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Bird Box

(Bird Box #1)

Josh Malerman (Goodreads Author)

4.02 · Rating details · 109,012 ratings · 14,517 reviews

Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place w ...more

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Hardcover, 262 pages

Published May 13th 2014 by Ecco (first published March 27th 2014)

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Average rating 4.02 ·

Rating details

· 109,012 ratings · 14,517 reviews

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Dec 25, 2013 karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: free-from-work, live-through-this

this is an incredibly original horror/psychological suspense novel that reminds us that with all great horror, the unseen is so much more terrifying than the seen. this is why japanese horror movies are so effective. they don't rely on graphic special effects to build the suspense, and the way they manipulate shadows, sounds, and background space creates an unparalleled atmosphere that leaves a more lasting, haunting impression than "crazy chainsaw-toting psychopath" splatter films. which, don't this is an incredibly original horror/psychological suspense novel that reminds us that with all great horror, the unseen is so much more terrifying than the seen. this is why japanese horror movies are so effective. they don't rely on graphic special effects to build the suspense, and the way they manipulate shadows, sounds, and background space creates an unparalleled atmosphere that leaves a more lasting, haunting impression than "crazy chainsaw-toting psychopath" splatter films. which, don't get me wrong, are also super-entertaining.

Bird Box takes place after an eerie phenomenon begins to occur on a global scale. starting in russia, moving to alaska, and eventually making its way to "a nice suburb of Detroit" where our story picks up, people begin to see…something. no one knows what this "something" is, because once it has been seen, it drives people to madness and suicide, frequently with some homicides along the way. people begin boarding up their windows, blackening their windshields, and staying away from other people. there is no way of knowing what this "something" wants, where it came from, what form it takes, or what the future of humanity will be.

malorie is living in a house with two children, both only four years old. from the time of their birth, she has been training "boy" and "girl" to live in this new world, making them wear blindfolds outside and putting them through rigorous tests to train them until they have the preternatural hearing of bats. all this preparation is for the day they will finally leave the house and try to find others, to find a safer place to live.

the story is told in alternating chapters between malorie "now" and malorie at the beginning of the event, finding out she is pregnant just as the world begins to collapse.we don't learn much about the origin of the event, but we do get to witness how people respond to the experience, which for me and my survival bent is book-gold. this book does tension and people-thrown-into-isolated-community so, so well. under the dome, take notes.

how terrifying is it to not be able to see?? to hear a noise right behind you and not know what it is?? to leave a safe house to forage for food and not be certain you will ever find your way back?? to drive a car blindfolded through corpse-studded roads and not know if you will hit a pole or fall into a ditch?? to determine what is danger and what is just a leaf falling?

this is the best kind of building, creeping horror, and the writing is perfectly suited to the story. it is maddening at times when you want to be able to "see" what is happening, but you are at the mercy of the characters' limited vision. impeccably done.

and that attic scene?? holy shit - that was so freaking intense.

i still have a handful of minor questions (and one very major one) but they don't detract from my overall positive impression of the book. the premise alone gives it an edge over most horror novels, because it has been a long time since i have come across anything "new" in that genre, and you cannot beat the killer, page-turning suspense.

debut novel from a musician?? quit your day job, friend.

come to my blog! ...more

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Nov 22, 2013 Jeffrey Keeten rated it really liked it

Recommended to Jeffrey by: Will Byrnes

Shelves: post-apocalyptic

”Creatures…
infinity…
our minds have ceilings, Malorie...
these things...
they are beyond it…
higher than it…
out of reach…
out of--

BUT HERE”

Whatever you do DON’T OPEN YOUR EYES!!

