FINAL Retro Review: Disappearance at Devil's Rock

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

THIS IS THE FINAL RETRO REVIEW - I’M ALL CAUGHT UP!! WOOOOOO!!

3 stars. I don't usually say things like this, but what an epic roller coaster ride. And I'm not just talking about the plot.

I absolutely loved A Head Full of Ghosts and opened this with high expectations. 25% into it, though, I was ready to give up. I rolled my eyes at the dialogue (it was almost embarrassing, like Tremblay was trying to be a cool dad who knows about things like Snapchat and video games and "the suck") and the hilarious analogies ("She speed-walks across the front lawn, moving like a broken robot alternating short strides with big, uneven steps that threaten to topple her over." ... "Elizabeth offers Josh’s mom a weak smile that instantly collapsed like a long-neglected bridge."). But a quarter of the way through, something clicked into place. I was engulfed.

Tremblay knows his way around ambiguous evil. It wasn't as atmospheric as I expected, but I was legitimately creeped out. The tension was quite real and quite scary and the story itself was crunchy in a satisfying way. I didn't predict any of the twists and turns except (view spoiler) and I was blown away by how the primary antagonist was portrayed. I also absolutely LOVE stories in which an individual encounters - quite literally - his or her own mortality (I recommend the Australian horror movie Lake Mungo for anyone interested) and was delighted to detect that particular undercurrent. It was deeply unsettling in the best way.

Tremblay plays with format here and is - for the most part - successful. There were several instances of pre-teens not sounding like any pre-teen I've ever known (honestly, for me, he failed across the board to breathe realistic life into any of the kids) and some cringe-worthy sequences about a glitchy camera recording app. But the conclusion really makes the book scary and makes the book worth it. Horror fans should read. 

Disappearance at Devil’s Rock on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: 'Salem's Lot

3 stars - but absolutely worth the effort. 3 star King is still better than 5 star anyone else, so I'm really glad I powered through this. Yes, it took some time and yes, I considered not finishing at several points. But it's a classic vampire tale and I REALLY enjoyed it. I wish I had read this in college, when the vampire craze was sort of at its peak, because this would've made an EXCELLENT comparison topic for a paper, lol.

'Salem's Lot is about a small town in Maine suffering from an invasion of sorts; an infection of the vampiric variety. There are several main characters, but the primary image here is that of the town itself and it's slow, steady descent into darkness. In that sense it's an interesting portrait of America in the 70's - it is patriotic but also aware of the political and social identity crisis seen by towns small and large alike. Appearance versus reality threads its way through the narrative in a way I really liked.

We have a typically large cast of characters here, and each of them are distinct and charming and quirky in the Kingish way I love. I didn't grow to love any of them, like I did in The Shining, but that's okay. There are also some truly terrifying sequences, though the meandering nature of the writing sometimes cuts the tension (I love King's use of detail and depth, but here he seemed a little ... untethered).

My favorite part about this, though, is the strong and spicy connection to Bram Stoker's Dracula. Dracula is one of my favorite classics, and King really found a similar flavor here. There are subtle references and obvious ones, and it just makes me really damn happy that someone successfully wrote a love letter to Dracula wrapped in an entertaining (calling you out, The Historian) and well-written work of fiction. It's derivative in the BEST WAY.

Really glad I stuck with this. Also, the afterword was such a treat. I almost enjoyed reading King's writing on the book more than the book itself.

‘Salem’s Lot on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: We Have Always Lived in the Castle

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

4 stars. I was totally unprepared for this. It's not at all what I expected and I'm thrilled that it has become horror canon. I guess I expected ... simple, traditional, predictable ... I'm not sure. But this is pure genius. I docked a star because I actually found it a little boring, which I totally attribute to my state of mind this week, but I can't wait to really think about this one.

Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of this story is that the "villain" is the least scary person you encounter. Merricat is a lot of things: mentally ill, psychopathic, agoraphobic, stunted in many ways, and yet as a reader I found myself rooting for her. Her OCD-like tendencies are profoundly interesting and creative; she has invented magic for herself. "I decided that I would choose three powerful words, words of strong protection, and so long as these great words were never spoken aloud no change would come."....

So I rooted for her. And I related to her. And I wanted Cousin Charles to leave and never come back. And I was horrified when her world got trampled and stomped on by the people in the village. Those people - those small-minded, misguided people - terrifying. Charles' greed and lack of empathy - terrifying. Constance's denial and ultimate state of existence - terrifying. But Merricat? She's adorable. She loves her sister and she loves her cat and she triumphs in the end. 

