This little horror novel, or maybe novella because it is just 200 pages, has all the long lasting, chilling effects I want in such a book. It moves slowly, like stories from Edger Allen Poe and writers of his time period, without all the excess words that can make such authors a bit tedious.
There is a patient locked away in a crumbling, under-funded state mental hospital, a true asylum. He's been there since he was a child. No one can cure him. Actually, no one can stand being in his presence. He has driven doctors, nurses and orderlies to madness and suicide. He is a monster.
A new doctor comes to the hospital. He is full of himself. He believes he can cure the most intractable case. His high opinion of himself is supported by a degree at a highly esteemed medical school and internship with highly regarded medical professionals. He decides he will cure this locked away patient, write a paper about it and then open a highly profitable practice with the accolades.
I referenced older horror writers, most because of the style of this book. It is written as if it was posted to a defunct website. Each chapter is a blog entry, a computerized diary. This is an interesting idea. The chapters/entries are written as if the author expected responses. We don't get to see said entries, although the author reacts to them in generalized terms. I found the style to be most effective.
I like horror stories. I especially like them when the monster might not be a monster until it is shown to be just that. This story captures that aspect of horror nicely.
I received the copy of this book that I read for this review from BookishFirst.
There is a patient locked away in a crumbling, under-funded state mental hospital, a true asylum. He's been there since he was a child. No one can cure him. Actually, no one can stand being in his presence. He has driven doctors, nurses and orderlies to madness and suicide. He is a monster.
A new doctor comes to the hospital. He is full of himself. He believes he can cure the most intractable case. His high opinion of himself is supported by a degree at a highly esteemed medical school and internship with highly regarded medical professionals. He decides he will cure this locked away patient, write a paper about it and then open a highly profitable practice with the accolades.
I referenced older horror writers, most because of the style of this book. It is written as if it was posted to a defunct website. Each chapter is a blog entry, a computerized diary. This is an interesting idea. The chapters/entries are written as if the author expected responses. We don't get to see said entries, although the author reacts to them in generalized terms. I found the style to be most effective.
I like horror stories. I especially like them when the monster might not be a monster until it is shown to be just that. This story captures that aspect of horror nicely.
I received the copy of this book that I read for this review from BookishFirst.