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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Full review available on my blog from 3rd June 2022: https://inkandplasma.com/2022/06/03/we-can-never-leave-this-place/
Character - 8
Atmosphere - 9
Writing - 8
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 9
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 9
Rating: 8.29 / 4 stars
-
This is really difficult to review because I think it’s best approached almost entirely blind. I highly recommend looking up the content warnings for this one – as with all of Eric LaRocca’s work – because he doesn’t flinch away from dark and horrifying topics in his horror. I’m pretty resilient, preferring my horror as grotesque as possible, and I still think that I have had a visceral shudder reaction to every single one of his novellas that I’ve read so far. It’s no understatement to say that Eric LaRocca is an insta-buy author for me now.
In only 100-ish pages, WE CAN NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE is claustrophobic and grim, with a teen girl living in some kind of dystopian (? war-torn?) society. I’m not sure what, exactly, and that felt very intentional. We only know what Mara does – the walls of her home with her murdered father and her cruel mother. The setting is flooded with filth and creepy crawlies, and I found myself desperately hoping that the story would end – just so Mara had the faintest hope of getting some peace. The writing is both macabre and fantastical, a kind of fairy-tale that makes the worst of the Grimm tales look child-appropriate. I think this is guaranteed to be one of those stories that I find myself thinking about over and over again.
At first I was confused, though no less engaged for it, as I was fed tidbits of explanation and moments of clarity more horrifying than the fantasy. That confusion was incredibly atmospheric and I think made this an even more enjoyable read. It built up to an ending that hit me like a gut punch, and one of the most spectacular moments of awful realisation that I have ever experienced while reading. This novella is a raw, violating fever dream without a single wasted word, and I’m awed at the fact that this isn’t just a spectacular piece of horror but a spectacular piece of technical writing too. If you like horror and you’re not reading Eric LaRocca’s work yet – it’s time to start.
Character - 8
Atmosphere - 9
Writing - 8
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 9
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 9
Rating: 8.29 / 4 stars
-
This is really difficult to review because I think it’s best approached almost entirely blind. I highly recommend looking up the content warnings for this one – as with all of Eric LaRocca’s work – because he doesn’t flinch away from dark and horrifying topics in his horror. I’m pretty resilient, preferring my horror as grotesque as possible, and I still think that I have had a visceral shudder reaction to every single one of his novellas that I’ve read so far. It’s no understatement to say that Eric LaRocca is an insta-buy author for me now.
In only 100-ish pages, WE CAN NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE is claustrophobic and grim, with a teen girl living in some kind of dystopian (? war-torn?) society. I’m not sure what, exactly, and that felt very intentional. We only know what Mara does – the walls of her home with her murdered father and her cruel mother. The setting is flooded with filth and creepy crawlies, and I found myself desperately hoping that the story would end – just so Mara had the faintest hope of getting some peace. The writing is both macabre and fantastical, a kind of fairy-tale that makes the worst of the Grimm tales look child-appropriate. I think this is guaranteed to be one of those stories that I find myself thinking about over and over again.
At first I was confused, though no less engaged for it, as I was fed tidbits of explanation and moments of clarity more horrifying than the fantasy. That confusion was incredibly atmospheric and I think made this an even more enjoyable read. It built up to an ending that hit me like a gut punch, and one of the most spectacular moments of awful realisation that I have ever experienced while reading. This novella is a raw, violating fever dream without a single wasted word, and I’m awed at the fact that this isn’t just a spectacular piece of horror but a spectacular piece of technical writing too. If you like horror and you’re not reading Eric LaRocca’s work yet – it’s time to start.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is my first introduction to LaRocca and if I’m being honest not sure this was the right place to start.
Is this a fable, an allegory, a dark fairy-tale, or a combination?
I was confused pretty early on. When Mara answered the door she is described as having a teddy bear and very childlike but then she turns out to be almost 16. So, I get past that and then a giant talking spider shows up at the door. WTF. And, then said spider develops a relationship with her mother. 🤯🤯 Nope-itty, Nope, Nope! Alright, so now we have an anthropomorphic spider who appears to not only be doing the horizontal shuffle with Mara’s mother but is also gradually eating bits and pieces of her. Yeah. I’m out. Or at least I should have been. It was like watching a train wreck. I couldn’t stop reading even though I wanted to.
I have to say despite the weirdness of the story, LaRocca’s writing is not bad. There were some parts of the story I found unnerving (i.e. Mara trudging around the apartment in sewage water with visible fecal matter). 🤮🤮🤮 And Mara’s mother being a complete and utter biotch to her.
LaRocca was pretty heavy handed on themes of abusive relationships, generational trauma, loss, sacrifice
Is this a fable, an allegory, a dark fairy-tale, or a combination?
I was confused pretty early on. When Mara answered the door she is described as having a teddy bear and very childlike but then she turns out to be almost 16. So, I get past that and then a giant talking spider shows up at the door. WTF. And, then said spider develops a relationship with her mother. 🤯🤯 Nope-itty, Nope, Nope! Alright, so now we have an anthropomorphic spider who appears to not only be doing the horizontal shuffle with Mara’s mother but is also gradually eating bits and pieces of her. Yeah. I’m out. Or at least I should have been. It was like watching a train wreck. I couldn’t stop reading even though I wanted to.
I have to say despite the weirdness of the story, LaRocca’s writing is not bad. There were some parts of the story I found unnerving (i.e. Mara trudging around the apartment in sewage water with visible fecal matter). 🤮🤮🤮 And Mara’s mother being a complete and utter biotch to her.
LaRocca was pretty heavy handed on themes of abusive relationships, generational trauma, loss, sacrifice
dark
tense
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Definitely an engaging read that I was able to finish in about an hour or two. Didn’t find it as enjoyable as some of LaRocca’s other works, which I think lend themselves to the shorter length.
Wish it was closer to 200/300 pages tbh. Still a dark story with some wonderfully wicked imagery.
Wish it was closer to 200/300 pages tbh. Still a dark story with some wonderfully wicked imagery.
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Cursing, Incest, Miscarriage, Vomit, Cannibalism, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Excrement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No