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I understand that many genres have tropes that are consistently overused (that’s kind of what makes a genre), but for some reason crime thriller cliches more than others are not my cup of tea. “Rico Stays” certainly has standard elements of the genre, but it also manages to move beyond the routine with certain scenes and characters
I really like Rico and feel like he stands above a typical line up of hitman type characters (more depth and nuance to his personality). The story went in several directions that I did not expect, which was a refreshing surprise. And I also really like how the story focused a lot on the “bad” guys. We really get to learn their stories and care about them, which adds in wonderful shades of gray to what could have been just a black and white story.
Special thanks to author Ed Duncan and Kelsey @bookpublicityservices for a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I really like Rico and feel like he stands above a typical line up of hitman type characters (more depth and nuance to his personality). The story went in several directions that I did not expect, which was a refreshing surprise. And I also really like how the story focused a lot on the “bad” guys. We really get to learn their stories and care about them, which adds in wonderful shades of gray to what could have been just a black and white story.
Special thanks to author Ed Duncan and Kelsey @bookpublicityservices for a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I don't think I will ever look at sour candy the same way again...
This is a super fun and shocking ride. At just 74 pages I kept wondering if the story would have worked better cut down to short story length, but then I was like "why am I trying to find something wrong with this?". I loved every page as I was reading and I feel like it has the perfect pacing of events. Slightly slow build up in the first half, and then a flood of weird, unsettling terrors in the second half. It widens to a pretty epic scale by the end and on the whole is full of creepy cult horror shenanigans.
I was truly enraptured as I read. I couldn't look away. I had to know what was going to happen next to Phil. The young boy is seriously creepy, and I was legitimately worried about what was going to happen. And speaking of, there are numerous twists and turns that I did not expect. In fact, it's the type of story that is best read with your expectations at the door. Just buckle in and enjoy the ride!
This is a super fun and shocking ride. At just 74 pages I kept wondering if the story would have worked better cut down to short story length, but then I was like "why am I trying to find something wrong with this?". I loved every page as I was reading and I feel like it has the perfect pacing of events. Slightly slow build up in the first half, and then a flood of weird, unsettling terrors in the second half. It widens to a pretty epic scale by the end and on the whole is full of creepy cult horror shenanigans.
I was truly enraptured as I read. I couldn't look away. I had to know what was going to happen next to Phil. The young boy is seriously creepy, and I was legitimately worried about what was going to happen. And speaking of, there are numerous twists and turns that I did not expect. In fact, it's the type of story that is best read with your expectations at the door. Just buckle in and enjoy the ride!
The best way to approach this book is by knowing as little as possible going into it. That’s what I did and it was an amazing experience! Just the premise of a giant house suddenly appearing in the middle of nowhere had me hooked, and I couldn't wait to find out what was inside. The book is somewhat of a slow burner, as it takes about half of it to actually get the characters inside the house. But that's not to say the first half is bad (and there are plenty of creepy scenes and events mixed in). I actually appreciate the time it takes to establish our four main characters and build their personalities and relationships to one another. This groundwork enabled me to care much more for them in the second half of the book where things truly get horrifying. I think Scarlet is definitely my favorite of the four. Her spunky attitude is quite charming.
By the time the characters finally enter the house I was bursting with anticipation. I also realized that there were 250 pages left, so I was quite curious to know what all else was going to happen. And therein lies my main fault with the book. While the inside of the house is incredibly imaginative (and author Delaney does a great job of describing a wide variety of rooms in a way that I could easily picture in my mind), the characters spend a little too long exploring and the book begins to drag. But it definitely kicks back up the pace and it has a final act that blew my mind multiple times! Lots of crazy twists and turns!
This book hit a lot of personal likes of mine: from a focus on character building, to themes of family, friendship, and grief (a la Haunting of Hill House) to an irresistible mystery that needs solving, to terrifying images of monsters and dark chaos. I love that there’s such a cool mix of horrors (ghosts, ghouls, creepy crawlers, monsters, eldrich terrors, etc). Also healthy doses of Silent Hill, Lovecraft, King, and more. At over 500 pages it drags just a bit in some spots, but overall I was definitely down for this epic tale! (4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for Goodreads)
By the time the characters finally enter the house I was bursting with anticipation. I also realized that there were 250 pages left, so I was quite curious to know what all else was going to happen. And therein lies my main fault with the book. While the inside of the house is incredibly imaginative (and author Delaney does a great job of describing a wide variety of rooms in a way that I could easily picture in my mind), the characters spend a little too long exploring and the book begins to drag. But it definitely kicks back up the pace and it has a final act that blew my mind multiple times! Lots of crazy twists and turns!
