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A review by agreatgabsy
The Coiled Serpent by Camilla Grudova
dark
mysterious
tense
2.5
This collection of stories is definitely singular. It is incredibly dark and bizarre, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It is incredibly well written. I really enjoyed the distanced stillness of the writing style. It almost reminded me of Lemony Snicket but for adults. It has all the dreary and dilapidated vibes of those books with an elevated level of horror and tragedy. It feels as though it belongs in a time period that never actually happened and is fantastical. The world building and descriptions are clearly a big strength of the writer.
Unfortunately I think this collection just was not to my taste. Some of the stories did accomplish what I think they were meant to, but many of them seemed aimless and ended abruptly. I often wanted more time with the story to see it fully fleshed out. It feels unfinished at points.
If you’re a reader who enjoys books on vibes and tone and feelings alone and you also love all things weird and macabre, this might really resonate with you.
Although previously published in the UK, the version I read will be released Oct 08 2024.
Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the ARC.
Unfortunately I think this collection just was not to my taste. Some of the stories did accomplish what I think they were meant to, but many of them seemed aimless and ended abruptly. I often wanted more time with the story to see it fully fleshed out. It feels unfinished at points.
If you’re a reader who enjoys books on vibes and tone and feelings alone and you also love all things weird and macabre, this might really resonate with you.
Although previously published in the UK, the version I read will be released Oct 08 2024.
Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for the ARC.