I’d undergo the same feelings he experiences. These opposing scripts comprise one of the novel’s most powerful elements. And for me, relationships like these elevate MALORIE just a small notch above BIRD BOX.
3. Is it scary?
Good gravy, is it ever. There are scenes here that had me curling my toes in dread. Josh knows how to ambush the reader, and he knows how to subvert a reader’s expectations. So many times I thought I knew what was coming, only to have my expectations confounded by an unforeseen development that was twice as compelling as what I’d assumed would happen. This is a rare and marvelous gift. So…yes. It’s scary. Damned scary.
4. Is it emotional?
This is why I love the book so much. Frights only take a story so far. There’s gotta be heart. And MALORIE has emotion by the trainload. I genuinely rooted for most of the characters, and I detested a couple of them too. Yet at no time did the story feel manipulative. This novel choked me up, made heart hammer, and caused me to pump my fists in joy. That’s a wondrous combination.
5. Any final thoughts?
I love the structure of MALORIE. To talk too much about it would be to ruin it, so I’ll simply say this: Everything in this novel has a purpose. Seemingly minor events take on gargantuan meaning in unexpected ways. A line of dialogue or a fleeting moment that seems self-contained ends up connecting to another development in a way that makes you smile, cringe, or utter a breathless laugh of admiration.
I loved MALORIE. Now that I’ve read the novel, I can’t imagine it *not* existing. It’s as essential as a second book can be. I have to imagine that Josh felt some pressure to make this book special, but it sure doesn’t read that way. It reads like a gloriously natural continuation of BIRD BOX written by a blazingly-talented author in total command of his craft.
November 13, 2020
3.5 to 4 Stars
Not quite as solid and groundbreaking as Bird Box. More of an extended epilogue to give a few more answers and perhaps a bit of resolution. I cannot say that I felt deeply satisfied with the experience, but it was interesting and will probably hold the attention those who really got into the mystery of Bird Box.
This book was released in mid-2020 and I really wonder how much of it Malerman had worked out after the COVID-19 pandemic started. The discussions and opinions about blindfolds in the book is very similar to the wide range of public response to face masks. So, perhaps a thinly veiled commentary (pun fully intended!)
In closing, not a wide, sweeping, and intricate narrative. Pretty basic plot, but it fills in a lot of the blanks left after Bird Box. If you enjoyed being left to wonder "why?" and "what happened?", maybe just leave this one unread and revel in the mystery of the first book. But, if you want some more answers, give this one a go!
You might find the experience "eye opening"!!! (I'm here all week, folks!)
Not quite as solid and groundbreaking as Bird Box. More of an extended epilogue to give a few more answers and perhaps a bit of resolution. I cannot say that I felt deeply satisfied with the experience, but it was interesting and will probably hold the attention those who really got into the mystery of Bird Box.
This book was released in mid-2020 and I really wonder how much of it Malerman had worked out after the COVID-19 pandemic started. The discussions and opinions about blindfolds in the book is very similar to the wide range of public response to face masks. So, perhaps a thinly veiled commentary (pun fully intended!)
In closing, not a wide, sweeping, and intricate narrative. Pretty basic plot, but it fills in a lot of the blanks left after Bird Box. If you enjoyed being left to wonder "why?" and "what happened?", maybe just leave this one unread and revel in the mystery of the first book. But, if you want some more answers, give this one a go!
You might find the experience "eye opening"!!! (I'm here all week, folks!)
January 19, 2024
Beginning at the same place we left off in BIRD BOX only a few years later at the school for the blind, MALORIE takes us on another wild ride!
As with everything in the BIRD BOX world, the school does not remain safe for long. Once again, Malorie goes on the road and discovers a safe place to raise her family, all still living by the fold. They are comfortable for many years, (Olympia and Tom are now 16), until a man arrives are their camp. He says he's from the census, and has printed papers with news of the world. Of course Malorie will not look at them and doesn't trust him, (she lives by the fold), but Tom does- and finds the names of Malorie's parents on a list of survivors. Are they really still alive? Is this census thing for real? You'll have to read it to find out!
I don't want to say anything more about the plot, because there's a lot going on here that you deserve to find out on your own. I will say, however, that I thought there was a lot of repetition along the way, when we're inside Malorie's or the teens' heads. Sometimes I got a little bogged down while listening to that. Also? I felt like the ending came abruptly and I wanted to know about more about the circumstances in which Malorie and her family found themselves.
Those are the only, (slightly), negative things I have to say, because otherwise, I loved this book. I was glad to see Malorie again, tough as nails and handling things like a boss.
Cassandra Campbell is one hell of a narrator and I enjoyed her performance.
MALORIE is an engaging tale and an even more engaging character. I recommend that all fans of BIRD BOX get to it and get to it quickly!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3aJ7fXf
*I bought this audiobook with my hard earned cash.*
As with everything in the BIRD BOX world, the school does not remain safe for long. Once again, Malorie goes on the road and discovers a safe place to raise her family, all still living by the fold. They are comfortable for many years, (Olympia and Tom are now 16), until a man arrives are their camp. He says he's from the census, and has printed papers with news of the world. Of course Malorie will not look at them and doesn't trust him, (she lives by the fold), but Tom does- and finds the names of Malorie's parents on a list of survivors. Are they really still alive? Is this census thing for real? You'll have to read it to find out!
I don't want to say anything more about the plot, because there's a lot going on here that you deserve to find out on your own. I will say, however, that I thought there was a lot of repetition along the way, when we're inside Malorie's or the teens' heads. Sometimes I got a little bogged down while listening to that. Also? I felt like the ending came abruptly and I wanted to know about more about the circumstances in which Malorie and her family found themselves.
Those are the only, (slightly), negative things I have to say, because otherwise, I loved this book. I was glad to see Malorie again, tough as nails and handling things like a boss.
Cassandra Campbell is one hell of a narrator and I enjoyed her performance.
MALORIE is an engaging tale and an even more engaging character. I recommend that all fans of BIRD BOX get to it and get to it quickly!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3aJ7fXf
*I bought this audiobook with my hard earned cash.*
October 8, 2021
MALORIE by Josh Malerman is the sequel to my favorite read of 2021: BIRD BOX. Thankfully, birds of a feather flock together. Both books soared in the right direction: as heart pounding, five-star reads!
