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In Nightmares We're Alone
In Nightmares We’re Alone presents three interconnected tales of terror and otherworldly horrors:
'Good Little Dolly': A young girl is stalked by the hypnotic eyes of her mother’s new doll.
'Growth': A womanizing con artist can no longer contain the plants that sprout from his fingernails.
'That Thing We Don’t Quite See': A bitter woman is haunted by the cryptic messages on her dead father’s typewriter.
'Good Little Dolly': A young girl is stalked by the hypnotic eyes of her mother’s new doll.
'Growth': A womanizing con artist can no longer contain the plants that sprout from his fingernails.
'That Thing We Don’t Quite See': A bitter woman is haunted by the cryptic messages on her dead father’s typewriter.
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Published March 15, 2021
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About the author
Greg Sisco
49 books136 followersGreg Sisco is a novelist, screenwriter, and film director. His short fiction has appeared in anthologies such as Worst Laid Plans, Halldark Holidays, and Nox Pareidolia. Perpetually restless and habitually nomadic, he has lived in four countries and is most at home in the movie theater.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 9, 2021
Originally published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
As far as introductions to an author’s work goes, I can’t think of a better offering than a collection of three, novellas differing in style and substance but sharing the same universe and characters.
All three tales in In Nightmares We’re Alone are told from a first person POV. Greg Sisco takes readers through a character’s own, personal nightmare as they are living it. . .alone. But they’re not really alone, are they? We are with them.
The first story, “Good Little Dolly,” tells the story of a young girl living with her mother and her older sister. One of the girl’s earned rewards from her busy, distracted mother is to open the package whenever a new doll arrives at their house. The large dolls come pretty frequently. Both daughters have different feelings about their mom’s expensive doll collecting hobby.
One day, the girl opens the box to find a doll with unsettling eyes. I enjoyed this classic “creepy doll” horror tale. It builds suspense and tension as it moves along at a quickening pace. Perhaps even more unsettling than the doll with the strange eyes was the family dynamic between the mother and her two daughters.
“Growth,” the middle story, is perhaps my favorite. Sisco’s drastic change in narrative from the young girl to a narcissistic, manipulative con man is a powerful transition. Readers will find themselves in the mind of a vain, shallow individual whose life is turned upside down when he discovers that his fingernails are sprouting some kind of plant life. The man’s attempts to deal with his condition in various different ways is body horror at its best. It’s both humorous and disgusting. The fact readers won’t find themselves totally empathetic to the protagonist’s situation makes for a very entertaining read and a surprising conclusion.
The final story, “That Thing We Don’t Quite See,” is yet another startling change of pace. The woman in this story is tormented by unusual messages from her deceased father’s typewriter. As more of a quiet, existential nightmare, this last protagonist was my favorite character’s head to be inside of as she spirals into herself pondering her own, heavy thoughts.
A writer must be extremely confident in his own ability to pull off the telling of a whole story in three parts through three acts with multiple first-person POVs. I’m impressed. One nightmare told three ways — a wholly unique and terrifying way to blindside readers. Greg Sisco nailed it. I’ll be looking for more of his work in the future.
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
As far as introductions to an author’s work goes, I can’t think of a better offering than a collection of three, novellas differing in style and substance but sharing the same universe and characters.
All three tales in In Nightmares We’re Alone are told from a first person POV. Greg Sisco takes readers through a character’s own, personal nightmare as they are living it. . .alone. But they’re not really alone, are they? We are with them.
The first story, “Good Little Dolly,” tells the story of a young girl living with her mother and her older sister. One of the girl’s earned rewards from her busy, distracted mother is to open the package whenever a new doll arrives at their house. The large dolls come pretty frequently. Both daughters have different feelings about their mom’s expensive doll collecting hobby.
One day, the girl opens the box to find a doll with unsettling eyes. I enjoyed this classic “creepy doll” horror tale. It builds suspense and tension as it moves along at a quickening pace. Perhaps even more unsettling than the doll with the strange eyes was the family dynamic between the mother and her two daughters.
“Growth,” the middle story, is perhaps my favorite. Sisco’s drastic change in narrative from the young girl to a narcissistic, manipulative con man is a powerful transition. Readers will find themselves in the mind of a vain, shallow individual whose life is turned upside down when he discovers that his fingernails are sprouting some kind of plant life. The man’s attempts to deal with his condition in various different ways is body horror at its best. It’s both humorous and disgusting. The fact readers won’t find themselves totally empathetic to the protagonist’s situation makes for a very entertaining read and a surprising conclusion.
The final story, “That Thing We Don’t Quite See,” is yet another startling change of pace. The woman in this story is tormented by unusual messages from her deceased father’s typewriter. As more of a quiet, existential nightmare, this last protagonist was my favorite character’s head to be inside of as she spirals into herself pondering her own, heavy thoughts.
A writer must be extremely confident in his own ability to pull off the telling of a whole story in three parts through three acts with multiple first-person POVs. I’m impressed. One nightmare told three ways — a wholly unique and terrifying way to blindside readers. Greg Sisco nailed it. I’ll be looking for more of his work in the future.
June 18, 2021
You know those books that completely subvert your expectations? The ones that linger in the mind long after you finish, rolling around and revealing layer after layer of brilliance. Ones where the longer you meditate on them the better they are (and that's not discounting how great they were in the immediate reading)?
Well, if you haven't guessed where I'm going...THIS is one of those books.
All I knew going in was: this is a collection of three interconnected novellas, the stories span several different genres in horror, Sadie Hartmann (aka Mother Horror) dug it, and that Off Limits Press can do no wrong so I was likely to enjoy it. Happy to say it was all the above and beyond.
