Catherine Tramell is the voice behind the horror novel entitled DarkT eardrops, a story that is fuelled by a classic inspiration, namely “The Exorcist”. Although it bears a striking resemblance to this cult classic thanks to the eerie atmosphere and relatively slow pace, Dark Teardrops can easily be separated as a contemporary piece. It is disturbing as it is chilling, so get ready for some sleepless nights.
Dr. Jim O’Neal is a single father of an 8 year old girl called Brisia. Every Sunday they diligently visit the graveyard where his wife, Denise, is buried. From there they visit Brisia’s grandmother, Megan, before returning home. Everything seems rather pleasant given the circumstances, but Jim continually struggles to make peace with the death of his wife. Apart from blaming himself, it’s what she became after giving birth that really makes him question his sanity.
Unfortunately Jim has bigger things to worry about as his little girl gradually starts to turn into a monster. With unbelievable power she turns the life of Jim, and their housekeeper Dolores, upside down. Refusing to admit that this is a power struggle between God and Satan, Jim seeks help from a fellow doctor, Catherine. But despite her efforts Brisia’s condition only gets worse and Jim is forced to sedate her every two hours. Will Jim finally stop searching for a logical answer and seek the help of the church?
There is no question that the author has a soft spot for demonic possession and a great love for “The Exorcist”. And why wouldn’t she? They can ignite some unnerving plots from creative writers, as can be seen with this particular novel. With a rather strange prologue, which has the reader questioning the reality of the tale that is going to follow, Tramell takes off on a slow descend into a blatant hell.
Much like the story it draws inspiration from, Dark Teardrops follows a very deliberate pace. Tramell is patient with her execution and she prefers to create strong profiles for her characters before setting the demons free. However, she does add this constant atmosphere of a lingering darkness that can strike at any moment, providing some chills to maintain excitement. The author is also very vigilant when it comes to relating the mental state of the characters, especially the sense of hopelessness.
From a personal perspective I didn’t see this as the most original book. Instead, I saw it as something that helped me to relive an old feeling of being terrified. It’s been a while since I’ve read a novel that could capture the essence of being possessed with such shock value, and it was definitely a nice change from most modern novels that has come under my reading glasses.
Readers who love a slow build-up and a grand finale, you are going to love this book. In fact, all fans of demonic possession will get something out of it. However, this isn’t a blood and gore action fix. For readers who prefer things to move faster it’s probably not the ideal story. But overall it’s a great read and I’m glad I can add it to my list.
Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
