This is my first taste of Eric LaRocca but it is certainly not going to be my last.
This is a collection of three novellas/short stories.
The title story is certainly the highlight of the three. It may well be the best piece of epistolary fiction I think I've ever read. All three stories are excellent. But this one is just a level above.
We read the emails and Instant Message threads between Agnes and Polly, starting with a simple advert trying to sell an antique apple peeler. things quickly descend into one of the most uncomfortable pieces of fiction I've read in years.
The depiction of codependency that builds up is masterly. The little vignettes that are dropped into the narrative are perfect little horror stories in their own right. in this story, they are stepping stones to a whole new extreme of psychological harm.
What have I done today to deserve my eyes? I'm not sure, but I don't think this story is going to leave my brain for a long while.
The Enchantment- the second story in the book is a more straightforward narrative topped with an "oh my god how did I not see that?" revelation.
A couple move to a remote island to try to recover from the suicide of their teenaged son. The death of the son is the only sticking point in the whole book. His chosen method of suicide is not entirely practical, or possible to do by yourself. But that's a minor issue.
On their first night on the island, they're visited by a mysterious young man. From then on, things become more disturbing. Who is the young man? What is his purpose? The answers are beautifully revealed.
The final story- You'll Find It's Like That All Over- is a clever little tale of social discomfort leading to something really quite nasty.
One of my favourite things about this collection is that it manages to shake this particular reader to the core without any excessive gore or any unnecessary violence. There are some unpleasant descriptions of death, but no overt gore. This is psychological horror at its finest.
I love it. I will definitely be seeking out as much of his writing as my psyche can stand.
No comments:
Post a Comment