Malorie has just confirmed she is pregnant the very day that people begin killing themselves. News travels so fast now. Something can happen in Cairo. Someone can film it, load it to the internet, and within minutes of the event occurring someone in Des Moines is watching what happened. News, mostly tragic news, from aroun ...more

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Oct 08, 2015 Raeleen Lemay rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of Night Film

Shelves: own, spooky-scary, favorites, to-re-read

(rating bumped from 4 up to 5 stars after thinking about it more)

A few days ago when I finished this book, initially I was pissed off and disappointed at the ending. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but upon a few days' reflection I've realized that it was the only realistic way this could end. SO, if you are wary of reading this because you don't want an open ending, don't be! Malerman made the right choice in leaving some things unknown, because ultimately it works best for this type o (rating bumped from 4 up to 5 stars after thinking about it more)

A few days ago when I finished this book, initially I was pissed off and disappointed at the ending. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but upon a few days' reflection I've realized that it was the only realistic way this could end. SO, if you are wary of reading this because you don't want an open ending, don't be! Malerman made the right choice in leaving some things unknown, because ultimately it works best for this type of story.

NOW, THE BOOK. This book was fantastic! The general idea is that there is an unknown force that causes people to become murderous and suicidal when they see it. Nobody knows if it's a race of strange creatures, or any other number of things, but they know that it's out there and it's killing people. This strikes so much fear in the entire population that most people stop leaving their houses, but when they do, they blindfold themselves to prevent themselves from seeing this strange enemy.

In the end, that blindness is what makes this book so terrifying.

Since the characters you're reading about are wandering around in this messed-up, apocalyptic world with only their senses of smell, touch, and hearing essentially, every little unexplainable noise or feeling is horrific. They never know if there could be something right next to them that is capable of killing them, and as a reader, neither do you! It was so scary! The way the book is written is really immersive, and you feel like you're right there along with Malorie, her children, and the rest of the gang.

Another thing that was great about this book was the non-linear timeline. Normally this type of storytelling gets a bit tiresome to me, because it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of what's going on. That was not the case with this book. It skips between a number of time points across a 4-year span, and it never became confusing somehow. I didn't even really realize how well done it was until after I finished the book. This method also added a lot of suspense to the story, and my heart was literally racing throughout most of the book.

So, if you couldn't tell, I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it for anybody who wants a really spooky thriller novel. ...more

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Apr 15, 2017 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it

Shelves: ha-scary-tbr, own, horror-etc

Holy crap on a cracker, y'all! This book! Creepsville!! AND I LOVE IT!!

Don't freaking go outside without your blindfold or you might open your eyes.

I must say, if I had to choose what apocalypse I would be in, I would pick the zombies because at least you can go outside and see them and kill them. Unless you're blind and then your up sh•t creek.

One day they start getting reports of people seeing things and then turning violent and killing people and themselves. And of course you start thinkin ...more

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Feb 23, 2017 Kaceey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: top-reads-for-2017, favorites

Hold on tight...this trip is going to blow your mind!

Horror is a genre that I normally avoid completely, but with the rave reviews from my GR friends for this book I felt I needed to step out and give it a try. And it was so incredibly good! Oh my God!

Malorie and her sister Shannon move in together in Detroit. Life immediately throws her a curve ball. Malorie learns she's pregnant from a brief encounter with someone she didn't know well, and thinks this is as bad as it gets. Not even close! Som ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Charlotte May rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia, crime-mystery-thriller, sisters, end-of-the-world, supernatural-paranormal, tear-jerker, horror

But...but...what? No that can’t be the end. The disappointment is real.

"They'll eventually get us...there's no reason to think otherwise. It's end times, people. And if it's a matter of a creature our brains are incapable of comprehending, then we deserve it. I always assumed the end would come because of our own stupidity."

