ashley__reads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mjhuntsgood's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
paulataua's review
3.0
An unusual story of Alice Ann, a vampire suffering guilt and grief who desires what she cannot have, a normal life. I bought this after being knocked out by ‘Hunger Pangs’, his awesome debut collection of short stories. Unfortunately, I found this a little too clever, too disjointed, and found myself lost more often than not. I love what he was trying to do, and really wanted to follow him, but he disappeared into the distance and I was left wanting.
ericarobyn's review
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Our Own Unique Affliction by Scott J. Moses is a tale of monsters, grief, and the power of family.
These two sisters have a secret; they’re not like everyone else. But while they are tied together in the darkness of their past, it’s the present that’s even more trying.
One sister tends to stay with someone they consider their protector, bending to their every request. The other sister can’t be held back and goes out to explore and meet new people, desperate to stay stimulated.
Both sisters are struggling. Both are hiding it from one another.
Soon, both will come to terms with their grief. But things are about to get worse before they can get better.
My Favorite Passages from Our Own Unique Affliction
The only real gods in this world are uncertainty and death.
“…And what are the living without stories?”
Grief is a tomb for those left behind. The true undead. An impossible weight, and you know? I hope it clings to me forever, because what is grief but unexpressed love? And if I still love her, she’s still here somehow.
My Final Thoughts on Our Own Unique Affliction
In Our Own Unique Affliction, the author puts grief down on the page in such a creative way. Readers will be mesmerized by the events within as if the main character has looked them in the eye and told them to keep up.
kirstycarson1's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
howlinglibraries's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“We’re each dealt our own unique affliction, Alice. Ours is death. Yours? Yours is life.”
I've been seeing a lot of hype for this novella around the indie horror community, and between that and my general love for a unique vampire tale, I knew I had to pick it up right away — and I'm so glad that I did, because Our Own Unique Affliction was truly something special.
Despite its short length (clocking in at just over 100 pages for the kindle copy), there's a lot of depth packed into this little story. Alice, our main character, is a vampire who yearns for her human life. She explores and spends her time meeting humans, not solely out of bloodlust, but because she desperately craves a meaning in her lonely existence. All she has in the world is her sister, but she wants so much more.
There's so little that I can say about the plot of Our Own Unique Affliction because it isn't a plot-driven tale, it's a full character study and a deep dive into the ways grief and trauma shape us. My heart ached constantly for Alice and her sister, and the twisting reveal devastated me.
Moses' writing is stunning and masterfully captured the yearning that loneliness brings with it. I can't wait to read more from this author and I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys quiet, bleak horror stories.
Grief is a hole in your heart forever unsatisfied. Insatiable, and gorging on you a bite at a time.
✨ Representation: BIPOC side characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Blood, Grief, Mental illness, Confinement, Murder, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
micahcastle's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
jessica503's review
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
drakaina16's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to DarkLit Press for providing a review copy.
This is one of those rare books that I loved so much, that meant so much to me, that I can barely be articulate about it. It's a book about a vampire, yes, but it's so much more. A meditation on the nature of grief and finding meaning in a life that seems neverending. In the last year, I have suffered some tremendous losses and Our Own Unique Affliction helped me put some things in perspective. It's a book that I wish younger me had been able to read. This is one of my favorite reads of the year. A strong 5 stars.
This is one of those rare books that I loved so much, that meant so much to me, that I can barely be articulate about it. It's a book about a vampire, yes, but it's so much more. A meditation on the nature of grief and finding meaning in a life that seems neverending. In the last year, I have suffered some tremendous losses and Our Own Unique Affliction helped me put some things in perspective. It's a book that I wish younger me had been able to read. This is one of my favorite reads of the year. A strong 5 stars.