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A review by justinkhchen
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca
4.0
4 stars
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke ages like fine wine, the new materials are just fine, not as immediately impactful or fully fleshed out; considering this short stories collection as '1 feature presentation + 2 bonus materials' then you won't be disappointed.
There's an evident thread across all 3 stories — the desperate desire for human connection. The new stories, The Enchantment and You'll Find It's Like That All Over, while each manage to tackle the collective theme from a provocative perspective, both are a couple steps away from feeling polished or as cohesive as THGWSWLS.
The Enchantment has a very powerful opening (reminds me of the suffocating dread of a Ari Aster film), and some beautifully depicted imagery, but it also meanders aimlessly (particularly during the middle), and never fully explores the intriguing spirituality inquiry it puts forward at the start.
You'll Find It's Like That All Over is simply way too short to let its intention breathe, resulting in the whole thing feeling under-baked and oversimplified — I get its message, but the execution is very bare-bone.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke basically carries the star rating for this short stories collection, which remains powerful (and grotesque) upon re-read. The remainder is inoffensive at best, forgettable at worst — if you're expecting a consistent caliber as THGWSWLS, you may find the overall experience a slight letdown .
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke ages like fine wine, the new materials are just fine, not as immediately impactful or fully fleshed out; considering this short stories collection as '1 feature presentation + 2 bonus materials' then you won't be disappointed.
There's an evident thread across all 3 stories — the desperate desire for human connection. The new stories, The Enchantment and You'll Find It's Like That All Over, while each manage to tackle the collective theme from a provocative perspective, both are a couple steps away from feeling polished or as cohesive as THGWSWLS.
The Enchantment has a very powerful opening (reminds me of the suffocating dread of a Ari Aster film), and some beautifully depicted imagery, but it also meanders aimlessly (particularly during the middle), and never fully explores the intriguing spirituality inquiry it puts forward at the start.
You'll Find It's Like That All Over is simply way too short to let its intention breathe, resulting in the whole thing feeling under-baked and oversimplified — I get its message, but the execution is very bare-bone.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke basically carries the star rating for this short stories collection, which remains powerful (and grotesque) upon re-read. The remainder is inoffensive at best, forgettable at worst — if you're expecting a consistent caliber as THGWSWLS, you may find the overall experience a slight letdown .
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**