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Clown in a Cornfield #1
Clown in a Cornfield
Quinn Maybrook just wants to make it until graduation. She might not make it to morning.
Quinn and her father moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs to find a fresh start. But ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half. On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.
Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now.
Quinn and her father moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs to find a fresh start. But ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half. On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.
Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now.
346 pages, Hardcover
First published August 25, 2020
About the author
Adam Cesare
63 books1,976 followersAdam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. His books include Clown in a Cornfield, Video Night, The Summer Job, and Zero Lives Remaining. He’s an avid fan of horror cinema and runs Project: Black T-Shirt, a YouTube review show where he takes horror films and pairs them with reading suggestions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,134 reviews
November 18, 2023
Quinn Maybrook moves to Kettle Springs after her Dad accepts the position as the town's new General Practitioner.
While he didn't ask for Quinn's opinion on the move, she is willing to let it slide. After everything they've been through lately, she just wants to see him happy again.
To be honest, Quinn was ready to leave Philadelphia anyway. Since her Mom's tragic, and very public death, it was difficult to be there; to deal with everyone's pitying looks.
When they arrive at their new home, they discover a dilapidated farmhouse located in the middle of a cornfield. Quinn can't say she's surprised. Hello, Missouri.
Cue the eerie atmosphere. Does anyone else find cornfields hella creepy?
No, just me?
Unpacking in her new room, Quinn gazes out over the expanse of fields surrounding them. She notices an abandoned factory in the distance.
There's a mural painted on the side of a giant clown face. Worst of all, the pervy skeeve seems to be staring directly into her window.
She can't believe this is her life now. It's surreal; creepy clown face and all. The town seems like something straight out of a movie.
Attending school the following day, Quinn begins to get acquainted with the local kids. An over-the-top teacher having a temper tantrum, even kicks her out of his classroom on her first day. It's a lot to process.
Because of this event, she ends up hanging out with some of the most popular kids in the school who also have to serve detention. They seem a little wild, but not all bad.
They end up inviting Quinn to a Founder's Day party. What could go wrong?
Y'all, I had so much fun reading this. Clown in a Cornfield was EVERYTHING I was hoping it would be!
Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. It is the perfect book to read during the spooky season with all the Fall vibes. I live for that!
Is this a perfect book? No, probably not, but was it the perfect book for me? Abso-freakin-lutely!!
Those of you who know me, you know that clowns are my biggest fear. I actually have never read a book with a clown in it.
Not even It.
It's true. I knew after seeing this around and reading the synopsis, that I wanted to give it a try.
I am so happy I went way outside my comfort zone and picked this one up. It truly had everything I love in a Teen Scream, which incidentally is one of my favorite subgenres of Horror.
Clown in a Cornfield features: new girl trope, final girl trope, kids behaving badly, corrupt town officials, an ominous atmosphere, a huge teen party, biting social commentary, a cleverly positioned ending, and plenty of jumps along the way!
This is just pure fun on the page. It's a must read for the Fall!!!
Don't miss out. Frendo will be mad if you do.
While he didn't ask for Quinn's opinion on the move, she is willing to let it slide. After everything they've been through lately, she just wants to see him happy again.
To be honest, Quinn was ready to leave Philadelphia anyway. Since her Mom's tragic, and very public death, it was difficult to be there; to deal with everyone's pitying looks.
When they arrive at their new home, they discover a dilapidated farmhouse located in the middle of a cornfield. Quinn can't say she's surprised. Hello, Missouri.
Cue the eerie atmosphere. Does anyone else find cornfields hella creepy?
No, just me?
Unpacking in her new room, Quinn gazes out over the expanse of fields surrounding them. She notices an abandoned factory in the distance.
There's a mural painted on the side of a giant clown face. Worst of all, the pervy skeeve seems to be staring directly into her window.
She can't believe this is her life now. It's surreal; creepy clown face and all. The town seems like something straight out of a movie.
Attending school the following day, Quinn begins to get acquainted with the local kids. An over-the-top teacher having a temper tantrum, even kicks her out of his classroom on her first day. It's a lot to process.
Because of this event, she ends up hanging out with some of the most popular kids in the school who also have to serve detention. They seem a little wild, but not all bad.
They end up inviting Quinn to a Founder's Day party. What could go wrong?
Y'all, I had so much fun reading this. Clown in a Cornfield was EVERYTHING I was hoping it would be!
Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. It is the perfect book to read during the spooky season with all the Fall vibes. I live for that!
Is this a perfect book? No, probably not, but was it the perfect book for me? Abso-freakin-lutely!!
Those of you who know me, you know that clowns are my biggest fear. I actually have never read a book with a clown in it.
Not even It.
It's true. I knew after seeing this around and reading the synopsis, that I wanted to give it a try.
I am so happy I went way outside my comfort zone and picked this one up. It truly had everything I love in a Teen Scream, which incidentally is one of my favorite subgenres of Horror.
Clown in a Cornfield features: new girl trope, final girl trope, kids behaving badly, corrupt town officials, an ominous atmosphere, a huge teen party, biting social commentary, a cleverly positioned ending, and plenty of jumps along the way!
This is just pure fun on the page. It's a must read for the Fall!!!
Don't miss out. Frendo will be mad if you do.
October 25, 2020
UPDATE: $2.99 Kindle US Today 10/25/20
What in the hell ass crazy clown did I just read!! 🤨🤡
This WAS NOT what I was expecting, not by a damn long shot! This book came out of left field. The left corn field! <- that was so corny <- omg! Corny! I can’t win on this one 🙄🤣😂
I’m seriously at a loss for words 🤔. If I open my big ass mouth, I’ll give something away! Just know this book will not be what you’re thinking it’s going to be! Take that and run with it. No seriously... RUN!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Read with some awesome peeps at the group: Horror Aficionados
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
What in the hell ass crazy clown did I just read!! 🤨🤡
This WAS NOT what I was expecting, not by a damn long shot! This book came out of left field. The left corn field! <- that was so corny <- omg! Corny! I can’t win on this one 🙄🤣😂
I’m seriously at a loss for words 🤔. If I open my big ass mouth, I’ll give something away! Just know this book will not be what you’re thinking it’s going to be! Take that and run with it. No seriously... RUN!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Read with some awesome peeps at the group: Horror Aficionados
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
August 29, 2020
BLOODY GORY FUN, THIS WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED!!!
SMALL TOWN + SERIAL KILLER CLOWN + TEENAGE PARTIES??? (what could go wrong?) = EVERYTHING . But in the best way possible.
This book had the highest body count I've ever read in a slasher novel. Bodies dropping left and right— slash, stick, stabby stabby, shot, burned, sliced, and diced . SCREAM could never! Entertainment value??? 10000000000000% BISH!!!!
This book was like a fun romp through a halloween horror night at the amusement park with friends— thrills and cheap scares to behold. It's a small slow start but once shit hits the fan, holy shit, it doesn't STOP. Entertainment value aside, there wasn't much plot or character depth to begin with or anyone we're really caring for B U T......the mc was extremely tough and strong headed and I really liked that. Other than rooting for her, I didn't really care for anyone else that much. But who cares! We ain't here for them, we're just here for that body count, and boy does it deliverrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Twist(s)?? There was a really fun twist on the serial killer and slasher trope overall that I reallllllllyyy liked. But the m o t i v e??? Let's pretend I don't see it. This book is just a good time and a fun time. Highly at that. If you liked There's Someone Inside Your House, but didn't like the romance or reveals......well then folks, this is the book for you!! Add this to your Halloween TBR, folks!
Just wished a bit more on the ending but overall a super great fun bloody soaked read for a dark dark night.
4.5 BLOODY STARS
SMALL TOWN + SERIAL KILLER CLOWN + TEENAGE PARTIES??? (what could go wrong?) = EVERYTHING . But in the best way possible.
This book had the highest body count I've ever read in a slasher novel. Bodies dropping left and right— slash, stick, stabby stabby, shot, burned, sliced, and diced . SCREAM could never! Entertainment value??? 10000000000000% BISH!!!!
This book was like a fun romp through a halloween horror night at the amusement park with friends— thrills and cheap scares to behold. It's a small slow start but once shit hits the fan, holy shit, it doesn't STOP. Entertainment value aside, there wasn't much plot or character depth to begin with or anyone we're really caring for B U T......the mc was extremely tough and strong headed and I really liked that. Other than rooting for her, I didn't really care for anyone else that much. But who cares! We ain't here for them, we're just here for that body count, and boy does it deliverrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Twist(s)?? There was a really fun twist on the serial killer and slasher trope overall that I reallllllllyyy liked. But the m o t i v e??? Let's pretend I don't see it. This book is just a good time and a fun time. Highly at that. If you liked There's Someone Inside Your House, but didn't like the romance or reveals......well then folks, this is the book for you!! Add this to your Halloween TBR, folks!
