Book Review: Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

This year, I’ve made it a personal quest to read more short story collections. It’s been going much better than expected, and I’ve had the pleasure of reading some incredible short stories from some of the most brilliant writers of contemporary fiction. During this journey, I discovered a couple of interesting trends: all the short story collections I’ve read are from women writers, and the works are extremely dark. Two of these books come from the genius of Korean author Bora Chung. I read her first book, Cursed Bunny, back in February. When I was finished, I knew immediately that I would be reading her recent follow-up, Your Utopia, and so I reserved it from my local library. While I was originally planning to review both together, I’ve decided to keep them separate, as they are quite different stylistically. One leans more toward horror, while the other is heavily science fiction. So let’s discuss the delightfully twisted tales of Cursed Bunny!

Cursed Bunny (2017) by Bora Chung and translated by Anton Hur; Photo Credit: Natalie Getter (Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!)

This is the most varied assortment of stories I’ve ever encountered in one book! I thought I knew what I was getting into with this collection, particularly as the first two stories were firmly rooted in body horror. The opener titled “The Head” is so disgusting that the less I say about it, the better. You’ll just have to read it to see what I mean. The second tale called “The Embodiment” is so surreal and Kafkaesque, as a woman becomes inexplicably pregnant despite never having been with anyone. Rather than provide any sympathetic advice, however, her physician tells her that in order to have a normal baby, this young mother will have to find a suitable father. The story then becomes an allegory on parenting and the pressures of a woman in Korea believing she must have a man in her life. Chung infuses both of these opening stories with a lot of humor, but it doesn’t take long for them to become so disturbing. I completely loved these stories, and, rightfully so, was mistaken in believing that all ten stories would be works of horror. Far from it, as Chung proves she is adept at moving from genre to genre with equal skill.

For example, “Goodbye, My Love” is fully in the science fiction vein, focusing on a scientist and her relationships with the androids she creates. While she works through the difficult decision to send her first ever creation back to the factory as it’s become obsolete, she wonders if perhaps the android has feelings about this as well. “Snare” is a dark version of the classic golden goose fable, while “Ruler of the Winds and Sands” is a fantasy fable taking place on a desert world. In this one, a princess embarks on a mission to restore the sight of the prince she is to marry, only to discover that things are not as they seem, and that human nature is a terrible thing.

Another group of stories take a darker and supernatural approach. One of the best horror shorts I’ve ever read is called “The Frozen Finger” and is a claustrophobic story of a woman trapped in a sinking car in complete darkness with only a cold hand for company and support. It’s so chilling! (no pun intended). Another favorite from this collection, “Reunion,” is a clever ghost story that takes the reader in so many directions, leading us to examine the darkness that exists in each of us. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the title story of this phenomenal book. “Cursed Bunny” is told from the point-of-view of a grandfather who takes revenge on a company by gifting them a cursed object, a rabbit lamp shade. As the story unfolds, we see how the curse works on a family but also how it comes back on the grandfather himself.

Overall, Chung’s first collection is an impressive debut, with translator Anton Hur doing an extraordinary job in converting these twisted tales for us English readers to enjoy. Here’s my warning: as impressed as I was with this book, I recognize it’s not for the squeamish or for the faint of heart. I encourage you dear reader to have the courage to check out this intriguing collection from one of my new favorite writers. If you still say Bora Chung is a no-go, I ask that you wait for my review of Your Utopia before making a decision.

“I could finally understand the horrific and cruel clarity of what he considered to be meaningful. The desperation and immense fear that your life, as well as the future to come, hinged on a moment.”-“Reunion”

Have you read this book? I’d love to know your thoughts! Let me know with a comment below.

Book Review: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

I have a special reading relationship when it comes to the works of Stephen King. He was the author that sparked my love of fiction at a rather formidable age, and I’ve been a “Constant Reader” ever since. Over the years, I’ve branched out in my reading interests, and the downside is that I have so many unread Stephen King on my bookshelves! In order to rectify this problem, I’m going to incorporate some of these forgotten books into the reading rotation. So why not start with the sequel to one of my all-time favorites, The Shining? Doctor Sleep earned several accolades, including winning a Bram Stoker Award; however, it is very different in tone from King’s earlier work. This isn’t surprising to me, as not only are the two books separated by several decades, but the author himself is now in a very different place in his life. King was a raging alcoholic when he wrote The Shining and had been sober for years when he penned Doctor Sleep. As a result, this novel incorporates the nostalgia of the former into something quite inventive and new, making it the perfect novel to rekindle my love for Stephen King.

Doctor Sleep (2013) by Stephen King, Photo Credit: Natalie Getter (Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!)

