This anthology of short stories boasts an ensemble of some of the finest voices in horror, akin to a neverending stream of clowns tumbling from a tiny car the scares just keep coming in an assortment of
uncanny and unsettling tales all centered around our greasepaint friends. I've kept my reviews brief to avoid spoiling anything, but rest assured that these stories are diverse and thoroughly enjoyable, and you might be surprised to find that the clowns are not always the monsters.
The Hollow Ones Weep Greasepaint - Piper challenges the norm in this deeply moving story about what it means to be human and the significance of embracing our emotions.
Quit Clowning Around -
Where DID all the clowns go? This was quite ambiguous and left just enough to the imagination to be completely and utterly CREEPED TF out, is it one man's paranoia or are we all just trudging through the monotony of life unaware of the dangers lurking or the masks people wear..
Mr Tasty Crinkle - A demonic entity responsible for the marketing of kids cereal? I enjoyed the format of an internet forum, it adds a layer of authenticity, this was pretty terrifying and it felt like it could be something off a true crime show.
Dots the Magic Clown - This was mayhem, absolutley hysterical and I couldn't stop laughing, is that bad? Theres lots of references to fellow authors which I thought was super fun. This follows an author as he struggles to come up with new and exciting ways to promote his book, he goes ahead with his rather unusual idea - I mean, if you're going to a Cesare signing and he starts doing magic tricks, maybe..leave? things go very VERY wrong, and then it goes from bad to worse and it's utter carnage, I did laugh out loud throughout this, I enjoy Adams humour it's dry and relatable, there was some commentary on the struggles and self doubt authors face that I felt were derivative of the truth but hopefully Adam is ok, I mean, are you buddy? This really showcases how bloody funny Adam is.
The Fears of a Clown - A depressed clown who is afraid of clowns..this was TENSE and I kept waiting for the horror to come, the ending is left ambiguous but its also.. not at the same time..
Pop - This plays on urban legends and meshes it with childhood trauma, honestly this was super unsettling and emotional, theres something serious simmering beneath the surface, I couldn't quite put my finger on it but it felt a little like abuse/trauma, let me know what you think!
The Circus Inside You - Grim reaper..but it's a clown..yeah no thanks. Road rage and clowns are not a good mix. SCARY.
Giggles in the Glitch - A true crime/found footage/childhood killer clown horror, need I say more? No, read it.
The Drolls - Jim is a bit of a dick, but I guess he had his reasons, but still. This felt like a full length novel in the best way possible, nuanced characters and you get a good scope of the town and relationships between the characters in a short amount of space. Janz is great at humour and horror and this was brimming with both, totally absurd but you laugh along in the madness, even though it's not actually that funny it's pretty horrifying..
Scribble Face - Revenge is best served with greaspaint and a big BIG smile. I really disliked one character in particular and I think that was entirely the point.
Fear of Boys - I don't know what I read but I liked it, I think, what, WHAT.
Cypress Circus - Story about childhood trauma and how one experience can tarnish your perception forever, super creepy and unexpected, I actually gasped when all was revealed.
The Funhouse - VAMPIRIC STRIPPER CLOWNS.
A Very Special Boy - This felt like a King story, the author manages to establish a great rapport between reader and character, one of my favourites, sad and scary vibes.
Ordinary People - GHOST CLOWN REVENGE THRILLER.