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A review by authorvperry
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
5.0
It took me a while to purchase this book due to some of the reviews. But the story sounded deliciously dreadful so I finally picked it up.
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t think the writing is perfect, nor the story itself. I can also see why this is not some folk’s cup of tea.
*My* one issue, like some others, was the characters. They do bicker and all the entire time but that’s not exactly what grated my nerves. These were “kids” in their mid-20s. I’m 35. A decade ago, or heck even 5 years ago, I was far more immature than I am now. However, they truly are written as if they’re high schoolers or maybe even younger (middle school drama, anyone?). Which is extra odd because they have college degrees, fiancés, and wives. It doesn’t mesh well. BUT the bickering itself, I thought, was it’s own foreshadowing of how the story would end and the entire point: know when it’s time to drift apart.
I am not a big novella reader and I do think the second half of this book felt rushed. I love creepy tension and it lacked that after the halfway point. But I’m not deducting a star BECAUSE “scary” is subjective and we all have our favorite horror devices. Some folks may prefer the second, gory half.
But I did think the story itself was an excellent original. And if you told this story in a haunted house with some friends, it would be pretty dang creepy.
I also really enjoyed the setting. And, unlike some readers, I didn’t think the author overdid the descriptive writing at all.
Furthermore, the book does have ample similes and metaphors and purple prose. However, I don’t think that was overdone either. And I certainly didn’t find it to be pretentious! It was, actually, poetic and artistic and it simply works for shorter books like novellas. It was a breath of fresh air.
And it’s for that reason that I give this book 5 stars instead of the 4 stars I would have rated it otherwise. I think the author’s writing style is beautiful- which is awesome to see in horror.
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t think the writing is perfect, nor the story itself. I can also see why this is not some folk’s cup of tea.
*My* one issue, like some others, was the characters. They do bicker and all the entire time but that’s not exactly what grated my nerves. These were “kids” in their mid-20s. I’m 35. A decade ago, or heck even 5 years ago, I was far more immature than I am now. However, they truly are written as if they’re high schoolers or maybe even younger (middle school drama, anyone?). Which is extra odd because they have college degrees, fiancés, and wives. It doesn’t mesh well. BUT the bickering itself, I thought, was it’s own foreshadowing of how the story would end and the entire point: know when it’s time to drift apart.
I am not a big novella reader and I do think the second half of this book felt rushed. I love creepy tension and it lacked that after the halfway point. But I’m not deducting a star BECAUSE “scary” is subjective and we all have our favorite horror devices. Some folks may prefer the second, gory half.
But I did think the story itself was an excellent original. And if you told this story in a haunted house with some friends, it would be pretty dang creepy.
I also really enjoyed the setting. And, unlike some readers, I didn’t think the author overdid the descriptive writing at all.
Furthermore, the book does have ample similes and metaphors and purple prose. However, I don’t think that was overdone either. And I certainly didn’t find it to be pretentious! It was, actually, poetic and artistic and it simply works for shorter books like novellas. It was a breath of fresh air.
And it’s for that reason that I give this book 5 stars instead of the 4 stars I would have rated it otherwise. I think the author’s writing style is beautiful- which is awesome to see in horror.