shesreadingagain_ 's review for:

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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 🖼️👻 The Macbre by Kosoko Jackson🖼️👻

Release date: September 9, 2025

Genre: Dark Fantasy | Magical Realism

Length: 400 pages | 12 hours 45 minutes 

Narrator: Kevin R. Free

QOTD: If you could travel to any time period or culture, where would you go?

Thank you @libro.fm and @harpervoyager for the gifted audiobook. My local Barnes has the physical copy out two weeks early so I am also thankful for their mistake 😎😌

The Macabre follows Lewis Dixon’s eerie journey beyond paint, as he navigates cursed art that can kill—or save—him. It’s a gripping mix of horror, fantasy, romance, and dark artistry that asks: what is the true power of art—and are some paintings better left unviewed?

Narration:

I feel like the narrator did a terrific job at narrated. He added nuance and depth to Lewis that I feel really did the text service. I immersive read this one and I feel like that was the way to go for me personally. 

Thoughts:

The novel is a genre-bending blend of dark fantasy, horror, psychological thrills, and even dark humor. The Macabre really really delivered on all aspects. Sometimes it can be hard to blend the genres without seeming overdone but it was accomplished well here. The way magic is used was so different than I expected but it was so unique! Lewis is able to enter into paintings made by his great grandfather. The queer romance is so lovely and added that extra layer of depth that I loved. The time travel aspect and we are introduced to many cultures throughout. Nigeria, Japan, and Australia as well as traveling to the past. I loved how these time periods and places were all part of this larger story. It’s got such lush prose and emotional depth. With themes such as grief, the power of art and legacy.