I immediately liked this book better than Interview with the Vampire. From the first page, Lestat was more charming and intelligent and moral and inteI immediately liked this book better than Interview with the Vampire. From the first page, Lestat was more charming and intelligent and moral and interesting than he ever came across in the first book. Which makes me wonder how much of my distaste for him came from Louis being an unreliable narrator with a grudge, and how much Lestat changed over the course of his long rest. And how trustworthy is Lestat himself as a narrator?
It’s fascinating that the least sympathetic character in Interview with the Vampire is so vibrant and multifaceted when seen through his own eyes and words. It’s also fascinating that the most compelling and sympathetic character in that first book is so horrifying and eventually so cold in this one. Even Louis seemed more interesting in this book than in his own. The difference between these characters depending on who was narrating is probably the most intriguing aspect of the series so far, in my opinion, and that makes me so much more interested in continuing. Who’s telling the truth? Is anyone? I don’t know who to trust, and for this particular series I think that was absolutely the right decision.
“There’s something vampiric about rock music.”
I love the way Lestat viewed the 80s. He sees an innocence to the rebellious spirit that so permeates the decade. There’s a joy to the chaos of it that speaks to his soul. And the idea of a vampire fronting a rock band makes so much sense to me. Getting his back story in his own words was a revelation, but I really loved how he connected with the “present” upon awaking. The lore he discovers about his own kind is also incredibly compelling, and I’m very curious to see how that knowledge plays itself out in further installments.
Speaking of further installments, I’m pretty glad that I have the third book on hand, because The Vampire Lestat ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. I had no intention of immediately diving into the next book, but I don’t think I have much choice. I really want to know what happens next. Which surprises me, because I thought the first book was fine, and this second book, while very good in places, got boggy in the middle. But I can now absolutely see why this series is so beloved by so many. The characters are fascinating, and I want to know everything there is to know about them. I want to read about those who were even briefly mentioned. I’m enchanted....more
Goblin is collection of six novellas held together by a framework story. Our framework revolves around a man delivering a strange box to the town of GGoblin is collection of six novellas held together by a framework story. Our framework revolves around a man delivering a strange box to the town of Goblin right at midnight. Each of the novellas takes place in the odd town, and has in common an obsession that leads to madness. The town of Goblin itself is fascinating, and I would love to know more. What’s up with the unceasing rain? Is there something magic in the water? And what exactly are the Goblin police, and why are they so utterly terrifying? Do we get answers? Not really. But even the questions are fun.
Now, onto the novellas. They were a bit of a mixed bag, but each had something interesting to offer.
A Man in Slices: This was a weird one. A disturbed man is asked to prove his love to his girlfriend by sending her pieces of himself. We get the story from the perspective of the man’s one and only friend since childhood, and we see the honor in and danger of befriending the dangerous. This was one of my least favorites in the book. It wasn’t bad, per se, or boring. Something about it just didn’t really work for me.
Kamp: Our titular character, Walter Kamp, is afraid of everything. More specifically, he’s afraid of being scared to death. In an attempt to prevent anything from catching him off-guard, he has completely upended his life, quitting his job as a beloved history teacher and “renovating” his apartment, removing anything that could provide a hiding place for a ghost. There are no walls left, even around the bathroom. His bed is plexiglass. But even though he’s completely unhinged in this regard, his also charming and sweet and a great storyteller. His was an odd tale, but a tense one in its own way.
Happy Birthday, Hunter!: Neal Nash, our aforementioned birthday boy, is a famed big-game hunter whose wife Barbara throws his an incredibly extravagant 60th birthday party. And yet, while Neal is lavished in gifts and attention, he can’t stop thinking about one thing, a bird no one has ever bagged: the Great Owl of the forbidden North Woods, right next to Goblin itself. His obsession is lethal. I was reminded of one of my favorite short stories, “The Most Dangerous Game,” but the ending of Malerman’s story bothered me. It rang true for the character, but I was bothered.
Presto: Roman Emperor is the greatest magician in the world to young Peter’s mind. So when he announces a midnight magic show in Peter’s hometown of Goblin, he’s thrilled. But Roman has a dark secret: his magic is no trick. I really enjoyed learning about Roman’s history, and how his show came to be. Again, obsession is at the core of this story. However, that obsession really worked here. I was fascinated.
A Mix-Up at the Zoo: Dirk is a tour guide, both at the Goblin Zoo and at the local slaughterhouse. There’s something about him that draws people in as much as the animals he discusses with the on the zoo tours. This something is captivating but dark, and seems to give him an odd kinship with the caged animals. Not all cages have bars, it seems. And when Dirk starts falling deeper into this darkness, the lines delineating each portion of his life begin to blur. This story was sad and deep and one of my favorites in the collection.
The Hedges: Wayne Sherman is Goblin’s artist in residence. He created the imposing topiaries that greet you when you enter the town, as well as countless others for citizens rich and poor. But his most famous work, the work serves as the town’s largest tourist attraction, is the Hedges, a seemingly unsolvable labyrinth. Wayne thought the secret he hid in the middle would always be safe, but the impossible has happened: someone just solved the Hedges. The someone is a little girl bent on telling his secret to the oft-mentioned and incredibly disturbing Goblin Police. This story was incredibly tense, and yet it was also the loveliest. Wayne’s memories of his wife were beautiful, and I loved the pace at which their history was revealed. “The Hedges” also contained some of the most gorgeous wedding vows ever. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
While I said this was a mixed bag, and it was, it was also a very even collection. Even the stories that weren’t my favorites still had merit, and were fairly interesting reads. Even the stories I really liked, I never quite loved. This is a solid 4-star read, I think. I’ve seen some fairly negative reviews, but I think one reason this worked as well as it did for me is because it was my introduction to Malerman. I really like his writing style, so I can see myself going back and reading Bird Box and Malorie eventually. If they’re as much better than Goblin as so many other reviewers claim, I think I have a lot to look forward to....more
This is a graphic novel adaptation of a handful of Poe’s more famous poems and short stories, including: The Masque of the Red Death, The Cask of AmonThis is a graphic novel adaptation of a handful of Poe’s more famous poems and short stories, including: The Masque of the Red Death, The Cask of Amontillado, Annabel Lee, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Bells, and The Raven. While the poems are unabridged, the stories themselves are significantly shortened while still conveying each story in Poe’s own words. I found this a fun way to revisit stories I have read time and again over the years, and would recommend it for those looking to revisit the tales in a new form. It would also be a good way to introduce Poe to older children who are reluctant readers, as graphic novels often speak deeply to such readers. But if you’re an adult looking to read Poe for the first time, I would recommend finding a standard, unabridged copy of his work....more
Romantic. Slow. Dreamlike. Maudlin. Brimming with melodrama. This is the vampire story that has informed all others for nearlyActual rating: 3.5 stars
Romantic. Slow. Dreamlike. Maudlin. Brimming with melodrama. This is the vampire story that has informed all others for nearly 50 years now. I picked up Interview with the Vampire mostly because it’s the most famous book I can think of both set in and written in my home state of Louisiana. It’s one of those books I feel like I should have read by now.
