They thought it would be easy. Four boys from a nearby boarding school planned on attacking and harasing a family – just for the fun of it. But they hadn’t prepared themselves for the terror of what they would meet inside of the house in shape of a little girl with a very special gift.
HUMPTY, DUMPTY is a horror novella from Willow Rose, author of the International Bestselling horror-series starring the Danish reporter Rebekka Franck. It is not for the faint at heart.
HUMPTY, DUMPTY is also included in Willow Rose’s short-story collection called Horror-stories from Denmark.
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Reviews:
"A good short story with well written, though unlikeable, characters let down slightly by its reliance on cliche and obvious plot."
Reviewer: Angel for Bookangel.
Ella is the overweight, unloved middle child of an unhappy family. Living with them in an old, slightly broken-down home in the middle of nowhere, she only cares about her baby brother. He parents despair as things always seem to go wrong around her and her elder sister is as beautiful as she is ugly. Teased constantly for her weight, she hides as best she can spending her time in the attic looking at the old mementos left behind by the previous owner. And on this particular night, a group of four rich frat boys decide to initiate the newest member of their secret group, by heading out to the house and killing Ella and her family.
For a short story, it makes heavy use of some fairly standard tropes and clichés to set the scene and to try and push the story along quickly. There are several plot points that are included but don’t appear to go anywhere, as if the author was looking to throw as many possibilities into the story without have worked out which ones should be included.
It’s a shame because the writing is clear and gives a good idea of the characters, their thoughts and fears as the night progresses. From the sickening gloating of the frat boys to the terror of the family as they are attacked, the viewpoints of the characters are well constructed and combined to give a fairly powerful feel for what is going on. Its not so much a scary horror novel, as more sickening over what people can do to one another, and in some ways removing the supernatural from this could have made it a stronger story. But I did read it through from start to finish waiting to see what would befall each character and wasn’t disappointed by the flurries of action that occurred.
If you are looking for a sample of Willow Rose’s work, then this might be worth a read to see if you like the style. Hopefully her longer stories can be allowed to build up their own suspense and terror and will not be so reliant on cliché. Alternatively, this book makes a great drinking game as you tick off each and every trope turning from page to page.
Rating: 3
" Don't expect classic horror or suspense.... it quickly moves into splatterpunk and graphic violence. "
Reviewer: Reader for Bookangel.
A group of students performing a murderous hazing ritual attack a small family in an isolated house and find they have bitten off more than they can chew.
That's actually about it. While there are several subplots, in general they go nowhere and others simply appear to be included for the sake of shock value. The ghosts and the mirror in the attic appear to be smoke and mirrors with no real resolution, and the incest subplot is less a plot than something which happens.
In tone it's similar to "Funny Games" meets "Carrie". Don't expect classic horror or suspense. Although it starts out in this direction, it quickly moves into splatterpunk and graphic violence. The main problem with the book, for me, is one fatal to horror: I got to chapter three and realised I didn't care what happened to any of the characters. They are all utterly unsympathetic, and without empathy for the victims it robs their deaths of any real horror.
As horror I'd give this a two. As splatterpunk, more modernly called torture porn, a three.
Readers who enjoy graphic violence may like this story, although the incest may put some off. Fans of creepy horrors, suspense of supernatural stories, this is probably one to miss.
Rating: 2/3
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Discussion
Bookangel (7 March 2017)
2 reveiws:
...A good short story with well written, though unlikeable, characters let down slightly by its reliance on cliche and obvious plot...
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...Don't expect classic horror or suspense.... it quickly moves into splatterpunk and graphic violence...*
*Continue reading...*
jessica (7 March 2017)
I've only read one of her books but that had Prader-Wili syndrome in it:eek:. I don't think medical horrors are my thing :( . Is this like that?
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