In the “fast-paced, frightening” (The New York Times Book Review) sequel to Bird Box, the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film starring Sandra Bullock, bestselling author Josh Malerman brings unseen horrors to life.NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER AWARD • “Malorie is even more of a psychological thriller than Bird Box, and all the scarier for it.”—The Wall Street JournalTwelve years … the scarier for it.”—The Wall Street Journal
Twelve years after Malorie and her children rowed up the river to safety, a blindfold is still the only thing that stands between sanity and madness. One glimpse of the creatures that stalk the world will drive a person to unspeakable violence.
There remains no explanation. No solution.
All Malorie can do is survive—and impart her fierce will to do so on her children. Don’t get lazy, she tells them. Don’t take off your blindfold. AND DON’T LOOK.
But then comes what feels like impossible news. And with it, the first time Malorie has allowed herself to hope.
Someone very dear to her, someone she believed dead, may be alive.
Malorie has already lost so much: her sister, a house full of people who meant everything, and any chance at an ordinary life. But getting her life back means returning to a world full of unknowable horrors—and risking the lives of her children again.
Because the creatures are not the only thing Malorie fears: There are the people who claim to have caught and experimented on the creatures. Murmerings of monstrous inventions and dangerous new ideas. And rumors that the creatures themselves have changed into something even more frightening.
Malorie has a harrowing choice to make: to live by the rules of survival that have served her so well, or to venture into the darkness and reach for hope once more.
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MALORIE is a jaw-dropping emotional roller coaster that will leave readers in absolute awe. I 100% recommend this book, not just for fans of the horror genre, but for all who love to read. Not all heroes wear capes and Josh Malerman is this reader’s hero of horror fiction.u2063
Malorie is the sequel to Josh Malerman’s successful novel Bird Box, and it revisits Malorie and her now adolescent children a decade later at the camp Bird Box abruptly ended at. A tempting piece of news takes the family out of the camp’s safety, and we venture through the creature-filled wasteland once again, but the children are older, stronger, and are ready for independence.
As a mother of a teenager, Malorie was that much more horrific to me, because letting go is not an easy thing in any circumstance, much less during apocalyptic times. Malerman gets all the emotions right, all the protectiveness and guilt. It’s all there and I couldn’t look away because I feel it everyday. But it also teaches about admiration for this risk-taking age in life. The confidence that nothing worse can ever happen. After all, this is the age of immortality. I miss being fearless, don’t you? Malorie is a winning sequel. Check it out!
You know how you sometimes begin a series on Netflix and you tell yourself ‘I’m just going to watch one episode’ but ten hours later you’ve binged the entire series because the story is so relentlessly compelling? This is the book version of that experience. Not only did I read this book in one sitting, it still haunts me, swirling in my imagination even as I write this.
When I read Bird Box several years ago, I never envisioned that author Malerman would write a sequel. But he has and, in my opinion, it is every bit as good as its predecessor.
Malorie opens at the School for the Blind where she and the children escaped to at the end of Bird Box. The children (Tom and Olympia) are now six years old. Unfortunately, what has been a safe haven for the past few years, has now been touched by madness. Malorie sees Annette, a blind woman, go mad and her fears escalate. Can the creatures now cause insanity by touching?
Malorie’s paranoia escalates and she gathers her children and once again is on the run. Flash forward, ten years. She and the children at living at what once was a Jewish summer camp. The kids are teens now and are beginning to rebel from all of Malorie’s rules. Enter a man who says he’s from the census who leaves papers with names of survivors and information about a “blind train.” Malorie’s parents’ names are on that list and, for once, a glimmer of hope blossoms in her mind.
I loved this novel and found it hard to put down. Malerman takes us deeply into Malorie’s tortured mind as she tries to keep everyone she loves safe. The specter of Gary from Birdbox haunts her and she not only sees (in her mind) creatures everywhere but also Gary hiding in the corners. In addition, the author takes us into the kids’ minds where we find both of them harboring secrets that they keep from their mother.
Malorie, an excellent psychological thriller, is highly recommended by this reader.
Tense throughout! Every action in this book results in either panic or safety. There’s such a fine line between the two. Malerman has masterfully created a world whereby living means struggling. He’s created characters who are wonderfully complex but given them such simple, primal goals that everyone can relate and want them to do well. Such a devastating, raw, and nerve-wracking story.
You may be wondering if this book can be as good as Bird Box. Worry no longer: it’s a worthy sequel and completely entertaining in its own right. It pays homage to the characters you loved in the first book while exploring new ground. It asks not only the right questions, but ones you may not have considered. And it is incredibly propulsive: I read it in two days.
It’s a wholly original sequel, which may sound like an oxymoron, but if anyone can pull off the impossible, it’s Josh Malerman.
Malorie by Josh Malerman is the fast-paced, heart-pumping sequel to one of my all time favorite books, Bird Box.
When the preorders for this one opened up, I ordered it immediately! I couldn’t wait to be immersed back in this terrifying world!
I think this is a book that’s best to go in as blind as possible, so feel free to stop here and scroll to the last section. This will be a pretty short one.
