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The Dark Side of the Room
For years, Betsy Lupino has lived alone in a rundown apartment. Alone except for the growing wall of darkness that slowly devours her thoughts and memories. When a mysterious stranger moves into the building, Betsy fears the worst—that all of the dark inside her head has escaped into the real world.
Extended Edition, includes an introduction by Philip Fracassi (Beneath a Pale Sky) and the novella 'Along the Shadow'.
Extended Edition, includes an introduction by Philip Fracassi (Beneath a Pale Sky) and the novella 'Along the Shadow'.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2020
20 people are currently reading
506 people want to read
About the author
Tyler Jones
23 books195 followersTyler Jones is the author of CRITERIUM, THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROOM, ALMOST RUTH, BURN THE PLANS, TURN UP THE SUN, HEAVY OCEANS, MIDAS, and LONGSIGHT M40.
His upcoming books include:
DEPTH CHARGE (Shortwave Publishing)
NIGHT OF THE GLASS KNIVES (Shortwave Publishing)
GO (Clash Books)
His work has appeared in the anthologies BURNT TONGUES (edited by Chuck Palahniuk), ONE THING WAS CERTAIN, 101 PROOF HORROR, CAMPFIRE MACABRE, PARANORMAL CONTACT and in Dark Moon Digest, Coffin Bell, Aphotic Realm, Cemetery Dance, LitReactor, and The NoSleep Podcast.
He lives in Portland, Oregon.
He is represented by Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Agency and Alec Frankel at IAG for Film/TV.
His upcoming books include:
DEPTH CHARGE (Shortwave Publishing)
NIGHT OF THE GLASS KNIVES (Shortwave Publishing)
GO (Clash Books)
His work has appeared in the anthologies BURNT TONGUES (edited by Chuck Palahniuk), ONE THING WAS CERTAIN, 101 PROOF HORROR, CAMPFIRE MACABRE, PARANORMAL CONTACT and in Dark Moon Digest, Coffin Bell, Aphotic Realm, Cemetery Dance, LitReactor, and The NoSleep Podcast.
He lives in Portland, Oregon.
He is represented by Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Agency and Alec Frankel at IAG for Film/TV.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 1, 2021
First book finished in 2021! Tyler Jones made a huge impression on me last year with his debut novella, CRITERIUM. The same strong storytelling voice shines through in THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROOM but I was not as invested in the MC, Betsy as I was with Zach Ayers from CRITERIUM. This is an unsettling, sometimes disorienting psychological thriller. The set up is strong, a few lags a third of the way in and then perfectly paced in the sprint to the conclusion. Full review soon.
January 22, 2021
This a wonderful novella about loss and the violent horror of losing that which is most precious to us -- our history, our experiences, our loves and losses, the people we knew, and the people we were.
But make no mistake, this is a grisly tale, an ever-so-slow twisting of a knife that you can see working its way deeper into your psyche that have no means of escaping (nor do you want to).
I haven't read Jones's work before, but I will absolutely pick up anything this guy writes. I found the writing, pacing and storytelling to be refreshingly sparse and yet filled with heavy vibrations of meaning, deep booming echoes of emotion.
A triumphant piece of fiction. Recommend this one very highly.
But make no mistake, this is a grisly tale, an ever-so-slow twisting of a knife that you can see working its way deeper into your psyche that have no means of escaping (nor do you want to).
I haven't read Jones's work before, but I will absolutely pick up anything this guy writes. I found the writing, pacing and storytelling to be refreshingly sparse and yet filled with heavy vibrations of meaning, deep booming echoes of emotion.
A triumphant piece of fiction. Recommend this one very highly.
August 13, 2021
An allegory for Alzheimer's? Or other-wordly horror? You be the judge. Overall, I have a feeling the deeper meaning of this book goes over some reader's heads.
November 5, 2020
This sure was 'different'. From the very beginning, the author sets a perfect scene for something spooky to happen. The main character is quirky, yet likeable at the same time.
From bizarre events- a weird new neighbor, a rain storm, rats- to reading Betsy's perspective of reality is interesting ( to say the least).
From bizarre events- a weird new neighbor, a rain storm, rats- to reading Betsy's perspective of reality is interesting ( to say the least).
January 20, 2021
I enjoyed this offering from Jones, another firecracker of a book.
For me it didn’t have the connection to the protagonist and secondary characters as Criterium did, but it was another fine offering of dark fiction and horror. Where Criterium manifested grief and addiction so well into a physical entity, Jones achieves something similar with ‘The Dark Side Of The Room’ and when this becomes fully fleshed out about three quarters of the way into his story it’s a grisly discovery that I couldn’t look away from no matter how much I wanted to.
The novella focuses on our protagonist who is slowly giving into the dark that is claiming her memories - is this to do with mental illness, a phantom that is robbing her of the memories she held dear, is it what happens to the mind when it tried to hide a secret, does that secret pollute and strip the person of all they held dear - there are so many allegories here that the reader can come away with their own personal reading experience.
I think with this offering there were a few too many characters that due to the book being a novella they failed to become fleshed out as they did in Criterium as that had a very small cast of characters and you really cared about their plight. Here when the shit hit the fan, I didn’t feel much sadness about what happened to them, I just wasn’t invested in their strange demise. But having said that I was rooting for the main protagonist as Tyler Jones expertly gets her across on the page.
There are some fabulous dark scenes in this book and the rat scene in particular made me cringe, shocked me and also brought the darkness in bucket loads (and the blood) - it was reminiscent of James Herbert and his Rats trilogy and for that reason alone I was hooked - I loved those books and I think Jones was able to write something in those scenes that Herbert would be pleased to have written himself.
Another great offering from Jones, for me it didn’t reach the heights that Criterium did, but it was an enjoyable quick read into the darkness of the mind and the things that spoil it... Jones has a fan in me and I can’t wait to discover more soon!
