I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

DNF at 8%. I've enjoyed other books by Josh Malerman but this one isn't for me. As soon as I hit the chapter where it's the pig POV I knew I wouldn't enjoy this one.

I love Josh so much and this weird little story he created was so much more than I ever could have expected. Thank you so much.

One of the strengths of "Pearl" is its unique and imaginative premise. Malerman introduces readers to a world where mysterious creatures known as Pearls have descended upon Earth, turning it into a perilous and uncertain place. The idea of these enigmatic beings and the way they influence the characters and the world is fascinating and sets the stage for an intriguing story.

However, the novel struggles with pacing, especially in the first half. The narrative progression can feel slow and meandering at times, making it challenging to stay fully engaged. While this deliberate pacing can work in some cases, here it might test the patience of readers who are looking for a more immediate and gripping narrative.

This story really makes you consider things that go beyond the scope of the book itself. It isn’t just about a supernatural murderous pig with one good eye, it’s about humans and humanity and being the top of the ladder species that gets to decide the life and death of other creatures. It was pretty powerful and insightful and gut punching, if I am honest.

Also, if I continue to be honest, I sympathized more with Pearl than I did with any of the humans in this story. We, humans, are such an invasive species, aren’t we? And I guess in this book, we get what’s coming for us.

All in all, this won’t be everyone’s cuppa tea, but if you enjoyed stories like Cujo or Tender is the Flesh, I think you’ll have a blast with this one!

" 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥."

Pearl is a horror novel centered on a telepathic murderous pig who takes over a farm and the people that step foot in it.⁣
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I’m not sure what I was expecting with this novel, but what I ended up reading wasn’t it. I was confused a lot throughout the book and just found it hard to get into. But after I pushed through it I thought the novel was entertaining.⁣
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I wouldn’t say this novel is scary it does have a bit of creepiness. Overall, Pearl was not my favorite, but it was a fun read.

Yep Yep yep. If you enjoy a good ride, please pick this up. I am intrigued enough to keep reading from this author. Halfway through reading via kindle I did wish I had the audio book, so If you enjoy audiobooks I would suggest starting there!

I am a massive fan of Josh Malerman and everything he writes. This book did no disappoint. Pearl was such a vile, yet interesting character to hear from. This novel went in places I never would have expected and it blew me away. I recommend this if you're a horror fan and I think this is a great place to start with Josh's works!

I was really intrigued by the mysterious synopsis of this but unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I couldn't finish it and didn't enjoy what i did read.

Pearl

by Josh Malerman


It's creepy when Pearl the pig sits upright on a hay bale like a human, but it's bone chilling when this pig convinces others to kill for him in the bizarre, macabre thriller Pearl.

In Chowder, a rural town in Michigan, a high school student announces over the intercom that a seventh-grader beheaded a pig at his grandfather's farm and swears another pig made him do it. Stoner students Mitch and Jerry hear the story and convince fellow student Susan to go with them to view the supposedly psychotic animal. What starts out as a joke quickly becomes a nightmare for the trio when they come face to face with Pearl the pig inside the farm's barn. Suddenly, Pearl is in their heads, manipulating their thoughts and making the other pigs attack them. Jerry tries a daring escape and the pigs swarm him, but a wounded Susan uses the distraction to break into the main farmhouse and call 911. The arriving cops laugh off Susan's crazy story of a mind-controlling pig until they also become victims to Pearl's powerful ability. More disturbing: Pearl has just discovered there's a bigger world beyond the farm and he can control the minds of humans from afar.

Josh Malerman (Bird Box; A House at the Bottom of a Lake) has mastered the technique of taking a normal scenario (boy visiting his grandfather's farm), adding an incredibly disturbing reality (mind-controlling farm animal) and letting the story spiral in a believable way. Pearl is a riveting novel of the bizarre that demands discussion. --Paul Dinh-McCrillis, freelance reviewer

Discover: In a superbly written thriller by the author of Bird Box, a telepathic farm pig named Pearl uses mind control to take over a small town.

What even WAS this?! My mind is a big ol puddle of mush. You think King shook the horror novel industry with Cujo? How about a horror novel centered around a pig named Pearl? This pig has a heightened consciousness in comparison to other pigs - and an aching for revenge (bonus points for showing why Pearl has such rage with it's backstory). Pearl didn't come to mess around - this read starts hot and keeps running.