Just wished a bit more on the ending but overall a super great fun bloody soaked read for a dark dark night.
4.5 BLOODY STARS
August 28, 2020
3.5 stars
This was one of my most anticipated horror books of the year so I was so incredibly stoked when Adam sent me a review copy! This book follows this girl named Quinn who is moving to a small town called Kettle Springs. Her and her Dad are looking for a fresh start and this is where they decide to live, but the town is strange. She becomes friends with this group of teens who stream their pranks online and it drives the older crowd in the town insane.
This book was a fun slasher horror, it felt straight out of a teen horror movie, and I really liked that about this. It has all the Halloween vibes and the writing is so vivid with its imagery of cornfields and barns and clowns. It also has a lot of graphic violence that I was surprised by because usually young adult books never go that far, but this one definitely went there and I appreciated that. I also read most of this book in the dark for the readathon I'm doing right now so that added to the creepiness of it.
My only disappointment with this one is I guess I went in with false expectations, I thought the clown aspect of this book was going to be more of a supernatural thing, as opposed to someone dressing up as a clown and acting as a serial killer. I thought the clown thing would be some kind of unknown creature like Pennywise or something, instead of just a human dressing up as a clown, but regardless I still had fun with it. This book is nonstop action at the end and it was highly entertaining. I didn't really connect with any of the characters in this book, but in a slasher story like this I don't think you really need to to enjoy the story.
This was one of my most anticipated horror books of the year so I was so incredibly stoked when Adam sent me a review copy! This book follows this girl named Quinn who is moving to a small town called Kettle Springs. Her and her Dad are looking for a fresh start and this is where they decide to live, but the town is strange. She becomes friends with this group of teens who stream their pranks online and it drives the older crowd in the town insane.
This book was a fun slasher horror, it felt straight out of a teen horror movie, and I really liked that about this. It has all the Halloween vibes and the writing is so vivid with its imagery of cornfields and barns and clowns. It also has a lot of graphic violence that I was surprised by because usually young adult books never go that far, but this one definitely went there and I appreciated that. I also read most of this book in the dark for the readathon I'm doing right now so that added to the creepiness of it.
My only disappointment with this one is I guess I went in with false expectations, I thought the clown aspect of this book was going to be more of a supernatural thing, as opposed to someone dressing up as a clown and acting as a serial killer. I thought the clown thing would be some kind of unknown creature like Pennywise or something, instead of just a human dressing up as a clown, but regardless I still had fun with it. This book is nonstop action at the end and it was highly entertaining. I didn't really connect with any of the characters in this book, but in a slasher story like this I don't think you really need to to enjoy the story.
October 29, 2021
SPOOKTOBER CONTIIIIINUES!!!!!
oh, man, this book. i thought i knew what i was getting into and i was so wrong.
it’s YA with balls and a vintage horror cover i wanna marry, about a girl named quinn who moves from big city philly to ketttle springs, missouri—a small town saturated with its own secrets and tragedies; a town struggling to get by; a town trying to make itself great again; a town whose corn syrup mascot, frendo the not-at-all-creepy clown is part and parcel of their heartland identity of diners and parades and old-fashioned values.
but this book goes from suggestive smalltown creepiness to
and it never lets up.
once city-girl quinn falls in with the kettle springs’ cool kids, she soon notices that the relationship between the adults and her new friends seems fraught, tense. at first, it’s unclear which side is really causing the strain—if the blame falls on delinquent teens or sinister adults, so for a good long while we don’t know whether we’re dealing with a variation of Children of the Corn/Village of the Damned, or Mom and Dad, or maybe even a Wicker Man situation.
but no. it’s sort of some of these but it’s also its very own thing that is still, unfortunately, our thing, and it gets so, so splattery. you might be tempted to say, while reading this, “that would never happen,” but i am no longer convinced there’s a level to which we won’t sink. america is broken, send in the fucking clowns.
it’s way more brutal than i was expecting for YA. it builds slowly up to its action sequences, but once it gets there, it’s relentless in its violence. when the blood starts flowing, there’s probably a lot you’ll predict, but there are still some things that’ll sneak up on you. the way a clown sneaks up on you.
don't be afraid. it's just a clown in a cornfield.
come to my blog!
August 26, 2020
this was such a great slasher book! totally reminded me of friday the 13th or halloween, and the horror elements really went there. it was super gory
August 25, 2020
Review originally published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
The setting for Clown in a Cornfield is the fictional town of Kettle Springs, a rural town that sounds like good ol’ Nowheresville, USA. The townspeople seem caught in a time-warp where young people are to be seen and not heard, especially while the grown-ups are trying hard to “Make Kettle Springs Great Again.” Unfortunately for our protagonist, Quinn Maybrook, her father took a job in Kettle Springs and Quinn has no choice but to adjust to her new scene.
Adam Cesare is no stranger to horror tropes. He has a popular YouTube channel where he reviews and discusses horror movies and horror fiction. He’s written several of his own books, each one with their own cinematic flair and intentional nods to familiar tropes but with Cesare’s own twists.
It’s no surprise that Clown in a Cornfield, Cesare’s debut New York publishing novel, already has movie adaptation buzz surrounding it. It’s this reader’s opinion that his stories have always been ready for the big screen. There’s just something about his writing style and his passion for horror movies that translates onto the page.
Clown is no exception and reads like a retro-slasher film but with social commentary relevant to today’s audience. The best of both worlds. Some readers might find the first one hundred pages a bit of a slow burn. I found the set-up to be slightly underwhelming for all its early hype.
In classic slasher fashion where there’s an arresting, violent introduction (think of the babysitter scene in SCREAM or the hit-and-run scene of I Know What You Did Last Summer) Clown opens with a heart-pounding hook.
However, readers are then led through a meandering journey as Quinn makes new friends and asks them questions about some of the town’s landmarks and historical celebrations. Quinn finally recognizes that there is something seriously different about her new hometown and it becomes her mission to uncover the mystery and expose the truth.
Eventually, the horror engine turns over and it’s off to the races! The second half of the book is non-stop action. The body count rises and Kettle Spring’s streets run red.
Don’t let this book genre label turn you off from pre-ordering this title. There’s nothing “toned down” or unmentioned about this full-on attack on today’s youth. Other than the protagonist and her friends being teenagers, this is fully capable of providing full-grown scares.
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
The setting for Clown in a Cornfield is the fictional town of Kettle Springs, a rural town that sounds like good ol’ Nowheresville, USA. The townspeople seem caught in a time-warp where young people are to be seen and not heard, especially while the grown-ups are trying hard to “Make Kettle Springs Great Again.” Unfortunately for our protagonist, Quinn Maybrook, her father took a job in Kettle Springs and Quinn has no choice but to adjust to her new scene.
Adam Cesare is no stranger to horror tropes. He has a popular YouTube channel where he reviews and discusses horror movies and horror fiction. He’s written several of his own books, each one with their own cinematic flair and intentional nods to familiar tropes but with Cesare’s own twists.
It’s no surprise that Clown in a Cornfield, Cesare’s debut New York publishing novel, already has movie adaptation buzz surrounding it. It’s this reader’s opinion that his stories have always been ready for the big screen. There’s just something about his writing style and his passion for horror movies that translates onto the page.
Clown is no exception and reads like a retro-slasher film but with social commentary relevant to today’s audience. The best of both worlds. Some readers might find the first one hundred pages a bit of a slow burn. I found the set-up to be slightly underwhelming for all its early hype.
In classic slasher fashion where there’s an arresting, violent introduction (think of the babysitter scene in SCREAM or the hit-and-run scene of I Know What You Did Last Summer) Clown opens with a heart-pounding hook.
However, readers are then led through a meandering journey as Quinn makes new friends and asks them questions about some of the town’s landmarks and historical celebrations. Quinn finally recognizes that there is something seriously different about her new hometown and it becomes her mission to uncover the mystery and expose the truth.
Eventually, the horror engine turns over and it’s off to the races! The second half of the book is non-stop action. The body count rises and Kettle Spring’s streets run red.
Don’t let this book genre label turn you off from pre-ordering this title. There’s nothing “toned down” or unmentioned about this full-on attack on today’s youth. Other than the protagonist and her friends being teenagers, this is fully capable of providing full-grown scares.
October 26, 2020
CW/TW: death, murder, physical violence, gore, trauma, mental illness
"The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing."
Kettle Springs, USA (2020) — Following a recent family tragedy in Philadelphia, Quinn Maybrook and her father Glenn both need a brand new start. This came ideally when Kettle Springs, a small and boring town in the Midwest, is looking for an official town doctor, making Glenn accept the job in all good faith. But when Quinn attends her first day on the local high school, she gets reprimanded to detention by her Science teacher alongside her soon-to-be friends Cole, Janet, Ronnie, and Matt.