- Story 1: haunted doll torments young girl; brutal shocker of an ending
- Story 2: phony medium uses sex to fill a void and trees start growing from his fingertips; scenes of full on eye-averting body/eco horror mixed with meditations on relationships, identity, and fatherhood
- Story 3: older woman takes care of her mother who is terrified a malicious presence will take her if she's left alone; slow-burn dread and despair that rises into taunt suspense before falling into a reality-shattering ending; upends the whole collection on its head
All three stories have a basic premise structuring them, but did you notice how increasingly complex they got (and how much harder of a time I had distilling them into concise summaries)? I absolutely love the way the author did this. We begin with a child, move to a young adult, and end with an elderly woman. What starts as a straight-forward evil doll story ends as a cosmic, existential reckoning. I was not prepared to wrestle with such heavy philosophizing on the meaning of life, but it elevates the collection to a whole other level.
Another thing I loved is how the stories are all connected to each other. I'll try not to go into spoilers here, but each protagonist was a side character in one of the other stories. It was so cool to get insight on some of the overlapping scenes from a different character's perspective; to see how things affected each character differently and learn more about their motivations and personalities.
As mentioned previously, the author presents us with a variety of different genres in horror and nails each of them perfectly. The pacing is fantastic and the stories are very character-driven, full of emotion and complexity. I'm speaking in vague terms for this review because I went in blind and that's the best way to go. Just know that I loved this book and the more I reminisce, the more it creeps up my "best of" list for 2021.
Well, if you haven't guessed where I'm going...THIS is one of those books.
All I knew going in was: this is a collection of three interconnected novellas, the stories span several different genres in horror, Sadie Hartmann (aka Mother Horror) dug it, and that Off Limits Press can do no wrong so I was likely to enjoy it. Happy to say it was all the above and beyond.
- Story 1: haunted doll torments young girl; brutal shocker of an ending
- Story 2: phony medium uses sex to fill a void and trees start growing from his fingertips; scenes of full on eye-averting body/eco horror mixed with meditations on relationships, identity, and fatherhood
- Story 3: older woman takes care of her mother who is terrified a malicious presence will take her if she's left alone; slow-burn dread and despair that rises into taunt suspense before falling into a reality-shattering ending; upends the whole collection on its head
All three stories have a basic premise structuring them, but did you notice how increasingly complex they got (and how much harder of a time I had distilling them into concise summaries)? I absolutely love the way the author did this. We begin with a child, move to a young adult, and end with an elderly woman. What starts as a straight-forward evil doll story ends as a cosmic, existential reckoning. I was not prepared to wrestle with such heavy philosophizing on the meaning of life, but it elevates the collection to a whole other level.
Another thing I loved is how the stories are all connected to each other. I'll try not to go into spoilers here, but each protagonist was a side character in one of the other stories. It was so cool to get insight on some of the overlapping scenes from a different character's perspective; to see how things affected each character differently and learn more about their motivations and personalities.
As mentioned previously, the author presents us with a variety of different genres in horror and nails each of them perfectly. The pacing is fantastic and the stories are very character-driven, full of emotion and complexity. I'm speaking in vague terms for this review because I went in blind and that's the best way to go. Just know that I loved this book and the more I reminisce, the more it creeps up my "best of" list for 2021.
June 16, 2021
When I finished IN NIGHTMARES WE’RE ALONE, I was shook. I wasn’t prepared for how much this book would make me think about and evaluate my decisions in a way no horror novel I’ve read has. I don’t want to go into too much detail; I believe discovering your way through a book is often the best way to experience it and that goes double (triple?) for this novel.
It’s split up into three novellas that are connected but also completely stand by themselves:
Good Little Dolly: A story about young girl who has a bad feeling about her mother’s new doll
Growth: The tale of a con artist who experiences personal growth
That Thing We Don’t Quite See: A woman starts seeing messages everywhere
The word that came to my mind after finishing this book was: perspective. Can the way you see and experience things ever really be a shared experience? Sure, you can tell someone about a dream or a nightmare, but do they really understand what it meant to you? How you felt? Why what keeps you up at night, keeps you up at night? Or are we alone in all of this, hoping in vain to connect with others though true connection may be impossible? Why do you want to connect with someone else? To make their life better or yours? Does that make it a selfish act?
Heavy, right? Lots of questions, no easy answers. 100% not what I was expecting.
There is traditional horror here too, don’t let me make you think it’s all existential thoughts. Fans of creepy dolls, body horror, and the supernatural will all find things to love here and I don’t mean to downplay their parts in these stories. I was just struck by the way these stories made me reflect on…just about everything. Also, I don’t want to spoil any of the spooky stuff. I also have to commend Sisco on completely nailing the characters. The novellas are all first-person accounts by three completely different characters that are in three different phases of their life. While you may not have things in common with them, their motivations feel real and believable.
Greg Sisco managed to not only provide the nightmare fuel I’d expect from a horror novel, but also had me dragging the very real fears/questions of his protagonists into the real world and making me wonder what I’m doing with my life and why.
5 out of 5 stars
It’s split up into three novellas that are connected but also completely stand by themselves:
Good Little Dolly: A story about young girl who has a bad feeling about her mother’s new doll
Growth: The tale of a con artist who experiences personal growth
That Thing We Don’t Quite See: A woman starts seeing messages everywhere
The word that came to my mind after finishing this book was: perspective. Can the way you see and experience things ever really be a shared experience? Sure, you can tell someone about a dream or a nightmare, but do they really understand what it meant to you? How you felt? Why what keeps you up at night, keeps you up at night? Or are we alone in all of this, hoping in vain to connect with others though true connection may be impossible? Why do you want to connect with someone else? To make their life better or yours? Does that make it a selfish act?
Heavy, right? Lots of questions, no easy answers. 100% not what I was expecting.
There is traditional horror here too, don’t let me make you think it’s all existential thoughts. Fans of creepy dolls, body horror, and the supernatural will all find things to love here and I don’t mean to downplay their parts in these stories. I was just struck by the way these stories made me reflect on…just about everything. Also, I don’t want to spoil any of the spooky stuff. I also have to commend Sisco on completely nailing the characters. The novellas are all first-person accounts by three completely different characters that are in three different phases of their life. While you may not have things in common with them, their motivations feel real and believable.