For me it didn’t have the connection to the protagonist and secondary characters as Criterium did, but it was another fine offering of dark fiction and horror. Where Criterium manifested grief and addiction so well into a physical entity, Jones achieves something similar with ‘The Dark Side Of The Room’ and when this becomes fully fleshed out about three quarters of the way into his story it’s a grisly discovery that I couldn’t look away from no matter how much I wanted to.
The novella focuses on our protagonist who is slowly giving into the dark that is claiming her memories - is this to do with mental illness, a phantom that is robbing her of the memories she held dear, is it what happens to the mind when it tried to hide a secret, does that secret pollute and strip the person of all they held dear - there are so many allegories here that the reader can come away with their own personal reading experience.
I think with this offering there were a few too many characters that due to the book being a novella they failed to become fleshed out as they did in Criterium as that had a very small cast of characters and you really cared about their plight. Here when the shit hit the fan, I didn’t feel much sadness about what happened to them, I just wasn’t invested in their strange demise. But having said that I was rooting for the main protagonist as Tyler Jones expertly gets her across on the page.
There are some fabulous dark scenes in this book and the rat scene in particular made me cringe, shocked me and also brought the darkness in bucket loads (and the blood) - it was reminiscent of James Herbert and his Rats trilogy and for that reason alone I was hooked - I loved those books and I think Jones was able to write something in those scenes that Herbert would be pleased to have written himself.
Another great offering from Jones, for me it didn’t reach the heights that Criterium did, but it was an enjoyable quick read into the darkness of the mind and the things that spoil it... Jones has a fan in me and I can’t wait to discover more soon!
November 20, 2020
** edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
3.5/5
‘The Dark Side of the Room‘ is my second foray into Mr. Jones work, after reading the fantastically dark ‘Criterium‘ earlier in the year.
It’s become apparent that Tyler loves to explore the darker avenues of the mind as well as the creepiness behind the noise in the middle of the night.
‘The Dark Side of the Room‘ was a bit of a surprise release, with not a lot of pre-release notice or build-up, so I was really intrigued to see what he’d conjured this time around. Tyler kindly made this release free for Kindle for the first week of its arrival, so I snagged it!
What I liked: The story is pretty simple. We follow an older woman named Betsy, who lives in a run-down apartment complex. She surrounds herself with her beloved cats as her family has all but deserted her and her mind is starting to do the same.
Tyler then begins to grow the intrigue by introducing an incredibly strange character to the mix. A new tenant who walks with a shuffle, reminiscent of three kids in a trench coat trying to sneak into a Rated R movie.
One thing I really loved was the psychological torment that seemed to be ravaging Betsy’s mind and having her question everything and everyone around her. Jones introduces other residents of the building, which range from a flamboyant male couple, to a legal aide woman. We get glimpses of how Betsy perceives these people versus how they really are, and that allows Jones to keep tugging the reader along with a ‘what’s real-what’s not’ narrative.
What I didn’t like: For me personally, I found not a lot happened for the first 60-65% of the story. We get some brief glimpses of oddness and even an intriguing scene involving a rodent, which I can’t describe more with preventing possible spoilers, but for the most part, the story follows Betsy wondering who this new tenant is.
It isn’t until the final quarter of the book that things escalate, actions occur that are horrific and the finale and epilogue tie things into together. This may or may not be too late for some readers. It’ll be individual taste as to whether they come along on the journey for the entirety or tap out earlier.
Why you should buy this: This is a really well done look at a psychological breakdown as well as a visceral take on ‘an entity.’ I want to leave that vague for those diving in, but Jones does craft a compelling story, one that had me wondering just what was happening and what was coming. I just wished it was a bit more sooner.
Overall, another great entry into Jones growing bibliography and one fans of dark fiction will enjoy.
3.5/5
‘The Dark Side of the Room‘ is my second foray into Mr. Jones work, after reading the fantastically dark ‘Criterium‘ earlier in the year.
It’s become apparent that Tyler loves to explore the darker avenues of the mind as well as the creepiness behind the noise in the middle of the night.
‘The Dark Side of the Room‘ was a bit of a surprise release, with not a lot of pre-release notice or build-up, so I was really intrigued to see what he’d conjured this time around. Tyler kindly made this release free for Kindle for the first week of its arrival, so I snagged it!
What I liked: The story is pretty simple. We follow an older woman named Betsy, who lives in a run-down apartment complex. She surrounds herself with her beloved cats as her family has all but deserted her and her mind is starting to do the same.
Tyler then begins to grow the intrigue by introducing an incredibly strange character to the mix. A new tenant who walks with a shuffle, reminiscent of three kids in a trench coat trying to sneak into a Rated R movie.
One thing I really loved was the psychological torment that seemed to be ravaging Betsy’s mind and having her question everything and everyone around her. Jones introduces other residents of the building, which range from a flamboyant male couple, to a legal aide woman. We get glimpses of how Betsy perceives these people versus how they really are, and that allows Jones to keep tugging the reader along with a ‘what’s real-what’s not’ narrative.
What I didn’t like: For me personally, I found not a lot happened for the first 60-65% of the story. We get some brief glimpses of oddness and even an intriguing scene involving a rodent, which I can’t describe more with preventing possible spoilers, but for the most part, the story follows Betsy wondering who this new tenant is.
It isn’t until the final quarter of the book that things escalate, actions occur that are horrific and the finale and epilogue tie things into together. This may or may not be too late for some readers. It’ll be individual taste as to whether they come along on the journey for the entirety or tap out earlier.
Why you should buy this: This is a really well done look at a psychological breakdown as well as a visceral take on ‘an entity.’ I want to leave that vague for those diving in, but Jones does craft a compelling story, one that had me wondering just what was happening and what was coming. I just wished it was a bit more sooner.
