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Snarl
Marlin Stains is a lonely man who is filled with words. Words that he longs to share with the world but so far only shares with himself. He has over 300 notebooks brimming with them in his trailer room. A wood-paneled tomb of prose and syllable. Marlin Stains killed his brother in the womb, buried his father when he was a young man and now, a bit older, he watches the same monster devour his mother. While grappling with this, he experiences a combination of exchanges and events that point him on a new trajectory with an outcome that is both expected and anything but. Marlin Stains has learned plenty in his thirty-two Love never dies, it just hides for a while and gets punchy. Death is never afraid and never gives a damn. Life is a thing that stretches, sometimes so far that you forget about it until it snaps back and hurts you. A snarl is an angry sound or a tangled trap, Marlin is familiar with both.
85 pages, Paperback
Published September 5, 2023
3 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 28, 2023
Being that I'm an all out fan-girl of John Boden's writing, when I was offered an ARC of his latest novella, I jumped on it and here we are. I was not disappointed and I don't think you will be either.
In SNARL, we meet Marlin Stains. Marlin is a man of many words, but doesn't speak much. Instead, he writes his thoughts: poems, and tidbits about whatever he's thinking at the time, in his notebook. He does this so often he's compiled 300 notebooks which he never shares with anyone. He is also caring for his dying mother, as he is the only remaining member of their family. When a local woman asks him for help, (she knows Marlin has had a crush on her for their entire lives), Marlin begins to think things might change. Will Marlin finally break out of his self-imposed cage? Will he share those notebooks with anyone? You'll have to read this to find out!
Once again, John Boden has taken my breath away. Several times I had to stop and marvel over the beauty and simplicity of the language he uses. These sentences, for instance: "The old man's words rode on the smoke that fled his mouth. Marlin thought of bluish phantoms escaping a gaping cavern." I immediately had a picture of something out of Scooby-Doo in my head, and I pictured those words, floating out of a cave, just before someone complained about those meddling kids. Simple, beautiful, vivid and effective words. That is what I have come to expect from Mr. Boden.
But it's not only that! He writes in such a way as to evoke a sense of sadness and regret and it gets to me. Every. Single. Time. I know that my reader's mind is being manipulated on purpose, but I just can't help myself. What his work also evokes, other than poignancy, is a sense of grief. A deep sadness for these characters that should have had good things coming their way, but instead they got hit by trucks. And then, it's almost like... that truck rockets off the page and shoots through the center of your heart, taking a part of you with it. And now I've come right back around to where I said Mr. Boden takes my breath away.
The denouement of this novella was: Beautiful. Sad. Poignant. Dark. PERFECT.
Available late this summer, let SNARL take your breath away as it did mine. Then look me up so we can talk about it!
My highest recommendation!
*Thanks to John Boden for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
In SNARL, we meet Marlin Stains. Marlin is a man of many words, but doesn't speak much. Instead, he writes his thoughts: poems, and tidbits about whatever he's thinking at the time, in his notebook. He does this so often he's compiled 300 notebooks which he never shares with anyone. He is also caring for his dying mother, as he is the only remaining member of their family. When a local woman asks him for help, (she knows Marlin has had a crush on her for their entire lives), Marlin begins to think things might change. Will Marlin finally break out of his self-imposed cage? Will he share those notebooks with anyone? You'll have to read this to find out!
Once again, John Boden has taken my breath away. Several times I had to stop and marvel over the beauty and simplicity of the language he uses. These sentences, for instance: "The old man's words rode on the smoke that fled his mouth. Marlin thought of bluish phantoms escaping a gaping cavern." I immediately had a picture of something out of Scooby-Doo in my head, and I pictured those words, floating out of a cave, just before someone complained about those meddling kids. Simple, beautiful, vivid and effective words. That is what I have come to expect from Mr. Boden.
But it's not only that! He writes in such a way as to evoke a sense of sadness and regret and it gets to me. Every. Single. Time. I know that my reader's mind is being manipulated on purpose, but I just can't help myself. What his work also evokes, other than poignancy, is a sense of grief. A deep sadness for these characters that should have had good things coming their way, but instead they got hit by trucks. And then, it's almost like... that truck rockets off the page and shoots through the center of your heart, taking a part of you with it. And now I've come right back around to where I said Mr. Boden takes my breath away.
The denouement of this novella was: Beautiful. Sad. Poignant. Dark. PERFECT.
