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A review by keiraonyxraven
Kill the Heart by Thomas E. Staples
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Wow. Simply wow. I am taken aback by how absolutely amazing Kill The Heart turned out to be. Staples seems to effortlessly blend humour, horror, suspense and raw human emotion. Although short, this book managed to evoke every feeling under the sun at one time or another.
The storyline itself had me gripped from the very first page. The two parts of Tamara Levy’s life were weaved expertly into one, slowly revealing crucial details little by little until everything slots into place with the most shocking and genius ending.
Staples skill doesn’t just lie in riveting plots, either. Amongst the story are the coolest (and grossest) creature designs and world building, coupled with descriptions so vivid I could have sworn I was really there living through the horror with the characters.
However, what I truly have to commend Staples for is their character writing. Tamara Levy is one of the most raw and flawed characters I have ever encountered. She is realistic and authentic and such a REAL portrayal of a traumatised human. Her anger and negative emotions are explored in depth and Staples has managed to create a character that is so layered, complex and most of all believable. This is truly impressive.
Overall, Kill The Heart is a fantastic short story filled with belly laughs, cringes, winces, tears and heartbreak. A little book with such a huge impact. I would highly recommend it to absolutely any Sci-Fi or horror fans!
The storyline itself had me gripped from the very first page. The two parts of Tamara Levy’s life were weaved expertly into one, slowly revealing crucial details little by little until everything slots into place with the most shocking and genius ending.
Staples skill doesn’t just lie in riveting plots, either. Amongst the story are the coolest (and grossest) creature designs and world building, coupled with descriptions so vivid I could have sworn I was really there living through the horror with the characters.
However, what I truly have to commend Staples for is their character writing. Tamara Levy is one of the most raw and flawed characters I have ever encountered. She is realistic and authentic and such a REAL portrayal of a traumatised human. Her anger and negative emotions are explored in depth and Staples has managed to create a character that is so layered, complex and most of all believable. This is truly impressive.
Overall, Kill The Heart is a fantastic short story filled with belly laughs, cringes, winces, tears and heartbreak. A little book with such a huge impact. I would highly recommend it to absolutely any Sci-Fi or horror fans!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Self harm, Violence, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail