Thank you to Netgalley and Gabriel Zavala for this ARC of ‘Recluse’.

I have mixed thought on this if I’m honest. It was a nice read but I did think there were a lot of inconsistencies with the plot. The characters also didn’t feel very developed to me. Overall it was a nice read though.

Gabriel Zavala is a new author to me.

Within the first few pages I was reminded of a little of Silence of the Lambs with the Scene of the murder, the story does flip from the horror of the characters childhood to the present day horrors that are quite harrowing owing to say the least and does come with a trigger warning all that been said It was a very good read and I look farward to reading more from this author.

Plot:
The idea behind this novel is superb; it’s thought provoking, gruesome (if you like that kind of thing) and original. The issue I have with this story is the many holes, inconsistencies and lack of tied plot points. I can’t give examples without spoilers so I guess you’ll just have to trust me.

Characters:
All the characters were unlikable and immature.
They were all given the same blank and grinning expressions and there was nothing of substance about their personalities.

Writing style:
The writing style is my main source of frustration. It honestly feels like it was written by an immature AI. Not every thing needs an adjective! Also, this book needs some serious editing, I’m afraid the writer was failed in this regard. There are many grammatical errors and sentences that just don’t make sense.

Example - “the swollen gray clouds cast a gray overcast”
Example - “Whoever he was meant mattered to someone”
Example - “he whimpered as he dismembered approached the wet corpse”
Example - “he scrupulously stood up”
Example - ‘“always rarely discussed”

There was no real sense of atmosphere, the story fell slightly flat when trying to build suspense or provide cliffhangers.
The writer is obsessed with wrinkles and sneers and grins ‘slipping’ and ‘sliding’ ONTO faces (?!)
The same words repeat constantly; everything is pounding and exploding.
Random words were italicised where they didn’t need to be.

Conclusion:
While I must give one well deserved star for the original and striking storyline, I, unfortunately, can’t get past the unpalatable writing, the plot holes or dullness of the characters. So it remains as a one star I’m afraid.