Ok then.... so this was going REALLY well! I was sufficiently creeped out. The world has gone bonkers due to something (no one knows what) that is causing people to go ins ...more

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Nov 03, 2013 Will Byrnes rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror, science-fiction, fiction

Close your eyes and imagine the basso sound of voiceover icon Don LaFontaine intoning, “In a world gone mad…” and that is pretty much where Bird Box begins. Open your eyes and go mad. Kill others, yourself. Can you keep from peeking? For how long? In Josh Malerman’s post-apocalyptic, eye-opening scare-scape, something happened. An invasion? Some natural phenomenon? No one is really certain. But what has become clear is that anyone who steps outside with their eyes open goes insane, not just gibb ...more

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Mar 03, 2019 Teodora rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia, sf, owned, favorites, horror-thriller, mystery-thriller

5/5 ⭐

Full review: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺

This book, this fabulous book (that made me cover my windows with some thick curtains when outside is broad daylight and forced me to double-check my desire to leave the house and also my sanity) just had me hooked until the end. Bird Box, you did things to my brain I didn’t know something could do. Congrats, you little biscuit!

I am going to begin with a fact: this book scared the shit out of me sometimes. It is this kind of book that uses that extra-sensor ...more

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Oct 09, 2016 Emily (Books with Emily Fox) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller-horror

(3.5) I feel like this isn't the most popular opinion but I thought this was overall okay.

A great premise, I loved the flashbacks but I hate with a burning passion when things are left opened. If it's aliens, tell me and I'll love it. If you leave things unsaid, I'll assume you had no idea how to finish your book. The ending wasn't as shocking as others have said. Overall a bit underwhelming after seeing all the rave.

In light of the movie I thought I would update this review. The movie absolutel ...more

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Jun 23, 2017 Norma * Traveling Sister rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sister-reads

Sister Read Review by Norma & Brenda

Update: I watched the Netflix adaptation of this book and absolutely loved it but I was definitely more scared and creeped out while reading the book though.

Holy Shooty Balls this was one heck of a creepy book!

5 creeped out Stars for Norma & 4 freaking out Stars for Brenda!
So for the purpose of this Sister Read it gets a combined rating of 4.5 Stars!

BIRD BOX by JOSH MALERMAN is a wonderfully creepy, scary, eerie, and downright terrifying tale that ...more

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Aug 11, 2017 Justin Tate rated it it was amazing

**Update: It's awesome to see the movie adaptation bring deserved attention to this book! I read it over a year ago and it hasn't left my mind since. Haven't seen the movie yet because I was scared they would ruin a masterpiece, but it sounds like Netflix did it justice. Here's my original review:

So glad to be recommended this book! Would never have picked it up otherwise. The cover art looks like a tacky mystery, but it's actually a character-driven horror story!

The fear of the unknown is ever- ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 jessica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

‘in a world where you cant open your eyes, isnt a blindfold all you could ever hope for?’

welcome to creepsville, usa
population: this book

boy, what a trip. although i wouldnt personally consider this a horror (only because it didnt scare me), it is definitely a spooky story. i really enjoyed the unique premise, the atmospheric writing, and how much it made me think.

but i thought the most compelling part of this story was actually malorie and her constant worry about her kids. sometimes it felt ...more

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Sep 13, 2015 Matthew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: monsters, library, book-a-book-club, action-thriller, kindle, gr_awards_2015, 2015, horror, post-apocalyptic-dystopian

Creepy, tense, scary! (The below lines are kind of spoilerish . . . but nothing the description on Goodreads doesn't already mention)

Unable to use your eyes for fear of madness . . .

Unseen and unknown terrors roaming outside . . .

Trapped inside with the windows covered . . .

The sanity of your companions in question . . .

Running out of supplies . . .

Seeking salvation, but not sure where to find it or who to trust . . .

Pregnant . . .

This was intense and a must read for horror and thriller fans eve ...more

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May 13, 2014 Shelby *trains flying monkeys* rated it liked it

Shelves: goodreads-choice, read-2014

2.5 stars.

I would not last in the apocalyptic world set out in this book. My dad used to say I had nose problems because let's face it. I have to know what's going on. Walking around for 4 years with a blindfold on every time I went outside? Yeah, dead in less than 60 seconds.
Not this kind of blindfolded either.

