The Croning - An All-Time Great
I knew by the end of the first few chapters that I wanted to write a review of The Croning by Laird Barron. By the time I was halfway through the book I had a good idea that it was going to be a five-star review. When I reached the end I knew I’d just finished one of my favorite books of all time.
As someone who reads A LOT of books, it’s always an awesome feeling when, as I near the end of a book, I realize it’s going to be one of those ones I’ll read more than once and will change the way I read and write fiction. One of these days I’ll have to write an all-time favorite horror novel article. But for now, know when I do, The Croning will be somewhere on that list. The problem I’m running into with the review however is that, in no way, will my review do justice to the book it is attempting to discuss.
The Croning is cosmic horror at its absolute best. The first chapter is different from the rest of the book, but sets up the history and lays the foundation for the rest of the book. This retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin myth lets the reader know right off the bat that whatever we’re dealing with in the rest of the book has been around for a long time. It sets the stage and informs us of the old horror contained within the rest of the pages.
Following the Rumpelstiltskin retelling, we get the rest of the story that takes place in more modern times. The story starts with a hidden secret in a cave somewhere in Mexico and builds from there. It follows geologist Donald Miller throughout most of his life. One of the ways Barron is able to make the reader feel uneasy through the story and continue to build tension is the way in which the story jumps through time. We are not reading a linear story but jumping back and forth through time. These time-hops, coupled with Donald’s terrible memory at times, leave the reader learning more but never enough about what is going on in Donald’s life, especially when it concerns his wife. Eventually the reader learns along with Donald exactly what has been plaguing him since that ill-fated day in Mexico.
The writing in this is among some of the best I’ve read in a long time. The language itself is beautiful and imaginative while at the same time frightful and monstrous in a way that only a few incredibly skilled writers can pull off. As I read, I was both amazed and terrified by the story presented before me. You will grow to like the character of Donald Miller and at the same time become frustrated with him as you journey back and forth with him through an eventful yet confusing life.
In the end, this was the perfect book for me to read at the perfect time. I’ve been in the mood for cosmic horror lately and this one certainly fit the bill. When I do make a list of my top all time horror novels, The Croning will be near the top for sure. Easy to score this kind of book, strong 5/5. An all time great.
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