MY TEASE…
For Malorie Walsh and her two teens, Tom and Olympia, “life by the fold” (the blindfold) has become routine and one dimensional. The family’s purpose? To never forget that the creatures exist. To never “get lazy” because the creatures are waiting—every second, every minute, every hour of every day—to turn those who look upon them…violently mad.
The family has existed for 10 years at Camp Yadin. And because of their singular focus (to never look), Malorie finds herself light years away from the risktaker she once was in the old world.
Until…
Until someone in the new world knocks on their cabin door. A man conducting a census. A man who has literature. Literature that speaks of an operational Blind Train located just 30 miles away. Literature, in fact, that includes names of those who’ve survived.
And when Malorie recognizes the name of someone whom she thought long dead, her desire to maintain the status quo is beyond ruffled.
Look for hope…or stay blind to the world? Face danger among the living…or keep hiding to merely exist? Regardless of her decisions, Malorie senses that imminent danger awaits.
As usual, her instincts are rarely blurred.
THOUGHTS…
Josh Malerman is a master of tension building. His talent jumped off the pages, grabbed me, and wouldn’t let me go!
Here is one sample below. The scene: With a flashlight, Malorie is under a blanket so she can read the literature left by the census man. Her blindfolded teens have been sleeping. The text reads…
She [Malorie] feels a tap on her back.
She falls flat to the floor, heart thudding.
“Mom.”
It’s Olympia, whispering, her lips pressed to Malorie’s ear through the fabric of the blanket.
“What?” Malorie whispers back.
“We’re not alone in here.”
Malorie goes cold.
“Someone is standing in the doorway,” Olympia says. “I can hear them breathing.”
Like I said…TENSION in all caps! Now multiply that by almost every page.
QUICKFIRE RATINGS from 1 (ugh) to 5 (woo-hoo)…
Plot (the story): 5
Main character’s likability: 5
Development of supporting character(s): 5
Settings/Atmosphere: 5+ (Crushed it!)
Pacing (how fast did I turn the pages): 5
Believability (in the context of the story): 3
Satisfying ending: 5
Tension of the story: 5+ (Crushed it!)
Stirs the heart (romantic elements): N/A
OVERALL:
MALORIE stayed on track for a tension filled, five-star ride! I highly recommend this duology! I LOVED both books :)
MY TEASE…
For Malorie Walsh and her two teens, Tom and Olympia, “life by the fold” (the blindfold) has become routine and one dimensional. The family’s purpose? To never forget that the creatures exist. To never “get lazy” because the creatures are waiting—every second, every minute, every hour of every day—to turn those who look upon them…violently mad.
The family has existed for 10 years at Camp Yadin. And because of their singular focus (to never look), Malorie finds herself light years away from the risktaker she once was in the old world.
Until…
Until someone in the new world knocks on their cabin door. A man conducting a census. A man who has literature. Literature that speaks of an operational Blind Train located just 30 miles away. Literature, in fact, that includes names of those who’ve survived.
And when Malorie recognizes the name of someone whom she thought long dead, her desire to maintain the status quo is beyond ruffled.
Look for hope…or stay blind to the world? Face danger among the living…or keep hiding to merely exist? Regardless of her decisions, Malorie senses that imminent danger awaits.
As usual, her instincts are rarely blurred.
THOUGHTS…
Josh Malerman is a master of tension building. His talent jumped off the pages, grabbed me, and wouldn’t let me go!
Here is one sample below. The scene: With a flashlight, Malorie is under a blanket so she can read the literature left by the census man. Her blindfolded teens have been sleeping. The text reads…
She [Malorie] feels a tap on her back.
She falls flat to the floor, heart thudding.
“Mom.”
It’s Olympia, whispering, her lips pressed to Malorie’s ear through the fabric of the blanket.
“What?” Malorie whispers back.
“We’re not alone in here.”
Malorie goes cold.
“Someone is standing in the doorway,” Olympia says. “I can hear them breathing.”
Like I said…TENSION in all caps! Now multiply that by almost every page.
QUICKFIRE RATINGS from 1 (ugh) to 5 (woo-hoo)…
Plot (the story): 5
Main character’s likability: 5
Development of supporting character(s): 5
Settings/Atmosphere: 5+ (Crushed it!)
Pacing (how fast did I turn the pages): 5
Believability (in the context of the story): 3
Satisfying ending: 5
Tension of the story: 5+ (Crushed it!)
Stirs the heart (romantic elements): N/A
OVERALL:
MALORIE stayed on track for a tension filled, five-star ride! I highly recommend this duology! I LOVED both books :)
October 22, 2020
"You showed up uninvited and you took everything from us. You stole our sisters, our parents, our kids. You took the sky, the view, you took day and nights, A look across the street. A glance out a window. You've taken a view, every view, and with that, perspective."
Malorie is book #2 in the Bird Box series and begins where Bird Box ends at the school for the blind. Malorie and her children leave amidst disaster there and find refuge at a camp where her children are teenagers and their day to day lives are focused on survival, until one day, a man appears and turns their world upside down - once again.
What are these creatures/monsters? Will we ever know where they came from or what they look like? I secretly hope not. I think the "not knowing" is what elevates the "creepy" factor for me. What could be so terrible, so grotesque that it drives people mad?
I love the tension and dread in this book. Gotta say it, Bird Box was better, but this was a nice sequel. Great book for spooktober.
Malorie is book #2 in the Bird Box series and begins where Bird Box ends at the school for the blind. Malorie and her children leave amidst disaster there and find refuge at a camp where her children are teenagers and their day to day lives are focused on survival, until one day, a man appears and turns their world upside down - once again.
What are these creatures/monsters? Will we ever know where they came from or what they look like? I secretly hope not. I think the "not knowing" is what elevates the "creepy" factor for me. What could be so terrible, so grotesque that it drives people mad?
I love the tension and dread in this book. Gotta say it, Bird Box was better, but this was a nice sequel. Great book for spooktober.
August 29, 2020
Bird Box was a hit for me.. a five star read!
This one was just ok in my opinion.
It started out good and then... meh..