So first things first… my goodness. The first section set at The Jane Tucker School for the Blind… This scene had me absolutely TERRIFIED. It all happened so quickly and I loved that, per usual, the reader is left in the dark just like the main character, Malorie. I was so antsy to see if we would learn more about what had happened here before the end of the book.
That terror that I felt with that first scene continued through the first half of Chapter One as well. And boy were there some spooky parallels to a scene in the first book in this first chapter. It gave me goosebumps while reading, and it’s giving me goosebumps to think about each of the scenes again now while typing up this review!
After the initial dose of terror, the story absolutely did not let up until the very end. Needless to say, I was totally hooked!
Just like the first book, this story made me feel wicked claustrophobic and unsettled throughout. I loved all of the twists and turns as well as the overall sense of dread and fear mixed with a bit of hope.
My only very slight irk was that some of it felt like it went a little too fast. I would have happily read more to really dive into each setting rather than jumping quickly from scene to scene. I’m very curious to see if I feel this way after reading it a second time!
If you enjoyed the first book, I definitely recommend checking this one out! It was so much fun to see what happened next and get a little bit of closure on things. I certainly walked away from this one feeling satisfied!
Someday soon, I would like to re-read both of these books back to back! Especially after learning some key information toward the end of this one…
I can’t wait for you to read this if you haven’t yet!! Enjoy!
I can’t remember the last time I had to set a book down because it was too intense for me to continue. And that’s only the halfway point. Once Malerman hits the gas you better hang on tight, because he doesn’t let up until the stunning finish. Malorie is a relentless thriller that will fry your nerves and twist your heart. It’s absolutely brilliant.
“But if there’s one thing the new world has incrementally destroyed, it’s a fear of the dark.”
I’ve been excitedly awaiting this sequel to BIRD BOX which was a great, unique post-apocalyptic story. And I wasn’t disappointed with MALORIE.
Most of MALORIE takes place 12 years after the ending of the first novel (although there is a short section at the beginning that takes place 2 years after).
The children are well on their way to being grown up now at 16 years old. Malorie, Tom and Olympia are living by themselves in an abandoned youth summer camp in Michigan and have been for 10 years. Tom especially is feeling the restraints this current life of blindfolds and fear place on the world. He wants to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING that will break the monotony of their days and nights.
So after a surprise visitor appears at their door and leaves momentous news, Malorie makes a life-changing decision for the family.
I enjoyed this sequel very much. The characters are more developed this time around and the story is suspenseful. I did feel like the ending was rushed (and that’s why 4 stars instead of 5) but it worked neatly.
I highly recommend this book but be sure to read BIRD BOX first.
How do you follow up the worldwide phenomenon that is BIRD BOX? Exactly like this. Eerie and deliciously dark, MALORIE offers an unsettling glimpse into a world gone black, one lit only by the spark of hope. This is one of those books you’ll devour in a single sitting.
Loved this book. Developed nicely after Bird Box. I like the way the story becomes bigger and more universal as a storyline.
The concept of growing up in that type of environment echoes with the present day growing as a child in Corona times or even as a youth in social media times.
A generational shift.
Nice read
It is twelve years after Malorie and her children took a rowboat to safety. But soon, their temporary home at the School of the Blind becomes dangerous and again, they are on the move. Finally, Malorie believes she has found a safe enough home for her teenaged children at an abandoned summer camp. But Malorie knows she can’t let her guard down, and she is constantly on the lookout for danger, insisting her children wear their blindfolds at all times, keeping every inch of their skin covered when outside. But then Malorie discovers that her parents may still be alive, and she has to decide if it’s worth the risk of her safety, and the safety of her children, to take the dangerous journey that may lead to her childhood home.
Josh Malerman’s “Malorie” is the sequel to his astounding, blew-me-away novel “Bird Box” (which was picked up by Netflix and made into a movie starring the great Sandra Bullock). I was skeptical going into this one, as “Bird Box” was so prolific, I worried that “Malorie” wouldn’t be able to hold a candle, but I knew that, because of the emotional wreckage that “Bird Box” left me with, I wouldn’t be able to avoid “Malorie”. The decision to read it was hands down the right one.
Malorie is now a mother of teenagers, Tom (her biological son) and Olympia (the girl who shares Tom’s birthday but was birthed by another), and has been trying desperately to keep them all safe for the last twelve years. As teenagers are wont to do, Tom is pushing back, desperate for his independence and a chance to explore the world around him, leading them all to a dangerous new community in the woods, led by the only man Malorie has ever truly feared.
There is no end to the onslaught of suspense, intrigue and action in “Malorie”. Malerman delivers a gripping, pulse-pounding, page-turning novel that is so unique and relevant, I did not want it to end. Complete with characters who are so emotionally traumatized and intoxicatingly human, this is more than just a story on the human condition, but it is an examination of motherhood in the worst of times.
The novel is told with short chapters, from the perspective of Malorie (although we do get snippets of Tom and Olympia throughout), which adds to the tension and builds the emotion in the plot.
