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A review by checkplease
Experimental Film by Gemma Files
3.0
3.5 Stars
What a curiosity of a book. It’s an extremely slow burn (like, glacially slow) and filled with hyperlocal details about the Canadian film community. This seems to have alienated a lot of readers, but I enjoyed those pieces and was pulled along because of how well-drawn the protagonist was. (It probably doesn’t hurt that the main character and the author share much in common, including their knowledge of film and having a son with autism.)
Gemma Files brings a unique style to the horror genre that excited me. But I wanted the time she took unwinding the narrative to reap dividends in terms of mounting dread and a satisfying climax. Unfortunately, the resolution happened all too quickly and tidily, leaving me to wonder, “So that was all there was to the Big Danger?” Despite that, I want to read more of her work. I’m especially interested in her most recent story collection, as I think the shorter format will lend itself to more effective scares and a greater possibility for sticking the landing.
What a curiosity of a book. It’s an extremely slow burn (like, glacially slow) and filled with hyperlocal details about the Canadian film community. This seems to have alienated a lot of readers, but I enjoyed those pieces and was pulled along because of how well-drawn the protagonist was. (It probably doesn’t hurt that the main character and the author share much in common, including their knowledge of film and having a son with autism.)
Gemma Files brings a unique style to the horror genre that excited me. But I wanted the time she took unwinding the narrative to reap dividends in terms of mounting dread and a satisfying climax. Unfortunately, the resolution happened all too quickly and tidily, leaving me to wonder, “So that was all there was to the Big Danger?” Despite that, I want to read more of her work. I’m especially interested in her most recent story collection, as I think the shorter format will lend itself to more effective scares and a greater possibility for sticking the landing.