The Bewitching : Silvia Moreno-Garcia : Book Review

 

                    Last year, the book Mexican Gothic caught my attention. It was a good read, and I was looking forward to reading more of Silvia's works. Recently, while browsing Net Galley, I came across this book, which is yet to be published and ended up selecting it as my read.

               Minerva is a graduate who is studying horror literature and is doing a thesis on the works of Beatrice Tremblay. Throughout the study, Trembley's novel 'The Vanishing' becomes an obsession when she realizes it is based on a true incident that happened to Ginny, a friend of Beatrice. As she digs deeper, she realizes that there is a malice angle associated with it. Delving into the incident, she remembers the stories that her great-grandmother Alba had told her as a kid. The terrifying stories where Alba encounters a witch. Slowly, Minerva realizes that the malicious force might be after her as well. The remaining story explores how the three women from different timelines encounter this witchcraft and how Minerva tries to solve the mystery of Ginny's vanishing.

               What prompted me to read this book was the subject of witchcraft and the three timelines. This book was good in both respects. I liked how the writer can blend the horror into these eras and invoke the same feeling in us. The read may not be too scary, but the story invokes a slight chill as we read on. The storyline is plain without any twists (well, at least for me). I was able to decipher who was behind all the happenings. Having said that, this did not cloud my reading experience in any way. I like how the execution of scenes kept its tempo in a plain storytelling. The placement of scenes during three eras was what kept it going. It was interesting to see how the witch folklore from different places was imbibed into the story and that is a major plus point. The few recurring characters that appear during these timelines provide great support to the story, however small they may be. The setting of the stories is another big plus point. The Mexican village and the college set in New England play perfect host to the witching in the novel. The ending was also satisfactory, and there may be a hint at a second part. But I don't mind reading another part of this book.

               In short, a fantastic novel by Silvia Moreno Garcia. Like Mexican Gothic, this book is also a slow but very engaging read. This is one of the writers I am definitely willing to read in the future. If you like witches and curses then this is the perfect book for you.

 

Random Ramblings # 7 - Do you live or Just Exist?

 

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” - Oscar Wilde.

A simple quote. But, please look at the level at which this tugs at your heart. At least in my case, it does. Many people we see around us are living their lives. But deep down most of them are merely existing.

Existing Life means going on auto gear mode. Life goes on at a mundane pace. People start avoiding challenges and risks, fall into a routine and eventually life becomes sluggish and robotic. While setting a routine for life is great, the one that is discussed here slows you down. Playing it safe and laziness becomes a routine that in turn makes our life just an existence. In the last article, I mentioned procrastination which is a big factor in making an existential life. Most of us are not living the life or undertaking a profession we had dreamed of. This is the first step that makes us take a back step. Once this latches on to our mind, it becomes a leech sucking all the life force within us. Post this, we start getting lazy and comfortably blame everything on our unfulfilled dreams. To top all this, all the appliances that are supposed to make our lives easier are making us too comfortable.

However, we can move out of this habitual life and make it more effective.

** Realize that life is not just a myriad of dreams.
** Be aware of yourself. Know what you want, and work towards it.
** Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
** Start drifting out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.
** Prioritize life over comfort.
** Indulge in hobbies that keep you engaged and refreshed.

Nowadays, life has become so fast. Yet when we dig deep, we see people falling into a routine that burns them out or slows them down. Breaking free and resetting it might not be as easy as it seems. Take it slow and steady and tune your life back to the energetic way it was.

Random Ramblings # 6 - Do you have time to spare?

              

Hello, I am back with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson this time - “Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.”

Great quote, right! No one seems to have spare moments now. Whenever I ask some people if they are free, they project themselves as busy. But are we really that held up? Just think about the time many of us spend swiping through reels and shorts. Those are spare moments that can be used. Some people do not even consider that as spare time as this has become more of a habit to them. Not all, but a significant lot.

Back to the quote! It talks about time management and making use of the opportunities. Time is precious and cannot be replenished. We have different duties and tasks every day. But we all do have idle time, which we might not realize. Proper utilization of such a time to cultivate a new hobby or explore new things brings much-needed positivity into our lives. They might add value to your professional life or personal life. Importantly, such useful distractions can light up our otherwise mundane lives.