Daniel Torrance is now an adult and is haunted by his traumatic memories of the Overlook, so he uses alcohol and hard drugs to cope as well as repress his supernatural abilities. Unlike his father, he finds help through Alcoholics Anonymous and begins to build a respectable life for himself in a small northeastern town. Dan uses his powers for good as a hospital orderly to help dying patients reach the great beyond in their final moments. He also forms a connection to a 13-year-old girl named Abra Stone, who also has the shining, but is a much more powerful individual than Dan ever was. That power has attracted a group of supernatural entities known as the True Knot. These immortal beings are not quite human and travel around America in RVs, looking for children with Dan and Abra’s special gift. Their longevity and youthful appearances are maintained as psychic vampires feeding off of the shining, which they refer to as “steam.” Once human, these beings have become terrifying monsters who have learned that the longer you torture a victim, the more powerful the release of steam. King has always excelled at showing evil in both its supernatural and human forms, and the True Knot are the perfect amalgamation of both. This tainted immortality comes at a cost, as these vampires need a constant cycle of steam and in greater quantities to maintain their existence (another reference to the dangers of addiction).

While King has always managed to show humanity at its worst, he also presents us with its best, this time in the characters of Dan and Abra. A trauma survivor, who struggles to make good choices in the beginning, Dan’s journey in overcoming his addiction and reclaim his humanity truly resonated with me. Like all of King’s protagonists, Dan Torrance is a fully-realized and flawed character, and I felt an incredible connection to him. Abra Stone is a compelling character herself. King has always written very believable child characters, and Abra is no exception. She truly is pure magic.

“Life was a wheel, it’s only job was to turn, and it always came back to where it had started. 

This novel is a thrill ride from start to finish, and I found myself racing through its 500-plus pages at a fast pace. However, this novel truly resonated with me on a much deeper level. While I’ve never been addicted to alcohol, I have spent my time in recovery from addiction of a different type, one I would argue is just as devastating and was a true destructive force in my life. Witnessing Dan Torrance’s recovery was a true inspiration, and I think this novel would be fantastic reading material for anyone who has battled addiction. A good amount of this story takes place in AA meetings, as well as discussions with sponsors, so I can’t help but wonder if King is writing from personal experiences. At its heart, Doctor Sleep is a novel about facing your past (perfect for a sequel) and about finding a family, as well as the secrets that might be lurking in the shadows. As I mentioned, this novel has a different feel to The Shining, but it does manage to expand the mythos of the Overlook and the Torrance family in a quite satisfying way. In that sense, I would rank Doctor Sleep as one of the best novels King has ever written.

On another note, I had a rather interesting observation in this post-Trump, COVID-19 era. The villains, the True Knot, appear as middle-aged or elderly truckers (despite their assumed immortality). I can’t help but feel that this group would be supportive of MAGA politics and fixtures at their rallies had this book been written more recently, as opposed to ten years ago. Their conceit, represented by their leader Rose the Hat, would ultimately be their undoing. Because of their immortality, they foolishly believe themselves to be immune from sickness, echoing the “anti-vax” movement of today. King has been an outspoken opponent of Trump, so on that level, this novel resonates more today than it did upon original publication. Perhaps King shares some supernatural powers of his own?

My final verdict is that Doctor Sleep is a shining (ha ha) sequel to its predecessor. Penning a continuation to one of his greatest novels, over thirty years later no less, was a risky endeavor by King. However, it pays off in so many fantastic ways, and I’m pleased to report I’m already considering what to read next from the Master of Horror. If you’re one of King’s Constant Readers and missed this one, give it a try, as it provides a very satisfying conclusion for Danny Torrance.

“There came a time when you realized that moving on was pointless. That you took yourself with you wherever you went.”

 

Have you read this book? I’d love to know your thoughts! Let me know with a comment below.

 

 

Book Review: Pine by Francine Toon

Lauren and her father Niall live alone in a small village located in the Highlands. While out driving, a ghostly and disheveled woman stumbles into their path, and Niall decides to drive her back to their house. In the morning, the woman is gone, and Lauren seems to be the only one who remembers her. In this isolated part of the world surrounded by pine forest, strange events can be quite common. There’s the trapper that was found dead hanging among his dead animals. Stone circles can be found all over. Then, there’s the mystery of Lauren’s mother, who mysteriously disappeared some ten years earlier. In a town where you can count the number of residents on two hands, gossip is a regular occurrence, and Niall has long been suspected of causing his wife’s disappearance. Lauren, who follows in her wild child mother’s footsteps, turns to tarot cards for answers that appear long buried. When a local teenager goes missing, it won’t be long before long forgotten secrets are unearthed along with a terrible truth that will forever change Lauren’s life.

