The first book I read in
2014 was one I built up a little too much for myself. I had gotten my copy of
Thomas Tryon’s The Other because of the afterword in it written by one of my
favorite authors Dan Chaon. Knowing how he writes, I was excited to read a book
in a similar style as how he writes. And from hearing about the reputation of
the book, one being in the vain of Shirley Jackson, I was looking forward to it
quite a bit, and made it my top reading list. But I’m quite disappointed in it.
First off, it is very scary, I will give it that. The scenes of violence and
dread are very well written, creating a dark, brooding atmosphere where a
depraved act is just around the corner. But this somewhat swift novel is way
over-stuffed with superfluous characters that detract from the relationship of
the two twin brothers. This classic novel tells the story of Niles Perry, and
the increasingly disturbing acts perpetrated by his twin brother Holland, in
the town of Pequot Landing. They have just suffered through the violent,
ambiguous death of their father and, with a neglectful mother, the two are free
to roam as they please, and Niles is left to fend for himself as he tries to
understand his sociopathic brother. As I said, the scary scenes are just that,
with one involving an elderly neighbor and a magic trick being the highlight.
But the adult characters just get in the way. It adds another, almost too
mature dimension to the kid’s world, leaving them a little less alone than they
should be in a story like this, and in turn makes the telling of the story less
suspenseful. The twist I already knew about, but it is more than a bit creepy
with the opening narration to each section. Just wish it could remain so in the
confines of the two boys separate, isolated lives.
Rating: 3/5
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