Book Review: The Troop by Nick Cutter

5 Stars for the Troop. SPOILERS TO FOLLOW:

So I started reading this book expecting creepy. I can handle creepy. Stephen King is one of my favorite authors.  This book does creepy, and it does it well. When I wasn’t reading I was thinking about the book, and itching my skin and looking for worms (which to be fair, I finished it in about 5 hours but still – during my breaks it was all I could think about)

The Troop messed with me.

When Tim (The Scout leader) let the man into the cabin I knew everyone was toast. That’s the thing about creepy skeletal strangers in the woods… YOU DON’T INVITE THEM IN. At least I don’t, because I’ve seen enough horror movies to know better.

But I digress. The book is excellent! It gave me the creepy crawlies, had me looking at other people in case they were too hungry and trying to see if I could feel worms in my skin.

If you are looking for something that’s icky, makes you want to keep reading and creeps you out – this is the book.

Some Taylor Thoughts (Taylor Thoughts are when I stop reading and ponder something about the book)

These will make more sense if you’ve read the book 🙂 

* PAGE 12: “All boys gave off a scent, Tim found..” Do girls give off a scent? What would my scent be?

*PAGE 16: When the creepy guy is eating a sand crab. My first thoughts were “Okay, ew”.

*PAGE 46: “Who’d win in a fight: a zombie or a shark” A legit question! Who would win?

*PAGE 66: When Shelley is killing the cray fish… that’s when I knew he was a messed up kid. It’s also when I knew I would only skim the Shelley parts. Good thing too. I like animals too much, and that little future killer creeped me out more than anything else.

*PAGE 144: “What you should do is get some candles and blankets and head down to the cellar… I think… I’ll stay right here, Max.” I like the Scoutmaster. I like that his conscience stayed with him WAY longer. I like that even though he was creepy and sick, he still put the boys worries above his own. I’m glad he died pretty quickly.

*PAGE 193: AKA the chapter I mostly skipped over. Shelley is creepy. I hope the virus gets him.

*PAGE 212:  This is what overthinking gets you. Poor Ephraim.

*PAGE 224: The difference between Max and Shelley? Remorse. That poor turtle.

In conclusion: Shelley is especially weird – he enjoyed being infected TOO much.

Kent didn’t deserve what he got, neither did Ephraim or Newt. Newt was the saddest. I really liked his character.

In the end – The worms must have gotten smarter, no? I mean.. Max was tested and tested and then one day.. .BOOM. Back to the Island cause he’s hungry. But he’s looking for solitude. Good kid to take himself to an isolated Island though.