It's so bizarre.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Doctor Sleep

4 stars. So here's the thing: I really, really, really love The Shining. And that's why this gets 4 stars - BECAUSE I really, really, really love The Shining. It's one of the best books ever, one of my favorites, and a King classic. I just re-read it in anticipation of reading this, and then seeing the adaptation of this, in November. And please listen closely: I loved this! It's an excellent read. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a kickass horror novel that packs an emotional punch. I just didn't love it as much as I love The Shining.

Inevitable? Maybe. Due to the hype? Maybe. But also, I'd say that King is a bit unhinged here. He's not as tightly glued (or tightly edited) as he has been in the past. I don't mind details - really, I don't, and it's one the things that King is the king at. He goes deep and wide (tired of me saying that yet?) and his stories are full of fascinating subplots, substories, and minor characters with infinite depth.

Here, it seems extra. A little superfluous. I dunno, maybe I was just looking so deeply for the perfect essence of The Shining that I overshot and ended up being more critical than usual. But I also didn't find that Dan Torrance's character necessarily matched with the adult version. I ALSO found a few twists to be WAY more ridiculous than plausible. The coincidences were just too much, for me.

But HEY - THIS WAS SO AWESOME. Doctor Sleep takes place years after The Shining - Danny is now a recovering alcoholic trying to deal with the trauma of his childhood and exist with the shining without coming apart at the seams. He encounters another shining little girl, Abra, and they develop a beautiful friendship. Meanwhile, Abra is being stalked by a group of steam vampires led by an ambitious, soulless, hungry woman named Rose the Hat. It's all good fun and scares with a good old fashioned showdown at the end. Fans of King will love this. Fans of reading will love this.

I just ... love him. His reading is super easy to fall into, and to focus on. Living a distracted, busy life? Pick this up for awhile and I guarantee you'll get the escape you need. He's a tremendous author, and I can't wait to keep working my way through his repertoire. Long live the king.

Doctor Sleep on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Shining

2019 CHALLENGE: 1 RE-READ PER MONTH 08 / 12

5 stars. As a huge fan of this book and the movie, and of Stephen King's writing in general, re-reading this felt like a huge treat. I feel close to these characters, and to the book's premise. There are many, many themes in this book, and many of them are not scary at all, they're just human. I've said this about King in the past: he goes deep AND wide. I'm here for it.

The Shining, in my mind, is a perfect recipe. King put all the right ingredients in the right pot and cooked something incredible. We have Jack Torrance, recovering alcoholic who really really really needs this job, his wife Wendy - normal, caring, and maternal, and their young son Danny, who exhibits telepathic tendencies, an ability called "shining." Let's take this fascinating family, strong and weak in wonderful ways, and put them in an isolated, haunted hotel in the Colorado Rockies for the winter. Delicious.

There's a lot of classic, typical King here: truly scary moments, a brilliantly-written young character, layered individuals capable of great good and great evil. He addresses addiction, abuse, childhood, parenthood, ambition, failure, and more. He writes about these things with great care and deliberation, but the book is very readable and the pages turn themselves. It surprised me more than once, and this was a re-read. I can't wait to open it up again someday.

I was sufficiently creeped out by the hedges, and the hose, and especially the lady in the bathroom, but you know what gets me every time? What really stands out? The vivid descriptions of Jack's dry lips. SHUDDER. I need chapstick. Now. King is so great with details. Also, he took a typically joyous sound - the sound of a roaring party - and somehow made it sinister. PURE EVIL!

One last thing: I don't know why the Kubrick adaptation is so polarizing. It's different from the book, absolutely, and I know King hates it. But it's an excellent horror movie on its own. It's an interpretation. It's the same picture painted in a different color. I appreciate both the book and the movie very much, as separate works of art and as acquaintances. Both make me happy.

Seriously, so motherfucking, Overlook-ing good. I know glowing reviews are boring but here we are. “Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters.”

The Shining on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Little Stranger

4 stars. Absolutely wonderful. I can't get enough of Sarah Waters' writing, and she really nailed it with The Little Stranger. First of all, it's right up my alley: a creepy, haunted mansion tale with echoes of Rebecca and Dickens and even Jane Eyre. It's about a doctor who cares for and eventually gets to know a small, formerly wealthy family: Roderick, young soldier injured in the war, Caroline, his sister, and their mother. The family seems nice enough, and the good doctor is completely enamored with their house, Hundreds Hall (good name for a house). But then strange things start happening - unexplained noises, objects being moved, footsteps in the hall - causing each member of the family to unravel in destructive and tragic ways.

