Bird Box by Josh Malerman- Book Review

With October comes scary reads and since this is being posted on Halloween, I thought I would save one of the scariest books I have read this month for this day. Bird Box by Josh Malerman has such a great premise, an atmosphere of dread, and a conclusion that pays off so well. It is scary for what it doesn't show rather than what it shows.

There are creatures roaming the land. Anyone who has seen these creatures have instantly gone crazy and have killed themselves or others, so there is no description of what they look like. Malorie has been surviving the outbreak and has recently found out she is pregnant. She was surviving with her sister, but after her sister kills herself (not a spoiler as it happens about the 2nd chapter in), she must find if there are other survivors out there- completely blindfolded. How does one face an enemy one cannot see?

The other narrative of the book is Malorie years later. She has to return to the outside with 2 children- Boy and Girl. She knows there is help downriver, but it will take a few days to get there. The creatures are still out there. She must paddle, again blindfolded, to safety.

There are a few things we know about this book right from the opening chapters-
1. Malorie has survived for a number of years
2. She has 2 kids.
3. She is alone with those two kids.
4. Since much of the book takes place locked in a house with a group of other survivors, what happened to them? We know something must happen.
5. We also know supplies will start to dwindle.

These things we know from the first 3-4 chapters of the book, so we are left with these questions for almost the entire length of the book as we flip between Malorie looking at her past and Malorie in the present. The uneasy feeling and the feeling of dread just flow from the pages of this book.

I think what makes this book scary is the simple unknown. One doesn't know what the creatures look like, one doesn't know what will happen to the other survivors, one doesn't know if Malorie will reach safety in the middle of a river without any shelter, and one doesn't know if even the creatures are still out there. The fear of the unknown and the paranoia that comes with it are on full display.

This isn't to say the book doesn't drag at times. Malerman keeps the book on a pretty consistent pace with almost no relief, which gets to the reader a bit. One needed a bit of levity or relief to allow breathing space. As stated though, dragging aside, the conclusion makes it all worth it. There is a scene in the book that is not to be missed. The great thing is most of it takes place "off screen" too, so you still get that feeling of not knowing. It was beautiful.

I gave this one 4 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- Bird Box Josh Malerman