Synopsis
Ash is stranded at a rural horror film festival about a giant killer cicada and can’t decide what’s worse, the movie or her idiot boyfriend, until she realizes she’s starring in the bloody sequel when people start dying and the locals won’t let them leave.
Review
A huge thanks to Shortwave for getting an eARC to me!
The sun is out in full force, the heat is oppressive, and the hum of cicadas is a constant soundtrack deep in the woods of Mississippi in Tanya Pell’s addition to Shortwave’s Killer VHS Series, Cicada. Seemingly on a road trip from hell thanks to her awful boyfriend, Ritchie, Ash finds herself stranded in the strangest of towns, a place called Revelation. Despite the small-town charm offered by the townsfolk, things just seem off, especially given the underground film festival taking place, one that seemingly worships killer cicadas. Things obviously take a turn for the worst, and Ash must fight to flee the grasp of Revelation, a town hiding a monster of a secret.
In mere paragraphs, Tanya Pell institutes a level of distinct characterization and propulsion, making this story move with ease and urgency. Ash is a character dealing with a less-than-ideal situation all before she enters the town of Revelation. In light of deciding she is over Ritchie’s idiocy, the need to escape immediately becomes apparent. Feelings of claustrophobia begin to creep in, something that only grows upon their arrival at their unintentional stop. Here is where the real fun begins.
The truth behind Revelation’s farce feels markedly creative, giving a whole new dimension to the found-footage genre. This is one impressive facet of the entirety of the Killer VHS Series, the ability to breathe life into a trope that may seem limited on the surface. This is a clever entry into this catalog, one that oozes with insectile grossness and endearing personality thanks to Pell’s witty dialogue and the numerous quirky characters she creates whose arrival not once felt overwhelming. The formation of this ragtag team brings about a level of investment that automatically raises the stakes of their survival, upping the ante of this nasty little novella.
Cicada is a powerhouse of a story, delivering on that wildly entertaining, pulpy horror that is the hallmark of the Killer VHS Series. The pacing is easily classified as electric, and this fight for survival is effortlessly consumed in one sitting. We’re given a hell of a final girl-esque character with Ash, a woman who transforms before our eyes to take no bullshit from bug or man. Pell’s writing is sharp and amusing with layers of atmosphere and momentum to kick this story into overdrive, tapping into the ironic uncanniness of classics like The Twilight Zone. If this is any indication of what’s to come from Pell, count me in as one excited customer. Cicada is a jam-packed novella, a foray into the stuff of buggy nightmares will forever give me pause upon spotting those gray, crunchy cicada husks.
Cicada by Tanya Pell releases on September 24th from Shortwave Media.
To preorder and support Shortwave directly, follow this link: https://shortwavepublishing.com/catalog/cicada-novella-killer-vhs-series/
See what fellow FearForAll reviewer Sean had to say: https://fanfiaddict.com/review-cicada-killer-vhs-series-4-by-tanya-pell/
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