Who Would Like This Book:
If you love unreliable narrators and enjoy psychological thrillers that blur the lines between reality and delusion, "The Hollow City" is definitely up your alley. Dan Wells pulls readers into the troubled mind of Michael Shipman, making you question what’s real right along with him. The slow unraveling of the mystery, combined with doses of science fiction and paranoia, gives this book its addictive, page-turner quality. Fans of Wells’ John Cleaver series or those intrigued by stories of mental illness that don’t hold back on suspense will likely be hooked.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you’re not a fan of cliché memory-loss plots or you prefer your thrillers rooted in realism rather than speculative fiction, you may find "The Hollow City" frustrating. Some readers felt the prose was choppy, and the twists veered too far into sci-fi territory, especially toward the ending. If you expect a straightforward crime procedural or a satisfying, grounded resolution, you might be left disappointed.
About:
'The Hollow City' by Dan Wells follows the protagonist Michael Shipman, a man with mental illness who wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the prior two weeks. As Michael starts seeing hallucinations and delusions, he is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and transferred to a mental hospital. The story is told in first person, allowing readers to experience Michael's confusion and uncertainty as he tries to figure out the mystery of the faceless men. The narrative weaves between reality, madness, and surreality, creating a blend of techno thriller, loony tunes, murder mystery, and sci-fi elements.
The author, Dan Wells, utilizes an unreliable narrator to immerse readers in Michael's mind, leaving them questioning what is real and what is imaginary. delves into themes of mental illness, paranoia, and the blurred lines between reality and delusion. Despite some mixed reviews on the ending, readers appreciate the unique approach to storytelling and the unpredictable nature of the plot.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for The Hollow City include discussions of mental illness, hallucinations, and themes of paranoia and insanity.
From The Publisher:
Dan Wells won instant acclaim for his three-novel debut about the adventures of John Wayne Cleaver, a heroic young man who is a potential serial killer. All who read the trilogy were struck by the distinctive and believable voice Wells created for John.
Now he returns with another innovative thriller told in a very different, equally unique voice. A voice that comes to us from the realm of madness.
Michael Shipman is paranoid schizophrenic; he suffers from hallucinations, delusions, and complex fantasies of persecution and horror. That's bad enough. But what can he do if some of the monsters he sees turn out to be real?
Who can you trust if you can't even trust yourself? The Hollow City is a mesmerizing journey into madness, where the greatest enemy of all is your own mind.
Ratings (2)
Incredible (1) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (8):
Read It (2) | |
Want To Read (5) | |
Not Interested (1) |
2 comment(s)
Meh. Michael...I already forgot his last name, has a history of mental illness that has recently been upgraded to include schizophrenia. With no memory of the past two weeks, he finds himself hospitalized in a psych ward and subjected to a greater and greater number of drugs meant to give him relief from his hallucinations (mostly of Faceless Men out to get him) and fear of electronics. Meanwhile, a serial killer dubbed the Red Line Killer is murdering seemingly random people by shooting them multiple times, then peeling their faces off. As Michael comes out of his extreme paranoia, he begins to wonder if he could be the Red Line Killer.
I usually wait a day before writing reviews, but the end of this book was so disappointing that I didn't feel the need to let it sit and resonate. Michael spends a lot of time wondering if he is crazy, and once the drugs do eliminate many of his hallucinations, he realizes that he is, but some of the horrible things he's seen are real, and he still can't remember those two missing weeks. My problem with this is that it goes on way too long. The government planted something in my head, no aliens did, no EVERYONE I meet is part of the conspiracy. The plot moves on while this internal voice moves around and around, finally bringing us to the endgame. Unfortunately, this comes way too late for me to care. What could have been a very interesting ending is given short shrift (even though the font is pretty big - this could have been a longer book). Not my favorite Dan Wells.
Actual rating 4.5.
Dan Wells is, hands down, my favorite author. Period. Incredibly engaging prose coupled with bizarre and intriguing protagonists - in this book, a schizophrenic - make his books the most fascinating reads I've ever encountered.
The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because the ending (really just the last five pages or so) was a let down for me.
What can you read after
The Hollow City?
About the Author:
DAN WELLS lives in Orem, Utah, with his wife, Dawn, and four young children. He is also the author of the John Cleaver series: Mr. Monster, I Am Not a Serial Killer, and I Don't Want to Kill You.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
