The Association

This is the book from Little that I've been waiting for. Not only is it scary and freaked me out at times but, and this is the important part, his ending didn't suck! For some reason I find the endings of Little's books to sort of dissolve into nothing and they leave me frustrated and wanting something more. This time though the ending worked very well.

The story is about Barry and Maureen who move from the LA area into their dream house in a remote corner of Utah. (Side note: I don't see how people can think that moving from the big city to a small remote town is going to be perfect. If you enjoyed the big city, then why are you going to enjoy a small town when the two are so opposite in nature? But I digress.) Everything is fine until show more they discover that they now belong to a homeowners association, one that has a few more rules than most others and that has a more severe method of enforcement. Things like the "no pets" rule is enforced through active poisoning and killing of cats and dogs. Landscape changes are first fined with a pink slip and then if not fixed, the changes are implemented by mysterious parties in the middle of the night. As Barry and Maureen continue living there, the rules change over night and become more and more stringent. This continues until the big finale of Barry facing off against the association.

OK, so maybe the big finale was a bit over the top and ridiculous but at the same time, it's exactly what I wanted as the closure to the book. Yea, Barry and Maureen should have moved out much much sooner and at times I was yelling out them to "Just move!" but if they had moved, then there wouldn't have been much point to the book. What this really plays on is every homeowner's fear of being stuck obeying the rules of an association and the power they can wield. While some of the rules listed in the book were too much, there were many that are really enforced at some locations. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book; it chilled me while also thrilling me. show less

A story about the scariest thing imaginable....HOAs!

I'm not convinced this is fiction. It seems entirely believable. All jokes aside this book ruled and was creepy as hell. If you hate authoritarian elitists you'll love this book.

Bentley Little is a wonderful story teller. But this book is ultimately frustrating -- for those who would have left and, equally, for those who would have stayed. It won't keep you up at night, but it will make you think twice about what we give up for even the appearance of security. Happily, there are other, better, Little books out there.

I really like Bentley Little's books. I like the way that he takes things from real life that people have problems with (in this case, Homeowner's Associations) and makes them villainous. I have always been opposed to living somewhere with a homeowner's association and this cemented that decision for me. This story is a true chiller and thriller and will make you wonder if you made the right decision by moving into that gated community. I recommend this book.

This book was a fun read. The reader cannot slow down and really think too deeply about the situation in order to maintain the suspension of disbelief, however, it certainly reinforced my dislike and distrust of homeowner associations. After finishing the book, I was thoroughly happy in my ownership of a historic fixer-upper located in a small town with clear and fair zoning ordinances. If I lived in a homeowner association community I probably would have been pretty paranoid after completing this book.

Here’s a good one from Little. Starts off innocently enough, then grows into something more sinister. I felt drawn into the story and felt a twinge of anxiety each time I could sense something was about to happen. Not many novels draw me in like that anymore, so it’s a pleasant surprise when I find a book like this that can lure me in and hold me. I can’t drive by a gated community without thinking back on this story. Recommend!

Very fun read. Everyone hates homeowners associations a bit. Little gives us a real reason to! Fast, interesting read takes some pretty wild ideas and somehow makes them believable (sort of anyway!) Recommend for a quick, easy, but unique read.