"Have you ever read a horror book where grief or guilt was the real monster? Which one?"
Name of Book: The Staircase in the Woods
Author: Chuck Wendig
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 29 April 2025
No. of Pages: 385
Format: Digital
Five high school friends, bonded by an oath to protect each other no matter what.
On a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something extraordinary: a mysterious staircase to nowhere
One friend walks up – but never comes back down.
Now twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared, and the friends return to find the lost boy – and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods…
Chuck Wendig is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Aftermath, as well as the Miriam Black thrillers, the Atlanta Burns books, and the Heartland YA series, alongside other works across comics, games, film, and more. A finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer and the cowriter of the Emmy-nominated digital narrative Collapsus, he is also known for his popular blog, terribleminds.com, and his books about writing. He lives in Pennsylvania with his family.
My Opinion
The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig sets out to be a horror story with psychological depth, but ultimately, it doesn't deliver on its eerie promise. The premise is intriguing and the writing is solid, but the horror element is understated and, at times, nearly absent. The narrative dives deep into the psychological issues of the characters, offering layers of emotional and mental turmoil, which might appeal more to fans of slow-burn psychological fiction than traditional horror enthusiasts.
Throughout the book, I kept anticipating a build-up of spine-chilling tension or a sudden shock, but the scares never quite arrived. The atmosphere had potential, with an unsettling setting and a mysterious tone, but it lacked the urgency or dread that marks a truly terrifying read. Even the climax, which aimed to be creepy and thought-provoking, came a bit too late and didn’t feel powerful enough to revive the slow pace that dominated most of the story.
While the book attempts to explore deeper emotional and mental struggles, it loses the horror grip along the way. For readers expecting a haunting tale with disturbing elements and terrifying moments, The Staircase in the Woods might fall short of expectations.
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