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Rural Decay #1
Rural Decay
Jack Buckley always admired his father. even after he found out he was a serial killer. As Jack grows older, and he begins helping his father, he begins to develop an unhealthy obsession with him; an obsession that would send both of their lives crumbling into decay.
From Jason Nickey, Author of ‘Wreckage’, comes a new story of extreme horror.
From Jason Nickey, Author of ‘Wreckage’, comes a new story of extreme horror.
102 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2024
35 people are currently reading
932 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
April 11, 2025
It's been a while since I've read that particular flavor of splatterpunk so it was almost refreshing? The kill scenes were decently creative and described just viscerally enough to be gross without getting wet puppet goofy.
September 24, 2025
Jesus Christ, this was a rough story. Very, very good and impactful, but not at all for the faint of heart. Molestation, rape, body horror, and psychological abuse were all aplenty here. Now, I've been accused of being too harsh on critiquing certain author's styles, specifically splatterpunk, which is a bit puzzling. I do very much enjoy those types of books and have read tons of them over the years. I tend to just review books by letting others know my feelings on the overall experience, and what I thought worked vs what didn't. And if something didn't, I put out some general ideas to help the author further fine-tune their approach moving forward. Never do I just needlessly smash up a story and give it a 1-star rating or anything like that. So, the reason I'm divulging all of this is because the critiques towards my reviewing are unjust. Jason Nickey, as this most recent example, was able to perfectly blend all of the aforementioned themes and plot points, which are all very sensitive subjects. None of it felt out of place or forced, and it all flowed within the overarching plot of the story. And a huge kudos for that, because very few writers can accomplish what he had done here. The lead, Jack, and his entire process with his murderous father was done beautifully. The confusion, the abuse, the trauma, all of it was just spot on. Now most writers of splatterpunk and extreme horror, just to be extreme, shove boundless amounts of rape, torture, and whatever else into the reader's face, most of which have no proper context. And the end result is something not enjoyable and comes across as sloppy. Like, "How many times can I work the words cock, blood, and laceration into a hundred pages." Very blah stuff. And then they will blame others for pointing out the obvious, in that their writing quality is subpar. They should be focused on writing a decent story and then working in those heavier themes as needed. Not the other way around. Would be a huge uptick in the quality. But, then again, not my fault that some writers have such thin skin that they attack anyone who doesn't give them glowing 5-star reviews. They don't want honesty, they want coddling. Oh well, they won't learn and develop their potential talent and that's their problem. Can't fight city hall, as they say. Here I go, rambling on like an old man again. The horror community is just a mess. But kudos to Jason Nickey here. This was, by far, my favorite book of his, and he should be very proud of the high standard he set for other horror writers. On a side note, he also name-dropped Jonathan Butcher, who I also highly respect as a super talented extreme horror writer.
March 19, 2025
Books read & reviewed: 1️⃣1️⃣5️⃣🥖4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
╔⏤⏤⏤╝❀╚⏤⏤⏤╗
5️⃣🌟, small wins am i right? 👍🎉
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
(Bulk review March 18 Since i read 7 books today, all of it's pretty short so it's not really that revolutionary review #7)
Guy has a very sick father who does very sick things And does so With his son like a really wholesome really not Totally not Fucked up in any way Father and Son relationship,. Father continuously Encourages son To assist him with his murders Does so While the son is having a blissfully innocent life Thinking that they're just playing... GREAT
Now son grows up, And surprisingly instead of becoming attracted to women Because that's what all Their murder Adventures 🤩 All centers around...HE BECOMES GAY.
