To even pretend to do things like that? Grab a copy and get ready to turn those pages. American author Kea Wilson View all 13 comments. Feb 19, Esil rated it liked it Shelves: netgalley. I truly don't know how to rate this book or what to say about it. The story is weird and the story telling is even weirder. I didn't dislike it.
I didn't want to stop reading it -- in fact I felt kind of riveted -- like looking at an accident about to happen -- or is it happening -- you don't want to see it but you can't turn away. I didn't know what was going on much of the time -- but I think that was the point. I really didn't like any of the characters -- but I can't imagine I was supposed to like them. I had to look up the author's photo to double check that she was in fact a young women -- because it's hard to imagine that someone that young would write such an odd twisted tale.
Did I whet your appetite or turn you off? A bit of both, I'm guessing which is pretty much how I feel after reading this one. I need a shower -- but once I'm done I might have to start from the beginning again to see if I understand what happened any better a second time round. By the way, I'm not going to bother trying to describe the plot -- you can read the GR blurb for what it's worth if you're really curious. Thank you -- I think -- to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read an advance copy.
View all 50 comments. Dec 15, Janie C. I was thoroughly impressed with this novel. It was hard for me to believe that it was the author's first. I relished the way it was written, in second person and lacking quotation marks. The language was straightforward and unadorned. Which is ironic, because the main theme throughout this book is acting.
There are different scenarios that we follow. First, we encounter an erratic and unconventional director shooting a horror film in the Colombian jungle. We are introduced to the various I was thoroughly impressed with this novel. We are introduced to the various cast and crew members, seeing the events from each of their perspectives.
Virtually alongside this story there is another that follows a small group of young Colombians who have joined the M guerilla movement.
Identity is questioned and examined throughout the book. There is a difference between an alias and a pseudonym. An alias is who you become, while a pseudonym is a name that you will give up under pressure. The young rebels go through traumatic experiences to learn who they really are. The actors go through a similar process. As they find out, "there are many monsters secreted deep inside, and acting is simply about giving them the aperture to slip through and show themselves.
Highest recommendations. Many thanks to my friend Edward Lorn for reading this book with me. View all 11 comments. Dec 16, Edward Lorn rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Film buffs and fans of dread. Three things to note before we go into this review: 1.
There are no quotation marks in this novel. I know that pisses some of you off, and I wanted to save you the trouble. That being said, it is at all times clear who is speaking. Not once did I have to backtrack to figure out who was saying what.
This book is fucking expensive for a debut novel in ebook form. For fuck's sake, you can buy the hardcover Three things to note before we go into this review: 1. For fuck's sake, you can buy the hardcover on Amazon which I did for less than three dollars more at least right now you can , and I gotta wonder if the publisher isn't setting this book up to fail.
Knowing the industry like I do, I see no reason this ebook couldn't be three to four dollars cheaper. That being said, Doubleday isn't going to listen to me. It might go on sale, but likely not before Wilson's next release. The book is written out of order and pieced together, much like the subject matter it is based on. With that in mind, I think this book's conclusion might lose some of its punch if you know the story behind the infamous film Cannibal Holocaust.
I honestly thought the twist was going to be something different from reality, but it was pretty spot on. This didn't necessarily detract from my enjoyment overall, but it was a mite disappointing. Did I enjoy myself? Fuck yeah, I did. The story is engaging and told out of sequence and absolutely beautifully written. Kea Wilson confuses and unsettles masterfully. There's one scene where a man is rushed out of a hotel room.
That's all that happens. He is rushed out of bed and into a car, but the scene is harrowing, like being caught up in a tornado and not knowing where you will land. I was short of breath reading it. Dread is a key element of this book, and if you like your horror to make you feel uneasy, Wilson definitely delivers.
Because we're dealing with the filming of a movie, I never quite knew what was real and what wasn't, but even the bits done with special effects are disturbing to the point of stomach churning. Wilson has a gift for describing things, but she can also take you out of the story with her descriptions. At least she did for me. I couldn't bring to mind the exact smell of "wet rope". There were other things I couldn't parse because I was unacquainted with the item in the simile, but they were few and far between.
You may know right off what wet rope smells like. I, however, do not. Sue me. My favorite character overall is the Actor. I capitalize that because you will come to know him by a few names. His sections are written in second-person present-tense point of view, while the other characters are written in third-person present-tense and omniscient POVs. Suffice it to say, you won't read anything else like it this year, especially since there's only 15 more days left in I thought I was going to give this to Irena because of how crazy and motivated she was throughout the book, but I came to truly care for Marina in such a short time and her story is the pivot point on which this tale balances.