There were things I really liked about this, and I can see why it has accrued and maintained such popularity. The writing was lovely, and I can see why it has so often been labeled erotic. There’s something lush and sensual about Rice’s prose. I also, of course, loved the setting. Rice captured New Orleans beautifully. Topics like love and sexuality and immortality are all broached with great aplomb. All of the major characters, from Louis to Lestat to Claudia to Armand, are terribly tragic in some way, and I found them all compelling, though deeply flawed in various ways. I also really liked the framework of Louis sharing his story with a reporter in the somewhat modern day. It’s hard to imagine that what began as a short story became an enduring series spanning over a dozen full-length novels and various spin-offs, but that’s exactly the history behind Interview with the Vampire.
However, there were also things that very much did not work for me. Let’s start with the characters. I found Lestat distasteful, and am completely baffled by the fact that the majority of this series is dedicated to him. I intend to read further someday simply to find out why, and to see if I can tolerate him better in further works. Louis is kind of a terrible vampire for most of the story. He’s morose and self-pitying and I had little use for him, which is unfortunate as he’s the narrator of the tale. The entire idea behind Claudia is deeply distressing, especially the sexuality subtly attached to her later in the story. All in all, I found the most appealing vampire to be Armand, and I’m pretty sure that’s because I didn’t spend as much time with him.
I also really struggled with the slow pace of this book. It completely makes sense for the story being told, but I had a hard time maintaining my interest through the middle of the novel. I’m almost positive that serves the story, as it demonstrates the ennui Louis suffers as a vampire, but it came dangerously close to crossing the line from meandering to plodding.
One thing I have to give Interview with the Vampire is its staying power. This book and the series that follows has had a huge impact on popular culture. Every single other vampire story that has made any kind of splash has been informed in some way by Rice’s work. It’s foundational to the genre. I can’t say that I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book, but I did find it educational, and I very much appreciated it. I’m interested to see where the series goes from here....more
White Horse sounded like it would be exactly up my alley. A protagonist who adores some of the same books and music that have shaped me as a person? AWhite Horse sounded like it would be exactly up my alley. A protagonist who adores some of the same books and music that have shaped me as a person? A supernatural plot line that allows for a deep dive into Native culture while also serving as a metaphor for facing and overcoming trauma? Yes please. And I meshed with the writing immediately, so I’m happy to report that it was exactly what I hoped it would be.
Kari is an urban Indian who is obsessed with Stephen King books and heavy metal. Especially The Shining and Megadeath, respectively. She’s very cool, and yet her life seems very small and empty when we first meet her. She thirty-five with no major relationships outside of her cousin who also functions as a best friend and her father who barely functions at all. She doesn’t have a true career, instead holding down a couple of odd jobs waitressing and bartending. She goes to the occasional metal show, reads and rereads horror novels, and that’s about it. Until a family heirloom is given to her, one with ties to the mother who left when Kari was only two days old. Kari has always hated her mom for leaving, but she suddenly has to reevaluate those feelings when she finds that the heirloom bracelet is haunted by the seemingly murdered ghost of its last owner: Kari’s mother. Now Kari is on the hunt for answers regarding her mother’s disappearance in hopes of not being haunted for the rest of her life.
So much of this story is about breaking the cycle of generational trauma, about dragging skeletons out of the closet and into the light. And I love that. I wish the supernatural elements had felt a little less metaphorical in nature by the end of the story, but that’s personal preference. I also found the interplay between Kari, her cousin Debby, and Debby’s awful husband completely obnoxious. It really grated on me, and I was always impatient to get back to what I considered the actual plot. Debby made me roll my eyes way more often than I care to admit. But the rest of the story made up for it.
White Horse did not disappoint. It’s a story about healing and embracing who you are, and yet the story never suffered at the hands of the message. It’s a really solid horror-based story without actually being scary. I really enjoyed my time with this, and it made me very interested in finding more Indigenous horror, as well as being eager to read whatever Wurth puts out next....more
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is a quick read, one that reminded me of a more adult, horrific version of Hatchet by Gary PaulsActual rating: 3.5 stars
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is a quick read, one that reminded me of a more adult, horrific version of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Hatchet is one of my favorite books ever. I love a good survival story, and that one captured my imagination as a child and has never let it go. But what Trisha McFarland goes through makes Brian Robeson’s experience sound like a picnic.
Nine year old Trisha’s mom decides to take her and her brother on a hike down the Appalachian trail. When her brother and mom can’t stop arguing long enough to hear anything Trisha has to say, including the fact that she has to pee, she falls behind on the trail. Her journey from there is fraught with peril and King’s signature brand of uncanny. While Trisha is doing her power to stay alive, something is stalking her, letting her fear ripen. But Trisha finds hope in herself and in Tom Gordon, her favorite baseball player. She adores him, and finds him walking alongside her on her path toward survival.
