“The Hive” by Ronald Malfi

 Long, but interesting -- 4 stars

Promoted as a “Lovecraftian” horror novel, Ronald Malfi’s “The Hive” is set in the town of Mariners Cove. This small township is picking through the wreckage after a violent storm tore through their home. As neighbors gather scattered belongings, some of the found objects seem to affect them strangely. Nightmares plague their sleep, and unwelcome voices murmur in their waking thoughts. The story traces these individuals as they uncover the source of their shared affliction and the peculiar power these fragments hold over them.

A sprawling cast of characters is introduced, with some receiving more narrative attention than others. The sheer number of perspectives means the plot advances slowly until the final quarter. For a story this long, maintaining reader engagement requires more consistent narrative momentum. While the character work is strong -- particularly Brian’s development -- the story would’ve benefited from earlier pay offs or moments of action interspersed throughout. Too much space is devoted to reiterating established information rather than driving the story forward.

Given its considerable length (768 pages), the novel might’ve been better served by one of two approaches: The first would be to reduce the cast of characters, though I’m hesitant to suggest this since their introduction was handled so skillfully. The alternative, as mentioned above, would be to weave in more plot-propelling development earlier on -- just a few narrative incentives to ensure readers feel their investment is warranted. The conclusion itself was satisfying and well-constructed, but it arrived with a hastiness that slightly undermined its impact.

In spite of its short comings, while I really considered giving it 3 stars, I ultimately opted to give it 4 stars instead. The central plot worked well for me, and certain characters were drawn with impressive depth. Where it faltered a bit was in its pacing -- some sections felt over long, while others rushed by.

(And as a heads up/non-spoiler, since the title isn’t exactly subtle about it: Readers with any degree of phobia of bees should brace themselves!)