Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay is a masterfully crafted descent into creeping dread and unsettling tension. Tremblay excels at creating an atmosphere that lingers long after the final page is turned, building unease with a slow boil that keeps readers on edge. As the story unfolds, the subtle but powerful psychological horror becomes more pronounced, leading to a conclusion that is not unexpected but very unsettling.

While the book is undeniably effective in its slow-burn horror, it does occasionally feel a bit too long. Certain sections could have been trimmed to maintain a tighter pace, as there are moments where the tension lulls slightly before picking up again. Despite this, the unsettling atmosphere and the disturbing ideas Tremblay explores are well worth the read. Fans of psychological horror and slow-building suspense will find much to enjoy in Horror Movie. It’s not a fast-paced thrill ride, but rather a deeply unnerving experience that sticks with you long after you've put it down. I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy a slow, creeping terror that is as psychologically disturbing as it is atmospheric.

Wow, I found this so unreadable. Not only was the format jumping unnecessarily confusing, it also wasn't even scary! What's a girl gotta do to find a spooky book!

2.5/5;

I feel like the story dragged a bit… I was a bit spooked at the beginning but the ending was a bit of a letdown. I thought it would be spookier for spooky szn…

Like most horror fiction that focuses on unfinished and supposedly cursed stories, the narrative around which the action of HORROR MOVIE is framed is incoherent and underwhelming. (Marisha Pessl's NIGHT FILM is a notable exception to this rule.)

It's not that this is a bad book. Thus far Paul Tremblay hasn't written a truly bad book, to my knowledge. And the surprise at the end of the book is almost worth the price of admission. But to get there you have to suffer through a not-great book, one that didactically beats you over the head with its themes.

Ironically, it would probably play better as a movie or short miniseries.

absolutely incredible book with a lot of absolutely incredible vibes in it. would recommend, tysm for the arc. 5 stars.

June 1993, a small group of 20ish year olds film a horror movie called "Horror Movie". The movie itself is truly sadistic and creepy. There's only a few on the cast including the make up artist, camera man, and screen player writer and director are also cast members.
By present day, there's only one cast member left... "The thin kid" who remains nameless throughout the book.

The thin kid is the only POV but the time line shifts between 1993 during filming, some in between times and present day 2023. The thin kid is now in his 50s and everyone else is dead. Only 3 scenes were ever released despite the entire film was finished and now there's a huge fan base. The MC is unreliable and the movie and the real characters start blurring into each other making for a suspenseful and creepy atmosphere.

read and listened to the audiobook on ths one and I'm so glad I did. The Audiobook is true production and I really enjoyed listening to it. I do wish it was a bit scarier but I liked it and would read more from this author.

What did I just read? I’ve read other novels by Tremblay, but nothing like this. Horror Movie is bizarre, unsettling, and extremely dark. It’s also written in an usual format and rotates between present day, the original filming of the movie, and what seems to be an early table read by a narrator. Some readers may be thrown off by this technique, but I think it works pretty well.

The less said about this book better in order to avoid spoilers. Horror Movie was filmed in its entirety about thirty years ago, but only a few scenes were released to the public. Despite that, it has a strong cult following. Our main character, The Thin Kid, is the only surviving member of the cast – others were killed in a car accident, by cancer, etc. Throughout the novel the reader knows something horrific happened on set, and it’s a slow burn journey to discover exactly what it entailed. At under 300 pages, this is a shorter novel, and the story doesn’t drag. A couple of times I thought about closing the book and not finishing it – but I had to stick with it until the disturbing ending. And I’m glad I did.

Normally I recommend books to a wider audience, but I think you’ll have to be a die-hard horror fan for this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Man, I really really wanted to like this one! It wasn't bad, but I definitely prefer other Paul Tremblay books. I really liked the overall story, and I actually liked The Thin Kid. The plot moved a little slowly for me, and I almost did not finish it about 75 pages in. I'm glad that I made it all the way through; I'm not the intended audience, but I now understand who is and who to recommend this book to. I really loved the bits of screenplay throughout; it was the one thing that kept me reading. A solid entry to the horror genre!