Greg Sisco managed to not only provide the nightmare fuel I’d expect from a horror novel, but also had me dragging the very real fears/questions of his protagonists into the real world and making me wonder what I’m doing with my life and why.
5 out of 5 stars
November 29, 2015
Greg Sisco pulls off an amazing feat with this would-be novel, would-be collection. He takes three powerful horror novellas each from a different first person point of view character and tells one longer interweaving story. At times the story seems chronological until you run into situations from the other tales and realize that, while overall the story isn't just one happenstance from three angles, it's actually three stories that segue into each other like a hand of three Aces waiting to be played.
There are a few scenes where the author shows us the same situation from one of the previous novellas in the collection from another character's point of view and I must admit, typically, I loathe when authors do this, because all too often it's only self-serving and a complete drag on the story. But here, Sisco does it briefly enough and with such powerful character revelation as to execute each of these scenes practically flawless.
Sisco's prose is tightly weaved, engrossing, twisted as hell, at times serious and penetrating, at others darkly hilarious, and even sometimes, he manages to pull off both in an extremely moving and entertaining display of skill. I lost count of how many amazing lines he was able to slip into this book. Some sending me into fits of laughter while others grabbing hold of that existential cord that pulls together wonder and terror.
Fans of one-protagonist/one-viewpoint novels might have a hard time with the three separate viewpoints that make up this story, but I found it to be a fascinating balanced whole regardless. If you're to look at this book as a collection of stories, it has the further treat of each tale standing on its own. However, if you read these in order as I did (or maybe even out of order as well?), you'll likely find yourself unable to put the book down until you've read all three and know the complete story.
My only complaint would be that toward the end of the last story there was a moment when the prose became a tad bit too heavy with character internalization, but the moment is so brief it doesn't warrant me taking off any stars.
I own several other books by Mr. Sisco and have yet to read them. That will be changing soon for sure. It would appear to me after reading In Nightmares We're Alone that Greg Sisco is one of the best kept secrets in modern horror and dark humor. I think it's time we let the proverbial cat out of the bag!
There are a few scenes where the author shows us the same situation from one of the previous novellas in the collection from another character's point of view and I must admit, typically, I loathe when authors do this, because all too often it's only self-serving and a complete drag on the story. But here, Sisco does it briefly enough and with such powerful character revelation as to execute each of these scenes practically flawless.
Sisco's prose is tightly weaved, engrossing, twisted as hell, at times serious and penetrating, at others darkly hilarious, and even sometimes, he manages to pull off both in an extremely moving and entertaining display of skill. I lost count of how many amazing lines he was able to slip into this book. Some sending me into fits of laughter while others grabbing hold of that existential cord that pulls together wonder and terror.
Fans of one-protagonist/one-viewpoint novels might have a hard time with the three separate viewpoints that make up this story, but I found it to be a fascinating balanced whole regardless. If you're to look at this book as a collection of stories, it has the further treat of each tale standing on its own. However, if you read these in order as I did (or maybe even out of order as well?), you'll likely find yourself unable to put the book down until you've read all three and know the complete story.
My only complaint would be that toward the end of the last story there was a moment when the prose became a tad bit too heavy with character internalization, but the moment is so brief it doesn't warrant me taking off any stars.
I own several other books by Mr. Sisco and have yet to read them. That will be changing soon for sure. It would appear to me after reading In Nightmares We're Alone that Greg Sisco is one of the best kept secrets in modern horror and dark humor. I think it's time we let the proverbial cat out of the bag!
May 25, 2021
Within the pages of this book lies one of the creepiest stories I have ever read. This three-part story kicks off with such a bang which contains eerie creepy crawly feelings, a bit of empathy, and a character that you can't help but love and root for.
Part one is about a little girl that has a best friend who wants the best for her.
Part two adds another layer, expanding the story through the eyes of a character connected to part 1.
Part III brings everything home.
Short and sweet, folks. A story as creepy and intriguing as its cover.
Part one is about a little girl that has a best friend who wants the best for her.
Part two adds another layer, expanding the story through the eyes of a character connected to part 1.
Part III brings everything home.
Short and sweet, folks. A story as creepy and intriguing as its cover.
April 3, 2021
*Thank you to Off Limits Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*
I have never seen anything quite like these three interconnected novellas. I wasn’t sure how three stories could be connected and yet so different. Each story is a totally different sub-genre of horror. I think having each story be so different from each other, but still be related to one another, shows real talent from the author.
It’s easy to stick to one sub-genre and shine in that area, but to expand your horizons and really push yourself to try different styles is brave.
I also think having three different stories allows for readers to find something they like, everyone will have different opinions on each one and will hopefully be able to connect with at least one of them.
I personally loved the first story the most, it was creepy and the perspective it was told from really added to the atmosphere. I would love to see this author do more with creepy dolls because I would definitely read it.
The second story was like nothing I had ever read. It was weird, unsettling, and gross in a way that I would never have imagined. Not something I would typically gravitate towards, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The third story was probably my least favorite, I didn’t dislike it, I just personally thought it didn’t compare to other two, but I still enjoyed it and thought it was an interesting story to end on.
Overall, really pleased with this one and would love to read more from this author in the future!
I have never seen anything quite like these three interconnected novellas. I wasn’t sure how three stories could be connected and yet so different. Each story is a totally different sub-genre of horror. I think having each story be so different from each other, but still be related to one another, shows real talent from the author.
It’s easy to stick to one sub-genre and shine in that area, but to expand your horizons and really push yourself to try different styles is brave.
I also think having three different stories allows for readers to find something they like, everyone will have different opinions on each one and will hopefully be able to connect with at least one of them.
I personally loved the first story the most, it was creepy and the perspective it was told from really added to the atmosphere. I would love to see this author do more with creepy dolls because I would definitely read it.
The second story was like nothing I had ever read. It was weird, unsettling, and gross in a way that I would never have imagined. Not something I would typically gravitate towards, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The third story was probably my least favorite, I didn’t dislike it, I just personally thought it didn’t compare to other two, but I still enjoyed it and thought it was an interesting story to end on.
