It follows the 2017 publication of 'New Fears', and, whilst editor Mark Morris states there is no specific them that the writers were asked to write aIt follows the 2017 publication of 'New Fears', and, whilst editor Mark Morris states there is no specific them that the writers were asked to write about, there seems to this reader to be a thread running through the tales that speak to a very modern fear of not being seen.
Visibility, being seen and believed are motifs that run through tales which range from experimental story telling (Paul Tremblay) to body horror (Kit Power), elegant, literary horror from Laura Mauro, and psychological chills from Catriona Ward.
Every single one of these stories are brand new, not published before tales and therefore represent a unique tasting board of current horror sweetmeats, some of which may delectable and others you immediately want to spit out. It is a great opportunity for those dipping toes into new horror, to flex their reading muscles and see what takes their fancy.
Contents include-
'Maw' by Priya Sharma
Tradition, myth and fragile masculinity blend in this tale of isolation and family ties
'The Airport Gorilla' by Stephen Volk
You'll wish you only had a straw donkey or novelty tee shirt rather than this holiday souvenir..
'Thumbsucker' by Robert Shearman
DEEPLY disturbing, this takes a childish habit and turns it up to gross out
'Bulb' by Gemma Files
Absolutely bone chilling podcast transcript from a woman who has become an icon for those who want to live off grid...permanently
'Fish Hooks' by Kit Power
This gave me Clive Barker vibes, it's existential horror breaking new boundaries.
'Emergence' by Tim Lebbon
Off the beaten path tale of a morning run which goes completely awry.
'On Cutler Street' by Benjamin Percy
A Norman Rockwell-esque portrait of a suburban neighbourhood viewed through a Munch-esque viewfinder.
'Letters From Elodie' by Laura Mauro
Literary hauntings of unrequited love, an exquisite feeling of shivering goosebumps lingers after finsihing this one...
'Steel Bodies' by Ray Cluley
Another one which reminded me of ''In The City,The Hills', Clive Barker's wonderful and monstrous tale from 'The Book Of Blood'. Absolutely loved this story, I have not read anything by Ray Cluly before and am currently examining all my reading choices to date, where have I been ?!
'The Migrants' by Tim Lucas
Lovecraftian horror with a twist, this takes a relatively 'normal' request from friendly neighbours into another dimension.
'Rut Seasons' by Brian Hodge
The horrifying and desperately sad tale of a mother and daughter which lingers and comes back to haunt you.
'Sentinel' by Catriona Ward
Mother love takes on a whole new meaning...
'Almost Aureate' by V.H Leslie
Otherworldly creepiness which haunts a holiday-ing father , a tale of unease and parental responsibility gone awry.
'The Typewriter' by Rio Youers
Bargain Hunt will never be the same again, Rio takes a second hand 'fixer-upper' to a whole new level.
'Leaking Out' by Brian Evenson
A haunted house tale with a difference, a man looking for a place to shelter regrets his decision before morning.
'Thantrauma' by Steve Rasnic Tem
Grief and loss of a life long companion are writ large upon the remaining days of a lost husband, his wife's passing having had unexpected consequences.
'Pack Your Coat' by Aliya Whitely
Urban legend or twisted playground tale, whichever way this story is looked at, it will chill, scare and encourage you to read more by Aliya !
'Haark' by John Langan
A lesson on myth, in which Mr Haringa takes a history lesson and spills a tale of wretchedness, loss at sea, piracy and stolen things. Superb.
'The Dead Thing' by Paul Tremblay
In which a small boy brings home something in a box which first annoys, secondly grosses out and thirdly scares the bejesus out of his elder sister. And also this reader.
'The Sketch' by Alison Moore
Trauma, postnatal weariness and isolation all combine to haunt the woman at the center of this story as her husband tries to make space in their flat by getting rid of most of her belongings. Ailsa becomes haunted by smudges of pencil and charcoal as Peter attempts to erase her creativity from their lives as 'irrelevant'. Haunting, lyrical and unsettling.
'Pigs Don't Squeal In Tigertown' by Bracken MacLeod
A noir-esque crime story which goes to some dark places and boy does it deliver...more
What a way to end the month of May, I have hardly been able to read at all, having hit rock bottom, in a mental health way, it has become increasinglWhat a way to end the month of May, I have hardly been able to read at all, having hit rock bottom, in a mental health way, it has become increasingly hard to give yourself over completely to another world.
How cruel is it that the one way you normally cope with crises is snatched by your over busy, catastrophising brain?!
