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I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House
Lost in a labyrinth of circus tents...
★★★★★ "One of the creepiest books I’ve ever read in my life .” - MJ Mars, author of The Suffering .
Dave and his four-year-old, Jacob, find a circus tent in the woods behind their house. A strange voice invites them through the dark doorway.
When they refuse, the tent swallows them.
What follows is a nightmare fleeing through a maze of circus tents. Strange performers lurk inside. They want Dave and his little boy to put on a show. The a shifting figure on a platform high above the trapeze wires.
With Jacob perched in the crook of his arm, Dave determines to outsmart the boss of this dark circus, and escape this horrifying tent.
I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House is a horror tale from the “darkly inventive” purveyor of uncanny places and wondrous evils, Ben Farthing.
★★★★★ "One of the creepiest books I’ve ever read in my life .” - MJ Mars, author of The Suffering .
Dave and his four-year-old, Jacob, find a circus tent in the woods behind their house. A strange voice invites them through the dark doorway.
When they refuse, the tent swallows them.
What follows is a nightmare fleeing through a maze of circus tents. Strange performers lurk inside. They want Dave and his little boy to put on a show. The a shifting figure on a platform high above the trapeze wires.
With Jacob perched in the crook of his arm, Dave determines to outsmart the boss of this dark circus, and escape this horrifying tent.
I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House is a horror tale from the “darkly inventive” purveyor of uncanny places and wondrous evils, Ben Farthing.
106 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
June 2, 2023
Great idea, and I loved the imagery in the book. The clowns and circus folk were super fun and creepy. My only gripe was the protagonist. His repetitive narrative kept pulling me out of the otherwise fantastic story.
August 20, 2023
Well what the eff!!!! This was seriously the scariest book I’ve read all year. There were some parts where I had to put it down and cuddle my dogs I was SO terrified. Yikes on bikes!!!
“It was an autumn day. The leaves had moved passed the “oh how beautiful” stage of bright yellows and oranges, and now were in that interstitial moment between their last gasp of brightness and their plummeting, fluttering deaths.”
A circus tent appears in the woods as a father and his son are playing. This isn’t any normal travelling carnival…. The mysterious entity running the show wants a performance, but not from its creepy carnies… it wants blood and it might even want YOUR SOUL!
Something about clowns just doesn’t sit right with me as an adult, they seem so nefarious now….
Honestly, don’t read this story in the dark it will actually give you nightmares!
“It was an autumn day. The leaves had moved passed the “oh how beautiful” stage of bright yellows and oranges, and now were in that interstitial moment between their last gasp of brightness and their plummeting, fluttering deaths.”
A circus tent appears in the woods as a father and his son are playing. This isn’t any normal travelling carnival…. The mysterious entity running the show wants a performance, but not from its creepy carnies… it wants blood and it might even want YOUR SOUL!
Something about clowns just doesn’t sit right with me as an adult, they seem so nefarious now….
Honestly, don’t read this story in the dark it will actually give you nightmares!
May 10, 2024
3.5 stars but I rounded up. This was a quick, intriguing read that was inventive and captivating. Reading in bed late at night definitely added to the creep factor! I will be looking into more by this author.
July 30, 2023
The Losing Performer was in Trouble...
I FOUND A CIRCUS TENT IN THE WOODS BEHIND MY HOUSE by Ben Farthing
No spoilers. 3 stars. Father took his son Jacob for a walk in the swampy woods behind their house...
Playing in the wet leaves, they saw a red and yellow striped circus tent erected on their patch of land...
Rain was expected that day...
... and soon water would be up to the tent entrance, and there would be liability for Father if someone got hurt...
So...
Father called to someone inside the dark tent interior, but no one answered...
Little Jacob told Father: I don't like it. Father didn't like it either...
Suddenly...
The tent seemed to swallow Father and Jacob up. They ran toward the exit, but the tent flaps closed them in...
Trapped inside the tent, the two saw shadowy-like circus people who appeared and disappeared...
