Sometimes eerie, sometimes emotionally raw, each tale is a tense, dark journey into despair, or unexpected renewal, or occasionally both at the same tSometimes eerie, sometimes emotionally raw, each tale is a tense, dark journey into despair, or unexpected renewal, or occasionally both at the same time. If you like tightly spun literary gems that peek into the darker corners of lost souls, Rebecca is the author for you....more
There are a quite a few interesting elements here, including a haunted house, seven mysterious sisters, a wayward leprechaun, and time travel, all bunThere are a quite a few interesting elements here, including a haunted house, seven mysterious sisters, a wayward leprechaun, and time travel, all bundled around a little girl who prefers to misbehave above all things; but, in the end, the result is a jumbled mess....more
I'm not rating this as I don't know how. Edmond Szekely was a raw food enthusiast who evidently drummed up this faux quasi-religious revision of the CI'm not rating this as I don't know how. Edmond Szekely was a raw food enthusiast who evidently drummed up this faux quasi-religious revision of the Christian New Testament to support his own ideas that the best way to live was a combination of a sparse diet of raw food, fasting, meditation, simple living, and the occasional enema. Edmond's Jesus provides graphic instructions on how to use a gourd "with a trailing stalk the length of a man" to cleanse yourself of Satan's sins with language equally banal and horrifying. The rest of the text consists of less interesting instructions on simple living typical of your average founders of idealistic communes. Curiously, though, his ex-wife and co-founder of a successful health spa in southern California just celebrated her 102nd birthday in 2024, so maybe Edmond did know what he was talking about. ...more
As a twin, I am always interested in checking out a book or movie featuring twins in hopes it is a thoughtful exploration of the nature of twinness. TAs a twin, I am always interested in checking out a book or movie featuring twins in hopes it is a thoughtful exploration of the nature of twinness. This is not that. The writers' skills are fairly solid, but it is little more than a relic of 1970s sexploitation featuring deeply unhealthy twins doing horrible things.
That being said, it was not meant to be a meaningful look at twins, but rather, a literary attempt at explaining the lives and deaths of identical twin gynecologists Stewart and Cyril Marcus. They, and this book, were both source material for David Cronenberg's film "Dead Ringers," but it is safe to say Cronenberg had his own body horror take on the sordid material.
Anyway, as another reviewer stated, not horrible, but definitely disturbing....more
I was equal parts intrigued and annoyed while reading this, but the annoyance won out in the end. The concept lured me into the book, but the lack of I was equal parts intrigued and annoyed while reading this, but the annoyance won out in the end. The concept lured me into the book, but the lack of any sort of personality for the two main characters, especially Josephine, the narrator of the book, eventually wore me down until reading was a mechanical process to reach the end. ...more
There are things I could complain about, but when you pick up a book like this you know what you're getting, and the author doesn't fail to deliver. There are things I could complain about, but when you pick up a book like this you know what you're getting, and the author doesn't fail to deliver. ...more
I was charmed by the Moses Lo Beau, the overly confident and snarky 11 year narrator and her quirky friends and neighbors. The story loses steam at thI was charmed by the Moses Lo Beau, the overly confident and snarky 11 year narrator and her quirky friends and neighbors. The story loses steam at the end when the last bits of plot entanglements are cleared up by a lengthy speech from Mo's adoptive mother, thus breaking a cardinal rule of good narrative by telling instead of showing. Overall, though, I enjoyed this very much as a lighthearted read....more
There is only one tale of detection, and I wouldn't quite use the word "terror" for the rest. "Weird" would be a better description. I'll add a brief There is only one tale of detection, and I wouldn't quite use the word "terror" for the rest. "Weird" would be a better description. I'll add a brief description of each tale at a later point, which I hope will illustrate my point.
The Crayfish - A straightforward mystery involving an overly clever murder
The Great Fog - The appearance and spread of a new mold or mildew has drastic consequences on Earth's atmosphere. A casual, uniquely dreadful end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it tale.
Wingless Victory - A doomed Antarctic explorer is rescued by a secret society of technologically advanced 7-feet tall penguins.
Despair Deferred...? - A spinster in wartime England during the Battle of Britain uses the threat of her own suicide as a tool to survive each dreadful day.
The Swap - Two physically and psychologically different men swap bodies for a few hours as an experiment in psychology
Dromenon - An architectural expert on Gothic cathedrals visits a remote cathedral where a mysterious stranger guides him through a transcendent experience. Perhaps this is the most classically 'weird' tale in the tradition of Arthur Machen.
The Cat "I Am" - A man becomes increasingly aware that a strange seemingly friendly cat may in fact be stalking him.
The Rousing of Mr. Bradegar - What appears to be an old man struggling to get out of bed turns out to be someone else....more
Reading this was like reading a college paper or a Wiki article. All the pertinent points were touched on briefly. It works best not as a reference buReading this was like reading a college paper or a Wiki article. All the pertinent points were touched on briefly. It works best not as a reference but as a launching point if a reader really wants to delve into the topic deeply. I'm intrigued by the fact there are 91 books in this series so far about different edible items. ...more
Darker and grittier than the movie it inspired, a reader leaves this book feeling somewhat depressed. I would recommend reading it only if you're a scDarker and grittier than the movie it inspired, a reader leaves this book feeling somewhat depressed. I would recommend reading it only if you're a screenwriter learning the trade and are looking for an example on how a decent book may be turned into an excellent screenplay.
Curiously, I came across quite a few lines I thought would be good opening lines for books, including:
"Any cop would tell you, sooner or later you were aware of every mistake you had ever made."
"You spend all your life behind one badge or another not knowing if you're a good cop or just lucky, but one thing becomes clear to you: better than anybody else, you know how to commit a crime."...more
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