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jeremyfee's review
4.0
The author provided me with a free e-book advanced reading copy of this collection of short stories, but this is an honest review.
This was the second short story collection by Mike Thorn that I read, after having finished Darkest Hours Expanded Edition this summer. I really enjoyed Peel Back and See, which is full of strange situations and creatures. Mike Thorn once again used vivid descriptions with great imagery that make me feel like I was right there in the scenes of the stories. I refer to his writing as being cinematic in scope.
My only nitpicking complaint is that the previous book I read by him had author notes at the end of each story, which really enhanced the reading experience by knowing his inspirations and thoughts behind writing them. This collection included notes, but the publisher put them all at the back of the book so you would have to flip back there to see them each time (and I was reading this on my e-reader without easily linked jumps back and forth). It's not a big issue. I just liked it more the way it was done in Darkest Hours.
I recommend this collection for fans of horror, especially the gross and weird stuff.
This was the second short story collection by Mike Thorn that I read, after having finished Darkest Hours Expanded Edition this summer. I really enjoyed Peel Back and See, which is full of strange situations and creatures. Mike Thorn once again used vivid descriptions with great imagery that make me feel like I was right there in the scenes of the stories. I refer to his writing as being cinematic in scope.
My only nitpicking complaint is that the previous book I read by him had author notes at the end of each story, which really enhanced the reading experience by knowing his inspirations and thoughts behind writing them. This collection included notes, but the publisher put them all at the back of the book so you would have to flip back there to see them each time (and I was reading this on my e-reader without easily linked jumps back and forth). It's not a big issue. I just liked it more the way it was done in Darkest Hours.
I recommend this collection for fans of horror, especially the gross and weird stuff.
howlinglibraries's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Mike Thorn is an author whose work I've enjoyed tremendously in the past, so I was very eager to check out this new collection of his, and it did not disappoint! Mike has a way of paying homage to his influences while creating something incredibly fresh and new, and combining very modern struggles with elements of fear that have plagued humanity for ages.
Peel Back & See is a fascinating collection because so many of the stories share a core theme, yet it never felt repetitive in any way. There's a commonality in the exploitative nature of capitalism and high society, as well as a reoccurring consideration of how truly ugly so many people are deep inside themselves, and I enjoyed both of these aspects so much.
Most of these stories were brand new to me, while a few were familiar from an earlier collection of Mike's, as well as one that I didn't realize until the end was a NoSleep Podcast piece I loved years ago. New or old, I can honestly say I enjoyed every single story, but I had a few stand-out favorites:
• The Furnace Room Mutant — This coming-of-age piece follows a lonely young boy who thinks he's been accepted into a group of punks at his school, but quickly realizes their motives were less than friendly. I absolutely loved the twist in this story.
• Mr. Mucata's Final Requests — Our main character is employed by a terrible and bizarre old man, and when she's required to seek out a few very specific items in his dying days, she learns there's more to his history than anyone realizes. This piece was incredibly fun and had a delightful ending.
• Deprimer — Have you ever wished you could pay a pretty penny to be rid of your mental illnesses forever? If you have, be careful what you wish for, because such a luxury might come with unexpected costs. This is a heavy piece that was hard to read at times, but something about it was so captivating — I couldn't turn away.
While those three installments were my favorites, truly, Peel Back & See is a wonderful collection from start to finish that shows off not only Mike's talent as a wordsmith, but also the wide range of fears he's capable of conjuring off, both realistic and otherworldly. I can't wait for his next collection of short stories, and if you haven't taken the time for a Mike Thorn title yet, I highly encourage you to do so.
✨ Representation: A few casual/brief mentions and implications of queerness
Peel Back & See is a fascinating collection because so many of the stories share a core theme, yet it never felt repetitive in any way. There's a commonality in the exploitative nature of capitalism and high society, as well as a reoccurring consideration of how truly ugly so many people are deep inside themselves, and I enjoyed both of these aspects so much.
Most of these stories were brand new to me, while a few were familiar from an earlier collection of Mike's, as well as one that I didn't realize until the end was a NoSleep Podcast piece I loved years ago. New or old, I can honestly say I enjoyed every single story, but I had a few stand-out favorites:
• The Furnace Room Mutant — This coming-of-age piece follows a lonely young boy who thinks he's been accepted into a group of punks at his school, but quickly realizes their motives were less than friendly. I absolutely loved the twist in this story.
• Mr. Mucata's Final Requests — Our main character is employed by a terrible and bizarre old man, and when she's required to seek out a few very specific items in his dying days, she learns there's more to his history than anyone realizes. This piece was incredibly fun and had a delightful ending.
• Deprimer — Have you ever wished you could pay a pretty penny to be rid of your mental illnesses forever? If you have, be careful what you wish for, because such a luxury might come with unexpected costs. This is a heavy piece that was hard to read at times, but something about it was so captivating — I couldn't turn away.
While those three installments were my favorites, truly, Peel Back & See is a wonderful collection from start to finish that shows off not only Mike's talent as a wordsmith, but also the wide range of fears he's capable of conjuring off, both realistic and otherworldly. I can't wait for his next collection of short stories, and if you haven't taken the time for a Mike Thorn title yet, I highly encourage you to do so.
✨ Representation: A few casual/brief mentions and implications of queerness
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Vomit, and Mental illness
Moderate: Confinement and Grief
Minor: Ableism
plagued_by_visions's review
4.0
Mike Thorn’s Peel Back and See was an excellent short story collection. It really hit those crucial points of cohesion and bountiful surprises that I look for in every collection, along with a captivating backdrop of emotional depth that shrouded everything in a bleak texture of grief and ennui. This definitely feels more mean-spirited and darker than Darkest Hours (I guess these are the darkest, darkest hours), and I really enjoyed the confessional tones to some of the stories, paired with horrid pessimism. The theme of emotional heft becoming a physical calamity was prevalent, and one which explored totally unique depictions of viscerae and body horror that were ravishing and arresting. I am really, really excited to see what else Mr. Thorn will bring us in the future.
wellwortharead's review
4.0
I'm on a roll with short stories lately, and he's another collection with several I enjoyed.
If you like your fiction dark and disturbing this is for you.
My favorites were Mini McDonagh Manor that shows us you can't go home again, or maybe it's just safer if you stay away!
Mr. Murcata's Final Requests, is about the assistant of a dying man who does her best to fulfill his strange demands... until she makes an interesting discovery. @GorgoYama will make you think twice about those lovely friends you've connected with online. Wouldn't it be nice to meet them in person? Take this story as a warning before you do. In Dreams of Lake Drukka, a daughter is alienated from her father after her mother's death. She and her reluctant sister take a road trip and discover a dangerous truth. In Exhumation, a man arrives at his cousin's funeral to find something otherworldly waiting to welcome him home. The Finger Collectors is a job title, it pays well as long as you don't ask questions. This was such a bizarre story it's hard to describe but I loved it.
The Furnace Room Mutant is something some high schoolers are just dying to see, but they should not have tricked their school mate into getting that key.
Virus is more than something that can mess up your computer and could be viewed as a cautionary tale before you click on any untrusted download links.
These were my favorites, yours may be different, you'll never know unless you peel back and see.
4 out of 5 stars
I received a digital copy from the author under no obligation to write a review.
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