Horror Palace

For readers who would like to break away from the typical horror novel, The Girls of October is definitely the way to go. Written by Josh Hancock, the novel is as realistic as they come in terms of fiction. Instead of chapters, Hancock makes the story very believable by taking readers through a collection of newspaper articles, essays, stories, eyewitness accounts, police reports and even a screenplay in order to get to the bottom of the tragedy. Expect a combination of crime and horror, presented in this effective unorthodox manner.

Since the day she was born Beverly Dreger has been surrounded with mystery. An unexpected fire burnt down the ward where she was kept and her mother, Susan, wasn’t exactly a beacon of stability either. According to co-workers and nurses, Beverly’s parents were quite strange, especially her mother. She gave the impression that she was a witch. As it turns out, Susan went through a series of violent spells until she was finally locked away in a mental hospital.

But the story doesn’t end with Susan. Beverly grows up with constant reports of domestic violence inside her home and every now and then another newspaper article about a murder comes to the forefront. Beverly’s love, or rather obsession with horror films and the bogey man, sees her writing horror stories of her own and none of them have a hero that survives in the end. She ultimately becomes the focus point of a man-hunt after three college students are stabbed to death.

This has got to be one of the most interesting ways to read a crime/horror novel. Even though it’s not the first time this kind of tactic has been used, it’s not something that is seen very often. In all honesty, it brings a whole other dimension to fictional books. After the first few reports the reader will most likely start to feel like an investigator.

The author’s ability to completely switch from a formal report to a story supposedly written by an eleven year old girl is superb. However, Beverly’s stories would have sounded a little more authentic if there had been a few mistakes regarding the grammar and spelling. Nevertheless, her fictional world is dark, dreary and not something the faint at heart should read.

Readers should also note that this novel does not fall under the “easy reading” section. Jumping between all the different source material requires paying attention. More specifically, the reader constantly has to connect the dots, which might not be fun for everyone.  However, really getting into the story makes this a welcome challenge.

Personally, I loved every second of reading the novel, simply because it remained interesting. Apart from the brilliant title, there is no telling what is going to come next and what it will entail. Thanks to the way Hancock approached the project I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t real. But even with this fictional truth in mind, the novel still left the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Traditional readers might not have the appreciation for this non traditional style, but for those in search of something out of this world, The Girls of October is a must read.

Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha  is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.

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This collection of dark fiction/horror stories, entitled “With a Voice that is Often Still Confused but is Becoming Ever Louder and Clearer”, is the second book from J.R. Hamantaschen. After receiving so much praise by the underground horror community for his first collection, it’s only fitting that he continues to provide readers with his original and weird tales. True to his talent, Hamantaschen explores more than just the human condition. His stories draw from various inspirational platforms, ranging from politics and suburban life to popular pieces from H.P. Lovecraft.

In total there are nine stories and readers will have their different favorites. The two that really stood out for me were the first, Vernichtungsschmerz, and the last one, “It’s Not Feelings of Anxiety; It’s One, Constant Feeling: Anxiety”. The first looks at four teenage girls who all get a chance to end their existence without the pain that natural death brings. Through their dreams they are contacted by an entity who offers them this choice, which automatically makes them question the legitimacy of it all. The last story focuses on Miles, a young father and husband who suffers from depression. His feelings of being “defective” lead him to certain darkness.

For the readers who are expecting blood and gore this collection doesn’t fall into that category. Instead, the reader will go on a psychological journey that seems pretty normal at face value, but steadily declines into darkness. The author has a very subtle way of exploiting very dark scenarios and this is also where his power lies. His intentions are not to shock the reader, nor does he aim to establish a level of fear. He aims to create an illusion and then shatters it nearing the end of each story.

Some critics have compared him to Lovecraft and they have good reason. The influence is definitely visible, but what really gives this reference substance is the original plots Hamantaschen have created. They are refreshing to say the least and forget about predicting just a fraction of what he writes. The only way to see what happens is to keep reading.

In terms of his writing style, it’s rather complex and he clearly has an extensive vocabulary. It also proves that he really took his time with every story. However, it might be a deal-breaker for some. For the most part the pace is very slow, which is quite surprising for a collection of short stories. There are sections where Hamantaschen elaborates on almost every little detail. For readers who like this type of style this collection is a must, but for those who prefer plot lines that move quickly, it can become somewhat tedious. Even though I really respect the author for his great usage of the English language, it tends to break the flow of the story at certain points.

In the end this is a clear cut case of who will like it and who won’t. Those who appreciate an artistic approach, psychological depth and small details are going to read through this collection and remember it for days to come. Those who are seeking blood and guts are going to be disappointed.

Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha  is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.

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Also by J.R. Hamantaschen: