NormalAuthor: Graeme Cameron
Published by: MIRA
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Format: eARC
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher
This is a love story. No, really.He lives in your community, in a nice house with a well-tended garden. He shops in your grocery store, bumping shoulders with you as you pass him and apologizing with a smile. He drives beside you on the highway, politely waving to let you into the lane ahead of him.What you don't know is that he has an elaborate cage built into a secret basement under his garage. And the food that he's carefully shopping for is to feed a young woman he's holding there against her will--one in a string of many, unaware of the fate that awaits her.This is how it's been for a long time. It's normal...and it works. Perfectly.Then he meets the checkout girl from the 24-hour grocery. And now the plan, the hunts, the room...the others. He doesn't need any of them anymore. He needs only her. One small problem--he still has someone trapped in his garage.Discovering his humanity couldn't have come at a worse time.
Hell yes! Normal is a total win. I had high hopes for this book and it totally lived up to them.
I can’t help it, I love getting the story from the serial killer’s perspective. It’s friggin’ disturbing, yet completely fascinating. And it’s definitely 100% entertaining.
Normal is told from the main character’s perspective. What’s really cool about this is the fact that we never know the narrator’s name or age. There are little references that kind of narrow it down, but it comes down to him being faceless to us. He could be anyone … any regular, normal guy you pass on the street. Or date. Or live next to. Or work with. You get the idea.
I’m not going to get into details about what transpires, because there’s more to it than a serial killer falling in love. It gets … complicated. Yes, he starts having feelings for a woman and seems to start growing a conscious, but there’s a lot more to it. The more he tries to be normal, the more things get out of control. And the woman he already has locked away? Hahaha … I don’t even know what to say without spoiling it. But I will say that I love her. A lot. I had a strong feeling early on it would go the way it did, and I got the biggest kick out of it!
Listen, our guy is a sick fuck. Seriously. I mean, he kills and cannibalizes women; locks them in a cage and plays ‘games’ with them. Yet, you can’t help but to start feeling for him at times. That sounds ridiculous, but I swear, it’s in the most amusing way. I know this probably sounds wrong, but I laughed a lot throughout this book. It has that dark humor I love so much, and our guy finds himself in some crazy situations.
That’s what I love about Normal, it has an amazing balance of being disturbing and humorous – two of my favorite things. This took me on a deliciously creeptastic ride of insanity that I couldn’t get enough of. Should I seek therapy for enjoying it so much? Probably. But I don’t care! Give me more!
So yes, obviously Normal is a home run for me. And yes, you need to read it!
Jesus!!! Would you stoppe it!! I need to run to audible again! LOL. You got me at plays with them in the cage…LOL. I don’t know what it’s about these stories, but I’m glad you find them 😉
After reading YOU, I crave this type of book. It’s so fucked up and I love it!
I here to report that sadly the narrator for this was just wrong! I loved the story but this is going on my list of “better off read” I was mad!…LOL Is an English guy, but he’s reading was too clinical,he wans’t a good reader at all. I wanted someone like the guy in YOU, who really knew how to bring the esscence of the book to life 🙁
Thanks for lsitening!
Oh no, that sucks. I only listened to 30-40 seconds of the sample and thought he sounded great. BUT, I didn’t get to hear him for the parts that really matter, so I don’t know. That’s too bad. Glad you loved the story though.
Oh.my.god. Are you serious? XD ahahahha… I don’t know if this is the right book more me. Hmm, nope. It would freak me out so so much! I mean, I don’t ever read horror books so, this, too much I think. I don’t know, maybe someday? Thanks for the review though!! 😀
*snort* Aw, c’mon … give it a try. lol.
Holy shit. The moment I finished writing your review, I immediately went on Netgalley to see if it were still there and lo and behold, it still is, and you know what I did?! I requested that faster than you can blink. THIS SOUNDS AMAZING AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY FANTASTIC. I would love to read the mind of a serial killer. Not that I condone the things they do, but sometimes, it makes for a really interesting read, and an interesting book is what I desperately need right now!
Mwahahaha … oh goodie! I can’t wait to see what you think of it.
This sounds fantastic, Christy! I love how psycho the guy is and I think I would really enjoy this one for the psychological thriller part of it. And eww cannibalizing women! I’m in for a wild ride it seems!!
Wonderful review!
It is for sure an interesting read.
This sounds dark and quirky and more than a little strange, but I find myself entirely too curious to not give it a try Christy! I love when an author makes me feel for someone who by all rights should be entirely black and white with no shades of gray. Fantastic review!
I hope you try it, Jenny!
That’s funny, I’ve just remembered what Jess said about T.J. (in when Joss met Matt), that serial killers always look so normal, lol ! That story looks crazy and dark humor appeals to me, so thanks very much for sharing, looks like I’ll be reading another one of your recs 😉
LOL – omg, that’s funny. Poor TJ just wanted to be punched in the dick! 😀 I’m sure you’ll enjoy this.
Hmm… I am always so fascinated by serial killers and I would have jumped on this in a heartbeat in my twenties, but now days, I get creeped out easier, and so I am on the fence. I think I could handle it with the humor. Kind of like the Jasper Dent books.
In the Jasper Dent books it mostly has comic relief with the friend. This is more along the lines of dark and ironic humor, and he is a smartass with the authorities.
I know exactly what you mean and I am glad that I am not the only one that feels this way! It is weird being in their minds but always so fascinating! It was why I feel in love with Mary Higgins-Clark in high school, she always gave chapters with the killer’s POV and I loved it, so eerie!
Lol – We’re sick puppies.
Sad but true.
This sounds twisted…and I love twisted.
Yeah, you need to read this one.
I’m getting the creeps even reading the synopsis. Sounds dark but I love the sound of that humour too.
It is creepy and oh, sooo good. 😀
Oh I love the twist that you are in the sickos mind. I think that is why we are usually not so we don’t have any feels for the guy. Curious just because of that twist. Brilly review. I think I need this one.
Yesss … you need to experience the sicko. lol.
Okay, I would normally say this isn’t my kind of read but the style of this sounds like it’s not really THAT dark. The fact that it’s funny and how it’s done appeals to me. At least if I’m understanding correctly. I also love when someone you feel you should hate kind of grows on you. And that’s the sign of a really good author too. I think I have to read this!
Well, it isn’t a comedy, but it has dark humor and that ironic kind of funny. Then again, I might be the only one who finds humor in it. lol.
I love Dark, nefarious, thrillers like this. Adding to The List!
Wow! I know you love these reads, but this seems like something else! Great review girl!
YAY, this one sounds like a winner<3 I'm hoping to check it out sometime soon, so hope it will work out for me too 🙂 Fantastic review.
sound like a good book, happy to see you enjoyed it 😀
I still have yet to read YOU, because I am waiting to buddy read it with a friends but I am so psyched. I have never read a love story from the perspective of a psychopath.. I totally love cannibal serial killers in my fiction. I dunno why, It’s sick but they are so damn fascinating …. I need to get this book!!!
Ha! This sounds all kinds of twisted and creepy, but it does have me very curious. Great review Christy!
[…] Christy loved it too! See? Now you gotta read it! […]
FUCK!!!! I need to read this now. Like my skin itches with anxiety because I need to read it so bad. This is so my book it’s not even funny. So happy it was that fucking awesome.
You talked me into it. I’ve got to read this book!