hautehorreur's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ericarobyn's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
The Sound of Breaking Glass (and other weird tales) by Christine Makepeace is a collection about reality and the emotions that come into play in various situations. Centering around loss and feeling stuck, these tales will really push readers to think and feel while reading.
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
This is such an interesting collection! I loved how different each tale was and the range of characters that we were introduced to.
The characters inside this collection were all struggling with various things; poverty, grief, isolation and the feeling of being lost, feeling stuck, and other such things. But one of the most interesting elements for me was discovering how each of the characters reacted to what they were faced with.
My favorites from this collection include:
- Magic Hour
- If You’re Looking For It, It’s Not Here
Here are my notes on each tale:
Magic Hour – Five Stars
A woman who is tired of her life spots a microwave at a yard sale. Intrigued, she heads over. After an odd conversation with a little girl, the woman leaves with the microwave and an old picture in a frame. Little does she know that this is about to change her life.
I loved this one! My heart broke for the woman at first, and all I wanted to see was for her to find a bit of happiness. This one was short and sweet and it will certainly stick with me.
And Golden is How You Left Me – Four Stars
When a woman vents to her roommate about a noise she hears coming from outside, the roommate tries to brush it off and calm her down. But the next day, the sounds are louder and the two realize that there are some very strange things going on. Determined to find out what, they head out to find the source.
This one was so unsettling! We all know how annoying it can be when a neighbor is doing something that causes a steady noise, like a lawnmower, leaf blower, or vacuum. While we know it will happen, we can’t help but be irked by the intrusion of the noise into our homes. The ending of this one was so spooky!
Last Will & Testament – Four Stars
When a woman returns to the home of her late uncle/man who adopted her, she just wants to find out what he left her so she can leave. But of course there are strings attached to every option she is given. And none of the options sound particularly good.
This one was unsettling from the start and didn’t ease up!
If You’re Looking For It, It’s Not Here – Five Stars
Two men are tasked with a job, but on location, they start to realize that they are in way over their heads.
Oh my gosh, this one made me claustrophobic. I was so ready for a jump scare to happen!
Beg the Bee’s Forgiveness – Three Stars
Traveling on the River Styx, we see the emotions of this woman and she’s about to enter the gates.
Phew this one packs a meaningful punch with the passage about how everyone wishes for more time. This story makes you ask what you’re doing with your life and the time you currently have. Are you making the most of it?
Empty Nest – Four Stars
When a woman is asked to be put into assisted living, her son and daughter-in-law are tasked with cleaning out her home. They donate things, but bring back a car load of boxes. Unfortunately there was a bewitched doll in there, and it’s about to make itself known to this couple.
This one is so creepy! The scene with the doll running back and forth in the hallway? No thank you! I hate dolls!
A Date to the Ball – Three Stars
At a cocktail party, this guest meets a strange and unusual being. But our antisocial lead is a bit strange and unusual herself!
The anxiety this one gave me… phew!
The Sound of Breaking Glass – Three Stars
When strange things begin happening to one of the roommates, our main character just wants to help. But when things start getting worse, she puts her trust in her roommate and they go upstate to visit people they think can help.
This tale was so bizarre and unsettling. It certainly makes readers think about how far they would go to help before getting out of the situation.
Crush It – Four Stars
When a woman tries to tell a very rude man that she hasn’t been trained on using an old freight elevator, he pushes her to do it anyway. Of course, this doesn’t end well.
This one got my blood boiling! This poor woman.
Who Hung the Moon? – Three Stars
A woman unhappy with her job and her life looks inside herself to find her calling.
That ending!
My Favorite Passages from The Sound of Breaking Glass
The sound had become so loud—so encompassing— that it had also become silence.
It’s like a rollercoaster I never wanted to ride, but here I am, and the only way off is to ride it till the end.
It felt like the room was dry land and everything else was the ocean, and he’d been drowning for hours without even realizing it.
My Final Thoughts on The Sound of Breaking Glass
While I would definitely place this one in the horror genre, there are so many different undertones here that were fun to uncover while reading through.
Christine is certainly an author that fans of unsettling and emotional horror should be keeping an eye on!
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