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This Is Where We Talk Things Out
This Is Where We Talk Things Out by Caitlin Marceau, author of A Collection of Contemporary Horror, follows the gut-wrenching journey of Miller and her estranged mother, Sylvie, who have always had a tense relationship.
After Miller's father dies, she agrees to a girls' vacation away from the city to reconnect with the only family she has left. Although she’s eager to make things work, Miller can’t help but worry that her mother is seeing their countryside retreat as a fun weekend getaway instead of what it really a last-ditch effort to repair their relationship.
Unfortunately, that quickly becomes the least of Miller’s problems.
Sylvie's trapped in the past and if Miller's not careful, she will be too. This Is Where We Talk Things Out explores the horror of familial trauma, mother-daughter relationships, and what happens when we don't let go.
After Miller's father dies, she agrees to a girls' vacation away from the city to reconnect with the only family she has left. Although she’s eager to make things work, Miller can’t help but worry that her mother is seeing their countryside retreat as a fun weekend getaway instead of what it really a last-ditch effort to repair their relationship.
Unfortunately, that quickly becomes the least of Miller’s problems.
Sylvie's trapped in the past and if Miller's not careful, she will be too. This Is Where We Talk Things Out explores the horror of familial trauma, mother-daughter relationships, and what happens when we don't let go.
90 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2022
261 people are currently reading
15285 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Marceau
69 books292 followersCaitlin Marceau is a queer Canadian author and illustrator based in Montreal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association, and has spoken about genre literature at several Canadian conventions. Her work includes Femina, A Blackness Absolute, and her award-winning novella, This Is Where We Talk Things Out. Her second novella, I’m Having Regrets, and her debut novel, It Wasn’t Supposed To Go Like This, are set for publication in 2024. For more, visit CaitlinMarceau.ca or find her on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,832 reviews
November 7, 2022
This Is Where We Talk Things Out was like a cross between Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and Misery by Stephen King and I just LOVED it!!
It’s a novella, coming in at around 90 pages, and was impossible for me to put down. I knocked it out in one sitting because I just had to know what was gonna happen. Its one of those horror/thrillers that’s stressful in a good way, in that you have anxiety because everything goes horribly wrong and you’re constantly wondering how things are going to end well.
Highly recommend!!
It’s a novella, coming in at around 90 pages, and was impossible for me to put down. I knocked it out in one sitting because I just had to know what was gonna happen. Its one of those horror/thrillers that’s stressful in a good way, in that you have anxiety because everything goes horribly wrong and you’re constantly wondering how things are going to end well.
Highly recommend!!
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October 16, 2024
If you’ve ever thought a weekend trapped in a cabin with your parents sounded like a nightmare, do I have a book for you. Caitlin Marceau’s This is Where We Talk Things Out is horror by way of family drama, plunging us on a dark dive into a toxic mother-daughter relationship where gaslighting and long-simmering frustrations are as frightening and dealy as any ghouls or ghosts. Despite long attempts at boundaries, Miller begrudgingly accepts her mother’s invitation for a weekend at a cabin that might hopefully serve as a catalyst for repairing their relationship, or be the final fight to cut her off entirely. This short novella is drenched in dread and the tension is enough to rattle the reader as harshly as the blizzard outside their cabin, a ‘cabin turned mausoleum’ of the past where Sylvie’s infantilization of her daughter might be more sinister than she could possibly imagine. A chilling examination of toxic relationships and mental health, This is Where We Talk Things Out is a trail of red flags through trauma and towards terror.
‘Her mind once again returns to the image of herself as a doll trapped in a dollhouse.’
Working in the downtown of a summer vacation town—which can be its own special sort of horror story—I often see those awkward moments when the masks slip on families trying to have a picturesque vacation begin to go for each other’s throats. Most of the time this is just the amusement of seeing the teenager who is too old to want to be on vacation with family yet still too young to stay home doing the whole moody young teen act, but occasionally the bite seems worse. Nobody can quite cut you down like a family member. This is Where We Talk Things Out isn’t quite that type of vacation though, instead being an isolated cabin in the wilderness during a January storm and, as Miller begins to dread, they might not be there just to talk things out. This book deals with narcissistic parents and abusive relationships, so be forewarned if this is a topic that makes you uncomfortable (though, being a horror novel, it is geared to make any reader uncomfortable) and if you are experiencing these sort of issues, please know there are resources available to help. This reads like a hostage situation, tapping into horrors akin to Stephen King’s Misery and .
