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The Merry Dredgers
Seraphina Ramon will stop at nothing to find out the truth about why her sister Eff is in a coma after a very suspicious "accident." Even if it means infiltrating the last place Seraphina knows Eff was alive: a once-abandoned amusement park now populated by a community of cultists.
Follow Seraphina through the mouth of the Goblin: To the left, a wolf-themed roller coaster rests on the blackened earth, curled up like a dead snake. To the right, an animatronic Humpty Dumpty falls off a concrete castle and shatters on the ground, only to reform itself moments later. Up ahead, cultists giggle as they meditate in a hall of mirrors. This is the last place in the world Seraphina wants to be, but the best way to investigate this bizarre cult, is to join them.
Follow Seraphina through the mouth of the Goblin: To the left, a wolf-themed roller coaster rests on the blackened earth, curled up like a dead snake. To the right, an animatronic Humpty Dumpty falls off a concrete castle and shatters on the ground, only to reform itself moments later. Up ahead, cultists giggle as they meditate in a hall of mirrors. This is the last place in the world Seraphina wants to be, but the best way to investigate this bizarre cult, is to join them.
200 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2023
10 people are currently reading
884 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy C. Shipp
63 books888 followersJeremy C. Shipp is the Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of The Atrocities, Bedfellow, and Cursed. Their shorter tales have appeared in over 60 publications, including Cemetery Dance, Dark Moon Digest and Apex Magazine. Jeremy lives in Southern California in a moderately haunted Farmhouse. Their online home is jeremycshipp.com.
“Jeremy C. Shipp’s boldness, daring, originality, and sheer smarts make them one of the most vital younger writers who have colonized horror literature in the past decade. Shipp’s modernist clarity, plus their willingness to risk damn near everything, put them up at the head of the pack with the very best.” ―Peter Straub
“Shipp’s clear, insistent voice pulls you down into the rabbit hole and doesn’t let go.” ―Jack Ketchum
“I’m convinced Jeremy Shipp is a little bit crazy, in the best possible way. This is one of those books that alters your brain in a way similar to Philip K. Dick.” —Jeff VanderMeer
“Jeremy C. Shipp’s boldness, daring, originality, and sheer smarts make them one of the most vital younger writers who have colonized horror literature in the past decade. Shipp’s modernist clarity, plus their willingness to risk damn near everything, put them up at the head of the pack with the very best.” ―Peter Straub
“Shipp’s clear, insistent voice pulls you down into the rabbit hole and doesn’t let go.” ―Jack Ketchum
“I’m convinced Jeremy Shipp is a little bit crazy, in the best possible way. This is one of those books that alters your brain in a way similar to Philip K. Dick.” —Jeff VanderMeer
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
March 4, 2023
3.5 stars
This is a quirky and whimsical bizarro mystery. I was hooked into this at the beginning by the main character, the writing style and the unique details. I also really liked the relationship between the sisters and the family history. I did find that partway through the plot seemed to take a backseat to details of the park and various incidental things that were happening there while I wanted more story development. If you like worldbuilding then you might enjoy this part more than I did. Things got interesting again towards the end but it felt like the story wrapped up a bit quickly. Overall it was still an enjoyable read and I’ll keep an eye out for more of the author’s work.
This is a quirky and whimsical bizarro mystery. I was hooked into this at the beginning by the main character, the writing style and the unique details. I also really liked the relationship between the sisters and the family history. I did find that partway through the plot seemed to take a backseat to details of the park and various incidental things that were happening there while I wanted more story development. If you like worldbuilding then you might enjoy this part more than I did. Things got interesting again towards the end but it felt like the story wrapped up a bit quickly. Overall it was still an enjoyable read and I’ll keep an eye out for more of the author’s work.
January 9, 2023
Our brains process information, it seems to me, in two distinct ways. One way is A-B-C-D. The other is A-M-E-P. One is a straightforward intake and processing, the other is a scrambled mess of stimuli that gets stacked into an ordered piece of data within their heads. This is how I feel when I read anything from Jeremy C. Shipp. Their work is layered and complex but will ultimately lead to a richly rewarding experience. I’d compare it to listening to Faith No More versus Mr. Bungle. If you know what that means, then you’ll understand what you’re in for.
With ‘The Merry Dredgers,’ I was intrigued with how this particular story would be told. After having read a few of Jeremy’s works now, I knew it would task me like few others do (I’m an A-B-C-D reader), but I also was super curious about this cult tale set at an amusement park.
What I liked: The story follows Seraphina, as she finds out her sister, who’d joined a cult and seemingly sworn off contacting her, has a strange accident and ends up in the hospital. She vows to discover the truth and the only way she knows how to do it is by infiltrating this strange and odd group of people.
