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Book Review: The Crying Forest by Venero Armanno

Cover art for The Crying Forest by Veneno Armanno

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The Crying Forest by Venero Armanno

IFWG Publishing Australia, 2021

ISBN-13: 9781925956559

Available: Paperback, Kindle

 

Paul Munro and his young daughter Lía move from Hong Kong into a large country house in Australia. It becomes clear early on that Lía is more than what she appears. She sees things and has a power that others want to harvest for themselves. Agata Rosso, an ancient Italian witch, is one such individual. She used to hold so much power, but that power, and her youth, are long gone for her and her ailing husband, Giancarlo. Another party interested in restoring his vitality and power is the lecherous and wealthy Karl Haberman. After Agata Rossa endears herself to Karl by way of offering him something of a youth elixir, presented to him by a mutual acquaintance, Donatello Zappavigna. The old wretch and the aged witch join forces to track down the rich source of power in their midst.

 

Venero Armanno’s folk horror combines a good mystery, interesting characters, and both inhuman and very human monsters. I found myself unable to put the book down, while at the same time needing to take breaks to properly digest the chapters. Most of the characters are multifaceted, especially Donatello. I could go from having immense sympathy for him in one chapter, and absolutely hating him in the next. I liked discovering more about Lía as the story progressed, including details about her previous schooling and why she had to leave the hallowed halls of that school. She’s full of mystery and surprises, and a strength that shines through even from the first pages. I would recommend this for adult readers who enjoy folk horror works.

There is a content warning that needs to be addressed. Karl Haberman has certain sexual appetites that are disturbing. When Agata Rossa tells him what kind of person he needs to look for to pinpoint their target, it is revealed Karl has a liking for young girls.

Contains: blood, sex, pedophilia

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on January 25, 2021 by , Reply

Book Review: It Came From: …The Stories and Novels Behind Classic Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction Films by Jim Nemeth and Bob Madison

cover art from It Came From... by Jim Nemeth and Bob Madison

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It Came From:  …The Stories and Novels Behind Classic Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction Films by Jim Nemeth and Bob Madison

Midnight Marquee Press, Inc., 2020

ISBN-13: 9781644300916

Available: Paperback

In this book, critics Jim Nemeth and Bob Madison explore genre films and the written works that inspired their creation,  Each is presented in its own section, chronologically, and the written works that inspired them. While this book primaritly covered fantasy and science fiction films, this review will concentrate on the aspects of  the horror genre presented. The authors include information on the production of the films, as well as the differences between the texts and the movies. At times they also posit the view that the film may be better than the books, a controversial opinion among some audiences.

The author of the horror section introduction argues that horror is the most difficult genre to adapt because movies “that merely provides a book’s ‘Boo!’ moments are but empty shells, lacking the underlying background and context that frequently makes the literary piece the more satisfying experience” (p. 12). He then moves to his example of The Shining. While I do not necessarily agree completely with the author, he does make some interesting points. Films included in the horror section include The Body Snatcher, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Night of the Demon, Psycho, The Day of the Triffids, and Don’t Look Now.

Two titles receive special treatment in that they each have a significant chapter devoted to them: Dracula and Frankenstein. The authors look at “several of the best, worst, and most popular of their cinematic incarnations” (p. 11). Dracula films covered range from Nosferatu (1922) to Bram Stoker’s Dracula  (1992), while the Frankenstein films range from the first film version of Frankenstein (1910) to Victor Frankenstein (2015).

My primary criticism of the book is focused more on the overall contents rather than specific chapters. The authors interject their own opinions into the chapters in a way that can be a bit heavy handed. For instance, when it comes to science fiction, one of the authors makes it abundantly clear that he does not like the gritty, darker, current sci-fi storylines. Additionally, while it seems that each chapter is written by an individual author, it is difficult to tell who wrote which one.

This could be a good resource for anyone interested in exploring the literature upon which genre films are based, as long as readers are aware that the authors’  strongly expressed opinions are interspersed throughout.

Recommended with reservations.

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on January 24, 2021 by , Reply

Book Review: Lakewood: A Novel by Megan Giddings

cover art for Lakewood by Megan Giddings

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Lakewood  by Megan Giddings

Amistad, 2020

ISBN-13 : 978-0062913197

Available: Hardcover, audiobook, Kindle edition

 

After her grandmother dies, college student Lena discovers her disabled, neurologically impaired mother is unable to pay her bills or afford the medication she needs to manage her disability. So when she is recruited for a research study on memory for a substantial sum of money she pushes her reservations to the side, signs an NDA and paperwork stating her agreement to any procedure the study may require, drops out of school, and tells her mother and friends she has a new, well-paid job in the small town of Lakewood as an employee at a warehouse. Bizarre psychological testing, vaccines, pills, induced isolation, and hallucinations become normalized as different test subjects come and go. Realizing that something must be very wrong, Lena attempts to question observers and participants in the study and to find information online, but is blocked at every turn, until finally she discovers that unethical government experimentation on Black people has historical precedent. Despite her unsettling findings, Lena continues to participate in the study so her mother can keep her health insurance and pay the bills.

Obviously inspired by the Tuskegee experiment and other research studies that exploited Black people in the United States, as well as the Flint water crisis, Lakewood carries that legacy forward into the present, through generations of trauma. Ir is timely in its exploration of scientific racism, the drastic actions family members will take to help ill and disabled family members afford healthcare, and government gaslighting and neglect of the study participants and their own health.

Told from Lena’s point of view, this history metamorphoses into a personalized, hallucinatory, and terrifying situation that will appall, disturb, and shock the reader as the layers peel away. Highly recommended.

 

Contains: body horror, mutilation, murder, gore, violence, medical experimentation

 

Posted on January 23, 2021 by , Reply
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