A review by melanie_page
The Cipher by Kathe Koja

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Finally, near the end of this 300+ page novel, Nicholas locks himself into the storage room with the Funhole, and it seems the door to the room can no longer be opened. Art pieces left in the room by the Funhole followers come to life, and when Nicholas puts his wounded hand back in the Funhole, he describes the sensation:

. . . my hand was squeezed, squeezed like caught in machinery, and I screamed, oh did I scream, my broken fractured finger bent and twisted and my other lesser bones twirled and blended in my flesh, and I thought as I screamed. This is what the bugs must have felt . . .

And the ending? I was both pleased and bummed. It made sense in the context, but I wanted more Clive Barker and less Lord of the Flies. Though I was entertained by The Cipher, I wish it were shorter and found myself thinking, “hurry up and do something horrifying with the hole!” more often than I care to admit. 

Check out the full review at https://grabthelapels.com/2021/07/08/the-cipher/