Bird Box was just so intense and fast moving....
not this one!
I really wanted to give my fellow
Michigander a rave review on this, so I’m sad
it didn’t work for me!
This one was just ok in my opinion.
It started out good and then... meh..
Bird Box was just so intense and fast moving....
not this one!
I really wanted to give my fellow
Michigander a rave review on this, so I’m sad
it didn’t work for me!
August 5, 2020
Review originally published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
From my review of Bird Box in 2018:
Our protagonist, Malorie, is young and a little naive. There is a global calamity going on and she seems very preoccupied with her own circumstances. As a reader, you are concerned with our protagonist’s perspective—can she navigate through this story safely for us? I wanted a more reliable, capable protagonist to be honest but this is a horror novel and I came prepared for the worst. And the worst did come…
…This was an engaging, edge of your seat read. I loved every hair-raising moment. A solid work of horror, suspense and apocalyptic storytelling.
In this sequel, Josh Malerman pens the evolution of the protagonist Malorie from his bestselling book (and one of my favorite horror novels) Bird Box. Malorie is an adult now. Her children are teenagers. They “live by the blindfold.” Considering the ending of Bird Box, this is a curious statement.
In order to protect reader discovery, this review must, at all costs, be light on plot details and lean in on my reading experience. I think the most important thing readers need to know is that yes, Malorie can be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Perhaps my personal favorite aspect of reading is joining a character on their journey towards self-discovery and evolution. In the genre of horror, this character growth is often a forced process as the characters are put through various trials and face many terrors.
In Bird Box, Malerman did an excellent job of portraying a young woman navigating through the catastrophe in a realistic way that many of us could relate to. She worries about her own self-preservation. She makes mistakes. She grows impatient and frustrated with her circumstances.
Sometimes, in horror, the “final girl” is immediately brave or heroic in almost all situations and it makes the reader feel detached from the story. It’s hard to identify with someone who can flawlessly execute “the right thing to do” all the time.
In Bird Box, Malorie was almost too real; too like me. I was scared about what could possibly happen to her and if she would be strong enough to survive. By the end of the book, she had undergone a huge transformation and the person she was, in the beginning, had been tested by fire. The woman that emerged was capable, competent and resourceful.
Malorie is the sequel we desperately needed but didn’t even know we wanted. When I heard Malerman was writing a sequel, I thought, “Of course Malorie has more to show us. There’s so much more to her story.”
Whereas Bird Box is one person’s journey, encountering various people along the way, Malorie is the story of a nexus. A family. The addition of Malorie’s children and the way they rub against each other’s flaws and distinct personalities makes this story shine.
Character-driven horror is my absolute favorite. I show up to my books expecting to fall in love so that I can be destroyed, and Josh Malerman delivers.
Malorie is a new favorite horror story and stands perfectly equal to its predecessor. Once again, Josh Malerman proves his place among my all-time favorite authors of horror fiction. Always unique. Insatiably original. An identifiable, almost magical quality to his storytelling that never disappoints.
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
From my review of Bird Box in 2018:
Our protagonist, Malorie, is young and a little naive. There is a global calamity going on and she seems very preoccupied with her own circumstances. As a reader, you are concerned with our protagonist’s perspective—can she navigate through this story safely for us? I wanted a more reliable, capable protagonist to be honest but this is a horror novel and I came prepared for the worst. And the worst did come…
…This was an engaging, edge of your seat read. I loved every hair-raising moment. A solid work of horror, suspense and apocalyptic storytelling.
In this sequel, Josh Malerman pens the evolution of the protagonist Malorie from his bestselling book (and one of my favorite horror novels) Bird Box. Malorie is an adult now. Her children are teenagers. They “live by the blindfold.” Considering the ending of Bird Box, this is a curious statement.
In order to protect reader discovery, this review must, at all costs, be light on plot details and lean in on my reading experience. I think the most important thing readers need to know is that yes, Malorie can be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Perhaps my personal favorite aspect of reading is joining a character on their journey towards self-discovery and evolution. In the genre of horror, this character growth is often a forced process as the characters are put through various trials and face many terrors.
In Bird Box, Malerman did an excellent job of portraying a young woman navigating through the catastrophe in a realistic way that many of us could relate to. She worries about her own self-preservation. She makes mistakes. She grows impatient and frustrated with her circumstances.
Sometimes, in horror, the “final girl” is immediately brave or heroic in almost all situations and it makes the reader feel detached from the story. It’s hard to identify with someone who can flawlessly execute “the right thing to do” all the time.
In Bird Box, Malorie was almost too real; too like me. I was scared about what could possibly happen to her and if she would be strong enough to survive. By the end of the book, she had undergone a huge transformation and the person she was, in the beginning, had been tested by fire. The woman that emerged was capable, competent and resourceful.
Malorie is the sequel we desperately needed but didn’t even know we wanted. When I heard Malerman was writing a sequel, I thought, “Of course Malorie has more to show us. There’s so much more to her story.”
Whereas Bird Box is one person’s journey, encountering various people along the way, Malorie is the story of a nexus. A family. The addition of Malorie’s children and the way they rub against each other’s flaws and distinct personalities makes this story shine.
Character-driven horror is my absolute favorite. I show up to my books expecting to fall in love so that I can be destroyed, and Josh Malerman delivers.
Malorie is a new favorite horror story and stands perfectly equal to its predecessor. Once again, Josh Malerman proves his place among my all-time favorite authors of horror fiction. Always unique. Insatiably original. An identifiable, almost magical quality to his storytelling that never disappoints.
August 24, 2020
Creepy to the Freakin Max! Way to knock it out of the park Josh Malerman!
You know that dark, ominous, foreboding feeling you get where the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end? YEAH, that happens in “Malorie” by Josh Malerman and it happens often. “Malorie” is the sequel to “Bird Box” and it’s a freaking doozie!
That atmospheric feeling is omnipresent through much of this novel. I personally felt it as soon as the first “creatures” appeared. All I can say is: Holy Sh&t!
“Malorie” is dark, disturbing and a little terrifying and yet it’s also captivating, compelling and Hella Brilliant.
Have you ever wondered what happened to “Malorie” and her children, Tom and Olympia? Well, here’s your chance to find out! This novel starts where Bird Box ends and it takes off from there.
