The Cabin at the End of the World

Eric and Andrew are just trying to have a nice, relaxing vacation at a remote lakeside cabin with their seven-year-old daughter when four bizarre strangers force their way in, spouting apocalyptic visions and insisting that these random, ordinary people have to make a horrific sacrifice to stop the world from ending.

I... I'm gonna be honest, I kind of hate how much I liked this book. I tried not to! Because it's ridiculous, and it's manipulative, and it doesn't make very much sense. I spent so much of it with this little voice in the back of my head going, "Well, this is some bullshit. I may mostly may be reading on, honestly, to see whether the bullshit is ultimately the characters' or the author's." So, why did I feel a sense of show more growing tension through it all? Why did I not want to put it down when I needed to? Why did I find myself becoming truly fascinated by the different possible interpretations of the story's events? Why did I let out that long, satisfied breath at the ending?

All right. Well played. Mr. Tremblay. That was some bullshit, I guess, but it was some bullshit that, somehow, worked. show less

The Short of It:

When I think “cabin” I usually think of tranquility, vacation, rest. I don’t think that anymore.

The Rest of It:

I originally requested a copy of this one because of an endorsement I had read from Stephen King on Twitter.

However, by the time I actually read it, mixed reviews began to pop up. In some cases I can see why, but for the most part, I agree with King’s assessment.

First off, the setting. Most of the story takes place in a small cabin in the woods. It’s remote and there is no cell service. But that is exactly what Wen and her two dads wanted. A little screen-free downtime.

What they didn’t want, were four strangers, dressed in plaid, overtaking their cabin with a twisted plot to save the world. The show more world that they believe is ending. Or, is it?

There was one part in this story where I almost completely lost it because I was thinking something was about to happen, but then it didn’t. I was so relieved. But that lead-up! I was on edge and shaking my head from side-to-side because I did not want the story to go that way.

But then the story continued and I really didn’t know what to think. I could not figure out what was going to happen and that BUGGED me but it also had me flipping those pages.

The premise itself it terrifying. People, can be terrifying. Their beliefs, no matter how ridiculous can cause you serious anxiety, This book is like one big panic attack. My mind was all over the place. This was a good thing.

There is one plot point that made me super angry. When I read it, I put my Kindle down and was like, “Seriously?” I had to take a break after that because I could not see the story moving forward but it does.

The Cabin at the End of the World will have you questioning what you would do in a similar situation. How desperate do you have to be to do what’s needed?

If you focus on the plight of these characters, you’ll appreciate it but it’s the type of story that is left wide open for your own interpretation.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. show less

If countless horror movies haven't convinced you that it's never a good idea to vacation in a remote cabin in the woods, this book surely will. Married couple Eric and Andrew are vacationing with their adopted daughter Wen in the New Hampshire backwoods when four very creepy people show up, break in, and tell them that the world is going to end imminently if they don't make a horrendous choice. The action takes place over the next couple of days as the suspense ratchets up to unbearable levels--and Tremblay does not take the action in expected directions. Some readers may not care for the ending, but I thought it was perfect, because the novel captured so well the existential uncertainty we all live in, having to make choices without show more knowing what the potential consequences may be and having to continue moving forward no matter what--a theme that elevates this above a mere thriller. Paul Tremblay is fast becoming one of my favorite horror writers, and his latest did not disappoint. show less

Andrew and Eric take their eight-year-old daughter and go on vacation in an isolated cabin on a scenic lake in New Hampshire they're anticipating nothing more than time to unwind, to live without wifi or their phones, to let Wen goof around outside without constant supervision. But they've barely settled in when a man shows up on foot and starts a conversation with Wen, who is in the front yard catching grasshoppers. By the time she runs to tell her parents about the man outside, it's too late.

I picked this up after seeing mentions of how very scary this book is. Horror is hit or miss with me, and usually it misses. It's either so over the top I stop being scared and start to roll my eyes, or it's just not that scary. This novel leans show more towards both simultaneously and so sort of worked for me. Not in the sense that I was scared, but I was interested in what was going to happen next that I kept turning the pages. This is a home invasion story with a twist; the four intruders come armed with the most terrifying weapons imaginable (kudos to Paul Tremblay for thinking up those nightmare-worthy objects) and they are utterly convinced that the world will end unless the family does a horrific thing. These aren't monsters taking pleasure in causing pain, these are true believers. Tremblay does a good job of walking the fine line between presenting the intruders as delusional and of presenting them as being correct. He leaves enough room for the reader to interpret the events how they choose and he ends the book at the exactly right moment. If your secret fear is of being the target of a home invasion, this book will probably be terrifying in all the right ways. show less

This feels like a very definite effort to tackle the themes of the film The Cabin In The Woods, from the title to the setting to the story, but whereas that engaged with a whole load of filmic horror tropes that didn't leave the reader in much doubt about what was going on, this takes a more subtle approach. When the four strangers appear outside the holiday cabin of the two husbands and their adopted daughter carrying their nasty-looking weapons, I was a bit concerned that this was going to turn into torture-porn. Luckily we get a harrowing and suspenseful game of psychological and existential terror that gradually slips into bouts of brutalising violence. Haunting, twisted and ugly, yet satisfying with strong writing and characterisation.

WHAT THE FUCK IS UP IN YOUR HEAD, PAUL TREMBLAY!!???

well. i just finished crying at the end of this novel, and i spent most of today devouring it while pausing to yell I HATE THIS BOOK, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING, NONE OF THIS CAN END WELL, over and over again. like, i respond outloud to books i'm reading quite often, but, i was silent screaming, and getting up to walk around and shake the book a little, and i read most of this AT WORK (by myself in the office for nearly all of that time BUT STILL!!!!)

horrible time. 10/10 would recomend.

what a terrible, awful, horrible situation on every level. a solid horror novel. i like that you're never rlly sure if this "message" is real or not. (I'M LEANING TOWARDS NOT, BC I NEED THAT TO BE TRUE, BUT show more ALSO, SOMEHOW, AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS, IT BEING TRUE ALMOST FEELS KINDER). my only other novel by this author A Head Full of Ghosts, i remember loving, and i also remember liking the "is this actuall happening or not" vibes it had, maybe it's a theme for him.

GODDAMMIT WHYYYYYYY MY DUDE. show less

This was an excellent, horror/not horror read. Its not horror in the traditional sense, but it is certainly horrific, gory and tense. A young couple with their adoptive daughter are on vacation when 4 strangers capture them and hold them hostage. They simply have to do one thing. Choose one of them and kill them, or the world is going to end. A very interesting premise and a good read.