Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Love This Book, 13 Mar 2009
Some books are exciting. Some books are intriguing. Some are exhilarating, others moving, and still others deeply disturbing. I've rarely found a book that fit all of these descriptions at once, and never have I read one that mixes each emotion together as thoroughly as I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER.
While reading this novel, I felt like I did when I first discovered Lovecraft. The beauty of the prose, mixed with the depth of characterization, gave the haunting, first person narrative a human touch that I don't always discover in horror novels. Yet I savor it when I do, for the finest horror is the most human of all genres.
It's difficult to tie down I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER. On one hand, it's a character study that inspects the mind of a teenage sociopath. On the other, it's an old fashioned murder mystery with a supernatural edge. Neither of those concepts convey the wit of the prose or the brilliance of the story's great dilemma. Which is more alien? The monster with the heart of a man or the man with the heart of a monster?
In short, I can only say this: Read the book. Regardless of your age or your genre preferences, you will find this story both profound and enthralling.
Brandon Sanderson
New York Times Bestselling Author
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inescapably fascinating, 14 Mar 2009
No matter what your normal preferences are for books, this is one that'll capture your interest.
Even if you don't like feeling queasy, you'll be enthralled as the main character, John Wayne Cleaver, helps with the human embalming. Even if you don't like mysteries, you'll be gripping the pages as John follows the trail of a supernatural killer. Even if you don't like dark fantasy, you'll find yourself pondering the soul of a fanged, razor-clawed demon, who at times is more human than his prey. And even if you don't like thrillers, you'll keep holding on to the character of John, who offers sincere vulnerability while managing to terrify you with what he could become.
This book defies many genre boundaries, which leads to a rather generic-sounding-but-completely-accurate recommendation of: "If you're interested in what's fascinating, you'll love this."
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Violent, gory, dark -- awesome!, 6 Jul 2009
As soon as I read the blurb for this book, I knew I just had to read it. When I finally got the chance to sit down and got started, I was hooked instantly. This is one seriously awesome book. I absolutely loved it!
John Cleaver is a teenager who helps his mother and aunt out in their mortuary. He's also fascinated by serial killers and pretty much knows every detail documented about most of them. He's not your average boy, that's for sure. Death fascinates him. Liking a girl scares him. Luckily for him, he's in therapy and his doctor is helping him to (at least) appear to be normal. I really enjoyed his visits with Dr Neblin.
When he discovers that an actual demon is killing people in his town and collecting body parts, John sets out on a personal investigation to find out who it is. He's finally got his own serial killer to dissect. But what he stumbles into is certainly not what he expected.
'I Am Not A Serial Killer' is an addictive book that sucks you in from the very first word and keeps you turning every page. Actually, I couldn't wait to get back to it. It's why I read it so quickly and enjoyed every second of it. This is one unique look into the mind of a very dark individual who struggles to stay on the right path every single day. It's got a little bit of everything, and I really liked the dark humour.
Who would've thought that a book starring a sociopathic teenage boy with very violent tendencies would turn out to be so much fun? Well, it is. For all his strangeness, I found John to be a great character that I would love to spend more time with in the future.
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