Available late this summer, let SNARL take your breath away as it did mine. Then look me up so we can talk about it!
My highest recommendation!
*Thanks to John Boden for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
October 3, 2023
SNARL, by John Boden is an emotionally gripping, compulsive read that you won't want to put down.
But then, that sums up every book I've read by this author.
Here we meet Marlin Stains, a man who doesn't speak much, but has over 300 notebooks filled with astute and beautifully worded observations. He lost his twin in his mother's womb, buried his father at a young age, and now--at 32--caring for his dying mother. The love he has for those he cares about is astounding, especially considering the hand life has dealt him. You will FEEL his emotions as if they were your own, you will want for everything to work out for this man with so much potential. Especially as a life-long crush reaches out to him.
Will he finally get the chance he deserves? Pick this one up to find out!
John Boden's writing is so evocative that I couldn't help but fall into all of his books, feeling as if I was there with the characters. SNARL is no different. The emotions, the situations, everything present stays in your mind long after reading.
The ending... absolute perfection, in my mind.
Highly recommended.
But then, that sums up every book I've read by this author.
Here we meet Marlin Stains, a man who doesn't speak much, but has over 300 notebooks filled with astute and beautifully worded observations. He lost his twin in his mother's womb, buried his father at a young age, and now--at 32--caring for his dying mother. The love he has for those he cares about is astounding, especially considering the hand life has dealt him. You will FEEL his emotions as if they were your own, you will want for everything to work out for this man with so much potential. Especially as a life-long crush reaches out to him.
Will he finally get the chance he deserves? Pick this one up to find out!
John Boden's writing is so evocative that I couldn't help but fall into all of his books, feeling as if I was there with the characters. SNARL is no different. The emotions, the situations, everything present stays in your mind long after reading.
The ending... absolute perfection, in my mind.
Highly recommended.
September 14, 2023
Snarl was a great book. The writing was wonderful and the characterization John Boden wove in such a short novella was amazing. Poor Marlin, led by love and grief to do something awful. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
October 29, 2023
The conflict in SNARL is a familiar theme with regular readers of crime. But what makes a huge difference is the quality of the story-telling, so impressive as to elevate this to a five-star rating.
John Boden begins with some stunning word-play and imagery in the prologue and doesn't let up. Every page has a note-worthy sentence or phrase. Visual, vivid, and vibrant - - memorable lines that feel poetic.
Prepare to be seriously impressed by the imagery created by the words. The prologue was a great tease with a clever metaphor.
While I had a feeling how this would end, it did not lessen the impact. Nor did I guess at the particulars. How tragic. And, that final scene at the "man-made" lake - - what a surprising ending! (and still tragic).
This one felt real; so I felt it. Deeply. Sadly. That's the power of the writer. SNARL made me feel like I was sitting across from main character Marlin at a diner or bar & grill (probably) and he was telling me his life-story.
There's been some discussion on the Horror Aficionados group read of SNARL regarding its' classification as horror. if I could only put one genre label on this, it would be crime. However, the most frightening kind of horror to me is the real-world kind that reveals the cruelty, evil, and extremes that man is capable of.
There is a supernatural element of sorts that could be enough to justify the horror genre-label. Call it crime, dark fantasy or horror - - the more labels it has the more attention it may garner - - and this work deserves more recognition simply for the poetic story-telling.
A quick read that will leave a lasting impression.
More review to follow . . . . . . .
John Boden begins with some stunning word-play and imagery in the prologue and doesn't let up. Every page has a note-worthy sentence or phrase. Visual, vivid, and vibrant - - memorable lines that feel poetic.
Prepare to be seriously impressed by the imagery created by the words. The prologue was a great tease with a clever metaphor.
While I had a feeling how this would end, it did not lessen the impact. Nor did I guess at the particulars. How tragic. And, that final scene at the "man-made" lake - - what a surprising ending! (and still tragic).
This one felt real; so I felt it. Deeply. Sadly. That's the power of the writer. SNARL made me feel like I was sitting across from main character Marlin at a diner or bar & grill (probably) and he was telling me his life-story.
There's been some discussion on the Horror Aficionados group read of SNARL regarding its' classification as horror. if I could only put one genre label on this, it would be crime. However, the most frightening kind of horror to me is the real-world kind that reveals the cruelty, evil, and extremes that man is capable of.
There is a supernatural element of sorts that could be enough to justify the horror genre-label. Call it crime, dark fantasy or horror - - the more labels it has the more attention it may garner - - and this work deserves more recognition simply for the poetic story-telling.
