Another reviewer said it best, “exhaustive and exhausting.” The scope of the novel is perhaps too large, often losing sight of its central thesis and morphing instead into an encyclopedia-length literature review. It feels as if no short story, tv show, movie, novel, video game, or real-world incident goes unmentioned, often laden with references, which come off as in-jokes. Many of these, in certain, were entirely lost upon me; I simply haven’t read the book/seen the movie/played the game. Seemingly focused more on hitting every point, I’m left with a feeling of wanting more in-depth discussion of specific moments, rather than a speedrun through centuries (after ~120 pages we discuss the Civil War, and by page 400, we’re onto the Jan. 6 insurrection) of media. Bonus points for a reference to Jackie Daytona, American bartender.

This book was engaging and gripping. I really love Dauber's insight and takes on different horror trends and how those tie into American history on the whole. My only gripe is that sometimes it felt a bit rushed or muddled, particularly in the earlier chapters, that made the point sometimes get lost. I think chapters five and six, particularly, could be their own books, and they were definitely my favorite parts of the book.