This made for a phantasmagorical journey that bent genres with both science fiction and fantasy elements. I read this because it was on a horror genre rec list, and though that fits and the novel at times is suspenseful and scary, I don't think that quite describes the book.
For one, the style is much more literary than you usually see in genre writing. It reminds me of a less extreme and more grammatical Cormac McCarthy: there are long, complex sentences and the present tense and frequent use of "and" imparts a lyricism and rhythm to the narrative that is at times mesmerizing. Kiernan frequently uses unusual compound words such as fetidwet, sugarsmooth and blisterswollen.
The characters grew on me. We're introduced in the prologue to Chance, Deacon and Elise as, stoned, they're preparing to break into a tunnel in Birmingham, Alabama. I found that off-putting, but through the book we learn there are reasons why Chance and Deacon are troubled, and enough ultimately to make them sympathetic. The same can be said for two other characters who prove important--Dancy, a mentally disturbed teen and albino, and Sadie, a goth girl that takes up with Deacon.
Though there is a resolution for the characters, not everything ties up neatly, and if you expect your monsters clear cut, you might end this story frustrated. Paleontology is a major thread in this novel, for instance, but I didn't end up feeling it tied in and made sense. What was the point of the trilobites? But if you're not someone who needs everything tied in a bow at the end and are looking for an intelligent and literate book that can deliver chills, this isn't a bad choice.