This is a short little book, but it’s a very tense story. Trisha goes through some truly horrific things, but she’s incredibly resilient. The way she copes with everything that happens to her while never giving up, no matter how terrible things look, is inspiring. She’s quite the kid, and I think King wrote her well. She even made me care about baseball, which I’m pretty sure has never happened in my entire life.
There were some lines and scenes that didn’t age well, but that’s pretty standard for a King book. The creeping terror of the uncanny lurking in the background was also very true to form. Overall, I think this is a pretty solid work from King. It’s not among my favorites from him by any means, but I enjoyed my time with it....more
What Moves the Dead is both a direct retelling and an expansion of one of Poe’s most famous short stories, The Fall of the House of Usher. I’ve read sWhat Moves the Dead is both a direct retelling and an expansion of one of Poe’s most famous short stories, The Fall of the House of Usher. I’ve read so many “retellings” in recent years that are really just inspired by a work, not an actual retelling of that story. I was so pleased to find this is an actual retelling. I’ve always been fascinated by Poe’s work. He’s the grandfather of the macabre in my opinion, and The Fall of the House of Usher is one of his more disturbing works. However, I always wished for a bit more from it, for most explanation behind what is going on in that house. Kingfisher had the same response to the story, and she addressed it by expanding the story herself. And she did so very well.
I loved getting some actual explanation as to what is going on with the Usher siblings and why the house and surrounding land is so…wrong. Kingfisher’s imagined reasons were just the right balance of plausible and peculiar. I won’t get into what those reasons were, so as not to spoil this novella, but I will say that this little book house some of the creepiest fungi and most disturbing hares I’ve ever come across. If you loved Mexican Gothic, you should definitely give this book a try.
Kingfisher stayed very true to Poe’s original story. And any changes or additions she made stayed true, for the most part. There were some new characters introduced, and our nameless narrator is given a name and identity and background here. However, I have to confess that the addition of extra pronouns that don’t exist really threw me out of the story. They were alien and difficult to keep straight in my mind, especially regarding the tenses of each. It also felt like an odd touch of modernity in a classic story, but that’s simply my subjective opinion.
I very much enjoyed What Moves the Dead, both for it’s approach to retelling a classic tale and for its deeply disturbing, Gothic atmosphere and tone. I would recommend this to any fan of Gothic horror, and to anyone who love Edgar Allan Poe. It’s a very worthy homage to the master of the macabre, and it made me even more excited to watch Mike Flanagan’s version of the story when it releases....more
Brom is almost distressingly talented. Not only is the man a brilliant artist, he has a deft hand and quick wit when it comes to storytelling. KrampusBrom is almost distressingly talented. Not only is the man a brilliant artist, he has a deft hand and quick wit when it comes to storytelling. Krampus was the first book I had ever read by him, and it was one of my top reads of 2021. This book didn’t hit me quite as hard, but it did prove to me that Krampus was definitely not a one-off. Slewfoot is an exploration of control through religion, the subjugation of women under the patriarchy, the dangers of suppression when mingled with superstition, and the near mystical ability of nature to heal herself from wounds inflicted by man. And on top of all that, it’s just a fun, if brutal, story.
“Angels must often do dark deeds in the name of the Lord.”
Our story takes places in Connecticut in 1666, in a small Puritanical colony. Abitha and her husband are trying to earn the rights to their land when Edward’s brother and landlord, Wallace, sells the land out from under them. After being forced to honor his deal with his brother instead by the ministers of the colony, Wallace is thrilled when tragedy strikes and Abitha is left a widow. But Abitha refuses to give up the land without a fight, instead pledging to pay off the debt and secure the land herself, in her husband’s name. Wallace is dead set against this, and will do anything to see Abitha fail. But Abitha isn’t as alone or unsupported as she appears.
“It seemed at times as though they took great joy in others’ failings, as it made them appear the better, the more pious, more likely to be included when the great rapture finally came and God gathered his flock to him.”
One of the things I love most about Brom is his balance. His stories are by turn beautiful and brutal, charming and grotesque. Nature is benevolent and malicious in equal measures, and those who call the wilds their home are innocent while also being fiercely bloodthirsty when such is called for. He also brilliantly presents the dichotomy between organized religion and more nature-based, traditional folklore and belief systems. I found this fascinating in Krampus, and equally as fascinating in Slewfoot. The wild magic he wrote into this book was lovely and terrifying. Yet another dichotomy that I really appreciated.
“That is not what you want, that is what you need. You are not made out of needs, you are made out of your dreams and desires.”
Brom also did a wonderful job with his characters. There were some, like Wallace, who were completely and utterly despicable. There were other townsfolk, like Reverend Carter and the sheriff, who were more layered. The wildfolk were suitably creepy and impish and childlike, and I was fascinated by Brom’s artistic renderings of them. Then there were Abitha and Samson. These characters were incredibly multifaceted. I ached watching them struggle, and I loved watching their relationship change over the course of the novel.
“It’s not that complicated… Just do your best to treat others as you wish to be treated. What more needs to be said? … Puritans tended to make most moral matters as complicated as possible.”
I love Jesus, but I would never have survived in Puritanical New England. I would have been labeled a witch before I hit my twenties. We might have our share of issues in the current age, but I’m fervently thankful for the freedoms I have as a woman, that would not have been available to me in any past era. This is almost always my takeaway from historical fiction, and Slewfoot was no exception. This was definitely a “down with the patriarchy, down with the establishment” kind of book. Which could have felt awkward in the hands of some male authors, but Brom wrote a wonderfully multifaceted female main character in Abitha. There’s a saying I heard recently: “I support women’s rights, but more importantly, I support women’s wrongs.” That’s a perfect description of this book.
“It is time to be magnificent.”
The horror elements in this were so well done. There was no doubt that this was truly a horror novel, complete with some horrific gore, but it wasn’t too gory to stomach. If you loved the movie The VVitch, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I’m going to need more horror in this colonial setting. And I’m definitely going to need more Brom.
