Review – Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig (E-book)

mockingbird-72dpi I think I may officially be a Chuck Wendig fan boy. I’ve reviewed Double Dead and Bait Dog and they both got glowing reviews. I read his blog and follow him on Twitter. All of this and I still managed not to realize that the book I’m reviewing today, Mockingbird, is in fact the SEQUEL to Blackbirds. I bought it, read it, and imagine my surprise at the end where he thanks people for reading and reviewing Blackbirds and making Mockingbird possible. D’OH! I’ll rectify that by buying and possibly reviewing it. So on with the review of this book.

Synopsis: Miriam is trying. Really, she is.

But this whole “settling down thing” that Louis has going for her just isn’t working out. She lives on Long Beach Island all year around. Her home is a run-down double-wide trailer. She works at a grocery store as a check-out girl. And her relationship with Louis–who’s on the road half the time in his truck–is subject to the piss and vinegar Miriam brings to everything she does.

It just isn’t going well. Still, she’s keeping her psychic ability–to see when and how someone is going to die just by touching them–in check. But even that feels wrong somehow. Like she’s keeping a tornado stoppered up in a tiny bottle.

Then comes one bad day that turns it all on her ear.

This is either the best synopsis or the worst. If it’s the best it’s because even thought I’ve read the book, it makes me want to read the book again. If it’s the worst it’s because you have no idea what happens in this book. Of course, if you’re a fan of the writer or have read the first one, you might have a few guesses. People die messily. The main character and every other character that lives gets FUCKED WITH BIG TIME. It ends badly for almost everyone. You laugh your butt off at least a half dozen times (if you have a sense of humor like me). You cringe at least twice that much. (In addition to the synopsis this may also be part of the review.)

More specifically, Miriam’s boyfriend Louis tells Katey, a teacher friend of his, about Miriam’s unique gift. Katey wants to know when and how she dies. In the process of answering the question, Miriam uncovers a series of grisly murders that will be happening in the near future. She feels the need to prevent them and gets embroiled in a weird ass show down.

If you like your fiction extra dark written by an author who seems to revel in making you squirm then this book is well worth checking out. If you haven’t read the first one then perhaps you should, but I didn’t and had no problem catching up with the program. Miriam isn’t a very likable character and yet I found myself drawn to her. That takes some mad skillz. The rest of the characters are quite a bit more likable but I didn’t see nary a one stereotype or cardboard cutout. Since, for me, character is the most important bit in storytelling I give this five out of five raven’s wings.

Mockingbird on Amazon
Chuck’s Website