A quick read that will leave a lasting impression.
More review to follow . . . . . . .
September 20, 2023
There’s some kind of magic in the way Boden tells his tales. Always gut wrenching, and beautiful, and so damn raw. Truly, one of the most gifted authors out there, and you’re doing yourself a disservice if you aren’t reading his work.
August 13, 2023
Marlin Stains spends his lonely life caring for his sick mother, blaming himself for his twin brother's death before he was ever born, and writing out his thoughts in hundreds of notebooks.
"My thoughts, they're always like minnows. Dozens of them. All of them small but swimming fast, gasping when I catch 'em."
He never shares his writing. Maybe things would be different for him if he had. Maybe he knows this and feels he's not worthy of happiness or attention.
When a woman he has loved from afar ever since they were in the eighth grade tells him that her husband has been abusing her, he starts to consider the possibility of a different kind of life.
Snarl is a sorrowful tale of an unfortunate man and the disturbing path he found his life on. The grief and loneliness are palpable. I literally need a hug right now.
My emotions ran the gamut and ran me ragged while reading. This is my second time reading a John Boden novella, and I'll definitely be back for more.
My thanks to the author and Dead Sky Publishing.
"My thoughts, they're always like minnows. Dozens of them. All of them small but swimming fast, gasping when I catch 'em."
He never shares his writing. Maybe things would be different for him if he had. Maybe he knows this and feels he's not worthy of happiness or attention.
When a woman he has loved from afar ever since they were in the eighth grade tells him that her husband has been abusing her, he starts to consider the possibility of a different kind of life.
Snarl is a sorrowful tale of an unfortunate man and the disturbing path he found his life on. The grief and loneliness are palpable. I literally need a hug right now.
My emotions ran the gamut and ran me ragged while reading. This is my second time reading a John Boden novella, and I'll definitely be back for more.
My thanks to the author and Dead Sky Publishing.
June 11, 2024
A hard-living love story, both brutal and beautiful, and arguably John Boden's best work. Might even be my favourite. The poetic notebook placements throughout worked wonderfully. Twice I have read this, and I think the second time around was even better. Can't recommend this highly enough.
November 12, 2023
Recently, I’ve seen a few folks on Tik Tok and IG express some love for John Boden’s newest novella, ‘Snarl,’ and I realized it has been some time since I’ve visited his works. I’ve not read a lot of his work, a previous co-authored novella and maybe a half dozen short stories in anthologies, and each time I’ve really enjoyed his writing voice and the characters he creates. Much like Ronald Kelly and his approach – where you instantly know who you’re reading – John Boden is similar, which made for some excitement starting this one.
Odd now, that having read this one, sometimes when you’re reading multiple books by completely different authors, two stories end up being similar. Such was the case with ‘Snarl,’ having just finished ‘Humane Sacrifice’ by Felix I.D. Dimaro. In Dimaro’s, we follow Melvin, a man with a learning disability, living with his mom and willing to do whatever needs to be done for the love of his live, his cat Lucy.
Well, in ‘Snarl,’ we follow Marlin, a man who is a bit slow upstairs, who lives with his mom and who is willing to do whatever it takes to help the love of his live, in this case, his lifelong sweetheart, Lisa.
What I liked: As I just said, that is the entirety of the principle of this story. We’re in a small town, where everyone knows everyone and as it goes, everyone learns each others business. In this case, Lisa lets Marlin know that her husband is being abusive and wants to use Marlin as a way out, as a means to an end, no matter if Marlin gets hurt or not.
As if often the case, there is more going on than meets the eye. Marlin confides to a trusted friend about what Lisa has asked him to do. This results in blackmail, twisted words and a converging of several plot points that Boden works so very well to telegraph far in advance and still keep the tension high and the reader on the edge of their seat.
Couple that with Marlin struggling with the reality that in the womb, he was a twin and he lived, while his brother died. He has guilt over this, believing he killed his brother. And now, his mom is dying of Cancer and doesn’t have much time left. Boden weaves this narrative like a master throughout and adds in some introspective journal type entries throughout.
The ending is emotional and works so very well.
What I didn’t like: Much like I’ve seen mentioned on each IG post and Tik Tok video, I fall into the same category – the synopsis of this novella doesn’t do the story justice. I read the synopsis and was intrigued, a bit perplexed and wasn’t totally sure what I was going to be reading. But after I worked to push that aside and just let the story unfold, boy did it ever, and I think the story we end up getting is far more powerful than what we’re lead to believe.
