Disturbing, creepy and intriguing from the first page.
“Her neck had three purplish bumps on it, each had a twisted black root sticking out from the bump. The tip of the root was red.”
“Darkness Blooms” by Christopher Bloodworth 3.5 out of 5 stars!
There’s just something intriguing about weird, unknown and creepy plants / nature that people just can’t stay away from. Humans are drawn to use their senses to comprehend and in many ways, that’s not the smartest idea. Anyone remember Stephen King’s “Meteor Shit” Creepshow skit or Bryan Smith’s “The Ruins”? Aside from the comedy, this reminded me of both.
“Darkness Blooms” plays the ecological and mind bending horror as the characters are curious, yet later understand the deadly plants. This is a quick, gripping novella as we follow Sylvia in her memories of her grandfather, Papere, as she goes home to collect his belongings after he went “missing.” Readers learn that Sylvia had a hard childhood at the home and understand why she didn’t return after she left for college. Her grandparents raised her but she did not have a strong relationship with her step-grandmother, Mamere. Her Papere had a journal and a green thumb for orchids. She found the old journal and decided to take an orchid but learned of the horrors that took over his greenhouse. The bizarre plants have a agenda and they work to trap Sylvia there in the dilapidated house as we learn about her grandfather. With sharp barbs, roots and teeth, the plants move and utilize their strengths to attack Sylvia but through desperation she finds their weakness.
The plot was hearty and as a always, I wanted more than this short novella offered. I felt there were minor holes in the story. The scene descriptions and thoughts were vivid and disturbing. As a reader, I wanted to know the days or actions that lead to Papere’s “disappearance” as well as how the journal tied the Croatoan history into the plants, especially if he never truly touched it after his last entries. I wanted more about her grandparents history and home considering Mamere’s demeanor.
Overall, this novella was disturbing, creepy and intriguing from the first page. It was my first experience by Christopher Bloodworth and I look forward to more of his work.
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon. Please visit my website or GoodReads profile for more reviews! Thank you!