Overall, really pleased with this one and would love to read more from this author in the future!
March 13, 2021
In Nightmares We’re Alone: Greg Sisco brings us a trio of novellas cleverly linked through characters and events.
The first is told from the point of view of Macie, a ten-year-old girl whose mother collects dolls. So, that’s the first hook right there – spooky dolls. The child’s voice is so on point. Totally believable! This child is strong-willed, insightful, and you just know from the outset that life has not been easy for her. I also connected on a personal level with Macie’s plight, but that’s a story for another day. That connectivity is important in literature, though. Aren’t all of us looking for confirmation that our quirks and foibles have been experienced by others, too?
Within the first few pages I found myself asking lots of questions which spurred me on to read more and more. All in all, lots of tension and suspense in this one. A real page-turner.
When I read the opening few pages of the second novella I thought I was in for just another body horror tale with a fair smattering of gratuitous sex. How wrong I was! This second story goes far, far deeper than that. There are moments of dark humor, and yes, a lot of body horror, but this one is thought provoking in its sickness. Throughout, the protagonist’s (Casey) plight is paralleled with that of the lion in the fable of Androcles and the Lion, the sense of both his physical and mental decline analogized. Such a clever technique! I don’t want to give any spoilers, but the whole thing with the tree is superb, both physically and metaphorically.
It’s not too long before we realize the connection between this story and the first. There were moments where I had to stop and think about the subliminal messages in this one and on more than one occasion found myself nodding in agreement at the cynicism. I love this line... “Self-help book stuff. It’s more useful than you think. These hollow sweet-nothings we whisper to ourselves for a burst of euphoria and forge a moment later when the gas bill comes.”
To me, the whole tale read like a modern-day version of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Loved it!
Now for the third and final novella, That Thing We Don’t Quite See. This one linked with stories one and two and brought the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. From the outset I felt such a personal connection to this one, in particular to the main character of Edna. The fact that she teaches primary, is married to her childhood sweetheart, is experiencing the grief and all the emotions that go alongside the loss of a parent. So poignant! Edna’s conflict between her pragmatic side, her role as the one who holds everything together, and the apparently supernatural events which threaten her sense of control is very well portrayed. Interspersed throughout with clever quotes, the relevance of which fit perfectly, this story is dark, depressing, existentially bleak, and yet so relatable. I defy any adult to read this and not question the decisions they have made in life.
The fact that all three stories are interwoven, for me, is one of the strengths of this work. I loved hearing the story told from different characters’ perspectives. Want to read a work of horror that’s both terrifying and existentially traumatic? Then look no further.
The first is told from the point of view of Macie, a ten-year-old girl whose mother collects dolls. So, that’s the first hook right there – spooky dolls. The child’s voice is so on point. Totally believable! This child is strong-willed, insightful, and you just know from the outset that life has not been easy for her. I also connected on a personal level with Macie’s plight, but that’s a story for another day. That connectivity is important in literature, though. Aren’t all of us looking for confirmation that our quirks and foibles have been experienced by others, too?
Within the first few pages I found myself asking lots of questions which spurred me on to read more and more. All in all, lots of tension and suspense in this one. A real page-turner.
When I read the opening few pages of the second novella I thought I was in for just another body horror tale with a fair smattering of gratuitous sex. How wrong I was! This second story goes far, far deeper than that. There are moments of dark humor, and yes, a lot of body horror, but this one is thought provoking in its sickness. Throughout, the protagonist’s (Casey) plight is paralleled with that of the lion in the fable of Androcles and the Lion, the sense of both his physical and mental decline analogized. Such a clever technique! I don’t want to give any spoilers, but the whole thing with the tree is superb, both physically and metaphorically.
It’s not too long before we realize the connection between this story and the first. There were moments where I had to stop and think about the subliminal messages in this one and on more than one occasion found myself nodding in agreement at the cynicism. I love this line... “Self-help book stuff. It’s more useful than you think. These hollow sweet-nothings we whisper to ourselves for a burst of euphoria and forge a moment later when the gas bill comes.”
To me, the whole tale read like a modern-day version of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Loved it!
Now for the third and final novella, That Thing We Don’t Quite See. This one linked with stories one and two and brought the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. From the outset I felt such a personal connection to this one, in particular to the main character of Edna. The fact that she teaches primary, is married to her childhood sweetheart, is experiencing the grief and all the emotions that go alongside the loss of a parent. So poignant! Edna’s conflict between her pragmatic side, her role as the one who holds everything together, and the apparently supernatural events which threaten her sense of control is very well portrayed. Interspersed throughout with clever quotes, the relevance of which fit perfectly, this story is dark, depressing, existentially bleak, and yet so relatable. I defy any adult to read this and not question the decisions they have made in life.
The fact that all three stories are interwoven, for me, is one of the strengths of this work. I loved hearing the story told from different characters’ perspectives. Want to read a work of horror that’s both terrifying and existentially traumatic? Then look no further.
March 24, 2021
Existential Nightmare
An existential horror novel told in three acts, IN NIGHTMARES WE'RE ALONE is my favorite book I've read so far in 2021. Highly recommended! I look forward to reading more of Sisco's work in the future.
An existential horror novel told in three acts, IN NIGHTMARES WE'RE ALONE is my favorite book I've read so far in 2021. Highly recommended! I look forward to reading more of Sisco's work in the future.
June 14, 2021
Sure, in most nightmares we’re alone. We sleep through the struggle and awaken in the dark, maybe solo, maybe beside a sleeping body. But we’re always alone with the terror of some mirage that’s swiftly devolving besides the emotions it elicited. Fear, yo. Sketchy.
Thing is though, sometimes the people beside whom we sleep are also steeped in the descending darkness that accompanies dusk’s shadow. We don’t know, as their toils are often moot beside the overbearing rendition of our own fucked up dream.