Overall, another great entry into Jones growing bibliography and one fans of dark fiction will enjoy.
December 22, 2020
Fin dalle prime pagine l'autore riesce a creare una scena perfetta di vita quotidiana ed insieme così inquietante da attirare l'attenzione del lettore.
Così come la protagonista, Betsy, che attira come simpatica signora di mezz'età che condivide l'appartamento con una famiglia molto numerosa di gatti e al contempo una persona che sembra nascondere qualcosa di oscuro nel suo passato.
Un evento bizzarro - l'arrivo di uno strano nuovo inquilino nel condominio, durante una tempesta che causa un blackout - viene osservato attraverso gli occhi della protagonista.
La sua visione della realtà, a tratti contaminata da un velo di inquietante, è la cosa che più ho apprezzato nello stile diretto e preciso dell'autore.
Il modo in cui i condomini sono descritti, appena accennati ma perfettamente a fuoco e il crescendo di inquietudine personale della protagonista, che vive un incubo soprannaturale quanto terribilmente reale, fino al climax della storia sono perfettamente conclusi in un finale perfetto come un fiocco regalo.
Una delle letture migliori di quest'anno, un consiglio per chi ha un livello di inglese medio\avanzato, per chi vuole addentrarsi negli abissi dell'ignoto e della mente umana.
Un libro davvero bello, un horror intenso e agghiacciante quanto basta per sentire i brividi lungo la schiena.
From the very first pages the author manages to create a perfect scene of daily life and at the same time so disturbing as to attract the attention of the reader.
As well as the protagonist, Betsy, who attracts as a nice middle-aged lady who shares the apartment with a very large family of cats and at the same time a person who seems to have something dark hiding in her past.
A bizarre event - the arrival of a strange new tenant in the condominium, during a storm that causes a blackout - is observed through the eyes of the protagonist.
His vision of reality, at times contaminated by a veil of disturbing, is the thing I appreciated most in the direct and precise style of the author.
The way in which the tenants are described, just hinted at but perfectly in focus and the crescendo of personal restlessness of the protagonist, who lives a supernatural nightmare as terribly real, up to the climax of the story are perfectly concluded in a perfect ending as a gift ribbon.
One of the best readings of this year, a tip for those with an intermediate / advanced level of English, for those who want to delve into the abyss of the unknown and of the human mind.
A really beautiful book, an intense and chilling horror enough to feel the shivers down your spine.
Così come la protagonista, Betsy, che attira come simpatica signora di mezz'età che condivide l'appartamento con una famiglia molto numerosa di gatti e al contempo una persona che sembra nascondere qualcosa di oscuro nel suo passato.
Un evento bizzarro - l'arrivo di uno strano nuovo inquilino nel condominio, durante una tempesta che causa un blackout - viene osservato attraverso gli occhi della protagonista.
La sua visione della realtà, a tratti contaminata da un velo di inquietante, è la cosa che più ho apprezzato nello stile diretto e preciso dell'autore.
Il modo in cui i condomini sono descritti, appena accennati ma perfettamente a fuoco e il crescendo di inquietudine personale della protagonista, che vive un incubo soprannaturale quanto terribilmente reale, fino al climax della storia sono perfettamente conclusi in un finale perfetto come un fiocco regalo.
Una delle letture migliori di quest'anno, un consiglio per chi ha un livello di inglese medio\avanzato, per chi vuole addentrarsi negli abissi dell'ignoto e della mente umana.
Un libro davvero bello, un horror intenso e agghiacciante quanto basta per sentire i brividi lungo la schiena.
From the very first pages the author manages to create a perfect scene of daily life and at the same time so disturbing as to attract the attention of the reader.
As well as the protagonist, Betsy, who attracts as a nice middle-aged lady who shares the apartment with a very large family of cats and at the same time a person who seems to have something dark hiding in her past.
A bizarre event - the arrival of a strange new tenant in the condominium, during a storm that causes a blackout - is observed through the eyes of the protagonist.
His vision of reality, at times contaminated by a veil of disturbing, is the thing I appreciated most in the direct and precise style of the author.
The way in which the tenants are described, just hinted at but perfectly in focus and the crescendo of personal restlessness of the protagonist, who lives a supernatural nightmare as terribly real, up to the climax of the story are perfectly concluded in a perfect ending as a gift ribbon.
One of the best readings of this year, a tip for those with an intermediate / advanced level of English, for those who want to delve into the abyss of the unknown and of the human mind.
A really beautiful book, an intense and chilling horror enough to feel the shivers down your spine.
February 14, 2023
This is a really powerful one. I know the deeper meaning will be lost to many, but this is actually pretty heartbreaking when you look past the *creepy exterior*. Betsy may be losing the memories she’s tried to hold close, but at least she has her cats!
Also: new found fear of rats. Cool.
Also: new found fear of rats. Cool.
December 22, 2020
***3.5 stars rounded up to 4***
December 7, 2020
Review of “The Dark Side of the Room by Tyler Jones”
I finished this twisted little novella that has a slow creepy build until the darkness hits you right in the face. I would consider it a psychological horror. Y’all know how much I love psychology horrors. Just take my brain and put it in a blender.
Betsy lives in a run down apartment building where the darkness lingers in the corner of her mind. The only problem is as the darkness creeps in it takes her memories with it. When she meets the new neighbor down the hall she is left to wonder if she brought the darkness that was in her mind into the real world.
