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adamsfall's review
5.0
Every tale perfect. Each one haunting in one way of another. A perfect collection of short stories.
thecatfather's review
5.0
A fantastic collection. Favorites were Bodies are for Burning, You’re Not Supposed to Be Here, and Please Leave or I’m Going to Hurt You.
znnys's review
4.0
In this collection of short stories, emotional turmoil is made physical, visceral and gory. LaRocca disembowels the quiet agonies of human beings and spreads them out like a haruspex reading fortunes.
There are common themes running through this collection - most notably, the horrors of parent/child dynamics, abandonment, helplessness against fate, and the body being used as both metaphor and offering. The best stories in this collection feel allegorical, Twilight Zone-esque and fable-like, but not particularly didactic. I don't think LaRocca is attempting to hold my hand and teach me a lesson. Some of these stories, it's difficult to say I enjoyed, but they definitely affected me. I think that's a sign of an effective storyteller. When a story, even in its unpleasantness, has really sunk its claws into you and left a mark. It's due, quite largely, to how downright grotesque this book can be at times, but it doesn't feel like it's there for shock value. I feel like everything visceral has a purpose.
Since the collection isn't officially released yet, I won't go into detail on the individual stories. Not every story resonated with me, personally, but the ones that did were Bodies Are For Burning, The Trees Grew Because I Bled There, You're Not Supposed to Be Here, and I'll Be Gone By Then. I'll Be Gone By Then, I think, was the best in the entire collection, being an exploration of resentment and the failed American dream.
I really appreciate Eric LaRocca giving me a digital ARC to read this before official publish date and look forward to reading more in the future.
There are common themes running through this collection - most notably, the horrors of parent/child dynamics, abandonment, helplessness against fate, and the body being used as both metaphor and offering. The best stories in this collection feel allegorical, Twilight Zone-esque and fable-like, but not particularly didactic. I don't think LaRocca is attempting to hold my hand and teach me a lesson. Some of these stories, it's difficult to say I enjoyed, but they definitely affected me. I think that's a sign of an effective storyteller. When a story, even in its unpleasantness, has really sunk its claws into you and left a mark. It's due, quite largely, to how downright grotesque this book can be at times, but it doesn't feel like it's there for shock value. I feel like everything visceral has a purpose.
Since the collection isn't officially released yet, I won't go into detail on the individual stories. Not every story resonated with me, personally, but the ones that did were Bodies Are For Burning, The Trees Grew Because I Bled There, You're Not Supposed to Be Here, and I'll Be Gone By Then. I'll Be Gone By Then, I think, was the best in the entire collection, being an exploration of resentment and the failed American dream.
I really appreciate Eric LaRocca giving me a digital ARC to read this before official publish date and look forward to reading more in the future.
pixeltune's review
5.0
LaRocca is a refreshingly creative writer. They are not afraid to delve into dark places, and their works never feel like we are reading about these themes for the sake of shock alone. LaRocca’s stories here have purpose, and they are intriguingly horrifying.
There are clear and recurring themes in this collection; pregnancy/parenthood, amputation, love & all its complexities. I find it hard to rate short story collections, because inevitably I enjoy some more than others. My favorites here were “You’re Not Supposed to Be Here,” “Where Flames Burned Emerald as Grass,” and “I’ll be Gone By Then.”
I highly recommend reading this collection & LaRocca’a other works.
There are clear and recurring themes in this collection; pregnancy/parenthood, amputation, love & all its complexities. I find it hard to rate short story collections, because inevitably I enjoy some more than others. My favorites here were “You’re Not Supposed to Be Here,” “Where Flames Burned Emerald as Grass,” and “I’ll be Gone By Then.”
I highly recommend reading this collection & LaRocca’a other works.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
5.0
Sometimes you pick up a book and fall in love with it and then sometimes you pick up an Eric LaRocca book and it just hits different!
The Strange Thing We Become and other Dark Tales was not my first by LaRocca, so I was already Intune to just how flawless his skill is. The characterisations, the haunting undertones, the way he just reaches in and pulls your heart out. Call me a masochist, call me a glutton for punishment! If you haven’t checked out this man’s inexplicable magic with the written word, rectify that now. He creates prose with the written word like the exquisite sculpting of Michelangelo’s David.
Let me introduce you to some of the individual stories. You Follow Wherever They Go – A story of childhood. It’s the preparation of a journey that will make you feel and hurt. It’s an opening that gifts you a knife, leaves you without instructions on how to use it, but, you know it’s not going to be pleasant. We all know children are extremely resilient, but how much of that is borne from pain and suffering?
Bodies Are for Burning – I’m not ashamed to admit that this one punched me in the throat…hard. We all know that grief affects us all differently. It can either drag us down temporarily or it can send us off at the deep end. It can feel like standing at the edge of a precipice and one step is all it takes. Reading this story left me with a lurching feeling in my stomach as a mother. LaRocca’s examination of mental health was unique but deeply disturbing.
The Strange Thing We Become – This wouldn’t be a horror compilation without the devastation of the human condition. Illness can catch us at any point. Life can be trucking on and then you can receive terrible news, and everything changes. The story is incredibly gut wrenching and never has an author been able to convince me so coherently that the person watching a loved one suffer also changes and often not for the better.
The Trees Grew Because I Bled There – Holy hell! I know relationships should be a combination of give and take but this beyond anything I could have imagined. A story of lust and obsession. Control and selfishness.