She soon discovers that this altercation is something beyond a regular instructor's tantrum. Because ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs got divided into two: the adults desperate to "make Kettle Springs great again" and the youth who want to enjoy their lives and have some fun. Soon, the town is terrorized by the Baypen mascot Frendo, the creepy Clown in a Cornfield with the pork-pie hat ready to slay the rotten crop of kids to restore the town's glory.
YouTuber and horror author Adam Cesare gleans terror from his readers with his latest release Clown in a Cornfield through its over-the-top gore and excessive body count, only then to be ridiculously infested by its flimsy rationale and shaky characterization which uproot the novel's scare.
Cornfield grows succesfully as a young adult thriller with its grotesque portrayal of its graphic scenes, which is remarkable in comparison to most toned-down narrations of gore by novels under the same genre. The bloodbath which occurred almost halfway through the novel shows Cesare's masterful reinvention of slasher tropes that have been overused when the genre hit its peak around four decades ago.
Cesare's no-holds-barred writing amplifies the claustrophobic small-town dread he wants to impart to the reader:
However, this becomes a problem when the story reads like an account of a murder or massacre as presented by news outlets, albeit formal news carries much more profundity and importance than this one.
With underdeveloped, clichéd, and flat characters matched with insipid and uninspired prose sans the violent scenes, it is hard to extend sympathy to people the reader doesn't really know or care about, especially when their impudence and supposed coolness are the only personality traits Cesare wants to highlight. It's as if the author wanted the reader to wish for everyone to be dead and then celebrate about how gruesome it is.
When Cesare had the chance to showcase emotional depth from Quinn with her refusal of using the gun as she says, “I can’t do this. I don’t want to take this," the author then erases all of her worries about killing someone as the successive passages show her gleefully firing shots whenever she desires. In the attempt of portraying cognitive dissonance in the time of life and death, it is important to show the character's depth as convincingly human as possible unless the novel's ultimate goal is to flaunt how disposably generic its characters are that cardboard cutouts can easily replace them.
Moreover, the story suffers when it significantly feels derivative of Stephen King's Night Shift short story Children of the Corn as it tries to distance itself from its source by featuring a few tweaks on its narrative such as the antagonization reversal, modernization of the setting, addition of fluff to extend the novel's length, and inclusion of covert political statements that could have worked if the characters are well-established and are worthy to proclaim such ideologies.
These cannot be helped when at the end, Clown reveals the motivations on why the killings occur which are otherworldly laughable at best. It seems like Cesare curated the dumbest people alive and put them together to form a town of nitwits and jerks that make you question their logic and thought processes.
This may be interpreted as a snide remark towards the conservative notions of Americans yet still renders futile as satire due to the epilogue that completely subverts this perspective, making it seem like a joke. When a thriller needs the amplification of the society's binaries to make it work and completely disregards the complexities of human psychology, does it not seem insulting when the portrayal of collective idiocy is this ludicrous that it reads like farce? Maybe that is the goal, but the serious depiction of gore makes me think otherwise.
Adam Cesare's Clown in a Cornfield yields a bushel of inventive slasher thrills that wither when the preposterous killing motivations prohibit the readers to suspend their disbelief.
Personal Enjoyment: 1.25 stars
Quality of the Book: 2.5 stars
- Use of Language: ⭐⭐+
- Plot and Narrative Arc: ⭐⭐
- Characters: ⭐
- Integrity: ⭐⭐⭐
- Twist/Scare: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
AVG: 1.88 stars
- - -
Status Updates:
START | how big can that neck be zaddy | idc if they all end up dead | i fucking hate these characters | me trying to find the sense behind this book | END
"The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing."
Kettle Springs, USA (2020) — Following a recent family tragedy in Philadelphia, Quinn Maybrook and her father Glenn both need a brand new start. This came ideally when Kettle Springs, a small and boring town in the Midwest, is looking for an official town doctor, making Glenn accept the job in all good faith. But when Quinn attends her first day on the local high school, she gets reprimanded to detention by her Science teacher alongside her soon-to-be friends Cole, Janet, Ronnie, and Matt.
She soon discovers that this altercation is something beyond a regular instructor's tantrum. Because ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs got divided into two: the adults desperate to "make Kettle Springs great again" and the youth who want to enjoy their lives and have some fun. Soon, the town is terrorized by the Baypen mascot Frendo, the creepy Clown in a Cornfield with the pork-pie hat ready to slay the rotten crop of kids to restore the town's glory.
YouTuber and horror author Adam Cesare gleans terror from his readers with his latest release Clown in a Cornfield through its over-the-top gore and excessive body count, only then to be ridiculously infested by its flimsy rationale and shaky characterization which uproot the novel's scare.
Cornfield grows succesfully as a young adult thriller with its grotesque portrayal of its graphic scenes, which is remarkable in comparison to most toned-down narrations of gore by novels under the same genre. The bloodbath which occurred almost halfway through the novel shows Cesare's masterful reinvention of slasher tropes that have been overused when the genre hit its peak around four decades ago.
Cesare's no-holds-barred writing amplifies the claustrophobic small-town dread he wants to impart to the reader:
[Redacted]’s hair hadn’t been gelled up on purpose, hadn’t been styled that way. It was clotted and clumped together.
There was blood streaming down the [person]'s face.
It was coming from a huge gash above [their] eye. [Redacted]’s nose ring had been torn from [their] nose, the blood clotted on [their] upper lip like too much makeup.
Every bad thing that could happen to a [person] at a party was suddenly, vividly playing in Quinn’s mind.
However, this becomes a problem when the story reads like an account of a murder or massacre as presented by news outlets, albeit formal news carries much more profundity and importance than this one.
With underdeveloped, clichéd, and flat characters matched with insipid and uninspired prose sans the violent scenes, it is hard to extend sympathy to people the reader doesn't really know or care about, especially when their impudence and supposed coolness are the only personality traits Cesare wants to highlight. It's as if the author wanted the reader to wish for everyone to be dead and then celebrate about how gruesome it is.
When Cesare had the chance to showcase emotional depth from Quinn with her refusal of using the gun as she says, “I can’t do this. I don’t want to take this," the author then erases all of her worries about killing someone as the successive passages show her gleefully firing shots whenever she desires. In the attempt of portraying cognitive dissonance in the time of life and death, it is important to show the character's depth as convincingly human as possible unless the novel's ultimate goal is to flaunt how disposably generic its characters are that cardboard cutouts can easily replace them.
Moreover, the story suffers when it significantly feels derivative of Stephen King's Night Shift short story Children of the Corn as it tries to distance itself from its source by featuring a few tweaks on its narrative such as the antagonization reversal, modernization of the setting, addition of fluff to extend the novel's length, and inclusion of covert political statements that could have worked if the characters are well-established and are worthy to proclaim such ideologies.
These cannot be helped when at the end, Clown reveals the motivations on why the killings occur which are otherworldly laughable at best. It seems like Cesare curated the dumbest people alive and put them together to form a town of nitwits and jerks that make you question their logic and thought processes.
This may be interpreted as a snide remark towards the conservative notions of Americans yet still renders futile as satire due to the epilogue that completely subverts this perspective, making it seem like a joke. When a thriller needs the amplification of the society's binaries to make it work and completely disregards the complexities of human psychology, does it not seem insulting when the portrayal of collective idiocy is this ludicrous that it reads like farce? Maybe that is the goal, but the serious depiction of gore makes me think otherwise.
Adam Cesare's Clown in a Cornfield yields a bushel of inventive slasher thrills that wither when the preposterous killing motivations prohibit the readers to suspend their disbelief.
Personal Enjoyment: 1.25 stars
Quality of the Book: 2.5 stars
- Use of Language: ⭐⭐+
- Plot and Narrative Arc: ⭐⭐
- Characters: ⭐
- Integrity: ⭐⭐⭐
- Twist/Scare: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
AVG: 1.88 stars
- - -
Status Updates:
START | how big can that neck be zaddy | idc if they all end up dead | i fucking hate these characters | me trying to find the sense behind this book | END
November 15, 2019
CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD starts as a fun and scary retro-slasher but then cleverly twists and bloodies its way into being a very now kind of beast.
October 25, 2020
WOOOOOOW
September 2, 2020
"Quinn had never been scared of the dark. And before tonight, she'd never even thought to be afraid of clowns."
To give you guys some non-spoilery blurb on what this all about:
After a recent tragedy, Glenn Maybrook and her daughter, Quinn, moved from Philadelphia to Kettle Springs, a small town surrounded by this vast of cornfield. Glenn is the new doctor in town while of course, Quinn is the 'new girl'. New girl goes to her new school, Kettle Springs High. New girl meets her new set of friends-Cole, Janet, Ronnie, and Mat- whom are considered by the town as troublemakers. Apparently, Founder's Day is just right around the corner. Everyone is geared up. Everyone is excited for it. Nothing could go wrong right?
