Book Review: Universal Harvester by John Darnielle
People return a couple of videotapes to the store where Jeremy works, complaining of strange intercuts in the video.
Universal Harvester tends to put readers into two camps:
- This book doesn’t make much sense and is full of red herrings.
- This book is brilliant and you’re too much of a Luddite to get it.
I fear I may be with the first camp.
But that’s not to say Universal Harvester isn’t enjoyable. I was quite taken with the first two-thirds of the book.
If anything, it could have gone darker. Videos with strange intercuts? Great! Let’s make them really freaking creepy intercuts.
If there’s a weird cult and a strange daughter living in the aftermath, why not take it further?
Ultimately, the story
But again, the book isn’t bad! John Darnielle has a way with words. I listened to the audiobook version, and he has a way with music as well. Atmospheric novels aren’t really for me, but this author still is.
Think of Universal Harvester as an interesting journey with no destination.