Shipp has a unique way of approaching their storytelling, so we start off with an almost light-hearted approach, only for things to darken fairly quickly. Throughout, Phina finds herself struggling with several things. The first is that she’s seemingly found love. The second is that she actually enjoys being around these people and within their mantras. And the third is that she simply can’t make any end roads towards what happened to her sister, Eff. Jeremy keeps us guessing and wondering just what will Phina do and what ultimately will occur.
The ending was really well done, which I was so happy with. The ‘spiral’ narrative or abstract way of telling the story within an almost riddle labyrinth (at least in my brain) comes together and ultimately completes the puzzle in a really well done way.
What I didn’t like: It took me a bit to feel engaged with the voice of how Jeremy was telling this story at the beginning. It felt almost too light and not aggressive enough for me, but that shakes itself out down the road.
Why you should buy this: Fans of Shipp’s will be very happy with how they craft this one and the story that is told. It’s dark, it’s textured and it pushes the reader to the far reaches that are expected when reading one of their pieces. Shipp does a fantastic job of controlling the chaos and the reader is richly rewarded because of that.
With ‘The Merry Dredgers,’ I was intrigued with how this particular story would be told. After having read a few of Jeremy’s works now, I knew it would task me like few others do (I’m an A-B-C-D reader), but I also was super curious about this cult tale set at an amusement park.
What I liked: The story follows Seraphina, as she finds out her sister, who’d joined a cult and seemingly sworn off contacting her, has a strange accident and ends up in the hospital. She vows to discover the truth and the only way she knows how to do it is by infiltrating this strange and odd group of people.
Shipp has a unique way of approaching their storytelling, so we start off with an almost light-hearted approach, only for things to darken fairly quickly. Throughout, Phina finds herself struggling with several things. The first is that she’s seemingly found love. The second is that she actually enjoys being around these people and within their mantras. And the third is that she simply can’t make any end roads towards what happened to her sister, Eff. Jeremy keeps us guessing and wondering just what will Phina do and what ultimately will occur.
The ending was really well done, which I was so happy with. The ‘spiral’ narrative or abstract way of telling the story within an almost riddle labyrinth (at least in my brain) comes together and ultimately completes the puzzle in a really well done way.
What I didn’t like: It took me a bit to feel engaged with the voice of how Jeremy was telling this story at the beginning. It felt almost too light and not aggressive enough for me, but that shakes itself out down the road.
Why you should buy this: Fans of Shipp’s will be very happy with how they craft this one and the story that is told. It’s dark, it’s textured and it pushes the reader to the far reaches that are expected when reading one of their pieces. Shipp does a fantastic job of controlling the chaos and the reader is richly rewarded because of that.
September 25, 2023
What did I just read?! I don’t know, but what I do know is I loved it!
Seraphina’s sister, Eff, mysteriously ends up in a coma. Seraphina was already concerned about her sister once discovering she was in a cult, and now those concerns have turned into a mission to track down the individual responsible for her sister’s health crisis. This mission lands Seraphina at the cult’s headquarters, an abandoned and creepy amusement park.
Oh my! I don’t typically read books of this type yet Shipp brilliantly drew me in with a bizarre storyline and two sisters at the center. While I wasn’t super into the part that takes place at the cult headquarters, I was invested in Seraphina’s dilemma and rooting for Eff to make it! I also had a few laughs and appreciated Seraphina’s dry sense of humor.
Seraphina’s sister, Eff, mysteriously ends up in a coma. Seraphina was already concerned about her sister once discovering she was in a cult, and now those concerns have turned into a mission to track down the individual responsible for her sister’s health crisis. This mission lands Seraphina at the cult’s headquarters, an abandoned and creepy amusement park.
Oh my! I don’t typically read books of this type yet Shipp brilliantly drew me in with a bizarre storyline and two sisters at the center. While I wasn’t super into the part that takes place at the cult headquarters, I was invested in Seraphina’s dilemma and rooting for Eff to make it! I also had a few laughs and appreciated Seraphina’s dry sense of humor.
May 24, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Goblintropolis, a place of pure but disintegrating whimsy. This is a unique read because, while there is an atmosphere of potential disaster it is also a book with an exceedingly fine heart and limitless imaginings. It’s the small details that make for the captivating ride. I especially enjoyed the silly conversations between Phina and Nichelle and my absolute favorite part of the book was the way the elevator taunted people and dared them to go to the basement level every time someone used it. Much like life the story does not all take the turns you expect but I enjoyed the surprises! I thought the audiobook narrator was particularly good for this one so highly recommend giving it a listen.