Character-wise, Waters stuns. Her protagonists often make well-intentioned but ignorant choices, and the doctor is no different: he demonstrates a very human and very complicated (and very male) lack of self-awareness. I love reading about individuals like that - I rooted for him, I rolled my eyes at him, I was compelled to stick with him until the very end. And the way she writes women (women as products, as victims, under pressure, as strong individuals, capable of great love and great harm) is out of control outstanding. Each character is distinct and charming and gorgeous on paper.

Plot-wise, The Little Stranger is dense, but I wanted more. All of her books are like that - you don't realize you're reading a pageturner because the writing is so detailed and sort of ... steady, and slow. But the heartbeat of this is absolutely addictive. Her pacing is phenomenal.

Theme-wise, insert all the heart-eyed emojis here. The "scares" are few, and very traditional, but they got me. I was sufficiently creeped out. The end gave me chills; I jumped at every noise after putting this down. The ambiguity is absolutely lovely, and left me with a delightful sense of curiosity and wonder. What exactly do we mean when we say "haunted house" ? How do we deal, emotionally, when a house changes around us, falls into disrepair, becomes a source of stress rather than comfort? When the damage creeps inward? Where does that negative energy go? Ugh, I loved it. Henry James, eat your heart out.

Docked a star, per my hard and fast rule, for a UDD (Unnecessary Dog Death). You've been warned.

The Little Stranger on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Hunger

3 stars. Don't get me wrong - this is a fantastic read. I read it in one day and couldn't put it down. It's like a delightfully dark horror movie (and will undoubtedly one day be adapted into a great one). But it isn't perfect, and there were some components I couldn't stand.

The Hunger reminds me of The Terror in the sense that it is a fictional retelling of a tragic moment in history with a supernatural twist. Alma Katsu obviously did her research into the region and the people and the ins and outs of wagon train voyages, but go in aware: she takes a lot of liberties.

She seeks to tell the tale of the doomed Donner Party, who, for those of us NOT obsessed with disturbing shit, attempted to migrate to California in a wagon train and resorted to cannibalism when they became trapped for the winter. It's a fascinating event in itself, demonstrating how humans fail - physically and morally - under harsh, catastrophic conditions.

Katsu explores this theme in her book, in no way replacing the human horror with monster horror. As things get tough, the voyagers get nasty. There are several particular villains here that leap off the page and scared me in ways no zombie ever will.

“Terrible things happened to children—and women—all the time, in their own homes, by people you knew, people you thought you could trust.”

But there are a few things that rubbed me the wrong way.

First, there was an UDD (Unnecessary Dog Death).

Second, there was a surprising amount of sex and romance. It's like in this book's world, an individual couldn't exist without having some sort of fetish, specific desire or deep attraction for someone. I love reading about sexually active women, but it doesn't have to be every single character's THING - their defining characteristic.

Third, the ending felt really weird and rushed and strange. Maybe a little anticlimactic?

Regardless, this is a must read for horror fans. There are some spectacular moments woven into this complex narrative - moments that will stay with me for years. Sure, it gets a little melodramatic, or overwrought, but it's excellent. Very creative, very fun.

The Hunger on: Amazon | Goodreads

Retro Review: The Changeling

When I started this blog, I had been posting reviews on Goodreads for about 6 months. In the interest of having all of my book writing in one place, I will post one of these old reviews every Friday. They weren't written with a blog in mind, so please forgive the lack of summary and off-the-cuff tone.

5 stars. I can't stop thinking about this incredible book. Victor LaValle successfully blended his primary ingredients - the essence of ancient folklore, the threat of modern technology, the emotional chaos of parenthood - into a truly intimate and truly intense fairy tale for adults. It is unsetting and disturbing, told at an invigorating pace with an astonishingly matter-of-fact tone.

The plot is simple: Apollo Kagwa, a rare book dealer and new father, must face demons both literal and metaphorical when his wife kills his baby and disappears. His diligent search for answers takes him down a rabbit hole full of ancient traditions, monsters, offerings, and threats both human and supernatural.

It is ridiculously compelling. There is social commentary and satire and humor and a dramatic climax. The twists and turns aren't exactly unpredictable but they provoke bone-deep shock anyway. LaValle's writing is simple but peppered with meta bombs like, "A bad fairy tale has some simple goddamn moral. A great fairy tale tells the truth." And later, related: "Even if you choose to ignore the truth, the truth still changes you." I admired the moments that felt so reminiscent of fairy tales - I found myself leaning forward, eyes glued to the page, as though listening and waiting and hoping for the "happily ever after."