When I say it takes off, I mean it blasts off, like a Space Shuttle.
Taut, tension filled, and frightening, “Malorie” had me gripping the kindle for dear life, hoping for a good outcome. This is a character driven mystery suspense that will grab your attention from the get go and keep you engrossed throughout. Josh Malerman, thank you for writing a sequel, you completely surpassed my expectations!
Published on Goodreads on 8.23.20.
You know that dark, ominous, foreboding feeling you get where the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end? YEAH, that happens in “Malorie” by Josh Malerman and it happens often. “Malorie” is the sequel to “Bird Box” and it’s a freaking doozie!
That atmospheric feeling is omnipresent through much of this novel. I personally felt it as soon as the first “creatures” appeared. All I can say is: Holy Sh&t!
“Malorie” is dark, disturbing and a little terrifying and yet it’s also captivating, compelling and Hella Brilliant.
Have you ever wondered what happened to “Malorie” and her children, Tom and Olympia? Well, here’s your chance to find out! This novel starts where Bird Box ends and it takes off from there.
When I say it takes off, I mean it blasts off, like a Space Shuttle.
Taut, tension filled, and frightening, “Malorie” had me gripping the kindle for dear life, hoping for a good outcome. This is a character driven mystery suspense that will grab your attention from the get go and keep you engrossed throughout. Josh Malerman, thank you for writing a sequel, you completely surpassed my expectations!
Published on Goodreads on 8.23.20.
October 2, 2020
Even someone who appears kindhearted might glance out a window. Even someone abrasive might never. The old constructs of good and bad have long been replaced with safe and unsafe. Are you a safe person? She thinks she is. She knows she is.
...
Despite the behavior by some that she considered unfathomably dangerous only fourteen days ago, she also gets it. People in the new world fall into two categories: safe and unsafe. But who’s to say which lives the better, fuller life?
I found Bird Box to be original, quite absorbing, and genuinely scary in places. So when I heard there would be a sequel, I was nervous, fearful that a new book would just be a cash grab so Netflix could make another hit movie. I’m delighted to say I could not have been more wrong.
After a short prologue that takes place two years after the end of Bird Box, this book picks up a full ten years later. Malorie and her two now sixteen-year-olds Tom and Olympia have found a camp where they can live in relative isolation and safety. But “live” is a strong word. While Malorie’s afraid of seeing one of the creatures and going new school mad, she’s got so much PTSD that she’s already basically old school mad. Then one day, a man comes to the camp with word of the outside world, and Malorie learns that her parents might still be alive and close enough to risk traveling to try to find them ....
Bird Box was told largely through flashbacks, and mostly from inside Malorie’s claustrophobic perspective. This book regularly moves back and forth between Malorie, Tom, and Olympia as narrators. Each character views the world quite differently, and these shifting perspectives give the book a different, less internal feel. While this book certainly touches on themes from the first novel (“man is the creature he fears”), it also hits some different themes from this first book. How do we deal with isolation? What is the right balance between safety and risk? To say these questions felt topical during a pandemic would be an extreme understatement.
One can easily imagine this book being made into the Netflix sequel it will surely become. There are a couple of small but key points here that don’t line up with the first movie. But if Michael Crichton could figure out how to bring Ian Malcolm back from the dead in The Lost World because Jeff Goldblum had been hired to star in the movie, I’m sure Netflix will figure out how to adapt to those minor differences.
This book is a really strong sequel. It goes in some unexpected directions, and manages to build upon—while still staying true—to the first story. It builds to a strong climax, with some good twists and a cathartic final scene. It’s probably not as scary as the first book, but it’s a surprisingly good story. Recommended.
August 13, 2020
After enjoying The Bird Box a great deal, I was eager to get my hands on this sequel by Josh Malerman to see how things progressed. In a story that offers some interesting continuity and progression, Malerman did some things well and others that I could have done without. Malorie has been living at The Jane Tucker School for the Blind over the past number of years. With all the protections in place, her children, Tom and Olympia, have come to accept that this is how things will be forever. When census data comes to the school and Malorie learns that her parents are listed as still alive, she is overjoyed. With a little convincing, she agrees to take Tom and Olympia on the journey to reunite with them. It will be dangerous and the Creatures are still out there, sure to target them. Using as much safety as possible, they begin the journey across Michigan. It is slow and arduous, but Malorie is able to learn a great deal about herself, while also remembering the ‘old days’ and living with her family as a girl. When they discover a train system running throughout Michigan, they agree to ride it, though there are soon some revelations that cause things to ‘go off the rails’. Tom exerts his teenage angst relating to the prison in which he feels he lives and Olympia seeks to push boundaries she is sure need a nudge. Will Malorie make it to her family home with her own next generation, or will the Creatures strike her independently-minded children and cause chaos for everyone? An interesting addition to the highly popular novel, though it might be one of the few times I felt a sequel did not pull me in just as much!
There are some novels that end on such a cliffhanger that the reader begs to know more, scrambling to see if another novel will tie things off and provide some closure. While Josh Malerman was surely looking to do that with this follow-up piece, I wonder if this is one sequel that should never have been penned. The attentive reader will always posit what should come next or will likely occur to solve some of the situations that are left dangling, as is common at the end of a novel. The means by which Malerman sought to fill in the gaps and offer his own conclusions (or extend some of the threads) were less exciting for me than I might have hoped. There is a great deal of backstory in this piece when it comes to Malorie, offering the reader some insight into her life as a child and the way in which she grew up. This is projected forward as Malorie must now parent her two children and hope for the best. There are ups and downs throughout, though Malorie has the added worry of Creatures ready to turn her children (or anyone they might encounter) mad and ruin a good thing. There were a number of interesting characters found herein, which kept the story moving along, but I did not feel the creepiness that I had hoped to discover. While I admit the ‘bird was out of the box’ in this piece, the wonder and eerie nature of the narrative seemed almost tame and everyone acted as though there was a chance they could live or die, without the worry or paranoia that came front and centre in the first book. While Malerman held my attention throughout, I wanted something more... something scarier that would leave me panting by the end. Instead, I was left nodding my head and wondering if the sequel interpretation might have been better left in the minds of those who adored The Bird Box!
