Oink, Oink, your'e dead. (Pig Island - Mo Hayder)

Member Name: paulhanton

Product:	Pig Island - Mo Hayder
Date:	10/09/09 (127 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Okay read.

Disadvantages: Okay read, nothing more.

Pig Island

Mo Hayder (2006)

'The most terrifying thriller you'll read all year' So sayeth Karin Slaughter on the book cover....well, I have gone off Karin Slaughter, but a decent enough recommendation for me to purchase said book, along wit two others for a fiver in the cheapy bookstore in Barnsley.


What's it all about Alfie?

Okay, we have a hard drinking (of course) minor journalist ('Oaksey') who specialises in uncovering and exposing hoaxes; religious and paranormal hoaxes especially. Some years before the setting of this book he exposed one 'Malachi Dove' who was peddling his own brand of 'healing'. Subsequently, Mr Malachi and a few followers purchased a small island off the Scottish coast and set up a commune come religious retreat.

Strange sightings, sounds and smells, culminating in a grainy video of a Devil like figure spark Oaksey's interest and off he trots up to Scotland for an 'investigation' with his wife in tow. Oaksey then hears tales from the mainlanders about devil worship, blood and remains being sighted and so on.

The island commune insist they have nothing to hide and invite Oaksey onto the island, an invitation he takes up with glee as he dearly wants to run into Malachi again and expose him again.

When he gets to the island he finds a happy but sheltered commune that live a strict life, he also discovers that Malachi, apparently gone quite mad, has been expelled from said commune and lives at the other end of the island....where the smells and sounds emanate from.

What is there? Does Oaksey expose a hoax or is something far more real at hand?


What's good?

In truth, the pace of the book is good, as is the basic plot, there are plenty of surprises in store and that is good, along with a rather unexpected conclusion, I like that too.

I also like the fact that the author tells different parts of the story from different perspectives, with some chapters narrated by Oaksey, and others his wife.


There are some genuinely gory and shocking moments which is as it should be in a novel like this and plenty of red herrings. As well as the shock and gore (couldn't resist) there are some good insights into some of the characters which builds a nice story. We get quite descriptive writing where appropriate, and sparse writing where not needed.


Erm...and not so good?

Well, it aint terrifying let me tell you. Interesting yes, terrifying no.

There are parts of the book that seem quite amateurish, as if the author has been lazy in doing her research so just doesn't bother to expand on whole areas. This leads to a few 'leaps' where I was left thinking it was all a bit to clichéd.


~~Finally~~

Worth the 3 for a fiver deal but no more. An okay, keep by the side of the bed and read in three nights kinda novel. At nearly 500 pages, for me, it could have been a whole lot better, but not bad.

Summary: Pig Island