lezgoooooo, small wins am I right?? 🥰🎉
But now he's Suddenly attracted to his father Because..duh, Broken teenagers does Broken teenager things. Well that's not good 😞 😔
So I actually feel sympathy for him He truly deserves more Than what the author intended him to have on the ending 😭
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
Date Read: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Book Length: 15k words: short
Disturbingness scale: I actually sympathize for this character out of 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ potatoes 🥔: 5️⃣8️⃣
My 29th read of splatterpunk march ✨
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*Pre-Read✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
IT WAS SO Hard to find this book 😭😭😭
╔⏤⏤⏤╝❀╚⏤⏤⏤╗
5️⃣🌟, small wins am i right? 👍🎉
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
(Bulk review March 18 Since i read 7 books today, all of it's pretty short so it's not really that revolutionary review #7)
Guy has a very sick father who does very sick things And does so With his son like a really wholesome really not Totally not Fucked up in any way Father and Son relationship,. Father continuously Encourages son To assist him with his murders Does so While the son is having a blissfully innocent life Thinking that they're just playing... GREAT
Now son grows up, And surprisingly instead of becoming attracted to women Because that's what all Their murder Adventures 🤩 All centers around...HE BECOMES GAY.
lezgoooooo, small wins am I right?? 🥰🎉
But now he's Suddenly attracted to his father Because..duh, Broken teenagers does Broken teenager things. Well that's not good 😞 😔
So I actually feel sympathy for him He truly deserves more Than what the author intended him to have on the ending 😭
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
Date Read: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Book Length: 15k words: short
Disturbingness scale: I actually sympathize for this character out of 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ potatoes 🥔: 5️⃣8️⃣
My 29th read of splatterpunk march ✨
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*Pre-Read✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
IT WAS SO Hard to find this book 😭😭😭
December 31, 2024
Holy yikes, that was brutal!! Father and son, serial killer DNA, whole lotta wrongness! Expertly written. Exhaustingly violent. I am becoming obsessed with Jason's storytelling abilities!
February 2, 2025
This was a tough story to read and even though it was an extreme horror book, it actually bought a tear to my eye at the end...strange but true! 😔
Very shocking and disturbing, but I loved it,the story flowed easily with good characters.
Some parts were hard to digest...and were pretty sick...so read with caution ⚠️
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟's for Jason Nickey...my first book by this author and it certainly won't be the last!
A Great Book 😁 📖
Very shocking and disturbing, but I loved it,the story flowed easily with good characters.
Some parts were hard to digest...and were pretty sick...so read with caution ⚠️
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟's for Jason Nickey...my first book by this author and it certainly won't be the last!
A Great Book 😁 📖
January 31, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔪🔪🔪🔪
Fascination and genetics led to a father/son serial killing spree!
A shame the son’s sexual urges had to ruin their fun!
Loved the ending!
🔪🔪🔪🔪
Fascination and genetics led to a father/son serial killing spree!
A shame the son’s sexual urges had to ruin their fun!
Loved the ending!
June 22, 2024
I received this book is an ark and I am just now getting a chance to leave a review.
This being Jason’s first solo splatter book It did not fall short of anything that he has ever put out. This is a horrific tale of a father and son. Although I have read everything to date that Jason has put out I can’t say this is my favorite book from him, but I can definitely say it is one of them.. I highly recommend this to only people who enjoy the darkest of books. And of course, as always, I highly recommend everything that Jason puts out.
This being Jason’s first solo splatter book It did not fall short of anything that he has ever put out. This is a horrific tale of a father and son. Although I have read everything to date that Jason has put out I can’t say this is my favorite book from him, but I can definitely say it is one of them.. I highly recommend this to only people who enjoy the darkest of books. And of course, as always, I highly recommend everything that Jason puts out.
July 7, 2024
2.5⭐
Not the best.
Not the best.
August 11, 2024
This story has pretty much left me speechless…
A serial killer brings his son into the family business. Blood, depravity, violence… it’s definitely found in abundance amongst these pages.
A serial killer brings his son into the family business. Blood, depravity, violence… it’s definitely found in abundance amongst these pages.
August 7, 2024
If you want a deeply disturbing quick read.. this is the one.
January 28, 2025
I loved it!
Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
Rural Decay by Jason Nickey is a brutal and gripping short horror story.
The main character’s dad feels like the dream parent for aspiring serial killers, if you can imagine that.
I cringed, I laughed, and I was thoroughly disturbed.
Highly recommended for fans of extreme horror!
Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
Rural Decay by Jason Nickey is a brutal and gripping short horror story.
The main character’s dad feels like the dream parent for aspiring serial killers, if you can imagine that.
I cringed, I laughed, and I was thoroughly disturbed.
Highly recommended for fans of extreme horror!
May 12, 2024
This was a very brutal and interesting story about a father and son with some secrets. This is my favorite Jason Nickey novella so far.
March 29, 2025
Rural Decay is a disturbing and gripping book that takes readers deep into the darkest parts of the human mind. The story follows Jack Buckley who, despite discovering that his father is a serial killer, continues to admire and later assist him in his crimes. As Jack grows older, his relationship with his father deepens into an unhealthy obsession, leading both of their lives toward a horrific ending.
This was my first time reading this author, and I have to say, it’s incredibly impressive. Rural Decay is by far one of the most disturbing books I’ve read this year. The characters Jack and his father are repulsive, but it’s their twisted behavior that makes the story so captivating. The depth of their dysfunction is shocking, yet fascinating.
The pacing of the story is perfect. It doesn’t feel like it’s simply written for shock value. The narrative flows seamlessly, weaving a dark tale that highlights the fragility of the human mind and how obsession can drive someone. The ending is brilliant and leaves a lasting impact.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It dives deep into disturbing themes and paints a bleak picture of human nature. However, for fans of the genre, Rural Decay is a must-read. I'll definitely be grabbing the next one in the series.
This was my first time reading this author, and I have to say, it’s incredibly impressive. Rural Decay is by far one of the most disturbing books I’ve read this year. The characters Jack and his father are repulsive, but it’s their twisted behavior that makes the story so captivating. The depth of their dysfunction is shocking, yet fascinating.
The pacing of the story is perfect. It doesn’t feel like it’s simply written for shock value. The narrative flows seamlessly, weaving a dark tale that highlights the fragility of the human mind and how obsession can drive someone. The ending is brilliant and leaves a lasting impact.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It dives deep into disturbing themes and paints a bleak picture of human nature. However, for fans of the genre, Rural Decay is a must-read. I'll definitely be grabbing the next one in the series.
May 3, 2024
Nickey gives us an extremely uncomfortable novella with RURAL DECAY.
What happens when the man you look up to is also a monster? But you kinda like the monster… in more ways than one? This is definitely not for those who are beginning to dabble in extreme horror, wait a couple of books then jump into this one.
The one thing that makes Jason standout as an author is the ability to write some of the sickest shit but as a reader you just can’t stop reading it! It’s impressive.
Read if you enjoy reading: the woods as a setting, dysfunctional families, ladies being tortured, or just because.
Don’t read it if you have the following triggers: torture, rape, incest, or kidnapping.
What happens when the man you look up to is also a monster? But you kinda like the monster… in more ways than one? This is definitely not for those who are beginning to dabble in extreme horror, wait a couple of books then jump into this one.
The one thing that makes Jason standout as an author is the ability to write some of the sickest shit but as a reader you just can’t stop reading it! It’s impressive.
Read if you enjoy reading: the woods as a setting, dysfunctional families, ladies being tortured, or just because.
Don’t read it if you have the following triggers: torture, rape, incest, or kidnapping.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2025
Holy fuck. This is one of "those" books, lol. I recommend all of Jason's work, this is for a select audience for sure HA! Pure debauchery, I can't really explain. I don't really want to explain. Read this and you won't want to explain either.
Here's 5 lines from the book, out of context and order, each making me either laugh out loud, wince in pain, become nauseated, question my own morality, or a combination of them all.
- "Can I keep these?" I asked.
- "Pretend she's the ball."
- "Tonight was just a special occasion."
- "You can't tell me you aren't hard as a rock right now."
- "Crawl!"
5/5 Skulls from me! ☠☠☠☠☠
Here's 5 lines from the book, out of context and order, each making me either laugh out loud, wince in pain, become nauseated, question my own morality, or a combination of them all.
- "Can I keep these?" I asked.
- "Pretend she's the ball."
- "Tonight was just a special occasion."
