Bird Box: A Novel

Josh Malerman

May 2014 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

“A book that demands to be read in a single sitting, and through the cracks between one’s fingers. There has never been a horror story quite like this. Josh Malerman truly delivers.” — Hugh Howey, New York Times bestselling author of Wool

Written with the narrative tension of The Road and the exquisite terror of classic Stephen King, Bird Box is a propulsive, edge-of-your-seat horror thriller, set in an apocalyptic near-future world—a masterpiece of suspense from the brilliantly imaginative Josh Malerman.

Something is out there . . .

Something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse 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 remain, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now, that the boy and girl are four, it is time to go. But the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat—blindfolded—with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. And something is following them. But is it man, animal, or monster?

Engulfed in darkness, surrounded by sounds both familiar and frightening, Malorie embarks on a harrowing odyssey—a trip that takes her into an unseen world and back into the past, to the companions who once saved her. Under the guidance of the stalwart Tom, a motely group of strangers banded together against the unseen terror, creating order from the chaos. But when supplies ran low, they were forced to venture outside—and confront the ultimate question: in a world gone mad, who can really be trusted?

Interweaving past and present, Malerman’s breathtaking debut is a horrific and gripping snapshot of a world unraveled that will have you racing to the final page.

Ratings and reviews

A citified, dainty, limp-wrist version of The Road. Dialogue outsourced to a last-chance prep school for rich kids. Research by a bored housewife. The plot is a trust fund kid's idea of post-apocalyptic. Toilet's don't work! But the power's still on... And so are the landlines. Imagine having to resort to land lines! The horror. Caller ID and answering machines, which would solve major problems for the characters, aren't mentioned. The characters lose everything and barely make it past grumpy. Indescribable creatures (read that with an effeminate lisp) are making people crazy! And animals! Sometimes... When it suits the lethargic attempts at building suspense. Other times, seeing eye dogs are just that and work perfectly as plot armor. The protagonist is "clawed" by a wolf. Clawed. It and it's ensuing trauma are a major part of the story. Try to imagine a wolf or a big dog clawing something in an attempt at harm. Stumbling with that at all? Of course. Big cats use their claws for hunting. Wolves use their claws for running and digging. This fact made it past not only the writer but his ineffectual editor. I hate this book and I'm mad at myself for finishing it, and disturbed that it somehow warrants screenplay development and a big budget movie.

Movie is totally different and unfortunately, much better. The book lacks so much more detail and the details it does provide, cannot produce a reasonable image in one's mind. Maybe if I had read it before I saw the movie, I would've thought differently. The storyline in the movie was much more intriguing and interesting than the book. There was so much more detail. The movie actually gave a solid reason for the name Bird Box. Not so much with this book. The book was well written, as far as grammar and such, but just lacked enthusiasm.

Great read! Fast moving, and keeps your imagination going. I'm not generally a fan of unanswered questions, and that holds true for this book. While it is a bit frustrating to not know everything at the end, its still worth the time. I think I can understand why the author chose to write it this way. Yep. My review is just about as clear as this story!

About the author

Josh Malerman is the acclaimed author of Bird Box and more than three dozen books, as well as the lead singer and songwriter for the rock band the High Strung. He has been nominated for multiple Bram Stoker Awards and lives in Michigan.