The Book of Accidents

I was approved to receive an e-Galley ARC of The Book Of Accidents, authored by Chuck Wendig, design by Fritz Metsch, from the publisher Del Rey and NetGalley, for review consideration. What follows below is my honest review, freely given. I rated this novel 3 stars. This has got to be the most difficult review for me to get done in recent memory, I think in part because I’ve seen so many other reviews already out, and even though you’re not supposed to notice stuff like that, my opinion is not on equal footing as many that I follow on socials. The set up, or set ups because you are hit with a few that you can tell are major to the book, are solid, attention grabbing; we’re off to a good start. Several MC’s, which works with a big novel, lots of different perspectives to switch between; interesting and varied, still good. There were times when I felt the story shied from explaining too much too soon, leaving it until the end, I assumed. So if an event had an odd twist, or a cryptic phrase I let it settle into the back of my mind, sure it would turn up again, that’s how these things usually work. Stories come in different lengths, with different endings, and all the magic that makes up the rest too. Novellas can pack an emotional punch of nuclear proportions in less 150 pages, while a novel can spool it out over 800 pages and many situations, such as with Wendig’s Wanderers. I do not mind how the author wants to present their story, but I want to feel that it is complete; if I don’t understand it wholly, I enjoy it if the author sells their vision successfully. I was left with questions after finishing Accidents, that I know re-reading will never help me answer; it is a one read book for me. I have seen this title compared to Blake Crouch’s work. I enjoy his work very much, though a lot of the mechanics goes right over my head. This is a perfect example I think; after finishing one of his, I know I could re-read and maybe understand a little more of the science, and I want to, his stories on this subject (I guess multiverses) feel completed by the end. Accidents clocks in at just under 550 pages in print, so I feel justified in expecting plenty of time for the author to tie up loose ends, to explain more of the big reveal. By the time I closed this one, not going to lie I was mainly frustrated and tired by how it played out. For being a well written novel it was an even read, if that makes sense. Wanderers was longer, but I remember it made me emotional at times, there was an ebb and flow to the story. This hit me like some of King’s books that I liked but didn’t love, for whatever reason I just didn’t hit the same emotional connection that other readers did. My heart never raced, my eyes never teared up. I did get angry when a character I assumed would die didn’t, or vice-versa (no spoilers from me), and there was an opportunity for an explanation into how everything came to be down to what it was, I am convinced, which means there is ambiguity on purpose. And that drives me up the wall, because it needed more, the ending, like ¼ of the book needed just that little bit more and it would have worked, all of it. And I am unable to let it go, when I see people who would eviscerate a title for being in the first person just because, is not finding any issue with anything in this? All of a sudden nit picking is out of fashion? Why is this making me so angry? I don’t think it’s only about the book, the title is just okay, to me. If this title was to a lesser known authors name, would I even be seeing so many reviews, great or not? I think that is what is upsetting me right now.