July 11, 2023
This was one of the most pointless stories I have ever read.
The majority of the book has absolutely nothing to do with Sarafina trying to find out what happened to her sister. It's almost entirely just following her around through her inconsequential day to day life while staying with the Dredgers. Unless you're really, really interested in the former theme park they live in, I don't see how this makes for a very intriguing read. Nothing about this book felt creepy or eerie, let alone scary.
This goes on for a while before it cuts to an extremely abrupt and random ending that doesn't feel believable. And that's it, that's the whole book. Would not recommend.
The majority of the book has absolutely nothing to do with Sarafina trying to find out what happened to her sister. It's almost entirely just following her around through her inconsequential day to day life while staying with the Dredgers. Unless you're really, really interested in the former theme park they live in, I don't see how this makes for a very intriguing read. Nothing about this book felt creepy or eerie, let alone scary.
This goes on for a while before it cuts to an extremely abrupt and random ending that doesn't feel believable. And that's it, that's the whole book. Would not recommend.
October 2, 2023
An intriguing collision of murder mystery and cult horror, The Merry Dredgers is almost whimsical, but the ever-present sense of threat and the precariousness of its stories-within-stories complexity keeps the light at bay and the dark close by. As with the excellent The Atrocities, Shipp presents us with a gallery of well-drawn and atypical characters occupying an unfamiliar setting. The effect is that you often feel you are adrift in the story's landscape rather than being propelled by a distinct narrative, and the book is all the better for that.
November 10, 2024
Enjoyed most of the book but the ending felt abrupt and not completely satisfactory. I feel like an epilogue could have helped remedy this a bit. Also liked the arc of the main character, but felt like the development of most of the supporting characters was lacking
April 6, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley and Meerkat Press for the chance to review an ARC of Jeremy Shipp’s ‘The Merry Dredgers’! There hasn’t been a single book by Jeremy Shipp I haven’t enjoyed reading, and this one is no exception: a gripping and sometimes unnerving horror tale, that brings readers along an onion-like nesting of stories, written in razor-sharp prose. Corrina (aka Seraphina) decides to take on a cult that has sent her sister to the hospital. The Dredgers are not your usual kind of cult; everything about them is trippy atmosphere, creepy routines, and merriness. The tension builds up a bit slowly, but the setting (an abandoned amusement park... seriously!), the dialogue, the quirky characters coming and going, the masterful handling of the LGBT+ issues, - they all make it worth it. The ending felt a bit like waking too fast from a nightmare. This time, though, no complaints if it’d lasted a bit longer!
May 5, 2023
3.5 stars
I enjoyed the story and how it’s set in a goblin themed amusement park. It added to the mystical elements of the cult. I liked our main character, Seraphina, and her quirky humor. The cult wasn’t what I expected it to be and I was waiting for more sinister vibes which I didn’t really get. The romance felt like it came out of nowhere and the ending was rather abrupt in my opinion. Overall, The Merry Dredgers is an entertaining read with fun whimsical details but I wanted a little more out of the story and the ending.
I enjoyed the story and how it’s set in a goblin themed amusement park. It added to the mystical elements of the cult. I liked our main character, Seraphina, and her quirky humor. The cult wasn’t what I expected it to be and I was waiting for more sinister vibes which I didn’t really get. The romance felt like it came out of nowhere and the ending was rather abrupt in my opinion. Overall, The Merry Dredgers is an entertaining read with fun whimsical details but I wanted a little more out of the story and the ending.
February 7, 2023
Review to appear in a future issue of Booklist
Three Words That Describe This Book: creepy, cults, conversational narration
A quick, suspenseful read for fans of creepy Horror featuring cults such as Just Like a Mother by Anne Heltzel or amusement parks like Hide by Kiersten White
Notes: Quick read– suspenseful and well paced. The mystery-horror hybrid works well Well paced. Suspenseful, creepy, weird.
Great sense of place– the mirror room scenes are awesome– but even the details like what the creepy elevator says when you get in it.
But then it all becomes more than it seems– It’s about love, family, allowing yourself to be vulnerable.
And about the stories those we tell and how we share them.
You fall right in. Seraphina has a great narrative voice. She is talking to the reader as she works out her dilemma and her life.
This is a book readers will sit back and watch happen– enjoy it all, and then bonus– be left with something to think about after it is all over.
Three Words That Describe This Book: creepy, cults, conversational narration
A quick, suspenseful read for fans of creepy Horror featuring cults such as Just Like a Mother by Anne Heltzel or amusement parks like Hide by Kiersten White
Notes: Quick read– suspenseful and well paced. The mystery-horror hybrid works well Well paced. Suspenseful, creepy, weird.
