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aksel_dadswell's review
4.0
T.E. Grau has already carved himself a dark little niche in the busy hive of contemporary horror and weird fiction with only a debut collection to his name. I reviewed that collection about a month ago (you can read it here), and it’s a knockout, with a wonderful blend of Lovecraftian homage, as well some really original and harrowing tales.
So it’s cause for much excited wailing and gnashing of teeth when a new piece of Grau-crafted fiction is headed our way. This is Horror, an excellent publisher of short works in the genre – as well as being home to an awesome podcast, interviews and reviews – has produced Grau’s latest novella, They Don’t Come Home Anymore. The quality on show here is apparent from that eye-catching cover, designed by the author’s wife, Ives Hovanessian, and with artwork by the ridiculously talented Candice Tripp.
The story itself focuses on Hettie, a quiet, odd adolescent girl stranded on the social outskirts, and the ramifications of her friendship with the most popular girl at school, Avery Valancourt.
Other than that, I won’t get too much into plot details because I think it’s best to experience the story without much of an idea of where it’s headed, but this is a wonderful novella about death and obsession and the more frightening and fallible crannies of the human condition. It delves into some really interesting psychological areas, but the story also feels like a study in the decay of the flesh, of all things material, all things human. Grau states at one point that “Death always makes the best stories”, and it’s certainly true in this case.
Read my full review over at my blog: https://larvalforms.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/they-dont-come-home-anymore-t-e-grau-review/
So it’s cause for much excited wailing and gnashing of teeth when a new piece of Grau-crafted fiction is headed our way. This is Horror, an excellent publisher of short works in the genre – as well as being home to an awesome podcast, interviews and reviews – has produced Grau’s latest novella, They Don’t Come Home Anymore. The quality on show here is apparent from that eye-catching cover, designed by the author’s wife, Ives Hovanessian, and with artwork by the ridiculously talented Candice Tripp.
The story itself focuses on Hettie, a quiet, odd adolescent girl stranded on the social outskirts, and the ramifications of her friendship with the most popular girl at school, Avery Valancourt.
Other than that, I won’t get too much into plot details because I think it’s best to experience the story without much of an idea of where it’s headed, but this is a wonderful novella about death and obsession and the more frightening and fallible crannies of the human condition. It delves into some really interesting psychological areas, but the story also feels like a study in the decay of the flesh, of all things material, all things human. Grau states at one point that “Death always makes the best stories”, and it’s certainly true in this case.
Read my full review over at my blog: https://larvalforms.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/they-dont-come-home-anymore-t-e-grau-review/
readbydusk's review
3.0
I think I fell prey to high expectations and not being in the right headspace for this. I loved I Am The River and I expected something along the same vein. But this book is more of a satire on vampires and pop culture, and subversion of the usual "helpless teenager seeking mystical help" trope. I didn't jive with the overall tone of the book, and I couldn't connect with the main character. I found her annoying, to be honest. We get a glimpse of her dark side but it's not fully expanded. I would have loved to know more about why she does the things she do. I really liked the ending but it felt too little too late. It's still an entertaining novella and the writing is top notch. I just wanted something dark and scary and I didn't find it here.
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jasmond's review
challenging
dark
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? Yes
3.5
espeidel's review
5.0
I loved this. T.E Grau is one of my new favorite authors. His vivid descriptions and ideas are among the most creative I’ve come across. He is a must read for me and I highly recommend.
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