This book doesn't give the reader many answers. I do know what the author was going for. The whole scary in the mind of the reader thing. The thing is I need some answers. I get all ant ...more

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Feb 02, 2019 KAS rated it really liked it

Jaw dropping, to say the least!!

A friend who I trust implicitly, recently listened to this book, loved it, and mentioned it was made into a movie. So of course, I had to give it a whirl and go in completely blind, pun completely intended.

The first few pages had me asking myself, “What the ‘CRAZY WHAT’ is going on here?” Believe me it got crazier, more intense and more chilling with each chapter.

The book itself has been out for a number of years, but as per usual, I was late to the party, but gl ...more

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Jan 08, 2019 Kevin Ansbro rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dystopian, gritty-realism, horror, gripped-from-the-start, thriller, awesome-premise

I’m ###typing% this with a scarf* over£ my eyEs, so pLease# forgive @any typos+

Please, please don’t do what I did, my fellow bookaneers.
Don’t watch the movie first.
This is a big mistake and to be avoided at all costs.

The story began pulse-like. Staccato sentences that suited the stop/start tempo of a life lived in fear. Malerman’s Morse code narrative drew me in from the start.
In an apocalyptic alternative reality, an abstract thing inhabits our planet; a demonic indescribable entity that, if g ...more

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Jan 04, 2019 JV (semi-hiatus) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: syfy, audiobooks, there-was-a-crooked-man, 2019, dystopia-post-apocalyptic, mystery-thriller, curiouser-and-curiouser

In the fashion of the Great Cthulhu and the mythological pantheon of Lovecraft's mysticism as well as the inevitable annihilation of the human population in M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening", dawns a much darker reality filled with a myriad of pervasive fears, psychosomatic phenomena, and harrowing possibilities that later culminates with a thrilling yet hopeful, open-ended denouement.

"In a world where you can’t open your eyes, isn’t a blindfold all you could ever hope for?"

Humanity lies in In the fashion of the Great Cthulhu and the mythological pantheon of Lovecraft's mysticism as well as the inevitable annihilation of the human population in M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening", dawns a much darker reality filled with a myriad of pervasive fears, psychosomatic phenomena, and harrowing possibilities that later culminates with a thrilling yet hopeful, open-ended denouement.

"In a world where you can’t open your eyes, isn’t a blindfold all you could ever hope for?"

Humanity lies in the brink of extinction after a sudden onset of an unexplainable, catastrophic event took place. Malorie, along with her two surviving children, ventures forth to a perilous journey in an attempt to reach for both safety and sanctuary.

"Are you prepared? And what scares you more? The creatures or yourself, as the memories of a million sights and colors come flooding toward you? What scares you more?"

As death looms and widespread occurrences unfold, they find themselves "boxed in" — confined in a hostile world where mysterious entities lurk and prey on their darkest fears. Seeing one would drive an individual towards hyperbolic hysteria. What keeps them sane and alive is but a blindfold.

"What do you think would happen to a man who is already mad if he were to see the creatures outside? Do you think he’d be impervious to it, his mind already fractured? Or do you suppose his madness would reach another, higher echelon of insane? Perhaps the mentally ill will inherit this new world, unable to be broken any more than they already are."

With a chilling premise and understated prose, Malerman melds speculative fiction, psychological thriller, and supernatural horror and deftly delivers a terrifying debut novel that makes ravenous readers crave for more and will have you binge-reading to the very end. Yet despite the gripping narrative, the unrealistic portrayal of two precocious children, deeming them as unusually "gifted" at their age created a minor gripe. The climax was far too contrived as there were many elements poured in and numerous events happened simultaneously. However, if you forego these things, you are in for a spine-tingling ride.

Just be wary though, for your senses easily betray you. Fear only consumes you and the things that you're hiding from are slowly closing in — waiting, anticipating, and striking at an opportune moment where you are at your most vulnerable. But whatever happens, never remove your blindfold, do not take a peek, and do not open your eyes...

