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A review by lizetteratura
Strange Pictures by Uketsu
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
talk about things coming full circle
Strange Pictures is a horror mystery novel centred around a collection of unsettling drawings. The story opens with a professor with experience as a practicing psychologist presenting a picture created by a young girl who was a victim of her mother's domestic abuse. The subsequent tales in the novel delve into the hidden truths surrounding hand-drawn images. The first stroy tells of five sketches made by a woman shortly before her death during childbirth. The second story centres around a boy and an unusual kindergarten picture he draws as a Mother's Day present. The third recounts the final artwork produced by a high school art teacher prior to his murder. The last story uncovers the reality behind the picture presented by the professor at the start of the novel and offers a new look into the drawing with chilling conclusions. All of these stories are intertwined, in the end leading to one singular character.
While you can say some circumstances are a bit far-fetched, I still enjoyed this novel; it was really fun to read, to play detective, and to have my jaw drop every once in a while.
Strange Pictures is a horror mystery novel centred around a collection of unsettling drawings. The story opens with a professor with experience as a practicing psychologist presenting a picture created by a young girl who was a victim of her mother's domestic abuse. The subsequent tales in the novel delve into the hidden truths surrounding hand-drawn images. The first stroy tells of five sketches made by a woman shortly before her death during childbirth. The second story centres around a boy and an unusual kindergarten picture he draws as a Mother's Day present. The third recounts the final artwork produced by a high school art teacher prior to his murder. The last story uncovers the reality behind the picture presented by the professor at the start of the novel and offers a new look into the drawing with chilling conclusions. All of these stories are intertwined, in the end leading to one singular character.
While you can say some circumstances are a bit far-fetched, I still enjoyed this novel; it was really fun to read, to play detective, and to have my jaw drop every once in a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence