... powerful ... In answering these questions over the ensuing 400 pages, Davidson creates an eerie and vivid portrait of a land that promised much, but 'demanded unspeakable things' in return ... The clues Davidson offers are less pirate’s treasure than fool’s gold — or, perhaps, blood diamonds. With each revelation Nellie and Max become more convinced this place is unfit to make their refuge; but where the son has the good sense to beg his mother to leave, the adults in this novel are trapped on this land by their desire for money ... Whether Nellie will solve this mystery before she becomes its next victim is the question that keeps the pages turning ... In addition to a horror novel and a work of historical fiction about the 20th-century American South, The Hollow Kind is also an environmental allegory, a creepy variation on Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. As with that children’s book, for Nellie, the only path toward survival is to accept that there are certain boundaries humankind wasn’t meant to cross.
Finally, all that stands between good and evil are one determined mom and her valiant son. Whatever the outcome, Mr. Davidson once more proves himself master of the art of horror writing.
... delivers some deliciously delightful Southern gothic horror ... Set across two timelines, Davidson tells two stories that serve one another well ... Combined, the two timelines in The Hollow Kind work to create a cohesive and well-plotted novel. They also help in giving the (rather) lengthy book a brisk pace. We never really outstay our welcome in any one space before we are in another ... For less patient readers, Davidson’s novel can take some time to unpack. There are a lot of characters, and a few of them take a while to get to know. There are also a couple of moments that shift out of our two main timelines. While they are important and are about the characters we grow to care about, it can be tempting to want be back in their main stories. Still, though, these are only minor qualms ... For this reader, Davidson unequivocally delivers in The Hollow Kind. Those looking for a horror novel for the season will find a lot to love inside these haunting, often-terrifying pages.