Without her, there is no book. Marina was also the culprit behind some unbidden tears. Suddenly I was crying, and I'm not sure why. Her one and only chapter really spoke to me. I think it was the whole fish-out-water theme. Being stuck somewhere and being out of options. Her chapter is probably my favorite in the book. In summation: I liked much about Kea Wilson's debut, but it was not without its few problems. I look forward to reading more from this author, and would like to see what she does with a tale all her own.
One final word of warning: if you go into this expecting a straight-forward cannibal horror novel, you will be disappointed.
The title is figurative, not literal. Final Judgment: High in protein, low in fat. View all 10 comments. Written in second person POV--in my opinion, a very difficult technique to pull off successfully in this genre--I found it very unique, and the writing style very impressive overall.
This story was inspired by an Italian cult film, Cannibal Holocaust, which I "had" to look up immediately after reading this. We have our--possibly psychotic--director, Ugo Vellato, who decides to film a horror movie in the jungles of Columbia during a very tumultuous time in its political history.
After one American actor quits, an "unknown" replacement--who never gets to set eyes on the script--is shipped off with vague promises of fame and fortune. All we know him by is his character's name, Richard. In a daring display of novelty, Wilson keeps us in the dark about what is happening in the movie, along with our American protagonist.
The novel is layered with various groups, characters, the dangers of the jungle, itself, and basic "human nature" that leads us down paths we might never have consciously chosen. While seemingly unconnected, it was astonishing to me to see how well all of these independent factions, in fact, fed off of each other the entire way.
Many of Richard's sections would begin with the simple sentence: "Here is something you don't know:". This style served to drive home more definitely the fact that the characters are as clueless as to what's happening, as we are while reading about their exploits. Overall, a very daring and original new take on the horror novel.
We are not meant to stay in moments like these, all that hate hung in the air. It is why we watch horror movies.
Its huge cult following and legacy as a definitive film in the exploitation horror genre notwithstanding, I already know that kind of movie is not my bag, and my queasiness from viewing its Wikipedia page alone is confirmation enough of that.
And yet, when I saw the description of this book I was immediately intrigued, especially by the part about the story being inspired by the true events surrounding the making of the film. We Eat Our Own is essentially the novelized incarnation of that story. The rest of the crew are already shooting in the Amazon rainforest, and production is already behind schedule and over-budget.
The director is a nutcase, who seems to be making things up as he goes along. Many of his methods are unorthodox and unethical, especially when it comes to the treatment of animals on set as well as his attitudes towards the native extras. There is no script, not enough set materials, and hardly any safety. The jungle itself is oppressive, the air hot and wet, the river brown and soupy and full of parasites. Despite the hours of acting classes and theater school, nothing could have prepared our main character for any of this.
The prose is innovative and ambitious, bordering almost on experimental. As well, we bounce between points-of-view, making the narrative as a whole feel somewhat disjointed and choppy. Dialogue is also presented without the traditional quotation marks, and tends to run together.
The real kicker though, is that while I could grasp the overall gist of what the author was attempting to do, the unusual style sadly had the effect of alienating the reader, taking a lot away from the impact she was hoping to convey.
The philosophy and social commentary also gets lost in all the muddled narratives and side plots, and the problem is compounded when none of the characters are all that likeable though in all fairness, this is by design or sympathetic enough for me to care about them.
Readers of more traditional horror on the other hand, though, are likely better off looking elsewhere. View 2 comments. Kea Wilson can write. Her style is unique. It took a moment to get used to, but her writing was so well crafted, that after the first chapter or two, instead of being a distraction it really held it together despite the back and forth narrative and jumping timelines. The opportunity of a lifetime.
Richard getting the lead role. What could possibly go wrong? No script, M resistance compadr Kea Wilson can write. No script, M resistance compadres, a director going off the rails, some missing kilos, headless turtles, snuff trials, brainless spider monkeys and bloodthirsty cannibals in a hive tree.
There may be a few issues. A damn good debut effort and an overall solid novel. I am very interested to see what Kea comes up with next. Bring it. That was one brutal mother fucker of a movie. I can see why it was riddled in controversy and banned in several countries. View all 4 comments. Sep 20, Blair rated it really liked it Shelves: release , read-on-kindle , historical , first-novels. So I completely misunderstood what this book was: I'd seen it labelled as horror and just dived straight in assuming it was going to be horror.
It is, in fact, probably better described as literary suspense. My misunderstanding arose from the fact that it's about the making of a horror film; the author has said it's based on the story behind Cannibal Holocaust, and it does indeed bear a similarity to the events surrounding that film. Led by an eccentric Italian director, a group of inexperienced So I completely misunderstood what this book was: I'd seen it labelled as horror and just dived straight in assuming it was going to be horror.