Great sense of place– the mirror room scenes are awesome– but even the details like what the creepy elevator says when you get in it.
But then it all becomes more than it seems– It’s about love, family, allowing yourself to be vulnerable.
And about the stories those we tell and how we share them.
You fall right in. Seraphina has a great narrative voice. She is talking to the reader as she works out her dilemma and her life.
This is a book readers will sit back and watch happen– enjoy it all, and then bonus– be left with something to think about after it is all over.
November 22, 2023
A fast, unique, and thoroughly enjoyable pulp novel that *mostly* pulls off its strange, intentionally unbalancing combination of noir mystery, romantic comedy, and...hmmm...it's not bizarro, it's not horror, it's not quite fantasy or magical realism...call it Hot Topic whimsy, I suppose? Like, if you went to high school with one of those girls who was halfway between mall goth and neo-hippie, you know, she was bisexual and into creepy carnivalesque aesthetics and sea shanties and paganism and maybe had some bubblegum pink striped armwarmers, this is exactly the kind of book she would have loved. And frankly, I think from that description you can probably make an educated guess as to whether you, too, will love this book or find it tedious and annoying.
Personally, I'm going to be seeking out more of Shipp's books.
Personally, I'm going to be seeking out more of Shipp's books.
March 3, 2023
A gothic-y mystery set at a once-abandoned, now being-renovated amusement park? Count me in! I loved the set-up of the cult and the way things played out, but some things felt incomplete to me. Not the ending--it's perfect--but why spend so much time on the princess job and the necessity of other gigs if there was the rich friend to catsit and help out? Was the acting of the princess job supposed to make Seraphina more convincing posing as a cultist? The cheating newlywed side plot didn't seem to do much but take up space, although the wedding did serve to introduce characters (some of whom are mostly abandoned afterwards) and the ethos of the place. I just wanted more connected lines, more material that wasn't just filler, and a little bit more pragmatism.
May 12, 2023
I loved this! The abandoned amusement park setting had me excited from the first time I heard about this book, and I am so happy about how much detail there was to describe it! I also liked that a really good portion of the story takes place in different parts of the park, which almost made it and its goblins and weird eye trees and cracked Humpty feel like characters themselves moreso than a setting.
Stories about sisters always get me (for obvious reasons), and this is no exception -- Seraphina would do anything for her sister Eff, and I liked getting to know them and their history. I do wish we'd been able to reach a more definitive sort of conclusion by the end, as I sort of felt like that particular thing lacked complete closure, but the sisterly love (at least from Phina's perspective) was definitely strong and impactful.
I liked the different characters in the ~cult~ and wanted to spend more time getting to know them a bit. Overall I just wish this were longer so I could selfishly spend more time at the park, haha -- I really loved it so much and wish I could buy one to live in with my pals!!
One of my most anticipated books of the year & I'm so happy it didn't disappoint. 4.5, rounded up for GR!!
Stories about sisters always get me (for obvious reasons), and this is no exception -- Seraphina would do anything for her sister Eff, and I liked getting to know them and their history. I do wish we'd been able to reach a more definitive sort of conclusion by the end, as I sort of felt like that particular thing lacked complete closure, but the sisterly love (at least from Phina's perspective) was definitely strong and impactful.
I liked the different characters in the ~cult~ and wanted to spend more time getting to know them a bit. Overall I just wish this were longer so I could selfishly spend more time at the park, haha -- I really loved it so much and wish I could buy one to live in with my pals!!
One of my most anticipated books of the year & I'm so happy it didn't disappoint. 4.5, rounded up for GR!!
February 14, 2023
Do you like mystery fiction? Do you like cults? Do you wanna feel like your reading an Agatha Christie novel on acid? This is the book for you! I like the structure of the book, it starts off quite light hearted but then just spirals into madness, the ending was also goodI really enjoyed this thankyou to the author for sending me a copy!
January 16, 2023
I was lurking through Twitter recently and noticed that Jeremy Shipp tweeted they have a new book out and was looking for reviewers. I have read a reviewed two of their other books, which I really enjoyed, so I snagged up the opportunity get this one into my mind. Shipp's storytelling is crisp but there are always layers with a bit of disorientation to it at well. This gray area in the writing is where Shipp shines for me. If it is a gothic ghost story, demon inception, or amusement park cults the enigmatic style is a constant.
