If you love your horror slow-burning, seriously creepy, and loaded with raw tension, this book is right up your alley. Adam Nevill crafts a nightmarish atmosphere - a rundown house full of noises, whispers, and endless dread, with the real-world horror of poverty and exploitation blending seamlessly into supernatural terror. Fans of haunted house stories, social horror, or anyone who enjoys books that linger in your mind (and maybe disturb your sleep) will get a lot out of this. It's especially recommended for those who enjoy detailed atmospheres and deep dives into a character's struggle for survival.

Who May Not Like This Book:

This novel is a hefty commitment, clocking in at over 600 pages, and the pacing can be glacial - especially in the first half. If you're impatient for scares or frustrated by characters who make questionable decisions, Stephanie's ongoing inability to leave her dire situation might drive you up the wall. Some found the shifts in tone and the abrupt time jump later in the book jarring, and the length felt unnecessarily drawn out for certain readers. The content is also quite dark, with disturbing themes and violence; it's definitely not for the faint of heart or anyone sensitive to themes of abuse or exploitation.

Claustrophobic, bleak, and deeply atmospheric - a chilling haunted-house tale that blends real-world and supernatural horror, but moves at a deliberate pace that might not suit everyone.

About:

"No One Gets Out Alive" by Adam Nevill is a dark and disturbing tale that follows Stephanie Booth as she moves into a new room at 82 Edgware Road. Initially drawn in by the affordable price, Stephanie soon realizes that the house is not what it seems, with eerie occurrences such as whispers, scratching, and weeping haunting her every night. As the story unfolds, the horror escalates with the arrival of Knacker's cousin Fergal, leading to a terrifying journey of supernatural dread and distress. The writing style captures the absolute despair and depression felt by Stephanie as she navigates through a world spiraling out of control, creating a chilling atmosphere that keeps readers on edge.

Characters:

Characters are primarily defined by their struggles and interactions with the oppressive environment, with the protagonist experiencing deep vulnerability.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is a mixture of atmospheric and engaging prose, though some readers find it slow or challenging due to dialect and pacing.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Stephanie's desperate situation as she moves into a dilapidated house, uncovering both supernatural threats and horrors in her immediate surroundings.

Setting:

The setting is a central element of the story, emphasizing a haunting and oppressive atmosphere within a rundown house.

Pacing:

The pacing fluctuates significantly, leading to frustrations in the buildup but picking up later in the narrative.

The dream receded quickly and Stephanie recalled little of it, beside an anxious desire to leave a cold, greyish place; a narrow space in which people stood too close to her. One of them had been cryi...

Notes:

The main character, Stephanie Booth, struggles with poverty and feels trapped in a cheap and horrifying rental, 82 Edgehill Road.

The story blends themes of supernatural horror with social commentary on poverty and urban despair.

Stephanie experiences strange noises and a sense of being watched on her first night in the house.

The character of Knacker McGuire, her landlord, is depicted as cruel and exploitative towards the female tenants.

The pacing of the book has been criticized, with some readers feeling it was too slow and frustrating in the beginning.

The supernatural elements involve ancient spirits and a dark history tied to the house.

Reviews suggest the first two-thirds of the book are stronger, focusing on suspense and horror, while the last third shifts to exposition and background.

Many readers found the horror elements concerning real-world issues, like misogyny and violence against women, to be particularly impactful.

The novel has been adapted into a Netflix film, although it significantly diverges from the book's storyline and character focus.

The writing style includes a thick Cockney accent for some characters, which some readers found difficult to read.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of sexual violence, trauma, gore, psychological distress, and abusive relationships.

From The Publisher:

When Stephanie moves to the notoriously cheap Perry Bar neighborhood of Birmingham, she's just happy to find an affordable room for rent that's large enough not to deserve her previous room's nickname, "the cell." The eccentric - albeit slightly overly-friendly - landlord seems nice and welcoming enough, the ceilings are high, and all of the other tenants are also girls. Things aren't great, but they're stable. Or at least that's what she tells herself when she impulsively hands over enough money to cover the first month's rent and decides to give it a go.

But soon after she becomes uneasy about her rash decision. She hears things in the night. Feels them. Things...or people...who aren't there in the light. Who couldn't be there, because after-all, her door is locked every night, and the key is still in place in the morning. Concern soon turns to terror when the voices she hears and presence she feels each night become hostile. It's clear that something very bad has happened in this house. And something even worse is happening now. Stephanie has to find a way out, before whatever's going on in the house finds her first.

Adam Nevill's No One Gets Out Alive will chill you straight through to the core - a cold, merciless, fear-inducing nightmare to the last page. A word of caution, don't read this one in the dark.

Ratings (8)

Loved It (3)
Liked It (1)
It Was OK (2)
Did Not Like (1)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (31):

Read It (7)
Want To Read (20)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (2)

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No One Gets Out Alive?

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About the Author:

ADAM NEVILL was born in Birmingham, England, in 1969 and grew up in England and New Zealand. He is the author of Last Days (winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Horror Novel) and The Ritual. He lives in Birmingham.

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No One Gets Out Alive

Adam Nevill

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