A Halloween special for the love of books, and two titles for a double dose of heebie-jeebies.
The first title was one I was lucky enough to catch a sneak preview of, since I was asked to paint the cover art. With such a vivid tale, built on imagery that leaves a permanent imprint, it was a pleasure to work a visual to embrace the story.
At Night, White Bracken; by Gareth Wood
Deep in a Midlands high rise estate, smoking hash and supping flat Carling, Danny and Cooper are watching a show about hunters, featuring two men baiting and trapping paedophiles in a modern day blood sport. Inspired, Danny and Cooper join forces with Hickey, a particularly sinister and intimidating individual, and begin laying traps for their first victim, enlisting the help of a vulnerable young woman, Shanice. I appreciated the opportunity that Shanice’s character brought, allowing for moments of tenderness to exist in lives astutely observed.
There is a poetic quality to the writing, with prose alive on the page, perfectly describing the crime and grime, the bleak and the monstrous, in a place where men move in packs like rats among bladed edges of high rise blocks, edged by wire fencing. But as this terrifying and misguided plan unfolds, the world gains mysterious depth.
Danny is the narrator, revealing an intriguing personal backstory that sets him apart. Remembering recurring childhood nightmares, he introduces a cosmic quality that blends the possibility of magic with pallid reality. Realities collide, dread and merriment entwine, in a world of malevolent, sinister, magic, and a horror-filled journey cast in bright white light. The characters are real, and kept me guessing, as edgy as the estate. Streaks of almost beauty reveal humanity that is captivating, made more so by the harsh surrounds. And in this vividly depicted and entirely relatable world, the reveal of magic was the perfect tease to lead the way through the dark twists and turns.
A horrifying and brilliantly inventive, thought-provoking tale.
Hex; by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Hex is a chilling supernatural thriller set in the town of Black Spring in picturesque Hudson Valley, a town cursed by the Black Rock Witch, a seventeenth century woman called Katherine van Wyler accused of witchcraft back in the days of puritanical colonies. Chained, and with eyes and mouth sewn shut, she haunts the streets and enters homes at will. Her presence in daily/nightly life is the norm, which makes it no less chilling, and since the story is told from the perspective of a diverse cast of townspeople, the way in which people relate to her is broad. Some mock and chastise in scenes almost comical, while others are deeply affected, feeling injustices that continue to be committed against her. One resident goes so far as to offer comfort, adjusting chains, speaking compassionately, empathy perhaps born from her own circumstances, while undoubtedly motivated to appease the spirit in order to remain safe from the evil eye. The range of responses is bizarre, and interesting, with one thing in common, no one will open Ms Van Wyler’s eyes.
As residents carve their path for living alongside the curse, a web of ritual and routine is formed, and paranoia and claustrophobia spreads, ratcheting up the horror. I was soon drawn into this creepy page turner, that reveals the truly disturbing dark side of human nature. With relatable characters, dynamic narrative and vivid descriptions that leap off the page, this original story haunts long after the last page is turned.
What are you reading?