Rating: 5/5
This could very well double as a Why 5 post, but sometimes you just need to do a good ole review. Or, I do at least.
I don't frequently get to read new releases. My tbr doesn't focus on them and my online book club does older books to make it easier for everyone to use their library -- huzzah for libraries! When I do read a new release it's usually in the horror, romance, or manga/comic genres. Before this book my most recent new release was Stephen Graham Jones' Buffalo Hunter Hunter.
There were a handful of things drawing me to this book when I first heard about it. The cover of course, with its Japanese ink style painting of a house. It has nods to the possible grim outcome with a few red drips akin to blood. The mystery intrigued me: I always love when something horrible happens and the main character, in this case, Lee Turner, has to sort of follow a bread crumb trail of memories to find answers. Surprisingly, upon my first read of the synopsis, I didn't read about the historical fiction aspect of the story or about the second main character, Sen. It makes me wonder if learning about this by reading the book added to my enjoyment of the story. It was unexpected so it added to the tension and spookiness. What sealed the deal on me reading this book was it being included in a book box I've had my eye on forever: Nightworms (not a sponsor as the kids say). This is a book box which caters to the horror niche and it includes 2 books, a drink, and all kinds of bookish goodies like bookmarks and stickers. I saw the May box included 2 hardbacks with signed bookplates and the other treats they add for the same cost for the same two paperbacks unsigned and alone... Say less, sign me up.
I gave this book a 5/5. I always make this decision at the end of the book because the ending could completely unmake a lot of the things I enjoyed about the book. The other requirement for a 5 star is the impact I think it will have me over time. Do I think it's going to have a lasting impression? Did the content change the way I think about things in some way? If it ticks either of those boxes then I can stand beside my decision to add it to my 5 star hall of fame.
I was drawn into the story right from the first chapter. I'm not usually a devour a book as quickly as possible kind of reader when it comes to reading things in a physical format but I finished this in 3 nights. One thing to consider when going into this book -- the two main characters are unique... and they can be extremely unlikable.
Another thing I loved about this book was the depth of style and prose in the writing. I marked so many quotes that absolutely took my breath away. There were moments of terror I completely sank into, forgetting I was sitting in my chair safe at home rather than watching another person face weighted consequences. Baker is a master of pace and language.
This story explored deeply unhealthy relationships without bogging it down in commentary. You witnessed the interactions between people as they were. It was up to you to understand how each of these connected characters had investments in each other which had long since soured. I'd say if the mystery behind the threads of the story was the main focus, then the relationships were so close they were almost primary.
I stepped back from this book with a renewed adoration for horror and mystery and those who write it well. As soon as I meet my reading goals for the year, Kylie Lee Baker's Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is going to be one of the first non-tbr books I read.
What I'm currently reading:
The Butcher's Masquerade by Matt Dinniman
Batman: The Hush Saga Omnibus by Jeph Loeb with multiple contributors
The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy
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