Brom is almost distressingly talented. Not only is the man a brilliant artist, he has a deft hand and quick wit when it comes to storytelling. Krampus was the first book I had ever read by him, and it was one of my top reads of 2021. This book didn’t hit me quite as hard, but it did prove to me that Krampus was definitely not a one-off. Slewfoot is an exploration of control through religion, the subjugation of women under the patriarchy, the dangers of suppression when mingled with superstition, and the near mystical ability of nature to heal herself from wounds inflicted by man. And on top of all that, it’s just a fun, if brutal, story.
“Angels must often do dark deeds in the name of the Lord.”
Our story takes places in Connecticut in 1666, in a small Puritanical colony. Abitha and her husband are trying to earn the rights to their land when Edward’s brother and landlord, Wallace, sells the land out from under them. After being forced to honor his deal with his brother instead by the ministers of the colony, Wallace is thrilled when tragedy strikes and Abitha is left a widow. But Abitha refuses to give up the land without a fight, instead pledging to pay off the debt and secure the land herself, in her husband’s name. Wallace is dead set against this, and will do anything to see Abitha fail. But Abitha isn’t as alone or unsupported as she appears.
“It seemed at times as though they took great joy in others’ failings, as it made them appear the better, the more pious, more likely to be included when the great rapture finally came and God gathered his flock to him.”
One of the things I love most about Brom is his balance. His stories are by turn beautiful and brutal, charming and grotesque. Nature is benevolent and malicious in equal measures, and those who call the wilds their home are innocent while also being fiercely bloodthirsty when such is called for. He also brilliantly presents the dichotomy between organized religion and more nature-based, traditional folklore and belief systems. I found this fascinating in Krampus, and equally as fascinating in Slewfoot. The wild magic he wrote into this book was lovely and terrifying. Yet another dichotomy that I really appreciated.
“That is not what you want, that is what you need. You are not made out of needs, you are made out of your dreams and desires.”
Brom also did a wonderful job with his characters. There were some, like Wallace, who were completely and utterly despicable. There were other townsfolk, like Reverend Carter and the sheriff, who were more layered. The wildfolk were suitably creepy and impish and childlike, and I was fascinated by Brom’s artistic renderings of them. Then there were Abitha and Samson. These characters were incredibly multifaceted. I ached watching them struggle, and I loved watching their relationship change over the course of the novel.
“It’s not that complicated… Just do your best to treat others as you wish to be treated. What more needs to be said? … Puritans tended to make most moral matters as complicated as possible.”
I love Jesus, but I would never have survived in Puritanical New England. I would have been labeled a witch before I hit my twenties. We might have our share of issues in the current age, but I’m fervently thankful for the freedoms I have as a woman, that would not have been available to me in any past era. This is almost always my takeaway from historical fiction, and Slewfoot was no exception. This was definitely a “down with the patriarchy, down with the establishment” kind of book. Which could have felt awkward in the hands of some male authors, but Brom wrote a wonderfully multifaceted female main character in Abitha. There’s a saying I heard recently: “I support women’s rights, but more importantly, I support women’s wrongs.” That’s a perfect description of this book.
“It is time to be magnificent.”
The horror elements in this were so well done. There was no doubt that this was truly a horror novel, complete with some horrific gore, but it wasn’t too gory to stomach. If you loved the movie The VVitch, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I’m going to need more horror in this colonial setting. And I’m definitely going to need more Brom.
I’ve read this compilation three times, and have read some of the individual issues even more than that. I honestly disliked the series when I first tI’ve read this compilation three times, and have read some of the individual issues even more than that. I honestly disliked the series when I first tried it, but I loved Gaiman enough to keep reading. If you would have told me that I would keep coming back to it, I would have been skeptical, to say the least. But there’s something about this story that just grips me, that captured my imagination and still hasn’t let it go. I’ve consumed this through the physical comics, through the audiobook, and through the Netflix series. But this read through I combined the physical with the Audible Original audio production, and it was by far the most immersive reading experience of my life.
Some of the issues that make up this book are absolutely brutal. Some are lovely and elegant. And sometimes the two are immediately back-to-back. 24 Hours remains one of the most horrific things I’ve ever read, and The Sound of Her Wings is one of the most beautiful and inspiring. I love the presentation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and am utterly appalled at the thought Calliope’s story.
Listening to the full-cast audio, complete with sound effects, while reading along in the physical, sucked me into the story in a way I’ve never encountered before. I love tandem reading the audio and physical versions of a book at the same time, but I’ve never had the opportunity to do so with a graphic novel. The addition of art into the fray just took the entire reading experience to another level.
I can’t say this is a 5 star read for. me. While I love it in part, I will always have some issues with it. And yet I will also always be fascinated by it. And the two formats combined was definitely a 5 star reading experience....more
“Grey was lightning, Vivi was thunder, and I was the sea in the tempest.”
The fact that I own House of Hollow is dActual rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up.
“Grey was lightning, Vivi was thunder, and I was the sea in the tempest.”
The fact that I own House of Hollow is definitely a case of judging a book by its cover. I think the cover art of this book is absolutely gorgeous, and just the right amount of off. Happily, the story it contained was much the same. I immediately fell in love with the writing. There’s a lushness to both prose and description that I found captivating. For instance, the description of Grey Hollow’s wardrobe creations painted brilliant pictures in my mind in ways that appealed to all of my senses. And yet, mixed into that beauty was a serious sense of wrongness, of something grotesque squirming beneath the surface. Which is exactly what a gothic horror novel should be. House of Hollow is a terrific example of gothic horror done right.
“We loved each other with potent, fervent fury. Animal fury. Monstrous fury. My sisters. My blood. My skin. What a gruesome bond we shared.”
What draws me to gothic horror time and again is an appreciation for the atmosphere of that type of tale well told. The best way I can describe that atmosphere, that tone, is as a decayed decadence, lush beauty that is rotten at the core. The Thirteenth Tale and The Last Tale of the Flower Bride are both exemplary examples of this in adult fiction, and House of Hollow is equally brilliant in the young adult realm. All three stories deliver a beauty that makes you ache, as well as a tense darkness beneath it that makes you feel ever so slightly sick to read it. That balance is what I appreciate the most about gothic horror.
