Doll Crimes - One of the Best Releases of the Year
I don’t know quite where to begin with Doll Crimes by Karen Runge. I went into this novel with the expectation that it would be similar to the previous novel of hers that I read, Seeing Double. (Check out that review HERE). That that novel made me feel uncomfortable by the graphic, detailed violence contained within its pages, Doll Crimes made me feel even more uncomfortable by giving me less information and less detail about what actually happened. This book crept up on me and the narrator grew on me over the course of the book until I got to the end and had to stop and take a few deep breaths to collect myself. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t usually need to take a moment like that very often.
The story is non-linear in many ways as the narrator moves back and forth between the present and things that she remembers from her past. Her story revolves around growing up and moving from place to place with her mother. The mother meets different men who they stay with off and on in every city and town. The narrator tells her story through flashbacks and filling in details from different parts of her life. However, as her story continues to change and evolve, we are given more insight into exactly what has happened to her in her life and we become more invested in her and what her mother has put her through.
The narrative is written in a purposefully disjointed way as the protagonist looks back. Because some of the events take place when she is much younger, the names and places are unclear. The way Runge creates these incomplete memories is masterful and makes the character all the more believable. The setting is the same way. While there are certain places and events that she remembers clearly, the names of places, street names and roads are purposefully vague. Again, this only helps to build a foundation of believability to the narrator that permeates the entire novel. As I made my way through her memories, I felt as though I was experiencing the memories along with her. The tense changes throughout the book also enhance the story and realness of the characters.
Runge is a master at building the readers curiosity as they make their way through her novels. In both Doll Crimes and Seeing Double, Runge builds the tension and makes the reader crave the answers to the questions that they keep asking in their heads. While the narrator is a believable character, so many times I found myself asking myself: what is going on? This question, and the quality of the writing, made this book damn near impossible to put down.
Doll Crimes kicked my ass. It is heartbreaking, disturbing and gut wrenching but also beautifully written. The stark contrast of the of the subject matter and the writing is not lost on me and it is the combination of these two that I think every horror author strives for. While some writers hope to achieve this duality in their writing, Runge has already achieved it and succeeded in a big way. Strong 5/5 on this one. One of the best of the year.
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