Book Review: Bird Box

Imagine a "Problem" where people see "something" only to go mad and either commit suicide or go on a killing spree. No one really knows what this "something" is since no one survives after seeing it. So what do they do? They lock themselves in their refuge, to the extent of covering all windows and openings, spending all the time blindfolded and with their eyes closed. The threat of something inexplicable, accentuated by the horrifying realisation that they are not even sure what they are on the lookout for and that the mere sight of it is enough to turn anyone insane, is intriguing, and Josh Malerman sets it all up quite well. Subtly mining our fears of the unknown, the post-apocalyptic horror thriller rightly earns comparisons to Stephen King and Lovecraft, and even the most recent Hollywood blockbuster A Quiet Place, exploring an "Event" that single-handedly destroys old world order and wipes out most of the planet's population while forcing the survivors to retire their sense of sight in order to remain alive in a hostile environment. As much chilling and terrifying the premise is, the idea quickly wears out its welcome for lack of sustained thrills, contrived plotholes, boring and underdeveloped characters, and an ending so neatly tied and perfect that it feels anticlimactic.