This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
Kyle Viray's The Caterpillar plunges the reader into a future world where society has collapsed, and no laws or government control exist. Bad luck brings two people together: Johnny and Jane. He is an aging soldier who steps on a landmine while wandering away from his community; he loses all four limbs. She lives alone in a fortified farmhouse and finds Johnny near a river, drags him home, and tends to his wounds. Slowly they begin to get to know each other. Something sinister begins to happen: Johnny’s limbs are growing back, but they don’t look human. They are insect-like and twisted. His body changes, and so does his mind—and in a monstrous way. Meanwhile, flashbacks fill the gaps: his first love, Claire; his wife, Eira; and his friend, Takeya. What becomes of Johnny when his transformation is complete?
This book was gripping, with two leads who hold up well in a world gone hostile and difficult to survive. The pathos hits home hard, with Johnny evoking sympathy and fright at the same time. Jane's kindness is tested in the worst way possible, as Kyle Viray cleverly uses the two characters to illustrate how people can be both monstrous and good at the same time. If you want a morally gray character, it is Johnny. The story is told from the first-person narrative voice, alternating between Johnny's and Jane’s perspectives. The Caterpillar doesn’t just give you the chills but makes it impossible to stop reading because of the suspense. The novel ticks all the boxes for a gripping horror, and as you watch Johnny grow new limbs, your sense of dread and anticipation increases. The short chapters, one-line paragraphs, and the crisp writing make the story even more enjoyable. It is dark, brutal, and disturbing.
