A review by dr_dr_olshakes
A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan

dark funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really didn't know how this was going to land for me, especially when we get to the final act and we get all the

monsters

but I loved what the

monster

ended up being and representing. 

This feels almost like a millennial and absurdist

Pet Semetary

. The uncanny experience of reading people whose thoughts and actions and words are so self aware, the strangeness of every interaction, the somehow intense domesticity mingled with extreme distachment. Then, of course, the sudden and horrible unexpected death that is, in hindsight, fated.

As someone who has lived through the life-altering sudden, violent death of a loved one, I really, really liked how it was handled, and everything that came after. Remy's inability to even comprehendlet alone accept was so familiar. The scene in the hospital was visceral. And that sense of just waiting for everything to fall back in place, for her to show up, for the world to right itself again, was also so familiar. A favorite moment of mine is when Alicia finally appears fully to him and he says "where have you been??" Damn. That's exactly how I felt. Like at any moment she'd be back. And like...if I found out it was possible to somehow really, truly get her back...well, it's a good thing I'm not a character in a horror movie.

And that all lines up so well with

Pet Semetary.

I think I really loved this.