I have read J.D. Horn’s ‘Witching Savannah’ series, so when the opportunity to read/review his new book “Shivaree” came about, well I jumped at the chance.
The author has written a note before the story even begins, making you aware that this book is ‘a work of Southern Gothic fiction’. In case, you may not know what ‘Southern Gothic’ means, here is a definition: “Southern Gothic literature is a genre of Southern writing. The stories often focus on grotesque themes. While it may include supernatural elements, it mainly focuses on damaged, even delusional, characters.” Fair warning, indeed.
“Kudzu vine, rapacious and never sleeping, had nearly swallowed the old Cooper house whole.” Shivaree has an ‘Edgar Allen Poe’ feel about it. You can feel the story beating like a ragged heart even though you do not see that heart clearly. It is in every little tidbit that you read. Each line brings you closer to knowing and understanding what lurks just out of your view. As you read deeper into the world that is Conroy, you realize that every person in the book has more than a casual knowledge of what goes on in this sleepy, dirty little Mississippi town.
If you like depth to your characters, and undercurrents that move you along at a steady
Shivaree by JD Horn
pace, read Shivaree.*I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review*
Saturday's Reviews 