The Laws of the Skies
Ratings18
Average rating3.5
15
Ratings18
Average rating3.5
"Excellent...crystalline." -- New York Times Book Review, "Summer Reads" Twelve six-year-olds and their three adult chaperones head into the woods on a camping trip. None of them make it out alive. The Laws of the Skies follows the terrified children as they scatter into the night to escape danger, dressed only in their pajamas. They face their darkest childhood fears and new imaginary threats, like trolls masquerading as boulders and child-eating tree trunks. A harrowing story of those days in the woods, of illness, poisoning, and accidents; of a love triangle among tots; a pint-sized hero; and a child on a murderous rampage that comes to a grisly end. Part fairy tale, part horror story, this macabre fable takes us through the minds of all the members of this doomed part, murderers and murdered alike.
Reviews with the most likes.
Though clocking in at a short 147 pages, [b:The Laws of the Skies 42372424 The Laws of the Skies Gr??goire Courtois https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552177777l/42372424.SY75.jpg 52585140] manage to pack punch after punch after punch - literally AND figuratively, to the point where it becomes almost darkly comical. There is no feel good story here, no satisfying conclusion or moral to be learned. It's death, child death, and little more. Saw this reviewed on tiktok, and thought I'd give it a whirl despite the low rating and the obvious subject matter. It doesn't hold back letting you know exactly what type of story it is, and the tension is created knowing the deaths that will occur, leaving you to only guess how they will come about. That tension was punctured with each subsequent incident, however, as it started to come off like The Gashlycrumb Tinies. I'm not sure if this was on purpose, or if it was because there was little to no story to carry them - the tragedies were the story - but it became darkly comedic in a not-funny-ironic sort of way. Even though I don't hate this book, it doesn't add anything to it's genre or really anything, in my opinion. The ending was less than a page long. The other issue that heavily contributed to it's rating was the style of writing. At certain points, it was well-done, but would occasionally devolve into paragraph long spindles of thought that splintered until my eyes glazed over and I lost whatever point author attempted to make. No 7 year old had thought spirals like that, and it only served to add to the heightened absurdity of the entire novella. If you're morbidly curious - feel free to pick this up. But understand it's focus is only on the tragedies, and little else. I regret reading only because it doesn't really serve any purpose except to be depressing.
i think the author has something against children. jesus christ.
Rating: 4.63 leaves out of 5Characters: 4/5 Cover: 4.5/5Story: 5/5Writing: 5/5Genre: Horror/ThrillerType: BookWorth?: YesTrigger Warning: GoreHated Disliked It Was Okay Liked Loved FavoritedWhat a book... wow. Such a short read but packed with so much amount of horror. 12 six year olds (1st graders) alone in the woods... that alone is scary enough. I was on the edge of my chair. I love how breaking the 4th wall really worked in this book because it screwed you up and left you feeling like complete shit. Amazing!Now for the spoiling review I wanted to feel bad for Enzo honestly, his parents are dead beat and I don't think that kid really knew what being loved was all about but HE ENJOYED KILLING. Omg... so that boar was due justice I guess. Just... the description of the boar and him. Ugh. Also I felt so bad for the kids, honestly. 6 years old and alone... I can just imagine how scared they were. Another thing, that 4th wall break making us feel like utter crap that we couldn't help. Thanks, Greg. XD