You know what I'm just gonna say it. I expected Clown in a Cornfield to suck so bad and I'm literally over the moon right now to say that this exceeded my expectations. I'm so good in sabotaging myself in these things. If there's a clown, that's me. I'm eating my words right now. I haven't read any good YA horror like for months so naturally I was skeptical in picking this up.
This book was thrilling and horrifying from the 30 percent until the end. I went from "huh this is okay" to "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING". Personally I think the things that happened here is too much for a YA novel. I believe the writing was the best part in this story. It was captivating and vivid making me to clearly picture in my head the action sequences. I feel like I was watching Scream or any good slasher movie.
As for the horror I don't know if this is type of horror most horror junkies would like. The horror in this was far from paranormal or supernatural. If you're expecting Pennywise kind of horror then you're in for a disappointment. It was realistic. The horror in this was the "someone's running fast towards you with a chainsaw so you gotta run faster" kind of horror. This book was pure adrenaline and loved it.
To be petty, I honestly hoped there was more background as to why and how these things are happening. It was explained in the novel but still I wished there was more backstory to it? Yeah.
To give you guys some non-spoilery blurb on what this all about:
After a recent tragedy, Glenn Maybrook and her daughter, Quinn, moved from Philadelphia to Kettle Springs, a small town surrounded by this vast of cornfield. Glenn is the new doctor in town while of course, Quinn is the 'new girl'. New girl goes to her new school, Kettle Springs High. New girl meets her new set of friends-Cole, Janet, Ronnie, and Mat- whom are considered by the town as troublemakers. Apparently, Founder's Day is just right around the corner. Everyone is geared up. Everyone is excited for it. Nothing could go wrong right?
You know what I'm just gonna say it. I expected Clown in a Cornfield to suck so bad and I'm literally over the moon right now to say that this exceeded my expectations. I'm so good in sabotaging myself in these things. If there's a clown, that's me. I'm eating my words right now. I haven't read any good YA horror like for months so naturally I was skeptical in picking this up.
This book was thrilling and horrifying from the 30 percent until the end. I went from "huh this is okay" to "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING". Personally I think the things that happened here is too much for a YA novel. I believe the writing was the best part in this story. It was captivating and vivid making me to clearly picture in my head the action sequences. I feel like I was watching Scream or any good slasher movie.
As for the horror I don't know if this is type of horror most horror junkies would like. The horror in this was far from paranormal or supernatural. If you're expecting Pennywise kind of horror then you're in for a disappointment. It was realistic. The horror in this was the "someone's running fast towards you with a chainsaw so you gotta run faster" kind of horror. This book was pure adrenaline and loved it.
To be petty, I honestly hoped there was more background as to why and how these things are happening. It was explained in the novel but still I wished there was more backstory to it? Yeah.
January 15, 2021
Remove the killer clown and this book can be summarized in one image:
Interested in some cheesy horror fun heavily reliant on the conflict between generations with some tongue in cheek hinting at our current political climate? Well, then step right up to this crazy circus and behold: FRENDO THE CLOWN!
This was a 3.5 to 4 star book for me. It was fun to read and I was into it the whole time. I did do some groaning and eye rolling from time to time when it got a bit too silly or seemed to be forcing an idea into the plot to make a point. But, overall, I was able to enjoy a bit of escapism with this one.
Horror fans might ask is it really scary? Is it really gory? Well, I will say the cheesiness makes it scary in the same way that 80s serial killer films are scary. I was never really scared by Friday the 13th, but they are still some of my favorite films. Gore? Sure – there is some decent gore here if you need a little chop-chop, stab-stab, hack-hack, and/or shoot-shoot in your horror fiction.
If you prefer to avoid politics completely, some of the tongue in cheek content might bother you. To be honest, a couple of times I said to myself “oh, no . . . I hope politics doesn’t become the focus of this book”, but it stayed in the background . . . nearing the surface a few times, but generally stayed behind the scenes.
Clown in a Cornfield is worth it if you are looking for a fun, not too long escape read. Don’t go in expecting to be truly scared, but I think the suspense and action will satisfy – if you are not too busy eye rolling like I was! 😉 🤡
Interested in some cheesy horror fun heavily reliant on the conflict between generations with some tongue in cheek hinting at our current political climate? Well, then step right up to this crazy circus and behold: FRENDO THE CLOWN!
This was a 3.5 to 4 star book for me. It was fun to read and I was into it the whole time. I did do some groaning and eye rolling from time to time when it got a bit too silly or seemed to be forcing an idea into the plot to make a point. But, overall, I was able to enjoy a bit of escapism with this one.
Horror fans might ask is it really scary? Is it really gory? Well, I will say the cheesiness makes it scary in the same way that 80s serial killer films are scary. I was never really scared by Friday the 13th, but they are still some of my favorite films. Gore? Sure – there is some decent gore here if you need a little chop-chop, stab-stab, hack-hack, and/or shoot-shoot in your horror fiction.
If you prefer to avoid politics completely, some of the tongue in cheek content might bother you. To be honest, a couple of times I said to myself “oh, no . . . I hope politics doesn’t become the focus of this book”, but it stayed in the background . . . nearing the surface a few times, but generally stayed behind the scenes.
Clown in a Cornfield is worth it if you are looking for a fun, not too long escape read. Don’t go in expecting to be truly scared, but I think the suspense and action will satisfy – if you are not too busy eye rolling like I was! 😉 🤡
August 18, 2020
4.0 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/Jb7RBxJZjz0
Murderous Clowns & Snarky Teenagers… all the elements you need for an awesome slasher horror movie. This book pretty much demands to be adapted.
I have previously read several of Adam Cesare’s other books and I am always impressed by his range as an author. No two of his books are quite the same and this newest one, once again, feels different feels different from the rest. I have really enjoyed his previous work, but I think this one might be his best. It’s certainly my personal favourite.
While this is classified as young adult, I can confidently say that this novel will appeal to a wider adult audience. Cesare avoids so many of the annoying tropes of the YA genre and instead presents a story that felt nuanced and mature. The teenage characters felt very realistic, but, thankfully, not in an annoying way.
The story started out slower, first establishing the group dynamics between the characters. Yet, soon enough, the action kicked off and it did not stop. The narrative was fast paced and easy to fly through. However, I did find myself wanting more explanation of the motivations behind the violence. I just never fully understood the motivations for the killings which left me a bit unsatisfied.
In terms of horror, this book delivers in the good. Despite being targeted at a young adult audience, the author does not hold back. If you have a fear of clowns, this novel could be absolutely terrifying. Even though I am not afraid of clowns, I still found the situations surrounding the clowns to be scary enough without that added phobia. This novel was gory and gruesome with some fantastic kill scenes. There were a couple of scenes I found legitimately scary. They were described vividly so that I could not help but imagine myself in those terrifying situations. Anyone who complains that YA horror plays it “too safe” should read this one.
The author clearly has a love of the horror genre and that shows through in his storytelling. This novel took many of the classic tropes of horror stories, but addressed them in some smart and thoughtful ways.
Needless to say, I would recommend this horro4 novel to a wide range of readers who enjoy a good slasher story with plenty of action and some good scares.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher, HarperCollins Canada.
Video Review: https://youtu.be/Jb7RBxJZjz0
Murderous Clowns & Snarky Teenagers… all the elements you need for an awesome slasher horror movie. This book pretty much demands to be adapted.
I have previously read several of Adam Cesare’s other books and I am always impressed by his range as an author. No two of his books are quite the same and this newest one, once again, feels different feels different from the rest. I have really enjoyed his previous work, but I think this one might be his best. It’s certainly my personal favourite.
While this is classified as young adult, I can confidently say that this novel will appeal to a wider adult audience. Cesare avoids so many of the annoying tropes of the YA genre and instead presents a story that felt nuanced and mature. The teenage characters felt very realistic, but, thankfully, not in an annoying way.
The story started out slower, first establishing the group dynamics between the characters. Yet, soon enough, the action kicked off and it did not stop. The narrative was fast paced and easy to fly through. However, I did find myself wanting more explanation of the motivations behind the violence. I just never fully understood the motivations for the killings which left me a bit unsatisfied.
In terms of horror, this book delivers in the good. Despite being targeted at a young adult audience, the author does not hold back. If you have a fear of clowns, this novel could be absolutely terrifying. Even though I am not afraid of clowns, I still found the situations surrounding the clowns to be scary enough without that added phobia. This novel was gory and gruesome with some fantastic kill scenes. There were a couple of scenes I found legitimately scary. They were described vividly so that I could not help but imagine myself in those terrifying situations. Anyone who complains that YA horror plays it “too safe” should read this one.
The author clearly has a love of the horror genre and that shows through in his storytelling. This novel took many of the classic tropes of horror stories, but addressed them in some smart and thoughtful ways.
Needless to say, I would recommend this horro4 novel to a wide range of readers who enjoy a good slasher story with plenty of action and some good scares.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher, HarperCollins Canada.