This book hit a lot of personal likes of mine: from a focus on character building, to themes of family, friendship, and grief (a la Haunting of Hill House) to an irresistible mystery that needs solving, to terrifying images of monsters and dark chaos. I love that there’s such a cool mix of horrors (ghosts, ghouls, creepy crawlers, monsters, eldrich terrors, etc). Also healthy doses of Silent Hill, Lovecraft, King, and more. At over 500 pages it drags just a bit in some spots, but overall I was definitely down for this epic tale! (4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for Goodreads)
Let me begin by saying I really enjoyed this book! So much so that I took it to the pool and couldn't leave until I finished it. I skipped lunch for this book. I got sunburn for this book. Needless to say it held a powerful magic over me.
Part of this is because of the writing style. Lavalle glides you with seemingly effortless grace through the various boroughs, events, and perspectives of the story. The imagery, the characterization, the dialogue - everything works in perfect harmony. The beauty is subtle, no large flourishes or needlessly elevated prose (something Lovecraft himself could have learned from), but it is always present, every scene enticing you and inviting you to read the next. Time seemed to stand still and rush by simultaneously. I guess what I'm really trying to say is the prose is great and it is an easy read!
The other power of the book comes from the story itself. I thought it was really cool how the book is almost split in half, switching narrative perspectives almost exactly halfway through. The first half focuses on Tommy Tester, a black man hustling to support himself and his father but who seems to deal with less than common wares and patrons. It's his skill and experience with otherworldly items that attracts the attention of the enigmatic Robert Suydam, which in turn attracts the attention of Detective Malone and sets off a chain of disastrous events. Then the book switches perspectives and the rest of the story is told from Malone's point of view. At first I was a little perturbed because I really liked Tommy as a character, but then the more I read I realized the benefit and power of seeing the second half from Malone (who is somewhat of an outsider to the magical happenings).
There are a couple of things that kept this from earning a perfect score from me. Some of the scenes were a little confusing to understand what was happening, and I couldn't quite square some of the characters' decisions. The pacing also seemed a little odd and jumpy in some parts. The eldritch horrors that I've come to love are present, but they're more subtle than I would have liked (although this also gives them a certain ability to put you on the edge of your seat when they do appear). But honestly I've never read Lovecraft's "The Horror at Red Hook" (the story that Lavalle is putting his spin on here), so I wonder how much of my issues are due to the author trying to stick to the source material. Guess I should read the other one and find out!
Overall this is a fantastic little read and I highly recommend it! By having a strong black lead, Lavalle works to undo, or perhaps rebut, the racist and xenophobic proclivities of Lovecraft's original stories (as well as just offer more reasons to read black horror authors!). I think it really works here, and I appreciate this re-imagining so much! Go read this book!
Part of this is because of the writing style. Lavalle glides you with seemingly effortless grace through the various boroughs, events, and perspectives of the story. The imagery, the characterization, the dialogue - everything works in perfect harmony. The beauty is subtle, no large flourishes or needlessly elevated prose (something Lovecraft himself could have learned from), but it is always present, every scene enticing you and inviting you to read the next. Time seemed to stand still and rush by simultaneously. I guess what I'm really trying to say is the prose is great and it is an easy read!
The other power of the book comes from the story itself. I thought it was really cool how the book is almost split in half, switching narrative perspectives almost exactly halfway through. The first half focuses on Tommy Tester, a black man hustling to support himself and his father but who seems to deal with less than common wares and patrons. It's his skill and experience with otherworldly items that attracts the attention of the enigmatic Robert Suydam, which in turn attracts the attention of Detective Malone and sets off a chain of disastrous events. Then the book switches perspectives and the rest of the story is told from Malone's point of view. At first I was a little perturbed because I really liked Tommy as a character, but then the more I read I realized the benefit and power of seeing the second half from Malone (who is somewhat of an outsider to the magical happenings).
