Crawl: Vincent Kale
Page Count: 391
Publisher: Lulu.com
product description from Lulu.com
A monster lurks in the sleepy town of Oakdale. Its home is Fairweather Manor, once a beautiful example of Victorian architecture and suburban pride. Since the untimely death of its caretaker, the grounds have fallen into disrepair. It has become a cursed house, a murder house. A family from the neighboring metropolis of Steel City has recently moved in, looking for a fresh start. The Carsons have heard stories of strange occurrences in the house, the deaths that have taken place there. They'll risk the rumors rather than returning to the deteriorating city. What they aren't aware of is that they share their new home with something else. Something that moves within the walls and under the floorboards. Something that watches them from the shadows. Something that has waited for them for a very long time...the creature known as Crawl.
My Review:
Crawl is only the second self-published book I've found worthy enough to review (not that I've read many others, but still). I'm not sure what genre this book is categorized in, but I would definitely call it Adult Horror. The gruesome ending alone makes it unsuitable for young readers, but do not let that deter you from some magnificent writing.
Crawl not only tells the story of the monster described above, but also of a tiny town and its inhabitants--all of which have some connection to the "haunted" house at center stage. When I first began this book, the style of writing was instantly reminiscent of Stephen King. Vincent's amazing descriptions of the "monster" and it's horrible life painted an eerie picture in my mind, keeping me on edge with every scene. The story is written in third person, told from varying "points of view"-- Crawl, Police Chief McAfee, the Carson family who have taken up residence in the house--and each scene is expertly crafted to move the story at a perfect pace. I never felt a lull in the story and was eager to turn page after page until the truth of what was going on reared its ugly head.
Vincent's ability to show vs. tell is spot on. With a descriptive and unique writing style, the spooky yet touching story of Crawl is brought to life, as is the assortment of other characters. At first the reader is led to believe that Crawl is something to be feared, but as the story progresses you can't help but feel something for the "monster" living inside the walls. And by the end, your heart is breaking for the horrible life Crawl endured and the cruel fate Crawl ultimately met.
Overall, Crawl is a masterfully written piece of horror that not only scares you, but also makes you see that nothing is as it seems. I happily give Crawl 5 stars, and urge all you adult horror fans to give this self-published author a shot...you'll be glad you did!
Tempted to get the book and read it for the ending you mentioned. I loved horror stories when I was little but I haven't read one in ages. Kinda scared to now.
ReplyDeleteGreat review though.
Patricia - It's not terribly scary (to me anyway), but it's written so well I'd recommend it anyway. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteGoodness, Jamie, when do you find all this time to read?? :) But this book sounds AWESOME. Don't think I've read a self-published book before, but I may give this one a try.
ReplyDeletePam - I wish I had more time! But I tell ya, having a Nook makes it so easy. I read a traditional book on my lunch break and the Nook at night. And I haven't read many self-published books, but this one is really amazing how good it is!
ReplyDelete