This is a very unusual coming-of-age story. Ben’s father died. His mother started dating a loser who becomes Ben’s tormentor. Surprise, surprise. And then, out of the blue, his mother deserts him. Now Ben must learn to deal with his predicament. He gets a little help.
Here are a few thoughts without getting all spoilery. The writing is imaginative. The characters are, for the most part, strong in the sense that there is a nice mix and they seem to be possibly more real than the protagonist. Then there is the antlered woman on the cover. She is very creepy. We are given just enough information to set our minds reeling and always wanting just a little bit more.
There is a lot packed into this horror novella—family, sacrifice, teen angst, and the aforementioned coming of age. On the whole, this was a great read, but I did want a few things. I wanted to see some consequences. I wanted to know a bit more about the creepy woods where Ben and Mikey take their walks. And I wanted Ben to be a little more likable. In some places, you are cheering him on and in others you are left scratching your head thinking WTF, man. Ben is complicated. He is a loner, and he has been hurt and it is because he has been through so much that you can’t help rooting for him and wanting to know what’s next.
This was not quite a five-star read for me, but it is close. It is creepy, atmospheric, and downright nasty in places. The author, Ali Seay, is relatively new to the horror scene. I expect that we will be hearing a lot more about her.