There are a couple of things that kept this from earning a perfect score from me. Some of the scenes were a little confusing to understand what was happening, and I couldn't quite square some of the characters' decisions. The pacing also seemed a little odd and jumpy in some parts. The eldritch horrors that I've come to love are present, but they're more subtle than I would have liked (although this also gives them a certain ability to put you on the edge of your seat when they do appear). But honestly I've never read Lovecraft's "The Horror at Red Hook" (the story that Lavalle is putting his spin on here), so I wonder how much of my issues are due to the author trying to stick to the source material. Guess I should read the other one and find out!
Overall this is a fantastic little read and I highly recommend it! By having a strong black lead, Lavalle works to undo, or perhaps rebut, the racist and xenophobic proclivities of Lovecraft's original stories (as well as just offer more reasons to read black horror authors!). I think it really works here, and I appreciate this re-imagining so much! Go read this book!
Wow, what a great collection of ideas and stories! I'm so happy I gave this one a chance. Sure, like most short story collections, the ones in Face the Music are an array of hits and misses. Each has a gut punch at the end that either takes your breath away or leaves you a little confused. But thankfully they tend to land more often than not. And even the ones that don't fully work have enough going for them to pull them above mediocrity.
There are a lot of stories involving the nearly or recently departed, but I appreciate that Towse also mixes in a variety of other tales amidst the ghost ones. There are also lots of interesting ideas posed here, such as what do you do when the sky starts raining blood? How far would you go to save the ones you love? What happens when those creepy old people are just a little too friendly? And just who are those strange bird people anyways?
Across all story types there are repeated themes of loss, grief, and revenge, and it's in the focus on these themes that the collection anchors itself. The writing is good, and it has a dreamy quality to it. I felt like I was floating through the book, unbound by time and space, a passenger witness to the horrors facing the main characters. And there are all types of horrors present, from terrifying monsters to the monsters hiding within us. The title of the collection is very apt, as each story features someone "facing the music" in some way (whether it be facing their fears, facing acceptance of a reality they can't change, facing a crossroads of difficult decisions, facing a seemingly unbeatable foe, and so on).
A lot of the stories are written in the first person and almost feel like diary entries. This works until it doesn't, meaning that sometimes we're so far in the character's mind that it's hard to know what is actually happening in the story. I think this is my only problem with the writing is that sometimes it's difficult to know what is happening in certain scenes or with certain characters.
At the end of the day this is a pretty solid collection of stories. Each one held my attention and felt important in its own way. Towse writes like a modern day Edgar Allan Poe (with his focus on unreliable narrators and tragedy) mixed with someone like Roald Dahl or Ray Bradbury (with his conflicted characters and variations on the "deal with a devil" trope). There's plenty to enjoy here, and I recommend you checking it out!
There are a lot of stories involving the nearly or recently departed, but I appreciate that Towse also mixes in a variety of other tales amidst the ghost ones. There are also lots of interesting ideas posed here, such as what do you do when the sky starts raining blood? How far would you go to save the ones you love? What happens when those creepy old people are just a little too friendly? And just who are those strange bird people anyways?
Across all story types there are repeated themes of loss, grief, and revenge, and it's in the focus on these themes that the collection anchors itself. The writing is good, and it has a dreamy quality to it. I felt like I was floating through the book, unbound by time and space, a passenger witness to the horrors facing the main characters. And there are all types of horrors present, from terrifying monsters to the monsters hiding within us. The title of the collection is very apt, as each story features someone "facing the music" in some way (whether it be facing their fears, facing acceptance of a reality they can't change, facing a crossroads of difficult decisions, facing a seemingly unbeatable foe, and so on).
A lot of the stories are written in the first person and almost feel like diary entries. This works until it doesn't, meaning that sometimes we're so far in the character's mind that it's hard to know what is actually happening in the story. I think this is my only problem with the writing is that sometimes it's difficult to know what is happening in certain scenes or with certain characters.
At the end of the day this is a pretty solid collection of stories. Each one held my attention and felt important in its own way. Towse writes like a modern day Edgar Allan Poe (with his focus on unreliable narrators and tragedy) mixed with someone like Roald Dahl or Ray Bradbury (with his conflicted characters and variations on the "deal with a devil" trope). There's plenty to enjoy here, and I recommend you checking it out!