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A review by hccranston
The Elementals by Michael McDowell
5.0
Oh. My. God. This book has so much good stuff going for it, I don't even know where to begin. It starts off with quite the shock to the system, then lulls you into thinking maybe everything's ok. Then it very, very slowly builds the tension, managing to make the reader feel uneasy the entire time. The sense of dread is perfection, especially with how the author used the location and weather to add to it. Never has a sunny beach on the Gulf sounded so subtly menacing.
I especially loved how the author created unease with the relationships between the characters. There is so much implied, but never explicitly stated. The relationship between Luker and Big Barbara, between India and her father (Luker), the entire Savage family...I still want more after reading it.
The only aspect I found disappointing was the description of the "infant" in the third house...it felt a bit too pat and grotesque to truly be terrifying. It reminded me of a horror a child would create or imagine. Unfortunately, the author doesn't really delve into the "why" behind the forms the Elementals take...I imagine it must be related to some family history. Probably if I re-read the first part, I would understand more.
This is an excellent read for anyone who's a fan of the horror and/or Southern Gothic genres.
I especially loved how the author created unease with the relationships between the characters. There is so much implied, but never explicitly stated. The relationship between Luker and Big Barbara, between India and her father (Luker), the entire Savage family...I still want more after reading it.
The only aspect I found disappointing was the description of the "infant" in the third house...it felt a bit too pat and grotesque to truly be terrifying. It reminded me of a horror a child would create or imagine. Unfortunately, the author doesn't really delve into the "why" behind the forms the Elementals take...I imagine it must be related to some family history. Probably if I re-read the first part, I would understand more.
This is an excellent read for anyone who's a fan of the horror and/or Southern Gothic genres.