And so it often is even while we’re awake, in our own frenzied version of a nightmare come to fruition in all three dimensions (or four, depending on the nature of the beast). We sprint through our day, feeling trailed constantly by what awaits us at home, at lunch, any minute, from any corner, any darkness, any stranger, and we fail to see the muted misery behind some of the folks around us, who flail as they pray that anyone, anywhere, will understand what they are facing. Too bad it’s impossible to understand someone else’s demons when you’re busy exorcising your own.
This was one of my realizations in reading In Nightmares We’re Alone, a collection of three novellas, all containing their own variety of terror, as each character’s story draws subtle parallels to those from the stories around them.
Good Little Dolly is the story of Macie, and little girl whose mother has a knack for collecting dolls. Fancy, lifelike, dolls whose eyes follow you, and contain a startling amount of personality. Especially the newest one, the one her mom just brought home. Something about this one tells Macie that if the doll is to remain, bad things are gonna happen. And it all tailspins into a recipe of macabre happenings that boggled my mind.
Growing introduces us to Casey, a 20-something man who has an affinity for bullshitting the mourning into faux-ing communication with the dead. Although his medium is most acute with one particular tree that grows outside his home. His borderline sexual love of said tree seems to strengthen in accordance with peculiar things happening to his body: branches. They begin ripping out from under his fingernails, popping out of his eyeballs, and so on. Just like any other weed I ever met, the quicker he rips them out, the quicker they grow back.
That Thing We Didn’t Quite See rounds off the collection with Edna, an aging woman whose mother is knocking on Death’s door. Mom is also prone to utterances that appear to shade her levels of dementia; stories of someone who will take her away should she ever be left alone. Thing is, she doesn’t seem otherwise bonkers in the slightest. This invisible entity who awaits her mom’s solitude, has cast a dark net over Edna’s life, and is feeling more tangible by the day.
The characters’ journey in all three stories co-mingle in ways that bring layers to their periphery, and knowing the nightmares that these characters are facing, when they are described by someone in their periphery, made me feel like an undercover observer. This brought so much life to each of the stories, which hold up independent of each other really well as well. I didn’t exactly fly through these stories, and found myself dragging my feet a bit at times, but definitely not because I was bored or disinterested. I felt maybe the flow of the stories didn’t warrant such a breeze-through. Still, I loved all three stories, and what Greg Sisco did with his collection brought more to each story for me as a reader. This is a great collection to read altogether, but even if pressed to read them alone, the stories hold well by themselves.
Thing is though, sometimes the people beside whom we sleep are also steeped in the descending darkness that accompanies dusk’s shadow. We don’t know, as their toils are often moot beside the overbearing rendition of our own fucked up dream.
And so it often is even while we’re awake, in our own frenzied version of a nightmare come to fruition in all three dimensions (or four, depending on the nature of the beast). We sprint through our day, feeling trailed constantly by what awaits us at home, at lunch, any minute, from any corner, any darkness, any stranger, and we fail to see the muted misery behind some of the folks around us, who flail as they pray that anyone, anywhere, will understand what they are facing. Too bad it’s impossible to understand someone else’s demons when you’re busy exorcising your own.
This was one of my realizations in reading In Nightmares We’re Alone, a collection of three novellas, all containing their own variety of terror, as each character’s story draws subtle parallels to those from the stories around them.
Good Little Dolly is the story of Macie, and little girl whose mother has a knack for collecting dolls. Fancy, lifelike, dolls whose eyes follow you, and contain a startling amount of personality. Especially the newest one, the one her mom just brought home. Something about this one tells Macie that if the doll is to remain, bad things are gonna happen. And it all tailspins into a recipe of macabre happenings that boggled my mind.
Growing introduces us to Casey, a 20-something man who has an affinity for bullshitting the mourning into faux-ing communication with the dead. Although his medium is most acute with one particular tree that grows outside his home. His borderline sexual love of said tree seems to strengthen in accordance with peculiar things happening to his body: branches. They begin ripping out from under his fingernails, popping out of his eyeballs, and so on. Just like any other weed I ever met, the quicker he rips them out, the quicker they grow back.
That Thing We Didn’t Quite See rounds off the collection with Edna, an aging woman whose mother is knocking on Death’s door. Mom is also prone to utterances that appear to shade her levels of dementia; stories of someone who will take her away should she ever be left alone. Thing is, she doesn’t seem otherwise bonkers in the slightest. This invisible entity who awaits her mom’s solitude, has cast a dark net over Edna’s life, and is feeling more tangible by the day.
The characters’ journey in all three stories co-mingle in ways that bring layers to their periphery, and knowing the nightmares that these characters are facing, when they are described by someone in their periphery, made me feel like an undercover observer. This brought so much life to each of the stories, which hold up independent of each other really well as well. I didn’t exactly fly through these stories, and found myself dragging my feet a bit at times, but definitely not because I was bored or disinterested. I felt maybe the flow of the stories didn’t warrant such a breeze-through. Still, I loved all three stories, and what Greg Sisco did with his collection brought more to each story for me as a reader. This is a great collection to read altogether, but even if pressed to read them alone, the stories hold well by themselves.
April 21, 2021
Greg Sisco hooked me up with a signed, personalized copy of this book. I knew from the cover it'd be my cup of tea, but WOW. I was completely staggered by this work of fiction. This collection is set out in three Acts. They are separate horror stories that are connected by their characters, much like life itself.
The first one is about a young girl who is certain that a doll her mother purchased is evil. I loved this one because Greg Sisco absolutely nailed the young-girl attitude in touching and laugh-out-loud ways. I am also terrified of dolls, so I felt I could connect with her on that level as well.
Favourite Quotes:
1) I know you hear me, Beth. You know I know. If I broke you, Mommy would hurt me. So I won't break you. Not yet. But you've been warned. Watch your back, Beth. I have my eye on you. I mouth the words silently, so you can see. "Fuck you, Beth."
2) They don't want to fix my problem. They just want to fix their problem and their problem is me. They think if they are mean to me, I'll shut up, but I'm not shutting up until they help me, and they've shown me over and over that they're not interested in that.
The second Act is about a man who makes a living as a (fake) medium and strives to fill the void within himself with sex. He finds himself aroused, drawn to and repelled by a sycamore tree in his back yard, and plants begin to sprout from his finger- and toe-nails.
