Bird Box by Josh Malerman

All of us should know what Bird Box is by now. Even if you have not seen the movie, you have seen the memes (they are pretty funny). Usually my rule is to read the book first, but I did not know that Bird Box was a book until I started watching the movie and Sandra Bullock had pulled me in. Another thing I did not know what that it is going to be a series with the second book, Malorie, coming out later this year. I am a little up in the air about if I will read it or not, but knowing me, I probably will.

(Source: Kelsey Darling)

Five years ago, the world went crazy, quite literally. If you see them, you are dead; if you do not, you just might survive. The thing is, no one who has survived these last five years knows who "they" are. At the start of the novel, Malorie is newly pregnant and must learn to depend on the strangers in a house that has thankfully taken her in, and together, they must try to survive. Five years later, everyone in the house except Malorie and her two children is dead, and Malorie has no choice but to leave the house in hopes of finding a sanctuary down the river-only it has been five years since she has had contact and they might now be there anymore.

Nothing is scarier than the thing you cannot see. It is what a lot of fears are based off of; the monster under the bed, the unknown diagnosis, the call coming from inside the house when you are supposed to be alone. What makes Bird Box scarier is if you see it, you go crazy and kill yourself and possibly take others down with you. The ones that do survive seeing these things are already crazy and behave almost as if they are in a cult. So the other survivors must not only fear opening their eyes, but the wrath of the believers. All of this is good in premise, but does not really pan out in a book. This is a rare statement, but I think it is a premise better saved for a movie or TV show.

(Source: Giphy)

I did enjoy the character development. I know the movie spans at least nine months or so because both Malorie and Olympia give birth, but in the movie, I feel like the character did not grow as characters. Malerman does a good job of showing how the characters are effected by the months of living inside or wearing blindfolds when going outside, essentially never seeing the sun; food is rationed; they have not taken proper baths or used a proper toilet; they talk to the same people day in and day out. Even as a reader, you feel a little stir crazy.

"Felix is taking the path toward the well. One of the housemates' six buckets hangs from his right hand. It's the wood one. The black iron handle makes it look old. It's heavier than the others, but Felix doesn't mind. Rather, he likes it. It keeps him grounded, he says. 

The rope is tied around his waist. The other end of it is tied to a steel stake in the dirt, just outside the home's back door. There is a lot of slack. Some of it rubs against his pant leg and his shoes. He worries about tripping over it, so, with his left hand, he lifts it and holds it away from his body. He is blindfolded. The pieces of old picture frames that outline the path let him know if he's walking too far to one side or another...

Jules has been talking since Felix started walking toward the well. It's the way the housemates do it. One fetches the water, the other lets him know how far he is from the house through his voice. Jules hasn't been saying anything in particular. Reciting grades he got in college. Listing off his first three jobs after he graduated. Felix can hear some words but not others. It doesn't matter. As long as Jules is talking, Felix feels a little less like he's out to see.

But not much less....

Above the well's open mouth is a wooden crossbar. At each end is an iron hook. This is why Felix likes bringing the wooden bucket when he goes. It's the only one that fits perfectly on the hooks. He ties the well rope to the bucket. Once it's secure, he rotates the crank, making the rope as taut as it can go. His hand free, he wipes them on his jeans.

Then he hears something move out there." (pp. 72-73)

However, the idea of a bird box was not as prevalent in the book. If I had not seen the movie, I do not think I would have understood the title.

Overall, the book was okay. I feel that if I had not seen the movie beforehand, I would not have understood as much, but there were definitely parts of the book that were stronger. Both book and movie had very different takes on the housemates and I liked both of them equally. The writing is wonderful. Malerman does a great job of describing what it is like to live blindly in a world where you should be able to see everything.

(Source: Giphy)

Rating: 5/10
Author: Josh Malerman
Series: Bird Box (Book 1 of 2)
Genres: Horror, Fiction, Dystopia
Dates Read: March 10-15, 2019