Why you should buy this: If you love small-town, character driven narratives that has an interwoven story that is so very, very well done, look no further. This could’ve been a one sitting read if I didn’t have a bunch of other books on the go, and that’s 100% because John weaved a tale so perfect and pristine, I was grinning like a maniac the entire time.
Odd now, that having read this one, sometimes when you’re reading multiple books by completely different authors, two stories end up being similar. Such was the case with ‘Snarl,’ having just finished ‘Humane Sacrifice’ by Felix I.D. Dimaro. In Dimaro’s, we follow Melvin, a man with a learning disability, living with his mom and willing to do whatever needs to be done for the love of his live, his cat Lucy.
Well, in ‘Snarl,’ we follow Marlin, a man who is a bit slow upstairs, who lives with his mom and who is willing to do whatever it takes to help the love of his live, in this case, his lifelong sweetheart, Lisa.
What I liked: As I just said, that is the entirety of the principle of this story. We’re in a small town, where everyone knows everyone and as it goes, everyone learns each others business. In this case, Lisa lets Marlin know that her husband is being abusive and wants to use Marlin as a way out, as a means to an end, no matter if Marlin gets hurt or not.
As if often the case, there is more going on than meets the eye. Marlin confides to a trusted friend about what Lisa has asked him to do. This results in blackmail, twisted words and a converging of several plot points that Boden works so very well to telegraph far in advance and still keep the tension high and the reader on the edge of their seat.
Couple that with Marlin struggling with the reality that in the womb, he was a twin and he lived, while his brother died. He has guilt over this, believing he killed his brother. And now, his mom is dying of Cancer and doesn’t have much time left. Boden weaves this narrative like a master throughout and adds in some introspective journal type entries throughout.
The ending is emotional and works so very well.
What I didn’t like: Much like I’ve seen mentioned on each IG post and Tik Tok video, I fall into the same category – the synopsis of this novella doesn’t do the story justice. I read the synopsis and was intrigued, a bit perplexed and wasn’t totally sure what I was going to be reading. But after I worked to push that aside and just let the story unfold, boy did it ever, and I think the story we end up getting is far more powerful than what we’re lead to believe.
Why you should buy this: If you love small-town, character driven narratives that has an interwoven story that is so very, very well done, look no further. This could’ve been a one sitting read if I didn’t have a bunch of other books on the go, and that’s 100% because John weaved a tale so perfect and pristine, I was grinning like a maniac the entire time.
April 22, 2024
What a read. Mayhem, madness, murder. A gory delight with a pinch of suspense. Boden is slowly making his way into my list of fave horror writers. There is just something about his way with words that I enjoy reading so much. Creating a world that I can envisage so perfectly and then inhabiting it with characters I both equally root for and equally hate. An interesting and horrifying novella.
December 28, 2023
I'm a huge fan of John Boden and his Shineyisms. That's the word used for his beautiful, poetic turns of phrase. Snarl is full of quiet beauty and melancholy. It lives up to everything I hope a Boden book would be.
September 6, 2023
John Boden's prose never fails to fill me with wonder at its originality and raw beauty. This book is no exception! Snarl is yet another high achievement from a writer whose excellence is as reliable as darkness swallowing the day.
December 12, 2023
John Boden's 'Snarl' takes rural noir to an entirely different level, thanks to the vivid, quasi-poetic manner of storytelling, as well as the impressive imagery. Plotwise it's a rather common story, with familiar themes such as family issues, crime violence, and people whose plans backfire; the book's stunning writing, however, plus the smart idea of having as a central character a sort of a writer-poet genius, makes a huge difference to the narrative's point. The mother-son relationship seems to me to be what captures the story's element of horror; precisely because it is based on love, and it's getting slowly destroyed. The supernatural aspect, I felt, merely complements this progression, highlighting its most painful moments. The ending is a heart-breaking portrayal of the human condition, an instance of its frailty and cruelty. Overall, this is a story that hits hard in the feels and whose darkness provokes both dread and deep sadness. Highly recommended!
October 20, 2023
For under 100 pages, this definitely packed an emotional punch. Loved the writing and characters and just the overall dark and melancholy vibes. If you’re looking for a quick but thought provoking book, definitely give this a read.
September 9, 2024
Another haunting and beautifully realized tale from one of my favorite authors. Marlin's tale will live in my head for a long time. Big five stars!