Pine (2020) by Francine Toon, Photo Credit: Natalie Getter (Rating: 3 out of 5 stars)

The end of the year is always the perfect time for a chilling mystery with some supernatural ambiance, so I picked this one up at my local thrift shop. I’ve never read anything by Francine Toon, but the cover used phrases that spoke to me such as “a simmering gothic thriller” and “as gripping as any boxset.” I also saw it was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year, so that means I’ll totally fall in love with this book right? Unfortunately, this was not the case. Despite all its accolades, this one won’t be on my short list of favorites for the year. I’ll start with what I did really enjoy about the book and that’s the atmosphere. The author uses the landscape and the weather for a great effect, and when something shocking did occur, I thought the writing was fantastic. Several times, I really felt the sense of claustrophobic isolation of this little village out in the middle of nowhere.

“A draught creeps across her shoulder blades and, for a moment, she gets a strange feeling of a hand, reaching out of the darkness.” 

However, I thought the plot moved incredibly slow. There’s a ghostly mystery woman who continues to randomly appear, and anyone who sees her, with the exception of Lauren, seems to immediately forget. Unfortunately, intriguing moments in the book were spaced out way too much so I found myself often getting bored with the story. The plot finally starts moving with the disappearance of one of Lauren’s friends, but that happens about two thirds into the book. I also found the characters a bit lacking. On the one hand, this is a small community where everyone knows each other, but then there’s also this real disconnect, so that just left me not really liking anyone in this book.

The worst part of the experience had to be the resolution of everything, or actually, the lack of resolution. While I love a good twist ending, the reveal came out of nowhere and felt completely anti-climatic. Then, it was over, leaving me with more questions than when I started. I think some additional pages that helped me understand how these revelations changed these characters’ lives would have been nice. Then again, I was ready to be done with this book.

Pine was the first novel written by Francine Toon, and I wouldn’t be opposed to reading another of her books, just to see how her style develops. As far as creating a gothic atmosphere, she did a phenomenal job. I just wanted a faster moving plot with more compelling characters. Twin Peaks this was not.

“The images of death are involuntary and relentless: crushed snail shells, veins in meat, vampire teeth, soil filling a mouth.”

Have you read this book? I’d love to know your thoughts! Let me know with a comment below.

 

 

Book Review: Dracula by Bram Stoker

If one were to compile a list of great classic horror novels, there is no doubt that Dracula by Bram Stoker would appear at the top of that list. Over half a century after Mary Shelley achieved immortality for her novel Frankenstein, Stoker’s most famous vampire creation would become an iconic symbol of horror throughout the world. Yet despite my familiarity of the infamous Count Dracula, as well as my adoration of the horror genre, I must make a confession. Until just a couple of weeks ago, I had actually never read Dracula! Over the years, I’ve watched quite a few film adaptations, so I felt like I would know the material fairly well. However, my reading of Dracula was filled with some pleasant surprises, the most important one in just how much I loved this book despite already being familiar with the general story. Bram Stoker’s classic tale is a pioneering work of fiction that influenced so much of the literature that would follow it.

Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker, Photo Credit: Natalie Getter (Rating: 4 out of 5 stars)

The novel begins with a solicitor named Jonathan Harker, who has recently been sent to Transylvania for a work assignment to assist a man known as Dracula with his move to England. On his journey to meet his client, strange events begin happening: the local residents cry out in fear while making the sign of the cross and the carriage is attacked by wolves. Unfortunately for Harker, the bizarre events don’t stop upon his arrival to the Count’s home, a castle that rests atop a large hill. While appearing to be an educated older gentleman, Count Dracula only appears to come out at night. Despite the appearance that the castle is completely devoid of anyone else, meals are prepared for Harker. One night, Harker is attacked by three vampire women who appear out of nowhere. Dracula rescues him, telling the women that Harker will be theirs once he has safely left the castle for England. Harker realizes that he is not a guest of Count Dracula, but rather a prisoner who will soon perish at the hands (or rather, teeth) of evil.

Harker’s ultimate fate is left hanging as the story transitions to England, and we are introduced to the other main characters of the novel. A ship called the Demeter crashes back to shore with its crew murdered. The captain’s log narrates the crew’s disappearance until he alone remains, bound to the helm to maintain course. An animal resembling a large dog is seen leaping ashore when the ship runs aground. Readers come to the near impossible sounding conclusion that Dracula is driven to move to England in order to spread his curse of the undead. Who would possibly believe this theory? Told through journal entries from various involved parties, such as Professor Abraham Van Helsing, the reader is introduced to Dracula and his threat against mankind. In order to stop him a small group of men and women must band together to fight back against this impossible force. Can Dracula be stopped?

