pickWhile I LOVE the supernatural & mildly-spooky, I‘m actually not that into the horror genre (movies or literature). I don‘t enjoy being scared & I wouldn‘t say I have an interest in the “macabre,” just in the “otherworldly.” Regardless, so many aspects of this book SPOKE TO MY SOUL.
Glowing review continued below👇🏻
monalyisha 1/4: The way that the author — an ordained Christian minister, strangely (or maybe not so strangely) enough — navigates the terrain between religion & lore totally captivated me. I‘m equally interested (in a theoretical way) in the idea of god & in the idea of werewolves, so, like, “Hi, perfect book!” 👋🏻 (edited) 6y
monalyisha 2/4: Not only does Rev. Peter Laws explore the (he says natural) interest in “monsters, ghosts, death & gore,” but he delves into controversial topics like video game violence & “morbid play” (particularly in children who are trauma-survivors) &, given his profession, he comes down on the issues in ways that may surprise you! He‘s funny, & smart, & WEIRD AF, &, full disclosure: I definitely developed a teeny-tiny author crush. (edited) 6y
monalyisha 3/4: If I have any complaint about the book, it‘s that he could‘ve gone deeper into “scary” issues like race & gender. For instance, despite a chapter entitled “Sister,” there‘s no discussion of society‘s fascination with witches (& witchcraft‘s recent resurgence & link with feminism & politics). The chapter on ghosts is a bit threadbare, too (#verybadpunintended... y‘know, ‘cause sometimes ghosts are sheets 🤷♀️👻). Also, there are a few typos. (edited) 6y
monalyisha 4/4: But GODDAMMIT (heh), I loved this book & will definitely be purchasing a copy for my shelves (an honor I bestow only upon titles I truly love). The attention paid to both darkness & light - & the genuine reverence shown for both - is worth *your* attention. (edited) 6y