The interactions between mother and daughter are at all times balanced on the edge of a knife where Miller feels she must either accept the cuts or tumble into catastrophe, and this sense of unease grows until it is practically suffocating. ‘I want you to really think about how you use your words, how you hurt me with them,’ her mother, Sylive, often says, ‘and think very carefully about how you’re going to speak to me moving forward.’ This story is bursting with gaslighting where Miller is often made to feel that her very understandable desire for boundaries are antagonistic and Sylvie frequently pushes Miller to anger in order to act victimized by her daughter. Plus there is the issue of Florence, Miller’s longterm girlfriend, with whom Sylvie seems to have gotten past her homophobia but still resentful of Florence ‘taking her daughter away.’ You know, the type of mother that will hate anyone who captures your attention.
Grief plays a large part here as well, with the death of her father looming over everything like a thunderhead ready to unleash and all of Miller’s past attempts to separate from her mother and heal start to feel like sutures being ripped apart in the tension.
Periods of grief of depression often cause us to feel nostalgic, and here is where the novel began to really turn the screws of creepy unease. The cabin is as close to a reproduction of Miller’s childhood home as possible, complete with her old clothes still in the drawer. ‘There’s something so unnatural about seeing her childhood repurposed for the cabin’s interior,’ she thinks, ‘she knows it’s Sylvie’s way of moving past her grief, but it only serves to wake Miller's own pain back.’ But is this attempt to bring back the past more than just grief, and is Sylvie’s mental health becoming far more threatening than Miller could ever imagine?
This is a story that will give you chills and take your breath away. While it heads in a fairly predictable direction when it gets there it is still a punch to the face and the journey towards the end is so full of dreads its almost a relief it ends so abruptly. Personally I wish there was a bit more as it does have a bit of a slow burn then sudden conclusion, but it still hits hard. This Is Where We Talk Things Out is an excellent and terrifying domestic horror and I can’t wait to check out more by Caitlin Marceau.
4/5
‘Her mind once again returns to the image of herself as a doll trapped in a dollhouse.’
Working in the downtown of a summer vacation town—which can be its own special sort of horror story—I often see those awkward moments when the masks slip on families trying to have a picturesque vacation begin to go for each other’s throats. Most of the time this is just the amusement of seeing the teenager who is too old to want to be on vacation with family yet still too young to stay home doing the whole moody young teen act, but occasionally the bite seems worse. Nobody can quite cut you down like a family member. This is Where We Talk Things Out isn’t quite that type of vacation though, instead being an isolated cabin in the wilderness during a January storm and, as Miller begins to dread, they might not be there just to talk things out. This book deals with narcissistic parents and abusive relationships, so be forewarned if this is a topic that makes you uncomfortable (though, being a horror novel, it is geared to make any reader uncomfortable) and if you are experiencing these sort of issues, please know there are resources available to help. This reads like a hostage situation, tapping into horrors akin to Stephen King’s Misery and .
The interactions between mother and daughter are at all times balanced on the edge of a knife where Miller feels she must either accept the cuts or tumble into catastrophe, and this sense of unease grows until it is practically suffocating. ‘I want you to really think about how you use your words, how you hurt me with them,’ her mother, Sylive, often says, ‘and think very carefully about how you’re going to speak to me moving forward.’ This story is bursting with gaslighting where Miller is often made to feel that her very understandable desire for boundaries are antagonistic and Sylvie frequently pushes Miller to anger in order to act victimized by her daughter. Plus there is the issue of Florence, Miller’s longterm girlfriend, with whom Sylvie seems to have gotten past her homophobia but still resentful of Florence ‘taking her daughter away.’ You know, the type of mother that will hate anyone who captures your attention.
Grief plays a large part here as well, with the death of her father looming over everything like a thunderhead ready to unleash and all of Miller’s past attempts to separate from her mother and heal start to feel like sutures being ripped apart in the tension.
‘The more Miller got away from home, the more she’d been able to realise how toxic it had grown to be after her father had gotten sick. Or maybe it had always been that way, with Sylvie holding on too tightly to the child that had survived, and she’d only noticed it when her father was no longer around to keep the household balanced.’
Periods of grief of depression often cause us to feel nostalgic, and here is where the novel began to really turn the screws of creepy unease. The cabin is as close to a reproduction of Miller’s childhood home as possible, complete with her old clothes still in the drawer. ‘There’s something so unnatural about seeing her childhood repurposed for the cabin’s interior,’ she thinks, ‘she knows it’s Sylvie’s way of moving past her grief, but it only serves to wake Miller's own pain back.’ But is this attempt to bring back the past more than just grief, and is Sylvie’s mental health becoming far more threatening than Miller could ever imagine?
This is a story that will give you chills and take your breath away. While it heads in a fairly predictable direction when it gets there it is still a punch to the face and the journey towards the end is so full of dreads its almost a relief it ends so abruptly. Personally I wish there was a bit more as it does have a bit of a slow burn then sudden conclusion, but it still hits hard. This Is Where We Talk Things Out is an excellent and terrifying domestic horror and I can’t wait to check out more by Caitlin Marceau.
4/5
December 25, 2022
This is a very gripping tale between Miller, her fiance Florence and Sylvie, a mother cut of her daughter's life. Will their attempt of bonding anew in a remote cabin succeed? Things turn tight when Miller has an accident in the snow. How does her mother take care of her? Nail biting psychological horror at its best. The story strongly reminded me on Misery by Stephen King and has a very haunting feel. Sylvie definitely is a serious deranged person you don't want to have around. Why does it smell so strange in her room? Find out... great stuff I can highly recommend reading!
December 5, 2022
I almost crawled out of my skin with this story. I've had perpetual nightmares that my abusive father never died and it was all an elaborate scheme to fake me out. And he comes back to abuse and torture me all over again. And it's like the worst, scariest scenario that I could ever imagine. Thank God for therapists and psychiatrists, right? So this captured every fear and trigger in a perfect fashion. Miller is just doomed here, and every time she thinks it can't get worse, it does. Silvie is just a great antagonist. The story absolutely captures the spirit of Misery, which I absolutely love. It's nerve shattering and anxiety-producing, and everything that I hoped it would be, and then some. Bordering on the line between psychological thriller and horror, it finds a unique niche. My only critique is that I wanted to know more about Miller and Flor, which felt a little too abbreviated to reach its full potential. It was still done well, but I wanted some more out of it. So for anyone who wants to relive some devastating adolescent and childhood memories, I recommend this highly. And for a fellow writer's first novella, brav-friggin-o!
May 23, 2023
4.5* okay this was super quick and VERY CREEPY, I was on edge the entire time and loved it.
Thank you DarkLit Press for sending me a copy!
Thank you DarkLit Press for sending me a copy!
November 14, 2024
It's a gay, gory, gripping novella that will piss you off and have you cursing out the main character for her stupidity at some points and clapping for her tenacity in others.
This is mainly a depiction of toxic, manipulative love and what we feel we owe to the people/person who raised us/gave birth to us/housed us.
While this is extreme and clearly cuts corners of believability with decision-making (i.e. Miller blockading her mother from her life for years, just to agree to a weekend getaway at an undisclosed location with the same woman who has caused her years of emotional trauma?? Oooookay) It is also sickeningly realistic to the experience of gaslighting parents who use your reliance on them as a weapon and a guilt trip.
Also, the ending??????? Dear god. Disgusting.
This is mainly a depiction of toxic, manipulative love and what we feel we owe to the people/person who raised us/gave birth to us/housed us.
While this is extreme and clearly cuts corners of believability with decision-making (i.e. Miller blockading her mother from her life for years, just to agree to a weekend getaway at an undisclosed location with the same woman who has caused her years of emotional trauma?? Oooookay) It is also sickeningly realistic to the experience of gaslighting parents who use your reliance on them as a weapon and a guilt trip.
Also, the ending??????? Dear god. Disgusting.
March 25, 2023
Full review available at The Mort Report:
https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/bla...
I am going to trust my gut on this one – and if I am way off, my apologies. But my mind is funny sometimes – it makes these connections that I cannot always explain, but more often than not makes sense in the end. At least to me.
So, this story is about a dysfunctional relationship between mother and daughter. And the reason I started this review the way I did was because of the comparison I am about to make:
Can you imagine FATAL ATTRACTION without the sex?
No, this is not one of those incestuous stories, before you run off that idea. But as I read this, I kept having these flashes of the movie FATAL ATTRACTION – which I had seen about three decades ago. It is not about the sex, it is about this uncomfortable feeling I experienced when I watched it. This impending doom that you know is coming, the way you feel inside that this is really not going to end well. That pressure that builds when Glenn Close is on the rollercoaster with the kid…
I don’t know if this review will make sense, but that is the best way I can describe how this story made me feel.
