I am a huge fan
of the original novella and hyped it to anyone who would listen when it came
out last year. What you’ll find in the newly released collection Things Have
Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes are stories of people
yearning for what is lacking in their lives and seeking to fill that void.
In the first
story, “Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke,” is an epistolary tale
told in emails and text messages between two young women seeking connection—what
starts as kindness and friendship quickly devolves to stomach-churning acts of sadomasochistic
control. This story is brutal and if you are easily squeamish, read with
caution.
The second tale,
“The Enchantment,” we find a couple trying to repair their marriage in the wake
of losing their only child. In the desperate need to connect to their son, Olive
clings to her faith while husband James accepts the loss of faith in a world
that has just discovered that there is no afterlife awaiting them when they
pass. Lots of supernatural and rich religious symbolism present in this story.
I would have loved if this had been fleshed out as a full novel.
The last story,
“You’ll Find It’s Like That All Over,” is an odd tale of a man who finds a
mysterious bone in his yard that leads him to his neighbor seeking answers.
What follows is a bizarre encounter where his innate politeness and inability
to say no when pressed upon leads to a series of bets with staggering
consequences. This story gave me big Alfred Hitchcock Presents/Twilight Zone vibes.
Like the entry before, I would have loved to read more of this story.
All in all, I
really enjoyed this read and was thrilled to know that it lives up to the unsettling
vibes of its original story. Please check the trigger warnings before reading,
there is a lot of material that some might find upsetting.
5/5 Stars
Many thanks to
#NetGalley and #TitanBooks for providing me with a review copy of this novel.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Great review and I completely agree!
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