Audiobook rating (narrated by Cassandra Campbell):
Narrative voice & style - ★★★★
Vocal characterisation - ★★★½
Inflexion & intonation - ★★★★
Voice quality - ★★★★
Audiobook verdict - ★★★★

Update: Film adaptation thoughts — stellar cast and good cinematography didn't save this one from its dismal execution thereby creating a lacklustre film that prevented it from reaching its true potential. Read the book instead. If you want a thrilling, post-apocalyptic film that is great overall, Krasinski's "A Quiet Place" is the way to go. ...more

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Apr 15, 2016 Maxine (Booklover Catlady) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: could-not-put-down, 2015-reading-challenge, books-that-made-me-think, maxine-favourites, books-i-own, favourite-authors, 2015-five-star-books, creepy-books, horror-books-read, scary-books

Where the hell do I start with reviewing this book? Unlike nothing I've read in a long time this one is a stand out read like no other for me this year. I had wanted to read this for ages and so glad I finally did.

Emotions stirred reading this book I think covered them all, I noted how on edge I was constantly reading this novel. From early pages to the last I was fixated, addicted and full of tension, bordering on fear at times.

Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. ...more

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Apr 30, 2015 Mandy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wow! Just wow! Bird Box was amazing! This definitely lived up to the hype that everyone spoke of. I highly recommend this book if you want your mind to be twisted and turned in ways you can't imagine. Creepy, terrifying, horrid, and downright scary! Loved it! Would make an interesting movie......

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Jul 13, 2014 Annet rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: wow-impressive, family-ties, have-to-read-again, wilderness-books-can-usa, weird, apocalyptic, dark, creepy, hope, coming-of-age

Wow, what a book! Seriously scary and creepy. You just have to keep reading to know how it ends. At least, I had to.... Who can think of such a story...
Suspension and creepiness from start to end, intriguing story. What's going on? What happened leading up to this situation? Will she and kids survive? .... Wew.... one h*ll of a story.
I say, this is also a seriously impressive case of woman power! Great, great, entertaining book.
AB: Looking back at my books in 2015, upgraded this one to five s ...more

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Dec 24, 2018 Nick marked it as to-read

I am reading before I am watching this.

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Jun 01, 2014 Trudi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-creep, science-fiction, love-the-premise, survive-this, apocalyptic-types, 2014, horror, group-in-peril, favorites

4.5 stars

Whoah. This is some really good shit. Color me very impressed. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this one up, but it totally delivered on tension and suspense, a palpable dread, and a suffocating sense of doom.

Just as a launching off point I'm going to throw two pop culture references at you that I couldn't stop thinking about while reading this book. The first is the music video "Just" by Radiohead. Remember that's the one where there's this guy who just lies down in the 4.5 stars

Whoah. This is some really good shit. Color me very impressed. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this one up, but it totally delivered on tension and suspense, a palpable dread, and a suffocating sense of doom.

Just as a launching off point I'm going to throw two pop culture references at you that I couldn't stop thinking about while reading this book. The first is the music video "Just" by Radiohead. Remember that's the one where there's this guy who just lies down in the street for no apparent reason and when this other guy starts screaming for a reason why he's done this and when the man finally tells him, everyone who is in earshot lies down too, as if whatever he's said is just too huge and overwhelming for the mind to process that the only human response is to collapse.

The second reference I'm going to throw at you is a Twilight Zone episode from the '80s called "Need to Know" where everyone starts going insane in this small town and it's eventually discovered that the source of the problem is not a physical disease, but an idea, a single short phrase, that is being passed from person to person by word of mouth. That horrible phrase is nothing more or less than the purpose and meaning of existence; the moral of the story being -- Knowledge we are not ready to receive will drive us mad.