Kudos, Mr. Malerman, for a valiant effort. Alas, I ended up in the review group that was somewhat underwhelmed!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
There are some novels that end on such a cliffhanger that the reader begs to know more, scrambling to see if another novel will tie things off and provide some closure. While Josh Malerman was surely looking to do that with this follow-up piece, I wonder if this is one sequel that should never have been penned. The attentive reader will always posit what should come next or will likely occur to solve some of the situations that are left dangling, as is common at the end of a novel. The means by which Malerman sought to fill in the gaps and offer his own conclusions (or extend some of the threads) were less exciting for me than I might have hoped. There is a great deal of backstory in this piece when it comes to Malorie, offering the reader some insight into her life as a child and the way in which she grew up. This is projected forward as Malorie must now parent her two children and hope for the best. There are ups and downs throughout, though Malorie has the added worry of Creatures ready to turn her children (or anyone they might encounter) mad and ruin a good thing. There were a number of interesting characters found herein, which kept the story moving along, but I did not feel the creepiness that I had hoped to discover. While I admit the ‘bird was out of the box’ in this piece, the wonder and eerie nature of the narrative seemed almost tame and everyone acted as though there was a chance they could live or die, without the worry or paranoia that came front and centre in the first book. While Malerman held my attention throughout, I wanted something more... something scarier that would leave me panting by the end. Instead, I was left nodding my head and wondering if the sequel interpretation might have been better left in the minds of those who adored The Bird Box!
Kudos, Mr. Malerman, for a valiant effort. Alas, I ended up in the review group that was somewhat underwhelmed!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
August 20, 2020
Oh my .......
I don't know what I was expecting but this was not it.
Let me start by saying that I loved the first book. It gave me chills, it gave me goosebumps so many times and I can still remember the reading experience. It was not a perfect book, but it was a good book.
I got really excited, and worried, for the second book.
My expectations were not high but it was still disappointing.
Without spoiling anything, it's really hard to discuss this book, so I will have some spoilers at the end, hidden if you want to check them out.
When I started reading the book or 100 pages into to it, I was like: okay, I don't see the point of this book but MAYBE this is the second book of a trilogy and if that's true, I am fine with it, let's just enjoy the ride
Around page 250, 50 pages from the ending, I just lost any hopes this was going to be a good book at all.
Malorie's character is good, overall. What was not so good was the writing. It was so repetitive. I know it might have been to show how Malorie has been scarred by this world and to show how much she wants to protect the people she loves, but please, at least change the wording.
I got tired of reading: Oh, this makes me think of those people. Oh, I can't stop thinking about this. ohoh, I am thinking about this same thing, again, and again, and again.... Again, I think this was to show how she is obsessed with surviving (as she should, obviously) but I think it could have been done so much better.
I won't say anything at all about any other character to not spoil the first book, so read the spoilers if you want more information.
The ending. The ending was the most rushed thing I have ever read in my entire life.
I don't know what I was expecting but this was not it.
Let me start by saying that I loved the first book. It gave me chills, it gave me goosebumps so many times and I can still remember the reading experience. It was not a perfect book, but it was a good book.
I got really excited, and worried, for the second book.
My expectations were not high but it was still disappointing.
Without spoiling anything, it's really hard to discuss this book, so I will have some spoilers at the end, hidden if you want to check them out.
When I started reading the book or 100 pages into to it, I was like: okay, I don't see the point of this book but MAYBE this is the second book of a trilogy and if that's true, I am fine with it, let's just enjoy the ride
Around page 250, 50 pages from the ending, I just lost any hopes this was going to be a good book at all.
Malorie's character is good, overall. What was not so good was the writing. It was so repetitive. I know it might have been to show how Malorie has been scarred by this world and to show how much she wants to protect the people she loves, but please, at least change the wording.
I got tired of reading: Oh, this makes me think of those people. Oh, I can't stop thinking about this. ohoh, I am thinking about this same thing, again, and again, and again.... Again, I think this was to show how she is obsessed with surviving (as she should, obviously) but I think it could have been done so much better.
I won't say anything at all about any other character to not spoil the first book, so read the spoilers if you want more information.
The ending. The ending was the most rushed thing I have ever read in my entire life.
July 26, 2020
A DARK LIFE CONTINUES.......
It all begins where BIRDBOX ended, The Jane Tucker School for the Blind. Two years have passed.
"Malorie stands against the brick wall of a classroom. The door is locked. She is alone. The lights are off. She is blindfolded. Outside in the hall, violence has begun."
Escape....the only answer.
Many more years of remote isolation pass. Another dangerous journey is on the horizon. The creatures are everywhere. But there's a goal now....a reason to leave safety.
Tom is excited, tired of confinement and Malorie's strict rules. He and Olympia lead the way with a trained ear and long kept secrets.
BIRDBOX 2 - MALORIE does not disappoint. Josh Malerman takes us back into a creeped out world of sightless fear and the unknown with a fine storyline and satisfying conclusion.
(Can't wait for movie version, two scenes in particular.)
August 10, 2020
The sequel we didn't know we needed...
In Bird Box Malerman created a world just like our own, but one where horrors were in abundance just beyond every closed eyelid. These horrors were unknown and uncategorised but instantly infected those who witnessed them with an insanity that saw its only outlet in the destruction of the self or those around them.
Malorie has lived in this world for twelve long years. Her two children are now in their teens and this reality has been the only one they have ever known. Their mother however can well remember the bustle of city life and the joy of sighting a loved one. Will this past ever be a possible future?
Just as in the first instalment, I was consistently impressed with how Malerman constructed a world lacking the sense we usually use to define it. A pervading dread emanated from the pages, as horrors lurked in the dark and the reader joined Malorie in her explorations of it. It was never evident were a threat would stem from, which meant I felt consistently terrorised by the actions throughout this book.
This also became more than a merely horrifying read as it explored the mental repercussions of living a life dogged by fear. As the world was opened up so too were various characters' experiences within it. Stories were shared and, with them, insights to the various methods of survival some had taken.
