Pin

“Brother, Sister, Madness, Sin, Now the Terror Will Begin...” Probably the most accurate tag line I've ever read on a book. This is a 5 star read in terms of compelling storytelling, but be warned that this “paperback from hell” is filled with total depravity. If you're someone who wouldn't read a book due to something you read in a content warning, skip this one. This isn't gatekeeping, seriously, it's got every kind of immoral, objectionable, inappropriate, and triggering content I can think of. It's weird and gross, but also kind of good...? About this book penned in 1981 by Andrew Neiderman (an author who also wrote numerous books under the pseudonym V.C. Andrews), Grady Hendrix says: “If you're a completely insane lunatic shut-in with ice water in your veins and screaming bats inside your skull, this would be paradise” (Paperbacks from Hell 143). I can't put it any better than that. While I might recommend readers pick up one of Hendrix's books instead of this revolting story, those who are determined to read PIN may find it expertly paced and even delightfully suspenseful toward the end. Frankly I enjoyed this book, even if I'm ashamed of the fact that I did. Although my initial impulse was to rate this 3/5 due to the content, after discussing this book with others in a book club with the Howl Society I decided to elevate my rating to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. While much of the content made me uncomfortable and was genuinely disturbing and gross, this was likely the author's intention and I don't want to poorly rate a book for effectively doing what it set out to do. The protagonist is an interesting character, even if the choices he makes in this horror novel are, well...horrifying. I had fun reading this book, even if it's not the kind of thing I usually read and wouldn't readily recommend it to others unless I knew they were into paperbacks from hell.

This book should only be read by readers 18 years of age or older.