Impressive and recommended to those who likes realistic horror…without the sex.
4.5 stars
https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/bla...
I am going to trust my gut on this one – and if I am way off, my apologies. But my mind is funny sometimes – it makes these connections that I cannot always explain, but more often than not makes sense in the end. At least to me.
So, this story is about a dysfunctional relationship between mother and daughter. And the reason I started this review the way I did was because of the comparison I am about to make:
Can you imagine FATAL ATTRACTION without the sex?
No, this is not one of those incestuous stories, before you run off that idea. But as I read this, I kept having these flashes of the movie FATAL ATTRACTION – which I had seen about three decades ago. It is not about the sex, it is about this uncomfortable feeling I experienced when I watched it. This impending doom that you know is coming, the way you feel inside that this is really not going to end well. That pressure that builds when Glenn Close is on the rollercoaster with the kid…
I don’t know if this review will make sense, but that is the best way I can describe how this story made me feel.
Impressive and recommended to those who likes realistic horror…without the sex.
4.5 stars
April 9, 2023
This novella went quickly. Tension sets in right away as we witness the twisted relationship of an estranged daughter and mother. Sylvie, the mother, is clearly the antagonist, and Miller, the daughter, had been wise to have kept her distance from her mother for as long as she could. Sylvie nevertheless worms her way back into Miller's life, never allowing her a moment to breathe. Apparently, Miller has agreed to spend a weekend in an isolated cabin with Sylvie as they get reacquainted. Bad move, Miller.
I guessed what was going to happen. I knew what the bad smell in the bedroom was. While the premise was exciting and promised tension and cruelty, I was a bit disappointed at the way things worked out so predictably. However, as a first novella, I have to congratulate the author for keeping things interesting all the way through.
3.5 icy stars
I guessed what was going to happen. I knew what the bad smell in the bedroom was. While the premise was exciting and promised tension and cruelty, I was a bit disappointed at the way things worked out so predictably. However, as a first novella, I have to congratulate the author for keeping things interesting all the way through.
3.5 icy stars
November 26, 2024
This will piss you off like nothing else. You will wish that this mother could be brought to life just so you can spit in her face.
But it also goes there in a lot of gross ways that I actually really liked.
Though, I will say that the believability of the main characters making these decisions to wind up in the possessions she finds herself in is insane and you have to do your best to move past them to enjoy the story. So keep that in mind.
But it also goes there in a lot of gross ways that I actually really liked.
Though, I will say that the believability of the main characters making these decisions to wind up in the possessions she finds herself in is insane and you have to do your best to move past them to enjoy the story. So keep that in mind.
April 28, 2024
truly one of the best thriller/horror books ive ever read, one of the best books ive read this year, one of the best toxic mother daughter relationships ive ever read.
i get that it's grief horror but the discussions on the pressure that comes with not wanting kids and other various life choices really hit home.
there were moments my jaw didn't close for 10 straight minutes.
i love an obsession story, and this one took it to some of the extremes i love to read about, and the ending was perfect.
i get that it's grief horror but the discussions on the pressure that comes with not wanting kids and other various life choices really hit home.
there were moments my jaw didn't close for 10 straight minutes.
i love an obsession story, and this one took it to some of the extremes i love to read about, and the ending was perfect.
January 7, 2023
This has already become one of my favorite reads of the year and it's only the first week of January!
Caitlin Marceau's debut novella is about a very toxic mother-daughter relationship that is certain to make many readers anxious. In hopes of rekindling a severed bond after the death of her father, Miller agrees to go away with her mother to an isolated cabin for a wintery weekend getaway. But the story immediately becomes claustrophobic when a winter storm strands the two women, and Miller's mother becomes overbearing in her (s)motherly love.
I couldn't put this book down, not because it's an easy 85 pages to flip through, but because of the suspense and building dread I felt as this story progressed. Readers who have struggled with abusive child-parent relationships in their past might see themselves in the story's protagonist and find this novella to be a bit triggering. There are heavy themes of mental illness and familial trauma. But holy cheese balls is this novella good! I can't stress enough how much I think this book deserves ALL THE STARS! Readers who love isolation horror should absolutely pick this book up immediately!
(Special thanks to DarkLit Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review!)
