The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Girl Next Door
Book Review: Beware your friends and family
Summary: 3 Stars
While the reviews of this book were good I did not find it all that gripping. Yes, it was horrifying in its description of what man is capable of doing to his fellow man. What I found more interesting is the herd acceptance of what is right and wrong and the willingness of people to just go along rather than rock the boat.Book Review: Compelling book - not for the squirmy folks
Summary: 5 Stars
The Girl Next Door was a great book. It makes you realize that people really can be insane. It is loosely based on true events which makes it even crazier. I am a horror/sci-fi geek who loves anything that makes me want to look away or cover my eyes so I was not grossed out by this book but more intrigued. It is well written and easy to finish in a day or two.
Book Review: Compelling but WAY too Disturbing
Summary: 1 Stars
I read a lot of horror/post-apocalyptic fiction but rarely post reviews. The rape and torture depicted in this book were much too disturbing for me, and I want to warn others who may be at all sensitive to stay away. I must give the writer credit for a compelling, well-written novel, but it still makes me sick to my stomach to think about what occurs in its pages.Book Review: Copycat story!
Summary: 2 Stars
This is a copycat of what happened to Sylvia Likens. Minor adjustments made, but basically the same story. Not very original. You should read the original story "House of Evil" by John Dean.Book Review: Distirbing, yet compelling...
Summary: 4 Stars
The reviews are correct. It is every bit as disturbing and horrific as it is made out to be.
(SPOILERS)
Ketchum's "Girl Next Door" is brutal in its depiction of the torture-murder of an innocent 14 yr old girl. His use of the 1st person narrator accomplishes his goal of allowing the reader to focus solely on the object of the torture (great literary effect but not so kind under the circumstances).
The question I found myself asking all the while was simply this: Is GND a morality play that hinges on a necessary account of heinous child violence for the sake of demonstrating the moral lesson of how all that is required for evil to gain a foothold is for good men to do nothing or is it simply a vehicle for depicting said child violence? Tough call.
In the end, from a consumer's perspective, I cannot say that I "enjoyed" this book. The topic of child abuse (in the extreme in this case) crosses the line for me / becomes too personal (I have two kids of my own, each right at the same age as the central characters in this book). I would consider another of Ketchum's works but will be a bit more selective as to the subject matter going forward.
4 stars because a "horror" novel should deliver a scary / disturbing impact. This book succeeded in that regard, all too well. Hopefully Ketchum's other works can accomplish the same end without resorting to similar subject matter.
Peace.
- Savage