oktrouble1401213's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I liked this collection quite a bit. Each story was really different from the last with some unique ideas and motifs I hadn’t encountered before. I really enjoy Ottone’s writing and getting to experience it unbridled by a longer more complex plot of a novel was a joy.
lezlie's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
These stories were so deliciously inventive!!!
Some were creepy, some were weird, some...made sense in a very unsettling way, while others were just so freaking creative that if someone had been sitting next to me while reading them, I would have been pulling on their arm to show them what I just read.
My typical method of reading short story collections is to read one story per day - give each story its time in the limelight to shine. Also because sometimes when they're all by the same author, the writing style is the same and I'm scared they'll all run together. That is NOT the case with Robert P. Ottone. I was reading 3-4 stories per day, back to back - I didn't want to put this book down!
I'll absolutely be rereading these as the mood strikes or just when I want to revisit a particular story - a great one for those who just want some bite-sized horror in their reading diet.
Some were creepy, some were weird, some...made sense in a very unsettling way, while others were just so freaking creative that if someone had been sitting next to me while reading them, I would have been pulling on their arm to show them what I just read.
My typical method of reading short story collections is to read one story per day - give each story its time in the limelight to shine. Also because sometimes when they're all by the same author, the writing style is the same and I'm scared they'll all run together. That is NOT the case with Robert P. Ottone. I was reading 3-4 stories per day, back to back - I didn't want to put this book down!
I'll absolutely be rereading these as the mood strikes or just when I want to revisit a particular story - a great one for those who just want some bite-sized horror in their reading diet.
monakabbani's review
3.0
“Herskovitz never thought of anyone in the group therapy sessions as ‘evil,’ just that they needed to be heard, regardless of whatever they were up to.”
Her Infernal Name and Other Nightmares is a collection of 18 varied stories from gore to grief. If you’re a starter in the horror realm, this would be a great book to read through to see what genre of horror intrigues you the most. It has a little bit of everything and the writing style carries you along quite well. I’m honestly impressed at the range of ideas and as always, I LOVE when anthologies link together either with a common place or common entity. I feel it makes the book a universe rather than a grouping of disjointed tales. The common entity in this book leaves much to be wondered and I wish it were expanded upon a bit more just to see what really goes on in this twisted corporation that affects the lives of a few of our characters.
That being said, my one personal negative is a few of these stories were incomplete. And I say this is a personal negative because this is a style some writers use and I recognize it as effective for most. These stories are like fever dreams... or fever nightmares, I should say. There’s a scene or emotion the author wants to put in question in your mind but then doesn’t supply you with an answer - the story simply ends. And that can be conclusive in the sense of wonderment! It’s a matter of what you’re looking for in your readings.
My top three:
Support (This is such a brilliant idea. The thought of modern monsters needing a support group makes so much sense.)
Playing God (Tech horror gives me the best chills. This was probably my favorite story in the collection. The imagery still haunts me.)
The Final Goodbye (An endearing, quick tale of grief horror I found both sweet and haunting.)
Her Infernal Name and Other Nightmares is a collection of 18 varied stories from gore to grief. If you’re a starter in the horror realm, this would be a great book to read through to see what genre of horror intrigues you the most. It has a little bit of everything and the writing style carries you along quite well. I’m honestly impressed at the range of ideas and as always, I LOVE when anthologies link together either with a common place or common entity. I feel it makes the book a universe rather than a grouping of disjointed tales. The common entity in this book leaves much to be wondered and I wish it were expanded upon a bit more just to see what really goes on in this twisted corporation that affects the lives of a few of our characters.
That being said, my one personal negative is a few of these stories were incomplete. And I say this is a personal negative because this is a style some writers use and I recognize it as effective for most. These stories are like fever dreams... or fever nightmares, I should say. There’s a scene or emotion the author wants to put in question in your mind but then doesn’t supply you with an answer - the story simply ends. And that can be conclusive in the sense of wonderment! It’s a matter of what you’re looking for in your readings.
My top three:
Support (This is such a brilliant idea. The thought of modern monsters needing a support group makes so much sense.)
Playing God (Tech horror gives me the best chills. This was probably my favorite story in the collection. The imagery still haunts me.)
The Final Goodbye (An endearing, quick tale of grief horror I found both sweet and haunting.)
freezeme's review
2.0
I didn't exactly have problems with this book but i really expected something better. The title suggests horror stories and while they were 'horror' technically , you can't really get spooked from something that's too short. A lot of too-short and cut-off stories with interesting plot and a hint of horror in them but in order to really get into it you have to care about the characters and the story and i just simply couldn't. I've even skipped one chapter about the aquarium because the description of the octopus or whatever was too detailed and boring. This felt like watching short youtube clips when you were promised full horror movie.
stephaniieemoon's review
4.0
Book Review✨
Her Infernal Name and Other Nightmares by Robert P. Ottone
Her infernal Name and Other Nightmares is a collection of 18 short stories. Each story is unique but most do have a recurring setting, Resting Hollow, NY… a sleepy, supernatural town.
playprettychelsea's review
5.0
Let me start by saying that short stories are not my usual jam. I often find that the stories are not interesting enough or go on for way too long. This book has changed everything for me.
I LOVED every story in this collection. Each one felt like it was written for me. There are demons, zombies, aliens and more! This is the perfect book for fans of classic and new age horror.
The title story, Her Infernal Name, left me wanting more. Shoshana is a recently unemployed teacher drowning in student loan debt. Her debt agency offers a position as a tutor/personal assistant for a social media guru. Royce is young, impossibly beautiful, and very inappropriate for her age. Despite their differences, Shosh and Royce become as close as sisters do. Like most horror stories, not all is as it seems.
My favorite story from the collection is Kelly, Watch the Stars. After many attempts to get pregnant and failing, Kelly is now divorced and angry. The doctors tell her that her womb has been so scarred that she may never be able to carry a child. Kelly is determined to find out what happened to her. Through past regression therapy, she finds out she was abducted by aliens. Now that Kelly knows what happened to her, she is out for revenge.
Honestly, all the stories are fun and leave you entertained. I highly recommend for fans of horror!
Read my review and more at https://www.horrorbound.net/blog/2021/1/11/her-infernal-name-and-other-nightmares
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