Caitlin Marceau's debut novella is about a very toxic mother-daughter relationship that is certain to make many readers anxious. In hopes of rekindling a severed bond after the death of her father, Miller agrees to go away with her mother to an isolated cabin for a wintery weekend getaway. But the story immediately becomes claustrophobic when a winter storm strands the two women, and Miller's mother becomes overbearing in her (s)motherly love.
I couldn't put this book down, not because it's an easy 85 pages to flip through, but because of the suspense and building dread I felt as this story progressed. Readers who have struggled with abusive child-parent relationships in their past might see themselves in the story's protagonist and find this novella to be a bit triggering. There are heavy themes of mental illness and familial trauma. But holy cheese balls is this novella good! I can't stress enough how much I think this book deserves ALL THE STARS! Readers who love isolation horror should absolutely pick this book up immediately!
(Special thanks to DarkLit Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review!)
December 29, 2022
3.5⭐️ // quick, fun read but I thought it was super predictable and the main character makes some really questionable decisions I just can’t get behind
February 21, 2023
This was a fast-paced, enjoyable little read.
It's written very well and it's detailed, with lots of descriptions and clever dialogue. Making it an atmospheric and slightly claustrophobic read.
My first read by this author but I'm interested in reading more of her tales.
It's written very well and it's detailed, with lots of descriptions and clever dialogue. Making it an atmospheric and slightly claustrophobic read.
My first read by this author but I'm interested in reading more of her tales.
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January 7, 2023THIS IS WHERE WE TALK THINGS OUT by Caitlin Marceau (author of, FEMINA & PALIMPSEST)
Release Date: Aug 2022
General genre: Psychological horror, domestic thriller
Subgenre: Mother/Daughter relationships/family dysfunction
Writing Style: Character-driven, dialogue
What you need to know: A woman who has cut ties with her mother after the death of her father must make a difficult decision when her mother consistently tries to make amends. Ultimately, she chooses the way of peace and agrees to spend a weekend with her mother in an isolated cabin.
My reading experience: Holy shit. I don't know how this novella will hit all readers but it slapped me square between the eyes and knocked me on my ass. The thing is, there might be people who read this story and think reality has been stretched to make the situation more horrific but people who have a narcissistic person in their life will not have to suspend disbelief or make this book make sense. This could actually happen. The toxicity between Miller (daughter) and Sylvie (mother) is palpable. It leaps off the page during their conversations and sucks everything out of my head leaving only negative feelings like anger, frustration, and anxiety. The author exercises a keen insight into the power dynamic between a narcissistic mother and their daughter. I've witnessed this exact behavior in real life and this is *exactly* what it looks like. This book triggered all those familiar feelings. On top of that, the time in the cabin is a masterclass in layering intensifying dread on top of claustrophobia on top of that classic thriller feeling of "what the hell is going on?"
My final recommendation: Fans of psychological horror, LBGTQ experience, toxic relationship drama, mother and daughter dynamic, locked-room horror, and fast-paced thriller tension/mystery will savor every word. This book is over in a heartbeat.
Comps: Elements of Misery by Stephen King, Psycho by Robert Bloch, White Oleander by Janet Finch,
Release Date: Aug 2022
General genre: Psychological horror, domestic thriller
Subgenre: Mother/Daughter relationships/family dysfunction
Writing Style: Character-driven, dialogue
What you need to know: A woman who has cut ties with her mother after the death of her father must make a difficult decision when her mother consistently tries to make amends. Ultimately, she chooses the way of peace and agrees to spend a weekend with her mother in an isolated cabin.
My reading experience: Holy shit. I don't know how this novella will hit all readers but it slapped me square between the eyes and knocked me on my ass. The thing is, there might be people who read this story and think reality has been stretched to make the situation more horrific but people who have a narcissistic person in their life will not have to suspend disbelief or make this book make sense. This could actually happen. The toxicity between Miller (daughter) and Sylvie (mother) is palpable. It leaps off the page during their conversations and sucks everything out of my head leaving only negative feelings like anger, frustration, and anxiety. The author exercises a keen insight into the power dynamic between a narcissistic mother and their daughter. I've witnessed this exact behavior in real life and this is *exactly* what it looks like. This book triggered all those familiar feelings. On top of that, the time in the cabin is a masterclass in layering intensifying dread on top of claustrophobia on top of that classic thriller feeling of "what the hell is going on?"