They also saw...
A vast sea of interconnected circus tents without end that bled when Father tried to cut into them to escape...
There were...
Clown sculptures that came to life like a nightmare and something dark waiting for them to prove their showmanship...
Because, you see...
Father and son were pitted against each other in a contest to show the shadow monsters who was the better performer...
And the loser was in big trouble...
I think the nightmare of this story was a worthy plot, but I found the storytelling very confusing. With better clarification of what was happening, this would have been a stellar story, but as is, I gave it 3 stars.
An excellent tent story is THE TENT by Kealan Patrick Burke.
I FOUND A CIRCUS TENT IN THE WOODS BEHIND MY HOUSE by Ben Farthing
No spoilers. 3 stars. Father took his son Jacob for a walk in the swampy woods behind their house...
Playing in the wet leaves, they saw a red and yellow striped circus tent erected on their patch of land...
Rain was expected that day...
... and soon water would be up to the tent entrance, and there would be liability for Father if someone got hurt...
So...
Father called to someone inside the dark tent interior, but no one answered...
Little Jacob told Father: I don't like it. Father didn't like it either...
Suddenly...
The tent seemed to swallow Father and Jacob up. They ran toward the exit, but the tent flaps closed them in...
Trapped inside the tent, the two saw shadowy-like circus people who appeared and disappeared...
They also saw...
A vast sea of interconnected circus tents without end that bled when Father tried to cut into them to escape...
There were...
Clown sculptures that came to life like a nightmare and something dark waiting for them to prove their showmanship...
Because, you see...
Father and son were pitted against each other in a contest to show the shadow monsters who was the better performer...
And the loser was in big trouble...
I think the nightmare of this story was a worthy plot, but I found the storytelling very confusing. With better clarification of what was happening, this would have been a stellar story, but as is, I gave it 3 stars.
An excellent tent story is THE TENT by Kealan Patrick Burke.
May 25, 2023
All I can say is, HOLY F*CK! To be able to pack such a punch in a short novella takes some skill, and Farthing did just that. This is a terrifying story about a dad and son discovering a random circus tent in the woods behind their new home. I won’t spoil it from there, but let’s just say all is not as it appears on the outside. They enter the tent and that’s where the terror really begins.
Now for the narrator. I was so damn impressed with Aaron Camacho’s performance (yes I don’t say narration here because this performance was worth the ticket price alone), that I had to reach out to him directly. Then I found out it was only his second ever narration and it blew my mind. He will surely be a household narrator in short order. He brings this story to life and significantly adds to the creep factor. Do yourself a favor, don’t worry about spending an audible credit on a short book, you will be happy you did. Highly recommended.
Now for the narrator. I was so damn impressed with Aaron Camacho’s performance (yes I don’t say narration here because this performance was worth the ticket price alone), that I had to reach out to him directly. Then I found out it was only his second ever narration and it blew my mind. He will surely be a household narrator in short order. He brings this story to life and significantly adds to the creep factor. Do yourself a favor, don’t worry about spending an audible credit on a short book, you will be happy you did. Highly recommended.
July 25, 2023
What would you do if you found a circus tent in the woods behind your house? What would you do if you had your very young son with you?
A short but wonderfully written tale of the lengths a parent will go to shield their children from trauma, both physically and emotionally. It's a very quick read but still manages to pack an emotional punch.
Filled with characters nobody would ever wish to meet, the author takes us from ring to ring, and tent to tent as we panic right alongside our protagonist. Bdn Farthing delivers a thrilling tale that can be easily devoured in one sitting 🎪
A short but wonderfully written tale of the lengths a parent will go to shield their children from trauma, both physically and emotionally. It's a very quick read but still manages to pack an emotional punch.
Filled with characters nobody would ever wish to meet, the author takes us from ring to ring, and tent to tent as we panic right alongside our protagonist. Bdn Farthing delivers a thrilling tale that can be easily devoured in one sitting 🎪
May 22, 2024
fun read!
