have been ill. This has resulted in a number of things, massively increased whinyness, total intolerance of well everything really and the inability to focus on a novel, no matter how good. Thankfully Bad Moon Books offered me a solution to this. A book of short stories by Michael Calvillo, with illustrations by Daniele Serra. Aah, bliss, something me reduced attention span can handle.If I understand correctly then Calvillo will be launching this book at World Horror later in March and it is presently available for pre order. I am reviewing based on a pdf.
I haven't read all the stories yet, but I have been happily dipping in at random when I have been in a fit state. It's seriously dark stuff. Beautifully crafted short stories that you can dive straight into. Snippets and incidents that leave you speculating about the wider story. These stories are dark, sometimes a little gross, creepy, disturbing. Ah bliss.
Seriously, Calvillo succeeds in enchanting an horrifying all at once, children who compete for the best head, the families who face The Box, the lengths people will go to trying to be someone else, memorable short tales that leave the reader wondering how everything works, what the cost really is, what on earth is coming next?
The illustrations are a perfect match, Dani's sparse, creepy ink sketches creating a selection of characters you wouldn't want to identify with, but are non the less intrigued by. Beautiful, haunting, both the art and prose.
Best thing is if you don't want to take my word for it you can check out the first few stories here go check it out then come back and tell me how right i've been. I'm sick, I need to hear it.
2 comments:
Sorry to hear you've been struck down too! This damn thing is cutting a wide swath indeed. Get better real fast please. We need you out here in the Great Waste.
I think the Calvillo collection will be a definite help in that regard. It sounds like a good successor to Bram Stokers UNDER THE SUNSET, a purported collection of "children's stories" which is NOT your average children's book. In fact it's focus on a similar "darkside" to human nature (childish human nature at that) seems to have badly shocked the "proper" Victorian reader of his time. (Even today it recieves bad reviews--and not for the quality of the writing!)
Seriously, I hope you are on the mend, Adele. I just got over a bug myself and I agree that it's NOT. FUN. Rail if you must. Whine and grebel if you feel bad. It won't bother any of us who've been through it. Glad you feel free to express yourself in any way you please. LOL. ;-)
Jack, always so eloquent thank you. I have not read Stokers collection but I am loving Calvillo's. Fortunately I would never have made a "proper" Victiorian lady. ;)
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