Horror Movie: A Novel

This is an intriguing slow-burn that defies typical horror and thriller conventions. The tone is surprisingly calm, almost matter-of-fact, which creates a unique, understated tension rather than outright scares. It’s written as if it were the transcript for an audiobook, and maybe it would shine even more in that format. The narrative shifts between memories of an indie film’s creation, the process of preparing for a reboot, and the screenplay for the movie itself, all weaving together to create a fast-paced, layered story. The narrator didn’t feel particularly relatable, but he did feel authentic, and grounded in a way that makes the story feel real. This kind of book lingers, a concept that subtly takes root in your mind. I show more think I'll be reminded of this book often. It’s a reflective read, compelling, and worth exploring. show less

this book had me wrapped around its finger completely right up until the very last chapter. in tremblay's short story collection "the beast you are," in one of the editorial bits he wrote, he punches down on himself as not being able to write endings—and like man. Yeah it's clear that you can't

Horror Movie is fascinating, unsettling, capturing for its inscrutability and the reader's desperation to scrute it, to uncover the why of it all. the narrator—which, do we ever actually get a name for him that isn't "the thin kid"? god. good stuff—is from the very beginning a fascinating individual with a very particular voice. tremblay is great at writing characters with odd neuroses. beside the narrator, the other major characters (or show more screenplay-versions) are distinct and intriguing. the flip between modern narration and old screenplay is well-handled; i never felt that 'ugh' of going back to a perspective you were bored with reading. most of all though there's just this /sensation/ to it all. this feeling that creeps, that is inscrutable, that is absolute. that builds and builds and builds.

and then you get to the last chapter and 1/2 of it is the narrator going ha-ha welp all that was fucked up right? and it takes all the wind out of the sails of the whole novel. and then the second 1/2 of the last chapter is just a cheap the-narrator-embodies-the-monster-muhahaha thing that solidifies the mask/etc. as truly "cursed" rather than just heavily implying it. Like what happened to the narrator saying the idea he'd pushed the chainsaw down a little bit was his biggest fear? now he's eating a guy? Come on man

i liked this dont get me wrong but in the way where im going to pretend the last chapter doesnt exist and that im not even gonna fill in the blanks. just sit and bask in the gorgeous unsettlement of the long stretch of the novel. show less

Paul Tremblay has been a bit hit or miss for me, over the last several years, but I get excited about his books. The dude has mastered the art of making you leave the lights on at night though doesn’t always do so as consistently as when he released 2015’s A Head Full of Ghosts. While I enjoyed The Cabin at the End of the World in 2018, I was pretty ho-hum when it came to The Pallbearers Club in 2022. So, when I read the synopsis of Horror Movie, I got my hopes up for another hit.

Spoiler alert: it’s fine.

Let me set the scene for you: it’s 1993, and a bunch of guerrilla filmmakers decide to make a horror film. Fast forward a few decades, and this movie, which never saw the light of day beyond a few leaked scenes, has gained a show more cult following. Enter the protagonist, the Thin Kid, the only surviving cast member. He’s dragged back into the nightmare when Hollywood decides to reboot the so-called cursed film. Sounds intriguing, right? Well, buckle up because this ride is anything but smooth.

The pacing of Horror Movie can only be described as slow. The narrative structure, however, is interesting. It jumps between timelines, from the original filming to the modern-day reboot, with snippets of the screenplay thrown in. While I enjoyed the approach, I feel like it should have added layers of mystery and suspense but instead created a bit of a labyrinthine mess that’s more frustrating than frightening.

And let’s talk about the film within the book. The so-called “cursed” movie that everyone’s losing their minds over is simply not scary. Seriously, the scenes we get to read are tame, dull, and lacking most horror. It’s like Tremblay tried to channel the unsettling vibes of “The Blair Witch Project” but ended up with a bad student film.

Then there’s the Thin Kid, our main character. Oh boy, where do I start? This guy is a bizarre cocktail of self-pity and arrogance, shaken—not stirred—into an insufferable blend that makes you want to smack him. He’s constantly whining about his tragic past while simultaneously boasting about his “infamy.” Didn’t know Eeyore and Kanye West had a love child. I think his inner dialogue made me see my own brain my eyes rolled so hard.

The supporting characters aren’t much better. Valentina, the obsessive director, and Cleo, the ethereal screenwriter, are caricatures of pretentious artists. Their motivations are murky at best, and their interactions with the Thin Kid are what you might expect.