I think I was as obsessed with the thing in the platforms above as the MC was. Fun, short, creepy little book. Actually wish there was more to it. Would have loved to know the backstories of the circus performers and have certain questions answered.
I think I was as obsessed with the thing in the platforms above as the MC was. Fun, short, creepy little book. Actually wish there was more to it. Would have loved to know the backstories of the circus performers and have certain questions answered.
February 4, 2023
This was short, to the point, and it managed to creep me out without spilling a single drop of (human) blood! Quite an accomplishment. The most satisfying part was the ending: unexpected, original, truly disturbing, and very, very moving; the most serious drawback, on the other hand, the constant worry of the father about his son being traumatized - this got old very quickly. In fact, the emotional factor was stressed too much, exploding into psychological horror too many times, instead of focusing on the clowns and the circus' origins. Anyway, perhaps there isn't much else one can do with such a premise, however original it turned out to be.
April 6, 2023
I really did enjoy this…at first. I quickly got lost in the father caring about the sons psychological well-being. It felt hammered in and took me out of the story. I kept thinking why are you worried about his mental health in the future when the scary ass clowns might kill him right now? Like y’all literally might die. Worry about mental anguish AFTER you survive.
I saw so many reviews praising the ending and it just didn’t smack me. I was expecting some kind of punch to the gut but…it fell flat.
Overall the writing quality is very good and I will definitely peruse the authors work. This one just didn’t do it for me m, but two stars for creativity and writing ability.
I saw so many reviews praising the ending and it just didn’t smack me. I was expecting some kind of punch to the gut but…it fell flat.
Overall the writing quality is very good and I will definitely peruse the authors work. This one just didn’t do it for me m, but two stars for creativity and writing ability.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2023
Titulo: I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House
Autor: Ben Farthing
Motivo de lectura: Letras Macabras (Isla Macabra 2023)
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Electronico
Puntuacion: 3/5
Comenzaria por decir que en mi vida tengo dos grandes fobias, una es la colombofobia (fobia a las palomas) y la otra es la coulrofobia (fobia a los payasos)..por que hablo de mis fobias? Tendran que leer el libro! 😱😱
Los personajes principales estan bien desarrollados, igualmente no podria hablar de una verdadera construccion ya que esto es una novela muy cortita y toda la trama ocurre durante un dia (o mejor dicho un par de horas).
La trama me parecio bastante original, con elementos espeluznantes presentados como un juego demencial del gato y el raton. La atmosfera es aterradora, asfixiante y hasta desesperante por momentos. Pero hubo un detalle que me saco del mood, y esto es una frase por parte del padre "intentar salvar al hijo del trauma", varias veces repite eso, y la sensacion por mi parte era "ya entendi, no lo vuelvas a repetir que me arruinas la lectura!" jajaja.
Si queres entretenerte un rato, leyendo algo que seguramente no hayas leido antes (por lo original de la premisa), este es tu libro!
Autor: Ben Farthing
Motivo de lectura: Letras Macabras (Isla Macabra 2023)
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Electronico
Puntuacion: 3/5
Comenzaria por decir que en mi vida tengo dos grandes fobias, una es la colombofobia (fobia a las palomas) y la otra es la coulrofobia (fobia a los payasos)..por que hablo de mis fobias? Tendran que leer el libro! 😱😱
Los personajes principales estan bien desarrollados, igualmente no podria hablar de una verdadera construccion ya que esto es una novela muy cortita y toda la trama ocurre durante un dia (o mejor dicho un par de horas).
La trama me parecio bastante original, con elementos espeluznantes presentados como un juego demencial del gato y el raton. La atmosfera es aterradora, asfixiante y hasta desesperante por momentos. Pero hubo un detalle que me saco del mood, y esto es una frase por parte del padre "intentar salvar al hijo del trauma", varias veces repite eso, y la sensacion por mi parte era "ya entendi, no lo vuelvas a repetir que me arruinas la lectura!" jajaja.