Is this a perfect book? No. There is some story here, and it’s pretty fast-paced. But by and large, this is a tale that leans heavily on vibes to carry the reader through to the end. I have no problem with books that are all vibe, little plot, as my love for The Night Circus can attest. However, I know that’s a balance that some readers really struggle with. I will say that, because of the fast pace and the tidy page count, I think even those who require a lot of plot to get through a story could enjoy House of Hollow. But I was here for the vibes, and I enjoyed ever second of them. The relationship between the three sisters was both lovely and incredibly toxic. It was fascinating, and awful, and difficult to look away from. Like a car crash.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with House of Hollow, which surprised me a bit as I have a love/hate relationship with YA as a whole. I will definitely be seeking out more YA horror, because I loved how fast this moved and how completely engrossed I was. I can’t remember the last time I read a nearly 300 page book in 24 hours. This book is beloved by a lot of reviewers I trust, and now I see why....more
I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Tor Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think I found my favoI received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Tor Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think I found my favorite book of the year.
Starling House was my most anticipated book of 2023. Which is saying something, as there were so many excellent books published this year. But Harrow’s debut, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, is my favorite standalone novel of all time, so my expectations were sky high. Those expectations could have set me up for failure. They didn’t. While the two novels couldn’t be more different, Starling House is just as powerful and beautiful as The Ten Thousand Doors of January. It just has much sharper teeth.
Opal will do anything to take care of her little brother, Jasper. Since their mom died eleven years ago, it’s been just the two of them against the world. More specifically, it’s been the two of them against their small, backwards hometown of Eden, Kentucky. Opal lied her own childhood away so that she could become Jasper’s legal guardian. The two call a ratty motel room home, and by day Opal is scraping together everything she can from her crappy job at Tractor Supply to buy Jasper a new life at a private boarding school, far from Eden and its judgmentality. By night, she dreams. She dreams of sharp claws and sharper teeth. She dreams of the childhood book that captured her imagination, Underland, and its dark fairytales. But always, she dreams of Starling House. Starling House, the big haunted mansion that rules the nightmares and imaginations of the bigoted, small-minded townspeople. Starling House, the birthplace of monsters and the last bastion of hope against them.
While not dark academia, I would immediately recommend Starling House to anyone who loves Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House and Hell Bent. If you love Alex Stern, you’re going to absolutely adore Opal. Both have bruised hearts that they protect with bleeding knuckles. Both are scrappy, fierce and braver than they believe. Both will lie while staring you right in the eye, a crooked smirk on their lips. Both will fight tooth and nail for what they need and for those they love. But Opal isn’t the only wonderful character in this book. Arthur Sterling grabbed me by the heart and didn’t let me go. His loneliness made me ache. He tried so hard to bury his kindness behind gruffness, but he never quite succeeded. Both Opal and Arthur are broken. Beautifully so. Their brokenness is what makes them so believably multifaceted, so compelling and sympathetic. Both are terrified of wanting, of chasing anything more than their most basic of needs. But oh, how they want.
And then there’s the house! When we first meet Starling House, it is run down and surly, almost like a feral cat. But when it begins to feel loved and treasured for the first time in too long, it slowly begins to shine. I love near-sentient places, and Starling House is one of the best. It has so much personality. And it dreams. I was reminded of Mike Flanagan’s reimagining of The Haunting of Hill House, if Hill House had an artsy, lovechild of a younger sister. The mythos surrounding the house is fascinating, as is that surrounding the Starlings in all their wild variety and stalwart service. If Starling House started sending me dreams, I would be hard pressed not to pick up the sword of the Wardens of Starling House.
This book is kind of difficult to pigeonhole into a genre. It’s Gothic in texture, if not in tone. It’s lightly horror, but the descriptions of even the horrific are so lovely that it pulls the sting from the bite. It’s a mystery, for sure, with a puzzle box of a house and more hiding outside and beneath it. There is a scene that is one of the hottest, most achingly romantic scenes I’ve ever read. It made my breath hitch on multiple levels. And yet, with as romantic as portions of this book are, I wouldn’t quite call it a romance, either. It’s weighty and entrancing and completely its own beast, and I love it for being exactly what it is.
Harrow infused this story with so much depth. It’s about being who you choose to be, no matter who others say you are. It’s about not being defined by a name. It’s about what makes a home, and how four walls can’t contain it. It’s about finding the line between a want and a need, and learning to jump that division with both eyes open. It’s about standing for what you love and what you don’t, even if the world never recognizes your sacrifice. It’s about finding the courage to face your dreams after a lifetime of turning your back on them.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Harrow’s writing. In The Ten Thousand Doors of January, her prose was achingly lovely. I called her a “Wordsmith, a sorceress wielding a pen in place of a wand.” I stand by that description, though it was expressed far differently in Starling House. The prose is still effortlessly literary without an ounce of pretension. However, Harrow’s writing in Starling House has more of an edge to it, a bite that feels more modern and hungry than her debut. In other words, she found a way to retain the magic of her prose while shifting her voice to perfectly suit the story she had to tell. Harrow is a brilliantly gifted weaver of words, and is quite possibly the most talented writer of a generation, in my opinion.
(Side note: I tandem read a digital galley while listening to the audiobook, and I have to say that the audio was stellar. Natalie Naudus did a brilliant job with the narration. She portrayed both Opal and Arthur and even the supporting cast with remarkable aplomb. Listening to this while reading along was a completely immersive experience that I would highly recommend.)
