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ericderoulet's reviews
59 reviews
Linghun by Ai Jiang
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Linghun is a fine exemplar of a modern gothic work, and Ai Jiang's background as a poet really shines through at the prose level.
By modern gothic, I mean that the classic themes and tropes of gothic horror—family dysfunction, claustrophobic setting, a focus on interiority—are put to good use here in a context that's relevant to contemporary readers. Not only are there some clear jabs at the state of the metro Toronto housing market, but much more importantly, Jiang skillfully integrates the family dynamics and emotional complexities particular to diasporic, transnational households with the manipulative relationships and learned helplessness that give gothic horror its quiet tension. These latter points might be primarily what makes Linghun a noteworthy piece of literature: Wenqi (the protagonist)'s deprivation of agency and her familial, emotional attachment to her antagonists are precisely what make the story compelling. I reflected on this point in an article for WordsWorks Magazine titled "Beyond being scary: How horror can enrich our storytelling." (https://issuu.com/fbcw/docs/wordworks_vol_2_2024_w_links)
If I were to nitpick, I would be tempted to reevaluate the efficacy of the distinct voices (including first- versus third- versus second-person narration) for each major character; this was evidently an experiment in writing craft, though I would've liked to see more experimentation, if anything. That said, fellow readers I've introduced the story to, including those with backgrounds in English literature and the like, have been impressed with Jiang's prose and overall writing craft—and rightly so, I think. Her strengths as a poet and as a short story writer appear to have equipped her exceptionally well for writing novellas. Doubly impressive is that Linghun is an early long-form work in what is likely to be Ai Jiang's long career in writing fiction.
By modern gothic, I mean that the classic themes and tropes of gothic horror—family dysfunction, claustrophobic setting, a focus on interiority—are put to good use here in a context that's relevant to contemporary readers. Not only are there some clear jabs at the state of the metro Toronto housing market, but much more importantly, Jiang skillfully integrates the family dynamics and emotional complexities particular to diasporic, transnational households with the manipulative relationships and learned helplessness that give gothic horror its quiet tension. These latter points might be primarily what makes Linghun a noteworthy piece of literature: Wenqi (the protagonist)'s deprivation of agency and her familial, emotional attachment to her antagonists are precisely what make the story compelling. I reflected on this point in an article for WordsWorks Magazine titled "Beyond being scary: How horror can enrich our storytelling." (https://issuu.com/fbcw/docs/wordworks_vol_2_2024_w_links)
If I were to nitpick, I would be tempted to reevaluate the efficacy of the distinct voices (including first- versus third- versus second-person narration) for each major character; this was evidently an experiment in writing craft, though I would've liked to see more experimentation, if anything. That said, fellow readers I've introduced the story to, including those with backgrounds in English literature and the like, have been impressed with Jiang's prose and overall writing craft—and rightly so, I think. Her strengths as a poet and as a short story writer appear to have equipped her exceptionally well for writing novellas. Doubly impressive is that Linghun is an early long-form work in what is likely to be Ai Jiang's long career in writing fiction.
Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror by Kenneth W. Cain
dark
4.5
First of all, thank you to the team at Crystal Lake Publishing for graciously sending me an ARC of this anthology for review. I have no affiliation with Crystal Lake whatsoever, nor any incentive to review this book positively.
This was certainly a better-than-average experience as far as horror anthologies go. Admittedly, a few stories didn't quite work for me on the basis of premises, plotting, or consistency. But there are many impressive pieces here, both from already familiar names (Angelia Liu, Eric La Rocca) and names that were new to me (most notably Michelle Tang). Generally, the stronger stories here impressed me with their imagination, prose, and proper endings, whether I was able to predict those endings or not.
This was certainly a better-than-average experience as far as horror anthologies go. Admittedly, a few stories didn't quite work for me on the basis of premises, plotting, or consistency. But there are many impressive pieces here, both from already familiar names (Angelia Liu, Eric La Rocca) and names that were new to me (most notably Michelle Tang). Generally, the stronger stories here impressed me with their imagination, prose, and proper endings, whether I was able to predict those endings or not.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies Issue #389 by Scott H. Andrews
5.0
The two stories both feel like parts of larger narratives, but I really don't mind in this case. What's important is less whether every single loose end is tied up (an unlikely outcome for short fiction) than what sort of payoff readers are left with. Both Moté's "Interlude: Shelter From the Storm" and Olson's "Steady and the Mountain" get us invested in the characters and conflicts, then leave us with wistful endings that tell us enough while acknowledging that sometimes the forces and circumstances surrounding the characters are too large to be overcome in a single episode.
"Steady and the Mountain" in particular nails the setting and interiority (something I've come to expect from BCS titles), giving me a deeply felt sense of the MC's grief for his world as he once knew it. It was also refreshing to see classic-style prose written so well in a present-day piece.
"Steady and the Mountain" in particular nails the setting and interiority (something I've come to expect from BCS titles), giving me a deeply felt sense of the MC's grief for his world as he once knew it. It was also refreshing to see classic-style prose written so well in a present-day piece.