Si queres entretenerte un rato, leyendo algo que seguramente no hayas leido antes (por lo original de la premisa), este es tu libro!
January 11, 2024
Excellent!
Quick, atmospheric, and chilling...
My brother ended up buying the first three "I Found" novels on Amazon, and "I Found Puppets Living in My Apartment Walls" was calling me the most to read. It sounded the most fun and intriguing. I may have gone in with too high expectations, since while I did enjoy it, I had already expected to, but it didn't exceed my expectations.
This book, however, blew me away. What I loved the most about it was that not every secret was given away, though you may or may not be able to piece it together. I had wanted "Puppets" to give me an "I get it now!" attitude after finishing, but I ended up saying that before we got to the climax, and so I felt it was somewhat too early to say that.
This one had me biting my fingernails and on the edge of my seat, wanting more and growing sadder seeing the page count decrease. It was really well done. I was expecting Killer Klowns From Outer Space, but ended up with so much more.
The only con I can think of is that character development was very minimal. It's there, but you've gotta squint your eyes to see it. Almost like the inside of a certain tent I recently read about...
I dont want to give any secrets away, so I'll stop right here. Highly recommended.
Quick, atmospheric, and chilling...
My brother ended up buying the first three "I Found" novels on Amazon, and "I Found Puppets Living in My Apartment Walls" was calling me the most to read. It sounded the most fun and intriguing. I may have gone in with too high expectations, since while I did enjoy it, I had already expected to, but it didn't exceed my expectations.
This book, however, blew me away. What I loved the most about it was that not every secret was given away, though you may or may not be able to piece it together. I had wanted "Puppets" to give me an "I get it now!" attitude after finishing, but I ended up saying that before we got to the climax, and so I felt it was somewhat too early to say that.
This one had me biting my fingernails and on the edge of my seat, wanting more and growing sadder seeing the page count decrease. It was really well done. I was expecting Killer Klowns From Outer Space, but ended up with so much more.
The only con I can think of is that character development was very minimal. It's there, but you've gotta squint your eyes to see it. Almost like the inside of a certain tent I recently read about...
I dont want to give any secrets away, so I'll stop right here. Highly recommended.
October 18, 2023
I hate circuses. I saw one when I was in Istanbul pre-pandemic (the last of a dying breed of spectacles) all I saw was animal and differently-abled people abuse not even well disguised beneath the stupid tent lights and gaudy outfits oh yeah and vomit-inducing shiny makeup. Whoooowee, I need a minute. Okay there, unburdened.
Now onto the bloody horror of this sodding circus.
I so loved the theme of the father shielding his son from physical and emotional and fantastical threats even to his own detriment. A beautiful heartbreaking undertone about parent-toddler relationship.
The play on size in relation to level and force of threat, of violence was executed well. We expect bigger to be bad and the worst whilst smaller would be sweeter therefore easy to overpower. In this case, Biggest tent ever housing smaller than Dave's average average height things/clowns/shadows/ trapeze artists - all the worst hell on earth.
Plot/Storyline:
I'm no mama-bear but I desperately wanted to rip into the pages, flatten myself into this book, dimension jump from my reality to that of the Circus Tent In The Woods and just rage against the forces threatening little Jacob.
Character: Oh for Fecking Sake - I hate clowns.
Significant Scene:
Kids are perceptive even when they're 4 year olds and can't reason and have no choice but to heed instinct. Dave Dave Dave, should've listened to little Jacob - but hey no good horror starts with listening.
■Can we watch a movie?” He asked, trying to get us back to the house. (Before entering the Tent)
■Jacob was looking over my shoulder. “Daddy, why is he a clown?”
“Because it’s a circus, buddy.” (When it was already too late)
Favorite Quote /Concept:
■A bloody bleeding tent. No, literally.