I freaking love that Radiohead video and I was twelve years old when I saw that Twilight Zone episode and it scared the crap out of me (which is Trudi speak for I loved it). So in a lot of ways I was already primed to love this book where a mysterious pandemic plague is causing the "infected" to go on homicidal killing sprees before killing themselves. In the escalating chaos and confusion, the source of the infection is identified as having seen something the human mind cannot fathom, a creature that is so beyond our comprehension we are literally driven mad by it. But who is to know for sure, since no one has survived to confirm what it is that they saw.

Your only defence is to close your eyes, and keep them closed.

Humans hide in houses behind windows that are painted, covered with blankets or boarded up. They dare not venture outside for water or food unless they are blindfolded. If you thought surviving the end of days was tough with all of your faculties and sight, try doing it completely blind and feeling hunted and watched the entire time.

I love survival stories of all kinds: but an apocalypse scenario where the group must survive together is my favorite. And it's done so well here, I really can't stress that enough. The way the tension builds gradually as the unknowable threat outside the doors of the safe house becomes more menacing and tangible. How so much is implied rather than relying on big gushy scenes of gore and explicit violence. How the daily trek to the well blindfolded to get fresh water becomes an exercise in exquisite pulse-pounding suspense to unnerve the most steely-nerved of all readers.

Did you hear that? Sssshhhhh. I think it came from behind you. Whatever you do, don't open your eyes.

Readers who have a perpetual desire for answers and reasons may find the lack of explanation here troubling. I didn't. I was okay that we really don't know what the hell is going on and can only guess (and imagine our worst fears). If something like this ever goes down for real we'll be just as much in the dark as the characters in Bird Box discovering we are as much at the mercy of our ignorance and fear of the unknown as anything that may or may not be hunting us.
...more

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Sep 29, 2015 Debra rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-books

Amazing, Fantastic, Eerie, Atmospheric, chilling, engrossing....WOW!

Eerie, Atmospheric, chilling, engrossing. These are the words I would use to describe this book. For those who enjoy derie and dark books, this book will be a perfect fit. This is a horror type book but without the gore. There are some plot holes but you forgive the first time Author that for his originality and heart he put into this book. It's getting a lot of buzz right now and it deserves it. It's not for everyone but most p ...more

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Jan 10, 2017 Matt rated it really liked it

Recommended to Matt by: Laura Rash

Shelves: audiobook

After having this book so highly recommended to me by one of my friends on Goodreads, I decided to delve in to see what Josh Malerman might have to say in this twisted novel. Early into the story, Malerman introduces readers to his protagonist, Malorie, a young and somewhat fearful woman. Scrubbing the walls and carpets of blood stains, Malorie appears highly agitated and yet focussed on her task at hand, which serves only to up the ante of what is yet to come. The reader soon learns that someth After having this book so highly recommended to me by one of my friends on Goodreads, I decided to delve in to see what Josh Malerman might have to say in this twisted novel. Early into the story, Malerman introduces readers to his protagonist, Malorie, a young and somewhat fearful woman. Scrubbing the walls and carpets of blood stains, Malorie appears highly agitated and yet focussed on her task at hand, which serves only to up the ante of what is yet to come. The reader soon learns that something sinister is going on in the world; something that cannot be easily explained by anyone. It appears that out there, lurking in the open air, is something or some THINGS that will turn people mad simply by making eye contact. People are shut into their homes, covering windows and isolating themselves from the sights and sounds of the world beyond their doors. When venturing outside, blindfolds are used and aural stimulation becomes key. Malorie is set to challenge this world and after the death of her sister, answering the call in a newspaper, to find a group of people who are putting up a united front against whatever might be lurking. Arriving, Malorie makes the untimely admission that she is pregnant, wondering how she will raise a baby in these conditions and almost has herself ostracised before she enters the 'safe house'. As the group prepares to reach out with others in the world, everything around them is crumbling. Running water becomes more scarce, food is strictly found within one's pantries, and telephone lines begin to fizzle out. As the child inside her grows, Malorie encounters another woman who arrives at the safe house, also with child, and they work together to allay fears of the others that their offspring will not be detrimental to the greater whole, but a blessing. Trapped in their house as a bird might be in a cardboard box, Malorie and the others must find a way to subsist and not come into contact with the forces that could be anywhere at any given time. The narrative is interspersed with a 'flash-forward' of Malorie travelling in a boat with two small children who call her 'mommy', heading on an unknown adventure, though visual precautions are still high. What lies out there, in a world where a single twig cracking might mean imminent danger? Malerman offers readers little time to relax and ponder this, as things get more and more disturbing with each page-flip. A stellar piece that will keep readers up well into the night, for a multitude of reasons.

