Review: A collection of tales that is both unsettling and entertaining
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 23, 2014
Like his first full-length novel, Devil Let Me Go is a collection of tales that is both unsettling and entertaining. Nathan Robinson dabbles all around the horror genre here, playing with a few different tropes, but making his mark on each of them. The stories are all based on simple scenarios, but defined by the clever way in which he uses his characters to exploit them. There were a few stories that didn't resonate with me as strongly as the others, but they all had their moments of 'magic' (so to speak).The House that Creak’d opens things with post-apocalyptic tale that seems like madness for the longest time, before slowly revealing itself in a fantastic ending. Crack’d is another tale of disaster, but one that is defined by the madness of motherhood, as opposed to that of solitude.Not That Way Home offers a major change of pace, with a remarkably tense tale that careens to an unexpected climax. Eat your Heart out Lorena is the darkest, most disturbing tale of the lot, and even if it's a bit predictable, I liked the execution. Banana Boxes was one of my favourites, an exceptionally well-narrated story with a great twist.The Skeleton Tree is a great tale, one that takes a chilling image, confronts it, challenges it, and then runs away with the consequences. I didn't expect to like Colder than Hell up here, but it really grew on me. As for Fallen, it's the perfect tale on which to end things, the least chilling but the most emotional of all the stories here, and a solid slip sideways to flirt with the paranormal romance genre.All-in-all, a solid collection. Not as much fun as Starers, but it's nice to see that Robinson isn't a one-trick novelty act. If you're looking for an introduction to his work, it's a great place to start, and if you're already a fan, then you'll find plenty here to enjoy.