Betsy , the crazy cat lady , is kind of a prude in my opinion. I actually disliked her a little for that. Talk about nosey and judgemental neighbors. I slowly began to connect with her through her love for her various cats and many of her fears were relatable to my own. The story starts off slow with little hints of danger and then after half way through I was hit with an adrenaline rush to finish. I was completely invested. The creative kills (ah! Magnificent) left me wanting more from this author's mind and maybe even a little queasy. I also welcomed the ending that left me asking so many questions. I gave this book 4.5 ⭐️
Thank you Tyler Jones for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
I finished this twisted little novella that has a slow creepy build until the darkness hits you right in the face. I would consider it a psychological horror. Y’all know how much I love psychology horrors. Just take my brain and put it in a blender.
Betsy lives in a run down apartment building where the darkness lingers in the corner of her mind. The only problem is as the darkness creeps in it takes her memories with it. When she meets the new neighbor down the hall she is left to wonder if she brought the darkness that was in her mind into the real world.
Betsy , the crazy cat lady , is kind of a prude in my opinion. I actually disliked her a little for that. Talk about nosey and judgemental neighbors. I slowly began to connect with her through her love for her various cats and many of her fears were relatable to my own. The story starts off slow with little hints of danger and then after half way through I was hit with an adrenaline rush to finish. I was completely invested. The creative kills (ah! Magnificent) left me wanting more from this author's mind and maybe even a little queasy. I also welcomed the ending that left me asking so many questions. I gave this book 4.5 ⭐️
Thank you Tyler Jones for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2024
Don’t let this one go over your head. Find the message. Absolutely love a true psychological thriller.
March 21, 2022
What if the darkness in our minds crossed over to the real world only to begin consuming all we hold dear? It’s a strong story concept, but will it stick the landing?
While The Dark Side of the Room is a very different story than that in Criterium Jones’s writing style is consistently impactful and focused on bringing us along with wonderful characters facing the worst possible side of problems many wrestle with every day. Be it addiction problems, memory and dementia problems, or grief and loss, he has a way of taking these issues and twisting them into heartfelt and gut punching horror stories.
I highly recommend adding both The Dark Side of the Room and Criterium to your shelf if you are a fan of character and emotion driven horror novella’s.
Full review on the site soon at:
https://aicpod.com/category/blog/
And in audio form on the podcast in the near future on the AIC Stories feed.
While The Dark Side of the Room is a very different story than that in Criterium Jones’s writing style is consistently impactful and focused on bringing us along with wonderful characters facing the worst possible side of problems many wrestle with every day. Be it addiction problems, memory and dementia problems, or grief and loss, he has a way of taking these issues and twisting them into heartfelt and gut punching horror stories.
I highly recommend adding both The Dark Side of the Room and Criterium to your shelf if you are a fan of character and emotion driven horror novella’s.
Full review on the site soon at:
https://aicpod.com/category/blog/
And in audio form on the podcast in the near future on the AIC Stories feed.
January 9, 2021
This book was a super quick read for me because I found the story so interesting and different. As I do with all of Tyler Jones’ stories.
I very much enjoyed the run down apartment setting and all the character building of the neighbors. Betsy, the protagonist, seemed very real to me. To the point where sometimes I loved her and a lot of times I hated her...her fight against the darkness inside herself and out was harrowing.
The action scenes were visceral and bloody. I loved every second of it.
“Blood came pouring down his chin, and soon the rat had all but vanished, except it’s tail that still hung out between Greg’s teeth”
Ugh, I couldn’t get that out of my head! Well done Tyler!
I very much enjoyed the run down apartment setting and all the character building of the neighbors. Betsy, the protagonist, seemed very real to me. To the point where sometimes I loved her and a lot of times I hated her...her fight against the darkness inside herself and out was harrowing.
The action scenes were visceral and bloody. I loved every second of it.
“Blood came pouring down his chin, and soon the rat had all but vanished, except it’s tail that still hung out between Greg’s teeth”
Ugh, I couldn’t get that out of my head! Well done Tyler!
March 26, 2021
Ominous and Profound
This is a dark and creepy tale that left me filled with dread, as I find few things in life more frightening than losing memories of those I've loved. This was the second book I've read by Tyler Jones, and I absolutely dig his style of writing. CRITERIUM, for me, was a five-star read, but I think I enjoyed this one even more. I hope to read much more from Jones in the future. Highly recommended!
This is a dark and creepy tale that left me filled with dread, as I find few things in life more frightening than losing memories of those I've loved. This was the second book I've read by Tyler Jones, and I absolutely dig his style of writing. CRITERIUM, for me, was a five-star read, but I think I enjoyed this one even more. I hope to read much more from Jones in the future. Highly recommended!
October 7, 2021
The Dark Side of the Room - 4/5
By Tyler Jones
I finished this twisted little novella in one sitting as I just could not put it down.
This was a perfect psychological thriller and had me asking all the right questions: has Betsy got dementia or is this an actual physical manifestation of blackness? I really loved how you were left to figure it out yourself.
By Tyler Jones
I finished this twisted little novella in one sitting as I just could not put it down.
This was a perfect psychological thriller and had me asking all the right questions: has Betsy got dementia or is this an actual physical manifestation of blackness? I really loved how you were left to figure it out yourself.
January 20, 2021
The dark encroaches
Betsy has troubles remembering. Luckily, she has a room in her mind where all of her best memories are kept. But even in her mind, the darkness is invading, blocking out memories forever.
The dark also spills out into her real world. In her small apartment, with only her cats for company, she sees things from the corner of her mind. The dark is closing in and, in the shape of rats, the dark is consuming all that is important to her. This isn’t just in her head, her neighbors are also feeling the bite of the dark.
Quick story but a slow burn. Little pockets of tension build up to a big finale
Betsy has troubles remembering. Luckily, she has a room in her mind where all of her best memories are kept. But even in her mind, the darkness is invading, blocking out memories forever.
The dark also spills out into her real world. In her small apartment, with only her cats for company, she sees things from the corner of her mind. The dark is closing in and, in the shape of rats, the dark is consuming all that is important to her. This isn’t just in her head, her neighbors are also feeling the bite of the dark.