November 9, 2023
"You've been good at plenty, you just never let any of it out of your head or your heart. You got notebooks full of what you're good at."
A tapestry of small-town torment, Snarl shines a flickering flashlight beam on the darker parts of the human soul. Marlin Stains has a rich internal world, and his interpersonal relationships are as complex as the notebooks he fills up with his secret ruminations. This book pulls you along into a nest of barbwire, and Boden's prose lacerates with love, longing, and betrayal. Death comes for what he's owed, sometimes with brutality, and other times with tenderness. Life is presented as a lake of mirrored glass, and in it, the reader sees shards of themselves.
This one is a concise and memorable ride, and it will make you feel, as all the best books should.
A tapestry of small-town torment, Snarl shines a flickering flashlight beam on the darker parts of the human soul. Marlin Stains has a rich internal world, and his interpersonal relationships are as complex as the notebooks he fills up with his secret ruminations. This book pulls you along into a nest of barbwire, and Boden's prose lacerates with love, longing, and betrayal. Death comes for what he's owed, sometimes with brutality, and other times with tenderness. Life is presented as a lake of mirrored glass, and in it, the reader sees shards of themselves.
This one is a concise and memorable ride, and it will make you feel, as all the best books should.
September 5, 2023
I don’t know how to start this one out. I just finished it and I want to start it all over again, but I know that I will never experience the same way again. But you can.
Marlin loves Lisa. Lisa is married to Joe who isn’t the nicest guy. And those not so nice ways are found out. Shenanigans ensue. Blackmail, backstabbing, and a cat all play into said shenanigans.
I needed this book in my life. My soul needed this book. Imagine if William Faulkner and Martin McDonagh had a literary love child and he wrote a book, it would be SNARL by John Boden. Faulkner’s ability to capture the smell, taste, sound, etc. of the surroundings are captured here numerous times and McDonagh, well, if you have read one of his plays or seen one of his movies, you know exactly the gritty, realistic feel I am alluding to.
Boden gives us so many beautiful lines in this story. Don’t believe me? Here are some of favorites (and please know, I highlighted about forty quotes):
“Ought to and should do don’t often match, Son. Ought is very rarely should and should is nearly never will.”
“Fast is for bandage pulling and slow is for glaciers. Sorrow and grief is a bit of both.”
“And he was made of secrets and glued together with guilt and regret.”
SNARL hurt. It’s a story of the love for a mother, guilt of the past that one has no control over, the want of affection, guilt as an excuse, and betrayal most bitter. Absolute and true perfection in a novella. Welcome to the last spot in my Top Ten list, Mr. Boden. You are amongst great company. A DOUBLE OFF THE CHARTS RECOMMENDATION 20/5.
Marlin loves Lisa. Lisa is married to Joe who isn’t the nicest guy. And those not so nice ways are found out. Shenanigans ensue. Blackmail, backstabbing, and a cat all play into said shenanigans.
I needed this book in my life. My soul needed this book. Imagine if William Faulkner and Martin McDonagh had a literary love child and he wrote a book, it would be SNARL by John Boden. Faulkner’s ability to capture the smell, taste, sound, etc. of the surroundings are captured here numerous times and McDonagh, well, if you have read one of his plays or seen one of his movies, you know exactly the gritty, realistic feel I am alluding to.
Boden gives us so many beautiful lines in this story. Don’t believe me? Here are some of favorites (and please know, I highlighted about forty quotes):
“Ought to and should do don’t often match, Son. Ought is very rarely should and should is nearly never will.”
“Fast is for bandage pulling and slow is for glaciers. Sorrow and grief is a bit of both.”
“And he was made of secrets and glued together with guilt and regret.”
SNARL hurt. It’s a story of the love for a mother, guilt of the past that one has no control over, the want of affection, guilt as an excuse, and betrayal most bitter. Absolute and true perfection in a novella. Welcome to the last spot in my Top Ten list, Mr. Boden. You are amongst great company. A DOUBLE OFF THE CHARTS RECOMMENDATION 20/5.
July 1, 2023
"Being is tiresome."
John Boden has a knack for creating characters that latch on the reader's heart like a remora, and Marlin Stains is hardly an exception. Snarl packs in so many wonderful character moments between Marlin and his mother, all imbued with Boden's exceptional penchant for prose that cherry picks words that are somehow perfect, and that no other writer would have thought to use. Case in point, Marlin's mother falls asleep in front of the television, its "volume turned so low, it sounded like a conscience."
