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reads_vicariously's review
5.0
You ever read a book and then wonder why more people aren't reading it? A book so provocative, so engrossing, and with such style that you instantly want to put it in the hands of everyone you know? Well for me Eidelon Avenue: The Second Feast is one of those books (and really all books by Jonathan Winn, who seems to be a criminally underrated author).
To be completely upfront, I was asked by the author to write a blurb for the book. As flattering as that proposition was, I knew I couldn't accept if I didn't think the book was worth reading. Well, you can probably tell by now I found the collection worthy of praise and adoration. The pull quote they went with is "A new level of dread, heartache, and nightmare", but here are some additional thoughts.
The return to Eidolon Avenue is a triumphant one. Five new stories of darkness and disturbing imagery, both shocking and delightful in their depravity. Five decaying rooms of ghosts and guilt. Five dark scenarios of perverse pleasure and hellish consequences. You'll be begging to leave but unwilling to go, caught in the mesmerizing pull that is Eidolon.
Submerged in the lucid dream world the author has created, I was sufficiently disturbed yet compelled to read on with squirming stomach and heavy heart. These stories are DARK. But they are also infused with intriguing themes and broken characters that make you want to keep reading, eyes half-covered as you read through mounting tension towards a gut-wrenching climax.
I absolutely love the author's writing style. It may not be for everyone (it's very poetic yet intentionally disjointed), but for me it really works. It's also extremely vivid, and there were several times I had to momentarily put the book down because certain scenes were so graphic and disgusting (and yes, in this case that is a compliment). Winn delves into the darkest recesses of humanity, spinning tales of terror and grotesque imagery that will linger in your mind long after you close the book.
To be completely upfront, I was asked by the author to write a blurb for the book. As flattering as that proposition was, I knew I couldn't accept if I didn't think the book was worth reading. Well, you can probably tell by now I found the collection worthy of praise and adoration. The pull quote they went with is "A new level of dread, heartache, and nightmare", but here are some additional thoughts.
The return to Eidolon Avenue is a triumphant one. Five new stories of darkness and disturbing imagery, both shocking and delightful in their depravity. Five decaying rooms of ghosts and guilt. Five dark scenarios of perverse pleasure and hellish consequences. You'll be begging to leave but unwilling to go, caught in the mesmerizing pull that is Eidolon.
Submerged in the lucid dream world the author has created, I was sufficiently disturbed yet compelled to read on with squirming stomach and heavy heart. These stories are DARK. But they are also infused with intriguing themes and broken characters that make you want to keep reading, eyes half-covered as you read through mounting tension towards a gut-wrenching climax.
I absolutely love the author's writing style. It may not be for everyone (it's very poetic yet intentionally disjointed), but for me it really works. It's also extremely vivid, and there were several times I had to momentarily put the book down because certain scenes were so graphic and disgusting (and yes, in this case that is a compliment). Winn delves into the darkest recesses of humanity, spinning tales of terror and grotesque imagery that will linger in your mind long after you close the book.
pbanditp's review
4.0
This book is inhabited by the vilest of humanity you won’t like them, you will cringe and shudder. You will be nauseous because you know there are people out there like this.
Eidolon sounds like a combination of Elysian Fields and Eden, however, they are quite the opposite.
There is a residence on Eidolon Ave that is five floors tall, each floor is a book and each room is a story. There are five rooms on the second floor.
2A Stumble-The unnamed main character is having trouble with sleep. He has unexpected sleep and never quality sleep.
The story mainly jumps between his therapist, his room on it Eidolon, and in a field with a girl, as he tries to remember and make sense of his past. There are no line splits to differentiate and it works surprisingly well. Curiosity pulls you on as the story comes together even as it slices you apart.
2B Scrape- this one brings on the hate. Absolutely want to beat the hell out of the guy and shake the desperation out of the girl. I love stories that make me feel so much emotion.
2C String cord tendril twine- “The floor felt like flesh.” One hell of a quote to start the story, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Trigger warning about a creepy teacher and young girls.
The first three stories were my favorite. Unfortunately, the last two just didn’t illicit any feelings. They were dark and dreary but not as good.
Eidolon has some vacancies now but before you sign the lease, just think about what one former tenet thought. He “refused to breathe too deeply the inescapable stench of dispirited lives. The still-buried secrets. The last vestiges of hope abandoned to despair and then death still resonating in every inhalation.”
Eidolon sounds like a combination of Elysian Fields and Eden, however, they are quite the opposite.
There is a residence on Eidolon Ave that is five floors tall, each floor is a book and each room is a story. There are five rooms on the second floor.