Led by an eccentric Italian director, a group of inexperienced actors and crew make camp in the Colombian jungle, knowing little about the movie they are about to make. Some of those involved with the film get unwittingly caught up in the machinations of a local drug cartel and a band of inexpert revolutionaries, with inevitably bloody consequences.
Meawhile, flash-forwards to scenes in which the director is on trial suggest some of the cast may have come to harm during the production. We Eat Our Own is one of those unrelentingly tense books that has you biting your nails all the way through but somehow proves unmemorable afterwards.
Once I got over the disappointment of it not being horror, I really enjoyed it, but the atmosphere — humid forest, sludgy rivers, a constant, non-specific threat of danger — has stayed with me more vividly than the story or characters.
TinyLetter Twitter Instagram Tumblr Dec 23, Paul rated it it was amazing. This novel is brilliant. A book about violence both real and imagined and so dark, weird, human, and beautifully written. One of the best of View 1 comment. Oct 07, Sadie Hartmann rated it really liked it. I like to abandon all my review copies and reach back into the archives of horror fiction to catch up on some previously released titles that I might have missed.
This book was Kea Wilson's debut novel in It looks like she hasn't released anything else since. I was enticed to read this book because of the synopsis and some hype from other readers. There are several POVs each identified in the chapter heading by name and location. The best storyline is that told in a second-person POV. The style is so fresh and so "in the moment" that is draws the reader into the utter chaos and confusion "you" are experiencing as this young, desperate actor throwing all caution and red flags into the wind to chase this dream of making it big in Hollywood.
It's clear, right away, that "you" don't know anything as the narrative also includes some asides to the reader that start off, "Here's what you don't know". I hung on every word of this narrative.
So totally immersive and unsettling. We also get to observe events as they unfold through the eyes of some other major players: A couple in a relationship who work in special effects. A young actress from another country who seems reckless and self-sabotaging. Members of a drug cartel. Members of the cast and crew who are Italian and more but none of this is confusing. It's a large cast, for sure, but somehow--Kea Wilson keeps everything neat as a pin and straight as an arrow.
Nothing is muddled or unintentional. The suspense just builds and builds and builds. I can't even begin to explain how totally helpless I felt, reading the plight of the individuals filming this movie in the jungle with this Italian director who seems hellbent on being as shocking and close to reality as possible.
It's hard to tell, as you're reading, what is really happening and what is actually just impromptu special effects. Breaking up all the real-time POV are some cut-aways to a courtroom drama where it appears the Italian director is being tried for something that happened on set--this gives the reader even EXTRA anxiety. It reminded me of reading THE RUINS-all these people tromping around in a hostile environment seemingly unaware of how their lives hang in the balance.
I enjoyed it. My only complaint is that I wanted things to go off the rails. It certainly felt like the climax would go there but I must admit I was a little disappointed.
But that's just a minor drawback because really, the fun was in the journey--not the destination. Apr 23, The Behrg rated it it was amazing Shelves: 5-star-reads , favorites , net-galley-books. Here's something you won't know until you read this book: how an author can simultaneously break all the conventional rules and yet tie it all together in a package so alarmingly distinct, you wonder why other authors haven't already done this. Here's something else you won't know: how much you are going to enjoy this.
A highly original voice, the shocking yet effective and ap Here's something you won't know until you read this book: how an author can simultaneously break all the conventional rules and yet tie it all together in a package so alarmingly distinct, you wonder why other authors haven't already done this. A highly original voice, the shocking yet effective and appropriate use of second person POV, a gritty and realistic setting, characters so flawed they could be any one of us, and prose so fresh it reads as if you're discovering a new language.
The fact that this novel is a debut work is mind-boggling, to say the least. To me this read like something Cormac McCarthy would wish he had written. An Italian art film being shot in the jungles of the Amazon by a psychotic director who wants the audience to "feel" the movie. An American actor thrown into the mix without a script, without a clue, and without much chance of survival.
Guerillas soldiers, who are really kids, attempting to secure their country and fight for the Columbia they dream of. Drug trafficking, native Indians, cannibalism, and an Italian actress who unintentionally drives these separate worlds into a fatal collision course. My greatest fear as I dove into this novel was that the ending wouldn't live up to the rest of the story, that it would go down the tired and worn path of expectation.
Happy to say that wasn't the case, and the climax makes the journey all that more palatable. A bloody and brilliant piece of literary work, "We Eat Our Own" is officially my favorite read of so far, at least. Admittedly, this is a novel not everyone will "get," but it's a novel that deserves to be read, studied, and shared.
