Kim Liggett’s The Unfortunates, a haunting tale of privilege, guilt, and redemption from the author of the Bram Stoker Award winner, The Last Harvest When seventeen-year-old senator’s son Grant Tavish is involved in a fatal accident, all he wants to do is face the consequences of what he’s done. But those consequences never come, even if headlines of “affluenza” do. The truth soon becomes clear: … truth soon becomes clear: due to his father’s connections, Grant is going to get away with murder.
As a family tradition approaches, a cave excursion on the Appalachian Trail, Grant seizes the opportunity to take justice into his own hands by staging an accident and never coming back. But before he has a chance to enact his plans, the cave system collapses, trapping him miles beneath the surface with four other teens from much less fortunate circumstances. As they struggle to survive, they share their innermost secrets and fears, and just when it seems they might be on track to finding a way out, they realize…
There’s something else down there.
And it’s hunting them.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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This is the second book I’ve read by Liggett and I absolutely loved it!
Grant is in a crappy position because of choices that were made even though the outcome was accidental. It’s tough to decide how a person should feel about situations like these. From a mother of the victims, I’d be livid. From an outside POV, I feel bad for both parties. But I did seriously feel sorry for Grant and I really liked him.
Now let’s get to the cave parts. Holy claustrophobia! Please remind me to never ever go to a cave without a guide! The world building and the horror stuff was awesome!
The writing and dialogue were great and I’ll read anything from this woman! My only issue was the cover was sort of an odd choice. I think maybe something with a cave would have worked better.
This is an absolute thrill ride that feels more like a big budget action film than a horror movie until… Just trust me. The characters are absolutely amazing in this. Grant is an incredibly rich kid who has had a terrible awakening. He killed four people in a car accident and now questions everything about his posh, well protected life. The kids trapped with him in a cave in are also richly described kids from the other side of the tracks. Ligget takes her time in developing each of these kids into fully realized people with motivations that tug at your heart. Read on for spoilers or just trust me, it’s worth reading.
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SPOILERS FINAL WARNING!
This is a morality horror tale in the more pure sense of the word. Like the tell tale heart, the protag is haunted by his deeds, literally. Only in this tale, there is the opportunity for redemption. This is the ghost story I wanted and needed, but didn’t see coming. Kudos for writing a twisty, interesting tale about social disparity, expectations, star crossed lovers and friends, and real growth alongside delicious dread and true heart wrenching horror. Loved this SO MUCH!
I enjoyed this book. I feel like it’s hard to review without giving everything away. I do wish it was longer because the ending felt abrupt. If not for that I would have given it a five star rating. The way the author touches on mental health and the way we are affected by our actions and choices is done very well.
Taut, surprising and Kim-Liggett-style creepy, The Unfortunates is a gripping journey both physical and psychological.
Wild, compulsive, and utterly gripping, Liggett’s subterranean thriller plumbs the depths of human darkness and guilt.
Absolutely spellbinding; a true tour de force. Haunting and heartbreakingly revealing — this is a book everyone is going to be talking about.
A mind-bending thriller you’ll want to devour in one setting and immediately talk about with a friend. Read with the lights on.
This book was provided to me free of charge. I am voluntarily reviewing it.
Kim Liggett chose the absolute best setting for this book. Nothing is more terrifying than the thought of being buried alive, and, in my opinion, being lost in a cave is a very close second. The author kept the adrenaline amped from the moment Grant dropped into the cave until the very end. There is a nice, but pretty predictable, twist at the end. My only major complaint about the book is the title. “The Unfortunates” doesn’t really fit with the vibe of the story, and feels like it might have been a last minute choice, because the author couldn’t come up with anything else.