The story is mysterious, touching, and at times, brutal, both in a tangible and emotional sense. Yet when you reach the ending, every word you invested in, every page turned, will be rewarded. No one writes like John Boden, and this just might be his best yet.
John Boden has a knack for creating characters that latch on the reader's heart like a remora, and Marlin Stains is hardly an exception. Snarl packs in so many wonderful character moments between Marlin and his mother, all imbued with Boden's exceptional penchant for prose that cherry picks words that are somehow perfect, and that no other writer would have thought to use. Case in point, Marlin's mother falls asleep in front of the television, its "volume turned so low, it sounded like a conscience."
The story is mysterious, touching, and at times, brutal, both in a tangible and emotional sense. Yet when you reach the ending, every word you invested in, every page turned, will be rewarded. No one writes like John Boden, and this just might be his best yet.
January 16, 2024
Psychologist: “So, tell me why you’re here.”
Me: “I feel betrayed, and hurt.”
Psychologist: “By who?”
Me: “John Boden.”
Psychologist: “Please elaborate.”
Me: “Well, doc, it’s like this. Have you ever seen a beautiful flower? I mean an astonishingly beautiful
flower, that is just swaying in the breeze? You’re so enamored by it, that you just have to see it up
close?”
Psychologist: “I have. Go on.”
Me: “So you think to yourself, ‘I need to get a closer look, and maybe it’s scent will be just as beautiful’,
only when you do, you find that it isn’t swaying in the breeze, but that the movement is caused by
millions of aphids just devouring the flower, and it’s actually dead inside.”
Psychologist: “WHAT?!”
Me: “Well, that’s the best analogy I can come up with to describe John’s writing...”
John writes with such beauty, and style – it truly is a wonderful thing to behold. He has this ability to
make you feel strong emotions towards his characters, and very polarizing feelings; he makes you love
some, and absolutely despise others, all the while having his hand on the trapdoor handle – just ready to
drop the trap door, and leave you hanging in the noose.
SNARL is a fitting example of this talent. Marlin is that loveable loser, the one you root for all through
the book. Will he finally get the girl that he has been pining for all his life? Will he finally forgive himself
for something he never had control over in the first place – the death of his twin in the womb? Will
anyone ever get to see the words he writes in countless notebooks? And just how far will the motherson bond push someone?
It’s the heart-wrenching ending that pushed me over the edge to imagine the counseling I started this
review with. It was unseen, unwarranted, but precisely the ending I would expect from a master like
Boden.
If you haven’t read anything by him (despite my other reviews), this would be a great novella to start
with.
Me: “I feel betrayed, and hurt.”
Psychologist: “By who?”
Me: “John Boden.”
Psychologist: “Please elaborate.”
Me: “Well, doc, it’s like this. Have you ever seen a beautiful flower? I mean an astonishingly beautiful
flower, that is just swaying in the breeze? You’re so enamored by it, that you just have to see it up
close?”
Psychologist: “I have. Go on.”
Me: “So you think to yourself, ‘I need to get a closer look, and maybe it’s scent will be just as beautiful’,
only when you do, you find that it isn’t swaying in the breeze, but that the movement is caused by
millions of aphids just devouring the flower, and it’s actually dead inside.”
Psychologist: “WHAT?!”
Me: “Well, that’s the best analogy I can come up with to describe John’s writing...”
John writes with such beauty, and style – it truly is a wonderful thing to behold. He has this ability to
make you feel strong emotions towards his characters, and very polarizing feelings; he makes you love
some, and absolutely despise others, all the while having his hand on the trapdoor handle – just ready to
drop the trap door, and leave you hanging in the noose.
SNARL is a fitting example of this talent. Marlin is that loveable loser, the one you root for all through
the book. Will he finally get the girl that he has been pining for all his life? Will he finally forgive himself
for something he never had control over in the first place – the death of his twin in the womb? Will
anyone ever get to see the words he writes in countless notebooks? And just how far will the motherson bond push someone?
It’s the heart-wrenching ending that pushed me over the edge to imagine the counseling I started this
review with. It was unseen, unwarranted, but precisely the ending I would expect from a master like
Boden.
If you haven’t read anything by him (despite my other reviews), this would be a great novella to start
with.