Favourite Quotes:
1) If you're going to judge me, at least clear your browser history.
2) Maybe that's why so many of us can't let the party end. All of us stuck on drugs and sarcasm and casual sex because emotional detachment is 'in'. Because it's the only way to cope with our isolation without growing. And God forbid we grow. God forbid time does its thing.
The third Act pertains to a teacher who lost her parents and is dealing with their worldly possessions with her husband who suffers from MS. This one is a flurry of existential gut-punches that left me breathless and contemplative.
Favourite Quotes:
1) College taught me the quote. Life taught me that any time you have a thought, you can rest easy knowing somebody smarter and more successful than you already articulated it better than you ever will.
2) All of life's tortures are the products of our minds, and what a terrible sadness that is.
I was disturbed and vividly creeped out by the doll situation in the first Act and the plant situation in the second, but by the end of this book it all came together in an unforgettable way that surpasses standard horror. It mimics real life. It brings questions of evil, death, and the afterlife to the forefront, and flattens them into That Thing We Don't Quite See. It made me feel like I was grasping life's meaning: that all things that seem dark and evil may be the same as the good things, but due to our limited perspective as humans we find it difficult to obtain and/or maintain that elevated view.
I wish I could give this book a rating higher than 5/5, I loved it that much. It is so cohesive, enthralling, terrifying, funny, and epiphany-inducing. Above all, it is supremely enjoyable and I recommend you read it at once.
The first one is about a young girl who is certain that a doll her mother purchased is evil. I loved this one because Greg Sisco absolutely nailed the young-girl attitude in touching and laugh-out-loud ways. I am also terrified of dolls, so I felt I could connect with her on that level as well.
Favourite Quotes:
1) I know you hear me, Beth. You know I know. If I broke you, Mommy would hurt me. So I won't break you. Not yet. But you've been warned. Watch your back, Beth. I have my eye on you. I mouth the words silently, so you can see. "Fuck you, Beth."
2) They don't want to fix my problem. They just want to fix their problem and their problem is me. They think if they are mean to me, I'll shut up, but I'm not shutting up until they help me, and they've shown me over and over that they're not interested in that.
The second Act is about a man who makes a living as a (fake) medium and strives to fill the void within himself with sex. He finds himself aroused, drawn to and repelled by a sycamore tree in his back yard, and plants begin to sprout from his finger- and toe-nails.
Favourite Quotes:
1) If you're going to judge me, at least clear your browser history.
2) Maybe that's why so many of us can't let the party end. All of us stuck on drugs and sarcasm and casual sex because emotional detachment is 'in'. Because it's the only way to cope with our isolation without growing. And God forbid we grow. God forbid time does its thing.
The third Act pertains to a teacher who lost her parents and is dealing with their worldly possessions with her husband who suffers from MS. This one is a flurry of existential gut-punches that left me breathless and contemplative.
Favourite Quotes:
1) College taught me the quote. Life taught me that any time you have a thought, you can rest easy knowing somebody smarter and more successful than you already articulated it better than you ever will.
2) All of life's tortures are the products of our minds, and what a terrible sadness that is.
I was disturbed and vividly creeped out by the doll situation in the first Act and the plant situation in the second, but by the end of this book it all came together in an unforgettable way that surpasses standard horror. It mimics real life. It brings questions of evil, death, and the afterlife to the forefront, and flattens them into That Thing We Don't Quite See. It made me feel like I was grasping life's meaning: that all things that seem dark and evil may be the same as the good things, but due to our limited perspective as humans we find it difficult to obtain and/or maintain that elevated view.
I wish I could give this book a rating higher than 5/5, I loved it that much. It is so cohesive, enthralling, terrifying, funny, and epiphany-inducing. Above all, it is supremely enjoyable and I recommend you read it at once.
March 14, 2021
Okay, let’s get the gush out of the way. Off Limits Press is doing all the right things. All the releases have been winners and the future looks bright. That said, Greg Sisco’s In Nightmares We’re Alone is right at home. At 250 pages, Sisco’s novel tells a story in a non-traditional way, adhering close to the format of a mosaic novel, yet straying far enough to avoid that label. By 70 pages in, the reader feels like they know the whole story. Where could it possibly go next?
Sisco examines that question by retreading, showing us the same twelve days from a different perspective in Act 2, and from a third in Act 3.
Act 1, “Good Little Dolly” is the high-point of the novel. If the cover freaked you out, the first story will do the same. Sisco puts us in the heard of Macie, a second-grade girl whose mother fixates on doll collecting to fill a hole in her life. Filled with doll horror, and a second sub-genre I’ll leave out to avoid spoilers, Act 1 rockets toward calamity and is one of the more unforgettable pieces of fiction I’ve read in some time.
Act 2, “Growth”, switches subgenre on us going full on body horror when our new main character begins sprouting plants from his finger and toenails. Sisco lets us get to know Casey for a little bit before revealing the connection to the first part of the story, and it pays off, giving the reader a chance to understand this person before preconceived notions can find their way in. The author brings the squirms with this section, but doesn’t skimp on the character development in order to do it.
Act 3, “That Thing We Don’t See”, embraces quiet horror. By this point, the reader knows they will be inside the head of a character who has previously been involved in the story, so Sisco doesn’t keep it a secret. It is, for the most part, an unexpected character, which only furthers intrigue. The title gives you a heads up that we’ll be visiting somber, more existential territory, in this portion, and though I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first, it’s a fitting close to a wide-reaching story.
To tell one complete story in a variety of styles is no easy feat, but it’s pulled off admirably here. There are occasions where Sisco tells the same events from different perspectives. Scenes that could have been stale coming from a different writer provide new insight into characters the reader assumed they had figured out. The theme of understanding what people are going through before judging them is ever-present throughout the story and subtly dropped throughout managing to avoid beating the reader over the head.
