5 stars
"There's an unpleasant undercurrent in this town. It will pull at you unexpectedly, dragging you under its surface."
What a fabulous time period piece novel by Glenn Krisch. This is a horror novel twisted up with historical fiction. The Great Depression era depicted in this book was a character in itself. This was my second Krisch novel that I have read, The Nightmare Within was my first. Before going into this novel, I already considered myself a fan and now I think it is my job to let others know that Krisch is a novelist not to be missed.
Like Krisch's previous works, this is a character novel. It is the people portrayed within that make this story worth a read. Like I said previously, the time period is portrayed like a unique character, and the rural setting could also be one. This book really comes to life because the characters portrayed seem to be very real. I loved so many of these characters. Arlen, Cooper, Jimmy, Jacob, Ellie, George, Greta and Ethan, and more are all three-dimensional. You will find yourself rooting for the protagonists and hating the antagonists.
This book reminded me so much of a Michael Koryta novel. It has many similarities to books like the Ridge, and the Cypress House. Like Koryta, Krisch does a nice job at making this into an atmospheric and symbolic in nature novel, which contains many deeper meanings and subtexts. The mine shafts and the caves that were described were spooky and surreal. At its core, this novel is a story about a town with a supernatural secret. He gives us a new definition to the underground railroad. What price would you pay for immortality?
I call this novel a character novel because the stories plot is told through the actions of our characters. All the back stories are told by giving us a rich background on many of our protagonists. It is easy to empathize with the kids in this story as we have all experienced young love and have also made foolish mistakes with a buddy while just trying to have a good time. The back stories told about the parents in this novel are heavy and grimm. As the story unfolded it was Cooper's story that I most bonded with. As Cooper came to grip with his past, he also grew as a man. Greta played the role of the wisewoman or witch. Arlen was the damaged child that obviously had more to him than meets the eye.
Krisch wrote this book with great literary style and prose. A fine quote which demonstrates his style and his descriptiveness:
"The stench of rotting flesh nearly overpowered her. How wrong could she have been? She gasped as a cold hand grasped her wrist. It forced her to turn aside, her eyes taking in the horrible sight. Slick and wretched flesh falling in clumps from rotting bones. Great lips forming a morbid sneer. Flies buzzing in frenzied feeding. And recognizing the man's eyes. Glints of starlight hovering near the pupils. Intelligent and intense. Green irises still swimming with life. So unlike the rest of his body."
The plot unfolds while the backstory is filled in. This is a book to curl up with as you will not want to put it down. The suspense is taught and heavy, and I couldn't wait to see where it was going. I loved and identified with many of these wonderful characters and I wanted things to work out for them. I loved Cooper's story the most and feel that he represents a modern man, a man that has his world turned upside down when his past is revealed to him. He is forced to come to grips with just how asinine racial prejudice is, how ignorant it is, and how out of touch with reality those that demonstrate it are.
Read this book if you are a fan of smartly written horror novels. Read this book if you find the great depression era a meaningful and interesting subject matter. Read this book because Glenn Krisch can take you away to another time and place with his writing and with his stories. Great Stuff!!!
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Top reviews from other countries
Kindle Customer
Dark and malevolent!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 13, 2022Confessions of a Reviewer
Loved it.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 10, 2013
