![]() Overall, weird and surreal experience and definitely not worth it. What person would and email like the ones sent in this book. Like I get the hopelessness Agatha is feeling but does have to pull out a weird horror backstory to explain her feelings instead of just saying ‘hey I’m not okay’ They don’t talk like real people. It’s a essentially trauma porn as another reviewer put it, and not indicative of an actual relationship between two women. I am not implying it should’ve been happy relationship or it’s bad. Dislikes: The relationship between the leads is a hollow representation of a queer relationship. The set up was intriguing, and I like how the story is laid out using the messages between the two main characters. I’ll my likes out of the way (It’s faster) The voice actress was good, and clearly trying her best. Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke is a dark, heavy-hitting novella that is a borderline masterwork in epistolary horror. It is one where the pace and intensity continues to ramp up until the very end. No way you can set it aside and come back to it. In saying that, if you do chance upon this little story, it is a 1-sitting type read. Sadomasochism ain’t really my thing, neither is body horror (thanks a ton, The Troop by Nick Cutter), but there was something about this one that I literally could not set it down. Sometimes, you never know if you are in the right audience for a read and this was one of those times. Throughout the back and forth between the two characters, LaRocca gives the reader glimpses behind the screen as to who these women are – though again, we ASSUME based on the synopsis that these are women, but it is the internet (and if it is on the internet, it must be true right?). It is a tale of loneliness and the feeling of being wanted and loved, to the point where you are willing to risk everything for it. What starts out as a seemingly normal email thread for the purchase of an antique apple peeler becomes a shared obsession that borders on possession. LaRocca, outside of being a mutual on socials, is relatively unknown author to me (hence my hesitancy to believe the hype) but friends whom I trust with book recommendations RARELY leave me disappointed. What have you done today to deserve your eyes? I’d seen tons of people in the horror community either purchasing copies of this book or talking about how much they loved it, so I figured I would give it a shot. Rating: 8.5/10 This is going to be a pretty short and succinct review being that this is a 102 page novella, mostly revolving around text chat and emails – an epistolary novella in better terms. ![]() What Have You Done Today to Deserve Your Eyes? I love the nasty, disturbing things their brain comes up with. Can't wait to read more of LaRocca in the future, they are quite talented, and unafraid to face the darkness head on. Overall, a strong performance that aided comprehension and brought the characters to life. ![]() I have a few very minor qualms with the audio direction (the repetition of the characters full email handles got a bit tedious and it might have been nice to switch to a shorthand at some point) but this didn't dampen my enjoyment of the story. Each character had a distinct voice (important when reciting IM conversations without interrupting to state each character's screen name) that fit how I imagined the characters. Winkel's performance was subtle and effective. I found myself thinking "This does not bode well at ALL and I'm not sure I want to know where this will lead" at several points and yet, despite my anxiety, I found myself unable to tear myself away until I had swallowed every last bite. There is excellent use of atmosphere and ominous foreshadowing throughout. ![]() But they have an aspect of uncanniness too, which I believe serves the story. They are firmly rooted in reality, enough to empathize with their plight and to make you feel unsettled by the things they get themselves into. Do these feel like real people? Perhaps not, but that's ok! To me, they feel more like hyper-real, larger-than-life archetypes, condensed and concentrated versions of people you've probably encountered before (online or IRL). I thought the pacing was excellent, and the characters played well off of each other. It's an acquired taste, and not for the weak of stomach (fans of Takashi Miike's AUDITION will be familiar with the flavor profile), but for those who enjoy feeling a little nauseated after finishing a story, it's well worth a listen. is a succinct, bite-sized serving of psychological horror full of complex flavor and texture.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |