Edward J. Cembal's The Monster in Our Shadows is an ambitious debut novel that captures the essence of despair in a grim dystopian world. While the book has its strengths in atmosphere and concept, its execution often falters, leaving readers with a mix of intrigue and frustration.

At its core, the story revolves around the Shivers, shadowy monsters that serve as literal embodiments of depression (the "metaphor" is so on the nose, I can't see them be anything else). These creatures latch onto individuals, feeding on their fear and ultimately consuming them—both figuratively and literally. The author’s depiction of this apocalyptic world, where these creatures roam and despair permeates every corner, is vividly dark. In fact, Cembal succeeds in making the weight of hopelessness quite tangible, crafting a narrative that is almost suffocating in its sadness. The bleak tone is not a flaw but an effective choice, in my opinion, aligning with the novel's thematic exploration of mental health and despair.

However, while the premise is compelling and imaginative, the execution leaves much to be desired. The narrative often meanders, bogged down by encounters and elements that seem to lead nowhere (mostly characters). What really rubbed my theater kid brain the wrong way: the character Alexander Chekhov (yes, there's a guy, who introduces himself with that name), gives Anthem, the protagonist, a gun—a setup that nods to Chekhov's famous principle of dramatic payoff—but the gun ultimately serves no purpose. This lack of follow-through with plot elements can be found all throughout the story.

The repetitive nature of the plot also detracts from its impact. While the Shivers as depression incarnate is a potent metaphor, the narrative struggles to sustain momentum or offer meaningful variation. Instead, the repetition of events and the lack of narrative cohesion reduce all emotional responses to boredom and an exasperated "oh, not again." Then again, that might be the point here...

Despite these shortcomings, The Monster in Our Shadows is not without merit. Cembal's ability to create an oppressive, melancholy atmosphere is undeniable, and the concept of externalizing depression as monstrous entities is both imaginative and poignant. The world-building is solid enough when it comes to the setting, and the book’s commitment to its dark tone is commendable. I cannot stress enough just how hopeless this books feels all throughout. However, the lack of narrative focus and the numerous unresolved threads make it a frustrating read at times.

In conclusion, The Monster in Our Shadows is a novel that teeters between a brilliant idea and uneven execution. It is a deeply somber exploration of depression wrapped in a dystopian fantasy, but its potential is hampered by its debut-like flaws. Readers who appreciate atmospheric, introspective stories may find value in its themes, but those seeking a tight, well-paced narrative might walk away unsatisfied.

This is an eery gothix adventure with I Am Legend vibes and rich plot development. It feels dystopian in the best ways, the story truly creates an alternate universe.

Edward J. Cemba’s The Monsters in Our Shadows is a haunting and immersive tale of survival, sacrifice, and the thin line between humanity and the monsters we battle. Set in a crumbling, gothic-inspired city on the brink of annihilation, the story follows Anthem, an Exilist tasked with banishing the sinister Shivers—eldritch creatures that consume their hosts with unrelenting hunger. Anthem’s grim mission takes a darker turn as he grapples with his own internal Shiver, its cravings threatening to overwhelm him as the city’s fragile existence teeters on collapse.

Cemba masterfully weaves a dark, atmospheric narrative filled with vivid, unsettling imagery and thought-provoking themes. Anthem’s journey beyond the city walls is as much a psychological exploration as it is a perilous adventure, blending action and introspection in equal measure. The monsters lurking in the shadows are both literal and metaphorical, forcing readers to reflect on the nature of fear, guilt, and self-determination.

With richly drawn characters and a plot that builds relentless tension, The Monsters in Our Shadows is a gripping tale of resilience and redemption. Fans of dark fantasy and gothic horror will be enthralled by Cemba’s deft storytelling and the chilling world he brings to life. This is a story that lingers, much like the Shivers themselves, leaving readers questioning the shadows within.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to review.

I thought this was a very interesting novel. The strongest part about it was the initial idea. I don't know how well I connected to the characters, but I did enjoy it.

Now, I will start by saying I am not usually one for this short of book but I really wanted to try something different and I am so glad I did as this book did not disappoint! I loved the dystopian vibe of the book and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the plot! This book had me on the edge of my seat a lot and was a great psychological horror/thriller! I will definitely be reading more books like this in the future so thank you for allowing me to experience a new genre I thoroughly enjoyed!

What a wild ride! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading this. The story building and character development were fantastically done.

This book literally gave me nightmares. I can hear that "smacking" noise clearly. It reminds me of some of Willow Rose's horror stories. If you are looking for a book guaranteed to scare you, you've found it!