Warning Sirens - Blair Daniels - Book Review

 

                    It's been quite a while since I have read short stories or novellas. I do not read them often unless it is of the horror genre. Recently, I got a copy of this book and started reading it.

                    This is a set of three novellas. The first one is about two couples who go hiking up the hills. They encounter some weird warnings as they ascend. Eventually, they realize what they are for, but things go berserk. The second novella is about a couple on their way to meet the girl's parents. They board an overnight train with a strange set of rules. They soon realize that this will be one heck of a ride. Unless they stick to the rules. The third story is based on an urban legend set in a shopping mall where many stores are getting shut down post-pandemic. A woman and her kid get lost in an abandoned section.

                    These stories stand up to the usual style of the writer. These creepy stories brush through the subject of isolation on different levels. The first novella was an average read and the mood took time to set in. Towards the end of the first story, the pace picks up and the same continues for the rest of the book. The second and third ones are spooky and have interesting plots. The third novella is told from the angle of two persons and it is interesting to see how both POVs converge at some point. The book is a quick read that can be finished in a single sitting. The author maintains the chills and thrills as in previous books. The gore is maintained on the lighter side. There are tense moments but there seems to be no ambiguity or twist anywhere. The stories move plainly but the plots maintain the interest factor that keeps us engaged. There could have been a few illustrations which always hypes me for a read. I liked how the author uses various properties like the warnings and sirens in the first, the train in the second and the mannequins in the third stories.

                    In short, an interesting combination of horror novellas that can provide you with an interesting and quick read.

My Heart is a Chainsaw - Stephen Graham Jones - Book Review

                     Recently, I have been browsing around for new reads. Horror has always been my favourite. I get newer reads from the nominations and wins for the Bram Stoker award where I have been seeing the name 'Stephen Graham Jones' multiple times. That's when I decided to give this book a try. This had many reviews and had won the award. Plus, I loved the name and the relatively simple book cover.

                    Jade Daniels is a high school senior growing up in Proofrock. She is half Indian and is a hardcore fan of slasher movies. There is nothing special in Proofrock except the Indian Lake, the reserve forest and Camp Blood, which was the site of a massacre years ago. Across the lake, a new residential Terra Nova is coming up in place of the national forest. JD is not the popular girl in town and she hates her life in Proofrock nestled high in the mountains. All she wants is to be a part of a slasher in action and help the final girl to defeat the killer. People are dying in the town and nobody suspects anything except Jade, who keeps on telling this as the act of a slasher killer. Is there really a killer out there? Is there going to be a big showdown in Proofrock? Or is it all a figment of Jade's imagination?

                    Well! This was a very odd read for me. I liked the concept and how the slasher movies were incorporated throughout the book. A true homage to those movies. I did get a lot of movie suggestions to add to my list. I had difficulty in keeping connected with the book. The story is presented through a first person account of Jade. There are a lot of themes being included in the novel - child abuse, alcoholism, discrimination, neglect, mental health, suicide, etc. I liked how Jade's character is written. She has a lot going on inside her, being sidelined for her weird nature. She had a difficult childhood going through her parents' separation, her father's alcoholism, the child neglect and abuse, chain smoking, staying somewhat dissociated from reality through her love for slashers. She is shown smoking almost throughout the novel, which makes me think she might be dead from her smoking before the story is going to finish. When coming to the downside, the story dd not keep me engaged. I was moving off track so frequently, which tired me out regularly breaking the flow. But, there was something that had me going. This might be the slasher genre being infused. I guess that was what tempted me to see the end of the book even though the story was disoriented. There are a handful of characters who play a good role in the proceedings. The moments of disbelief of her peers and their linking this obsession with her mental trauma are well written. Past halfway, I was able to stay on track with the story. But the scenes towards the climax threw me totally off track. There was a lot of chaos, panic and confusion that you might see in a slasher movie.

                    In short, this was a messed up read in my view. I did like the notion and characterisations. But, the story did not keep me hooked most of the time. But slasher fans might be able to connect with this homage.