Review by stephanieramrie -- You, The People

[stephanieramrie]

[Following is a volunteer review of "You, The People" by Pablo Digenio.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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You the People is a horror, vignette-style book, featuring multiple characters. Each chapter follows a different character (all unrelated to each other), and their particular dark paths.

I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. The stories were original, albeit one-dimensional. The horror tone is a bit campy because of the way it was written. The prose wasn't impressive; it read like a dark children's novel. At times, the point of view shifted from third person, to directly addressing the audience, which threw me off.

I wouldn't give this book a rating lower than a 2, however, because I can understand the appeal. It is reminiscent of the Goosebumps books that I read as a kid, but darker. These stories would work amazingly as a graphic novel or as a comic book. What also worked well with this book was that the iconography of the characters made them memorable.

The reason why I wouldn't give this book a higher rating was because at times, it felt like it relied too much on imagery. I mentioned earlier that it was at times a bit campy. The simple writing style made it so that the stories couldn't be taken too seriously. The cheerful, excessively repetitive phrases were tip-toeing into a comedic tone, which can really downplay the scariness of a horror story. Although the stories were mean to be short, the arc of the characters could have been more complex. I felt that all the vignettes were mostly just action, like a timeline of events rather than a combined universe that connected all of these characters. However, I do understand that they are all connected by the themes, morals, or outcomes of their storylines.

This would definitely appeal to young horror fans, or people who may want to start somewhere in the horror genre. Every story gets more sinister, and the outcomes are satisfying. I found myself grimacing at the goriness of one of the stories. All in all, this was an entertaining read!

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You, The People
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