Banana Brain is not just another horror story with unhinged character (my favourites) and creepy events, it’s a full-blown descent into chaos wrapped in trauma, wit, and a homicidal monkey with a vendetta. Did I say something about those damn bananas already ? (watching with unease the banana I just bring from the kitchen).
We’re following Adam, a broke, emotionally wrecked guy trying to hold it together after his parents’ tragic death. Now he’s the guardian of his 12-year-old sister—a foul-mouthed, razor-sharp gremlin of a child—and he’s scrambling to build a life stable enough to keep her out of the system (or far from his weirdo of an uncle).
Enter: the local zoo. A ghost-town of a job that smells like redemption (and animal’s defecation). But on night one, after a few drinks and some questionable decisions, Adam’s phone ends up in the hands of a chimp. Not just any chimp. This one is a bit too human and it texts. And it knows things. Too many things. Secrets. Regrets. Faces from the past. And it’s not just texting—it’s playing a slow, twisted game of psychological torment.
I was hooked. Like, feral. I’ve read some bangers this year in the horror section, but this one? Top three for 2025, no contest.
It gave me the same chaotic joy as those crack fics where the author clearly lost their mind in the best way possible. You know the weird ones—written for fun, full of insomniac creativity, and somehow still emotionally devastating. That’s high praise from me. Fanfic writers are some of the most talented storytellers out there, and this book channels that exact energy.
The plot? Looks basic on paper. But it’s layered like a cursed onion. Every chapter peels back something darker, weirder, and more brilliant. I started writing this review at 32% because one scene had me laughing so hard I told my coworker, “If I don’t dream about a banana killer tonight, something’s wrong.” and yes she definitely looked at me like I am totally crazy.
Also, heads up: the author hates Coldplay. Like, passionately. You’ve been warned. And I so get it ! #TeamColdplayIsCheapAssPop
🍌 Banana-fueled fever dream: ✅
🐒 Unhinged characters with actual depth (not just chaos for chaos’ sake): ✅✅
🧠 Twisted, wicked, surprisingly emotional plot: Oh hell yes, ✅
It’s dark. It’s funny (in a creepy “what the hell am I reading” kind of way). It’s gory and crass and clever and somehow still manages to punch you in the feelings. I was halfway through and already obsessed, trying to decode where Fritz was taking me—and loving every second of the confusion.
Imagine Goosebumps (the books, not that sad excuse of a show) grew up, got therapy, and then relapsed into madness. Now mix that with Black Mirror, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and a monkey with a PhD in criminology. That’s Banana Brain. If you’re a horror-loving, chaos-craving adult weirdo like me, you’re gonna devour this.
And Adam? My heart. He’s a mess. But he’s trying. You can feel the desperation, the guilt, the love. He’s clawing his way through grief and trauma with nothing but duct tape and determination. I rooted for him hard.
The way this book handles heavy stuff—mental health, grief, guilt, life’s worst curveballs—is raw and weirdly tender. All while drenched in dread and banana-scented madness.
C.S. Fritz crafted a masterpiece of unease. The atmosphere is thick, the tension is surgical, and the whole thing reads like a nightmare you don’t want to wake up from. It slinks through your brain like smoke in a locked room.
You’ll tiptoe through every page, and when it’s over, you’ll stare at the bananas on your counter and wonder if they’re watching you.
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