You’re Not Supposed To Be Here – Now this is a story that has to be experienced. Instantly gave me vibes of the movie franchise, Saw and the Jigsaw Killer. This story had me on tender hooks the entire time.
I’ll Be Gone by Then – I interpreted this story as a kind of circle of life. From caring for our children to the expected burden of caring for ailing parents. It’s not until it gone do you realise what you have lost. Youth is wasted on the young scenario.
LaRocca’s writing is mesmerising. He takes the weaknesses that he finds in everyday individuals and injects it into his fiction. He uses it to spur an authenticity into his stories. The way the author has used trauma and tragedy into his narration is real and awful and so perfectly written that your own emotions are on a rollercoaster. Each individual plot is intricate, outraging and deeply sad. It felt so amazing to engage myself in Eric’s writing once more – he’s on fire!
The Strange Thing We Become and other Dark Tales was not my first by LaRocca, so I was already Intune to just how flawless his skill is. The characterisations, the haunting undertones, the way he just reaches in and pulls your heart out. Call me a masochist, call me a glutton for punishment! If you haven’t checked out this man’s inexplicable magic with the written word, rectify that now. He creates prose with the written word like the exquisite sculpting of Michelangelo’s David.
Let me introduce you to some of the individual stories. You Follow Wherever They Go – A story of childhood. It’s the preparation of a journey that will make you feel and hurt. It’s an opening that gifts you a knife, leaves you without instructions on how to use it, but, you know it’s not going to be pleasant. We all know children are extremely resilient, but how much of that is borne from pain and suffering?
Bodies Are for Burning – I’m not ashamed to admit that this one punched me in the throat…hard. We all know that grief affects us all differently. It can either drag us down temporarily or it can send us off at the deep end. It can feel like standing at the edge of a precipice and one step is all it takes. Reading this story left me with a lurching feeling in my stomach as a mother. LaRocca’s examination of mental health was unique but deeply disturbing.
The Strange Thing We Become – This wouldn’t be a horror compilation without the devastation of the human condition. Illness can catch us at any point. Life can be trucking on and then you can receive terrible news, and everything changes. The story is incredibly gut wrenching and never has an author been able to convince me so coherently that the person watching a loved one suffer also changes and often not for the better.
The Trees Grew Because I Bled There – Holy hell! I know relationships should be a combination of give and take but this beyond anything I could have imagined. A story of lust and obsession. Control and selfishness.
You’re Not Supposed To Be Here – Now this is a story that has to be experienced. Instantly gave me vibes of the movie franchise, Saw and the Jigsaw Killer. This story had me on tender hooks the entire time.
I’ll Be Gone by Then – I interpreted this story as a kind of circle of life. From caring for our children to the expected burden of caring for ailing parents. It’s not until it gone do you realise what you have lost. Youth is wasted on the young scenario.
LaRocca’s writing is mesmerising. He takes the weaknesses that he finds in everyday individuals and injects it into his fiction. He uses it to spur an authenticity into his stories. The way the author has used trauma and tragedy into his narration is real and awful and so perfectly written that your own emotions are on a rollercoaster. Each individual plot is intricate, outraging and deeply sad. It felt so amazing to engage myself in Eric’s writing once more – he’s on fire!
leahrosereads's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Eric LaRocca's short stories are just getting better and better! This was an excellent collection of short fiction, and I don't think there was one that I didn't like for one reason or another. It borders on disgusting, which is some of my favorite type of horror, and Eric once again delivered a brilliant book!
_meeg's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Torture, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Suicide
Moderate: Vomit
raavenreads's review
4.0
Happy book birthday! Now I can publish my review! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honeys review!
This is probably one of my favorite Eric short story collections. These stories were sad, disturbing, and heart breaking.
I noticed that the theme with these stories were children and parents. There is also the shared theme of grief and how it affects us in different and monstrous ways. Eric’s stories never fail to make my jaw drop and heart sink at the same time.
I’d say the most impactful stories for me were: Bodies are for burning, You’re not supposed to be here, Where flames burned emerald as grass, & I’ll be gone by then. We all have complicated relationships with ourselves as well as our families, and this collection did an amazing job at exploring that. I think this is the one collection of his there wasn’t a story I was bored with or hated. Everything was off the walls as usual, but with a message underneath that I understood and was sympathetic to. I’m slowly becoming a fan here and I’m so excited that Eric’s voice in queer horror is getting such a wide audience. This collection debuts March 7th so be sure to order it!
This is probably one of my favorite Eric short story collections. These stories were sad, disturbing, and heart breaking.
I noticed that the theme with these stories were children and parents. There is also the shared theme of grief and how it affects us in different and monstrous ways. Eric’s stories never fail to make my jaw drop and heart sink at the same time.
I’d say the most impactful stories for me were: Bodies are for burning, You’re not supposed to be here, Where flames burned emerald as grass, & I’ll be gone by then. We all have complicated relationships with ourselves as well as our families, and this collection did an amazing job at exploring that. I think this is the one collection of his there wasn’t a story I was bored with or hated. Everything was off the walls as usual, but with a message underneath that I understood and was sympathetic to. I’m slowly becoming a fan here and I’m so excited that Eric’s voice in queer horror is getting such a wide audience. This collection debuts March 7th so be sure to order it!