The Cabin at the End of the World

By Paul Tremblay

The Stoker Award-winning, taut and propulsive twist on home invasion horror, packed psychological suspense. Soon to be a major film, Knock At the Cabin, directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin on a quiet New Hampshire lake, with their closest neighbours more than two miles in either direction.

As Wen catches grasshoppers in the front yard, a stranger unexpectedly appears in the driveway. Leonard is the largest man Wen has ever seen but he is young and friendly. Leonard and Wen talk and play until Leonard abruptly apologises and tells Wen, “None of what’s going to happen is your fault”. Three more strangers arrive at the cabin carrying unidentifiable, menacing objects. As Wen sprints inside to warn her parents, Leonard calls out: “Your dads won’t want to let us in, Wen. But they have to. We need your help to save the world.”

So begins an unbearably tense, gripping tale of paranoia, sacrifice, apocalypse, and survival that escalates to a shattering conclusion, one in which the fate of a loving family and quite possibly all of humanity are intertwined.

The Cabin at the End of the World is a masterpiece of terror and suspense from the fantastically fertile imagination of Paul Tremblay.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Titan Books
• Release date: Jun 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781785657832

Paul Tremblay

Paul Tremblay has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, and Massachusetts Book awards and is the nationally bestselling author of The Beast You Are, The Pallbearers Club, Survivor Song, Growing Things and Other Stories, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. His novel The Cabin at the End of the World was adapted into the Universal Pictures film Knock at the Cabin. He lives outside Boston with his family.

Reviews for The Cabin at the End of the World

[ridgewaygirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Andrew and Eric take their eight-year-old daughter and go on vacation in an isolated cabin on a scenic lake in New Hampshire they're anticipating nothing more than time to unwind, to live without wifi or their phones, to let Wen goof around outside without constant supervision. But they've barely settled in when a man shows up on foot and starts a conversation with Wen, who is in the front yard catching grasshoppers. By the time she runs to tell her parents about the man outside, it's too late. I picked this up after seeing mentions of how very scary this book is. Horror is hit or miss with me, and usually it misses. It's either so over the top I stop being scared and start to roll my eyes, or it's just not that scary. This novel leans towards both simultaneously and so sort of worked for me. Not in the sense that I was scared, but I was interested in what was going to happen next that I kept turning the pages. This is a home invasion story with a twist; the four intruders come armed with the most terrifying weapons imaginable (kudos to Paul Tremblay for thinking up those nightmare-worthy objects) and they are utterly convinced that the world will end unless the family does a horrific thing. These aren't monsters taking pleasure in causing pain, these are true believers. Tremblay does a good job of walking the fine line between presenting the intruders as delusional and of presenting them as being correct. He leaves enough room for the reader to interpret the events how they choose and he ends the book at the exactly right moment. If your secret fear is of being the target of a home invasion, this book will probably be terrifying in all the right ways.

[readingover50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read A Head Full of Ghosts last summer and loved it. It was one of my favorite books of the year. So I was very excited when I heard about The Cabin at the End of the World. I was able to get it from my library and eagerly began reading.

First off, the character Wen is adorable. I love that we are inside her mind for the first chapter. It felt like an authentic 7 year old's voice to me. She idolizes her parents, Eric and Andrew. And although not as perfect as Wen believes, they are still good and loving parents.

The three of them are vacationing in an isolated cabin, with no cell reception. Then four strangers arrive and hold them hostage, telling Eric and Andrew that they have a choice to make, one that will save the world from the impending apocalypse. Throughout the book, the reader is left wondering if the world really is about to be destroyed, or are the four strangers crazy.

This book was exciting and tense. It takes place over the course of couple days, and I was very anxious to see how everything would turn out.

[xiaomarlo · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I can't finish this. It is way too violent and disturbing for me, for no discernible reason. I thought about finishing to try to find out the reason, but it's too brutal. I love a scary book, but not a gory one.

[jrthebutler · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Four strangers torment a family on vacation, saying they need their help to stop the end of the world.

[sberson_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A quick read, but not well written.

