In Lauren Beukes' 'Broken Monsters', the story unfolds in a broken Detroit, intertwining the lives of a diverse set of characters including a detective, her daughter, a failed journalist, a church worker, and a disturbed artist. As a young boy's mutilated body is discovered, the narrative delves into a complex web of events involving a supernatural element, online journalism, teenage friendships, and the dark desires of a killer artist. Beukes expertly weaves together multiple storylines, exploring themes of urban decay, media saturation, and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy.
The writing style in 'Broken Monsters' is described as engaging, fast-paced, and gripping, with vividly real characters and a compelling plot that keeps readers hooked. Beukes' narrative approach immerses the reader in the haunting setting of Detroit, painting a vivid picture of a city in turmoil while exploring dark themes such as mental illness, misogyny, and the destructive power of social media. The book blends elements of crime thriller, horror, and social commentary, offering a multifaceted portrayal of a city grappling with darkness and decay.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers/content warnings for the book include graphic violence, murder of a child, themes of child exploitation, mental illness, and strong depictions of urban decay.
From The Publisher:
A criminal mastermind creates violent tableaus in abandoned Detroit warehouses in Lauren Beukes's genre-bending novel of suspense.
Detective Gabriella Versado has seen a lot of bodies. But this one is unique even by Detroit's standards: half boy, half deer, somehow fused together. As stranger and more disturbing bodies are discovered, how can the city hold on to a reality that is already tearing at its seams?
If you're Detective Versado's geeky teenage daughter, Layla, you commence a dangerous flirtation with a potential predator online. If you're desperate freelance journalist Jonno, you do whatever it takes to get the exclusive on a horrific story. If you're Thomas Keen, known on the street as TK, you'll do what you can to keep your homeless family safe - and find the monster who is possessed by the dream of violently remaking the world.
If Lauren Beukes's internationally bestselling The Shining Girls was a time-jumping thrill ride through the past, her Broken Monsters is a genre-redefining thriller about broken cities, broken dreams, and broken people trying to put themselves back together again.
"Scary as hell and hypnotic. I couldn't put it down…I'd grab it if I were you." - Stephen King
Ratings (14)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (8) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (2) |
Reader Stats (25):
Read It (14) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (8) | |
Not Interested (2) |
2 comment(s)
3.75 rounded up
I really enjoyed this serial killer thrill-ride through the ruins of Detroit. Detective Gabi Versado is a single mom working homicide when she discovers the upper half of a young black boy attached to the lower half of a deer. More macabre bodies turn up and Gabi finds herself battling a "citizen's journalist" to keep the investigation under wraps and off the internet. Meanwhile, the killer is trying to open a door to another dimension via his creations, Gabi's daughter Layla is catfishing a pedophile with her best friend Cas, and a group of homeless people are circling around the killer without knowing it.
I liked this book, but it was a bit disjointed. I thought it would be loosely connected to
The Shining Girls by the killer's insanity - while
Shining included actual supernatural elements,
Monsters appears to be about one man's delusions (which are similar to the elements of
Shining. However, the ending takes a hard turn that I didn't see coming and didn't really feel fit with the rest of the book. Certain elements were introduced too late. However, this book is populated with great characters and is a successful horror mystery, even if it overreaches a bit in the end.
What can you read after
Broken Monsters?
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