It would be a gross understatement to refer to Dracula as a classic novel. Bram Stoker achieved is the classic Gothic tale that launched an entire world of vampire mythology. While for years I have read books and watched shows and movies based on this book, I had yet to read it until recently. This was such a mistake! For a book that is over a century old, it has stood the test against time incredibly well. While this is a novel steeped in the Gothic style, I was impressed with just how much I enjoyed this as an adventure story with several protagonists who joined together in love and fellowship to make it their mission to destroy the Count’s evil once and for all.

Stoker took an innovative and progressive approach to storytelling in writing this novel through the use of different characters’ journal entries. While epistolary fiction had been done before, this had never been done with a work of horror fiction. Not only did he use this method, but he also chose to alternate between six main characters, while also incorporating newspaper and magazine articles as well. While this approach sounds confusing and had a good chance of not succeeding, Stoker manages to weave everything together quite well. Writing the novel in this style gave readers a more intimate view of the characters.

Interestingly, the villain of this story doesn’t get a lot of page time. We are introduced early to the character through his interactions with Jonathan Harker. However, Dracula himself only appears a handful of times following the initial chapters. Rather, we see his influences directly, such as his first victim in England with the character of Lucy and the disturbing behaviors of the tormented Renfield. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like for original readers of this novel in not having a clue as to what was happening. It is a testament of the genius of Bram Stoker that he could create such a memorable monster when he only appears sparingly.

“What manner of man is this, or what manner of creature is it in the semblance of a man? I feel the dead of this place overpowering me; I am in fear-in awful fear-and there is no escape for me; I am enveloped about with terrors that I dare not think of…”

The atmospheric quality to this story has to be one of the major points that make it a favorite classic for me. I could feel the suspense in what would happen every time the fog would roll in or the wolves would start howling. I was uncomfortable when the characters found themselves in some scene that was shrouded in darkness. Through his use of details, Stoker evoked so much tension that ultimately left the scenes featuring the Count to be that much more terrifying.

I also appreciated some reversal of gender roles in the novel. The initial “damsel in distress” of the opening chapters is actually a male character trapped in the foreboding castle. Through the character of Mina Harker, we get to see a stronger female role in literature who manages to hold her own with the plethora of male figures in the novel.

Bela Lugosi as one of the many film adaptations of Dracula

Despite all the wonderful qualities of this class, I had a few issues. Juggling six primary narrators is a daunting task, and sometimes voices would overlap for me. While the epistolary style largely works, sometimes I would forget which character’s journal entry I was reading in the moment and had to flip back. I also had some issues with the random instances of dialect from people who spoke old English. While I imagine Stoker was going for some authenticity, sometimes it pulled me out of the narrative flow because it took me a moment to understand what was being said. I also think the novel could have been trimmed slightly, as some sections were a little too drawn out with nothing really happening.

In the end, part of me is glad that I held off on reading Dracula for so long. As someone who considers himself a connoisseur of horror fiction, reading this classic after finishing so many modern works of horror showed me just how Bram Stoker can stand toe to toe with these contemporary writers. Believe me, there are some scenes in this novel that will make you feel uneasy in the best possible ways. Dracula is a great work of fiction that has earned its immortality.

“Do you not think that there are things which you cannot understand, and yet which are; that some people see things that others cannot? 

Have you read this book? I’d love to know your thoughts! Let me know with a comment below.

Book Review: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

If I made a list of my favorite Gothic horror novels, the top two would definitely be Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (you can read those reviews here), Now, I can add a third favorite to that list as I loved A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay. Finding a really good and well-crafted horror novel can be a struggle, and I’m happy to report that this one greatly exceeded my expectations! Having an endorsement by Stephen King as a story that scared him definitely helped my confidence that I had chosen the right book, and this one does not disappoint, While I’ve never read anything by Paul Tremblay, I was already aware of his reputation as a horror writer, as his novel Cabin at the End of the World has been adapted into a film. The best short description I can give for Head Full of Ghosts is that it’s a perfect blend of Shirley Jackson with the movie The Exorcist. Tremblay has had a lifelong obsession with horror fiction, and in this book, that love clearly shows. This is a work that will keep readers guessing throughout the entire experience.

