YMMV / Karel En De Kindermoordenaar

• Nightmare Fuel: It's a story about a young boy being stalked by a murderer. Of course it's scary.
  • The cover image alone (check the main page) depicts Karel in the process of being cut to pieces by a flying pair of scissors, as it's about to go for his head.
  • The illustration for chapter 3's title page depicts a grinning Grim Reaper performing an Aside Glance at the reader as he drags several hourglasses behind him.
  • The story does not shy away from talking about children dying in less-than-ideal circumstances, starting with Brammetje Bogaard being strangled.
    • Chapter five starts with aunt Alebes relating a news story about a 7 year old bridesmaid who died from a falling chandelier that hit her right on the head. Karel is understandably disturbed by it.
    • In chapter six we hear of Elsje B. who died from an allergic reaction to a bee sting, and Karel even goes to see her dead body at a funeral home. Doesn't help that Esther points out that she looks as if she could open her eyes at any moment.
    • In the same chapter the child murderer mentions how busy he's been planning a traffic accident for a bus full of school children. We later hear of the bus driving down a ravine in France, killing all forty kids on board.
• Paranoia Fuel: The murderer, both in-universe and out. Karel is constantly on edge thinking he'll pop up wherever he goes.
• Wangst: Although Karel has good reason to be angsty, it doesn't stop him from getting ever so slightly grating sometimes.
• What Do You Mean, It's for Kids?: It cannot be stressed enough that this is a real children's book, not a parody or satire written with adults in mind. While the book is unrelentingly dark and pulls no punches, the language, style, and tone are all very much intended for children. The subject of death is handled explicitly, but the deaths presented are fairly generic and non-graphic.
• The Woobie: Karel, Karel, Karel. His parents are dead, his guardians don't care one iota for him, the boy next door bullies him relentlessly and gets away with it, and he's got a murderer on his heels. Ironically, dying is the best thing that could've ever happened to him.