[frankerrington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5 StarsThe Cabin at the End of the World is, without a doubt one of the most talked about novels of the year, with nearly equal amounts of love and hate for the latest work from Paul Tremblay. This is my third book by this Massachusetts writer. I loved A Head Full of Ghosts and liked Disappearance at Devil's Rock and fall squarely in the love column for this brilliant take on the apocalypse. I took the time to read several of the one-star reviews and they actually have legitimate complaints, I just happen to have a difference of opinion. I actually liked the open ending. It left me pondering the possible outcomes. Something I'll be thinking about for some time to come.The whole story is thought-provoking, start to finish. Andrew and Eric are spending time at their secluded cabin in the woods. Their little girl, Wen, is in the yard catching grasshoppers and putting them in a jar. She knows all about stranger danger, but sometimes a child just gets caught in the moment. That's what happens when the kind and gentle Leonard starts to engage her about the art of catching the insects.Before we know it Leonard is joined by Redmond, Adriane, and Sabrina. Their story about the end of the world and the part Andrew, Eric, and Wen are to play is unfathomable and the solution untenable.The writing is wonderful..."Too many people have smiles that don't mean what a smile is supposed to mean. Their smiles are often cruel and mocking, like how a bully's grin is the same as a fist."I found The Cabin at the End of the World to be an imaginative "What would you do?" story. I asked myself that very question, again an again, as I read the story. I could easily see this as a feature film.Strongly recommended, but be prepared to love it or hate it. There is little middle ground.Cabin at the End of the World is published by William Morrow and is available in all formats.From the author's bio - Paul Tremblay is the author of Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. He has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, and Massachusetts Book Awards and is currently a member of the board of directors of the Shirley Jackson Awards. He has a master’s degree in mathematics and lives outside Boston with his wife and two children.

[sprainedbrain · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Tremblay had a brilliant idea for a completely terrifying storyline, and the tension just kept ratcheting up and up throughout. The combination of the switching narratives (between several characters and from first to third person) and not knowing what the hell is happening made it nearly impossible to stop reading.

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If countless horror movies haven't convinced you that it's never a good idea to vacation in a remote cabin in the woods, this book surely will. Married couple Eric and Andrew are vacationing with their adopted daughter Wen in the New Hampshire backwoods when four very creepy people show up, break in, and tell them that the world is going to end imminently if they don't make a horrendous choice. The action takes place over the next couple of days as the suspense ratchets up to unbearable levels--and Tremblay does not take the action in expected directions. Some readers may not care for the ending, but I thought it was perfect, because the novel captured so well the existential uncertainty we all live in, having to make choices without knowing what the potential consequences may be and having to continue moving forward no matter what--a theme that elevates this above a mere thriller. Paul Tremblay is fast becoming one of my favorite horror writers, and his latest did not disappoint.

[taurusreader · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Apocalyptic. scary and boring in places.

[fhudnell-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This was the second book I've tried to read this week that was just garbage. Have I been cursed in some way?

[dagon12 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book seems to be polarizing a lot of readers. Or at least the Amazon reviews which seem to mostly love the book or hate it. I don't know why. Personally, I would rank it as awesome! A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS was just a tad better in my opinion but they are photo-finish close in that ranking.The story: seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin. One afternoon four strangers arrive carrying menacing weapons and needing their help to save the world. The story the strangers tell is crazy; their actions are even crazier. Or are they sane behavior from people who have no choice. Suddenly Eric, Andrew, and Wen must make some difficult choices in order to survive.I found the story amazing. It was scary and terrifying but in part because it was so thought provoking. What would I have done if I was in their place? Would I have made the hard choice earlier? And if so, when? Because Tremblay made the characters so real, it made everything have more impact. The hardships and pain yanked hard on my heart. I felt for both the family and the strangers. One of the other things that Tremblay does with his novels (or at least the three I've read so far) is end them all with a touch of mystery. Was there really something supernatural that occurred or not? In this case, strangers claim the family needs to help save the world. So by the story's end, the world either has to be saved or be destroyed. But if the strangers are crazy, was the world really saved? Or were the claims deluded ravings from a madman? Unless the book ended with "The world then blew up.", you can never be sure. And that's what makes the story even better, that element of faith. Eric, Andrew, and Wen must have faith that the story is real, even if the messengers are crazy or demented. And as readers, we must decide who we want to believe. Taking Tremblay's story at face value is easy; seeing possibly demented motives makes it scarier. These are the type of books that will leave me pondering for days afterwards. And that is why I loved it.

