Hi all!

Welcome back to the bookclub! In January, we read The Book Of Accidents by Chuck Wendig for The You’ll Read Too Bookclub! Spoilers ahead!

Quick Reminder: This month we are reading ‘Goddess of Filth’ by V. Castro.

Today I’m going to give a quick plot summary, plus my overall star/scare-factor ratings. Then I will share the discussion topics and trivia questions. Please include all of your answers and opinions down below. I want to know exactly what you thought. I’ll also leave the answers to the trivia questions at the very bottom of the post. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

THE BOOK OF ACCIDENTS by CHUCK WENDIG – JANUARY 2022 

PLOT SUMMARY 

Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father – and has never told his family what happened there. Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom, when she saw something she shouldn’t have – and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures. Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of their hometown in rural Pennsylvania. Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver.
And now what happened long ago is happening again – and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic. This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family – and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another.

OVERALL STAR RATING 

 I gave this book 3/5 stars. It started off really strong and felt like my kind of horror novel. However, as it progressed, it became very confusing. It was also too long. There was a moment where the story could have ended perfectly and yet it continued for another 100 pages. I usually want more from a book. In this case, I wanted less. I will say, the concept was excellent and the writing style, very likable. It would have been 5 stars, had the plot been clearer and a little shorter.

OVERALL SCARE-FACTOR RATING

I also gave it a scare-factor rating of 3/5 stars. The creepiest parts were the mysterious figures popping up everywhere and the coal mine tunnel. I could picture it perfectly. Oh, and when Nate says goodbye to his dead father and the corpse moves!

DISCUSSION TOPICS

1.) Do you believe removing somebody’s pain is the right thing to do? Why/why not?

I can understand how it might help others. It would certainly be a tempting gift/curse (however you view it), but ultimately, our pain makes us who we are. As messed up as it is, we need to feel that pain and work through it. Taking it away doesn’t help us grow.

2.) This book has many moving parts to it. Which parts worked for you and which didn’t?

What worked for me was the concept and writing style. I really liked the idea of a highly sensitive/empathic male character. We need more of this representation. It helps strip back the layers of toxic masculinity. What didn’t work, was the length and confusing plot points. It was eccentric to say the least. If you’re expecting a particular storyline, it will probably surprise you by not going down that path.

3.) If we strip everything back, what is the underlying message of this story? 

I believe the underlying message is we are only given one shot to be kind to others, so we should be as kind as we possibly can. It’s also about embracing people as they are and loving them, despite their flaws/shortcomings. In reality, we don’t get 99 versions of ourselves, so it’s important be the best you.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS

Easy: What games does Oliver enjoy playing with his friends?

Medium: How many owls does Maddie carve at the cabin?

Hard: Out of 99 Nate’s, how many WEREN’T abusive to Oliver? 

I hope you enjoyed the book club discussion. As mentioned above, share all of your thoughts in the comments below! If you have any feedback/suggestions to improve the bookclub, please let me know. I look forward to talking to you all next month! Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo

TRIVIA ANSWERS: Easy: Dungeons & Dragons. Medium: 13. Hard: 1.