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A review by sophee_568
The Bayou by Arden Powell
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Finally a 5-star horror for me. This was just what I needed. It is an eerie, dark tale about a naive boy (Eugene) who witnesses a horrific act, and scars him for life. 17 years later he accidentally photographs 2 robbers, a man and a woman akin to Bonnie and Clyde, right after they finished robbing a bank. The man looks him straight in the eye like he recognizes him. Eugene and the man's paths will cross again but it will be more than a simple encounter. Eugene never thought the man's history could be tied to his own.
Powell creates a lush, sweltering atmosphere, damp and putrid enough to clog your nose and create a mass in your throat. His writing is exquisitely descriptive. If you don't have aphantasia, I assure you that you will have vivid pictures of every scene ingrained in your mind's eye. The setting is colored by a sepia tone, rich in green, yellow, and brown shades. The bayou is a perfect setting for a book like this. A book where the protagonist is haunted by a religious figure, who may or may not be a rougarou. A book where the swamp is haunted, not by a mythical monster, but by a human person rightfully hungry for revenge.
If you enjoyed the atmosphere and setting of Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris, I suggest you dive into The Bayou. Both books have queer protagonists as well.
Powell creates a lush, sweltering atmosphere, damp and putrid enough to clog your nose and create a mass in your throat. His writing is exquisitely descriptive. If you don't have aphantasia, I assure you that you will have vivid pictures of every scene ingrained in your mind's eye. The setting is colored by a sepia tone, rich in green, yellow, and brown shades. The bayou is a perfect setting for a book like this. A book where the protagonist is haunted by a religious figure, who may or may not be a rougarou. A book where the swamp is haunted, not by a mythical monster, but by a human person rightfully hungry for revenge.
If you enjoyed the atmosphere and setting of Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris, I suggest you dive into The Bayou. Both books have queer protagonists as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia