Review: All These Bodies by Kendare Blake (Spoiler-Free)

Want my full thoughts? Check out my reading vlog for this book!! If not, that's cool too. Hear some of my abridged thoughts below.

Do you know that one special food that you love but can completely understand everyone else for hating? Because I think this book is my jar of green olives. I pop them into my mouth like gumdrops (i actually don't like gumdrops), and half the population cringes at the sight. But it doesn't matter, because I could eat a jar of their briny goodness every day.

That's exactly how I feel about this book. I understand that it's an acquired taste. I understand that the ending will leave a sour taste in many people's mouths. But I also happen to love vinegar.

Breaking free from my food analogy for a moment here, I honestly think most people would like the first half of this book. It has great atmosphere, a great setting. 1950s Midwest in September, what more could you ask for? But then it takes a turn, and I was strapped in, ready for the ride.

I won't spoil, but I'd just like to let it be known that this book goes in a strange direction and leaves you with more questions than answers. That doesn't always work for me, but in this case it most certainly did. I was tempted to reread the minute I finished this book, but I think I'll save that opportunity for next fall. Because this book was so perfect for autumn. It was so eerie and I found myself more fascinated by every turning page.

I feel like there are so many layers to this text that I haven't even scraped the surface of. And maybe some of that is just me projecting, me just searching for a meaning that isn't there. But the fact that it had me searching at all means it succeeded.

This is a twisted little story, and one I will most definitely revisit. Something is drawing me back to Black Deer Falls, and I'm excited to one day return.