I adored Starling House with every fiber of my being. To me, it’s a perfect book. Full stop. No notes. I fell in love with Opal and Arthur, with the supporting cast and with the House itself. The mythos was just as captivating as the storytelling. I loved every sentence of this, and I’m already looking forward to rereading it. If ever a book deserves a place on my favorites shelf next to The Ten Thousand Doors of January, it’s this one....more
I have started Dracula multiple times, but always found myself bogged down early on and ended up putting the book right back down. When I heard a frieI have started Dracula multiple times, but always found myself bogged down early on and ended up putting the book right back down. When I heard a friend talking about Dracula Daily, I thought this might be how I could finally get through it. I was correct. While this is by no means now among my favorite classics, I’m glad to have read it. And receiving the next fragment to my inbox each day that aligned with when said fragment was dated in the book was a lot of fun. It made me feel like part of the story in a way that was very unique.
What do I say about a book that has so shaped pop culture past and present? First of all, I was surprised by how little time Dracula himself spent on the page. I understand it, because this is an epistolary novel and we are getting our information largely from letters and diary entries, but I still found it surprising. I was also surprised by the very anticlimactic ending. I just expected more from a story that has rooted itself so firmly into our cultural psyche. And the colloquialisms bothered me immensely. That’s a writing choice that I just can’t seem to ever appreciate, no matter how hard I try.
I do have to say that I was also pleasantly surprised in various ways. Mina’s character was much more present, and more highly respected by the men in her life, than I expected. There was a sincerity to the camaraderie between Mina, Jonathan, Dr. Seward, Quincey, Arthur, and Van Helsing that was incredibly charming. I also found the book to be far more blatantly Christian in theme and language than I anticipated.
This wasn’t a bad book, but it in no way compares to others often equated with it, like Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray. There’s a beauty to the writing in those two works that feels absent here, in my opinion. I know that there are people who absolutely adore this book, but I sadly don’t fall into that camp. I can respect it. I can even appreciate large portions of it. But Dracula doesn’t speak to my soul in the same way as Frankenstein. That being said, I’m glad to have read it, and to have found a fun delivery system in Dracula Daily....more
I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Tor Nightfire, via NetGalley in exchange forActual rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up.
I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Tor Nightfire, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A House with Good Bones is an interesting intersection between Southern Gothic and comedic horror.
Sam, our snarky perspective character, is an archaeo-entomologist. Bugs are kind of her thing. When a job is postponed because remains are found on site, Sam finds herself without a place to stay and decides it would be a good time to visit her mom in North Carolina. But something is off. Her mom has redecorated the house to look exactly like it did before Gran Mae, Sam’s exceptionally mean grandmother, passed away 20 years ago. All of the bright colors her mom loved are gone. Her mom now asks the blessing before every meal and refuses to curse or say anything critical of her own deceased mother. All of which is incredibly out of character. Sam is worried that her mom is suffering delayed mourning or, worse, the onset of dementia. But when Sam starts noticing some really odd things around the house, and when dark family secrets begin coming to light, she is forced to reevaluate.
This story was suitably creepy, and a bit subversive with its tactics. I’ve never read anything else that painted vultures in such a positive light and roses in such a disturbing one. I was reminded of Grady Hendrix when it came to the actual horror elements, but without whatever it is about his work that I find inexplicably off-putting. And I absolutely loved Sam as a narrator. She is snarky and funny and easy to root for.
However, I did have a serious complaint about this book. The pacing is just weird. The front half of the book is almost painfully slow at times, to the point that I would have put it down if not for Sam’s charming, sarcastic commentary. Things really picked up in the back half, though, to the point that the ending felt rushed. I couldn’t put it down at that point, but I found myself annoyed at how quickly everything resolved in the end.
A House with Good Bones was my first T. Kingfisher experience. Though I had a few issues with it, this definitely won’t be my last book from her. The voice in this book was fantastic, and kept me reading even when I felt the pacing was really off. I would especially recommend this to people who want to be fans of Grady Hendrix, but just feel an unexplainable disconnect from his stories....more
I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis for The Writing Retreat, I was immediately intrigued. Roza Vallo, the reigning queen of the horror genre has invited five talented young women who aspire to be Roza’s protégés into her infamous mansion, Blackbriar, for a month-long writing retreat. While there, each woman will have to start a completely new novel and write 3,000 words per day in order to stay in the competition they walked into without even knowing it existed. Because this retreat is more than just an opportunity for Roza to critique their work; she has promised a 7-figure publishing contract and a book tour with herself to whichever of the five pens and completes the best novel in their month together. The pressure is on, and the claws are coming out.
Alex, our perspective character, is thrilled to have this chance with her favorite author. However, her problems are two-fold. First, her ex-best friend, Wren, with whom she had a huge falling out, is also one of the five women at the retreat. Second, Alex has suffered from severe writer’s block for the year since her terrible parting with Wren. If she wants to stay, she’s going to have to overcome both of these obstacles. And fast.
I found the premise and setting of this story fascinating. There were twists that I didn’t see coming, and the back half of the novel was propulsive and fairly well paced. However, these successes were undermined by unlikable characters and very weak dialogue. I didn’t find a single character with whom I could form any type of attachment, Roza and Alex included. The dialogue was severely lacking in comparison with the rest of the prose. Conversations in the book felt stilted, stages, and just not true to life in any way. The rest of the narrative was fine, but the dialogue often threw me out of the story. I also found the front half of the story a bit plodding.