Quick story but a slow burn. Little pockets of tension build up to a big finale
July 26, 2022
You giving me only 5 stars, need 10.
Thinking about this story. Need more stuff like this. Thanks.
Thinking about this story. Need more stuff like this. Thanks.
July 30, 2021
TDSOTR is the second book I have read from Tyler, the first, Criterium, you can find a review of on my website. His latest offering is an attempt (a very good attempt, I might add) of documenting the effects and feelings of Dementia/Alzheimer’s. Given that my mother is presently dying of Alzheimer’s, I know the effects pretty well, and Tyler’s done a fantastic job of painting a picture in words of how that condition affects the sufferer.
Jones illustrates the loss of memory by creating a visual image which is stunning in its simplicity – that of a room called a Memory Room, where the collected thoughts of a person are made manifest – a vase, once looked at, might trigger a memory of a sunny day in the garden, cutting flowers to decorate a table, moments before meeting a person that would later become your husband (for example). So physical objects in an imaginary room, which is slowly being devoured by a shadow, creeping across the room. Objects in the shadow are hidden, you might remember what they are, that there was once a vase on the fireplace, but the details of that vase, what it represented, are then lost to you. You KNOW the vase existed, but are appalled at your own inability to remember anything about the vase, until the vase itself, as a memory, is gone.
Brilliant.
The genius of the creation of the memory room as a physical indication of memory loss is genius, straight up. Tyler then goes a step further by having the physical manifestation of the darkness manifest in the real world, a haunting figure that begins to devour the real-world surroundings of the woman (Betsy) that is trapped in her own loss of memory.
So. That’s the setup. It’s a fantastic idea, and Tyler introduces it slowly, first building up his characters, and his cast are fantastic. Now, it’s easy to see that I am probably projecting a little here, my mother’s condition, and having lived with her constant memory lapses over the years, I guess I could probably be accused of familiarizing Betsy to my own experiences, of loving her character. And that’s fair. But reading is always specific to the individual reader, and I loved Betsy. Her opinions, self-reflection, her idiosyncrasies, her inner monologue. I’ve read some comments that the secondary characters in the apartment block were not as well-rounded as in Tyler’s other book.
Pfff.
I thought they were fantastic. I even made a note of how good I thought Tyler had painted them. I loved the gay couple. I even loved the stoner and Betsy’s thawing to him. It’s sterling character work and made this just flow by.
The story takes a sharp turn in atmosphere when the “monster” is finally confronted, and there is a certain loss of poetry from that point on, but it is replaced by Tyler’s clean rendering of violence, brutal and demanding, and the ending is satisfying, we leave on a sour note, which is true to the book.
I’m giving this 4.5 ⭐’s rounded up to 5 on Goodreads, because of the exceptional character work on Betsy, and because this felt like coming home. Tyler, it was a pleasure.
Jones illustrates the loss of memory by creating a visual image which is stunning in its simplicity – that of a room called a Memory Room, where the collected thoughts of a person are made manifest – a vase, once looked at, might trigger a memory of a sunny day in the garden, cutting flowers to decorate a table, moments before meeting a person that would later become your husband (for example). So physical objects in an imaginary room, which is slowly being devoured by a shadow, creeping across the room. Objects in the shadow are hidden, you might remember what they are, that there was once a vase on the fireplace, but the details of that vase, what it represented, are then lost to you. You KNOW the vase existed, but are appalled at your own inability to remember anything about the vase, until the vase itself, as a memory, is gone.
Brilliant.
The genius of the creation of the memory room as a physical indication of memory loss is genius, straight up. Tyler then goes a step further by having the physical manifestation of the darkness manifest in the real world, a haunting figure that begins to devour the real-world surroundings of the woman (Betsy) that is trapped in her own loss of memory.
So. That’s the setup. It’s a fantastic idea, and Tyler introduces it slowly, first building up his characters, and his cast are fantastic. Now, it’s easy to see that I am probably projecting a little here, my mother’s condition, and having lived with her constant memory lapses over the years, I guess I could probably be accused of familiarizing Betsy to my own experiences, of loving her character. And that’s fair. But reading is always specific to the individual reader, and I loved Betsy. Her opinions, self-reflection, her idiosyncrasies, her inner monologue. I’ve read some comments that the secondary characters in the apartment block were not as well-rounded as in Tyler’s other book.
Pfff.
I thought they were fantastic. I even made a note of how good I thought Tyler had painted them. I loved the gay couple. I even loved the stoner and Betsy’s thawing to him. It’s sterling character work and made this just flow by.
The story takes a sharp turn in atmosphere when the “monster” is finally confronted, and there is a certain loss of poetry from that point on, but it is replaced by Tyler’s clean rendering of violence, brutal and demanding, and the ending is satisfying, we leave on a sour note, which is true to the book.
I’m giving this 4.5 ⭐’s rounded up to 5 on Goodreads, because of the exceptional character work on Betsy, and because this felt like coming home. Tyler, it was a pleasure.
April 13, 2021
A visceral and emotionally resonant horror story. Betsy is an unreliable narrator and the book makes some interesting character choices for her. She’s judgemental and has some harsh thoughts about the people in her building. She also has a bad history with her estranged daughter, though I wish this is explained further. But her loss of memories is quite harrowing, and despite not actually liking her, I did feel bad for Betsy.
I expected a straightforward psychological horror but surprisingly it went down a grislier path, with some gruesome scenes involving rats. The final third of the book ramps up the action in a shocking way. I'm not entirely convinced at the resolution, which left me wanting. But I really liked the book’s exploration of how memories play a huge part in shaping a person’s experience. It’s a haunting book about a flawed character whose life isn’t entirely hers, but she’s willing to fight for it until the end.