The book examines huge themes such as racism, fatherhood, technology, greed, loss. LaValle had an agenda, a message, and he cloaked it admirably in horror. Each reader will no doubt draw something different from the complex undertones. To me, I would say, the biggest one, the one I inhaled and absorbed, was this: listen to women. Please, please, please listen to women.

And maybe put a piece of electrical tape over your laptop's camera.

The Changeling on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Carrie

5 stars. I can't believe it's taken me so long to read this King - out of all the Kings - but I'm making my way through his repertoire at a slow pace so I can savor his books. Obviously, Carrie is amazing, and I loved it. I read it in one day and the whole time I was just like, yup, classic.

Carrie, of course, is about a teenage girl named Carrie White (the names in this book are really interesting), struggling under the terrifying influence of her intensely religious mother. Bullied and basically ignorant, Carrie attempts to grow and navigate puberty while harboring a remarkable and powerful secret skill. After being targeted by a cruel plot, she goes on an explosive and bloody rampage marking the town forever.

I think it's fairly well-known that this was King's first published novel (the fourth he'd written), and it's full of hints of what's to come. (TBH, I was looking for the hints because I'm obsessed with patterns and recurring motifs.) He plays around with themes he'd continue to explore for the duration of his career; small towns, masculinity, femininity, obsession, religious mania, youth, innocence, sexual awakening, sexual repression, bullying, etc.; in a deft and experimental way that's frankly really genius.

It occurred to me, as I turned the pages of a scene in which a 16-year-old girl gets her period for the first time in a high school locker room and is immediately mocked and pelted with pads and tampons, that King took something very preposterous and made it seem very reasonable and realistic. His attempt to capture the female psyche is so vivid and painful - maybe not right, exactly, but it's very vivid.

Along those lines, I won't attempt to poke at some of the feminist and religious messages in Carrie, but I didn't read this looking for that sort of thing. Carrie is just plain weird, and fascinating, and fun, and funky, and disturbing. It doesn't go quite as deep or as wide as some of his others, but it's distinctly King-ish and worth a read.

I've written before about how reading King is kind of a magical experience: you're like WTF is going on, but you can't stop or look away, and finishing is hugely satisfying until you kind of sit back and think about it and go WTF did I just read?! But that's part of the charm and what makes him so impressive. It's why I keep coming back for more.

Carrie on: Amazon | Goodreads

Review: The Invited

3 stars. This was, honestly, a bit adorable. I like Jennifer McMahon and I'll likely read everything she's written when I'm in the mood, but bless her heart. This is barely, barely horror. It's a great read with an interesting mystery and a satisfying twist - it just doesn't go very deep, or very wide. It's cute. It's light. It's refreshing.

The story starts in the 1920s, when a young single mother named Hattie Breckenridge is hanged for alleged witchcraft. In 2015, Helen and Nate decide to build their dream home on her property. Obviously, things get weird. Helen in particular feels a connection to the history of the land and starts investigating Hattie and her descendants. She becomes acquainted to a youngster in the area, Olive, who is dealing with the disappearance of her mother and has her own connection to Hattie. There are supernatural elements and creepy moments, but it's essentially a thriller.

I did like the creepy stuff: ghosts, seances, a bog, some crimes, the unsettling small town vibes. I liked the albeit superficial exploration of female rage. I enjoyed Helen's relationship with her husband and the way things came together at the end. Calling this "light" doesn't mean I'm calling it simple; there was thought put into the plotting and the characters. Things click into place. I also enjoyed the multiple POVs and the flashbacks - usually I don’t. McMahon is really fantastic and avoiding gimmicky narrative devices.

Two things I couldn't get my head around: the fact that two middle school teachers had the skillset, the strength, and the funds (inheritance or no inheritance) to build a house on their own, and the fact that Olive was supposed to be a mid-teen in high school. Olive seemed younger to me. Stephen King is my benchmark for young voices (he truly is the king!), and this felt a little cliche. And the author clearly did her research on house-building but ... sorry. Couldn't believe it.

I really hesitate to call things Beach Reads because WTF does that even mean? But I could see myself enjoying this with sand between my toes. It's easy entertainment with short chapters and a brisk pace. I'll never not read ghost stories like this; they scratch an itch. This one just didn't scratch very hard.

The Invited on: Amazon | Goodreads