My final recommendation: Fans of psychological horror, LBGTQ experience, toxic relationship drama, mother and daughter dynamic, locked-room horror, and fast-paced thriller tension/mystery will savor every word. This book is over in a heartbeat.
Comps: Elements of Misery by Stephen King, Psycho by Robert Bloch, White Oleander by Janet Finch,
July 2, 2024
OH MY DAYZZZZ!!!!! 😃🫢😱🤯!!!!
It’s been a year and the emojis above haven’t changed! I STILL THINK about the characters. It felt real! When this book crosses my mind, I can’t help but wonder how Miller and her girlfriend are doing and whether she talked things out with her mum?
If I could speak to Caitlin, I’d ask her if there is a story behind this plot!
This is one of the plots that has stayed with me. Wild!!! It was a short read but oh my days it left an impact.
😆
It’s been a year and the emojis above haven’t changed! I STILL THINK about the characters. It felt real! When this book crosses my mind, I can’t help but wonder how Miller and her girlfriend are doing and whether she talked things out with her mum?
If I could speak to Caitlin, I’d ask her if there is a story behind this plot!
This is one of the plots that has stayed with me. Wild!!! It was a short read but oh my days it left an impact.
😆
June 19, 2024
This felt too real. There's a reason we should permanently cut some people out of our lives. . .
Check this one out and put some dread into your summer. You won't be sorry.
Check this one out and put some dread into your summer. You won't be sorry.
June 20, 2023
I know this was a novella but how could a book so short be so bad? I thought I learned my lesson about taking recommendations from tiktok but this sounded intriguing and I like thriller/horror novels. I'm convinced that anyone who thinks this book has a good twist has never read anything horror or thriller related before.
February 27, 2025
This was so utterly uncomfy. I definitely felt the Misery vibes. Even though I had a pretty solid idea of where this story might be going, I read with my face half covered. Feelings of despair and impending doom were abundant. Would definitely recommend 🤣.
February 2, 2025
goodness this was exhausting. I bet I would have loved it 5+ years ago though.
March 25, 2024
This is the “What’s the worst that can happen” situation when the family member you’ve gone no contact with wants to hash things out… it ain’t pretty 🫣
I love a horror book that makes me want to scream “girl RUN and WHAT ARE YOU DOING GET OUT Of THERE” I was ready for the other foot to drop throughout this short novella, eerie level was top tier!
I love a horror book that makes me want to scream “girl RUN and WHAT ARE YOU DOING GET OUT Of THERE” I was ready for the other foot to drop throughout this short novella, eerie level was top tier!
October 23, 2022
Wow. This novella is one of the most horrifying things I've read in a while.
Brief summary: Miller has a strained relationship with her mother Sylvie. Sylvie convinces her to go on a retreat weekend with her to try to work out their differences. It goes very, very wrong. Like, Misery-wrong.
This story is dripping with dread from the first page. I was so anxious reading it; I had a general idea of the direction it was going, but it isn't one of those stories that depends on a twist or reveal to have an impact. You could know exactly what's going to happen, and it would still grip you.
If you have any personal experience with narcissist parents, or parents with control and attachment issues, this story will hit you particularly hard. While my own parents are lovely, someone close to me has a mother very much like Sylvie, and... Yeah, this was an intense read for me.
I highly, highly recommend reading this. Caitlin Marceau did a wonderful job, and I can't wait to read more from her.
Brief summary: Miller has a strained relationship with her mother Sylvie. Sylvie convinces her to go on a retreat weekend with her to try to work out their differences. It goes very, very wrong. Like, Misery-wrong.
This story is dripping with dread from the first page. I was so anxious reading it; I had a general idea of the direction it was going, but it isn't one of those stories that depends on a twist or reveal to have an impact. You could know exactly what's going to happen, and it would still grip you.
If you have any personal experience with narcissist parents, or parents with control and attachment issues, this story will hit you particularly hard. While my own parents are lovely, someone close to me has a mother very much like Sylvie, and... Yeah, this was an intense read for me.
I highly, highly recommend reading this. Caitlin Marceau did a wonderful job, and I can't wait to read more from her.
August 21, 2023
Wow. This Is Where We Talk Things Out is a gut-punching horror story, driven by a tumultuous mother/daughter relationship. This relationship being entirely in ruins by the Mother’s actions.
You will be able to read this in one sitting! I was satisfied by the ending and all the twists and turns to get there. It was giving me Misery vibes!
