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raforall's review against another edition
5.0
Star review in the October 2022 issue of Library Journal and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2022/10/what-im-reading-october-2022-library.html
I loved how this book took the well worn tropes of the Gothic and smashed them to bits, turning everything on its head. It was an homage but a thoroughly modern one. It plays with the trope in every way. Gere is an example-- the protagonist is the opposite of a strong man to save the day-- he is weak and not very observant and the women-- all of them-- outsmart him and save him. But there is more. That is but an example. Also this is VERY violent but in a good way. And fun.
Three Words That Describe This book: Gothic w/ a twist, gruesome, delightful
Draft Review:
Janz, a master of compelling, character driven Horror who never shies away from the gory details presenta a novella that gruesomely and delightfully turns the staid Gothic on its head. It is 1912 and the narrator, American Arthur Pearce, an author in the style of Poe, has fled Boston in disgrace after his ex-wife’s very public affair. On a train across the ocean in England, Arthur comes to the aid of a young woman, Sarah Coyle, convinces him to come to her family’s estate, Altarbrook, to help rescue her younger sister from the clutches of the dashing, older, possibly immortal, Count Dunning. But once Arthur and the reader arrive at Altarbrook, all can tell this is not your ordinary Gothic. While the characters all represent a cross section of what one should expect, and the setting and narrative voice are pitch perfect, there are hints at every turn that readers are in for a different ride. And once the twist comes, everything shifts and readers are treated to a visceral and terrifying tale of death, dismemberment, long held grudges, and dark family secrets, with a satisfying dash of new love. Beware, this is a story that will send readers flocking to your shelves by more from Janz.
Verdict: Fans of the Gothic will love how Janz uses well-worn tropes in more modern ways, while at the same time, readers of 21st Century Horror will gain a new appreciation for the genre’s roots. Suggest far and wide to anyone looking for a fast paced, fun, and scary read, but especially to those who enjoyed The Hacienda by Cañas or the Stoker’s Wilde series by Hopstaken and Prusi.
I loved how this book took the well worn tropes of the Gothic and smashed them to bits, turning everything on its head. It was an homage but a thoroughly modern one. It plays with the trope in every way. Gere is an example-- the protagonist is the opposite of a strong man to save the day-- he is weak and not very observant and the women-- all of them-- outsmart him and save him. But there is more. That is but an example. Also this is VERY violent but in a good way. And fun.
Three Words That Describe This book: Gothic w/ a twist, gruesome, delightful
Draft Review:
Janz, a master of compelling, character driven Horror who never shies away from the gory details presenta a novella that gruesomely and delightfully turns the staid Gothic on its head. It is 1912 and the narrator, American Arthur Pearce, an author in the style of Poe, has fled Boston in disgrace after his ex-wife’s very public affair. On a train across the ocean in England, Arthur comes to the aid of a young woman, Sarah Coyle, convinces him to come to her family’s estate, Altarbrook, to help rescue her younger sister from the clutches of the dashing, older, possibly immortal, Count Dunning. But once Arthur and the reader arrive at Altarbrook, all can tell this is not your ordinary Gothic. While the characters all represent a cross section of what one should expect, and the setting and narrative voice are pitch perfect, there are hints at every turn that readers are in for a different ride. And once the twist comes, everything shifts and readers are treated to a visceral and terrifying tale of death, dismemberment, long held grudges, and dark family secrets, with a satisfying dash of new love. Beware, this is a story that will send readers flocking to your shelves by more from Janz.
Verdict: Fans of the Gothic will love how Janz uses well-worn tropes in more modern ways, while at the same time, readers of 21st Century Horror will gain a new appreciation for the genre’s roots. Suggest far and wide to anyone looking for a fast paced, fun, and scary read, but especially to those who enjoyed The Hacienda by Cañas or the Stoker’s Wilde series by Hopstaken and Prusi.
gatonolivro's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
maggiesneedfulreads's review against another edition
5.0
Well this was just fantastic.
I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this gorgeous gothic gore fest.
The year is 1912
Arthur Pearce is an author traveling from Boston to London. He has just had his heart broken and he's trying to escape any reminder of his old life.
On the train, however, he meets a young woman named Sarah Coyle. Sarah is our damsel in distress and Arthur just can't help himself.
I went into this one blind and I suggest you do the same!
There are castles, a mysterious Count, a family down on their luck, and it all ends in an action packed bloodbath. And it's peppered with references to all the best gothic horror tales.
What's not to love?
I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this gorgeous gothic gore fest.
The year is 1912
Arthur Pearce is an author traveling from Boston to London. He has just had his heart broken and he's trying to escape any reminder of his old life.
On the train, however, he meets a young woman named Sarah Coyle. Sarah is our damsel in distress and Arthur just can't help himself.
I went into this one blind and I suggest you do the same!
There are castles, a mysterious Count, a family down on their luck, and it all ends in an action packed bloodbath. And it's peppered with references to all the best gothic horror tales.
What's not to love?
howlinglibraries's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"When someone is trying to kill you," Dunning said, "it's inadvisable to invite them in for tea."
If you've ever wished someone would capture the gorgeous, haunting vibes of an Edgar Allan Poe story and merge it with splatterpunk levels of violence and intensity, you've gotta pick this beauty up.
If you've ever read anything by Jonathan Janz, you're already familiar with his general MO: a lot of violence, a lot of tension, and a lot of heart. The Dismembered follows that pattern in its own way, keeping you on the edge of your seat not only for how intense shit gets but also for how much you genuinely want the characters to make it out unscathed.
Blood dripped from her fingers. Sweat streamed from her brow. Her clothing was ripped and stained. Never had I so yearned to kiss her.
Jonathan also excels at throwing a nice little romantic subplot into his horror tales and he always manages to suck me into those, so I was fully invested in the gothic romance playing out in The Dismembered. My heart was in my throat from start to finish worrying over how things would turn out, but I won't spoil the ending for you!
I've loved everything I've read from this author, but this is one of my favorite works of his yet. If you're new to Jonathan Janz's backlog and are wondering where to start, this is an excellent option: it's quick and engaging, beautifully written, and displays exactly what Janz's fanbase loves so much about his writing. 5 stars!
thebookwookie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
dezaray_the_pale's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I adored the gothic tone of the novella and the spooky castle atmosphere. The author is so poetic in terms of imagery; it is both haunting and dreamy. This book contained an event that made me physically ill; I cannot deal with anything involving animal cruelty, especially kitties.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Gore
skyfox24kd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
torchyblane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
verkisto's review against another edition
2.0
I think I would have liked this more had I (a) read more Gothic fiction, or (b) seen more old Hammer movies. It's was a well-told tale, but the language was stilted like it was written in the 19th Century, the bad guys were over-the-top evil, and I felt like it did more telling than showing (which may have more to do with him trying to make it sound like an authentic Gothic novel). Janz did an excellent job of capturing the era, just through his narrative (I knew this was a turn-of-the-century story before he set the place or the characters), and I feel like I would have found this sufficiently eerie if I hadn't been rolling my eyes at what I kept seeing as cliches, but I now realize were just his homages to the genre. He does subvert some of the characteristics of Gothic literature, but it took me far too long to realize it.
So, yeah: Two stars, but in an "It's not you it's me" kind of way. I would read more by Janz (which should be easy; this guy has a ton of stuff), but I think I'd avoid his Gothic fiction. Fans and students of Gothic literature should have a field day with this.
So, yeah: Two stars, but in an "It's not you it's me" kind of way. I would read more by Janz (which should be easy; this guy has a ton of stuff), but I think I'd avoid his Gothic fiction. Fans and students of Gothic literature should have a field day with this.