Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Thing in the Snow
The Thing in the Snow: A Novel | Sean Adams
7 posts | 7 read | 16 to read
From the critically acclaimed author of The Heap, a thought-provoking and wryly funny novelequal parts satire and psychological thrillerthat holds a funhouse mirror to the isolated workplace and an age of endless distraction. At the far reaches of the world, the Northern Institute sits in a vast expanse of ice and snow. Once a thriving research facility, its operations were abruptly shut down after an unspecified incident, and its research teams promptly evacuated. Now its home to a team of three caretakersGibbs, Cline, and their supervisor, Hartand a single remaining researcher named Gilroy, who is feverishly studying the sensation of coldness. Their objective is simple: occupy the space, complete their weekly tasks, and keep the building in working order in case research ever resumes. (Also: never touch the thermostat. Also: never, ever go outside.) The work isnt thrillingtest every door for excessive creaking, sit on every chair to ensure its structural integritybut for Hart, its the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to hone his leadership skills and become the beacon of efficiency he always knew he could be. Theres just one obstacle standing in his way: a mysterious object that has appeared out in the snow. Gibbs and Cline are mesmerized. They cant discern its exact shape and color, nor if its moving or fixed in place. But it is there. Isnt it? Whatever it might be, Hart thinks the thing in the snow is an unwelcome distraction, and probably a huge waste of time. Though, come to think of it, time itself has been a bit wonky lately. Weekends pass in a blur, and he can hardly tell day from night. Gravity seems less-than-reliable. The lights have been flickering weirdly, and he feels an odd thrumming sensation in his beard. Gibbs might be plotting to unseat him as supervisor, and Gilroywell, what is he really doing anyway? Perplexed and isolatedbut most certainly not aloneHart wrestles for control of his own psyche as the thing in the snow beguiles his team, upends their work, and challenges their every notion of what is normal.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
bthegood
post image
Pickpick

Hart, Gibbs and Cline are the maintenance crew at The Northern Institute, a closed research facility. Gilroy, a researcher is also there. One day the crew notices a “thing in the snow“. As they start to obsess about it Hart seems to unravel. Told from Harts perspective, the story has the reader question the reality of everything occurring. The ending is open - no clear answers to some things. Overall a good read.
Make a great day everyone ☃️

34 likes1 comment
blurb
bthegood
Thing in the Snow | Sean Adams
post image

Juggling a few books - enjoying them all.
Two more days of grading and then break - yay! A lot of family, friends and reading time coming up!

#WinterGames #GangstaWrappers

Make a great day everyone 🎁

Bookwormjillk Good luck powering through the next two days. I‘m juggling a few books too. 4mo
Jerdencon Good luck! I‘m always juggling books! 4mo
JessieKB 🤣❤️yes!!! Two more days!!!🎉🎉🎉 you can do it!! 4mo
dabbe I remember the grading at this time of year, and I would always be SO tempted to just accidentally chuck 'em in the trash and give everyone credit! I never did, though. Hang in there! And sounds like you have an incredible break coming up! 💙❄️💙 4mo
bthegood @dabbe @JessieKB @Jerdencon @Bookwormjillk thanks for the support 🤶🎁🎄 (edited) 4mo
29 likes5 comments
review
swynn
Thing in the Snow | Sean Adams
post image
Pickpick

(2023) A small group of workers is isolated at a polar research station where nobody is doing research (or not *supposed* to be) and are given repetitive make-work tasks to pass the time. Then through a window they notice something in the snow. It's part Kafka and part VanderMeer, a touch of psychological thriller and existential angst, with a heavy dose of office satire. I liked it much.

batsy I really enjoyed it too! 7mo
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Addison_Reads
post image
Mehso-so

I'm torn on this book. The pace is slow and it leaves the reader with more questions than answers. However, what this book did very well was create psychological drama in an isolated setting that left me feeling unsettled and made me keep reading because it kept me on edge. I did also like the satire about the workplace scenario. In the end though, I needed more answers to the slow build-up.

review
batsy
post image
Pickpick

This feels like the essence of 21st-century labour distilled into a novel. It's about the absurdity of work & the grim, tedious Sisyphean nature of repetition & lack of meaning. The mood is like if you were laughing while screaming on the inside. It's like if The Office met The X-Files with a dash of Authority, the 2nd book from Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy. The slow ennui of psychosis & alienation. Full of dread! And so damn funny.

batsy This is not plot-driven at all and offers no answers, so if that kind of thing irritates you, it might not be up your street. But the ending I found somewhat triumphant. To that end I hope that there's a sequel because like every character in the book, and probably every person who read this, I *do* want to know more! About the Thing. In the snow 😆 12mo
Suet624 Fantastic review. And sure, I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. 12mo
TrishB Sounds very intriguing! 12mo
See All 13 Comments
Liz_M Oooh, interesting! 12mo
Cathythoughts Great review 👍🏻 Sounds intriguing ! 12mo
erzascarletbookgasm Great review and intriguing indeed! 12mo
BarbaraBB Intriguing 🤔 12mo
batsy @Suet624 @Cathythoughts @erzascarletbookgasm Thank you! It's a book that I'm afraid to recommend because I know it can be a divisive one 😆 12mo
batsy @TrishB @Liz_M @BarbaraBB Yes! The definition of a Marmite book, I think 😁 12mo
Aimeesue Great review! 12mo
Reggie How can I NOT stack this? 12mo
batsy @Aimeesue Thank you! 12mo
batsy @Reggie Reggie I was thinking this is a you type of book! But that it probably needs more horror lol 😁 12mo
85 likes10 stack adds13 comments
review
EatSleepRead
post image
Panpan

This book tried to be very cerebral....tackling subjects like the mundane nature of work, isolation, madness even. But as interesting as that sounds, nothing happens. At all. I like an open ending but there are no answers. I feel uneasy and disappointed after reading this one.

12 likes1 stack add
blurb
Conservio
post image

got about six inches of snow today. figured it‘d be perfect timing to start this #snow

8 likes1 stack add