Though my introduction to Sisco’s work was through the wonderful story, “Summers with Annie” in Grindhouse’s Worst Laid Plans anthology, this book serves as a fantastic initiation to the author for any reader. Sisco displays his ability to write in a variety of styles, as well as telling a connected overarching story that engages the reader for the entire runtime. Look for more from this author.
I was given a copy by the publisher for review consideration.
Sisco examines that question by retreading, showing us the same twelve days from a different perspective in Act 2, and from a third in Act 3.
Act 1, “Good Little Dolly” is the high-point of the novel. If the cover freaked you out, the first story will do the same. Sisco puts us in the heard of Macie, a second-grade girl whose mother fixates on doll collecting to fill a hole in her life. Filled with doll horror, and a second sub-genre I’ll leave out to avoid spoilers, Act 1 rockets toward calamity and is one of the more unforgettable pieces of fiction I’ve read in some time.
Act 2, “Growth”, switches subgenre on us going full on body horror when our new main character begins sprouting plants from his finger and toenails. Sisco lets us get to know Casey for a little bit before revealing the connection to the first part of the story, and it pays off, giving the reader a chance to understand this person before preconceived notions can find their way in. The author brings the squirms with this section, but doesn’t skimp on the character development in order to do it.
Act 3, “That Thing We Don’t See”, embraces quiet horror. By this point, the reader knows they will be inside the head of a character who has previously been involved in the story, so Sisco doesn’t keep it a secret. It is, for the most part, an unexpected character, which only furthers intrigue. The title gives you a heads up that we’ll be visiting somber, more existential territory, in this portion, and though I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first, it’s a fitting close to a wide-reaching story.
To tell one complete story in a variety of styles is no easy feat, but it’s pulled off admirably here. There are occasions where Sisco tells the same events from different perspectives. Scenes that could have been stale coming from a different writer provide new insight into characters the reader assumed they had figured out. The theme of understanding what people are going through before judging them is ever-present throughout the story and subtly dropped throughout managing to avoid beating the reader over the head.
Though my introduction to Sisco’s work was through the wonderful story, “Summers with Annie” in Grindhouse’s Worst Laid Plans anthology, this book serves as a fantastic initiation to the author for any reader. Sisco displays his ability to write in a variety of styles, as well as telling a connected overarching story that engages the reader for the entire runtime. Look for more from this author.
I was given a copy by the publisher for review consideration.
June 12, 2021
“In Nightmares We Are Alone”, by Greg Sisco, brings us three interconnected novellas linked through chracters and incidents. Each novella touches a different subgenre from doll horror to body horror to quiet horror. I enjoyed the first two stories the best.
In Act I: “Good Little Dolly” is about doll horror. Sisco puts us in the mind of Macie, a second grader, whose mother fixates on collecting dolls. Every time a new doll arrives at the house, Macie’s reward is to open the box and unwrap the doll. One day, she opens a new doll but the eyes do not seem right and she also has a sense of pure evil. Sisco builds tension as he moves the reader along this well paced story.
Act II: “Growth” is full in body horror that makes the reader squirm. Casey, a narcisssic “fake” medium whose world is turned upside down when he notices plant life sprouting from his finger nails. Act II evokes all sorts of feelings from humor to disgust. Sisco introduces Casey to the reader and lays a foundation with this chracter before tying it into “Good Little Dolly”.
In Act III: “The Thing We Don’t See”, Sisco brings us quiet horror as we can see from the title. Sisco tells us about Edna, a teacher who is married to a man with Multiple Sclerosis and is terrorized by messages from her deceased father’s typewriter. Act III is a change of pace from the first two stories for Edna’s grief and her role in keeping everything together, which can be extremely overwhelming. This one was my least favorite of the three.
The stories are stand alone and can be read out of order. However, If you read them in order like I did, you will see that each story is connected to the one before it. Sisco’s ability to tell a similar same situation from different characters perspectives as part of seperate stories was a major strength of this book. I loved how all the stories were intertwined but still kept their integrity as seperate stories. I will be on the look out for more books by this author.
4 stars
November 24, 2021
This book absolutely ruined me.
That's why it's taken me MONTHS to review it.
Within are three interlocking stories that pack physical terror with extreme emotional anguish. A demonic doll that's torturing a child. A false psychic whose lies feed the seeds of both a painful growth and the consequences of the life he's chosen. A presence that will steal your life if you sleep unwatched.
That simplifies the complexity of these stories as those descriptions just skim the surface. Each story deftly weaves many horror genres together in a maelstrom of grief, dread and torment that wormed it's way in and hollowed me out.
Another reviewer mentioned that Sisco wrote this as a balm to an existential crisis, and I read this in a moment of personal despair.
Read this, but be kind to yourself and don't do it when your heart already hurts.
That's why it's taken me MONTHS to review it.
Within are three interlocking stories that pack physical terror with extreme emotional anguish. A demonic doll that's torturing a child. A false psychic whose lies feed the seeds of both a painful growth and the consequences of the life he's chosen. A presence that will steal your life if you sleep unwatched.
That simplifies the complexity of these stories as those descriptions just skim the surface. Each story deftly weaves many horror genres together in a maelstrom of grief, dread and torment that wormed it's way in and hollowed me out.
Another reviewer mentioned that Sisco wrote this as a balm to an existential crisis, and I read this in a moment of personal despair.
Read this, but be kind to yourself and don't do it when your heart already hurts.
October 25, 2022
"Everything is real and unreal unless somebody else can collapse the paradox. It's why we have nightmares even sleeping next to loved ones. In matters of the mind, we are alone. And we are stuck in our minds, always. Stuck in our nightmares. Alone."
I am floored. What an achievement and what a shame. How has the book not received so much more attention?
Three stories by three different protagonists, who are different ages. This is important to the concept of the overarching storyline. A story of a possessed doll; a story of nature-induced body horror; and a story of a haunting. All the stories intersect at some juncture - just for a time, and with some of the characters.
Granted it's not to everyone's liking, but if you are into existential dread, philosophical musings, possession, body horror, hauntings, being alone, damn good writing and character development, then here you go. Highly recommend this one.
