Ring by Koji Suzuki: I’ve seen the movie inspired by this book (both the American and Japanese versions), and while they were decidedly creepy, the scares were mostly visual so I figured I’d be okay with the book. And I have to say that the films are much more engaging. For one thing, the iconic stringy-haired girl who crawls out of the television doesn’t even make an appearance here. The characters are either superfluous or kind of awful, and many of the details are so silly as to feel forced. The story of VHS tape that kills you a week after watching it is a neat idea, and I like the general storyline, but it’s simply told far better by the films.

Also posted on BookCrossing.