What do You think about Willard (1971)?
Ratman's Notebooks is a first person account of a man ridiculed and abused by both his employer and his mother, who finds comfort in the connection he builds with an ever growing family of the titular rodents.Much like the movie (Willard) which was based on this very work, the book doesn't read as a particularly horrifying tale. What it did have going for it, however, was a wonderfully subtle atmosphere. As the title reveals outright, the book reads as a collection of undated notebook entries of the unnamed main character. Sometimes short, sometimes lengthy, like notebook entries tend to be, journaling the story's anti-hero's vindictive, lonely madness. Rats become his release, his means of power, in an environment where he has been robbed of it - his escapads naturally growing ever more serious in nature. Rats become his alter ego.As a character study, Ratman's Notebooks is definitely an interesting read, but I'd feel a little reluctant to recommend it as a pure horror story. It didn't feel quite creepy, scary, or even grissly enough.But, it definitely deserves more attention than it has. I'm officially rather intrigued by Gilbert as an author thanks to this book, and look forward to one day reading his other works as well.
—M. A. P.
Stephen Gilbert's novel-turned-movie, was a fantastic read. The book has more insight into who Willard is and his relationship to the rats that you don't see in the film. There were a few great scenes in the book that I would have thought could have added a lot of suspense in the movie, especially in regards to his descent into madness. There is also more detail into his relationship with his female co-worker that you also don't see in the film. If you liked the movie, then you should read the book.
—Cristina Martin