A Head Full of Ghosts (2015) by Paul Tremblay, Photo Credit: Natalie Getter

A Head Full of Ghosts tells the story of the Barrett family, a suburban middle class family consisting of husband John, wife Sarah, and their two daughters, Marjorie and Merry. It isn’t long into the story before we discover that the family is severely dysfunctional. The parents fight constantly and are quite emotionally abusive to their daughters. The title of the novel refers to Marjorie’s struggles with her mental health. Medication and counseling aren’t helping to improve her condition, so John decides to seek help through the Catholic church. As John decides that religion is the answer to their problems, he’s convinced by the local priest that perhaps Marjorie’s negative behaviors are the result of demonic possession rather than any psychological problems. While the mother is skeptical, she is gradually worn down by her abusive husband who is also a God-fearing man. The involvement of the Catholic Church also helps the family in another way. Due to John being out of work for the past year and the family’s high medical bills, they agree to allow a camera crew into their house to film Marjorie’s “possession” and subsequent exorcism for a reality TV show, appropriately titled The Possession.

The novel takes place fifteen years after The Possession ended, and we discover that the show has taken on a strong cult following. A best-selling writer tracks down the younger sibling Merry, who is now 23 and the only survivor from the events of that time. The majority of the novel is told from Merry’s point-of-view as she remembers the traumatic events she experienced as a child. Interspersed with the flashbacks to the events is the occasional interlude by a horror blogger, who happens to be a massive fan of The Possession TV show, attempting to deconstruct what happened on the show in order to separate fact from fiction.

“I’m interested in finding the story. An accurate account of what happened.”

“Ah, those can be two different things.”

I love how this novel kept me on my toes the entire time. Clearly, there is something wrong with Marjorie, but you’re left guessing throughout if her behaviors are the result of mental illness or demonic possession. Several bizarre occurrences take place around Marjorie, but those incidents can often be explained away. There are so many twists and turns in the narrative that I had no idea what was happening, so there’s this unsettling feeling throughout the narrative. Having the main story narrated from Merry adds to the confusion, as she was only eight years old when these events happened. I should also point out that this novel is an incredible work of metafiction, which we’ve seen with films like Scream and authors such as Gary Hendrix. So there’s a lot of unreliability in the telling of this story, alternating between Merry’s childhood memories, the re-enactment documentary of events, and the horror blogger’s breakdown of the show. While this book doesn’t include anything you wouldn’t have experienced in other works, ranging from The Exorcist to Paranormal Activity, the genius is in how Tremblay tells this story.

The characterization as a whole is superb, particularly the relationship between the sisters. Marjorie does seem like your typical sullen teenager with depression, while Merry is the hyperactive and adoring younger sister. The bond between them is really well explored. Young Merry is very likeable and you also can’t help but feel some empathy for the older version of her who is recounting these tragic events. While I found myself completely hating the parents for their behaviors, they are both fully fleshed characters and you understand the reasoning behind their separate beliefs and actions. The minor characters, consisting of the TV crew and the Priest, Father Wanderly, will be familiar to you if you have watched any of the many paranormal TV shows out there. Of those secondary characters, I liked Ken, a member of the TV crew. He only has a very small role, but his relationship with Merry during the filming of the TV show was a nice additional touch, like their time kicking a soccer ball around outside.

Paul Tremblay

Mention also needs to go to the blogger Karen Brissette; her interludes during the book are one of the absolute highlights. Breaking up Merry’s recollection with Karen’s blog was a fantastic idea by Tremblay, as it gives you a break from the dark retelling of the tragic tale that befell the Barretts with a funny sarcastic aside on the actual The Possession show trying to debunk the myth behind it.

As with any work of Gothic horror, setting is so important that it should serve as a character in its own right. Tremblay does bring the house to life, making it as integral to the story as the family themselves. The New England setting brings some great atmosphere, and as you see the stresses and strains that Marjorie’s condition is having on the family, you find yourself becoming pulled into their story as the relationships between the family members deteriorate.

The book itself is well-written and Tremblay does a great job of mesmerizing you as he weaves his tale, building to the conclusion. You will second guess yourself multiple times during the book. His fast-paced descriptive style of writing does a great job of making you care about both Marjorie and Merry and he also has a skilled hand at amping up the tension throughout, especially during certain moments. This story reminded me of Haunting of Hill House in so many ways, and the twist ending brought in mind another classic Shirley Jackson tale, which I will not say here. The subsequent interview with Tremblay as well as a list of many of his influences will delight fellow horror fans. I’ll be reading Cabin at the End of the World quite soon. If you are wanting a tragic family tale within a work of Gothic horror, then you should definitely read this book.

“Actually, I’m possessed, only I’m possessed by something so much older and cooler than Satan.”

 

Have you read this book? I’d love to know your thoughts! Let me know with a comment below.