The disjointed nature between the flowing river of words and characterizations afforded Starr and those she comes into contact with versus the gravel pit given to the villains makes Deer Woman feel at times as though it had been written by two authors taking turns, or composed of two different manuscripts shuffled together.
Tag Archives: Fiction
‘Death’ Asks Timely Questions with Robots
Death of the Author has a lot to say about art, its creation, and those who make it for us that is more relevant than ever.
‘Serpents’ a Solid Sequel in a Compelling World
Kate Pearsall’s debut, Bittersweet in the Hollow, was a solid and satisfying novel. With Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue, Pearsall delivers a strong second installment in what I hope will be at least a quartet of enchanting stories.
‘Headshot’ Fast-Moving but Hard-Hitting
Most of the boxers’ stakes in Headshot are drawn from the most ordinary of things, which gives the world inside the book more authenticity and the world outside it a reminder of its import.
‘Girl’ Ponders Trauma, Identity
The Girl Before Her feels less like a narrative than it does someone trying to work out where they’ve come from and how they ended up in their present place and as their present selves. The reader is a ghost over Papin’s shoulder as she turns herself, and her family, inside and out in search of answers.
‘Woods’ More Human Nature than Thriller
In The God of the Woods, Moore isn’t concerned with crafting a whodunnit so much as a careful sketch of a far more human story.
‘Nest’ a Cozy Exploration of Monstrosity
It’s hard to pick a favorite element in this “cozy horror.” Is it the blood and gore? The love story? The neurodivergent or asexual rep? The family trauma? Somehow, it manages to be all of the above.
‘Red’ a Well-Crafted and Creepy Western
McBride’s utilization of all the elements of Weird Western really shines. From supernatural creatures to sinister humans to wild animals to the unfeeling wilds of nature, the threats are everywhere, and each is given due attention, all woven together to keep any single element from having all the fun—or bearing too much weight to make a satisfying story.
‘Home’ More Heart than Haunted, In a Good Way
There’s just as much heart in Haunt as in any of Pinsker’s steady stream of excellent short fiction. I’d watch Haunt Sweet Home, but I liked reading about it even better.
‘Night Guest’ Preys on Fears of Self
The Night Guest is an unsettling story about who we are when our own backs are turned. In an era of butt-dialing, sleep-texting, Ambien Tweets, and the unofficial but far-reaching Mysterious Leg-Bruise Club, it’s a relatable fear.
Ring Reads 