Review: Kin

Kin by Kealan Patrick Burke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is both deeply disturbing and absolutely brilliant.

It's very much a gruesome slasher flick, which begins with a horrific massacre and doesn't get any prettier, but there's also an intelligence to it that contrasts the violence with very real character depth.

This is not horror for horror's sake.

This is horror that allows for a fascinating examination of trauma.

One of the most incredible horror stories I've read in a long time.

I have this rule about only giving 5-star ratings to books I would definitely read again, but I might just be breaking it for this one. Because I don't know that I'd want to re-live this nightmare, but the initial 4-star rating I gave it just wasn't sitting right. It's worthy of 5.

Here's why:

It's unpredictable
You think you know the formula, you think you can guess what's coming ... you are wrong.

It doesn't pull punches
It gets straight into the nastiness, and it does not hold back. There is plenty of suffering to go around and this book is creative with it.

It's intelligent
The violence is not the main feature, it's just another part that comprises the whole. The story takes the titular theme and explores several manifestations of it, all while holding the tension and probing the depths of trauma.

The writing is addictive
From the very first page it's almost impossible to resist the compulsion to read. There are certainly moments that will make you want to pause but it draws you back in soon enough. There's just something about the way it plays out that makes you want to see it through to the end.

A fantastic horror story with fascinating themes, some epic scenes and memorable characters. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

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