The Merry Dredgers are a cult of freeish spirits living in a renovated amusement park. The main character Seraphina learns about the cult when her sister Eff is hospitalized in a coma after an accident at the amusement park. Seraphina decides to infiltrate the cult to find out who these people are and what happened to her sister. You then get to meet some of the wacky/creepy members of the cult including their eccentric leader Ernie. You also get to learn more about Seraphina and Eff. Areas such as familial trauma and the desire for connection are heavy themes in the book. Some of my favorite parts are the vivid imagery exhibited inside the amusement park. Due to the subtle nature of the horror I felt like this book would also work as a young adult novel. All in all a great read. Not quite as great as the other two previous novels I have read by the author, Bedfellow and The Atrocities, but still great. I look forward to reading more of Shipp's work in the future.
The Merry Dredgers are a cult of freeish spirits living in a renovated amusement park. The main character Seraphina learns about the cult when her sister Eff is hospitalized in a coma after an accident at the amusement park. Seraphina decides to infiltrate the cult to find out who these people are and what happened to her sister. You then get to meet some of the wacky/creepy members of the cult including their eccentric leader Ernie. You also get to learn more about Seraphina and Eff. Areas such as familial trauma and the desire for connection are heavy themes in the book. Some of my favorite parts are the vivid imagery exhibited inside the amusement park. Due to the subtle nature of the horror I felt like this book would also work as a young adult novel. All in all a great read. Not quite as great as the other two previous novels I have read by the author, Bedfellow and The Atrocities, but still great. I look forward to reading more of Shipp's work in the future.
April 25, 2023
This book is a ride, and I think Netflix should jump on this.
It's right up their dark yet wonderous alley. It has Wednesday vibes, with a sprinkle of cult documentary mixed in. Do you ever read a book and feel like it would make the perfect movie? 100% this book. The imagery is perfection and plot has early twenties dark drama all over it.
I'll be honest, I really felt the ending was unsatisfying and that is completely a "I'm a weirdo and want ALL the aftermath" thing. So if you are okay with endings that don't give you all the details, and finish out all the threads to the final final version you're going to adore this book.
Seraphina is weird, whimsical, and I love her. Her authentic self is well written, and following her on this journey left me on edge with each turn of the story. We all need siblings as dedicated to finding out the truth as she is.
I love that she goes on this journey for justice, but ends up also find out a lot about herself too. A bit ironic since that is the supposed point of the merry dredgers in the first place.
The abandon theme park setting is swoon worthy creepy, with all of the cast having various quirks, some of which are hard to place if they are drug induced, mental ailments, or just living their best life. It's all surreal, yet life like, and each chapter builds to the ending in a comforting way that I relaxed into the cultists too and was shocked at the reveal.
You'll enjoy this book if you love cults, and eccentric communities living alternative lifestyles. Superhero siblings to the rescue with a splash of personal growth and self discovery mixed in.
Thank you to the publisher, Meerkat Press, for a copy of this book.
It's right up their dark yet wonderous alley. It has Wednesday vibes, with a sprinkle of cult documentary mixed in. Do you ever read a book and feel like it would make the perfect movie? 100% this book. The imagery is perfection and plot has early twenties dark drama all over it.
I'll be honest, I really felt the ending was unsatisfying and that is completely a "I'm a weirdo and want ALL the aftermath" thing. So if you are okay with endings that don't give you all the details, and finish out all the threads to the final final version you're going to adore this book.
Seraphina is weird, whimsical, and I love her. Her authentic self is well written, and following her on this journey left me on edge with each turn of the story. We all need siblings as dedicated to finding out the truth as she is.
I love that she goes on this journey for justice, but ends up also find out a lot about herself too. A bit ironic since that is the supposed point of the merry dredgers in the first place.
The abandon theme park setting is swoon worthy creepy, with all of the cast having various quirks, some of which are hard to place if they are drug induced, mental ailments, or just living their best life. It's all surreal, yet life like, and each chapter builds to the ending in a comforting way that I relaxed into the cultists too and was shocked at the reveal.
You'll enjoy this book if you love cults, and eccentric communities living alternative lifestyles. Superhero siblings to the rescue with a splash of personal growth and self discovery mixed in.
Thank you to the publisher, Meerkat Press, for a copy of this book.
February 19, 2023
The merry dredgers is a quick read at about 150 pages. I enjoyed the perspective of the narrator and her general attitude. However, I felt that the middle 100 pages dragged on a bit. This story could have been told in a much shorter format and been a bit better for it. By the end the creepy factor has faded and we’re left with a rushed ending.
February 28, 2023
Did I enjoy this? It was touch and go but overall I think I enjoyed it.
What did I enjoy?
The book starts off strong with great writing, smart inner monologues, and natural dialogues. We're presented with an intriguing yet still familiar premise, two sisters clearly on opposite sides of the 'productive member of society' spectrum; one working multiple jobs while the other joins a cult-not-cult; one pragmatic and the other the epitome of a free spirit. When one sister gets notified that her sister is in the hospital with serious injuries due to an alleged accident the FMC takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of her suspicions, or maybe their prejudices.