■ Jacob understood the need to stay quiet, which honestly was asking a lot of a four-year-old. (Dad/Narrator on his sweet son in the midst of a daring escape attempt)
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror Books by 2025
Now onto the bloody horror of this sodding circus.
I so loved the theme of the father shielding his son from physical and emotional and fantastical threats even to his own detriment. A beautiful heartbreaking undertone about parent-toddler relationship.
The play on size in relation to level and force of threat, of violence was executed well. We expect bigger to be bad and the worst whilst smaller would be sweeter therefore easy to overpower. In this case, Biggest tent ever housing smaller than Dave's average average height things/clowns/shadows/ trapeze artists - all the worst hell on earth.
Plot/Storyline:
I'm no mama-bear but I desperately wanted to rip into the pages, flatten myself into this book, dimension jump from my reality to that of the Circus Tent In The Woods and just rage against the forces threatening little Jacob.
Character: Oh for Fecking Sake - I hate clowns.
Significant Scene:
Kids are perceptive even when they're 4 year olds and can't reason and have no choice but to heed instinct. Dave Dave Dave, should've listened to little Jacob - but hey no good horror starts with listening.
■Can we watch a movie?” He asked, trying to get us back to the house. (Before entering the Tent)
■Jacob was looking over my shoulder. “Daddy, why is he a clown?”
“Because it’s a circus, buddy.” (When it was already too late)
Favorite Quote /Concept:
■A bloody bleeding tent. No, literally.
■ Jacob understood the need to stay quiet, which honestly was asking a lot of a four-year-old. (Dad/Narrator on his sweet son in the midst of a daring escape attempt)
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror Books by 2025
May 6, 2023
I wasn’t exactly scared. There was some creepy imagery that I really enjoyed, but it could be that since I’m not afraid of clowns, that I wasn’t going to be scared. The father character did annoy me though. He was constantly rattling on about “saving his son from trauma”. Mentioning it once or twice would’ve been fine, but I read it far too many times in such a short novella. That kind of takes you out of the actual “scare”
October 10, 2023
This was not scary, creepy or disturbing for me at all. I never felt creeped out while reading this and was expecting so much more from this so I am kind of disappointed but it was still pretty good.
October 1, 2023
TW: Language, gory scenes, blood
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Dave and his four-year-old, Jacob, find a circus tent in the woods behind their house. A strange voice invites them through the dark doorway.When they refuse, the tent swallows them.What follows is a nightmare fleeing through a maze of circus tents. Strange performers lurk inside. They want Dave and his little boy to put on a show. The a shifting figure on a platform high above the trapeze wires.With Jacob perched in the crook of his arm, Dave determines to outsmart the boss of this dark circus, and escape this horrifying tent.
Release Date: January 31st, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 100
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Writing style was great
2. Atmospheric
What I Didn't Like:
1. Felt repetitive
2. Didn't know enough about characters to care if they died
Overall Thoughts:
This is the movie Cube with circus tents.
I was sucked into this book. It's short. I think I was more interested in the beginning but by the middle section it just felt repetitive and we were doing the same stuff over and over.
I just wish I could have known more about the family so I could have cared about them enough that if they did die.
Final Thoughts:
The writing style was fantastic and I really felt as though I was in the tent with them. I can't wait to read the authors other works.
Recommend For:
• Fans of Cube
• Father/son relationships
• Circus atmosphere
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Dave and his four-year-old, Jacob, find a circus tent in the woods behind their house. A strange voice invites them through the dark doorway.When they refuse, the tent swallows them.What follows is a nightmare fleeing through a maze of circus tents. Strange performers lurk inside. They want Dave and his little boy to put on a show. The a shifting figure on a platform high above the trapeze wires.With Jacob perched in the crook of his arm, Dave determines to outsmart the boss of this dark circus, and escape this horrifying tent.
Release Date: January 31st, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 100
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Writing style was great
2. Atmospheric
What I Didn't Like:
1. Felt repetitive
2. Didn't know enough about characters to care if they died
Overall Thoughts:
This is the movie Cube with circus tents.