I am floored. What an achievement and what a shame. How has the book not received so much more attention?
Three stories by three different protagonists, who are different ages. This is important to the concept of the overarching storyline. A story of a possessed doll; a story of nature-induced body horror; and a story of a haunting. All the stories intersect at some juncture - just for a time, and with some of the characters.
Granted it's not to everyone's liking, but if you are into existential dread, philosophical musings, possession, body horror, hauntings, being alone, damn good writing and character development, then here you go. Highly recommend this one.
June 21, 2021
I read this as part of a group read and certainly have no regrets, what a great read. Greg Sisco did a fantastic job in putting together this 3-part novella collection all of which stirred not only dread and traditional horror but a message of perspective in how the choices we make in life impact us!
The novella’s three stories are intertwined; you see some of the same events told by three different characters, playing out from the previous story and I love those different vantage points told by different characters. Then all the stories get tied up into this existential conclusion; brilliant horror writing but more so due in part to “The things that make you go hmmm”.
We start off with Good Little Dolly. We meet a neglected young girl, Macie, who always looks forward to opening her mother’s doll packages but one day, the discovery of a certain doll turns unpleasant when the doll isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.
In “Growth” we meet Casey, a faux medium and womanizer who begins to experience unnatural growths sprouting from his body.
And lastly, in “The Thing We Don’t Quite See” a teacher sees cryptic and haunting messages on her dead father’s typewriter.
I was creeped out and disturbed by the first two novellas; possessed dolls and natural horror possessions are all great tropes but that last novella surely brought to light many questions; life, death, evil, choices. If you think the cover is creepy, get a load of the content!!
If you’re looking for a sweet and quick horror fix, then I highly recommend his novella! I am looking forward to reading any future work by Greg Sisco!
The novella’s three stories are intertwined; you see some of the same events told by three different characters, playing out from the previous story and I love those different vantage points told by different characters. Then all the stories get tied up into this existential conclusion; brilliant horror writing but more so due in part to “The things that make you go hmmm”.
We start off with Good Little Dolly. We meet a neglected young girl, Macie, who always looks forward to opening her mother’s doll packages but one day, the discovery of a certain doll turns unpleasant when the doll isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.
In “Growth” we meet Casey, a faux medium and womanizer who begins to experience unnatural growths sprouting from his body.
And lastly, in “The Thing We Don’t Quite See” a teacher sees cryptic and haunting messages on her dead father’s typewriter.
I was creeped out and disturbed by the first two novellas; possessed dolls and natural horror possessions are all great tropes but that last novella surely brought to light many questions; life, death, evil, choices. If you think the cover is creepy, get a load of the content!!
If you’re looking for a sweet and quick horror fix, then I highly recommend his novella! I am looking forward to reading any future work by Greg Sisco!
December 15, 2021
Three different stories, over the same week, tie together in heartbreaking and unexpected ways. Terrifying dolls, haunted houses, possession, all popular horror tropes but presented in ways that will genuinely surprise you. The horror here is visceral, the characters multifaceted and doomed, and in the end, it comes together in a surprisingly beautiful epilogue. A must read.
February 6, 2025
A wonderfully disturbing look within our own psyche and how we all handle life, stress, grief, death, choices and others differently. Philosophical and haunting, In Nightmares We're Alone forces the reader to look within and deal with his or her personal story.
December 20, 2022
This set of interconnected stories really grew on me and touched on some really interesting philosophical questions about the nature of existence.
March 1, 2021
(I have no idea where I picked this up, but it's on the Kobo)
March 16, 2017
This was a really interesting read, it started out as a typical haunted/evil doll story but then veers off into a completely different tale involving one of the side characters from the first part, and again a third time with a side character from the second tale. Original and I liked it a lot.
May 20, 2021
In Nightmares We're Alone by Greg Sisco is a unique story comprised of three novellas, they all differ but play out within the same timeline. Some of the occurrences that happen in one novella may affect a character from a subsequent novella. The stories themselves utilize different tropes and content, but the way that they are woven together creates an enjoyable read from beginning to end. Honestly, this was my introduction to Sisco, and with that being said I must admit that I was left impressed. I will certainly be on the lookout for more of his work.
The first novella is about a young girl, whose mother has an obsession with porcelain dolls, but not just the normal variety, these contain great detail, presenting an almost lifelike appearance. When the young girl's mother receives her latest edition, things begin to change. Strange noises and dolls out of place, and don't forget the eyes, they're always watching.
The second novella follows the story of a washed-up medium, he no longer believes in the work that he has been doing. With the divorce and the strained relationship with his son, the medium's life begins to spiral out of control. Then there's the strange growth that's popped up.
The final novella is the story of an older couple who have inherited the home of a deceased loved one, but not all is as it seems. The husband warns the wife that something isn't quite as it should be until she has to face it herself.
Overall, this collection of novellas spins a truly entertaining story. One that I will revisit as time moves on.
Thank you to Off Limits Press for the e-ARC
The first novella is about a young girl, whose mother has an obsession with porcelain dolls, but not just the normal variety, these contain great detail, presenting an almost lifelike appearance. When the young girl's mother receives her latest edition, things begin to change. Strange noises and dolls out of place, and don't forget the eyes, they're always watching.
The second novella follows the story of a washed-up medium, he no longer believes in the work that he has been doing. With the divorce and the strained relationship with his son, the medium's life begins to spiral out of control. Then there's the strange growth that's popped up.
The final novella is the story of an older couple who have inherited the home of a deceased loved one, but not all is as it seems. The husband warns the wife that something isn't quite as it should be until she has to face it herself.
Overall, this collection of novellas spins a truly entertaining story. One that I will revisit as time moves on.
Thank you to Off Limits Press for the e-ARC
August 9, 2017
i highlighted so many parts of this book. it really made me think. this book was creepy and somewhat odd but the writing style and the story kept me very engaged. i couldnt put it down.
June 27, 2021
Not sure how I feel about this one. I really liked the first story, the other two not so much.
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