The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
Reviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist
Genre: Horror
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Wen and her two dads are supposed to be enjoying a vacation at a remote lakeside cabin. This is their time to get away from the everyday pressures of life and enjoy time together as a family. This is exactly what they’re doing when Wen is approached in the front yard by a big, but seemingly kind, man named Leonard. Leonard offers to help her catch grasshoppers, and Wen accepts. But then Leonard starts talking about the choices Wen and her dads are going to have to make in the near future and how none of what is about to happen is Wen’s fault. Then, three other strangers show up, carrying horrific home made weapons. Nothing will ever be the same again.
My Review: I tore through this book because I desperately needed to know how it ended. And I want to preface the rest of my review by saying that this book isn’t going to be for everyone. A lot of violence goes down and if you’re squeamish, this might be one to avoid. But it’s also very well written and in my opinion, a perfect modern tragedy – because it’s a horror story and a love story. If a tight, horror tale that messes with your mind and rips out your heart is your jam, then I would definitely recommend this book. I’m a fan of Tremblay’s other books, so reading this was a given for me. The alternation between the horrific and the absurd was perfect, each relieving the other just enough to make you question your own sanity throughout. I don’t want to say to much about the actual plot because it’s so spare on the surface. Spoiling anything would ruin everything. But if you end up taking a leap of reading faith and give this a try, I’d love to know.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Tension, Family, Choices
Give This a Try if You Like… “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, Hamlet, A Quiet Place (movie)
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.