I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Brother by Ania Ahlborn Also by this author: The Devil Crept In
Published by Gallery Books, Simon & Schuster on September 29, 2015
Genres: Thriller
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Source: the publisher
The Morrows live in a dilapidated farmhouse in Appalachia; their closest neighbor is miles away. No one visits, no one knows of their exact location. When young girls go missing, the police don't question them. This is a benefit, for they often have to rely upon...unconventional means to feed their family.
Michael Morrow, nineteen, is unlike the rest of his family. He does as he is told, often forced to clean up after a hunt. He dreams for a life outside of rural West Virginia. That spark to leave is intensified when he meets a young girl working in a record shop in a nearby town. When he visits her, he forgets the life he lives in that remote farmhouse. However, just when he thinks he has a chance at a new life, his brother Rebel reminds him of his roots, of the monster that resides within him despite his attempts at normalcy.
I don’t exaggerate when I state Ania Ahlborn is the queen of horror. Truly. I’ve been reading her work for some time now; I consider her to be an “auto-buy” author because everything she produces is pure brilliance. Brilliance on a dark and grim level, but that doesn’t deter from just how profound it is.
You can read the summary and realize that this isn’t going to be a book full of rainbows and unicorns and puppy dogs. In Brother, Ahlborn takes a break from her typical supernatural horror and instead produces a thriller that is far scarier than any horror she’s written. Humans are capable of producing a terror far more devastating than any supernatural creature that exits, and Ahlborn uses this novel to prove that.
It’s obvious that the Marrows aren’t your typical family. They’ve existed for years in a home full of abuse, not an once of love or compassion resides within that home. Every taboo act imaginable has taken place in this home. It’s certainly not a storyline many are drawn to, yet Ahlborn focuses on the sociological aspect, how the systematic and continuous abuse alters the most “normal” of individuals. Nature vs. nurture most definitely plays a big role in this tale.
Additionally, Ahlborn uses flashbacks to show readers the slow progression to madness this family followed. As we learn more and more about the family’s history, the build-up of dread for what is to come dramatically intensifies.
This is most certainly not the book for everyone. It’s dark and disturbing. It will continue to send chills down your spine days, weeks, after reading it. Yet, it’s addictive, for you fear not knowing what will happen if you don’t continue, just as you fear what will happen with the turn of a page. Highly, highly recommended (with warning)!
One Response to Review: Brother by Ania Ahlborn