- "You can't tell me you aren't hard as a rock right now."
- "Crawl!"
5/5 Skulls from me! ☠☠☠☠☠
March 30, 2025
-1 ⭐️
61 pages of pure fucking insanity 😂. idk if yall ever seen that one criminal mind episode where the dad was using his son to kidnap women. well its basically that but sick & twisted, the son has had a weird obsession with his father since he was a child & when he found out his father was a murderer & rapist that just excited him more, cause hello sick & twisted anyways the only saving grace was the end. burn it, did i say stand there & look stupid no i said BURN ITTTT
61 pages of pure fucking insanity 😂. idk if yall ever seen that one criminal mind episode where the dad was using his son to kidnap women. well its basically that but sick & twisted, the son has had a weird obsession with his father since he was a child & when he found out his father was a murderer & rapist that just excited him more, cause hello sick & twisted anyways the only saving grace was the end. burn it, did i say stand there & look stupid no i said BURN ITTTT
April 26, 2024
I felt like I was grinding my teeth the whole time while reading this. Jason knows how to write a good story but damn this was GREAT! It's a twisted tale of father and son like you've never read before-- guaranteed! When it drops, buy the book and you won't be disappointed. That's all I'm gonna say. Just read it!
May 8, 2024
Holy smokes!
This book is unbelievably intense! It’s sick, brutal, and hard to read in parts… it’s perfect! If this is Jason’s solo debut, I’m super excited to see what he has in store for us! Utterly brilliant… 🫀🫀🫀🫀🫀
This book is unbelievably intense! It’s sick, brutal, and hard to read in parts… it’s perfect! If this is Jason’s solo debut, I’m super excited to see what he has in store for us! Utterly brilliant… 🫀🫀🫀🫀🫀
February 4, 2025
😧😨😨😨
Edit: I saw what is a now deleted comment to this post. So I'll address that here with, I guess, an unofficial review.
Original comment: "So did she like the story or not? My fellow WV friend, I've been noticing that females just don't get what splatterpunk is!"
I totally understand what the genre is and what it entails. However, my issues with these kinds of stories isn’t the content but more so the execution, originality, and the overall lack of nuance.
I could get through graphic content like gore or sa, however, if this is the only thing driving the story and characters (and can be removed and not change anything), then this is an issue, storytelling wise. Love dark content, but the narratives become really repetitive.
And there is so much that can go into the genre but doesn't. In this case, I don't care to look for why Jack's father does what he does but I wanted more of Jack's mentality and more of the reasons he would be okay with his father's crimes. Like the power imbalances throughout the story, HELLO!!
With Rural Decay, I actually enjoyed the story. I also really hated the ending because I was lowkey rooting for Jack (not because I liked him as a character but because of the POTENTIAL). I love me some depravity and would have loved to see how worse he could get.
No disrespect to the author—I’m all for learning and growth! And I realized this was Nickey's ‘extreme horror debut,’ soooo I will definitely be checking out more of his stories in the future.
Edit: I saw what is a now deleted comment to this post. So I'll address that here with, I guess, an unofficial review.
Original comment: "So did she like the story or not? My fellow WV friend, I've been noticing that females just don't get what splatterpunk is!"
I totally understand what the genre is and what it entails. However, my issues with these kinds of stories isn’t the content but more so the execution, originality, and the overall lack of nuance.
I could get through graphic content like gore or sa, however, if this is the only thing driving the story and characters (and can be removed and not change anything), then this is an issue, storytelling wise. Love dark content, but the narratives become really repetitive.
And there is so much that can go into the genre but doesn't. In this case, I don't care to look for why Jack's father does what he does but I wanted more of Jack's mentality and more of the reasons he would be okay with his father's crimes. Like the power imbalances throughout the story, HELLO!!
With Rural Decay, I actually enjoyed the story. I also really hated the ending because I was lowkey rooting for Jack (not because I liked him as a character but because of the POTENTIAL). I love me some depravity and would have loved to see how worse he could get.
