Bird Box
In an apocalyptic near-future world, a mother and her two small children are followed as they make their way down a river, blindfolded, in order to avoid seeing a terrifying entity. The plot contains profanity and graphic violence.
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What you might want to know about Bird Box
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Years after creatures appeared on Earth that drive anyone who sees them to suicide, Malorie sets out down a river in a rowboat with two small children, all three blindfolded the entire trip.
Yes. Netflix released a 2018 film adaptation directed by Susanne Bier and starring Sandra Bullock. The film was a massive hit and spawned a Spanish-language follow-up, Bird Box Barcelona, in 2023.
Bird Box is psychological horror that builds on dread rather than gore. The premise of needing to stay blindfolded creates atmospheric tension. Most readers find it unsettling rather than terrifying.
Bird Box was written by Josh Malerman, published in 2014 by HarperCollins Publishers.
Bird Box is 36 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Bird Box takes most readers under an hour to finish.
Bird Box is a standalone novel by Josh Malerman, not part of a series.
Bird Box is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