Until I picked up this book and found I could lose myself in the pages of a stellar debut that I sincerely hope will have sequels, spin offs and so much more. There is a lot going on in this alternate London, and one that needs at least 5 more novels and a Netflix series please and thanking you Cari Thomas(no pressure!)
I fully expect that Cresey Square and St Olave's school will be mentioned in the same way that Hogwarts and Privet Drive are, and here is why.
Anna, a soon to be 16 year old orphan, has been brought up by her aunt Vivienne, raised to believe that non adherence to the rules of 'binding' magic so as not to be noticeable by humans was the cause of her parents deaths. Her reality has been formed, hemmed in and repeatedly sewn over with daily lessons on the danger of magic, her aunt, one of the society of Binders, sees magic as a curse, a sin, and something which needs to be controlled to the point of physical and psychological injury. Sacrifice is a daily motif in Anna's life, and, she has developed into being so unnoticeable that she doesn't register on the radars of school bullies, the higher echelons of Binders or her aunt, alike.
Until she turns 16 and her glamorous aunt, Selene and cousin Effie, turn up and spin her entire world on its axis. She has always envied Effie for her free and unfettered life as well as having a mother in her life. But appearances are deceptive and the grass is not always as green as Anna thinks it appears to be.
Her final years at St Olave's school will be the most tumultuous and, far from being the one girl no one really remembers is in the class, this time Anna will be taking center stage.
For Effie, and co-conspirator Attis, are about to tap into the magic which Anna believes has long been extinguished within her, a coven is about to rise within the school and things will never be the same again.
There is so much to delve into and enjoy in 'Threadneedle', dive into and luxuriate in the obvious joy of language that Cari brings to each page, the intricate and meticulously created world and mythology of the world of binders and witches. From the Binder's Bible, to the complex nature of the magic which chooses the owner-for example, shrubs and hedge witches, those like Anna who use twine and thorn as their 'Hira', their essence of witchiness-there is so much to explore and enjoy.
She acutely nails the perceptions and hopes of a young girl on the edge of becoming a woman-the legacy of those who came before her lies heavily on her shoulders and yet, it is a narrative she has been raised on, not one which might be true. In her attempts to keep Anna safe, Vivienne, a more experienced and book wise witch might have created a situation for Anna to escape from, whilst, in the opposite corner, is Selene. Well travelled, someone who gives into the whims of her physical and mental desires, she is without boundaries and as unfettered as Vivienne is uptight.
Between these lies Anna, trying to become her own person but not quite understanding how to. Her entire life has been constructed around a magic that she is not even sure that she possesses. And it is easy to see how this reflects the reality of modern women-how do you step on this path to your essential womanhood when being visible can result in your silencing,mutilation, subjugation and even death?
As the novel begins with a shocking act of violence, the weft and warp of this story is at once old as the Salem witch trials and as new as third wave feminism. In our attempts to be heard, all the voices that women have are still being drowned out, smothered and silenced:in other words, bound.
I loved the sub textual feminist threads of this story, the world building, the conflict between past and present, visibility and servitude, rules made and rules broken,and the journey these young women go on was so engrossing, immersive and relatable that I finished and immediately went back to page 1.
Honestly, do yourself a favour and get a copy of this exceptional debut, and lose yourself in a London unlike any you will have experienced....more
Ostensibly appearing like a mystery novel,or, a missing person hunt, this is a deeply personal novel about the power of maternal love, hope and expectOstensibly appearing like a mystery novel,or, a missing person hunt, this is a deeply personal novel about the power of maternal love, hope and expectation for the life of your child.
Hannah, a woman whose mother had left her as a child, and Bailey, her step-daughter, are thrust into a personal and very public sphere by their husband, and father, Owen's, suspected actions. Implicated in major fraud, he leaves two notes, one for Hannah and one for Bailey, and disappears.
Between juggling her emotions on what to do, where to look for Owen-even, whether to look-she centres Bailey in her thoughts and actions, keeping the last thing Owen told her ' Protect Her' as her primary motivation to keep going.
Facing social pariah-dom from their circle of friends, insinuations of involvement in the disappearance of investors billions, the fears and worry over their future, Hannah and Bailey, reluctant protagonists in their own story, embark on a voyage of trying to uncover what Owen did, and, who he actually is.
When your entire life,and marriage, is completely upended, do you hold on to memories of love and companionship or discard them as absolute lies?
When your step daughter, who hasn't had enough time to move past the 'I hate you' stage, suddenly depends on you for everything, where do you turn for support?
There are so many threads running through this story, from Hannah's profession of wood turning (she finds the beauty and the object in raw materials and brings out the shape she envisages)to the family's house (a houseboat, technically a large foreshadowing of a marriage, and a life, with no solid foundation). They combine to create a family portrait of love, one pf loyalty and a strong moral code which has to exist to survive the claims being thrown at Bailey and Hannah.
