Summary
Malorie first finds out she’s pregnant when The Problem begins. People are driven to terrifying violence when they glimpse these creatures causing The Problem. At first, she ignores what’s happening across the world as people are infected at alarming rates. But when The Problem finally reaches her, she finds safety in a small house with a small number of survivors, one of whom is also pregnant. Five years later, Malorie must find a way to ensure her child’s safety. Her plan is a dangerous one, but if she wants to give her child a brighter future, she must undertake a journey downriver, blind.
Review
If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, yes, I would definitely recommend this book!
I read this book before I had my son, so I’m sure it would be a bit more difficult to read now that I have my son. But I enjoyed it because it was exciting and different. This book was published way before A Quiet Place was released. What made it so scary was the fact that Malorie could not see without the constant fear of going mad.
There was no way to know what was even causing people to commit suicide upon first glance. Were there really creatures? Was it something else entirely? But that isn’t the main point of the story. It focuses instead on Malorie. Her story. How she’s survived so far and how she got to where she is now. The courage that got her to the present situation is what drives her to keep going.
She knows of a community, a safe haven, just downriver from her home that she must reach if she is to survive longer. If her child is to make it adulthood. What I enjoyed most is how it feels as though I’m blind right alongside Malorie. As she navigates the world around her wearing a blindfold, even as she follows the rope that leads to the well outside the house to get water, I am as terrified as she. Every noise, every movement is terror. I spent most of my time reading this book while holding my breath.
And if navigating the rope to the well is scary, then hopping in a boat to navigate the river is even worse. Malerman does a wonderful job with suspense. If this already has you on the edge of your seat, just know that both she and her child are okay at the end. That may ruin some of the suspense. But I always have to know if the mom and child are okay.
The only thing I didn’t like about the book is that the characters felt a bit shallow. As if they were just puppets moving through the world Malerman created. I didn’t feel connected to the characters, but I still liked the story.
Overall, I would recommend this book to a busy mom. Especially if you’re in the mood for a good scare! And if you enjoyed the Netflix movie with Sandra Bullock. I definitely recommend reading the book and watching the movie. Both are great!
Rating
Four out of five stars
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If you enjoyed my review of Bird Box by Josh Malerman, you might also like The Anomaly by Michael Rutger. Check out my review!
If you’re interested in purchasing Bird Box, here are some quick links to buy the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, if you’re interested to see what others think, here’s the link to the book on Goodreads.