A truly creepy scary horror of a book that’s kept me up half the night!!! One to read with the big light on! A great horror book that is well worth a read for anyone who wants to be scared witless.

Thank you to NetGalley, Edward J Cembal and Book Whisperer for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I got 40-45% through and I felt like nothing really had happened yet so I couldn’t bring myself to finish it.

Whew, well….

Let’s just say this took me awhile to get through. Much longer than I would have liked. If I am sucked in, I can devour a book in a day or two. This one unfortunately took me months for lack of interest.

The story was much slower than I would have liked. We follow a man tasked with cleaning up the monsters in the city which loom over its people. A delicate balance of casting out the monsters before they run rampant and endanger more lives.

It just felt like I was struggling as much as the MC, but not in a good way. I didn’t feel connected to the story, invested in the MC or even what was going to happen.

There are good thoughts behind this, more poetic than the dystopian story I was hungry for. I’d say read some other reviews and decide what kind of post-apocalyptic story you’re looking for before you read this. It’s not like TWD, and more fantasy than anything with the monsters. It just didn’t hit the mark for me unfortunately.

This book was hard to get in to. The story was too far fetched for me. I know other people really enjoyed this book. Maybe I just couldn’t read between the lines kinda thing.

This was one of the first book I requested on NetGalley when I joined. I was very excited to read and review this book but had an issue with downloading so was not able to access it.

This story was action packed, made me feel quite tense in places. The pacing was great. All in all a well balanced novel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-arc of this title for review.
This book is a story set in a world 100 years post viral take over. However, I wouldn't say that it is particularly triggering for those sensitive to post epidemic plot lines. It did feel very different because of the unique nature of the epidemic.
The opening chapter drew me in and was actually super creepy and intriguing. Although this is not a perfect book I do recommend it overall. It was really interesting and actually the flaws were very much something that indicated to me how into the story I was. I really just wanted more description and time in certain moments of the story. Sometimes there were moments that were so quick that I had to go back and re read as I was getting confused with where people came from or went too. I think that these things could have been sorted easily with a little more development time.
Another, point I want to make is that I am predominantly a character driven reader. I think that it is a sign of a great plot that I didn't care about any of the characters particularly, and still wanted to keep reading. I would say this was in parts a 3 star read for me, but the starting chapter and the final 30% really brought the rating up for me. I liked the interesting concepts and mirroring of real life stuff, in a world that feels very much how our world could go in this situation. I also found this book really quotable and if I had a physical copy of it, I would absolutely have been highlighting a bunch. The twists were really good too... again, especially in the last 30%.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a gory horror, enjoys a twisty plot, and likes to think about the human condition and how it is affected by the world around us and vice versa.

I really loved this book, as it was not only well written and an exciting read, it was a wonderful allegory on how we often avoid confronting our own demons until they become too big to manage on our own.

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

I thought this was a good book. Definitely a different idea and I enjoyed that. The author made this book easy to understand and get into this world. A must read!

As someone who frequently delves into horror genres, I found The Monsters in Our Shadows to be a refreshing and captivating read. The author successfully crafted a unique narrative that kept me guessing from start to finish. I was especially impressed by how well he navigated the story’s length; for a debut horror novel, it was clear he had a strong vision and executed it effectively without getting bogged down in excessive details.

My thanks to the Book Whisperer, Edward J. Cembal and Netgalley
Well, I'm about 2 months overdue on this review.
I have 2 or 3 excuses for that, but....ugh, why bother?
I'm making this a short review. Mostly because its after 1:00 am, and I'm tired. Yep! I did give that excuse! Wish I could have used that when I was in school.😉
I thought that Mr. Cembals idea behind this story was unique. The concept was freaking intense! I honestly had a difficult time putting myself there without imagining that I'd freak out and be messed up for a wee bit!
Honestly, I don't want to give much detail into the story. The concept didn't seem like much to begin with, but hold onto your ass, because its kind of different. More of a fever dream or sleep paralysis than a nightmare.
As we used to say decades ago....Good shit, Maynard!
Ill be on the lookout for more from this author.
One thing that kept this from being 5 stars? Yep...that ending was a little too twee.

This is a great effort but, for me, the ending doesn't quite work. I think it's worth reading and recommending with caveats. My concerns are difficult to discuss this without spoilers but I think the symptom - here the "shadows" that plague residents of the city - are not adequately linked to the cause that is revealed in the closing. Thus, I don't think the solution offered works either. But by and large, it's a scary book so give it a try.

The cover is particularly good.