Ending was unexpected because the strange fever dream style of parts of the narration persuade you to start questioning your own beliefs.
What did I NOT enjoy?
The body of the book gets a bit monotonous and bogged down by multiple suspenseful scenes that all sort of fizzle. I'll admit that I started skim reading during some of the mundane activities happening at the retreat, so if I missed something it's because I lost faith earlier. There are a few sub plots that don't seem to get any closure, and this is a huge pet peeve of mine but if it doesn't bother you it probably won't even be noticeable.
Finally, the ending is interesting, and a bit surprising BUT it really all came together feeling rushed and anticlimactic.
Overall this is a decent read and the writing is really strong. I may just not have been in the mood for a read like this but I can still appreciate the work.
What did I enjoy?
The book starts off strong with great writing, smart inner monologues, and natural dialogues. We're presented with an intriguing yet still familiar premise, two sisters clearly on opposite sides of the 'productive member of society' spectrum; one working multiple jobs while the other joins a cult-not-cult; one pragmatic and the other the epitome of a free spirit. When one sister gets notified that her sister is in the hospital with serious injuries due to an alleged accident the FMC takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of her suspicions, or maybe their prejudices.
Ending was unexpected because the strange fever dream style of parts of the narration persuade you to start questioning your own beliefs.
What did I NOT enjoy?
The body of the book gets a bit monotonous and bogged down by multiple suspenseful scenes that all sort of fizzle. I'll admit that I started skim reading during some of the mundane activities happening at the retreat, so if I missed something it's because I lost faith earlier. There are a few sub plots that don't seem to get any closure, and this is a huge pet peeve of mine but if it doesn't bother you it probably won't even be noticeable.
Finally, the ending is interesting, and a bit surprising BUT it really all came together feeling rushed and anticlimactic.
Overall this is a decent read and the writing is really strong. I may just not have been in the mood for a read like this but I can still appreciate the work.
February 26, 2023
3.75 stars
Publication day: 4/25/23!!!
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
#NetGalley #TheMerryDredgers
Basics
genre: novella, weird fiction, LGBT+
setting: Goblintropolis,USA (abandoned amusement park) used as a "retreat"
themes: inner exploration, weird is welcome, accepting your true self
Characters
Seraphina/"Phina" (fMC): woman on a mission to find out what really happened to her sister, Eff, who joined a retreat/cult
Eff: Phina's sister who is now in a coma
Nichelle: Phina's entry to The Merry Dredgers
Pros
+ LGBT rep: f/f (Phina "has a weakness for femme fatales" same girl same)
+ cult vibes
+ the cult lives in a rusty, dilapidated amusement park with triple-eyed creatures & a tree made entirely of opening and closing eyes, mouths, and hands...YESSS
+ phantasmagorical as fuck
+ trippy ass nightmares
+ arcade games
+ Phina's mission in the amusement park/retreat/cult feels like a DnD campaign with so many unique, fantastical characters, settings, and happenings
+ Spoon & Sunglasses Cat forever
Cons
- the plot suffered for the sake of world-building
- open ending, which I usually don't mind, but this time I really wanted to know everything
Comp Recs
+ The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion - Margaret Killjoy
TW: coma, hospital visits, animal deaths, abusive partner (past), attempted murder
Publication day: 4/25/23!!!
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
#NetGalley #TheMerryDredgers
Basics
genre: novella, weird fiction, LGBT+
setting: Goblintropolis,USA (abandoned amusement park) used as a "retreat"
themes: inner exploration, weird is welcome, accepting your true self
Characters
Seraphina/"Phina" (fMC): woman on a mission to find out what really happened to her sister, Eff, who joined a retreat/cult
Eff: Phina's sister who is now in a coma
Nichelle: Phina's entry to The Merry Dredgers
Pros
+ LGBT rep: f/f (Phina "has a weakness for femme fatales" same girl same)
+ cult vibes
+ the cult lives in a rusty, dilapidated amusement park with triple-eyed creatures & a tree made entirely of opening and closing eyes, mouths, and hands...YESSS
+ phantasmagorical as fuck
+ trippy ass nightmares
+ arcade games
+ Phina's mission in the amusement park/retreat/cult feels like a DnD campaign with so many unique, fantastical characters, settings, and happenings
+ Spoon & Sunglasses Cat forever
Cons
- the plot suffered for the sake of world-building
- open ending, which I usually don't mind, but this time I really wanted to know everything
Comp Recs
+ The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion - Margaret Killjoy
TW: coma, hospital visits, animal deaths, abusive partner (past), attempted murder
January 28, 2023
My blurb of the book:
“The Merry Dredgers is a bizarro, atmospheric fever dream given horrifying shape—a story of love for a sibling and the search for belonging wrapped in a culty mystery wrapped in a psychedelic goblin carnival with teeth. It’ll chew you up and spit you out, and by the end, you won’t be sure if you’re laughing or screaming. Shipp knows how to entertain, and they’ve made sure this is one amusement park ride you’ll sure as hell never forget.”
