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A review by ebees
You Shall Never Know Security by J.R. Hamantaschen
3.0
I received this book via Goodreads Giveaways and am providing my honest review. I actually received this copy in early February, however it is now mid-March and I am reading it finally. Why? No particular reason other than the obligation to get through some titles on my NetGalley list first. I kept thinking about this book though and wanted to read it sooner.
It's a collection of thirteen short stories, categorized as 'horror,' but I wouldn't consider it that. 'Weird fiction' and 'bizarro fiction' are more accurate terms. Some stories are chilling, concerning and/or uncomfortable, but others are thought-provoking, supernatural, and/or hauntingly familiar.
There were times when I really liked the writing and other times when I thought it needed more editing and revision, but it rarely distracted me from the story. I'm only mentioning it because I know there are people who are particular about that.
I did enjoy the collection, I think I would have rated it a 4 if it weren't for one thing. That being that most of the male narrators seemed too similar: angsty and full-of-themselves with similar thought processes and even similar phrasing. One example can be how they describe women - classifying them as "pretty girls" or "fat girls". The narration became worn out and a bit annoying mid-way through the because of the repetition. Also, much of it is left to the readers interpretation and imagination, which helped me to add in the details which would make the story spookier to me as an individual reader, but sometimes I felt there just wasn't enough information for me to really feel the chills I was meant to. Maybe it was just me though.
Here are the ones which stand out to me
It's a collection of thirteen short stories, categorized as 'horror,' but I wouldn't consider it that. 'Weird fiction' and 'bizarro fiction' are more accurate terms. Some stories are chilling, concerning and/or uncomfortable, but others are thought-provoking, supernatural, and/or hauntingly familiar.
There were times when I really liked the writing and other times when I thought it needed more editing and revision, but it rarely distracted me from the story. I'm only mentioning it because I know there are people who are particular about that.
I did enjoy the collection, I think I would have rated it a 4 if it weren't for one thing. That being that most of the male narrators seemed too similar: angsty and full-of-themselves with similar thought processes and even similar phrasing. One example can be how they describe women - classifying them as "pretty girls" or "fat girls". The narration became worn out and a bit annoying mid-way through the because of the repetition. Also, much of it is left to the readers interpretation and imagination, which helped me to add in the details which would make the story spookier to me as an individual reader, but sometimes I felt there just wasn't enough information for me to really feel the chills I was meant to. Maybe it was just me though.
Here are the ones which stand out to me
A Lower Power - Pages of description of one character, nothing really happens in this one, but because it was written very well I was still engaged. A bit of a supernatural romance.
Endemic - The scariest, for me, as a woman. As the story is about a way to catch rapists in the act, part of it was from the rapists perspective and it was so raw and so real that it truly did scare me to be in the rapists mind.
A Paraside Inside Your Brain - The best, in my opinion.
Come In, Distraction - I wasn't super into this one honestly and the narrator was a bit of a jerk, but I liked the twist and how it was delivered.
Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction - court document of a horrific first-degree murder.
Sorrow Has Its Natural End - A young guy develops extreme myopia (his retinas are scarred) and because of this, becomes angry, bitter and jealous.
Jordan, When Are You Going To Settle Down, Get Married And Have Us Some Grandchildren? - Funny and weird as hell.