The Vessel

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As an aside, how long does it take for a thing to become a tradition? Ritual Limited have been spoiling us with new books from Adam Nevill pretty much consistently every October for years now. It will not surprise you to discover that it has become one of the highlights on my literary calendar. Let me start off with the writing. It is superb. He both paints the picture and easily draws you in as well. It is why that line by The Guardian so applies in that you become a part of the story and you do live it. I had the oddest feeling reading this book because of that. It was just so different and you do not come across it all that often so when you do it is special. I also think that many publishers don't necessarily like that type of writing. Jonathan Maberry Ghost Road Blues trilogy was also magnificently written but he no longer writes like that. I believe he was told to dummy it down. So many readers simply read over the picture being painted so why bother I guess. Nevill though draws a fine line with how he writes not over complicating things and setting the table just right so to speak. It was so refreshing to see someone who can write, right?

Adam Nevill is exceptionally good at building layers, (I touched on in an earlier review of his book, Under a Watchful Eye) but the strength of this novel is that each inevitably ends up going on a much longer and darker journey than initially presented. I continually found myself impressed with his creativity as the story gave up its secrets, and while it ultimately went more-or-less where I expected at the outset, that place looked very different once I got there. The Vessel” by Adam Nevill started out pretty well. This is the first time I’ve read a book by Nevill and was excited to see what awaited me. Now, before I jump into my review, let’s go over the trigger warnings I found while reading. Struggling with money, raising a child alone and fleeing a volatile ex, Jess McMachen accepts a job caring for an elderly patient. Flo Gardner—a disturbed shut-in and invalid. But if Jess can hold this job down, she and her daughter, Izzy, can begin a new life. Now with this new job, things are surely on the up for Jess and her daughter. The rest is for you to find out by reading.

Customer reviews

Jess gets a solid job, as relief care aide for Flo, an older woman with dementia who spends her days in her wheelchair in her sprawling home. Nevill does a great job of setting up the chessboard before he begins to move the pieces towards the ultimate moments. Throughout, I was rapt, knowing at any moment ‘it’ was going to happen, that we would come upon the incident that threw open the doors and exposed the truths and when it does, the reader will not be disappointed. Norfolk, Pam. "Book review: No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill". Lancashire Post . Retrieved 11 November 2014.

Gallo, Irene. "Announcing the 2012 British Fantasy Award Winners". Tor.com . Retrieved 21 August 2013.Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Steve has released over a dozen novels and novellas as well as a number of collections. He has appeared alongside some of horror’s biggest names within some truly excellent anthologies.