CW: graphic violence, animal death
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I expected a straightforward psychological horror but surprisingly it went down a grislier path, with some gruesome scenes involving rats. The final third of the book ramps up the action in a shocking way. I'm not entirely convinced at the resolution, which left me wanting. But I really liked the book’s exploration of how memories play a huge part in shaping a person’s experience. It’s a haunting book about a flawed character whose life isn’t entirely hers, but she’s willing to fight for it until the end.
CW: graphic violence, animal death
book blog | twitter | instagram
January 3, 2021
This is my first Tyler Jones experience, and I can’t see it being the last. Jones does a great job in creating a tense, supernatural horror that builds steadily without compromise. Themes of dementia and horror bleed together in a story about a strange new resident to an apartment block with a very dark secret. It’s a slow burn to begin with, mainly due to establishing secondary characters, but once you reach the “alley” chapter, prepare to have your skin goosed.
April 17, 2022
Holy cow, such a heartbreaking tale. Creepy, touching, and a lot of shadows. What’s not to love?
September 7, 2021
The Dark Side of the Plot...
No spoilers. 3 stars. This story was interesting at the start. Elderly Betsy is living in an apartment building with her many cats when...
...one stormy night a slight-framed stranger comes in from the rain. His face is hidden deep inside his hoodie...
... his baggy clothing hangs on him like there's no one holding them up and when asked what he's doing in the building he communicates by nodding... like a mute...
... that he's moving into a recently vacated apartment on Betsy's floor. There were scratches on his shadowy face and when he moved he rippled from head to toe...
Betsy, who is suffering from some sort of dementia, files this strange stranger (is there any other kind?) in the dark side of her stored memories...
There is another mystery going on in the Parkrose apartments: the mystery of the scratching noises in the walls...
... and as if that's not enough, there's a serial killer loose in the building beheading the tenants (and cats) one by one...
Well I'll say this story had the makings of a good atmospheric tale of urban apartment living but about halfway through it petered off into the twilight zone leaving the plot on a darker, fuzzier side of the room.
Was it a story about dementia or a serial killing tenant... or perhaps it was it about killer rats living in the walls. It was sort of a serve yourself plot and climax in which you choose your favorite ending.
No spoilers. 3 stars. This story was interesting at the start. Elderly Betsy is living in an apartment building with her many cats when...
...one stormy night a slight-framed stranger comes in from the rain. His face is hidden deep inside his hoodie...
... his baggy clothing hangs on him like there's no one holding them up and when asked what he's doing in the building he communicates by nodding... like a mute...
... that he's moving into a recently vacated apartment on Betsy's floor. There were scratches on his shadowy face and when he moved he rippled from head to toe...
Betsy, who is suffering from some sort of dementia, files this strange stranger (is there any other kind?) in the dark side of her stored memories...
There is another mystery going on in the Parkrose apartments: the mystery of the scratching noises in the walls...
... and as if that's not enough, there's a serial killer loose in the building beheading the tenants (and cats) one by one...
Well I'll say this story had the makings of a good atmospheric tale of urban apartment living but about halfway through it petered off into the twilight zone leaving the plot on a darker, fuzzier side of the room.
Was it a story about dementia or a serial killing tenant... or perhaps it was it about killer rats living in the walls. It was sort of a serve yourself plot and climax in which you choose your favorite ending.
November 7, 2020
4.5 out of 5 stars for me.
Tyler Jones is a new author I've come to know but I've heard good stuff from his other book so when I saw a deal on this book, I quickly jumped and snatched it.
Boy, was I in for a horrifying treat!
I really, really enjoyed it! I couldn't stop reading!
Betsy Lupino was a delightful character and quite relatable. She reminded me of my grandparents who both suffer from Alzheimer's and my heart aches whenever Betsy retreated into her Memory Room, holding on to her memories for dear life.
What I really loved about this story was how much is left to the interpretation of the reader. There's so much uncertainty in it. Was it really all in Betsy's head? Or was Portland infested with small, black horrors?
That part of the story made my skin crawl. Some of the scenes made me squirm and gag. It really made me happy to know that my home is safe from those things!
Tyler Jones has talent for the uncomfortable horror and I can't wait to see the rest of his works!
Tyler Jones is a new author I've come to know but I've heard good stuff from his other book so when I saw a deal on this book, I quickly jumped and snatched it.
Boy, was I in for a horrifying treat!
I really, really enjoyed it! I couldn't stop reading!
Betsy Lupino was a delightful character and quite relatable. She reminded me of my grandparents who both suffer from Alzheimer's and my heart aches whenever Betsy retreated into her Memory Room, holding on to her memories for dear life.
What I really loved about this story was how much is left to the interpretation of the reader. There's so much uncertainty in it. Was it really all in Betsy's head? Or was Portland infested with small, black horrors?
That part of the story made my skin crawl. Some of the scenes made me squirm and gag. It really made me happy to know that my home is safe from those things!
Tyler Jones has talent for the uncomfortable horror and I can't wait to see the rest of his works!
December 23, 2020
This one. Good lord I was not ready for this one. Having recently been introduced to Tyler Jones with his remarkable novella “Criterium”, I doubled down with his follow up, “The Dark Side of the Room”. And while there are some structural similarities, holy hell this one was not what I was expecting.
Betsy Lupino is a frumpy, middle aged woman living in a festering tenement in Portland alone with her six cats. Yes, she is crazy cat lady. Her husband apparently died a little while ago and her estranged daughter wants nothing to do with her, going so far as to tell her she is not welcome around her granddaughter. So Betsy lives her sheltered life with more cat food in her cupboards than people food and silently judges her neighbors on a piano scale rating chart. She is *that* reclusive stereotype, quirks and all, limiting interactions and living through her memories.