Miller is estranged from her Mother, Sylvie and for good reason. She is selfish and cruel, and has been this way since Miller was a child. As an adult she got into a relationship with another woman, Florence. This angered her Mother because she was losing the lack of control over her daughter now. She says nothing but cruel/judgmental things about Florence.
Miller’s Father recently passed away after suffering with Alzheimer’s, and she is due to wed Florence, so she feels like this is the time when (if ever) she should try to reconnect with Sylvie.
Sylvie suggests a weekend away, but Miller worries that her Mother won’t take this trip as seriously as she should be. This is not a holiday, but a last-ditch attempt for them to have any form of a familial relationship with one another.
Will Miller be able to repair anything with Sylvie and have a better relationship with her? Or are things about to take a turn for the worst, beyond what she could even imagine?
TW:// familial trauma/abuse
You will be able to read this in one sitting! I was satisfied by the ending and all the twists and turns to get there. It was giving me Misery vibes!
Miller is estranged from her Mother, Sylvie and for good reason. She is selfish and cruel, and has been this way since Miller was a child. As an adult she got into a relationship with another woman, Florence. This angered her Mother because she was losing the lack of control over her daughter now. She says nothing but cruel/judgmental things about Florence.
Miller’s Father recently passed away after suffering with Alzheimer’s, and she is due to wed Florence, so she feels like this is the time when (if ever) she should try to reconnect with Sylvie.
Sylvie suggests a weekend away, but Miller worries that her Mother won’t take this trip as seriously as she should be. This is not a holiday, but a last-ditch attempt for them to have any form of a familial relationship with one another.
Will Miller be able to repair anything with Sylvie and have a better relationship with her? Or are things about to take a turn for the worst, beyond what she could even imagine?
TW:// familial trauma/abuse
February 1, 2023
Ummmm, THAT ENDING!!! This was fantastically fucked up! Highly recommend you read this if you enjoy messed up family relationships, specifically mother and daughter relationships. This really hit some sore spots for me. But that ending was just INSANE! I do not envy Miller in the least 😩
February 2, 2023
This was absolutely wild. Unsettling from the start, this novella quickly gets into gear and pulls you into Miller's nightmarish experience, a blend of Psycho and Misery with some shades of Carrie thrown in for good measure.
December 3, 2023
Yup, I definitely get the hype. This is a really tough read at times, but I enjoyed it immensely. RTC!
August 28, 2023
Wow.. it's incredible how Caitlin Marceau has made me care about the characters within a few pages. Also immense respect to the author for speaking out on the misogynistic author.
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August 10, 2024I am removing my review from this book as I no longer wish to support this author. The way they have treated other authors with the downfall of DarkLit is behaviour I do not support and the lack of accountability while engaging in gaslighting, smear campaigns and complete and utter deflection shows their true character. In retrospect, it’s ironic considering they wrote a book about narcissistic abuse.
February 16, 2023
I would like to personally file a complaint against this author. Caitlin Marceau owes me a new pair of pants because the ones I’m wearing now have been shat in. Rude!
July 25, 2024
was in the mood for a quick horror story that would CREEP ME OUT and CREEP ME OUT IT DID... the ending oh my
January 30, 2023
I’m legitimately happy for readers who feel this novella is too far-fetched. I’m sorry to those that get it all too well.
I’m going to be honest here; I wasn’t expecting a whole hell of a lot with this novella. Who can tell a fully formed, terrifying story in less than 100 pages? Caitlin Marceau can and did just that.
The tension in this book is incredibly palpable, especially if you have a proper understanding of people like Sylvie. There isn’t a whole ton of backstory, but it somehow feels like you might know these people. They could (and probably do) live next door.
This whole living in the Midwest thing helped with immersion, as it feels like the snow never stops sometimes.
There are trigger warnings, so do please make sure you know what you’re getting into. This could be triggering to some.
I’m going to be honest here; I wasn’t expecting a whole hell of a lot with this novella. Who can tell a fully formed, terrifying story in less than 100 pages? Caitlin Marceau can and did just that.
The tension in this book is incredibly palpable, especially if you have a proper understanding of people like Sylvie. There isn’t a whole ton of backstory, but it somehow feels like you might know these people. They could (and probably do) live next door.
This whole living in the Midwest thing helped with immersion, as it feels like the snow never stops sometimes.
There are trigger warnings, so do please make sure you know what you’re getting into. This could be triggering to some.
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