A series of open-ended, visually compelling images stitched together with little narration.
A short sequence of illustrations depicts mysterious happenings in the countryside in Carter’s spare graphic novella.
As this production begins, a woman watches a strange fireball crash into a field behind the kitchen of a small farm. A dark figure in a fedora, seen menacing the farm’s chickens (who don’t notice), hides in the chicken coop and lurks outside the woman’s window, on which reads a cryptic statement: “i will be better for you.” This figure eventually disappears into a field, although the text says, “You can see him when it snows in that field. As it melts, the shape shows.” What might be the same woman dances with a tall, cone-headed figure. Nearby, a crowd of faceless people in Puritan hats and necklaces gathers. Eventually, these figures dig up a strange structure in the middle of town. The entire work feels like an eerie mashup of early American history, theosophy, Stephen King’s Children of the Corn, and space beings. The grayish/black sketches (generally one per page) on sepia backgrounds occasionally show unfinished versions of humans in what might slightly approximate a story for the space of a page or two. The narrative structure is minimal. The novella includes a vague opening scene about a mysterious craft crashing into the backyard of an isolated house, for instance, but even in such a short space, there are unexplained obelisks or 20-foot-tall bonfires. In an intriguing, non-narrative succession, the dark figure in a fedora lurks in several pictures, then becomes the towering figure with a featureless, conical head, and finally a human body with a deer’s antlered head. The one spot of color—a massive rainbow—implies some sense of optimism. Some may find these images thought-provoking visual prompts for their own stories, but those seeking a more linear storyline will likely be perplexed.
A series of open-ended, visually compelling images stitched together with little narration.Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9798284654477
Page Count: 59
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Oct. 6, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A frighteningly good debut.
Mysterious guests overstay their welcome in this fresh take on the haunted house trope.
Eve Palmer makes the biggest mistake of her life when there’s a knock on the door from a man who says he grew up in her house. Against her better instincts she invites him and his family inside, but a 15-minute look around turns into a world of trouble when she can’t get them to leave. First the Faust family’s young daughter disappears in the basement; then a storm hits and the roads are blocked, giving them no choice but to spend the night. Soon rooms appear altered, strange odors waft through the house, and a toy chimp from Eve’s childhood seems to be sending her a warning: "Once they’re in, they never leave." Kliewer’s original and extremely scary story gathers elements inspired by authors like Shirley Jackson and classic horror films including Invasion of the Body Snatchers. He’s created a can’t-look-away imaginary world in which people and places aren’t what they appear. Readers will be as shaken as Eve, who fears she’s suffering from delusions when an apparition warns her that the Fausts—and even her partner, Charlie—aren’t who they say they are. Inserted between the book’s chapters are "documents" that lay out evidence collected by conspiracy theorists who believe what’s happening to Eve has nothing to do with delusions. This alternate storyline, written in the style of Reddit—Kliewer’s novel grew out of a novella he posted there—feels jarring at times, as we’re reluctantly pulled away from Eve’s gripping tale. The conspiracy theorists’ creepy posts aren’t quite as hypnotic, but they solidify the plot’s premise and neatly tie up Eve’s predicament. Fans of the surging horror genre will think twice about opening the door when somebody knocks.
A frighteningly good debut.Pub Date: June 18, 2024
ISBN: 9781982198787
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Emily Bestler/Atria
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
It's almost enough to make a person believe in ghosts.
A disturbing household secret has far-reaching consequences in this dark, unusual ghost story.
Mallory Quinn, fresh out of rehab and recovering from a recent tragedy, has taken a job as a nanny for an affluent couple living in the upscale suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey, when a series of strange events start to make her (and her employers) question her own sanity. Teddy, the precocious and shy 5-year-old boy she's charged with watching, seems to be haunted by a ghost who channels his body to draw pictures that are far too complex and well formed for such a young child. At first, these drawings are rather typical: rabbits, hot air balloons, trees. But then the illustrations take a dark turn, showcasing the details of a gruesome murder; the inclusion of the drawings, which start out as stick figures and grow increasingly more disturbing and sophisticated, brings the reader right into the story. With the help of an attractive young gardener and a psychic neighbor and using only the drawings as clues, Mallory must solve the mystery of the house's grizzly past before it's too late. Rekulak does a great job with character development: Mallory, who narrates in the first person, has an engaging voice; the Maxwells' slightly overbearing parenting style and passive-aggressive quips feel very familiar; and Teddy is so three-dimensional that he sometimes feels like a real child.
It's almost enough to make a person believe in ghosts.Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-81934-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
