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A review by kwdubz
Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A brother struggles his whole life to understand what his sister means when she says "Half the house is haunted:. A man lies on this deathbed, surrounded by family, and confesses to homicides he never committed. A husband and wife purchase the latest in cutting edge home cleaning products and learn how dirty their past really is. A tourist takes the infamous Jupiter Drop and loses himself in isolation. And the remaining pair of a triplet set seek vengeance for their brother's murder in creative ways.
I have often found that short story and novella collections fall flat for me due to the similarity between the narrator voices. That was not the case here. Malerman created a distinct set of characters with unique voices and thoughts that aided in setting the tone and atmosphere for the entire novella series, a feat that is hard to accomplish and truly sets this collection apart. Each novella, while distinct, had enough similarities in writing style that the whole series was cohesive and felt like it belonged together.
Because of the benefits that a longer novella style story has, compared to a short story format, each had a well plotted series of events that wrapped up nicely at the end without overt abruptness and led the reader to a moral, theme, or lesson learned (though again, not overt and in your face).
The best word I can use to describe the book is Unsettling. That's the only thing that gets even close to representing this collection. Malerman explores the inner workings of the human mind in creative and often uncomfortable ways. I really enjoyed this collection and I'm eager to read more from this author.
I have often found that short story and novella collections fall flat for me due to the similarity between the narrator voices. That was not the case here. Malerman created a distinct set of characters with unique voices and thoughts that aided in setting the tone and atmosphere for the entire novella series, a feat that is hard to accomplish and truly sets this collection apart. Each novella, while distinct, had enough similarities in writing style that the whole series was cohesive and felt like it belonged together.
Because of the benefits that a longer novella style story has, compared to a short story format, each had a well plotted series of events that wrapped up nicely at the end without overt abruptness and led the reader to a moral, theme, or lesson learned (though again, not overt and in your face).
The best word I can use to describe the book is Unsettling. That's the only thing that gets even close to representing this collection. Malerman explores the inner workings of the human mind in creative and often uncomfortable ways. I really enjoyed this collection and I'm eager to read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death