No disrespect to the author—I’m all for learning and growth! And I realized this was Nickey's ‘extreme horror debut,’ soooo I will definitely be checking out more of his stories in the future.
May 15, 2024
Goddamn dude
January 12, 2025
"𝐇𝐞𝐲, 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮?" 𝐀 𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧.
As part of my promise to read my backlist titles this year, RURAL DECAY was one of the first on my list. If Appalachian Horror isn't a thing, it very well should be, and leading the pack would be Jason Nickey.
Jack Buckley always idolized his father, even after finding out the man was a serial killer. He couldn't believe the same hands that tucked him into bed so tenderly at night were the same hands that he saw brutalize women. When caught in the act by his young son, he allows Jack to watch, and what follows is something so horrific, that even seasoned horror readers will be shocked.
Brutal, bleak, yet beautifully written, RURAL DECAY is a brief yet visceral read that reminds us that all too often, the sins of the father are visited upon the son. Available now in paperback and on KU.
As part of my promise to read my backlist titles this year, RURAL DECAY was one of the first on my list. If Appalachian Horror isn't a thing, it very well should be, and leading the pack would be Jason Nickey.
Jack Buckley always idolized his father, even after finding out the man was a serial killer. He couldn't believe the same hands that tucked him into bed so tenderly at night were the same hands that he saw brutalize women. When caught in the act by his young son, he allows Jack to watch, and what follows is something so horrific, that even seasoned horror readers will be shocked.
Brutal, bleak, yet beautifully written, RURAL DECAY is a brief yet visceral read that reminds us that all too often, the sins of the father are visited upon the son. Available now in paperback and on KU.
June 13, 2024
Jack's always looked up to his daddy. He thought he was strong and the best guy he's ever known. One day, Jack becomes curious about what daddy does in the cabin out back. Once he realizes what his daddy does, instead of being scared he starts to help him while fighting off feelings for him.
Wow. This was taboo as fuck but I did enjoy it. I enjoy when the parents mold their kids into being insane like them trope and this book delivered just that! It was ruthless, bloody, taboo, and overall a good read. I felt icky at certain parts but I still enjoyed myself. My first book from Jason and it won't be my last! I definitely recommend if you can handle it!
Wow. This was taboo as fuck but I did enjoy it. I enjoy when the parents mold their kids into being insane like them trope and this book delivered just that! It was ruthless, bloody, taboo, and overall a good read. I felt icky at certain parts but I still enjoyed myself. My first book from Jason and it won't be my last! I definitely recommend if you can handle it!
May 22, 2024
Jason Nickey never ceases to blow my mind. His writing is so damn good and I know there's always a huge plot twist ahead but I never see them coming.
Rural Decay is absolutely EXTREME. This won't be for everyone and the warnings should be taken seriously. This was such a twisted and repulsively sickening read that still managed to have my heart ripped in two.
If you enjoy reading about serial killers, this is for you!
Rural Decay is absolutely EXTREME. This won't be for everyone and the warnings should be taken seriously. This was such a twisted and repulsively sickening read that still managed to have my heart ripped in two.
If you enjoy reading about serial killers, this is for you!
June 9, 2024
Being someone who has read every single thing that Jason Nickey released, This by far is my favorite.
July 7, 2024
Fuckin’ hell this was hard to read 😬
May 19, 2024
This is Jason’s debut solo extreme horror novella, a quick read, with serious daddy issues that packs one heck of a punch!! A brilliantly clever, darkly twisted story of loyalty, forbidden love, irony and revenge. Its shocking, disturbing, heartbreaking, horrifying and seriously sinister…. and I fucking loved it!! 🖤
Jack adores his father, strong, dedicated, hard-working, loving ... .murderous man that he is. He can do no wrong in Jack’s eyes, and a devoted young Jack aspires to be just like him. Just….like….him! Except in one way….
At just 7 years old, he discovers the shocking truth behind why his father often goes to the cabin behind their house, and, like father like son, they quickly become a team and start doing everything together, his father teaching him everything he knows!
As Jack gets older, his desires and urges get elevated, he gets bored of doing the same thing and decides to take matters into his own hands. With dire consequences.