Until the new neighbor moves in. When things get a little strange. He moves in a disjointed fashion. He doesn’t look quite right and smells like a back alley garbage dumpster after a soaking rain on a ninety degree day. And he doesn’t say much.
We meet Betsy’s neighbors over the early part of the novella. Jones spends the time spinning character studies of each as we relate to them through Betsy’s mind. But Betsy’s mind isn’t all there. Much like “Criterium” was a vivid allegory for addiction, Jones gives mental deterioration a new form here. Betsy has serious issues with facts and memories, confusing both, and slowly losing the battle with the darkness spilling into her mind. Memories lay shrouded in the blackness crawling out of the corners and gaining purchase in her psyche.
As such the first half of the novella slowly burns along. That is to say it spent a lot of time setting the stage for the next act—figuring out exactly what is going on with the new neighbor, who seems to mirror the consuming blackness in Betsy’s mind. Is Betsy responsible for bringing this foul being into the building? Well, she seems to think so. But then it gets downright horrific.
Seems lately Portland has been the setting for a series of murders of homeless people, indicating a possible serial killer is on the loose. And he likes to keep the heads of his victims. A connection?
Betsy enlists the help of several of her neighbors to confront the new tenant and yes, that’s a mistake. It’s here that Tyler Jones moves out of subtle allegory territory and into full blown horror, totally unannounced. It’s like watching Natalie James’ movie Relic when all of sudden it becomes a James Herbert novel. As an unreliable narrator, Betsy does not do us any favors with alerting us to where things may go. I was NOT prepared for the full on bloodbath that came next.
I mean look at the cover of this book. It’s black with white block text. No images; no hint whatsoever what it is about. Criterium had a flaming bike on it’s cover, and lo and behold, it’s about a flaming bike (ish). You cannot judge this book by its cover and it’s all the better for it. You are not prepared for what comes next. And as this is a spoiler free review, you’re either going to have to pick it up and give it a go or simply take my word for it. But if you do decide to pick it up, give your last meal a chance to properly digest first. Brutal and unflinching are being kind.
From here out, Tyler Jones is a must read writer for me. I’ll pick up his stuff without hearing anything about it. His prose is concise with a rapacious hunger for impact. He WANTS to unsettle you and force you to look. He spends time on his characters, making you care, so the ensuing carnage penetrates your soul in ways that leave a resonating shiver. I think he’s a bit of a B-Minor for doing that, but still think this one hits all the right chords.
4 out of 5 stars.
Betsy Lupino is a frumpy, middle aged woman living in a festering tenement in Portland alone with her six cats. Yes, she is crazy cat lady. Her husband apparently died a little while ago and her estranged daughter wants nothing to do with her, going so far as to tell her she is not welcome around her granddaughter. So Betsy lives her sheltered life with more cat food in her cupboards than people food and silently judges her neighbors on a piano scale rating chart. She is *that* reclusive stereotype, quirks and all, limiting interactions and living through her memories.
Until the new neighbor moves in. When things get a little strange. He moves in a disjointed fashion. He doesn’t look quite right and smells like a back alley garbage dumpster after a soaking rain on a ninety degree day. And he doesn’t say much.
We meet Betsy’s neighbors over the early part of the novella. Jones spends the time spinning character studies of each as we relate to them through Betsy’s mind. But Betsy’s mind isn’t all there. Much like “Criterium” was a vivid allegory for addiction, Jones gives mental deterioration a new form here. Betsy has serious issues with facts and memories, confusing both, and slowly losing the battle with the darkness spilling into her mind. Memories lay shrouded in the blackness crawling out of the corners and gaining purchase in her psyche.
As such the first half of the novella slowly burns along. That is to say it spent a lot of time setting the stage for the next act—figuring out exactly what is going on with the new neighbor, who seems to mirror the consuming blackness in Betsy’s mind. Is Betsy responsible for bringing this foul being into the building? Well, she seems to think so. But then it gets downright horrific.
Seems lately Portland has been the setting for a series of murders of homeless people, indicating a possible serial killer is on the loose. And he likes to keep the heads of his victims. A connection?
Betsy enlists the help of several of her neighbors to confront the new tenant and yes, that’s a mistake. It’s here that Tyler Jones moves out of subtle allegory territory and into full blown horror, totally unannounced. It’s like watching Natalie James’ movie Relic when all of sudden it becomes a James Herbert novel. As an unreliable narrator, Betsy does not do us any favors with alerting us to where things may go. I was NOT prepared for the full on bloodbath that came next.
I mean look at the cover of this book. It’s black with white block text. No images; no hint whatsoever what it is about. Criterium had a flaming bike on it’s cover, and lo and behold, it’s about a flaming bike (ish). You cannot judge this book by its cover and it’s all the better for it. You are not prepared for what comes next. And as this is a spoiler free review, you’re either going to have to pick it up and give it a go or simply take my word for it. But if you do decide to pick it up, give your last meal a chance to properly digest first. Brutal and unflinching are being kind.
From here out, Tyler Jones is a must read writer for me. I’ll pick up his stuff without hearing anything about it. His prose is concise with a rapacious hunger for impact. He WANTS to unsettle you and force you to look. He spends time on his characters, making you care, so the ensuing carnage penetrates your soul in ways that leave a resonating shiver. I think he’s a bit of a B-Minor for doing that, but still think this one hits all the right chords.
4 out of 5 stars.
December 13, 2020
I won physical copies of The Dark Side of the Room and Criterium, from the author Tyler Jones, in a Twitter giveaway. What follows below is my honest review of The Dark Side of the Room, freely given.
I rated this novella 5 stars.