“Malorie” brings such a satisfying ending to a great duo of novels that, although sad to see the end of Malorie and her journey, I was extremely content with the conclusion. Both “Bird Box” and “Malorie” are novels that can be read on their own, separate from each other, but they shouldn’t be. In fact, any Malerman novel you can get your hands on should be instantly devoured.
Loved it.
Loved Malorie, Too, Probably as Much as Bird Box
I read Malorie almost as fast as I read Bird Box, in two days. Malerman is consistent in his craft, and I can’t wait to read more of his work. Everything about this book is excellent, and he captures the rebellion of Tom, Malories’ sixteen-year-old son and the secretive Olympia in a way that reflects real relationships and struggles. That is the heart of the novel for me, and what makes the work so prime.
I know some reviewers criticize Malerman for being repetitive, but I have no problem with that repetition because it adds to the inner conflicts characters struggle with, especially Malorie. She lives by her staunch code of wearing the mask, and constantly relives the past. It highlights Malorie’s obsession with safety. Malerman does an excellent job of weaving motifs from the last book, without over narrating or explaining.
The book is fast-paced, as Malorie and her children’s lives are disrupted, and they do the unthinkable, venture out into the world. Malorie must rely on her children more than ever, and Malerman does a geat job of developing the tension of a young man who wants to experience the world and a mother who will do anything to keep him and her daughter safe. The novel also highlights man’s resilience as the characters ride a blind train to their destination. However, not all inventions are beneficial, and Malerman sheds light on a community that is really mad in their pursuit of living with the creatures. That is the most frightening part of the book along with the choices Tom makes are terrifying as his thinking is in line with this community. All of that tension leads up to unexpected revelations about her children and a fantastic climax. The novel wrapped up so quickly in such a short span.
Still, I love the ending and am so glad George (yes, he comes back)–that insane piece of human garbage–got his. All the loose ends are tied up well. The final passage is poetic and a pleasure to read; it left me with a sense of hope.
My only minor criticism is that the word “too” is used so much, I got distracted and reread passages and mentally edited the adverbs out. However, that’s a minor pecadillo.
Past the novel’s conclusion, in the acknowledgments, Malerman explains his writing philosophy and process. Any aspiring writer would appreciate his words and why storytellers should tell stories and appreciate them in all their stages. That is a gift.
Malerman has a fan for life. I’m moving onto Goblin.
I waited so long for this book (or at least it felt like it). Bird Box was such a good book, however, Malorie is almost better. Set 10 years later Malorie is still keeping her kids safe, she is still terrified. I love the internal battle that Tom goes through, as every teen does with possible drastic consequences because of the world I live in. Malorie finally decides to be daring and is such a strong character. Olympia however is my favorite character, she has her secrets and truly shows the most courage and bravery out of everyone. Perfect ending to this series (although I wouldn’t complain if he manages to come up with another book though).
The first one wrapped up nicely but I’m glad the author decided to do a sequel. The idea of having to constantly wear a blindfold for YEARS was a little eerie to read with the current state of the world and wearing face masks – realizing things could be a lot worse The middle of this book was extremely slow with passages full of extra fluff but overall very entertaining. If he decided to write another I’d probably read that one too.
I know the author doesn’t tell us more about the creatures because it adds to the horror/mystery but I really wish we were given some glimpse of what they look like/where they came from/what their purpose is.
Really enjoyed the follow up to Bird Box! While I felt the ending wrapped up way too quickly, I think that’s in part due to the fact that I didn’t want the story to end! A fun, page-turning thriller perfect for the Halloween season!
It’s an enjoyable enough sequel. Malerman has a tendency to hammer a point home until it’s bloody and screaming, but his concepts and character work are always interesting enough to carry the story.
Disappointing sequel. I was so impressed with Bird Box. Interesting concept and on the edge of your seat suspense. So I couldn’t wait for the sequel. But what a letdown- sophomoric dialogue; unbelievable storyline even for this genre; and many boring chapters. Seems aimed at a YA audience.
The saga of Bird Box continues with the release of Malorie by Josh Malerman. The story endures ten years later, Olympia and Tom are now teenagers and after having lived by the blindfold, they now have their own agendas and philosophies on how the creatures are able to shape their ongoing madness on society.
Malerman conducts this sequel with horrific memories included from the first book and continues forward with unfamiliar induced nightmares that once again are beyond human comprehension. Malorie centers around a Blind Train that provides transportation in a world gone dark and mad, as well as theories that begin experimentation involving the creatures and how to survive certain dangerous communities. Plenty of these related tense moments are provided by Malerman, resulting in many haunted house attraction moments for the reader. It’s amazing how he interprets a world of darkness where a species existence can be described as a glimpse into a void, a peek at infinity or a quick look at the face of God.
Malorie remains true to the Bird Box experience of exhilarating cultivated spookiness. If you liked the original, a second overflowing spoonful of paranoiac startles are coming your way. Grab a copy of this book, but if you’re wearing a blindfold to prevent insanity, it’s also available on audible.