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Oooh, the first chapter is so creepy! It gave me that feeling of "No! Don't do that! Run away! What are you doing? This ain't right! Run, run, run!"! And then...Basically, 8 year old Wen is on vacation in a remote cabin with her two dads, when four strangers show up. Ugh. Basically, I was freaked out the whole time I read this! What the strangers want, what the consequences may, or may not, be, and what decisions the family must make just kept me ill at ease. This is almost a five star, but I'm not sure how I totally feel about the end. I just know that for me, getting to that ending was a bit like going through the wringer! Whooooo...

[flying_monkeys_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My gut tells me the ending will polarize readers -- a love it or hate it type situation. If you're the reader who requires the mystery revealed by story's end, you'll probably throw the book when you reach page 270. The mystery here being, well, that's kinda spoilery is the apocalypse really happening? or are the "4 horsemen" simply delusional cultists. Thankfully, the home invaders reveal their motives right away.No, the biggest disappointment for me was the story as a whole. tTe premise and its potential kept me turning the pages, but I wasn't really invested in Wen, Andrew or Eric as individuals. When it became obvious this wasn't going to be something I hadn't read or watched before, I detached.By the final chapters, though, I couldn't not turn the pages to find out what the Dads would do. What the ending would reveal, if anything.The tension was masterful.3 stars

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read several of Paul Tremblay's books and have really enjoyed them. They have just enough of the supernatural element to make them interesting and slightly chilling. [The Cabin At The End of The World] opened with a home invasion by a seeming harmless stranger that befriended a 7 year old girl. The reader has to ask themselves what would they do if presented with something as unbelievable as this family was. It's disturbing...it's extremely unsettling...and at the same time simply a terrific story from an author that always writes a thought provoking tale.

[eadieb-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to read this book because I saw so many people had liked it but I will have to say that I didn't really like it at all. I have read some scary books and this one was not that scary to me. There are crazy people holding the occupants of the cabin as hostages but I thought it lacked real tension. I listened to the audio and it was during the day and maybe if I was home alone and it was at night then I'm sure I would have been a bit more nervous. So, if you read this one and you were scared then I would say, "Good for you!" If you haven't read it then maybe you should try it and see if it is scary enough for you. I just thought the whole story was rather strange. But I guess that's why they have so many flavors of ice cream!

[bonnie.franks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I won this book on Goodreads and I am grateful.If this were to be a one-word review, I would be stuck between Wow! and Awesome!This is the first Paul Tremblay book I have read, and it will not be the last. The writing is flawless. I do not say that about many authors (no offense authors) but there are certain writers that you just know have the knack to begin with and the talent to pull it off effortlessly. It's a feel. The subject matter of this book is both horrifying and current on many levels. It covers so many bases in such an emotional way that it is difficult to be explicit here without giving too much away. I can tell you that you will be hooked and locked in by the end of the first page. You will sometimes have to close the book for a moment to ponder. You won't be able to keep it closed long enough to accurately ponder. You will have to read on. It is emotional, intense, and wonderful. I would consider it a must read.Incidentally, when you are done reading it, you will not be done with it. It will stay with you for awhile.

[kateprice88 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

While the prose is lovely, this book takes a long time to get much of anywhere. Conversations tend to go around in circles, having the same back and forth dialogue framed differently and repeated. This stretches what could have been scenes into entire chapters, which drags the pacing to a screeching halt.

Some of the characters are very enjoyable, though. Wen feels like an eight year old. Her fathers feel like a married couple in ways that many other books don't necessarily manage to convey. I like them as characters a lot. The framework they were set in was simply dragged out too much.

I did DNF this. Not because it was awful or that I couldn't finish it, but because I do have a good number of other books I want to get to. This one simply isn't holding my attention. Perhaps one day I'll come back to it.