August 28, 2020
I’m surprised I found a book that could be more disappointing than Wonderland 🤷���️
So this book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and flopped just as hard as my other anticipated reads. Survivor Song, Wonderland, and now Clown in a Cornfield. Perhaps the biggest thing I’ve seen about this book is that it’s “Friday the 13th!” It’s “Halloween!” It’s “Scream!” Really it’s none of those things, except for maybe the bad parts. Flat teens who instead of being total horn dogs always have a keg on hand and throw parties every night like they’re a part of a frat house rather than high schoolers. The movie this book ACTUALLY is, well, if I tell you it’ll spoil the single plot point this book has. It’s a very famous movie...one with corn... I’ll put the title in a spoiler category:
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Children of the Corn. Literally Children of the corn. Same exact ideology except flipped. Instead of kids who don’t want to grow old since being an adult is “wrong”, it’s Trump supporters who kill the kids since being young makes you a slutty, disrespectful nuisance. Not surprised it’s this movie either.
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With that out of the way, let’s talk about this book...or what little there is to talk about.
First off the characters. They’re who you see in Friday the 13th or Sleepaway camp. Kids whose names you don’t know and only care to watch be slaughtered getting slaughtered. The difference between Clown in a Cornfield and these slashers is it’s fun to see the creative deaths. Jason’s kill with a sleeping bag? Iconic. Angela drowning a girl in an outhouse? Brutal. Random kids whose names you only learn after they’re dead getting shot by crossbows...and more crossbows...and more crossbows...and one chainsaw? Overdone at best. I wouldn’t have minded the flatness of everyone since they were all going to die anyway but they could’ve at least been killed in cool ways. When EVERYONE dies ALL AT ONCE in this one huge bloodbath THE SAME WAY I lose interest fast. Which brings me to my next point.
This book only has 2 acts. The start where you learn the names of your flat, drunk teens and then the one bloodbath. That’s it. Nothing else happens. There’s a single plot point that if you read my starred off section you already know. Aside from that? The book has no plot. It’s just a bunch of teens I didn’t even know most the names of dying in the same fashion in - you guessed it - a single cornfield. There’s a barn...though nothing significant happens there (Yeah there’s the part with the fire - all I’ll say here in case you actually want to read this - but you don’t see the inside of it...just hear people screaming and that’s it). There’s also a corn refinery where one short sequence happens and then the book moves onto its climax, which this entire section felt like. Just a first introductory act, then climax, then epilogue. You can’t tell me this book has a middle. There’s bloodbath in cornfield then it’s over.
Shamelessly segwaying over to my next point, this book moved way too fast. Maybe if the characters actually got some more page time before they died, or if when they were split up in the cornfield STUFF ACTUALLY HAPPENED I would’ve enjoyed this more. Instead it felt like out of nowhere people I’d just heard the name of were being shot with arrows and somehow I was supposed to care...? My favorite quote from this book is when one of the characters Cole - I had to write his name down because I would not have remembered it - said “We barely know her!” That was me. To everyone in this book. It flew through the intro then just skipped over the entire middle like the author couldn’t wait to kill everyone. Don’t get me wrong, I love gore. Like I said already, watching unlikable teens get slaughtered is always fun. But when all the unlikable teens are killed in the same exact way in the same exact spot I get bored really fast. Though there was one character where an attempt was made at making her “like able?” Who I’ll discuss now.
Quinn. The new girl to this small Mississippi or Missouri town - one of those two - who had to grow up to fast because her mother dies before the start of the book. She takes care of her dad, she critiques her “friends” for being teen slasher cliches, she drinks screwdrivers like no ones business while worrying about her friends also getting drunk, she has major anxiety issues but then blasts clown heads off with a rifle as soon as blood begins flowing, she acts like a total badass but don’t worry, she thinks to herself how wrong it is to be shooting people while shooting people who are trying to murder her. LONG STORY SHORT - Quinn makes no sense. She’s the mother of the group but also does all the “bad” activities she criticizes everyone for doing. She has anxiety but then no hesitation for killing people but then randomly the author throws in some BS line of “but when she shot the clown, she felt how wrong it was taking a human life...” like PICK SOMETHING. Is she a bad ass or is she riddled with anxiety? Is she the mother friend or a follower? Literally she just did whatever was needed to keep the blood flowing for that one section of the book and that was it. No one had any agency. I’ll end this by discussing the villains or “clowns” though I felt like the biggest clown for actually finishing this book.
So if you read my spoiler, you already know the reasoning behind the murdering so I won’t say it again in case you somehow want to still read this. I hated the villains. They could’ve worked. I would’ve loved them if they weren’t the dumbest people alive - which I mean they definitely are, but when you want me to be afraid of them in your book, you gotta give me something to fear. The epilogue of the book COMPLETELY UNRAVELS THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. I’m not even joking. The book literally says “even if they killed everyone, they still would’ve been caught because of x”. I’ll only say the thing that unravels everything is the most Boomer meme reason I’ve ever heard in my life. I actually laughed when I heard this. It was like I already didn’t feel scared about the villains and then this MAJOR SIMPLE THING gets revealed that 100% undermines the already undermined villains. Like OK THEN. Just disregard your only plot point why don’t you 🤷♂️
I know I said that was my last point but THIS NEEDS TO BE SAID. If you actually want to read this book, DO NOT BUY THE AUDIOBOOK. The “southern” accent done on all the male characters is a terrible Canadian one, and then for the females the narrator reads them like she’s about to start crying...even in the exposition, just straight up sounds like she’s about to burst into tears even though the most bad ass thing could be happening. Like when Quinn readies her gun for the first time, the narrator is on the verge of tears reading this attempt at a triumphant scene. Like WHAT? Am I supposed to be sad or feeling empowered? And are we in Canada or southern middle of nowhere America?
So in the end, I not only wasted an audible credit, but lost any and all brain cells I had remaining too. If you want to read a book about a bunch of nameless teens getting decimated in one fell swoop, then this book is for you. I personally couldn’t find any semblance of care for anyone in this book which is a shame. It raises some really good social commentary but then wastes that on flat as hell characters who even die before they get introduced. Like there was a whole group of kids whose names didn’t even get mentioned until Quinn found their dead bodies. Was I supposed to care about them after they were dead because I didn’t. I couldn’t even care for the ones still alive 🤷♂️ Same goes for the villains. Like I know these certain people get a lot of slack in real life but if you’re trying to make them into even worse villains than the news already says they are then at least give them some brain cells too. Like how can they orchestrate this whole bloodbath but have this one HUGE flaw in their plan that would’ve unraveled everything had they succeeded? Doesn’t make sense in the slightest. Don’t waste your time or money. Just watch the movie I already mentioned instead.
So this book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and flopped just as hard as my other anticipated reads. Survivor Song, Wonderland, and now Clown in a Cornfield. Perhaps the biggest thing I’ve seen about this book is that it’s “Friday the 13th!” It’s “Halloween!” It’s “Scream!” Really it’s none of those things, except for maybe the bad parts. Flat teens who instead of being total horn dogs always have a keg on hand and throw parties every night like they’re a part of a frat house rather than high schoolers. The movie this book ACTUALLY is, well, if I tell you it’ll spoil the single plot point this book has. It’s a very famous movie...one with corn... I’ll put the title in a spoiler category:
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*
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Children of the Corn. Literally Children of the corn. Same exact ideology except flipped. Instead of kids who don’t want to grow old since being an adult is “wrong”, it’s Trump supporters who kill the kids since being young makes you a slutty, disrespectful nuisance. Not surprised it’s this movie either.
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With that out of the way, let’s talk about this book...or what little there is to talk about.
First off the characters. They’re who you see in Friday the 13th or Sleepaway camp. Kids whose names you don’t know and only care to watch be slaughtered getting slaughtered. The difference between Clown in a Cornfield and these slashers is it’s fun to see the creative deaths. Jason’s kill with a sleeping bag? Iconic. Angela drowning a girl in an outhouse? Brutal. Random kids whose names you only learn after they’re dead getting shot by crossbows...and more crossbows...and more crossbows...and one chainsaw? Overdone at best. I wouldn’t have minded the flatness of everyone since they were all going to die anyway but they could’ve at least been killed in cool ways. When EVERYONE dies ALL AT ONCE in this one huge bloodbath THE SAME WAY I lose interest fast. Which brings me to my next point.
This book only has 2 acts. The start where you learn the names of your flat, drunk teens and then the one bloodbath. That’s it. Nothing else happens. There’s a single plot point that if you read my starred off section you already know. Aside from that? The book has no plot. It’s just a bunch of teens I didn’t even know most the names of dying in the same fashion in - you guessed it - a single cornfield. There’s a barn...though nothing significant happens there (Yeah there’s the part with the fire - all I’ll say here in case you actually want to read this - but you don’t see the inside of it...just hear people screaming and that’s it). There’s also a corn refinery where one short sequence happens and then the book moves onto its climax, which this entire section felt like. Just a first introductory act, then climax, then epilogue. You can’t tell me this book has a middle. There’s bloodbath in cornfield then it’s over.
