"Bird Box"

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Pages: 260 Genre: thriller

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I liked this movie when it first came out, but I didn't read the book until just this year. I don't remember how I felt about the movie, but I loved the book. I still get a little freaked out thinking about it.

In Bird Box, there's something outside that you can't look at. If you do, you're inexplicably driven to deadly violence. Five years after the onset, only a few survivors are left, including Malorie and her two young kids. The story follows two timelines: what happened at the start, and what's happening now. Will Malorie and her children be able to reach survival in a reality where they are thrown into constant darkness?

I don't get scared by books very often. I'm a huge weenie when it comes to visual media, but I'm able to compartmentalize written word better. This book changed that for me. I quite literally had nightmares about it. It was so haunting. And having it in the medium of a book helped so much, because I also can't see what's going on, and it's all left to my imagination. It puts you right there with the characters.

There are two scenes in particular that I won't name (spoilers!), but I would argue they're some of the best literary pieces I've read so far this year. Truly terrifying.

The way disability is used in the narrative is also very interesting. I'm not the right person to say if it's good or bad, but I'm intrigued by it. And I like that it didn't neglect that aspect of the story. Even if it wasn't done "right." There's a lot of thought to be had about the implications.

I'm also not totally sure how I feel about the way mental illness is written. And don't get me wrong, I'm just trying to "cancel" the book or anything. It just felt outdated a lot of the time. Like, what does it actually mean to be crazy? The way mental illness is talked about just feels similar to what I would expect in older literature.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's frightening and stays with you in a way that is deeply unsettling. It's also quite short, so you can get through it quickly. If you're a horror fan, I would definitely recommend this book. Also, I believe the movie is a little different (although I still haven't rewatched it), so feel free to give it a shot even if you weren't a fan. The writing itself elevates the story to a fantastic level.