I was sucked into this book. It's short. I think I was more interested in the beginning but by the middle section it just felt repetitive and we were doing the same stuff over and over.
I just wish I could have known more about the family so I could have cared about them enough that if they did die.
Final Thoughts:
The writing style was fantastic and I really felt as though I was in the tent with them. I can't wait to read the authors other works.
Recommend For:
• Fans of Cube
• Father/son relationships
• Circus atmosphere
IG | Blog
January 31, 2024
I put off reading this because of the title. I really wasn’t expecting to love it so much! Very creepy and I definitely didn’t see the ending coming.
April 2, 2024
This was definitely creepy. I love a good circus scare. The feel that everything encompassing the circus was alive gave a stimulating chill. It was dizzying running around with Dave and his son trying to find a way to escape. The ending was quite different and a bit disturbing. Really liked this hair-raising tale.
January 23, 2024
Cute little short book to read when you need a spooky read. Clowns and all circus folk alike join in this story of a circus tent in the woods!
July 17, 2023
A bone-chilling horror novelette that deftly combines elements of the supernatural with the creepy world of the circus. From the first page until the last, I was on the edge of my seat.
Ben Farthing has a way of building tension and creating a sense of impending doom in each sentence. The haunting narrative blends the familiar comfort of a backyard with the sinister allure of a hidden, evil, unescapable circus.
If you love horror and crave a unique and unnerving tale, "I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods behind my House" is a must-read.
Ben Farthing has a way of building tension and creating a sense of impending doom in each sentence. The haunting narrative blends the familiar comfort of a backyard with the sinister allure of a hidden, evil, unescapable circus.
If you love horror and crave a unique and unnerving tale, "I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods behind my House" is a must-read.
February 4, 2023
This was a quick, but intense, read. Written from the first person viewpoint of a father and his 4 year old son. If you have kids, you can relate to the pain of carrying around a 40 lb preschooler and can only imagine the fear of not wanting to put him down in some creepy circus tent that just showed up in your back yard.
I very much enjoyed this, including the imagery, and it left me wondering about the tent's back story.
I very much enjoyed this, including the imagery, and it left me wondering about the tent's back story.
February 20, 2023
Sooooooooo Creepy
This book truly creeped me out. Imagine seeing a HUGE circus tent in an impossible place. And, the inside is so much worse. And, you have your child with you. I am not saying another word. Read this for yourself. I am now planning on starting another book from Ben Farthing.
This book truly creeped me out. Imagine seeing a HUGE circus tent in an impossible place. And, the inside is so much worse. And, you have your child with you. I am not saying another word. Read this for yourself. I am now planning on starting another book from Ben Farthing.
April 11, 2023
A father and son go for a walk in the woods behind their house and find a circus tent that shouldn't be there. The end up inside and things start getting strange. This title caught me right away, and the story did not disappoint. The bizarre and creepy journey of father and son trying to escape kept me on edge. Highly recommend!
Read
January 10, 2024Finished this one real quick. I’m laid up with COVID right now and making my way through a couple of popcorn books. Super compelling title that tells us exactly what happened followed by a fun spooky book with plenty of cosmic dread. Not too much gore or disgusting stuff in this one, just a good spooky time. The narrator for the audiobook is great too, and the note from the author at the end of the book is genuinely so sweet.
July 9, 2023
Yeah, this one was unexpectedly fun to read! I enjoyed the fast pace and the different clowns that appeared. It was atmospheric and dark. And the ending was executed perfectly.
March 22, 2024
Beyond creepy and unsettling
October 3, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A short horror novella that dives into the fun sub-genre horror of clowns/circus.
Dave and his son Jacob take a walk in their backyard woods, when they unexpectedly discover a large circus tent on their property. While trying to figure out the origin of the tent and voice beckons them inside. Dave refuses, and tent sucks them both inside anyway. Now Dave & Jacob must navigate the labyrinth of circus performers, & clowns that demand they perform.