January 29, 2025
Marlin Stains killed his twin brother in the womb, buried his own father when he was a young man., and has spent his life filling the 300 notebooks with sweet prose and language work that he shares with no one. This is either dreadful, as I thought when I ended up not finishing it, or it’s brilliant, when looking back and wondering whether the author was playing with both words and the reader. I am just so slow on the uptake and ended up being so fascinated by how awful the language is.
’All my stillborn dreams have lain rotten for so long … I’m like wet hay in a closed-up barn.’
the author claims, and then later reflects on love that
can be both sweet water and vinegar, from treat to final sip. It can coat parched lips like fine sugar or crushed glass, and we will lick it away with eager tongues. The soothing liquid, suddenly salty and threaded red as it coats our throats but leaves us dying of thirst, which is just how we like it.
And later, my favorite..
“What is it?” He managed. The question coming out like a desiccated thing.
I was going to give it 1 star, but have been wondering whether this might be a masterpiece and I initially misread it , like a fly saying pooh when landing of some smelly human excrement and missing its banqueting potential. I’ll go for the mid point and think about rereading in the future.
’All my stillborn dreams have lain rotten for so long … I’m like wet hay in a closed-up barn.’
the author claims, and then later reflects on love that
can be both sweet water and vinegar, from treat to final sip. It can coat parched lips like fine sugar or crushed glass, and we will lick it away with eager tongues. The soothing liquid, suddenly salty and threaded red as it coats our throats but leaves us dying of thirst, which is just how we like it.
And later, my favorite..
“What is it?” He managed. The question coming out like a desiccated thing.
I was going to give it 1 star, but have been wondering whether this might be a masterpiece and I initially misread it , like a fly saying pooh when landing of some smelly human excrement and missing its banqueting potential. I’ll go for the mid point and think about rereading in the future.
October 4, 2023
I was lucky enough to get a copy of "Snarl" from Dead Sky Publishing. Thank you!
I just love John Boden. He's a wonderful human being and an emperor of the written word. I read this book at an interesting time in my life, where my own mother had just passed away from lung cancer. I found myself wracked with sobs reading about the main character, Marlin, taking care of his dying mother, and her own attitude towards life knowing she'd soon be reaching the end.
Marlin is a soft touch. He loves his mother dearly, wishes he knew his father, and has real guilt about his twin brother not making it out of the womb with him. When a girl Marlin's always adored comes to him about her abusive spouse, he finds himself ready to take action and fight for justice. One of my favourite lines in the book was, "I just want you to realize that no one is just as you see. The person you see and know or think you do, has an entirely different person within themselves. Usually, a being of shadow and things that squirm from the brightness of light."
As always, Boden's descriptions employ vivid imagery that you can see in your mind with the utmost clarity and feel in your heart like a gentle dagger. With a long and dark shadow, this dusky rose has its thorns, and they will make your whole body weep.
I just love John Boden. He's a wonderful human being and an emperor of the written word. I read this book at an interesting time in my life, where my own mother had just passed away from lung cancer. I found myself wracked with sobs reading about the main character, Marlin, taking care of his dying mother, and her own attitude towards life knowing she'd soon be reaching the end.
Marlin is a soft touch. He loves his mother dearly, wishes he knew his father, and has real guilt about his twin brother not making it out of the womb with him. When a girl Marlin's always adored comes to him about her abusive spouse, he finds himself ready to take action and fight for justice. One of my favourite lines in the book was, "I just want you to realize that no one is just as you see. The person you see and know or think you do, has an entirely different person within themselves. Usually, a being of shadow and things that squirm from the brightness of light."
As always, Boden's descriptions employ vivid imagery that you can see in your mind with the utmost clarity and feel in your heart like a gentle dagger. With a long and dark shadow, this dusky rose has its thorns, and they will make your whole body weep.
August 17, 2023
I had the absolute pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of Snarl by John Boden. In the week that I have had it, I read it three times. The first time was a barrel race out of excitement because I’m always ready/not-ready for a Boden written book. Snarl is a finely hewn novella with some sharp nicks that no amount of sandpaper could refine. And that’s how we want it. A long and anxious uphill to a screaming level 5 coaster of a conclusion…. I never wanted it to end but by the time I figured out who to love, who to hate and who my heart was bleeding for…. Well. That’s when I read it for the third time.
This author crafts sentences and builds characters like Michelangelo painted, like Stevie Ray played and like Sinead sang. Every page brings out another nuance and another bite at it brings something new. And yes. I cried. A truly great novella. And did you really use Sisyphus as a verb? Genius.
