On winter solstice, the birds disappeared, and the mist arrived.
The inhabitants of Nebulah quickly learn not to venture out after dark. But it is hard to stay indoors: cabin fever sets in, and the mist can be beguiling, too.
Eventually only six remain. Like the rest of the townspeople, Pete has nowhere else to go. After he rescues a stranded psychic from a terrible fate, he's given a warning: he will be dead by solstice unless he leaves town - soon.
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[The hardest thing, I sometimes think, is keeping track of time]***
(Titan Books, 15 October 2019, 352 pages, ebook, ARC from @TitanBooks and voluntarily reviewed)
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I really, really wanted to love this book. The blurb excited me. I love dead towns and all that comes with it. This should have been one that I adored and cherished forever. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite. Some stuff about the book works and most of the book falls short so it was a bit of an uneven read for me. The big issue is the plot - it's very predictable after a fashion. I struggled to find anything really original. There's really nothing that hasn't been done to death a long time ago. Despite this, I was compelled to read on. I loved the way the author focused on tragic characters and their issues. I have a soft spot for dysfunctional people. I also really loved the setting. The author does a great job of bringing to life Nebulah, a fading, dead, but still twitching town, abandoned by almost everyone. There's something so tragic about Nebulah and the six people who have stayed behind. I love books set in small towns. Stephen King is a genius at it. I did enjoy a lot about the book. It's well written and engaging, even if the plot is a bit same-old same-old.