The conclusion was less concrete than I originally expected it to be but matched the tone throughout and ultimately had me revelling in the cleverness of the opaque reveal. This remained as suspenseful as it did thought-provoking throughout and I dually adored both sides of this dystopian story.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Josh Malerman, and the publisher, Del Ray, for this opportunity.
In Bird Box Malerman created a world just like our own, but one where horrors were in abundance just beyond every closed eyelid. These horrors were unknown and uncategorised but instantly infected those who witnessed them with an insanity that saw its only outlet in the destruction of the self or those around them.
Malorie has lived in this world for twelve long years. Her two children are now in their teens and this reality has been the only one they have ever known. Their mother however can well remember the bustle of city life and the joy of sighting a loved one. Will this past ever be a possible future?
Just as in the first instalment, I was consistently impressed with how Malerman constructed a world lacking the sense we usually use to define it. A pervading dread emanated from the pages, as horrors lurked in the dark and the reader joined Malorie in her explorations of it. It was never evident were a threat would stem from, which meant I felt consistently terrorised by the actions throughout this book.
This also became more than a merely horrifying read as it explored the mental repercussions of living a life dogged by fear. As the world was opened up so too were various characters' experiences within it. Stories were shared and, with them, insights to the various methods of survival some had taken.
The conclusion was less concrete than I originally expected it to be but matched the tone throughout and ultimately had me revelling in the cleverness of the opaque reveal. This remained as suspenseful as it did thought-provoking throughout and I dually adored both sides of this dystopian story.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Josh Malerman, and the publisher, Del Ray, for this opportunity.
July 30, 2020
2.5 stars
Just a word of warning, once you are finished reading this dont discuss it with anyone. I just had a long chat about the book with a friend and we complained so much about some of the irrational twists at the end it made me lower my rating.
Basically the story started really strong and didn't end so well. Just like this horse ....
The biggest appeal of the first book was the novelty of a world where you are not allowed to open your eyes. It was a creepy, slow burner that really played on anxieties I didn't know I had.
With the sequel you know what you are getting yourself into and for the most part I enjoyed spending time with Malorie and her kids.
The blind train was a nice addition as well as the stories of how other communities try to find some normality in this world full of creatures.
There were some interesting new characters that did not get as much attention as I would have liked, I suspect that there were a few gaping plot holes near the end and the last 10% was awfully rushed. A pity.
Just a word of warning, once you are finished reading this dont discuss it with anyone. I just had a long chat about the book with a friend and we complained so much about some of the irrational twists at the end it made me lower my rating.
Basically the story started really strong and didn't end so well. Just like this horse ....
The biggest appeal of the first book was the novelty of a world where you are not allowed to open your eyes. It was a creepy, slow burner that really played on anxieties I didn't know I had.
With the sequel you know what you are getting yourself into and for the most part I enjoyed spending time with Malorie and her kids.
The blind train was a nice addition as well as the stories of how other communities try to find some normality in this world full of creatures.
There were some interesting new characters that did not get as much attention as I would have liked, I suspect that there were a few gaping plot holes near the end and the last 10% was awfully rushed. A pity.
October 11, 2020
3.5 Stars, rounded up. For some reason this time around I didn't like Malorie near as much, and actually found her to be irritating as she came across very hateful and closed-minded, which might very well have been Malerman's intent?? I can only imagine how someone, normally positive and optimistic, might change after 17 years of wearing blindfolds and living in fear! Now that both small children from Bird box are grown and 16-year-old teenagers, we get to know them and the book alternates in perspectives between them and Malorie, which I enjoyed. I loved both Olympia and Tom as characters, and felt their perspectives added layers to the story that Bird Box lacked. With this being said, I still preferred Bird Box, but I emphatically needed to know how Malorie's story continued, so I'm very grateful this book was published, picking back up 17 years after BB. There wasn't a whole lot to the plot, so going into more detail might spoil things, suffice it to say the main characters in this story go on yet another harrowing, life-threatening journey. I felt that there was a sense of closure for the characters at the end of this novel, however one thing really left me unsatiated....I wish Malerman had gone into some detail about what the creatures looked like, their origins, their purpose, anything at all!! Will we ever know what these freaking creatures are??? Will there be a third book?!
August 2, 2020
“I was waiting for a literal message, I think. Waiting for a knock at the door, someone to come tell us it was over. It’s the ultimate fantasy for those of us from the old world, isn’t it? Word that the whole nightmare has come to an end?”So eerily reminiscent of present times, right?
Malorie is the sequel to Josh Malerman's successful novel Bird Box, and it revisits Malorie and her now adolescent children a decade later at the camp Bird Box abruptly ended at. A tempting piece of news takes the family out of the camp's safety, and we venture through the creature-filled wasteland once again, but the children are older, stronger, and are ready for independence.
As a mother of a teenager, Malorie was that much more horrific to me, because letting go is not an easy thing in any circumstance, much less during apocalyptic times. Malerman gets all the emotions right, all the protectiveness and guilt. It's all there and I couldn't look away because I feel it everyday. But it also teaches about admiration for this risk-taking age in life. The confidence that nothing worse can ever happen. After all, this is the age of immortality. I miss being fearless, don't you? Malorie is a winning sequel. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"If there's one thing Malorie has learned while raising these kids, it's that parenthood is not static. Parenthood does not stand still. And the mother of two teens in the new world undergoes alterations, sudden instinctual thrusts, almost as powerful as the creatures she protects them from."
September 3, 2020
Every time I picked up this book, I couldn’t shake the earworm of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.” So with my apologies:
Well last time she went out by herself
And she rowed across the water
And she thought of the creatures, what they’re doing
And in her head painted a picture
But now her kids are grown,
Well she still lives by the fold
And they’ve missed seeing the world
And they want to be more bold
Son Tom is a rover
Even if you still shouldn’t see
Why don't you go look for more, Malorie? …doo doo doo… Malorie. Malorie? …doo doo doo… Malorie.
They don’t have a bird box,
But the tension is still there, did you expect any less?
And if you didn't skip book one,
I think you’ll find Malerman’s sequel a success
And can you suspend disbelief,
Throw yourself into this world, are you busy?
‘Cause you’ll have to find the time
You won’t want to put it down, are you still dizzy?
