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A review by rorikae
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
In 'Nothing But Blackened Teeth,' Cassandra Khaw weaves a Japanese folktale with the story of five acquaintances celebrating an upcoming marriage.
A group of five acquaintances, including one couple, rent an abandoned Japanese mansion out in the middle of nowhere. But they don't know about the story that rests in the house and the buried bride who will do anything to bring others down with her.
Khaw crafts an intriguing tale that brings a Japanese folktale and weaves it with the personal drama of the characters staying at the mansion. We get to slowly learn more about each character though I found that they were never established enough to fully care for the characters. They are wrapped up in their faults to the point that they fail to be as redeemable as they should be.
This story definitely has its horrifying aspects both in the nature of the characters and in the folktale come to life. I found that these flashes of horrific moments were less impactful than they could have been because there wasn't enough lead up to the punchier moments. This may have been impacted by the shortened length of the story.
My favorite part of the novella was Khaw's writing. It's incredibly evocative and visceral, which does heighten moments of horror. Throughout the story, the imagery was one of the highlights.
A group of five acquaintances, including one couple, rent an abandoned Japanese mansion out in the middle of nowhere. But they don't know about the story that rests in the house and the buried bride who will do anything to bring others down with her.
Khaw crafts an intriguing tale that brings a Japanese folktale and weaves it with the personal drama of the characters staying at the mansion. We get to slowly learn more about each character though I found that they were never established enough to fully care for the characters. They are wrapped up in their faults to the point that they fail to be as redeemable as they should be.
This story definitely has its horrifying aspects both in the nature of the characters and in the folktale come to life. I found that these flashes of horrific moments were less impactful than they could have been because there wasn't enough lead up to the punchier moments. This may have been impacted by the shortened length of the story.
My favorite part of the novella was Khaw's writing. It's incredibly evocative and visceral, which does heighten moments of horror. Throughout the story, the imagery was one of the highlights.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Murder, and Gore
Minor: Mental illness and Confinement