The Writing Retreat is a story that is going to appeal to a wide swath of readers. I can see this being on the “Best Of” lists at the end of the year, especially in the thriller category. This is a brilliantly feminist story that would pass the Bechdel test with flying colors, and it straddles the line between thriller and horror, real and supernatural, in really fun ways. A lot of people are going to love this book. I unfortunately wasn’t one of them, but I can still see the appeal. ...more
This was my 4th and final Goosebumps book for October, and I’m so glad I saved it for last. I’ve been an Anglophile since I waActual rating: 4.5 stars
This was my 4th and final Goosebumps book for October, and I’m so glad I saved it for last. I’ve been an Anglophile since I was very young, so I found the London setting incredibly enjoyable. There’s an element of time-travel here, which is always fun, and the pacing is a pretty perfect speed for the intended age group; it’s fast, but easy to follow. The entire tone of the book was madcap and a little wacky, reminding me strongly of an episode of Scooby-Doo. While there were times I was annoyed with our main character siblings for not catching onto what was happening or making decisions I felt were the wrong ones, I found them more likable than some other Goosebumps protagonists. All in all, this was just fun. I really enjoyed my time with it....more
This was my third Goosebumps book of October, and it’s tied for one of my favorites. Which amazes me, as I found the main character obnoxious. Sarah MThis was my third Goosebumps book of October, and it’s tied for one of my favorites. Which amazes me, as I found the main character obnoxious. Sarah Maas (yes, like the author) is being forced to attend a summer water sports camp with her brother, who is thrilled at the prospect. He’s sporty and popular, after all. Sarah, however, is none of the above. Not sporty. Not popular. And definitely not thrilled to be at camp. She tends to wreck every potential friendship before it can ever get off the ground. Her woe-is-me mentality bugged me, but it was honestly a bit understandable given her awkward, antagonistic approach to life. But the supernatural element was fun, and I ended up being pretty invested in Sarah’s story by the final pages. I’m glad I read this one. It was a fun ride....more
20th Century Ghosts is not the first short story collection I’ve read by Hill, but it’s the first one he released. As a whole, I think it might be a t20th Century Ghosts is not the first short story collection I’ve read by Hill, but it’s the first one he released. As a whole, I think it might be a touch stronger than Full Throttle, a more recent short story collection of his I read in 2019. However, I also found the individual stories largely less memorable. It was more even across the board, but that meant that there were fewer that stood out to me. That being said, I really enjoyed my time with this collection, and there wasn’t a single story that I legitimately hated. In a collection of 15 stories, I’d say that’s a pretty fantastic achievement. Below are micro-reviews of each story.
Best New Horror - 4.5 stars An editor falls in love with a very dark story by an even more mysterious author, and becomes obsessed with finding him. I love how the ending of the story mirrored in tone and inevitability the story that our main character was so infatuated with. This was a dark one, that would make a great movie.
20th Century Ghost - 3 stars A theater is haunted, but the ghost in question just wants to talk about movies. I found it perfectly maudlin. The melancholy air makes the entire story. I love the idea that those who are literally haunted by their pasts came together not to exorcize it, but to honor it. The pacing was a tad off, and the telling itself was uneven and occasionally difficult to follow, but I really liked the feel.
Pop Art - 3.5 stars A boy’s childhood best friend is inflatable. No, really. This was such a weird concept that it took my brain a few pages to come to terms with Art not being imaginary. But I became very taken by the friendship at the story's core, as well as seeing Art try to navigate life in a world that is so potentially deadly for him. It ended up being very sad, but lovely.
You will Hear the Locust Sing - 2 stars It’s The Metamorphosis, but with a willing participant. Love how evocative of Kafka this is from the first line. The main character's excitement over the transformation was uncomfortable. I can't say I enjoyed this one. It was definitely horror, but not the kind I prefer. But it was like a train wreck; I couldn't look away.
Abraham's Boys - 3 stars This is a loose Dracula sequel, following Abraham Van Helsing’s sons, Max and Rudy. It demonstrates that even those viewed as heroes often harbor dark secrets, and can be villains behind closed doors. Honestly, it was a bit traumatic. I actually liked the undercurrent of the story, an older brother trying to protect the younger from their abusive father, than I did the vampire hunting angle. Because the darkest monsters are always fully human.
Better Than Home - 3.5 stars Just a boy and his dad bonding over baseball, in spite of the defects plaguing them both. This was another story that made me sad, even though it wasn't necessarily a sad story. I just wanted to give Homer and his dad both a big hug and a safe space to be who they are and love the games they love. There wasn’t much plot here, but it didn’t need one.
The Black Phone - 4 stars The basis for the recent movie of the same name. A boy is kidnapped and locked in a prison cell of a basement, but a boxy black phone is weirdly hanging on the wall. I ended up liking this one so much more than I expected. The ending was fabulous, and I loved the poetry of it. It wasn't perfect, but it was a truly excellent little horror story.
In the Rundown - 3.5 stars An unlikeable man finds himself in a terrifying situation that could never have been foreseen. I actually think this is one of the most disturbing stories in the collection, purely because nothing supernatural occurs and the events are technically plausible. I both love and hate how open-ended and open to interpretation it is. Wyatt was an interesting character, but the situation in which he found himself was really the star of the show here.
The Cape - 2.5 stars A kid teases his older brother for no longer wanting to be a superhero, and an accident occurs. Weird events surrounding that accident set the tone for the rest of our main character’s life. I found the description of his brother not wanting to be a hero anymore, and wishing people would forget he ever had, a sad thought. Not just putting away childish things, but being embarrassed you were ever a child to begin with. But as they grew up, the main character’s obsession with the past became more and more ominous. The ending was unexpectedly dark.
Last Breath - 4.5 stars This story revolves around a museum full of seemingly empty jars, and the doctor who fills them with their invisible treasures. The entire concept here, of capturing the silence of someone's last breath in a jar as a way to immortalize them, is absolutely fascinating. The ending was just the right touch of macabre. While fairly short for the collection, it's one of my favorites.
Dead Wood - 5 stars My favorite story in the collection, and it’s by far the shortest. The thought of ghostly trees appeals to me deeply. I loved this one so much. It was only 2 pages long, but those 2 pages were packed with depth and loveliness and that melancholy that I love so much in very specific horror. How it came back around to human relationships in the end, and the way Hill made these phantom trees a metaphor, was simply beautiful.
The Widow's Breakfast - 3.5 stars Very evocative of Steinbeck. We follow a hobo during the Depression, after he had just lost his traveling buddy. We see grief and loss from multiple angles as he meets the titular widow and her daughters. I found the ending weirdly fascinating, and the social commentary throughout was quietly profound. I enjoyed it so much more than I anticipated when I started.
Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead - 4 stars I don’t have a good description for this one that wouldn’t kill part of the experience. But I will say that I love how jarring that opening is, how it leaves you completely befuddled until the end of the second paragraph. At least, it did me. The story was such a weird, utterly engaging slice-of-life. I was deeply invested in the undercurrent of lost romance, and I loved the ending. That last line was perfect!
My Father's Mask - 2 stars This one was very, very weird. A boy’s parents bring him to a family cabin filled with masks, and things just get stranger from there. I think I followed it for the most part, but I can't say I really enjoyed it. I still found it interesting, though. It was a little like an acid-trip to Wonderland.
Voluntary Committal - 4.5 stars The longest, and one of the most interesting, stories in the collection. Our main character describes losing his best friend and his brother, though the losses were separated by years. His brother, Morris, was likely on the autistic spectrum and was a creative savant, building incredible things out of materials others would throw away. I was utterly fascinated by Morris's creations, and by him as a character. I love how you could tell he deeply loved his brother, he just had a different way of showing it. I could have read a full novel version of this story, but the length felt right.
Again, this was a solid collection, and it’s one I can see myself revisiting. Hill is just as gifted in the art of short form story-telling as his father, and I’m very glad to have read 20th Century Ghosts. It was a perfect October read.
The book that started it all. I found it perfectly fine. It's amazing the improvement in writing I can see even between this and The Haunted Mask, numThe book that started it all. I found it perfectly fine. It's amazing the improvement in writing I can see even between this and The Haunted Mask, number 11 in the Goosebumps series. The main characters were annoying, especially the little brother, and the parents seemed a bit dumb, to be perfectly honest. Also, I didn't expect there to be an animal death. I say this as someone who vividly remembers Old Yeller and Charlotte's Web and Where the Red Fern Grows from childhood. I just wasn't expecting it here for some reason. The story itself was suitably creepy; I just wish we had spent more time with the actual house. But overall, I'm glad to have read this one, so I could see the inception of such a culturally important series to so many kids.
Side note: I can't believe this book is 30 years old!...more
Ghostwritten is comprised of four novellas, all relating in some way to the written word and stories themselves. I was very intrigued by the synopsis Ghostwritten is comprised of four novellas, all relating in some way to the written word and stories themselves. I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this collection, but I was also a bit hesitant. I recently tried Malfi for the first time with his novel Black Mouth, which didn’t really work for me. But I hate to write an author off without giving them at least two tries, so I decided Ghostwritten would be our second chance, to see if we could mesh as artist and consumer. I’m happy to report that we can! While the collection as a whole was a 4 star read, two of these novellas are among my favorite horror stories I’ve ever read, and I can’t wait to read them again next October.
Below are my brief thoughts on each story.
The Skin of Her Teeth: 5 stars Brilliant from start to finish. This is the story of a story that refuses to be altered, and I loved every minute of it. I think it might be one of my favorite horror shorts I’ve ever read. It’s definitely my favorite book-related horror I’ve encountered. I would buy a physical copy of this book for this story alone.
The Dark Brothers’ Last Ride: 4 stars A story of a delivery trip gone wrong. And very, very weird. I actively disliked Tommy, but I think I was supposed to. It took me a little while to warm up to this story after having so deeply loved “The Skin of Her Teeth,” but it won me over. The un-rightness of the route followed on the trip was palpably creepy, and was my favorite part of the story. The book was also suitably disturbing, but I was in it for the abandoned towns and off-brand gas station snacks.
This Book Belongs to Olo: 5 stars Olo is a very creepy child. Like, unbelievably creepy. And yet, the balance Malfi was able to strike with him was astounding. I was deeply disturbed by him, and yet I also felt an incredible amount of sympathy for him. His little homemade pop-up book was terrifying, and I loved everything about it. I also really loved Peyton; she was a powerful character, in spite of how little time on the page she actually had. This story is the reason I gave in and did indeed buy myself a physical copy of this book.
The Story: 3 stars. I felt like this was the least original story in the collection. It was fine. The tension ratcheted up well, and Malfi evoked a great sense of impending madness and claustrophobia as the story progressed, but it seemed like a tale I’ve encountered multiple times before; it was just wearing a different dress, if you know what I mean.
I love all of the little details these stories share that tie them together. Those might be a shared background character, or a poem that crops up across stories, or a weird colloquialism used in multiple tales. Sometimes it’s a simple as a baseball. These touches and tie-ins made me unreasonably happy.
Overall, while half of the collection was definitely stronger, I found all of the stories at least somewhat enjoyable. I’m very glad that I gave Malfi another shot, and that this was the book I chose to try. I loved two of these stories so much that I immediately had to have a copy for my shelves, which says it all. I’ll definitely be reading more of Malfi in the future....more
I was a bit of a scaredy cat as a child, so Goosebumps isn’t a series I dabbled in much. But it’s a series that my almost 30-year-old cousin still deaI was a bit of a scaredy cat as a child, so Goosebumps isn’t a series I dabbled in much. But it’s a series that my almost 30-year-old cousin still dearly loves, and he convinced me to give them a go as an adult with plenty of horror now under my readerly belt. He chose 4 of his favorites for me to read over the course of the month of October, one per week. The Haunted Mask was his first selection.
This was so much more fun than I expected. The pacing was great, and the premise made total sense for the age of the protagonist. I didn’t absolutely adore Carly Beth, but I found her plight sympathetic. She felt like a wholly believable 11-year-old girl. Her determination to be the scarer for once instead of the scared was relatable. And the mask she used to attain her revenge? Incredibly creepy.
What I didn’t expect was the presence of a moral to the story. Stine did a brilliant job of not beating his young readers over the head with said moral, but instead allowing it to subtly permeate the narrative. Here, Stine guides his readers to an understanding that they should value who they are, flaws and all, and to value the love in their lives instead of dwelling on the ways they’ve been slighted. I also appreciated how things ended, with everything wrapping up nicely while also leaving a door open for further creepiness off-page in that particular story.
I enjoyed The Haunted Mask so much more than I thought I would, and I’m looking forward to more nostalgia-laced Halloween reads in the Goosebumps series....more
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