I’m not sure what I liked best about The Ruins. It could be that Scott Smith has made a wonderful study of how people relate to each other under conditions of extreme danger, fear, and psychological pressure. Or it could just be that this is the perfect fast-reading horror novel to joyfully scare the willies out of you while you lounge on the beach during a tropical vacation.
In the book, two young American couples vacation on a Yucatan beach, where they make friends with a pair of German brothers. When his brother chases after a beautiful young archaeologist into the jungle, Matthias asks Jeff for advice. Soon the German, the four Americans, and a rowdy Greek sailor are off on an adventure to retrieve the brother and see some jungle ruins.
Their search leads them to a spooky village of Mayans who will not speak to them, a hidden path to the archaeological dig site, and a strange hill covered with vines blooming with blood-red flowers. I don’t think you need to have seen Little Shop of Horrors to guess what is coming, but I won’t give too much away. Let’s just say you’ll think twice the next time you need to work in the garden.
The Ruins is smart, psychological horror with interesting characters and surprising twists. A film is in the works, which is fitting for this very cinematic book. Read it now, and you can compare the book and film next summer. This title is also available as an audiobook.
This was one of my favorite reads last winter. I shoveled snow and listened to the MP3 audio version, as the characters desperately tried to save their water to survive the hot Mexican summer. Only slowly did they, and I, become aware of the dangers lurking all around them.
I highly recommend this to any fan of horror fiction and anyone who loves thrillers who might just want to try a horror novel. The deep psychological character exploration may also appeal to readers who normally shy away from horror.
–Greg “The Undead Rat”