Review of Misery Loves Company

[Stella Bai]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Misery Loves Company" by Paul Marino.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Paul Marino’s Misery Loves Company is about a man named Dan who joins a support group for serial killers. The story begins with his first meeting with the members of the group. Dan’s interactions with the group give insights into the minds of serial killers and also about himself.

I like this book because of its psychological depth. It provokes a lot of questions in the minds of the reader, and it is also very existential in the sense that it makes you question the purpose of existence.
Although it is a very short read, the book leaves you with a never-ending ocean of questions but no answers, which I attribute to the fact that it was too short. I think the questions it evokes need exploring; right now, it feels a little underdeveloped. Dan needs more character building. It would make a great novel, rather than a novella.

Apart from that, I really liked the author’s writing style. The book has a suspenseful plot and keeps you on your toes. It is engaging, and I love it.

The characters are all well-written and multi-dimensional to the point that you feel sympathetic towards heinous criminals. He paints an ugly picture of life using a macabre narrating style, and his narrator, Dan, is also a miserable person. The whole book is quite bleak, and what little humour it has is from the twins, who are also a part of the serial killer’s support group. I rate it 3 out of 4 since there is always room for improvement. It is a great book, minus the fact that it would give you an existential crisis if you think too much about it.

It would be a great read for people who are into psychological thrillers. I do not recommend this for children or people who do not like reading about violence, because it is disturbing and goes into depth about a lot of violent acts.

******
Misery Loves Company
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon