The Ritual

Oh my gosh this was brilliant!

I have just DEVOURED this book and couldn't put it down! The basic premise of the book is four friends in their 30's have a bit of a reunion and go on a walking holiday in a remote part of Sweden and decide to take a short cut...

What follows is a really creepy novel about survival. Without getting into spoiler territory I find that Nevill lays his themes on thick but does so terribly effectively. Man vs. Nature, friendship vs. familiarity, what a modern life is, religion, fear of the past. One can always spot the themes but still they add to a richness of enjoying the novel.

There is nothing particularly original about the first half of the book but what it does, it does really well.

A prominent review states that this novel is sexist. I don't think there is anything wrong with that interpretation, however there is a counterpoint to consider - of the eight characters in the book, only one has any redeeming features - the rest are almost instantly dislikeable. Furthermore there are themes of messed up lives where no one 'looks good'. It isn't a 'hateful' novel by any means but does accentuate people's damaged relationships with their world.

Indeed there is one scene in particular that is absolutely intense in the sense that one cannot come back from it and it shatters friendship but as uncomfortable as it was to read it was exceptionally powerful, and a horrible character got what I as a reader wished upon him!

A criticism of Nevill's earlier novels is that they are slow burners and take a while to get going. Not so here - the chapters are short and end demanding you read on, the first half of the book is almost relentless in pushing the reader to carry on, to feel the terror and the isolation and increasing hopelessness of the character's situation. I felt lost and trapped with them and for the author to do this to me is a huge plus! Anyone who has got lost even if momentarily in a wild space will identify with this! Trees and weather have never been so threatening.

The book is divided into two halves (and I decided I was reading at least a 3 star book when I saw the book names - those who know will know!). If I have a criticism, it's that the two halves are a little disjointed, and the second half falters from time to time in pushing the 'well this is a bit fucked up' stakes.

The second half is BONKERS and I can't even begin to talk about it without getting into serious spoiler territory. What I can say is I had a grin on my face, punched the air and went 'wtf' more or less at the same time. It's also clear that reading the reviews an awful lot of people simply didn't 'get it' or understand the significance of elements of the second half, even seeing it as stupid. Whilst I don't share those views a lot of the themes in the second half do tie up to the first half but it does require some knowledge / understanding from the reader which 95% of the audience simply won't have. I see the significance of lots of the second half, but most people I know simply won't get it.

I've heard good things about the movie and may even watch it tonight but part of me thinks 'nah...it'll be too different'....

Great page turner, very scary and unsettling in the first half and over the top in the second, but perhaps a little disjointed with some minor pacing issues late on. Loved it