*This book was recieved from the publisher through a Goodreads giveaway.*

[ouroborosangel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. Talk about a truly terrifying book. A little girl and her two dads find themselves hosting a party of four lunatics in a remote cabin in the woods. The family is told they have an important decision to make - that will save the entire world. And...I cannot say much more than that without giving away what I think are important plot points.

At least twice while reading I said, out loud, "oh my god."

Just a heartbreaking and horrifying book crafted around the themes of loyalty and family.

Dang.

[jaredorlando-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh Paul Tremblay, you stress me out. You have me wasting my day away anxious with a beating heart. You are smarter than you should be. You can weave a story better than you should. All of this makes Cabin such a rewarding read. There is heart. There is what-the-hell-is-going-to-happen. There is more to say but I do not have the time. Stephen King likes it. There. That is reason enough to pick it up. Also, the cover is beautiful. It looks great on a bookshelf.

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was terrifying and definitely isn't for the faint of heart. While I liked this book and read it in two sittings, I would hesitate to recommend it to some of my more tender hearted friends. Seven year old Wen is playing outside the very remote vacation cabin where she and her fathers are staying when a friendly stranger comes up and helps her to catch grasshoppers. Then, three other strangers come up the driveway with strange weapons and an even stranger story about needing their help to save the world. This was very thought provoking, are the strangers telling the truth or are they completely insane? And, what difference does it make when they need your help to save the world?

[admiralfinnegan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While there are a lot of themes at play here, their depth is questionable. As an exercise in a popular horror/thriller novel, this is very gripping. There's a definite emotional rollercoaster ride to this book that does lose some momentum halfway through due to the death of a certain character. An engaging story that doesn't wallow entirely in tropes. Recommended for those who aren't squeamish.

[sublunarie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't tell if I want to dig a hole and bury myself in it or read it again.

[birdo82 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You'll barely notice your guts are in knots over the sound of your thumping heart as you imagine yourself in the shoes of a loving family held captive by (possible) fanatics...but be sure, you'll be reminded that you have a heart.

[dandailey-212203 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Hated it. It might have made a good short story or a novella at best, but it just kept dragging on.

[isaac_thorne-717031 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the third title I've read by Paul Tremblay and it is by far my favorite. It's a home invasion story with an apocalyptic twist. It's a fast read with a near-perfect pace. The characters are all well-developed with more than cookie-cutter personalities. The psychology and uncertainty of the situation in which Andrew, Eric, and their daughter find themselves feels realistic (ditto the "antagonists," if you want to call them that).

My only issue with it was that some of the perspective shifts in later chapters felt jarring (I listened to the audiobook, so there wasn't any formatting or other type of indication when a character switched from internal dialogue to speech).

Awesome tale from a great writer.

[someguyinvirginia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This may be the Great Gay Novel. Breathtakingly horrific in part, I loved this book.

[curious_squid · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Entirely too graphically gory for me to enjoy.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Ugh, I absolutely did not like this book! Too much gore and violence. Eric, Andrew, and their 7-year old daughter, Wen, are on vacation at a secluded New England cabin. Wen is outside catching grasshoppers when a strange man approaches her, and promises that he will not hurt her. Then, three more people come and force their way into the cabin.
They claim to the family that the apocalypse is near unless the family sacrifices one of their own. They refuse, and the killings start.
It takes a tragic turn, which is heartbreaking, but the ending provides a small bit of hope.
I read this book on the recommendation of a book list for new novels, but it was not my cup of tea!

#TheCabinAtTheEndOfTheWorld #PaulTremblay

[charon07 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although this was way more grisly than I expected and the moral dilemma at the heart way less convincing or interesting than it should have been, Andrew, Eric, and Wen were such, such tender, endearing characters that I felt compelled to keep listening. Even though it is supposedly open-ended in that we don’t learn whether the apocalypse was real, that wasn’t really the point, and the important issue was resolved to my satisfaction at the end.

[jthierer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

** spoiler alert ** There is a reason this one has such vague copy on the book jacket because knowing too much going in spoils the tension and dread you experience finding out what's going on. For sure, this book relies on atmosphere rather than plot (which mostly consists of repetitive talking punctuated by extreme violence) and I can see why others didn't care for it, but I was on the edge of my seat to know if, at the end of the day, the world would actually end.