What a fun idea! Clowns are notoriously a fear many people have so I was excited to dive into this and get freaked out. The problem? It wasn’t scary. Mildly freaky, some decent imagery. But this had so much potential to be super horrifying. This had an underlying message of protecting your child from everything possible. But the main character was way too concerned about the trauma his son will have when this experience is over than I don’t know.. the giant tent that they are lost in and the slew of creepy performers pursuing them. I have another one of Ben Farthings novellas to read this month. I’m hoping I enjoy it more.
A short horror novella that dives into the fun sub-genre horror of clowns/circus.
Dave and his son Jacob take a walk in their backyard woods, when they unexpectedly discover a large circus tent on their property. While trying to figure out the origin of the tent and voice beckons them inside. Dave refuses, and tent sucks them both inside anyway. Now Dave & Jacob must navigate the labyrinth of circus performers, & clowns that demand they perform.
What a fun idea! Clowns are notoriously a fear many people have so I was excited to dive into this and get freaked out. The problem? It wasn’t scary. Mildly freaky, some decent imagery. But this had so much potential to be super horrifying. This had an underlying message of protecting your child from everything possible. But the main character was way too concerned about the trauma his son will have when this experience is over than I don’t know.. the giant tent that they are lost in and the slew of creepy performers pursuing them. I have another one of Ben Farthings novellas to read this month. I’m hoping I enjoy it more.
September 26, 2023
“Time was running out. I knew these things would come alive.”
“I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind my House” by Ben Farthing gets 3 out of 5 stars.
Stumbled on this author in a book group and had to give his work a try. This novella is not what I had expected in terms of plot. Father and son stumble onto a circus tent in their backyard and endure a horrifying journey to get out.
I felt left with many questions once I reached the ending. There could have been more about the tent and its occupants, especially the entity that runs the show and why it appeared. It did have some weird, creepy parts and, of course, clowns. The writing was easy to read and fast paced but repetitive in some areas. Overall, it was a quick, fun read and added more to my fear of clowns. 🤡🎪
Please visit my GoodReads or Instagram (Ashesandlore) profile for more reviews. Thank you!
“I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind my House” by Ben Farthing gets 3 out of 5 stars.
Stumbled on this author in a book group and had to give his work a try. This novella is not what I had expected in terms of plot. Father and son stumble onto a circus tent in their backyard and endure a horrifying journey to get out.
I felt left with many questions once I reached the ending. There could have been more about the tent and its occupants, especially the entity that runs the show and why it appeared. It did have some weird, creepy parts and, of course, clowns. The writing was easy to read and fast paced but repetitive in some areas. Overall, it was a quick, fun read and added more to my fear of clowns. 🤡🎪
Please visit my GoodReads or Instagram (Ashesandlore) profile for more reviews. Thank you!
June 22, 2023
I don't like clowns. I've never liked clowns. I have a trauma story about a clown. So the only logical thing to do is read a spooky circus tent book. I mean, if you want to read horror, you should read about what scares you the most right? This book was a like a bag of popcorn in a microwave. Poppin! I was so worried about little Jacob. I have a son so it played on my parental instincts. It was very nerve wracking. I devoured this book. The only negative I can really say is that I hate that it was so short! This could have been 5000 pages and I would have loved every syllable.
April 29, 2023
This novella gripped me from page one and held on while I flew through the pages unable to take a break. Parents will feel sheer terror as the author sets the atmosphere in a creepy, mysterious circus tent and weaves a story of constant action while a father tries to protect his son. Incredibly anxiety-inducing and thought-provoking with a twist I didn’t see coming. The author accomplishes more than you’d imagine in this short story. I loved it!
June 21, 2023
The idea in this short story was very unsettling, but for some reason, the narrator's repetitive concerns for his son's trauma rather than his son's actual physical well-being seemed unrealistic and was distracting, hence the 3 star rating.
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