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Erica Robyn Reads

a horror book review blog

Recent Posts

Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond - book sitting on wooden flooring. Book cover of Black Out the Stars by Christopher Bond, cover illustrated by Todd Kiesling. The design showcases a dark, atmospheric pond and sky filled with swirling fog and scattered stars. The title is prominently displayed in bold, white, pink and purple lettering, contrasting against the deep purple and black hues of the background.

Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond | Book Review

Indie Bookstore Day 2025 | Book Event

A tablet lies on dry grass and surrounded by dandelions in a natural outdoor setting. The screen displays the cover of the book Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon. The cover features a colorful, fantastical illustration of a female figure with glowing eyes and curved horns, holding something mysterious in her hands. Stars and swirling cosmic elements fill the background, giving the cover a magical and otherworldly feel. The title text is in bold, colorful letters across the top and middle, with the author's name at the bottom.

Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon | Book Review

[Book Review] Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

June 10, 2019      Erica Robyn      19 Comments

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer book photo

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer is an unsettling story about a group of women that are sent into “Area X.” The reason why they are there is unclear. They know that there are dangers. They know they may not survive. And yet, they enter the area with a sense of excitement and fascination, ready to see what happens next.

This is the first book that I read for Sci-Fi Summer Readathon. I’ll be diving into the other books in the series next, so stay tuned for my reviews on those!

Let’s dive into my review!

My Thoughts on Annihilation (Southern Reach #1) by Jeff VanderMeer

Right from page one, there was an awesome sense of fascination, but an equally powerful sense of dread. As the story unfolded, these feelings intensified.

I was so interested in the overall plot. It was a bit like reading a book based on a fever dream; I wasn’t totally sure what was going on, but I was still really curious about everything.

One element that was really interesting, but also incredibly unnerving, was that the team was rather quickly becoming affected by some sort of supernatural force that surrounded them. I really enjoyed this mix of sci-fi and horror!

I also really enjoyed the atmosphere of the setting. It was so unusual, and there was a horror-vibe that just didn’t let up. You never knew what was around the next corner or what was hiding in the reeds.

I will admit that while I was reading this one, I really struggled to stay engaged. Perhaps I picked this up at a bad time… I just couldn’t help it; my mind kept wandering and I had to reread many paragraphs over and over again.

However, in the second half of the book, things picked up for me. There was one scene toward the end that had me so hooked that when my husband came up behind me and kissed the top of my head, I jumped and almost spilled my tea!

My Favorite Passages from Annihilation

Curiosity could be a powerful distraction.

During our hike from the border to the base camp near the coast, we had experienced almost nothing out of the ordinary. The birds sang as they should; the deer took flight, their white tails exclamation points against the green and brown of the underbrush; the raccoons, bowlegged, swayed about their business, ignoring us. As a group, we felt almost giddy, I think, to be free after so many confining months of training and preparation. While we were in that corridor, in that transitional space, nothing could touch us. We were neither what we had been nor what we would become once we reached our destination.

Was this the moment when we were supposed to stop her? To come up with some other plan? If so, none of us had the nerve.

When you were too close to the center of a mystery there is no way to pull back and see the shape of it entire.

What can you do when your five senses are not enough?

My Final Thoughts on Annihilation

This is a book that I think I need to re-read in order to better understand it. Like I said above, it was a bit like a fever dream. But now that I know the ending, I’m curious to see what I could learn the second time around.

That being said, I still really enjoyed this tale, especially the second half of the book!

I would definitely recommend this one to readers that enjoy sci-fi horror, but who don’t mind a bit of confusion.


Snag a copy through Bookshop to help support local indie bookshops:

Thanks for reading!
Have you read this book or watched the film yet? If so, what did you think of them? I’ve just requested the film from my local library and can’t wait to watch!

Here are a few more recent posts you might like:

  • Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond | Book Review
  • Indie Bookstore Day 2025 | Book Event
  • Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon | Book Review

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jocelyn says

    June 10, 2019 at 4:43 pm

    I agree that once you finish reading it, you feel like you need to go back to read it again.

    I liked the movie, but all during it I kept telling my befuddled husband “This is way less confusing than the book!” πŸ˜‚

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 10, 2019 at 5:14 pm

      Ha! That’s good to hear!!

      Reply
  2. Priscilla Bettis says

    June 10, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    I think the movie was better, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t try future books from VanderMeer.

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 10, 2019 at 6:52 pm

      πŸ˜€ I can’t wait to watch it!! I’m reading the second book in this trilogy now πŸ™‚

      Reply
  3. Greg says

    June 10, 2019 at 7:52 pm

    Dude, this book was a trip. I remember reading it and after I was done thinking- what did I just read? Haha! And then I watched the movie and there was one freaky scene in particular and I was like… woah.

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 11, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      Right?! Ah! I can’t wait to watch!!

      Reply
  4. Angela says

    June 10, 2019 at 8:11 pm

    I’ve seen the movie and even during that I wasn’t sure what was going on!

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 11, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      lol! I can’t wait to watch!!

      Reply
  5. Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum says

    June 10, 2019 at 9:37 pm

    Oh yeah, this one was WEIRD. In the good way, I guess…at least I got through it, which is more than I can say for a lot of other books in the “New Weird” genre. I still need to watch the movie πŸ˜€

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 11, 2019 at 6:56 pm

      πŸ˜€

      Reply
  6. ShootingStarsMag says

    June 11, 2019 at 7:30 am

    I have not read this, or seen the movie, but I’m glad the second half picked up for you! Maybe the movie will be keep your attention more. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 11, 2019 at 7:43 am

      I’m definitely interested to see what happens! I think I need to reread the book soon to see how I feel now that I know the full detail!

      Reply
  7. Amy says

    June 11, 2019 at 9:47 am

    I didn’t love this book, but I think it was because I found the horror too uncomfortable πŸ˜‰ I did enjoy the atmosphere though! And it was pretty well written.

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 11, 2019 at 6:54 pm

      πŸ˜€

      Reply
  8. chucklesthescot says

    June 12, 2019 at 5:48 am

    I’ve read quite a few reviews that say this book is weird or confusing, and despite owning it, I keep putting off reading it!

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 12, 2019 at 7:21 pm

      It’s definitely weird and confusing, but also really atmospheric and creepy! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. Olivia Roach says

    June 16, 2019 at 2:22 am

    Hmm… this review is falling in the middle rating which is the opinion I tend to see a lot when people read it. Which leaves me in two minds of whether or not I should try this myself! So I think I won’t try it but it still sounds like a decent book.

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      June 16, 2019 at 6:52 am

      It’s SO tricky!! I’m so conflicted! I’m still reading the second book, and I’m just as confused!

      Reply

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Welcome to Erica Robyn Reads!

Erica Robyn of Erica Robyn Reads
Hello! I’m Erica, a Mainer living in New Hampshire who runs on hot tea, good books, and loud music. Join me as I seek out amazing horror tales and help support the indie horror community!
 

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