Synopsis
The lives of those residing in the isolated town of Burnt Sparrow, New Hampshire, are forever altered after three faceless entities arrive on Christmas morning to perform a brutal act of violence—a senseless tragedy that can never be undone. While the townspeople grieve their losses and grapple with the aftermath of the attack, a young teenage boy named Rupert Cromwell is forced to confront the painful realities of his family situation. Once relationships become intertwined and more carnage ensues as a result of the massacre, the town residents quickly learn that true retribution is futile, cruelty is earned, and certain thresholds must never be crossed no matter what.
Engrossing, atmospheric, and unsettling, this is a devastating story of a small New England community rocked by an unforgivable act of violence. Writing with visceral intensity and profound eloquence, LaRocca journeys deep into the dark heart of Burnt Sparrow, leaving you chilled to the bone and wanting more.
Review
How the hell do I even start talking about this book?!
Following Rupert Cromwell, a 17-year-old grappling with both his sexuality and a tumultuous home life, as he and the town of Burnt Sparrow navigate the aftermath of a Christmas Day massacre. But it really doesn’t take long before the book goes from a sad tale of a young man struggling with his mother’s dead and his father’s inability to love him, to a deeply disturbing, weird, transgressive piece of horror fiction.
I think, for me to accurately portray my thoughts, I’m going to be talking mainly in ✨ vibes ✨. LaRocca writes a story with characters who are raw, with a deep-set sense of hurt, of longing, of want for something they simply cannot have, such as love or – on point for the story – tenderness. LaRocca then spends a lot of time giving these characters a perverted sense of these things they long for. The book displays a community already deeply entrenched in their own worst beliefs, desires, and pursuits, so the (disgusting) things and acts carried out by and to several of the characters – and in many occasions, witnessed by another – hold additional weight. It’s a book that scratched at my soul, and wanted me to, whilst not necessarily agree with a lot of the actions taken in this book, at least understand the hurt and harm these people feel and deal.
Transgressive, even extreme, horror, in my opinion, walks a fine line. If not handled with care or tenderness, it just comes across as gross-out acts for the sake of disturbing the reader. It takes a true expert to do this correctly, and LaRocca is very clearly writing at the top of their game! It’s a hard book to recommend, considering the themes explored (check your trigger warnings folks!), but I feel like it’s a book that rips a response out of any of its readers, whilst giving you plenty to chew on. I simply can’t explore this book enough, especially with the character limit. I’ll end with saying that I “enjoyed” this book. I think Eric LaRocca is a wordsmith of the highest calibre, and I’m excited to get my hands on part two later this year!
With thanks to Titan Books for the review copy!
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