2A Stumble-The unnamed main character is having trouble with sleep. He has unexpected sleep and never quality sleep.
The story mainly jumps between his therapist, his room on it Eidolon, and in a field with a girl, as he tries to remember and make sense of his past. There are no line splits to differentiate and it works surprisingly well. Curiosity pulls you on as the story comes together even as it slices you apart.
2B Scrape- this one brings on the hate. Absolutely want to beat the hell out of the guy and shake the desperation out of the girl. I love stories that make me feel so much emotion.
2C String cord tendril twine- “The floor felt like flesh.” One hell of a quote to start the story, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Trigger warning about a creepy teacher and young girls.
The first three stories were my favorite. Unfortunately, the last two just didn’t illicit any feelings. They were dark and dreary but not as good.
Eidolon has some vacancies now but before you sign the lease, just think about what one former tenet thought. He “refused to breathe too deeply the inescapable stench of dispirited lives. The still-buried secrets. The last vestiges of hope abandoned to despair and then death still resonating in every inhalation.”
readingvicariously's review
5.0
You ever read a book and then wonder why more people aren't reading it? A book so provocative, so engrossing, and with such style that you instantly want to put it in the hands of everyone you know? Well for me Eidelon Avenue: The Second Feast is one of those books (and really all books by Jonathan Winn, who seems to be a criminally underrated author).
To be completely upfront, I was asked by the author to write a blurb for the book. As flattering as that proposition was, I knew I couldn't accept if I didn't think the book was worth reading. Well, you can probably tell by now I found the collection worthy of praise and adoration. The pull quote they went with is "A new level of dread, heartache, and nightmare", but here are some additional thoughts.
The return to Eidolon Avenue is a triumphant one. Five new stories of darkness and disturbing imagery, both shocking and delightful in their depravity. Five decaying rooms of ghosts and guilt. Five dark scenarios of perverse pleasure and hellish consequences. You'll be begging to leave but unwilling to go, caught in the mesmerizing pull that is Eidolon.
Submerged in the lucid dream world the author has created, I was sufficiently disturbed yet compelled to read on with squirming stomach and heavy heart. These stories are DARK. But they are also infused with intriguing themes and broken characters that make you want to keep reading, eyes half-covered as you read through mounting tension towards a gut-wrenching climax.
I absolutely love the author's writing style. It may not be for everyone (it's very poetic yet intentionally disjointed), but for me it really works. It's also extremely vivid, and there were several times I had to momentarily put the book down because certain scenes were so graphic and disgusting (and yes, in this case that is a compliment). Winn delves into the darkest recesses of humanity, spinning tales of terror and grotesque imagery that will linger in your mind long after you close the book.
To be completely upfront, I was asked by the author to write a blurb for the book. As flattering as that proposition was, I knew I couldn't accept if I didn't think the book was worth reading. Well, you can probably tell by now I found the collection worthy of praise and adoration. The pull quote they went with is "A new level of dread, heartache, and nightmare", but here are some additional thoughts.
The return to Eidolon Avenue is a triumphant one. Five new stories of darkness and disturbing imagery, both shocking and delightful in their depravity. Five decaying rooms of ghosts and guilt. Five dark scenarios of perverse pleasure and hellish consequences. You'll be begging to leave but unwilling to go, caught in the mesmerizing pull that is Eidolon.
Submerged in the lucid dream world the author has created, I was sufficiently disturbed yet compelled to read on with squirming stomach and heavy heart. These stories are DARK. But they are also infused with intriguing themes and broken characters that make you want to keep reading, eyes half-covered as you read through mounting tension towards a gut-wrenching climax.
I absolutely love the author's writing style. It may not be for everyone (it's very poetic yet intentionally disjointed), but for me it really works. It's also extremely vivid, and there were several times I had to momentarily put the book down because certain scenes were so graphic and disgusting (and yes, in this case that is a compliment). Winn delves into the darkest recesses of humanity, spinning tales of terror and grotesque imagery that will linger in your mind long after you close the book.
scifiandscary's review
This review is now live on Sci-Fi & Scary. (https://www.scifiandscary.com/eidolon-avenue-second-feast-jonathan-winn-bookreview/)
Teaser: The stories, as mentioned above, should have worked as short, sharp icepicks of horror but the meandering style just didn’t gel with that.
Disclaimer: We received a copy of this book for review consideration.
Teaser: The stories, as mentioned above, should have worked as short, sharp icepicks of horror but the meandering style just didn’t gel with that.
Disclaimer: We received a copy of this book for review consideration.
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