It’s a very fast read,
But there’s still more left to guess
Don’t expect all the answers
Or the end will be a mess
But hey come on over
Stop waiting for the movie
Why don't you just starting reading Malorie? …doo doo doo… Malorie.
Well last time she went out by herself
And she rowed across the water
And she thought of the creatures, what they’re doing
And in her head painted a picture
But now her kids are grown,
Well she still lives by the fold
And they’ve missed seeing the world
And they want to be more bold
Son Tom is a rover
Even if you still shouldn’t see
Why don't you go look for more, Malorie? …doo doo doo… Malorie. Malorie? …doo doo doo… Malorie.
They don’t have a bird box,
But the tension is still there, did you expect any less?
And if you didn't skip book one,
I think you’ll find Malerman’s sequel a success
And can you suspend disbelief,
Throw yourself into this world, are you busy?
‘Cause you’ll have to find the time
You won’t want to put it down, are you still dizzy?
It’s a very fast read,
But there’s still more left to guess
Don’t expect all the answers
Or the end will be a mess
But hey come on over
Stop waiting for the movie
Why don't you just starting reading Malorie? …doo doo doo… Malorie.
May 21, 2020
How do you follow up the worldwide phenomenon that is BIRD BOX? Exactly like this. Eerie and deliciously dark, MALORIE offers an unsettling glimpse into a world gone black, one lit only by the spark of hope. This is one of those books you'll devour in a single sitting. Releases July 2020.
July 24, 2020
This should be called “the book of implausible coincidences”. Because that’s all it is. Everything that happens is just too convenient and ridiculous.
To start with, Olympia (aka Girl) turns out to be THE WORST. She has “secrets” which turn out to be incredibly important information she should have shared 10 years ago but decided not to, just because.
If I never see the word “teens” in another book the rest of my life it will be too much. Seriously, that word is on literally every single page, usually multiple times.
“She was putting her teens in danger”
“She stepped between her two teens”
“I need to know where my teens are”
“She couldn’t help but think of her sleeping teens”
And on and on and on like that.
NOBODY TALKS LIKE THAT!!!!!!
I found myself cringing every time I had to read that word. Parents of teens don’t refer to them as “my teens”. They just say “my kids.” Even when those kids are 40 years old, they will still be my kids.
****Spoiler ahead****
One of the most implausible things in this book was the bad guy. Gary. That crazy guy from book 1 who causes the deaths of so many people by insisting they look. He’s been following Malorie and the kids for 17 FUCKING YEARS?!?!? And they haven’t noticed??!??! Not even Olympia who, (another spoiler) HAS HAD HER EYES OPEN THE ENTIRE TIME!!!!! She’s immune but didn’t think her mother needed that piece of information. Like I said, she’s the WORST. Nobody noticed this creepy guy following them, watching them. These kids with supposedly super sonic hearing didn’t hear him creeping around the camp they were living in. And apparently he can teleport because it’s established that he is a regular on the train, which is a 3 days walk from their camp. So he has been at the camp watching while simultaneously riding the train. Right. And in 17 years he never did anything to them. Then why is he watching? What is his motivation? That is never addressed.
The book ends very suddenly with an ending that is rushed and overly convenient. A lot of lead up just so everything can turn out peachy. Malorie’s dad is conveniently living in the town they happen to end up in. Tom (aka Boy) invents a way to look at the creatures. Nobody says anything about how fucked up it is that Olympia lies this whole time. Nobody mentions the hundreds of dead bodies lined up outside the town. Malorie finds Gary outside sleeping and kills him. The end.
Honestly it’s obvious what happened here. Josh Malerman got famous when Bird Box was made into a movie and he got greedy. So he rushed a sequel so he could make more money. I should know better than to read book sequels that come out after the first book has a movie deal. It’s almost always crap. This was no exception.
To start with, Olympia (aka Girl) turns out to be THE WORST. She has “secrets” which turn out to be incredibly important information she should have shared 10 years ago but decided not to, just because.
If I never see the word “teens” in another book the rest of my life it will be too much. Seriously, that word is on literally every single page, usually multiple times.
“She was putting her teens in danger”
“She stepped between her two teens”
“I need to know where my teens are”
“She couldn’t help but think of her sleeping teens”
And on and on and on like that.
NOBODY TALKS LIKE THAT!!!!!!
I found myself cringing every time I had to read that word. Parents of teens don’t refer to them as “my teens”. They just say “my kids.” Even when those kids are 40 years old, they will still be my kids.
****Spoiler ahead****
One of the most implausible things in this book was the bad guy. Gary. That crazy guy from book 1 who causes the deaths of so many people by insisting they look. He’s been following Malorie and the kids for 17 FUCKING YEARS?!?!? And they haven’t noticed??!??! Not even Olympia who, (another spoiler) HAS HAD HER EYES OPEN THE ENTIRE TIME!!!!! She’s immune but didn’t think her mother needed that piece of information. Like I said, she’s the WORST. Nobody noticed this creepy guy following them, watching them. These kids with supposedly super sonic hearing didn’t hear him creeping around the camp they were living in. And apparently he can teleport because it’s established that he is a regular on the train, which is a 3 days walk from their camp. So he has been at the camp watching while simultaneously riding the train. Right. And in 17 years he never did anything to them. Then why is he watching? What is his motivation? That is never addressed.
The book ends very suddenly with an ending that is rushed and overly convenient. A lot of lead up just so everything can turn out peachy. Malorie’s dad is conveniently living in the town they happen to end up in. Tom (aka Boy) invents a way to look at the creatures. Nobody says anything about how fucked up it is that Olympia lies this whole time. Nobody mentions the hundreds of dead bodies lined up outside the town. Malorie finds Gary outside sleeping and kills him. The end.
Honestly it’s obvious what happened here. Josh Malerman got famous when Bird Box was made into a movie and he got greedy. So he rushed a sequel so he could make more money. I should know better than to read book sequels that come out after the first book has a movie deal. It’s almost always crap. This was no exception.
August 3, 2020
Malerman has done it again!!!
This book begins right where Bird Box ends and it starts with a bang when Malorie and her kids, now teenagers, are on the run again fleeing a nightmare at The Janet Tucker School for the Blind.
I mean, the very idea of a creature that is so incomprehensible to the human mind that people lose their sanity at the mere sight of them? Fucking genius.
