When a young family escape to the woods for a summer retreat, the last thing they expect is a quartet of cultists to invade their cabin. They give Eric and Andrew an ultimatum: pick one of them to sacrifice else the world ends.

If you really enjoyed 10 Cloverfield Lane, this book is perfect for you. This single-setting story works so well because of how character-driven it is. The world-building in this contemporary setting is largely unnecessary. So much of the tension comes from what is true, what is perceived true, and the facts. The world could actually be ending but also maybe not! No one is level-headed enough to be honest from start to finish. This book does get violent and gory, so if that’s not your thing, watch out.

I also really liked how real the family felt. Wen read to me like a seven-year-old who just wanted to have a happy summer collecting grasshoppers with her two dads. Her two dads clearly had chemistry and history, but also an authentic sense of responsibility that (hopefully) comes with parenthood. There wasn’t a single character in this entire narrative that I didn’t end up caring about (even Leonard, of all people).

Tensely character driven exercise in the choices people make under the circumstances. That being said, if you are someone who cannot handle bad things happening to young child, put this down and read anything else.