“The Merry Dredgers is a bizarro, atmospheric fever dream given horrifying shape—a story of love for a sibling and the search for belonging wrapped in a culty mystery wrapped in a psychedelic goblin carnival with teeth. It’ll chew you up and spit you out, and by the end, you won’t be sure if you’re laughing or screaming. Shipp knows how to entertain, and they’ve made sure this is one amusement park ride you’ll sure as hell never forget.”
November 10, 2024
4 stars for the journey, but the ending felt rushed. Loved the vibes though.
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May 29, 2023Wry and whimsical.
June 24, 2023
This is the first of Shipp's writing I've experienced, and I really enjoyed it. Warped, humorous and fascinating, with strong character development. I'll definitely be looking for more of their work.
March 14, 2023
The quirky writing style and character dialogue was a treat to read. It was so much fun exploring the world of the Merry Dredgers. Things did get dark and despairing at times.
The ending was a let down however; the whole glowing figure, the weirdness in the park, and Eff’s fall are never fully explained. It felt like we didn’t even get a proper ending. So unfortunately I couldn’t rate this book higher based on these reasons.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Meerkat Press for a copy.
The ending was a let down however; the whole glowing figure, the weirdness in the park, and Eff’s fall are never fully explained. It felt like we didn’t even get a proper ending. So unfortunately I couldn’t rate this book higher based on these reasons.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Meerkat Press for a copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2023
Whimsical and intriguing are the two first words that pop into my head about this book. If you love cult vibes stories I highly recommend The Merry Dredgers. Parts of it were tender, tense and appalling in equal measure. So good!
July 7, 2023
Bizarre, aimless, unsatisfying.
I enjoyed Nichelle and Phina’s sense of humor but that is all that I can say on the positive side for this pointless book.
I enjoyed Nichelle and Phina’s sense of humor but that is all that I can say on the positive side for this pointless book.
July 18, 2023
THE MERRY DREDGERS is a fantastic little book. It’s small in length, less than 200 pages, but it packs a wallop of a story. Shipp manages to create a full portrait of the main character, Seraphina Ramon, and the people she comes into contact with, the titular Merry Dredgers. Shipp loves the weird and it blossoms throughout this novel, from the abandoned amusement park the Dredgers are residing in, to the dialogue between Seraphina and her new friend, Nichelle. I didn’t want to the story to end while at the same time needing to know how things would turn out. Highly recommended.
June 12, 2023
Jeremy Shipp writes quirky and often disturbing tales, and The Merry Dredgers is no different. Shipp flexes their writing muscles by creating two unsettling settings, an eerie amusement park and a cult while sliding a mystery inside. And while this is marketed under the banner of science fiction, fantasy, or even young adult, this is a very adult story brimming with suspense about pain and sisterhood and the lengths to which someone will go to find answers or at least an iota of peace.
The blurb talks about Seraphina Ramon and how she will stop at nothing to find out the truth about why her sister Eff is in a coma after a very suspicious "accident." What happened to her sister, and why is she in a coma? Even if it means infiltrating the last place Seraphina knew Eff was alive: a once-abandoned amusement park now populated by a community of cultists. And again, in the Shipp style, characters are neither bad nor good but layered. The people and lifestyle the cultists lead are comforting, and Seraphina finds friendship and camaraderie among the members, which greatly complicates things for her from a moralistic viewpoint.
There is also a profound story between the sisters; even with Eff being in a coma, it is still pronounced and nuanced. You can disagree with your sister and often hate her and her choices, but the bond of sisterhood can run deep. While reading this story, I understood and empathized with many of Seraphina's actions.
One of the great strengths of the story, and one that almost becomes a character itself, is the setting. An abandoned amusement park full of rust and pealing paint where you might hear the echos of a child's laughter or a roller coaster flying by is the perfect setting for something disturbing. Something in this setting is slightly off, much like a cult. And Shipp expounds on that. It feels like Seraphina is walking into hell, but it is ok, no, really, because she is with new friends, and friends would not lead you astray.
If you are looking at reading some of Shipps's other works, I recommend Bedfellow, which is an absolute mind scramble of a book. Or, if you are looking for stories with a similar feel, hop over to Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts, which also depicts a sisterly relationship but in a much different way.
