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A review by sdsmith80
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
<strong>A darkly engrossing collection!</strong>
I had a hard time putting this book down and finished it in just over a day! The stories within were dark and twisted, and I loved how the author played with the theme of connection through them all.
In the first tale, I saw a little of myself in Agnes, the young woman who is starving for affection and will do anything and become anyone to get it, although luckily I never let myself get to quite such extremes.
In The Enchantment, I grieved with the couple who had lost their son so tragically (in a way I'm constantly worried about with my own child), and I understood the longing for a belief in an afterlife. I've lost people in my life that make me wish I could be a believer again, to have that hope that we'll be reunited someday. But of course a hard reality is better than a comfortable fantasy. The twists in that story had me reeling as well, guessing at what was really happening until the very end.
The final story was strange and surreal and felt almost like a dream turning into a nightmare before my eyes. In the end, I'm left wondering just what was the history of the elderly neighbor, and why he engaged the way he did.
I recently picked up a couple of the author's other books as well, and after reading this, I'm excited to read them!
I had a hard time putting this book down and finished it in just over a day! The stories within were dark and twisted, and I loved how the author played with the theme of connection through them all.
In the first tale, I saw a little of myself in Agnes, the young woman who is starving for affection and will do anything and become anyone to get it, although luckily I never let myself get to quite such extremes.
In The Enchantment, I grieved with the couple who had lost their son so tragically (in a way I'm constantly worried about with my own child), and I understood the longing for a belief in an afterlife. I've lost people in my life that make me wish I could be a believer again, to have that hope that we'll be reunited someday. But of course a hard reality is better than a comfortable fantasy. The twists in that story had me reeling as well, guessing at what was really happening until the very end.
The final story was strange and surreal and felt almost like a dream turning into a nightmare before my eyes. In the end, I'm left wondering just what was the history of the elderly neighbor, and why he engaged the way he did.
I recently picked up a couple of the author's other books as well, and after reading this, I'm excited to read them!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Xenophobia