Shamelessly segwaying over to my next point, this book moved way too fast. Maybe if the characters actually got some more page time before they died, or if when they were split up in the cornfield STUFF ACTUALLY HAPPENED I would’ve enjoyed this more. Instead it felt like out of nowhere people I’d just heard the name of were being shot with arrows and somehow I was supposed to care...? My favorite quote from this book is when one of the characters Cole - I had to write his name down because I would not have remembered it - said “We barely know her!” That was me. To everyone in this book. It flew through the intro then just skipped over the entire middle like the author couldn’t wait to kill everyone. Don’t get me wrong, I love gore. Like I said already, watching unlikable teens get slaughtered is always fun. But when all the unlikable teens are killed in the same exact way in the same exact spot I get bored really fast. Though there was one character where an attempt was made at making her “like able?” Who I’ll discuss now.
Quinn. The new girl to this small Mississippi or Missouri town - one of those two - who had to grow up to fast because her mother dies before the start of the book. She takes care of her dad, she critiques her “friends” for being teen slasher cliches, she drinks screwdrivers like no ones business while worrying about her friends also getting drunk, she has major anxiety issues but then blasts clown heads off with a rifle as soon as blood begins flowing, she acts like a total badass but don’t worry, she thinks to herself how wrong it is to be shooting people while shooting people who are trying to murder her. LONG STORY SHORT - Quinn makes no sense. She’s the mother of the group but also does all the “bad” activities she criticizes everyone for doing. She has anxiety but then no hesitation for killing people but then randomly the author throws in some BS line of “but when she shot the clown, she felt how wrong it was taking a human life...” like PICK SOMETHING. Is she a bad ass or is she riddled with anxiety? Is she the mother friend or a follower? Literally she just did whatever was needed to keep the blood flowing for that one section of the book and that was it. No one had any agency. I’ll end this by discussing the villains or “clowns” though I felt like the biggest clown for actually finishing this book.
So if you read my spoiler, you already know the reasoning behind the murdering so I won’t say it again in case you somehow want to still read this. I hated the villains. They could’ve worked. I would’ve loved them if they weren’t the dumbest people alive - which I mean they definitely are, but when you want me to be afraid of them in your book, you gotta give me something to fear. The epilogue of the book COMPLETELY UNRAVELS THEIR ENTIRE PLAN. I’m not even joking. The book literally says “even if they killed everyone, they still would’ve been caught because of x”. I’ll only say the thing that unravels everything is the most Boomer meme reason I’ve ever heard in my life. I actually laughed when I heard this. It was like I already didn’t feel scared about the villains and then this MAJOR SIMPLE THING gets revealed that 100% undermines the already undermined villains. Like OK THEN. Just disregard your only plot point why don’t you 🤷♂️
I know I said that was my last point but THIS NEEDS TO BE SAID. If you actually want to read this book, DO NOT BUY THE AUDIOBOOK. The “southern” accent done on all the male characters is a terrible Canadian one, and then for the females the narrator reads them like she’s about to start crying...even in the exposition, just straight up sounds like she’s about to burst into tears even though the most bad ass thing could be happening. Like when Quinn readies her gun for the first time, the narrator is on the verge of tears reading this attempt at a triumphant scene. Like WHAT? Am I supposed to be sad or feeling empowered? And are we in Canada or southern middle of nowhere America?
So in the end, I not only wasted an audible credit, but lost any and all brain cells I had remaining too. If you want to read a book about a bunch of nameless teens getting decimated in one fell swoop, then this book is for you. I personally couldn’t find any semblance of care for anyone in this book which is a shame. It raises some really good social commentary but then wastes that on flat as hell characters who even die before they get introduced. Like there was a whole group of kids whose names didn’t even get mentioned until Quinn found their dead bodies. Was I supposed to care about them after they were dead because I didn’t. I couldn’t even care for the ones still alive 🤷♂️ Same goes for the villains. Like I know these certain people get a lot of slack in real life but if you’re trying to make them into even worse villains than the news already says they are then at least give them some brain cells too. Like how can they orchestrate this whole bloodbath but have this one HUGE flaw in their plan that would’ve unraveled everything had they succeeded? Doesn’t make sense in the slightest. Don’t waste your time or money. Just watch the movie I already mentioned instead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2020
I have a huge fear of clowns, so this book truly creeped me out!
Although I do have a HUGE fear of clowns, I still really enjoyed this book. Yes, it did scare me, but I was still entertained! This book has the same vibes of classic slasher horror movies such as “Scream” and I think that’s one of the reasons I liked it so much. The only reason it wasn’t a full 5 stars for me, is due to it being slightly predictable.
Overall, I would recommend to any horror/slasher movie fans! I also did a reading vlog on my YouTube channel where I discussed my thoughts and me being scared by this book! You can check that out here: https://youtu.be/KkjqEK5fdco
Although I do have a HUGE fear of clowns, I still really enjoyed this book. Yes, it did scare me, but I was still entertained! This book has the same vibes of classic slasher horror movies such as “Scream” and I think that’s one of the reasons I liked it so much. The only reason it wasn’t a full 5 stars for me, is due to it being slightly predictable.
Overall, I would recommend to any horror/slasher movie fans! I also did a reading vlog on my YouTube channel where I discussed my thoughts and me being scared by this book! You can check that out here: https://youtu.be/KkjqEK5fdco
August 12, 2022
This was very well written and kept a good pace, right up to the bloody and brutal climax.
I really liked the heroine and the characters were interesting in general.
I got major Scream vibes. 🔪
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, I'll be looking into getting more.
I highly recommend to Slasher fans! 🤡
I really liked the heroine and the characters were interesting in general.
I got major Scream vibes. 🔪
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, I'll be looking into getting more.
I highly recommend to Slasher fans! 🤡
September 6, 2020
In the town of Kettle Springs Missouri, there's an abandoned factory with a big clown painted on the side. This lovely sight greets Quinn, as she looks out her bedroom window in their new home. Having lost her mother only a short time ago, Quinn promises her father she'll do her best to make a go of it in this new town, for his sake as well as her own. But something is wrong is this quiet town and it has to do with Frendo the clown. And cornfields. And twisted minds. If all this sounds good to you, you should pick up this book right now!
YA is totally not my thing, I prefer more adult themes and characters. However, this book won me over almost immediately. The only thing YA about it is the characters. This has all the gore and rip-roaring fun that clowns in a cornfield can offer. Clowns with machetes. Clowns with chainsaws. How much more fun could you want?
I think I'm going to leave it off here, because saying any more would give too much away. I especially enjoyed the epilogue and what that meant in terms of a possible sequel. I'm here to say: BRING IT ON! This was a fast paced, sometimes hilarious, often bloody and gory story and I had a blast with reading it.
Recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2Z8LFqf
*Thanks to Edelweiss for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.*
YA is totally not my thing, I prefer more adult themes and characters. However, this book won me over almost immediately. The only thing YA about it is the characters. This has all the gore and rip-roaring fun that clowns in a cornfield can offer. Clowns with machetes. Clowns with chainsaws. How much more fun could you want?
I think I'm going to leave it off here, because saying any more would give too much away. I especially enjoyed the epilogue and what that meant in terms of a possible sequel. I'm here to say: BRING IT ON! This was a fast paced, sometimes hilarious, often bloody and gory story and I had a blast with reading it.
Recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2Z8LFqf
*Thanks to Edelweiss for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.*
June 21, 2023
Story time! When I was very young, I made the mistake of watching the movie It on TV, not the fancy new ones, but rather the really cheap TV one with Tim Curry. And it may or may not have scarred me for life and started my feud against clowns. So, when I saw a book called Clown in a Cornfield, obviously I had to read it. This book was pretty great and a non-stop roller coaster from about 30% to the epilogue. Though if we’re comparing it to horror movies, then it’s more of a slasher flick than a supernatural horror like It was. Think Happy Death Day or Scream, rather than It or It Follows. The book only had one actual chapter that gave me the chills, but otherwise, it was a nice throwback to 70’s/80’s horror films.
Like mysteries, the horror genre has to adhere to certain tropes. Because of this, what separates a good one from a bad one is the characters. And honestly, I wasn’t expecting to like the characters from a book called Clown in a Cornfield as much as I did! I think the fact that it’s a 300+ page book really helps you to get to know these characters on a more personal level than if it were an hour-long movie. I was surprisingly gutted (haha get it) when a lot of the characters ended up dying! Real page-turner, this one.