A son’s love for his father can be all encompassing, if unreciprocated, and when it gets out of control, things change quickly, until it looks like history may well repeat itself, and Jack’s fear of having everything ripped away from him, again, makes him run. But he runs right into trouble, trouble he could never have imagined the likes of..
Karma is a massive, brutal bitch, and what comes around, goes around, full bloody circle!
This was an immersive and gripping read, but also a little confusing in that you were genuinely moved at first, by the relationship between father and son, but the stuff they were bonding over was so utterly wrong, vile, debauched and depraved, that you felt bad for feeling that way too. Although, your emotions are quickly turned as the story progresses and the acts involved get so completely abhorrent!
Jason….I need more! 🖤
Jack adores his father, strong, dedicated, hard-working, loving ... .murderous man that he is. He can do no wrong in Jack’s eyes, and a devoted young Jack aspires to be just like him. Just….like….him! Except in one way….
At just 7 years old, he discovers the shocking truth behind why his father often goes to the cabin behind their house, and, like father like son, they quickly become a team and start doing everything together, his father teaching him everything he knows!
As Jack gets older, his desires and urges get elevated, he gets bored of doing the same thing and decides to take matters into his own hands. With dire consequences.
A son’s love for his father can be all encompassing, if unreciprocated, and when it gets out of control, things change quickly, until it looks like history may well repeat itself, and Jack’s fear of having everything ripped away from him, again, makes him run. But he runs right into trouble, trouble he could never have imagined the likes of..
Karma is a massive, brutal bitch, and what comes around, goes around, full bloody circle!
This was an immersive and gripping read, but also a little confusing in that you were genuinely moved at first, by the relationship between father and son, but the stuff they were bonding over was so utterly wrong, vile, debauched and depraved, that you felt bad for feeling that way too. Although, your emotions are quickly turned as the story progresses and the acts involved get so completely abhorrent!
Jason….I need more! 🖤
May 25, 2025
This is probably the most “WTF did I just read” book I’ve read so far, but that delivers a message at the same time.
This author always manages to pull me into the story from the beginning, not just from a plot point of view, but because of how nuanced the characters are. Whilst the story is disturbing for so many reasons, I also felt emotional towards both the father and son and their relationship. Although the father is a heinous character, I couldn’t fully hate him and I hated myself for that as I was listening to the audiobook. This I believe is down to the author’s skills for writing characters that are flawed like we are.
There is such a twist in the story that changes everything and that had me pause to reflect on human behaviour and morality. I can’t elaborate more as I don’t want to spoil it, but I’d definitely want to talk about it if you read/listened to it.
The narration of the audiobook was really great and Mark Royse’s voice was so good! I highly recommend you listen to it.
If you want to be challenged with a story that is as good as it’s dark, this author is THE one, and this novella is one of the best examples.
Please check the triggers as there are so many in this book!
Thanks to the author for the audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
This author always manages to pull me into the story from the beginning, not just from a plot point of view, but because of how nuanced the characters are. Whilst the story is disturbing for so many reasons, I also felt emotional towards both the father and son and their relationship. Although the father is a heinous character, I couldn’t fully hate him and I hated myself for that as I was listening to the audiobook. This I believe is down to the author’s skills for writing characters that are flawed like we are.
There is such a twist in the story that changes everything and that had me pause to reflect on human behaviour and morality. I can’t elaborate more as I don’t want to spoil it, but I’d definitely want to talk about it if you read/listened to it.
The narration of the audiobook was really great and Mark Royse’s voice was so good! I highly recommend you listen to it.
If you want to be challenged with a story that is as good as it’s dark, this author is THE one, and this novella is one of the best examples.
Please check the triggers as there are so many in this book!
Thanks to the author for the audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
February 25, 2025
Uhhhhhhhhh 😰
March 26, 2025
this was FUUUCKED UPPP
July 31, 2025
This was a bleak, sad book. it was well written and gross as hell, but just wish it has been longer with more backstory on the dad, or perhaps a chapter from his perspective.
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