I did not like the main character from the first, but as well as this, had to keep rereading paragraphs to follow his thoughts and what was going on.
I could tell I wasn’t going to enjoy it and couldn’t make myself get to the ‘meat’ of the story - not for me. Admittedly, of course others will enjoy- though I am
A fan of Chuck Palahaniuk.

I was unfortunately not a fan of this book. I definitely think others would like it and I would encourage readers to try the first few chapters before deciding on reading it or not. I would never want to negatively influence others not to read just because the book didn’t align with me.

I couldn't quite get what the author was trying to do with the tone, and the characters in the book were just not it for me. From the get go the vibes were off and a little creepy, not in a thriller way, in an I don't want to leave my drink around this book type of way. Also, the cover, when you realize it's not a beehive like you think it should be but hints at something more anatomical just feels ick. And I get that maybe the author was trying to do something or there was a point, but as a reader it didn't come off very well.

I began reading Hive intrigued by its dark, satirical premise but I couldn’t bring myself to read anymore. The narrative voice is pretentious and self-important, which quickly made staying engaged impossible. The protagonist’s tone often feels like a lecture that assumes the reader agrees, which makes the whole experience exhausting.

What’s most troubling is the blatant and unexamined misogyny throughout the book. Rather than offering any nuanced or critical commentary, the novel leans heavily on tired and harmful stereotypes about women that feel regressive and tone-deaf. It comes across less like satire and more like an indulgence in outdated, problematic views.

The pacing is uneven and the prose frequently repetitive and overly indulgent, which drags the story down further. Combined with the problematic tone, it was impossible to justify continuing.

While some readers might find an edge or bite to the satire, for me, it failed to live up to its potential and ultimately left a sour impression.

DNF.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. This review reflects my honest opinion.

When I first started reading I had high hopes, but unfortunately the execution fell flat making it more frustrating than gripping to me.

I should have stopped reading at several points in this. I gotta get better at putting a book down when I am not enjoying it.

Don't you just love having sexism explained to you by a pretentious man?

Like, I know that is the point. I guess. I am still not entirely sure what the point was.

You ever watch the movie Men? Or Barbarian? This book feels like that. Where like, at some points it makes some good points about sexism or whatever. But all the women engaging with it are like. Yep. We been knew.

Oh my God every single character is insufferable. Kill them all. And again I know that is the point. But like if none of your characters are enjoyable, you have to at least make the story enjoyable. Or the villain. SOMETHING. Nothing about this book was enjoyable. I hate it here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avalanche for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

1.5 star, and that’s only because I’m willing to admit that I might be reading this wrong…but I don’t think so…

Adam is a once popular writer, now MeTooed, and he’s just tanked his tenure interview. His marriage is not going well. Then he’s invited on a mysterious retreat with five other men They are taken to an all female (save the boat captain, because I guess women can’t do hard things like drive a boat) Greek island where the men start to disappear one by one (to only mild consternation on Adam’s part because, hey, he’s able to write again, which is really only transcribing his actual circumstances of getting the invitation to the island, etc. But, typed pages! So, who cares about a few strangers, more or less?

Can Adam escape? He’s hideous, and thinks he is Bret Easton Ellis, only slightly more pretentious (.see, you would think that isn’t possible, right? But just watch this alleged sexual harasser/possibly more come at you with lines like “Then the [MeToo] tidal wave came at me like menstrual blood.” Are you crying? I hear you crying.)

But IS IT POSSIBLE the whole thing, start to finish, is just parody? Probably not, but I have to leave room for that. I guess. If so, it’s not well done.

The first chapter was so misogynistic and awful, I hated it. The female character was 30 years old and it read like garbage of a disposable nearly 45 years old, no good for anything woman. I guess we needed to be introduced to the horrendously bad male in here, but it was so unpleasant to read, I hated every second. A DNF at the 20% is the best I can do; this book is just not for me. The sexist comments and on the nose commentary are an offence to my intelligence as a reader. I just can’t bear to be in the head of this disgusting human male any longer. For a shorter book we haven’t even gotten to the main premise at the 20%. I just won’t read just to hate it afterwards, since I hate it already. You can give it a try if the premise sounds good to you and I hope you get some satisfaction at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avalanche for providing me with the ARC.