The Girl Next Door

by Jack Ketchum | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 1892950618 Global Overview for this book
Registered by VariC of Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin Germany on 10/28/2007
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7 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by VariC from Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin Germany on Sunday, October 28, 2007
Two girls, Meg and Susan, move next door to David to stay with their aunt Ruth. David and his mates think Ruth is great, but she has very specific ideas of how a girl should behave and is willing to go quite far to enforce that behavior on Meg.

This book is seriously creepy and disturbing. The increasing intensity creates a believable picture of how normal people can too easily become monsters. I just had to put this one down from time to time to avoid getting too deeply sucked into the world. But if you can handle it, this is well worth the read.

Journal Entry 2 by LaPitchoune from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Like a magpie, I always end up picking books with brand new & shiny covers at meets. This clearly falls into that group, plus it was decorated with a fascinating picture of a tree that seems totally out of proportion. At first it seemed like children's lit, but at a closer look, I don't think blurb words such as crippled, madness and torturous deaths appeal to particularly young readers (unless they have a sick taste for horror from the start, of course)!
Being a responsible grown-up, I'll give it a try.

Journal Entry 3 by LaPitchoune from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Monday, June 9, 2008
Oh, man.

What can you say about this? What is there to be said?

I don't know where these things come from or where they are going. I guess nobody does. It's beyond any description. What is worse, it's the real world out there. Only the names have changed. We might as well be talking about the Gertrude Baniszewski (& co.) vs. Sylvia Likens case. Or who even knows how many others and how often, since there seems to be no end to the evil that (wo)men do.

You can easily skip parts in this book. You probably even should, because devouring all the details will hardly do anyone any good. Why are people always so keen on knowing, anyway? Does knowing really make one bit of difference..?

If this fascinated you, try watching a version of Haneke's Funny Games or An American Crime. At least they'll help you find out where you stand when it comes to witnessing violent madness.

Journal Entry 4 by LaPitchoune at Ravintola Kaisaniemi in Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Monday, June 9, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (6/10/2008 UTC) at Ravintola Kaisaniemi in Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Somebody take this. I don't want it lying around in my house...

Journal Entry 5 by lottuli from Pieksämäki, Etelä-Savo / Södra Savolax Finland on Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Miitti olikin sitten mokoman yksityistilaisuuden vuoksi Cafe Caisassa.

Tämä oli ainoa mukaani ottama kirja, toivottavasti luen pian, vaikuttaa ihanan karmivalle.

Journal Entry 6 by lottuli at Juva, Etelä-Savo / Södra Savolax Finland on Sunday, November 28, 2010
My previous comment was that this book seems "lovely horrible"... I like good horror stories every now and then, but this book actually made me feel sick at times, no way I could have read in in one sitting, I guess it took my well over month to read the whole book.

This book can also make you think, the neighbours or even the police did not take seriously what this little girl was saying and the end was sad. Maybe reading this might give courage you to take action, if someone in your neighbourhood asks for help.

I'm not releasing this to wild, I can't figure out spot, where it would never go to hands, that can't take this story.

Journal Entry 7 by wingAnneliswing at Kerava, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Sunday, December 12, 2010
I read parts of the book on the train and I think I can't take much more. The story contains too much evil. I don't like to read horror stories - fiction or non-fiction.
I'll take the book to the PKS meet-up. If somebody takes it - good! If nobody does I'll take the book to Kamppi.

Journal Entry 8 by Niksu at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Oh, wow. I surprised myself picking this up and grabbing it till the end of the meetup, so the book is now with me... What was I thinking? Did somebody put something to my orangejuice? I remember this from our earlier meetups, some brave bookcrossers have already read this, it seems it's now my turn to feel sick and be scared. Looking forward to it...

Journal Entry 9 by Niksu at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Saturday, January 1, 2011
I actually read it. Some pretty sick stuff. And the most disturbing thing is that the book is based on a true story. How dark and empty mind one has.

Journal Entry 10 by Niksu at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Sunday, January 2, 2011

Released 13 yrs ago (1/3/2011 UTC) at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm glad the book got a new reader already. Sending this book to dutch-book as a wishlist-rabck.

Read and Release at BookCrossing.com...

Journal Entry 11 by wingdutch-bookwing at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, January 10, 2011
This one arrived today. Thanks Niksu! Glad it's out of your house? Sounds very gruesome. We'll see! Expecting the worst.

Journal Entry 12 by wingdutch-bookwing at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, June 16, 2011
I've read parts if this book, but I don't think I want to read anymore. The great lines are clear to me. It's horrible enough. And since I have a daughter, I can't take such sadness anymore.
I already have a new reader, chucklesthescot, who asked for more Jack Ketchum books on the forum.

Journal Entry 13 by wingdutch-bookwing at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, June 20, 2011

Released 12 yrs ago (6/20/2011 UTC) at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Traveling to chucklesthescot as she wished to read more of Jack Ketchums books. I hope you'll enjoy this one too!

Journal Entry 14 by Chucklesthescot at Paisley, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, June 24, 2011
Thank you so much for sending this book my way! I really appreciate it. If I can ever help you with anything, don't hesitate to ask x

Journal Entry 15 by Chucklesthescot at Paisley, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, February 9, 2013
My dad has read this one and he loved it. He liked the way the story was constructed and despite the disturbing nature of the plot, he liked this as a well written horror story. I hope to be reading it as well soon.

Journal Entry 16 by Chucklesthescot at Paisley, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, October 29, 2016
The actual book was well written and features the kind of torture and humiliation that you expect with Jack Ketchum. But I could have strangled the MC for just sitting back and allowing all this abuse to happen to the girls, even lying to his parents and police when reports of the abuse first surface. I hated the little snot nose! Decent enough read but not Ketchum's best book.

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