I'd not heard of this book before the other day, so when it received such hype, I had to see what Malerman might have done. The book reads very easily, though it is not 'simple', layering ideas and eerie thoughts between two time periods. Malorie is a well-developed character with complexities build into her backstory, as do some of the other characters that emerge as the story progresses. It is their individuality and the zig-zig pace of the narrative that gives this story some of its odd development, though one would be remiss not to think about the larger 'happenings' outside the four walls of the house. While there are some threads that remind me of Stephen King, more because of the odd way the characters act in the face of this unknown terror, Malerman stands firmly on his own two feet in his writing. Fair warning to the reader, once you start this book, you will find yourself enveloped in its progress and may find it hard to put it aside. It is that creepy that one must forge onwards, as Malorie and her children did in the boat, if only to see when and where terror might strike next. Beware and keep your eyes down, on the page (or the audiobook player, in my case) and do not interact with anyone until the final sentence. You'll be glad you followed this simple rule!

Kudos, Mr. Malerman for a stellar thriller. I will surely be putting this book out there for anyone who has an interest in the slightly (or extremely) eerie and psychologically stirring novel.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/ ...more

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Mar 17, 2018 Berit☀️✨ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, audiobooks, swapsiesunday

4 Unsettling Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

don’t open your eyes!

What the **** did I just read? This book was NOT what I was expecting... at all! It was disturbing, creepy, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.... just going to put it out there if I were in this situation, in this post apocalyptic world, I would so be gone in the first day.... just saying....

Something is out there, something that makes you go mad if you lay your eyes on it.... mad to the point you will kill others, yourself, or both.. ...more

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Aug 04, 2014 Maciek rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2014, post-apocalyptic, reviewed

Bird Box offers a well-known premise - the world as we know it suddenly coming to an end, and the few who survived trying to cope with the new reality - but with an interesting twist (certainly a desirable addition to the formula which, much as I enjoy it, is now beginning to resemble a really dead horse). This is both a good, and a bad thing - and the book is also both these things, as it began well but ended up being disappointing.

The hook of Bird Box is, like in much post-apocalyptic fiction, ...more

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May 06, 2018 Tom Lewis rated it it was amazing

Close your eyes. There’s something standing in front of you. Something so monstrous, and beyond human comprehension, that anyone who sees it goes insane and kills themselves and others. This is the new reality for a young mother, Malorie, and her two kids, as they navigate blindfolded down a river in an effort to reach what they hope will be a sanctuary. It’s part survival horror, and part scary as f*ck!

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May 22, 2018 Amalia Gavea rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, american-literature, dystopia, favorites, usa, paranormal, mystery-horror

''There are things out there that will hurt you.''

Even though thrillers aren’t among my favourite reads, this one had all the right ingredients. A mix of Dystopian Fiction with a healthy dose of Paranormal and two extremely interesting main characters. It was creepy and fascinating.

News of a series of completely abnormal action begin to reach the USA. In a contemporary world, violent deaths start from an area in Russia and escalate, spreading everywhere. What is it that makes these deaths horr ''There are things out there that will hurt you.''