The "Final Girl” trope has become kind of an antiquated trope and was only really created because movie writers in the 70’s believed that only women were capable of abject horror (which is obviously bullshit, anybody can be scared, also don’t quote me on that), but thankfully Quinn doesn’t fit the usual trappings of the trope. She’s resourceful, righteously indignant, and a good shot, which I think is very important when being chased by a clown with a chainsaw. She’s basically who you’d want to be if you found yourself in a horror movie. Personally, I wouldn’t be the Final Girl; I’d probably be the guy who would relentlessly doubt any weird stuff is going on and then gets killed at the end of the first act after telling everybody to split up. Anyway, this was thrilling and I can’t wait for the sequel!
Like mysteries, the horror genre has to adhere to certain tropes. Because of this, what separates a good one from a bad one is the characters. And honestly, I wasn’t expecting to like the characters from a book called Clown in a Cornfield as much as I did! I think the fact that it’s a 300+ page book really helps you to get to know these characters on a more personal level than if it were an hour-long movie. I was surprisingly gutted (haha get it) when a lot of the characters ended up dying! Real page-turner, this one.
The "Final Girl” trope has become kind of an antiquated trope and was only really created because movie writers in the 70’s believed that only women were capable of abject horror (which is obviously bullshit, anybody can be scared, also don’t quote me on that), but thankfully Quinn doesn’t fit the usual trappings of the trope. She’s resourceful, righteously indignant, and a good shot, which I think is very important when being chased by a clown with a chainsaw. She’s basically who you’d want to be if you found yourself in a horror movie. Personally, I wouldn’t be the Final Girl; I’d probably be the guy who would relentlessly doubt any weird stuff is going on and then gets killed at the end of the first act after telling everybody to split up. Anyway, this was thrilling and I can’t wait for the sequel!
January 18, 2021
CW: Violent gory deaths...lots of them!
Well I enjoyed this fun YA slasher horror!
Clowns and cornfields.
Both have frequently featured in horror books and movies and are super creepy. Kudos to Adam for successfully combining these two scary elements into a fast paced blood bath. The tension is built up nicely with an underlying sense of menace in the town, and then WHAM, it transitions into a thrilling action story with a lot of running, screaming, hacking and hiding. Surprisingly, we do actually get to know the characters quite well, and we also develop a good understanding of the atmosphere and conflict within the town. Highly entertaining!
Well I enjoyed this fun YA slasher horror!
Clowns and cornfields.
Both have frequently featured in horror books and movies and are super creepy. Kudos to Adam for successfully combining these two scary elements into a fast paced blood bath. The tension is built up nicely with an underlying sense of menace in the town, and then WHAM, it transitions into a thrilling action story with a lot of running, screaming, hacking and hiding. Surprisingly, we do actually get to know the characters quite well, and we also develop a good understanding of the atmosphere and conflict within the town. Highly entertaining!
January 27, 2020
I have to admit that when I heard Cesare had written a horror novel in the YA genre I was both hesitant and intrigued. I don't really read very much YA at all, but I love Cesare's work, so I was super excited to pick this one up when it was released. Needless to say, I was overjoyed when Cesare reached out to me and asked if I would like to read a review copy. I answered immediately.
Quinn Maybrook is the new kid in town. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Kettle Springs is way too country for her liking. But Quinn quickly makes friends when she is forced into detention with some of the other cool kids in her class. Founder's Day is coming up soon, and it's the biggest event in town. Everyone comes out to celebrate the town's mascot, Frendo the Clown. That's definitely a super creepy name for a clown, but I'm also wondering if it's a nod to the film No Country for Old Men. There are comparisons to be made between Anton Chigurh and Frendo the Clown, but I'll let the reader discover those.
The kids who received detention are not permitted to attend Founder's Day, but since it was just their teacher assigning the punishment all of them ignore him and go anyway. Something very unfortunate is planned by some of the kids, and this makes the Sheriff even more incensed toward the high schoolers, and one of the boys in particular. Cole likes the new girl Quinn, so he invites her to go to a barn party way out in the sticks the night after the Founder's Day debacle. She likes him too, and so they join most of their classmates in the revelry. Unfortunately, someone wearing the Frendo costume doesn't like the kids and their antics, and so he decides to crash the party and starting killing kids one by one. Before the night is over a bloodbath ensues, and some long buried secrets are revealed about Kettle Springs.
When the party starts and the carnage beings, this one really kicks into high gear. Kids are dropping like flies, and everyone is trying to hide to save themselves. The tension really ratchets up, and I found myself really rooting for the core group of kids to survive. There's lots of gore, and as the town secrets are revealed I was rooting for the kids even more. This one is just pure fun from start to finish. Perhaps I need to delve into some more YA horror, but I have a feeling that the appeal is Cesare's writing. Definitely pick this one up when it's released.
Quinn Maybrook is the new kid in town. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Kettle Springs is way too country for her liking. But Quinn quickly makes friends when she is forced into detention with some of the other cool kids in her class. Founder's Day is coming up soon, and it's the biggest event in town. Everyone comes out to celebrate the town's mascot, Frendo the Clown. That's definitely a super creepy name for a clown, but I'm also wondering if it's a nod to the film No Country for Old Men. There are comparisons to be made between Anton Chigurh and Frendo the Clown, but I'll let the reader discover those.
The kids who received detention are not permitted to attend Founder's Day, but since it was just their teacher assigning the punishment all of them ignore him and go anyway. Something very unfortunate is planned by some of the kids, and this makes the Sheriff even more incensed toward the high schoolers, and one of the boys in particular. Cole likes the new girl Quinn, so he invites her to go to a barn party way out in the sticks the night after the Founder's Day debacle. She likes him too, and so they join most of their classmates in the revelry. Unfortunately, someone wearing the Frendo costume doesn't like the kids and their antics, and so he decides to crash the party and starting killing kids one by one. Before the night is over a bloodbath ensues, and some long buried secrets are revealed about Kettle Springs.
When the party starts and the carnage beings, this one really kicks into high gear. Kids are dropping like flies, and everyone is trying to hide to save themselves. The tension really ratchets up, and I found myself really rooting for the core group of kids to survive. There's lots of gore, and as the town secrets are revealed I was rooting for the kids even more. This one is just pure fun from start to finish. Perhaps I need to delve into some more YA horror, but I have a feeling that the appeal is Cesare's writing. Definitely pick this one up when it's released.
October 23, 2020
It was entertaining, I’ll give it that. Otherwise the story took too long for me to get into, and the character motivations were questionable and flimsy at best.
July 22, 2022
I read this book in like ten seconds lol
This one gave me all of the old school slasher flick vibes and I NEED MORE!
This one gave me all of the old school slasher flick vibes and I NEED MORE!
June 3, 2024
I picked this up because it looked like a really cheesy horror - well it didn't disappoint. The characters were your typical horror victims and I loved them for it, they are arrogant, Childish and annoying as hell and fit perfectly with this story.
There was a lot of references made about current life/technology which made it feel very modern I think this will be a fun one to read in 20 years. Though this felt modern it had that cheesy 90's feel to it.
You can tell this is a YA horror because it didn't go all the way to revolting but the gore was still pretty good. I enjoyed the creepy/suspenseful moments in this book too. The plot was simple but effective I though although it was fairly obvious what was going on I loved the ride. There were some little surprises that did catch me off guard though which I fully appreciated. I would love to read from this author again!
There was a lot of references made about current life/technology which made it feel very modern I think this will be a fun one to read in 20 years. Though this felt modern it had that cheesy 90's feel to it.
You can tell this is a YA horror because it didn't go all the way to revolting but the gore was still pretty good. I enjoyed the creepy/suspenseful moments in this book too. The plot was simple but effective I though although it was fairly obvious what was going on I loved the ride. There were some little surprises that did catch me off guard though which I fully appreciated. I would love to read from this author again!
May 25, 2020
With an already impressive body of work to date, this is absolutely Adam Cesare's best, elevating and showcasing not just his own considerable talents, but elevating and showcasing the best of the modern horror resurgence. A loving homage to what has come before but absolutely cutting edge and shredding the old tropes. Plus, there's a vein of dark humor that runs throughout, and that just makes the terror all the more real. Highly, highly recommended.
September 1, 2021
A heart-pounding thrill ride full of grousome scenes and teenage angst. This tension fueled tale of survival horror is a must read.
October 17, 2023
Clown in a Cornfield was a fun one to read this spooky season!
The plot of the book:
Quinn and her father, Glenn Maybrook decide to make a fresh start when Quinn's mother passes away. They pull up their Philly roots and head to Kettle Springs, Missouri.
Kettle Springs is a small town that has an older population and community that’s been struggling since the main factory shut down. It’s a typical rural town with bored teenagers causing mischief and wanting to escape, and the adults that are annoyed with their attitudes and lack of respect.
I lived in a town that had a population of around 2200 so I could relate with most of the teenagers that lived in Kettle Springs, along with experiencing this type of pushback from the adults.
Overall thoughts:
Clown in a Cornfield is not YA even though the main characters are teenagers.
In my opinion, there’s too much blood, guts and total chaos to have it in this genre.
