The Inconsolables - Horror That Will Leave You Inconsolable
I'd like to thank Sadie Hartmann for providing me with an e-version of this book for review.
Reading these short horror stories has weirdly aligned with things occurring in my life and it's kind of disturbing and comforting all at once. The first story, Vampire Fiction, reminded me of when I was a kid and would long for a vampire to come turn me so I could live forever... but this story takes such an unbelievably dark and sorrowful turn that I was left breathless.
The Pine Arch Collection reminded me of The Blair Witch Project with today's technology worked into it. It had a building sense of dread that had me squirming in my seat with my eyebrows knitted together.
Continuing to read this book, I happened to experience a friend of mine going through a health scare. He was continually worrying that he was having a heart attack and it turned out to be untreated high blood pressure. The short story A Heart Arrhythmia Creeping Into a Dark Room was like reading the thoughts of my friend while the scare was taking place and it jarred me. It was also very relatable, as I can be a hypochondriac myself and every little oddity in the body can puncture through thoughts and form a bubble of anxiety at any moment. This story captures that horror perfectly.
The Teeth of America was probably my favourite in the book. It took the idea of white nationalism, racism, and bigotry, and turned it into cosmic horror that I've never seen put onto paper in such an impactful way. The imagery in the story will not leave my mind and I think it should be taught in schools to help kids see how insidious that behavior is and how it can grow into something untamable.
Upon reaching the last story, An Ending (Ascent), I found out that my mother is dying. The story is about science discovering a way to 'treat age' and keep people living forever, but only if they were born by a certain year. The main character had missed that window by only a few weeks. I found myself weeping while reading the story thinking about how mortality is always on our doorsteps, and how our parents/grandparents must dance around the fact that they will not be with us forever when they speak to us as children.
Truly, this is an immaculate collection. It feels like something that would be published by Grimscribe Press in that it's so filled with existential dread, cosmic and worldly horror, and a nerve-jangling current of unease. I cannot recommend this book enough to horror readers and anyone who wants to really feel something. Available June 20th, 2023!
