A review by jkfulr62
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca

dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Ummm.  This book was fine I guess.  I feel like the world is giving it too much credit.  The writing style didn’t fit the context of the structure and the characters weren’t developed enough for me to buy the way they were writing as “oh that’s just the overdramatic way they talk”.
Also I HATE Agnes.  Like, who just throws their whole life away over $1000?  I have no respect for her.  I have been in dire financial straights before and have had unexpected help come through when I least expected it, but I’m sorry, never did it cross my mind to sacrifice myself at the alter of the good samaritan.  Like come on lady, wtf? I’m not trying to probability police this novella; it’s just that that decision comes so quickly and it immediately makes me dislike her character and therefore I emotionally disengaged.  Everything she does from that point forward I’m like, “ugh *eye roll*”.  I don’t think her temporary break away from Zoei was even enough to redeem her.  Their relationship hasn’t been developed enough for me to buy that she’s so emotionally damaged that she returns to Zoei again.  When she came back I was like, “so you just don’t want to financially support yourself.  It’s easier to kill lizard than have a job?” I just hated how quickly she dove into her devotion without any wariness at all toward a total stranger.
. The horror elements were fantastic.  No complaints there.  Super gross.  And the implications of the initial set up of the story structure itself does a great job of establishing tension right from the get go. But how we got to the horror and the “climax”, I suppose you would call it, just annoyed me. 
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