Customer Reviews

Phantom Feast

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Surprising, non-stop, or in a word, compelling. Diana Barron must have an unparalleled mind when it comes to imagination. Her first novel, Phatom Feast, in my opinion, is a successful cross of genres. The book is full of dark and bizarre horror ingredients, while magical fantasy is added to spice up the already hot story. Topping off this `Feast', is a mystery that kept me turning pages.

Everything must start at the beginning. Phatom Feast is no different. Barron introduces a line of characters that are each more unique than the next and each with a background more mystifyingly intense then the one before it. When a house touched by magic seemingly takes over the city-when a jungle explodes into the heart of Hester, New York-when everything was once considered sane and, if not normal, at least explainable . . .

Some unknown horror stalks those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves as victims of prey. If the city streets still resembled paved roads instead of wintry woods full of carnivorous beasts, perhaps escaping with your life might seem more possible. But when the unexpected is the norm, then . . . good luck finding a sanctuary.

Phatom Feast is an almost guaranteed haunting read. Clever dialogue and creative narrative allow a reader to become absorbed into the story, as if an included character in Diana Barron's story. From the beginning until the magical end, Barron's novel not only held my interest it demanded my attention. I will impatiently be awaiting more from this talented writer.

--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Third Ring & Tenth House

This was a very strange book. I must say that I expected more after reading the reviews. It was not scary, just unnecessarily gory. The only character that was at all likable was Solly the golden retriever. I just didn't like this book very much. For having a lot of action, it came off as a story being told, with cliche wording and odd phrases that just seemed childish, not edgy e.g. "trying to turn Solly into coleslaw." Most of the people were wooden and the plot was more ridiculous than anything else, with a lack of motivation/explanation behind it. All in all, this was disappointing.

I read the reviews for this book and even selected it for my first book club meeting. It was very disappointing. The characters were all equally developed, there was none that stood out to which I could identify and often the descriptions were just plain boring. Characters seemed stereotypical and the pages describing them were often only two pages before they were killed. It got to the point where I just skipped ahead because what is the point of reading a cliche description of a stereotyped character, that you don't develop any feelings for, only to have them leave the plot two pages later. Technically, I thought the reading level was very low- tenth grade. The alternate reality was mildly interesting, but nothing particularly clever or page-turning. I'm sorry to say that I disliked the book enough to spend the time reviewing it so that others might not waste their time if they are looking for something with any depth at all.

Erin was once trapped in an abusive childhood; now she is trapped in a body that holds her prisoner. Even though she has devoted friends, who are like an extended family, to care for her, she longs for freedom. And just as she found a way to free herself from the horrors of childhood, she finds a way to be free once more, but the price may be the destruction of the entire town.

When invisible monsters stalk the streets of the little town of Hester, New York, and the fimiliar landscape is transformed into an exotic terrain ruled by hordes of wild beasts, the handful of survivors must find a way to combat the terror before all is lost.

Diana Barron has written a spell-binding first novel. She uses well-turned dialogue, diverse and credible characters and exciting narriation to bring her story to life, and the suspense and relentless action keep the reader turning pages.

I felt compassion for the victims, yet aside from the one true villain in the story, I understood and was touched by the plight of the antagonists as well -- victims themselves in a different way. Only a talented writer can create reader empathy for her characters, and Ms. Barron has talent to spare.

A well-done story with a satisfying ending.

Highly recommended.

I was pleased to meet Diana Barron at one of her book signings in October, but I had no idea what was in store for me when I bought Phantom Feast. Fortunately it was a Friday when I began reading, otherwise I would have been forced to cart the book around with me to my university classes and to work, because I honestly could NOT put Phantom Feast down. I paused from reading only once to call my mother and rave about this fabulously weird and wild story. What a gift for narration, what an imagination! I am absolutely crazy about the animals and the imagery within their tale. There is a sadness and a beauty that immediately connected my heart to them. Diana Barron has an immense talent for description, and the characters involved - let me warn you, they are not characters, but real people that jump right up at you off the pages. Even now they are romping around in my head along with all the wild beasts - read the book and you'll know what I am talking about. As I was walking through the story like an old friend of each victim, I mean villager of Hester, the hairs on the back of my own neck were standing completely upright. 'Yikes!' was the first word that came to mind, followed by 'hungry' - for more, more, more! My sincere compliments to the author for serving up a shockingly savory Phantom Feast. Can't wait for the next one.

I don't read a lot of horror novels, but when I read the horrifying first sentence of Phantom Feast I knew I was going to read it... but that first sentence scared me so much that I had to wait for a bright, sunny day! It was worth the wait - Diana's characters are both weird and wonderful, the imagery is detailed and vivid, and the plot takes twists and turns that constantly left me wondering what was going to happen next. It's one of those wonderful, rare books that make you forget where you are and fall into the world created by the author, only coming back to reality when the last page is turned. I can highly recommend this book to both horror junkies and neophytes who would just enjoy a darn good read alike, and I can look forward to reading Diana's next novel. I think I'm a horror junkie now :)

When a book begins "He was still alive and fully aware when she began to skin him" one knows one is in for a ride! In Phantom Feast, Diana Barron takes us for a terrific ride which only gets better. She deals with a circus wagon, odd circus characters and even portrays bikers as some of the good guys. In other words, this is not a typical cast of characters. The plot is excellent, and the story gets more and more exciting, right to the end. And it is an end worthy of my favorite horror writer, Richard Laymon.

I recommend this novel as a unique, and delightful feast!

A definite must read!! For all of you, horror reading, animal lovers out there. The imagery is amazing, it keeps you coming back for more. It is the type of novel that you miss when you are finished. Diana Barron is a truly gifted author!!

I had so much fun reading this book, I just couldn't put it down. Not only are the characters very bizarre, but the paintings! The paintings described in this book are beyond anything I've ever seen in a museum! Diana Barron didn't give me a chance to slip back into a normal life for even a moment, flipping from page to page just to see what this lady could do to me next.

Do NOT let the kiddies read this one! But if you need something to gnaw at your ankles, storm trough your favorite bar, or rip you in half, ya gotta read this book.

Ten years ago Erin rescued Mickey a dwarf from four punks. They moved in together. Five years later, Mickey met a weeping dwarf Isolde and invited her to move in as their cook. A third dwarf Beau joined the family later on. Then there are the midget twins, Patrick and Sarah, Erin's older siblings to round out the family living in a former circus wagon turned into a cottage in Hester, New York. Erin is the income maker bringing in cash through phone sex with her clients.

Erin finds the circus canvasses that adorn the walls of the cottage quite magical especially when she dreams of escaping the bondage of her now bed ridden body. When she sleeps, Erin's spirit joins the canvas animals roaming Hester as predators in search of human prey. Erin has no problem with the hunt. When she was fifteen, she overpowered and drowned her parents with no remorse as her father sexually abused her. Now apparent innocents are dying leaving behind mutilated bodies. Witnesses insist nothing was there hat could have caused the mangling of a person in front of them.

PHANTOM FEAST is a supernatural thriller that starts slowly allowing the audience to distinguish the varying individual personalities of the family members especially the individual psychological longings (though the twins are not quite as delineated). Once the background and individualism is established, the compelling plot turns into paranormal mode at very rapid speed especially when the spirits of the canvassed animals and Erin begin their nocturnal killing spree. Diana Barron provides horror fans with an exciting psychological and supernatural thriller.

Harriet Klausner