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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.”

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

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I enjoyed the story, but didn't love the format of this one. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read it!

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Thirty years ago, Valentina, Cleo, Karson, and the book's narrator (known only as Weird Guy) started making a low-budget horror movie. Valentina directed, Cleo wrote the screenplay, and Karson did the makeup, and all three also acted in the lead roles. Weird Guy only acted, in a mostly silent role called "Thin Kid." They filmed the whole movie, but it was never released, for reasons we're not quite sure of. Now, however, Hollywood is interested in recreating the movie, using Cleo's original script, and with Weird Guy being the only surviving member of the original filmmaking crew, he's now involved in the remake.

Told in alternating chapters of then, now, and the screenplay, this book unfolds in an increasingly uncomfortable manner, and I mean that in the best possible way. Tremblay is a master of keeping his readers unsure of what will happen next, with slowly ratcheting dread. Weird Guy's narration keeps us on our toes, as we honestly don't know how much we can believe or trust about what he's telling us. It's an excellent short horror novel, and perfect for spooky season.

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This was an easy read and perfect for spooky season! I have heard from friends that the audio is good on this one but I loved reading it.

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Initially it took me a little bit to get going with the story, however, glad I did.
Different tale than I had thought, but enjoyed this book regardless and good read.

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Unfortunately I could not get into the book as much as I tried. Usually I'm a huge fan of Tremblay, but this one fell short. I couldn't not connect with any of the characters and found myself frustrated with each if them.

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