How could you NOT want to read this???
This book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat hoping and praying that these people find the safety they so deserve.
I was worried on how Malerman would choose to end this journey and I needn't have feared. While there are still some unanswered questions at the end there is also a little bit of hope, a dash of optimism, and a whole lot of love. Thanks, Josh! 💗 4 stars!
This book begins right where Bird Box ends and it starts with a bang when Malorie and her kids, now teenagers, are on the run again fleeing a nightmare at The Janet Tucker School for the Blind.
I mean, the very idea of a creature that is so incomprehensible to the human mind that people lose their sanity at the mere sight of them? Fucking genius.
How could you NOT want to read this???
This book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat hoping and praying that these people find the safety they so deserve.
I was worried on how Malerman would choose to end this journey and I needn't have feared. While there are still some unanswered questions at the end there is also a little bit of hope, a dash of optimism, and a whole lot of love. Thanks, Josh! 💗 4 stars!
May 13, 2020
Just like it's predecessor, I finished
Malorie
in one sitting. When I read Bird Box prior to the Netflix film release, I was stunned at it's atmospheric, claustrophobic horror and couldn't put it down. To say that
Malorie
is similar would be an understatement. Taking place immediately following the end on the first book, we then flash-forward a decade into the apocalypse and see the world in different light. With Malorie, Tom, and Olympia working together as a family, they get peculiar, yet intriguing evidence about some findings that force the trio to investigate for themselves. I will not spoil anything for you, so that's what you get from me.
Once I turned to first page, I could not put Malorie down. Josh Malerman's level of psychological panic (as I'd like to describe it as) is deeply unsettling and yet, so cinematic in the best way possible. It's no wonder that Bird Box did so well, both as a book and as a movie. I just know horror fans' expectations will be fulfilled with Malorie . I couldn't recommend it enough. Let's hope they make a Netflix sequel, I'm going to be holding out hope!
Once I turned to first page, I could not put Malorie down. Josh Malerman's level of psychological panic (as I'd like to describe it as) is deeply unsettling and yet, so cinematic in the best way possible. It's no wonder that Bird Box did so well, both as a book and as a movie. I just know horror fans' expectations will be fulfilled with Malorie . I couldn't recommend it enough. Let's hope they make a Netflix sequel, I'm going to be holding out hope!
November 5, 2020
OH GIRL, YOU TRIED!
Ooph. Eh. Okay... ummm. Well. I mean. Like... hmmm. UGH.
Okay okay. So I loved Bird Box. But this one... well, it was trying WAYYYY too hard to measure up. I am talking WAYYYYY too hard. There are parts that are so OVERLY explained and others that are just grazed over. Which leads to a really poor cadence and experience. I got disinterested many times and had to force myself to continue listening.
Which brings me to this point: if I wasn't listening to the audiobook, I would have DNFed.
Positives: Olympia. SHE CARRIED THE BOOK.
Negatives: Tom. I wanted him to die SOOOO BADLY.
So yeah, it was okay. JUST OKAY.
Ooph. Eh. Okay... ummm. Well. I mean. Like... hmmm. UGH.
Okay okay. So I loved Bird Box. But this one... well, it was trying WAYYYY too hard to measure up. I am talking WAYYYYY too hard. There are parts that are so OVERLY explained and others that are just grazed over. Which leads to a really poor cadence and experience. I got disinterested many times and had to force myself to continue listening.
Which brings me to this point: if I wasn't listening to the audiobook, I would have DNFed.
Positives: Olympia. SHE CARRIED THE BOOK.
Negatives: Tom. I wanted him to die SOOOO BADLY.
So yeah, it was okay. JUST OKAY.
August 14, 2020
When I heard that Josh Malerman would be releasing a sequel to Bird Box, my first thought was that he was just trying to cash in on the ridiculously massive success of the Netflix movie adaption.
After that initial reaction, I was like You know what... whatever. I'll read it. And so I did and holy mother forking shirt balls. You guys this book was A-MA-ZING.
It was so much better than it's predecessor, I think. I saw the movie. I didn't read the book. Oops. But I still loved it more.
This book goes much, much deeper than just a post-apocalyptic novel. It's the story of a mother who will do anything she can to protect her children. A mother who is trying to figure out the difference between surviving and living.
Malorie takes place years after the events of Bird Box. We follow Malorie, Olympia, and Tom years after they escaped from the Janet Tucker School for the Blind after the creatures invaded it. Malorie now believes that the monsters can drive people insane via vision AND touch.
Olympia and Tom have known nothing except Malorie's strict rules but Tom, being a teenager, begins to become curious and rebellious.
The further I got into the story, the more I fell in love with it. It explores the idea of what is life. Is it just surviving? Or is it something more? What is that something more?
I loved the exploration of the monsters and even though I would have liked to learn more than I ended up learning, I still enjoyed it. I also loved the twists and turns. There was one specific twist I won't mention that literally made me gasp out loud.
Overall, this was such a great book. It was spooky and unnerving but also deep.
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After that initial reaction, I was like You know what... whatever. I'll read it. And so I did and holy mother forking shirt balls. You guys this book was A-MA-ZING.
It was so much better than it's predecessor, I think. I saw the movie. I didn't read the book. Oops. But I still loved it more.
This book goes much, much deeper than just a post-apocalyptic novel. It's the story of a mother who will do anything she can to protect her children. A mother who is trying to figure out the difference between surviving and living.
Malorie takes place years after the events of Bird Box. We follow Malorie, Olympia, and Tom years after they escaped from the Janet Tucker School for the Blind after the creatures invaded it. Malorie now believes that the monsters can drive people insane via vision AND touch.
Olympia and Tom have known nothing except Malorie's strict rules but Tom, being a teenager, begins to become curious and rebellious.
The further I got into the story, the more I fell in love with it. It explores the idea of what is life. Is it just surviving? Or is it something more? What is that something more?
I loved the exploration of the monsters and even though I would have liked to learn more than I ended up learning, I still enjoyed it. I also loved the twists and turns. There was one specific twist I won't mention that literally made me gasp out loud.
Overall, this was such a great book. It was spooky and unnerving but also deep.
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