I have totally lucked out, this month, reading weird books without even trying. Pines by Blake Crouch is definitely weird . . . and also the first in a series (future weirdness alert). When Jenny reviewed Pines, my interest had already been piqued by previews of the television series Wayward Pines, which is based on the books. Husband thought it looked too creepy and refused to watch it (which meant I didn't get to watch it because we really can only have one TV going at a time, thanks to the acoustics in this house).
Pines is the story of a Secret Service agent named Ethan Burke who awakens in a pine forest near a river. When he comes to, he can only remember 6 things, not including his own name. He's badly injured and doesn't know what happened to him or how he ended up in a forest. Across a field is a small town surrounded by cliffs. He stumbles into town but he has no wallet, no ID, no cell phone, no money so he can't call home or phone his office, can't buy himself a meal or pay for a stay in a hotel, can't prove his identity. Although it's clear he needs to get medical help, he's surprisingly wary of going to the hospital. Things start to get really weird when he hears a cricket and finds that even the cricket is not what it seems.
All sorts of bizarre things happen in Pines, leading Burke to the conclusion that Wayward Pines is no ordinary town. But, what on earth is going on and why can't he get answers from anyone?
You don't actually find out what's up till the end but it's loads of fun, surprising and super weird. I love it that Pines just happened to be such a bizarre story. I was expecting it to be creepy (and it is) but not quite so twisted. The only problem I had with the book is that the answers to why the town is so strange doesn't entirely explain why the people are so violent when someone doesn't fit in. At least, I didn't get it.
Recommended with a violence warning - Poor Ethan gets beat all to hell repeatedly and toward the end it becomes particularly horrifying just before he figures out what Wayward Pines is all about. I loved the fast pace, the creepiness, the strange atmosphere, and the fact that the answer to what was going on was even weirder than I imagined. Pines would definitely make a great RIP challenge book, in addition to being a terrific choice for #Weirdathon.
Side note: Pines was my very first Inter-Library Loan, ever! Wahoo for Inter-Library Loans! I should have tried this years ago.
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Yay for using the library! I'm glad you liked it. It wasn't perfect but very readable!
ReplyDeleteI agree - not perfect, but it was a fun ride. It was a bonus that it turned out to be so bizarre, since I'm really getting into this Weirdathon thing! :) Loved not having to spend money on it. Libraries are the bomb.
DeleteI meant to read this book a long time ago and totally forgot about it. I must go find it or see if I already have it. I probably do. I didn't watch the TV show either, but the book will likely be better. Good idea for a RIP read. Inter-library loans are great, usually. The library where I used to work has made them so difficult that they have done everything but cancel the ability to actually do them, which is what I think they really wanted to do. Not sure why. I've used them through the years.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the book is usually better. But, I do want to see the TV show. I only skipped it because Husband dislikes creepy/violent things and there was something else we both were interested in watching. I'm so excited that the Inter-Library Loan worked! They weren't sure the request would succeed, actually. Next time I'm there, I'll try to get the second book. So exciting. I considered buying it but I just thought the book was too expensive. I buy enough books that I need to find a decent price or I just have to pass if I can't get a library copy. Sorry your library is making ILL difficult.
DeleteMy roommate enjoyed the TV show, and I tried to watch it, but really couldn't get into it.
ReplyDeleteGood to know. I will give it a try if it ever becomes available for streaming on the service we use but I'm in no hurry. It'll be interesting to see if I enjoy it or feel like you did.
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