Their relationship, or rather, the creation of a relationship rather than Hannah's try too hard attempts versus Bailey's teen strops, is so natural, so well constructed that this becomes the heart of a very human story. Hannah is a character with layers that she doesn't even realise herself, she spends the book trying to decipher clues left by Owen, to reveal the truth of what she had, and what she now aims for.
A gripping mystery, a personal journey of reflection and an intense examination of what it means to be a parent, this will be wonderful to see adapted and I am not surprised to see that there is a massive buzz building around this novel. As an aside, I don't know who decide to insert the actual notes that Owen left Hannah and Bailey into the book, but it was a stroke of genius which really pulled me into the story, and actually made me gasp out loud (you couldn't see them from the outside of the book, you turned the page and there it was!)
I definitely want to read more by Laura Dave, the way she constructs her characters is extremely engaging and you feel as if you are on the journey with them. Highly recommended!...more
The Witch's Heart will steal yours away, it is an incredibly moving and prescient tale from ancient times brought to life for a modern audience. The cThe Witch's Heart will steal yours away, it is an incredibly moving and prescient tale from ancient times brought to life for a modern audience. The central theme of males coveting, and stealing, the powers of women whose compliance is seen as natural and necessary, coming up against a witch who says 'no', is always relevant and timely.
Here, Odin wants the elemental witch, Gullveig, to help him access the darkest secrets of her magic, and using her talents to travel out of her body, he pushes her to places that she doesn't want to go, a darkness which scares even her.
Using the flimsiest of excuses to punish her for not going to where he demands her to, she is burnt three times, stabbed in the heart by spears and assumed to be dead, the ultimate torture of the spoilt gods of Norse myth. However, in this action he has created a space where his arrogance assumes her death, but he has no checked whether she actually is...
Escaping to live out of sight, in a cave, she is approached by a man who identifies himself as Loki, the god of mischief. By mischief, he is a figure who is easily bored and likes to create discord wherever he goes though in reality, he is very dangerous because he plants seeds, sits back, and watches the consequences for his own amusement.
Finding Gullveig who now goes by the name of Angrboda (meaning 'proclaimer of sorrows'), in isolation, he returns to her her heart, which he has rescued from the ashes of her funeral pyre, and in so doing, falls in love as much as he can be said to be able to give his own heart away.
Both these characters are outsiders, considered monstrous because they do not toe the line which Odin has drawn in the sand (whilst constantly breaking his own rules)they find a commonality which is both beautiful and deadly.
Their relationship has consequences, three children, which cause Angrboda to fear for their lives and an unlikely alliance forms between her and the giants of Jottenheim as she tries to protect her offspring from the all Father. The links between prophecies, and being held accountable for your behaviour, is so much a part of Norse myth, yet here, the author manages to make this a very modern story about the elemental power of women and the recasting of them as villains-'witch' is seen in such negative connotations yet her, Genevieve returns the word to Angrboda as boon not a insult.
A love story, a tale of redemption, courage and the love of a mother for her children, this is a dramatic and vivid retelling of a Norse myth which centers the elemental power of the female in a deeply powerful way. The narrative is superbly immersive, it feels like the best of stories, being told in a way that takes me back to my childhood, yet with a modern sensibility which makes it so accessible. It is a myth rewritten, a tale retold through the fractals of a feminist lens and I loved it, and hope that there will be more stories by this wonderful writer....more
'Lycanthropy...' is out now, it is, to this humble reader, a hugely engaging novel which throws a spotlight on the hidden cost of invisible illnesses,'Lycanthropy...' is out now, it is, to this humble reader, a hugely engaging novel which throws a spotlight on the hidden cost of invisible illnesses, especially amongst younger people, which often go misunderstood and ignored.
It has a quiet strength and maturity, underlined with a wicked sense of humour which goes hand in hand with the development of lead protagonist, Priya.
Diagnosed with Lyme disease, her first taste of freedom and ambitions curtailed by this vicious, invisible illness, she has returned home to live with her parents who struggle to cope with it's debilitating effects as much as Priya herself does.
The online community , in the shape of a support group, is the place where Priya can truly be herself and, reaching out to others, she begins a firm friendship with a girl named Brigid. When Brigid goes offline, and doesn't return, Priya has to take drastic action and embarks on the journey of a lifetime to find out what has happened to her friend.
A voyage of discovery, raising awareness of what it's like to live with an invisible illness and a sense of 'othering',this is a storming debut with many layers and nuances that I completely adored!...more
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