Even though thrillers aren’t among my favourite reads, this one had all the right ingredients. A mix of Dystopian Fiction with a healthy dose of Paranormal and two extremely interesting main characters. It was creepy and fascinating.

News of a series of completely abnormal action begin to reach the USA. In a contemporary world, violent deaths start from an area in Russia and escalate, spreading everywhere. What is it that makes these deaths horrifying? They take place without a reason. Everyday people, citizens of quiet towns, people like us start attacking others and kill them in terrifying ways. They attack family and friends. They know no boundaries and then they kill themselves. And the explanation can be found in a source that is even more terrifying than the deaths. Something they saw turned ordinary people into vicious murderers. What is it? Nobody knows. Are they creatures? Is it a virus? No matter the cause, the result is a world that is now empty, devoid of life and time. Everything we've ever known falls into darkness because to open your eyes means death.

''The world, the outdoors, is being shut down.''

The story itself is the main reason I enjoyed Bird Box so much. Malorie, the main charcater, is a young mother of two unnamed children. They're just called Boy and Girl. They only know the house they were born into as their world. In this house, Malorie found a refuge four years ago, along with a few people who wanted to survive, each one having gone through a terrible loss. I don't know what kind of environment could be more claustrophobic and nerve-wrecking. Is there anything more valuable than our sight? Imagine a world where we are forbidden to look outside, to look at a fellow human being, our own family...In this house, the characters toy with their lives. Each day, each passing moment. It is a fight for everything. To bring water into the house, to make sure every possible opening is covered. There is fear and there are questions that can't be answered. And I couldn't help but anticipate danger from every person we met. When would madness strike?Who could possibly have the weakest composure to jeopardize everyone's survival?

One of the things that prevent me from appreciating thrillers is the lack of developed characters and the cliché dialogue. This novel is different, in my opinion. Malorie is a really well-written character, one I could see as realistic and a leader, with her feet firmly on the ground. Her actions were fully justified. Everyone would have acted in the same way if we had been in her situation. I pray we never will....And Tom is a character I was interested in from his first appearance. Both the characters and the dialogue were really satisfying, in my opinion, and combined with the haunting prose they created an extremely memorable read.

I don't need to feel frightened in order to like a book. If the story is properly put together and the characters are interesting and as realistic as possible, I am satisfied. With Bird Box, I wasn't frightened per se but I felt anxious, nervous and, yes, there were a few moments when my blood froze a little. I found the concept creepy and the execution successful. You know there is danger out, in the open, but you don't know what it is. If you don't know what threatens you, how can you fight it? So, I don't think it can get scarier than that....

''And what scares you more? The creatures or yourself, as the memories of a million sights and colours come, flooding towards you? What scares you more?''

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.word...

...more

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Aug 16, 2014 Carol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: detroit, published-2014, thriller, library-ebook, suspense, horror, read-2015, favorites, to-buy, 2015-super-favorites

Holy Shit! Why did I wait so long to read this thriller?

Wonderfully creepy from start to finish, Bird Box made me feel the eerie presence of the mysterious creatures behind my blindfold and hear the sounds of madness! It takes an awful lot to creep me out, but Bird Box succeeded with the suspenseful intenseness of the unknown all the way to the apropos ending.

Be very careful who you trust, but do not miss out on this one! And, oh.....(view spoiler)

Update:

...more

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Apr 29, 2016 Sh3lly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2016, thriller-suspense, the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it, fantasy-dystopian, mystery, gurrrl-power, sci-fi, this-book-is-everything, your-argument-is-invalid, horror

1 DEC 2016: Only $1.99 on Kindle! Totally worth it (to me at least.)

Image by https://hitrecord.org/records/312779
(because some people think you can't post one image from a Google search without crediting somebody. I mean, it's a book review. I'm not claiming ownership or anything.)

You can't ever look at it or you will go violently insane. That is basically the premise of this book. What is it? What are they? Why are they here? What is it that people see that makes them go crazy? You'll have to r ...more

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