pagingdrmudkip 's review for:

Abnormal Statistics by Max Booth III

5.0

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This was my first time reading Booth’s work and I was not disappointed. This was some of the most grounded horror I’ve ever experienced, with very little, or lightly suggested supernatural elements. Abnormal Statistics is a collection of several short stories (1 is more of a novella) that range from the horrors of isolation, addiction, and poverty, to real life child murder caused by sadistic boredom. Most of these stories made my skin crawl, and I loved it. Honestly, it was quite inspiring to know material like this is published! I can’t wait to cut my teeth on writing my own stories within this sub-genre and style. 

Out of all of the stories within, only one of them really fell behind compared to the others. Fish was fine, but it did not stand up to the other stories as well.

Definitely a top 10 book of 2023!