And remember: "There's no such thing as murder in the jungle. Thanks to the publisher and author. Mar 21, Eleven rated it it was ok. This was very good but I didn't like it. The prose was unique, I didn't think it would be a problem for me, but it was. Either the style works for you or it doesn't. Clever premise in any case. View all 5 comments. Mar 01, Kirsty rated it it was amazing Shelves: favourites , horror , on-creating-bad-art , best-of , great-sense-of-place.
LOVED this. Definitely my favourite book of so far. It's creepy, enlightening, thoughtful and beautifully written.
I can never get enough literary horror, and this is a fantastic example. Cannibal Holocaust meets [meats? Apr 12, Mike W rated it liked it. When a nameless actor receives a call from his agent about a "can't miss" movie opportunity in South America, he drops everything, grabs his passport, and gets on a plane with few questions asked and none answered.
When he arrives on set in Columbia, his passport is taken "for safe keeping" and he quickly learns that while he may be the movie's lead actor, the title doesn't seem to mean much.
He goes days without uttering a line and he's treated with increasing disdain each time he asks to see t When a nameless actor receives a call from his agent about a "can't miss" movie opportunity in South America, he drops everything, grabs his passport, and gets on a plane with few questions asked and none answered.
He goes days without uttering a line and he's treated with increasing disdain each time he asks to see the script. It turns out that none of the actors has seen the script because there isn't one. The director, a longtime purveyor of schlocky horror films seems to be unhinged and intent on shooting a documentary style horror film think Blair Witch Project but 25 years before anything like that was done. While this in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, his obsession with this "real" style extends beyond the bounds of safe read insurable movie making and he appears to think nothing of putting his actors in harm's way to get the shot he's obsessed with on any particular day.
And the dangers aren't just the usual hazards that the Columbian jungle provides, you know, a forest that is basically trying to devour everything that enters it.
But there is also a revolutionary element very near the set and in fact the man who procures the food, housing and extras for the film is also the contact between the young revolutionaries and a drug cartel putting all of these people in dangerous proximity.
The nameless American lead learns daily that he is not in a safe situation and an angst hangs over the entire experience, building toward some future horror that neither he, nor the reader is quite able to predict. That narrative is the actor's and it seems that the reader is meant to experience the events as though they were him. While this was certainly an interesting technique I don't know that I've read anything in the second person since the Choose Your Own Adventure series back in the late 70s early 80s , I'm not sure it successfully increased my own anxiety as I read, and I wonder if the first or third person wouldn't have been equally or even more efficacious.
We Eat Our Own is a unique take on horror that, while interesting, takes on a bit too much and has some difficulty tying its many pieces together. Engaging and readable, it relies on a building angst and apprehension to convey its story and for some that may be enough, but for me it never quite rises to the level of horror. Note: Galley copy received free via NetGalley Sep 19, Tammie rated it really liked it Shelves: dark-horror.
Loosely based on the cult film Cannibal Holocaust a very brutal and disturbing movie , the plot involves an eccentric Italian director making an art film in the Amazon Jungle.
View all 6 comments. Jul 25, Jessica Sullivan rated it it was ok Shelves: horror , multiple-narrators. This book is a mess, and not in a good way. As a lifelong horror movie fan, I was initially so intrigued when I read that it was based on the production of Cannibal Holocaust, one of the most controversial exploitation films ever made.
The controversy behind Cannibal Holocaust is actually pretty interesting, and We Eat Our Own mirrors it closely: An abrasive Italian film director flies a bunch of desperate no-name actors to the middle of the jungle to film a gruesome movie that they know little ab This book is a mess, and not in a good way. The controversy behind Cannibal Holocaust is actually pretty interesting, and We Eat Our Own mirrors it closely: An abrasive Italian film director flies a bunch of desperate no-name actors to the middle of the jungle to film a gruesome movie that they know little about.
The movie winds up being so realistic that it's banned in dozens of countries and the director is arrested under suspicion of making a snuff film. The main problem with We Eat Our own is that it takes an inherently interesting story and muddies it up with several alternating narrative perspectives and weak subplots, when the better choice would have been to focus on stronger development of a couple of the main characters.
There were a few points when I almost bailed because it just was not working for me. I see what author was going for thematically — blurring the lines between fictional and real violence as a commentary on both — but there was so much squandered potential here.
It's a fast read, and diehard horror fans will appreciate the homage to Cannibal Holocaust, but there's really nothing here that you can't get from reading the Cannibal Holocaust Wikipedia page. Also worth noting: I was hoping for more cannibalism. I can't believe I just wrote that line. A must read for anyone curious about the food we eat and why we buy what we buy.
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