Thank you for trusting me with an ARC. Every next one leaves me anxious for the next one. And sometimes… just plain anxious. 😁
September 15, 2023
Thank you to @kayepublicity for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
This was such a fun novella to read, and my first by John Boden, but definitely not my last! I loved the writing, the characters, and the emotion that Boden brings to the pages with this novella. Biden brings to life the characters and the words on the pages-both of which are dark, mysterious, brutal, sad, lonely, sorrowful, and unfortunate. The delicately descriptive writing captured me and sucked me in. Also, that ending sealed the deal for me! 🙌🏻 Oh how I enjoyed this so much and cannot wait to read more from this author!
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡���𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞?
If you are looking for a quick and enjoyable horror novella for this spooky season you definitely should check this one out!
𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
This was such a fun novella to read, and my first by John Boden, but definitely not my last! I loved the writing, the characters, and the emotion that Boden brings to the pages with this novella. Biden brings to life the characters and the words on the pages-both of which are dark, mysterious, brutal, sad, lonely, sorrowful, and unfortunate. The delicately descriptive writing captured me and sucked me in. Also, that ending sealed the deal for me! 🙌🏻 Oh how I enjoyed this so much and cannot wait to read more from this author!
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡���𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞?
If you are looking for a quick and enjoyable horror novella for this spooky season you definitely should check this one out!
𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5
November 25, 2023
“Fast is for bandage pulling and slow is for glaciers. Sorrow and grief is a bit of both.”
Snarl is a tale of a small town—it could be yours—where when someone pulls on one thread, the whole community becomes irrevocably tangled. The novella, while short enough to be finished in one sitting, packs a wallop in its lineup of heavily flawed, well flushed out characters, from a man caring for his dying mother to an abused wife whose plan of escape might be three steps ahead of anyone’s foresight.
Boden employs an arsenal of effective allusions in his writing, from Don Quixote and Sisyphus to the monster Charybdis, as well as skillfully selected metaphors (“His brain was practically buzzing with activity. Grand Central Station teaming with fire ants”) and all of it works. Bonus points for creating the best cat (yes, cat) in all of speculative literature.
Snarl is a tale of a small town—it could be yours—where when someone pulls on one thread, the whole community becomes irrevocably tangled. The novella, while short enough to be finished in one sitting, packs a wallop in its lineup of heavily flawed, well flushed out characters, from a man caring for his dying mother to an abused wife whose plan of escape might be three steps ahead of anyone’s foresight.
Boden employs an arsenal of effective allusions in his writing, from Don Quixote and Sisyphus to the monster Charybdis, as well as skillfully selected metaphors (“His brain was practically buzzing with activity. Grand Central Station teaming with fire ants”) and all of it works. Bonus points for creating the best cat (yes, cat) in all of speculative literature.
November 2, 2023
When John Boden picks up a pen, it becomes a surgical steel scalpel, its sole purpose the carving of muscle, meat, and tendon, the reshaping of lumps of creative flesh into complex character studies.
You can read Shane D. Keene's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Shane D. Keene's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
January 31, 2024
We are guaranteed nothing in life except the understanding that everything ends. We can’t escape it. We can only work with what we have and attempt to better ourselves. This type of thinking is not for everyone, though, and many of the characters in Boden’s lastest eat at this belief. There are people to root for, there are also some very killer turns of phrase and descriptions, but the cruelest cut of all comes when the curtain lifts and you realize to some you never really mattered at all. Go forth, seek out, purchase and enjoy. Tell ‘em another lover of Snarl sent you.
September 5, 2023
The ending made it up for me, but I feel like most of the beginning lost me just because of how quick things would move between things, and I’m not sure the writing was for me. But like I said the ending made up for it for me!
September 13, 2023
I could not put this book down! John's words pull you into Marlin's world from the very beginning. So many different emotions, grabbing your attention until the very last page. Excellent story by a great writer. I highly recommend this! Well done John Boden.
November 4, 2023
Short, sweet and almost rythmic in the prose, John Boden is a name to keep an eye on. Story was very strong and ending was a true heartbreaker. I know it's nitpicking, but all I want to see next from Mr. Boden is a full length novel.
September 5, 2023
Fantastic rural noir with a dash of dark fantasy and a tear-inducing end only Boden could create. Maybe his finest work yet. My highest recommendation.
March 14, 2024
I don't have words. Marlin did, though, and always so does John Boden. Disarming and heartbreaking, start to shaky-breathed finish.
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