The plot had excellent evil clowns, gore and slasher fun, and some wild plot twists.
The book isn't long and the pace really ramps up when the teenagers get to the party set in a cornfield.
Not cliché at all but likely accurate! 🙃 hahaha
The overall conflict between the teenagers and Frendo, the mascot clown for Kettle Springs was a bloody good time!
I had to suspend a bit of disbelief with some moments in the book but that’s what you tend to do when watching a slasher film such as Halloween or A Nightmare on Elm Street.
If you can go into that type of mindset, I think you’ll be super entertained by this one!
The plot of the book:
Quinn and her father, Glenn Maybrook decide to make a fresh start when Quinn's mother passes away. They pull up their Philly roots and head to Kettle Springs, Missouri.
Kettle Springs is a small town that has an older population and community that’s been struggling since the main factory shut down. It’s a typical rural town with bored teenagers causing mischief and wanting to escape, and the adults that are annoyed with their attitudes and lack of respect.
I lived in a town that had a population of around 2200 so I could relate with most of the teenagers that lived in Kettle Springs, along with experiencing this type of pushback from the adults.
Overall thoughts:
Clown in a Cornfield is not YA even though the main characters are teenagers.
In my opinion, there’s too much blood, guts and total chaos to have it in this genre.
The plot had excellent evil clowns, gore and slasher fun, and some wild plot twists.
The book isn't long and the pace really ramps up when the teenagers get to the party set in a cornfield.
Not cliché at all but likely accurate! 🙃 hahaha
The overall conflict between the teenagers and Frendo, the mascot clown for Kettle Springs was a bloody good time!
I had to suspend a bit of disbelief with some moments in the book but that’s what you tend to do when watching a slasher film such as Halloween or A Nightmare on Elm Street.
If you can go into that type of mindset, I think you’ll be super entertained by this one!
June 18, 2023
Screaming Tension!
Small backstory:
Kettle Springs is a quite small town where everyone knows everyone, so when Doctor Maybrook and his daughter, Quinn move there it seems just to be the place for them to start over. Quinn seems drawn to some of the teenagers that like to cause trouble but it is more mischievous trouble than anything and when she ends up getting tossed out of class along with the new friends is when things go awry.
The town's mascot is Frendo the clown but when something dresses up like the clown and starts stalking the students at a party out in the cornfield is when things go south quickly. It turns into a survival of the fittest as the party goers have to endure Frendo!
That is about all I can give on a small backstory as if you want to know more than you will need to read the book!
Thoughts:
It has been a long time since I read a book by this author and this was a fun gory ride into the cornfield! The very beginning of the book is a little slow as Quinn and her father get settled into the town, but as soon the party gets started then the book picks up speed quickly. It goes from zero to sixty in seconds and I was having to buckle up for the ride of my life!
Lots of violent mayhem and pools of blood splash across the pages of this book as the pace of the book goes into overdrive! The tide turns quick in this book as the story goes from calm to a twisted mess of carnage right after the 30% mark and then stays at a high level of intensity throughout the remainder of the story not once letting up or slowing down! Another book to add to my favorites shelf and it is a perfect read for the Halloween season! Giving this book five "Crazy Creepy Clown" stars!
For digital artwork images of this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
Small backstory:
Kettle Springs is a quite small town where everyone knows everyone, so when Doctor Maybrook and his daughter, Quinn move there it seems just to be the place for them to start over. Quinn seems drawn to some of the teenagers that like to cause trouble but it is more mischievous trouble than anything and when she ends up getting tossed out of class along with the new friends is when things go awry.
The town's mascot is Frendo the clown but when something dresses up like the clown and starts stalking the students at a party out in the cornfield is when things go south quickly. It turns into a survival of the fittest as the party goers have to endure Frendo!
That is about all I can give on a small backstory as if you want to know more than you will need to read the book!
Thoughts:
It has been a long time since I read a book by this author and this was a fun gory ride into the cornfield! The very beginning of the book is a little slow as Quinn and her father get settled into the town, but as soon the party gets started then the book picks up speed quickly. It goes from zero to sixty in seconds and I was having to buckle up for the ride of my life!
Lots of violent mayhem and pools of blood splash across the pages of this book as the pace of the book goes into overdrive! The tide turns quick in this book as the story goes from calm to a twisted mess of carnage right after the 30% mark and then stays at a high level of intensity throughout the remainder of the story not once letting up or slowing down! Another book to add to my favorites shelf and it is a perfect read for the Halloween season! Giving this book five "Crazy Creepy Clown" stars!
For digital artwork images of this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
October 18, 2020
BRILLIANT! A young adult horror novel that is not afraid of the bloodshed.
Quinn moves with her father to Kettle Springs, a small town that is divided between old and new, and the appearance of a clown in a pork pie hat will change the lives of the teens of the town forever.
So much happens in this book that I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'm trying to be as vague as possible, but once certain events happen, things move at a break-neck speed and doesn't stop til the very end. Carnage. Bloodbath. It's everything for a horror fan. Not only that, but this is so well written and the tension was rife. This read like the best '90s slasher movie you could dream of.
Characters are also well done and I was rooting for so many to survive. Just pure fun and exactly what I needed to read this October. AND I read this while camping outside and it really added to the atmosphere. You can hear more of my thoughts in my reading vlog here: https://youtu.be/ARJPq4oyYhw
Quinn moves with her father to Kettle Springs, a small town that is divided between old and new, and the appearance of a clown in a pork pie hat will change the lives of the teens of the town forever.
So much happens in this book that I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'm trying to be as vague as possible, but once certain events happen, things move at a break-neck speed and doesn't stop til the very end. Carnage. Bloodbath. It's everything for a horror fan. Not only that, but this is so well written and the tension was rife. This read like the best '90s slasher movie you could dream of.
Characters are also well done and I was rooting for so many to survive. Just pure fun and exactly what I needed to read this October. AND I read this while camping outside and it really added to the atmosphere. You can hear more of my thoughts in my reading vlog here: https://youtu.be/ARJPq4oyYhw
January 19, 2021
Multiple murders but make it fun.
This combined all the best aspects of a teen slasher film into a literary format and whilst it didn't ever become chill-inducing for me, it remained a highly entertaining, action-focused, and binge-worthy read, throughout. I loved the small town setting, the endless murderous and blood-soaked scenes, and the concluding political focus that lent the narrative some depth. I doubt this will become my usual go-to genre, but it provided a nice change of pace from the multiple other slower and more atmospheric reads piling up on my 'currently reading' shelf.
This combined all the best aspects of a teen slasher film into a literary format and whilst it didn't ever become chill-inducing for me, it remained a highly entertaining, action-focused, and binge-worthy read, throughout. I loved the small town setting, the endless murderous and blood-soaked scenes, and the concluding political focus that lent the narrative some depth. I doubt this will become my usual go-to genre, but it provided a nice change of pace from the multiple other slower and more atmospheric reads piling up on my 'currently reading' shelf.
October 28, 2021
“All we have to do now is not die.”
All October I’ve been trying to find a real “slasher flick” type of read. I was hopeful that The Woods Are Always Watching would be the one to deliver, but sadly that wasn’t nearly as good as There’s Someone In Your House and so the search continued. When this selection popped up on the “Recommended to You” feature on my library’s app I decided to take a gamble. And it was EXACTLY what I was hoping it would be.
In the immortal words of Stefan . . .
The recently arrived new girl . . . .
The girl who rules the school . . . . .
The troubled hot guy . . . .
(Adam Cesare even gives the full on Jordan Catalano shout-out. He knows how to get us old broads invested.)
Stabby shenanigans centering around the town’s “Founder’s Day” celebrations . . . .
A culmination of events at the kegger of the year . . . .
And, of course . . . .
What more could you want? When it comes to me and books like this, I want them to play in my head like a movie while I’m reading. This did just that and would easily translate to the screen. The only thing else I could ask for? Well, like all good horror flicks – a sequel. And there’s room for one here ; )
All October I’ve been trying to find a real “slasher flick” type of read. I was hopeful that The Woods Are Always Watching would be the one to deliver, but sadly that wasn’t nearly as good as There’s Someone In Your House and so the search continued. When this selection popped up on the “Recommended to You” feature on my library’s app I decided to take a gamble. And it was EXACTLY what I was hoping it would be.
In the immortal words of Stefan . . .
The recently arrived new girl . . . .
The girl who rules the school . . . . .
The troubled hot guy . . . .
(Adam Cesare even gives the full on Jordan Catalano shout-out. He knows how to get us old broads invested.)
Stabby shenanigans centering around the town’s “Founder’s Day” celebrations . . . .
A culmination of events at the kegger of the year . . . .
And, of course . . . .
What more could you want? When it comes to me and books like this, I want them to play in my head like a movie while I’m reading. This did just that and would easily translate to the screen. The only thing else I could ask for? Well, like all good horror flicks – a sequel. And there’s room for one here ; )
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