A review by constantine2020
The Remedy by Adam Haslett

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Rating: ⭐⭐

Genre: Horror + Mystery Thriller + Short Story

In Adam Haslett's "The Remedy," a man named Derrick lives in crippling pain that traditional medicine has ignored. He feels alone and hopeless because this suffering has consumed him.

Then a friend suggests a secretive clinic in New York, and suddenly there is hope. Derrick has never encountered such a radical "remedy" as what is being offered by this clinic. To his dismay, he begins a regimen of strange and disturbing treatments that actually appear to be effective. Slowly but surely, his suffering subsides, and he gains insight and relief from his emotions.

The Remedy is part of Amazon’s Dark Corners Collection. Except for the first book in the series, all the others didn’t live up to my expectations. These horror short stories have great ideas, but reading them, especially their endings, makes me feel very underwhelmed. The Remedy is no exception. The whole story was supposed to be frightening and atmospheric, but it lacked all these essential elements of a good horror tale. The ending is ambiguous and lackluster, too.