One of the book’s redeeming qualities is Tremblay’s prose. He’s got a knack for crafting eerie, atmospheric descriptions that occasionally send a chill down your spine. I always enjoy his writing. But these moments are too few and far between to save the book from its plodding pace and unlikable characters.

The plot’s twists and turns are predictable. You can see them coming a mile away, and when they finally arrive, they land with the impact of a wet noodle. The so-called “reveal” about the true nature of the cursed film is more of a shrug than a shock.

Sadly, Horror Movie is a slow burn that never ignites. It’s like lighting a firework only to have it fizzle out with a sad little puff of smoke. Tremblay’s attempt to blend psychological horror with a meta-narrative about filmmaking falls flat. If you’re looking for a horror novel that will keep you up at night, this ain’t it. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Sorry, Tremblay, I love you, but this just wasn’t for me. show less

We don't all share the same fears, which is why horror is so personal. What works for one person doesn't work for another. Though my rating is below, that reflects my personal experience with this book and isn't indicative of the writing. I've read several Paul Tremblay books, think he's a really thoughtful and introspective horror writer, and will continue to read him.

I saw a few reviews below that Horror Story worked for one reader, while Headf Full of Ghosts didn't. For me, it was the opposite; so, see what I mean?

Horror Story is set against the backdrop of a student film project that was never released due to a tragedy. Years later, a reboot and remake gets a greenlight and a central member of the original cast is brought back for a show more small role.

The story plays with themes of self-loathing, bullying, feelings of isolation in teens/formative years and how those situations left to fester can produce monstrous acts, outcomes, and people. It also suggests that the reader/observer is complicit for observing (watching) someone's horror and pain for entertainment.

To be sure, this is a thoughtful book -- I'm still thinking about it. But it's not a scary one - at least to me and not in the typical sense. I recommend it if you're drawn to books like this or Tremblay's book, but know your reason for picking it up and what you want from the read--escapism and mindless horror, this isn't. show less

A smart, genuinely haunting book which that will sit in the pit of your stomach for you to queasily digest. Using cult horror as a framework, Horror Movie is a study on what shame and self-loathing left to fester will do and the monsters they will make of us.

While overall the book is a smart, tense study in horror, there's a definite weakness in the scripted sections that gets worse over the course of the novel. Tremblay over indulges in exposition in these sections, which undercuts the tense atmosphere of the rest of the unfolding narrative.

Otherwise, if you can stomach it, this is a good read.

This is one weird book, the kind that deserves a bit of serious contemplation after all is said and done, a true example of what some people like to call elevated horror. Horror Movie is only my second Paul Tremblay book, the first being The Pallbearer's Club, and this story has similar vibes. It cleverly tells the story of a young group of post college age adults who set out to make a low budget horror film, and our narrator is the man behind the movie monster mask thirty years later. He's only known to us as The Thin Kid.

The Thin Kid is our narrator for reasons. He's about to embark on a journey to make a "reboot" of a film that was never officially completed but had become a cult hit from leaked footage online. So what we get is show more three different narratives; our kid retelling the past during the shoot, then him revealing bits of the present and where the major players of the movie are now (including himself), then finally the horror movie itself as written in the form of the screenplay.

It's a slow and creepy unraveling of events as told by an unreliable narrator, and it's full of triggering topics including suicide, body horror (as in Pallbearers Club), bullying and ostracizing. Thematically, it touches on identifying the monster behind the mask, how those monsters just might be a reflection of ourselves in some ways, or how we as a society just might be responsible for creating the things that we fear.

It can get confusing with all the story jumping from the Then to the Now, plus a screenplay that feels like it would get thrown in the DNF heap if it was an actual real live submission (I've read a lot of screenplays, so I'm a little biased on this point). BUT this was a low budget horror shoot from a young writer character, so in that context, I need to give the script part of it some leeway. The plot twists show up through the last half of the book, and man are they some crazy, confounding and heartbreaking plot twists.

I want to thank Mr. Tremblay and William Morrow for approving ARC access via NetGalley show less

"We're all somebody's bad guy eventually."

Wait! If you are just picking this book up, I can not stress enough that you should try this one as an audiobook. It has a full cast - and they are reading a script. You hear page turning, multiple overlapping voices and even some early chuckling as they read lines and try to figure out inflection.

This audiobook got under my skin. It's heartbreaking, skin-crawling, WTAF story. This author writes books that make me think. The plot is ugly and tough to ponder. It left me guessing and then wondering and then shocked. But to give any of it away would be unfair.

Like many horror movies and stories, it really is best to go in blind and let it all unfold. Shocking, gory, and utterly dark and show more disturbing. This one will stay with me. show less