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A review by motherhorror
In The River by Jeremy Robert Johnson
5.0
Review for this novella first appeared in the September/October #50 issue of SCREAM magazine.
I’m an avid reader and my favorite genre is horror. I started my “Season of Horror” in September of last year and it was supposed to end at Christmas but it didn’t. I’m now on my ninth month of non stop horror and I see no sign of growing faint or weary.
That being said, immersing oneself in a niche genre such as horror, I began to see the plot tropes, cliches and patterns emerge fairly quickly. The upside to garnering that knowledge is that I can spot originality with eagle-eye precision. Sometimes, it’s the very first line that grabs at me.
Earlier this year I read Jeremy R. Johnson’s collection of stories, Entropy in Bloom. The first line of every story, sixteen in total, smacked me square between the eyes; it was slightly jarring to read stuff so exotic and unique.
While some authors do one thing very, very well and it becomes their signature voice, other authors have a mixed bag of gifts and that’s what sets them apart.
Johnson’s narrative wheelhouse is...anything and everything. This makes him a chameleon for the horror genre. Readers never know what they’re going to get.
In the River, is no exception but it’s maybe the darkest of his unique brand of horror.
This tale plumbs the depths of grief and loss in a way that forces the reader into some unexpected and slightly jarring moments of introspection.
We are sucked into a nightmare that unfolds during a father and son fishing trip. This torment reaches out beyond the pages of the book, into your heart, to probe at buried and unspoken fears. So be prepared: This story doesn’t allow you to sit on the sidelines, a mere observer to the events unfolding, no. Johnson challenges you to participate in the horror and engage with it.
Around forty pages or so into the novella, I was feeling uncomfortable with the level of intimacy. I put it aside to allow my heart and mind to rest from the unrelenting anguish the protagonist experiences in waves. Each, new isolation focused on the different ways humans respond to tragedy and it was gut punching me over and over again.
Eventually, I was drawn back. The story is overwhelming in its magnetism.
Horror like this requires nerves of steel but the payoff is rich; it’s all the unexpected touches that make this a must read. You’ll be able to read this in whatever summer context you find yourself in where you have the luxury of spending time devouring it in one setting. Don’t expect to dip your toe into the current, plan on recklessly throwing yourself into the deep end.
In the River is a brilliant offering; the pain and the strange beauty of it will wash over you and sweep you away.
Five Stars/Skulls Sadie Hartmann aka Mother Horror on Instagram & Twitter
I’m an avid reader and my favorite genre is horror. I started my “Season of Horror” in September of last year and it was supposed to end at Christmas but it didn’t. I’m now on my ninth month of non stop horror and I see no sign of growing faint or weary.
That being said, immersing oneself in a niche genre such as horror, I began to see the plot tropes, cliches and patterns emerge fairly quickly. The upside to garnering that knowledge is that I can spot originality with eagle-eye precision. Sometimes, it’s the very first line that grabs at me.
Earlier this year I read Jeremy R. Johnson’s collection of stories, Entropy in Bloom. The first line of every story, sixteen in total, smacked me square between the eyes; it was slightly jarring to read stuff so exotic and unique.
While some authors do one thing very, very well and it becomes their signature voice, other authors have a mixed bag of gifts and that’s what sets them apart.
Johnson’s narrative wheelhouse is...anything and everything. This makes him a chameleon for the horror genre. Readers never know what they’re going to get.
In the River, is no exception but it’s maybe the darkest of his unique brand of horror.
This tale plumbs the depths of grief and loss in a way that forces the reader into some unexpected and slightly jarring moments of introspection.
We are sucked into a nightmare that unfolds during a father and son fishing trip. This torment reaches out beyond the pages of the book, into your heart, to probe at buried and unspoken fears. So be prepared: This story doesn’t allow you to sit on the sidelines, a mere observer to the events unfolding, no. Johnson challenges you to participate in the horror and engage with it.
Around forty pages or so into the novella, I was feeling uncomfortable with the level of intimacy. I put it aside to allow my heart and mind to rest from the unrelenting anguish the protagonist experiences in waves. Each, new isolation focused on the different ways humans respond to tragedy and it was gut punching me over and over again.
Eventually, I was drawn back. The story is overwhelming in its magnetism.
Horror like this requires nerves of steel but the payoff is rich; it’s all the unexpected touches that make this a must read. You’ll be able to read this in whatever summer context you find yourself in where you have the luxury of spending time devouring it in one setting. Don’t expect to dip your toe into the current, plan on recklessly throwing yourself into the deep end.
In the River is a brilliant offering; the pain and the strange beauty of it will wash over you and sweep you away.
Five Stars/Skulls Sadie Hartmann aka Mother Horror on Instagram & Twitter