The June 1 and 15 2023 issue of Booklist is live and it has my STAR review of Spring a Black Yarn: Novellas by Josh Malerman. I have my draft review and a lot more information below, but I want to lead with how much I LOVED this book. This will appeal to a wide range of readers, not just Horror fans.
Spin a Black Yarn
Malerman invites readers to visit Samhattan, MI, home of Daphne, close to Goblin with five intensely unsettling and utterly original novellas: a unique brother sister dynamic set creepily in half a haunted house; an uncomfortably thought provoking psychological story where a man makes a startling confession on his deathbed; a dark satire featuring an awful, wealth driven couple, one that also effortlessly implicates the reader in its criticism; an emotional tale of guilt cleverly disguised as space horror; and finally, an atmospheric, historical ghost story with a surreal twist. While vastly different in plot, each hooks readers immediately by introducing unease in their first lines, taking on well known tropes with fresh eyes, and pushing it all to the edge of expectation, sometimes even pitching it over the cliff. All of it to near perfection as these are among the best novellas published yet this year. Malerman has been intentionally building his universe all along, and while new readers will enjoy this volume, fans will find terrifying joy in how his latest release calls upon everything he has ever published. Suggest to readers who enjoy authors like Cassandra Khaw, Paul Tremblay, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, masters at preserving their unique voice even as they stretch their stories across varied frames and tropes.Further Appeal:
There is a piece of every Malerman story in this collection. And if you are a fan, like me, it is a joy to see the connections. But here’s the best part– even if you are brand new to Malerman, these novels are still great and I would argue stand as an introduction to his work overall.
Compelling and immersive. Each story grabs you and in a different way. Malerman takes you through an emotional wringer but you are 100% for it.
He takes well known tropes and twists them. He is not afraid to push everything right up to the edge, and sometimes throw his characters over.
He makes you think about the story, about how he twisted something you thought you knew, and also, think about yourself. Argyle is a great example of that. But all of them.
Three Words That Describe This Book: immersive, intensely unsettling, utterly original
Specific readalikes for each novella:
Half the House is Haunted– A Head Full of Ghosts by Tremblay which is a play on We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Jackson
Argyle– Startling– psychological. Reminded my of Inspection by him not in plot but in how the story is told
Doug and Judy Buy the Washer™– 90 mins to clean and read– I feel like Shirley Jackson would write this story today. But also it has the social commentary about class that Silvia Moreno-Garcia explores as well.
The Jupiter Drop– guilt as a story– SF SA Barnes– Dead Silence
Egorov– creepy triplets– all about the atmosphere Reminded my of Cassandra Khaw– Nothing But Blackened Teeth
Great note at the end about "Spin a Black Yarn," the title of this book and the name of his production company. A heartfelt essay about his friendship with Ryan Lewis– his business partner.
No comments:
Post a Comment