I’m a little surprised how my opinion of Betsy changed, having waited to write my review. In several ways she reminded me of my maternal grandmother. Worshiped pugs instead of cats, but had that same automatic system of judge first, make exceptions to the rule later. She thought children were always loud, women who didn’t curse couldn’t be trusted, and men without callouses don’t know anything of value. God I loved her. Betsy had other first judgments about her neighbors, but she’s an older woman puttering around and making assumptions about people and it made me think of my Nannie.
Almost all of the story takes place in the apartment complex, which I thought went well with the darkness in her mind beginning to take up more space, causing her to fear losing memories. Her world was also shrinking, her interaction with influences outside her building turning dark as well; but maybe flying under her radar, a more insidious darkness.
The buildup with the odd, new neighbor was killer for me. I think if it went down in my building everyone would pretend to see nothing (except for me; I’m nosy and would be all over it).
I cheered for Betsy originally, but the more I thought about the events and how they came to be that way, the more complicated my feelings toward her got; Betsy doesn’t fit the definition of anti-hero, but I can’t find a term to fit what she is to me. It’s not quite like a twisted Munchausen syndrome, she didn’t create anything on purpose to become a hero, but she is not blameless. She fought off the darkness yes, but she seems unable to make the connection that her personal darkness made the larger, more fatal, darkness possible. It’s something that sours her victory for me, she’s like a child unable to grasp the severity of her actions. That’s just my take away from it, the more I sat and thought about it. I loved the novella, this made it that much darker to me.
I rated this novella 5 stars.
I’m a little surprised how my opinion of Betsy changed, having waited to write my review. In several ways she reminded me of my maternal grandmother. Worshiped pugs instead of cats, but had that same automatic system of judge first, make exceptions to the rule later. She thought children were always loud, women who didn’t curse couldn’t be trusted, and men without callouses don’t know anything of value. God I loved her. Betsy had other first judgments about her neighbors, but she’s an older woman puttering around and making assumptions about people and it made me think of my Nannie.
Almost all of the story takes place in the apartment complex, which I thought went well with the darkness in her mind beginning to take up more space, causing her to fear losing memories. Her world was also shrinking, her interaction with influences outside her building turning dark as well; but maybe flying under her radar, a more insidious darkness.
The buildup with the odd, new neighbor was killer for me. I think if it went down in my building everyone would pretend to see nothing (except for me; I’m nosy and would be all over it).
I cheered for Betsy originally, but the more I thought about the events and how they came to be that way, the more complicated my feelings toward her got; Betsy doesn’t fit the definition of anti-hero, but I can’t find a term to fit what she is to me. It’s not quite like a twisted Munchausen syndrome, she didn’t create anything on purpose to become a hero, but she is not blameless. She fought off the darkness yes, but she seems unable to make the connection that her personal darkness made the larger, more fatal, darkness possible. It’s something that sours her victory for me, she’s like a child unable to grasp the severity of her actions. That’s just my take away from it, the more I sat and thought about it. I loved the novella, this made it that much darker to me.
January 28, 2021
“The Dark side of the Room” was twisted and creepy and will leave many “rat”-tled (see what I did there). For me theres nothing more terrifying than losing the memories of my past and of those I’ve loved and who have loved me. The author takes this terror and weaves a horrific creature feature around it. Betsy Lupino’s mind being slowly consumed by the dark while also trying to confront the horrors of mysterious new stranger who brings with him a physical, consuming, pestilence that mirrors the devouring of Betsy’s mind is a story full of imagery that will linger in your mind. This was my first time reading Tyler Jones and I was very impressed with his handling of characters and building of tension. A quick read, but worth it.
April 12, 2021
Predictable. Honestly, I was waiting for some deep dark psychological fuckery but it fell so flat.
The main character is hard to root for because when describing anyone she meets or knows she a judgmental bitch and people who are "obviously disabled" make her skin crawl. Well, you're no peach either Betsy.
We are supposed to care that her mind is slipping and her family abandoned her but I didn't and I only continued to read despite her character because it was a short novella and I need to add to my yearly reading goal.
The main character is hard to root for because when describing anyone she meets or knows she a judgmental bitch and people who are "obviously disabled" make her skin crawl. Well, you're no peach either Betsy.
We are supposed to care that her mind is slipping and her family abandoned her but I didn't and I only continued to read despite her character because it was a short novella and I need to add to my yearly reading goal.
July 6, 2021
I devoured this one. From what I’d heard, I was in for more of a quiet, horror-type tale, but well, it’s only quiet until it isn’t, folks. Holy hell. Tyler brings so much heart to the story as well, and I only imagine from my talks with him working in the medical field, actual life-experience with people he’s spoken/met throughout his career.
The long and short of it: A lucid read which creeps low to the ground until it springs on an unknowing you. Heart. Blood. Grief. All the good stuff. I’ve said it before and know I’ll say it again: Tyler Jones is the real deal.
The long and short of it: A lucid read which creeps low to the ground until it springs on an unknowing you. Heart. Blood. Grief. All the good stuff. I’ve said it before and know I’ll say it again: Tyler Jones is the real deal.
November 16, 2020
So, honestly, this is a bit bizarre. It's like some sort of surreal and grotesque nightmare. Yet, it's also incredibly engaging.
I started out not liking our main character very much. There was a bitterness there that was off putting. However, as I got to know her and the other residents of our building, I was thoroughly and completely in.
Best for readers who like things weird and sometimes gory.
A good read.
I started out not liking our main character very much. There was a bitterness there that was off putting. However, as I got to know her and the other residents of our building, I was thoroughly and completely in.
Best for readers who like things weird and sometimes gory.
A good read.
September 28, 2023
This was so awesome. The creepfactor was off the charts. Actually had to take a bit of a break because it was creeping me out. I listened to the audiobook. The Narration was on point it wasn't. It was a very easy listen because as you know a poor narrator can ruin an audiobook. I look forward to reading/listening to more from the author.
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