Review: Tight combination of supernatural and super-evil.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 13, 2011
Michael McFarland has created novella worthy of inclusion in any of Stephen King's anthologies. The novella incorporates a perfect mix of supernatural suspense and pure human malevolence, to leave the reader reeling with a dominant sense of helplessness, and a sliver hope, even at the most disturbing moments in the story. For a novella, the plot is perfectly paced, launching the reader into immediate distress, and dragging it out just long enough until the ceiling caves in. I found myself attached to the protagonist, and intimately concerned with the family's situation. What happens to the family, is for the reader to discover. As a huge fan of Stephen King's writing, I stand by my statement, that this story has all of the elements I've grown to love and seek out in Stephen King's short stories. Michael McFarland has a bright future in the horror genre, if "Duplex" is any indication of the stories rattling around inside of his head.