It is dark, whimsical, melancholic, and poignant - The Merry Dredgers is some of Jeremy Shipps's best and most complicated work and should not be missed.
The blurb talks about Seraphina Ramon and how she will stop at nothing to find out the truth about why her sister Eff is in a coma after a very suspicious "accident." What happened to her sister, and why is she in a coma? Even if it means infiltrating the last place Seraphina knew Eff was alive: a once-abandoned amusement park now populated by a community of cultists. And again, in the Shipp style, characters are neither bad nor good but layered. The people and lifestyle the cultists lead are comforting, and Seraphina finds friendship and camaraderie among the members, which greatly complicates things for her from a moralistic viewpoint.
There is also a profound story between the sisters; even with Eff being in a coma, it is still pronounced and nuanced. You can disagree with your sister and often hate her and her choices, but the bond of sisterhood can run deep. While reading this story, I understood and empathized with many of Seraphina's actions.
One of the great strengths of the story, and one that almost becomes a character itself, is the setting. An abandoned amusement park full of rust and pealing paint where you might hear the echos of a child's laughter or a roller coaster flying by is the perfect setting for something disturbing. Something in this setting is slightly off, much like a cult. And Shipp expounds on that. It feels like Seraphina is walking into hell, but it is ok, no, really, because she is with new friends, and friends would not lead you astray.
If you are looking at reading some of Shipps's other works, I recommend Bedfellow, which is an absolute mind scramble of a book. Or, if you are looking for stories with a similar feel, hop over to Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts, which also depicts a sisterly relationship but in a much different way.
It is dark, whimsical, melancholic, and poignant - The Merry Dredgers is some of Jeremy Shipps's best and most complicated work and should not be missed.
July 13, 2023
Delightfully weird, yet endearing cast of characters and darkly whimsical story. I wouldn't mind exploring Goblintropolis, but I think I would die a 1000 deaths if I had to be princess for hire, which is the real horror in this book for me. I had a great deal of fun reading The Merry Dredgers.
February 5, 2023
Yowsers! I wasn't prepared for how much I was going to like this book. I mean, I love everything that Meerkat Press puts out, but dayumn! This was just soooo good.
Phina is a rent-me-by-the-party princess living her best life with her grouchy sidekick cat Heracles, until she receives a series of postcards from her sister Eff who appears to have joined a community that's definitely not a cult. She asks Phina to check on her ex-boyfriend because she's had visions that someone from the retreat-thats-not-a-cult may have hurt him and typically what Eff sees tends to come to pass. Phina does some sleuthing and discovers that, yup, the dude was banged up pretty good in a hit and run, and relays this back to her sister. A few days later, Phina receives a call that Eff is in a coma in the hospital due to bad fall that took place just outside the retreat's grounds.
Head spinning with all sorts of worst-case-scenarios, Phina decides to locate and inflitrate this community-thats-not-a-cult's retreat in order to figure out what sort of nefarious and life threatening things this group is up to.
Set in an abandoned goblin themed amusement park and run by a rich guy who appears to want to relive his childhood to its fullest, Phina must hide her true identify and befriend as many of these odd characters as possible to uncover the truth about Eff's accident, but can she get to the bottom of things before they realize what she's up to?
It's incredibly voice driven and was an absolute blast to read. I started it last night and ended up finishing today in practically one sitting. It sucked me right in and I have no doubt you will be too.
Phina is a rent-me-by-the-party princess living her best life with her grouchy sidekick cat Heracles, until she receives a series of postcards from her sister Eff who appears to have joined a community that's definitely not a cult. She asks Phina to check on her ex-boyfriend because she's had visions that someone from the retreat-thats-not-a-cult may have hurt him and typically what Eff sees tends to come to pass. Phina does some sleuthing and discovers that, yup, the dude was banged up pretty good in a hit and run, and relays this back to her sister. A few days later, Phina receives a call that Eff is in a coma in the hospital due to bad fall that took place just outside the retreat's grounds.
Head spinning with all sorts of worst-case-scenarios, Phina decides to locate and inflitrate this community-thats-not-a-cult's retreat in order to figure out what sort of nefarious and life threatening things this group is up to.
Set in an abandoned goblin themed amusement park and run by a rich guy who appears to want to relive his childhood to its fullest, Phina must hide her true identify and befriend as many of these odd characters as possible to uncover the truth about Eff's accident, but can she get to the bottom of things before they realize what she's up to?
It's incredibly voice driven and was an absolute blast to read. I started it last night and ended up finishing today in practically one sitting. It sucked me right in and I have no doubt you will be too.
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