What a creepy, disturbing read! So much so, that the night after I finished it, I had a dream in which I woke up thinking, “I just pulled a “Thin Kid” on them!” Yikes! You’ll have to read the book to find out what that means, but it ain’t good. The format of the book was really well done with the narrator “The Thin Kid” interspersing past and present in addition to the script of the movie. Sometimes the script seemed so real that it was hard to distinguish it from the actual filming of the movie. Sometimes the narrator revealed info and hid other details. It isn’t long before you start question the reliability of the narrator but yet he keeps insisting he’s telling the truth.

Definitely not a book I will forget any time soon!

But it wasn’t just “The Thin Kid” who was fascinating. Cleo and Valentina (the script writer and director) and even Karson, all who also have parts in the movie, have you guessing about their motives. The first film, a super-low-budget production never makes it to the theaters (or tape or DVD, for that matter), but 30 years later, it’s got a huge fanbase and Hollywood wants a re-make. And that’s both good and bad. I’ll let you see why.

Loved it! Maybe even more than “The Cabin at the End of the World”, which was also a good movie. I’d love to see “Horror Movie” become a horror movie.

I had such high hopes for this Paul Tremblay book. From the 80's feeling VHS cover art to the consistent flashbacks in the book, I hung in there expecting more if even a little nostalgia. The beginning dragged a little for me and then it was a slow burn. Slow build up and revelation of the plot, all lead up to the explosive ending. While not the story I had hoped for, Tremblay is always a master of story. Descriptive and colorful, I couldn't believe what had happened when I read the very last sentence. (Insert big gaping eyes and mouth here.) While not my favorite of Tremblay's, still a good example of his artistry and form.

A fun idea that had less than perfect execution, Horror Movie is great for fans of Tremblay's works. I enjoyed the concept, but the characters and their motivations are left ambiguous so that affected my ability to connect with them. Horror Movie is a book worth checking out, but doesn't quite satisfy as much as other Tremblay works like A Head Full of Ghosts.

Sadly, this was a let down for me, although I have already recommended AND SOLD this book to numerous customers. I just felt like the characters weren't well developed and the story wasn't as scary as I was hoping.

I love everything Paul Tremblay so I may be bias. I really enjoyed this book. It did start off kind of slow and took a while to build up but when it did I was hooked. I don’t know what I was expecting but I’m glad I didn’t look too much into it because it was not at all what I thought it would be. I was rattled and on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t and did not what to put this one down. I did find some moments to be kind of uncomfortable and annoying but this book was so peculiar I found myself drawn to it. The pacing once it picked up was really good. This was a good and creative concept and I wouldn’t expect anything less from Paul.

I wasnt able to get to this book before the publish date, but now that I have read it I gave it 4 stars.

A creepy, dark tale ahead of Halloween. “Horror Movie” by Paul Tremblay (William Morrow, $30), author of “The Cabin at the End of the World” and “The Pallbearers Club,” blurs the fiction and reality line, telling the haunting story of the creation and aftermath of a cult film, from the perspective of a character on the outs of the production, known only as the Thin Kid.

The less you know going into “Horror Movie,” the better, so I’ll leave you with author Gabino Iglesias’ thoughts on the novel for NPR: “Dark, surprisingly violent, and incredibly multilayered, this narrative is a superb addition to Tremblay’s already impressive oeuvre that shows he can deliver the elements fans love from him — while also constantly pushing the envelope and exploring new ways to tell stories.”

Not my favorite book, it took a very long time to finish. This wasn’t a horror book, and the ending was laughable.

Amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed the different time periods and the narration. You could see the ending coming, but it was enjoyable.

This was by far one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read. It took a while to get going and fully understand where it was going, but eventually found its footing. Not quite as good as previous titles baby the author, but a creepy read none the less.

Talk about unsettling😬I couldn’t put this one down as the tension kept building and I absolutely had to know where the story was going to end. Back in the ‘90s a group of friends decided to make an art house horror movie. Only a few scenes were released, mostly due to lots of tragedy surrounding its making, and it became a cult favorite. Now, 30 years later, Hollywood wants a remake with the only surviving cast member named “The Thin Kid”. This book is weird and confounding and overall you have no idea what or who to believe. A new and unique take on horror.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I found it interesting, but I did not like the ending. I really didn't understand it honestly. I like Paul Tremblay's writing but this was not one of my favorites.