Malerman is one of my favorites when it comes to weird, offbeat, and allegorical horror. Pearl fits the bill with both weird and allegorical, and maybe we can add a bit of slasher in the mix, even though it’s nigh-impossible for a pig to cut and slash, isn’t it? Perhaps it is, in a normal world with a normal pig, but Malerman never writes normal worlds and Pearl certainly isn’t a normal pig. ⁣
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The novel starts off strong, delivering readers right straight in to the antics of Pearl and the subsequent gore that sets the tone for the rest of the book. The entire story takes place within a few short days, and it’s one big ball of tension as readers wait and see who Pearl takes hold of next. The feeling that Pearl is incredibly powerful and has the means to be all-encompassing really oozed off the pages, and I felt like I was holding my breath for the majority of the book.⁣
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Despite, or perhaps in spite of, Pearl’s bloodthirsty, ruthless demeanor, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy towards the murderous little pig and all he’s endured. Pigs are intelligent as it is, but Pearl’s intelligence far out-measures that of his piggy counterparts (and plenty of humans), and I think that’s truly what made him so fearsome. He was able to take his feelings and turn them into action, which isn’t anything worth writing home about until you take premeditation into consideration. A murderous pig who thinks and feels on the level of a human *and* can weigh and measure his actions beforehand? Yikes. ⁣
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Pearl isn’t *just* a horror novel though. Instead, it’s horror with razor-sharp teeth that burrow into your brain and implant plenty of things to think about. There are several themes and allegories worth mulling over and discussing, and it’s definitely a tale I’ll be processing for quite a while. ⁣
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Bottom line — be nice to pigs, they’re probably smarter than you. Also, read this because it’s fantastically weird and delightful.

Pearl is a creature feature, and a decent one at that. This story and imagery fester in your imagination, long after you're done with this book. Creep factor grows on you, especially with Malerman's ability to "muse" from the pig's point of view. Josh Malerman has stamped his mark on the tapestry of horror fiction that adorns the dark recesses of my mind. Pearl is darkly weird enough to merit your reading time.

**2.5-stars rounded up**

How would I explain Pearl? So, we all remember Napoleon from Orwell's classic Animal Farm?

Yes, that Napoleon. The pig. This book is like Napoleon had a grandson named Pearl, still a pig, who didn't feel Grandpa Napoleon took it far enough in his revolt against Mr. Jones. Pearl is here to revolt against all mankind. He's taking it to the next level and it's not going to be pretty.

While I can appreciate this is a solid and imaginative Horror story, it just wasn't for me. Rounding up to a 3-star rating is me being generous about my actual reading experience. I'm happy to have read it, but also happy to be moving on.

With this being said, my less than stellar experience with this story is purely based on personal taste and is in no way a reflection upon this author, his creativity, or his writing. If this synopsis intrigues you, which if you enjoy Slashers, it should, absolutely pick this one up and give it a shot. You may find an all new favorite Horror story within these pages.

I did enjoy the vibe happening; the slashing, the murdering, the telepathic king pig, but for me the way it was told was entirely too chaotic. It felt choppy and it made it hard for me to follow what was actually happening. Additionally, the characters all felt flat and indistinguishable to me. Even Pearl wasn't diabolical enough as a villain. Overall, I was bored and slightly uncomfortable for pretty much the entire story.

In case there is any confusion, Pearl was originally published with the title On This, the Day of the Pig in 2019. Personally, I feel like the original cover and title are more reflective of what this story actually is. I'm not sure why they went for this change. Anyway, regardless, thank you to the publisher, Ballantine, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

While this one wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, I am confident a lot of Horror fans will really enjoy this one!

Visceral & unsettling from the the very first page. Another incredible horror book from Malerman! Not for the faint of heart but worth the ick for the twisting story line & well developed characters.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

Pearl is an awesome and gnarly sort of modern animal farm. Malerman did a great job in this one to get so under my skin and totally grossed me out without being a fully fledged extreme horror novel. He writes so well and with such great nasty atmosphere. Thank you net galley and publisher for a copy to read and review.

I didn't finish this book. Just couldn't keep my interest. I really tried, but in the end was really for me .

This was a bloody good read. Josh Malerman has quickly become an instant-read for me, everything he writes just grabs ahold of me and refuses to let go.

I’m not sure if I have ever read something so unnerving. For some reason PEARL by @joshmalerman really got under my skin. I could use all the synonyms; disturbing, creepy, unsettling… it all boils down to feeling like I was being watched while I read this. Even in parts of the book where Pearl wasn’t around it felt like I was being scanned for any weakness that could be used against me later.
Originally published by Cemetery Dance under the name ON THIS, THE DAY OF THE PIG it parallels Animal Farm by George Orwell in only one aspect; humans have abused their power over animals for too long. Instead of the whole farm revolting, Malerman has one smart and vengeful pig…Pearl. Can you resist Pearl’s power?
Sing for me Brother Bookstagrammer, sing for Pearl.