Review : The Uninvited by Liz Jensen
The Uninvited by Liz Jensen
Pages : 320
Genre : Speculative Fiction
Stand Alone
My Rating : 5/5
From the back of the book :
Hesketh has never been good at relationships: Asperger’s Syndrome has seen to that. But he does have a talent for spotting behavioral patterns and an outsider’s fascination with group dynamics. Nothing obvious connects Hesketh’s Asian case with the atrocities back home. Or with the increasingly odd behavior of his beloved stepson, Freddy. But when Hesketh’s Taiwan contact dies shockingly and more acts of sabotage and child violence sweep the globe, he is forced to acknowledge possibilities that defy the rational principles on which he has staked his life, his career, and, most devastatingly of all, his role as a father.
My Thoughts :
I very rarely give 5 stars reviews. I can be quite generous with the 4 and 4 and a half stars, but the 5 ones are kept for those very special books that affect me on the long term, make me think, or shake me to my core. The Uninvited certainly deserves all of its stars, and maybe a little more! This is one of those times when I feel my words may fail me.
The first thing to know about The Uninvited is that the book is hard to classify. While it comfortably sits in the broader category of speculative fiction, it gets more difficult to pinpoint its exact place without spoiling anything. Is it horror? Dystopia? Thriller? Philosophical exploration? Maybe a little of everything. Which is part of the book’s appeal, for sure.
Hesketh was such an interesting narrator. I don’t personally know anyone with Asperger, so I can’t say how realistic was this aspect of him; all that I know is that from the start, his tone was different. He fixates on different details, and his emotional disconnect creates a different narrative than we usually see in novels. His interactions with other characters were in turn uncomfortable, entertaining or heartbreaking, and the way his mind worked through the mystery fascinated me.
His narration certainly added to the gloomy, scary, unsettling atmosphere of the story. Two mysteries unexplainably linked to each other in the scariest way. Revelations, twists and horrific scenes that kept me glued to the page. If you’re scared of children, this book will not help you get over your phobia! Children often play scary parts in horror novels and movies; twins, evil clones, haunting ghosts and the like have made numerous appearances in horror fiction over the years, but few have troubled me like Jensen’s little killers.
But the heart of this novel sadly can’t be discussed without spoiling the ending – something I would not want to do here, in this review (but in the comments, sure!) Let’s just say that it left me a bit shaken, terrified, and with a lot to think about.
I will not say anything more. If you are looking for a more revealing review of The Uninvited, take a look at some of the other reviews offered on Goodreads. But I firmly believe this novel is better enjoyed when going in knowing as little as possible. The Uninvited is so unique and original; it is not a novel every reader will enjoy, but it is certainly worth the read.
The Uninvited will be hitting the shelves this Januarry 8th! Make sure to get your copy then. Thanks to Bloomsbury for generously providing a digital copy of The Uninvited.
I have this book on my shelf to read soon. I’ve only heard good things about it, but as I’ve loved the three other Liz Jensen books I’ve read, I’d be reading it anyway eventually. You can’t beat a bit of dystopian spec fiction!
5 stars? You’ve certainly piqued my curiosity but I have to admit that cover kind of gives me the creeps.
Wow, this makes me want to drop what I’m doing and find a copy of this book!! I already had it on my TBR, but it’s getting bumped up to the top now…gotta see if I can grab it from the library!
This sounds both fascinating and terrifying! Psychologically terrifying. *shudder* And yet I still want to find it and read it!
I really, really want to read this one after reading your engaging review, and a review over at Jenny’s Books yesterday. So much so that I am thinking of ordering the book with the giftcards that I have been hoarding since Christmas! It sounds so diabolically scary, and inventive, and the fact that the main character speaks from the emotional viewpoint of an individual with Aspergers really gets my attention. This was a wonderful review today, and I am pretty sure that this book will rock my world, especially because you gave it a rare 5 stars!!
wow! i’m definitely adding this one to my wishlist. i’m glad to see that you enjoyed it so much.
The nail gun intro got me!! Holy cow…this sounds riveting and scary!! I need to read a bit more about it but if I saw it at the library I would pick it up!!!