Nowhere by Allison Gunn
Themes of life and universal principles can be found in the simplest of things because the simplest of things is Life. Nature, situations, relationships, anything you choose to gaze upon. You shall see.
Horror books are no different. It’s what I love about reading. I can find Life (gems) in any book, any genre.
Well, at least I think I can. 😌
Nowhere by Allison Gunn
Nowhere by Allison Gunn is one of the best horrors I’ve read in a long time. In terms of spookiness and depth.
It is a supernatural horror set in a small town tucked in the Appalachian Mountains where darkness awaits patiently, lurking, plotting it’s only move - to devour and consume.
It is packed with layers of emotional complexity (deep dark and ugly).
It is well written, easy to follow and vividly paints a picture of a horror movie I’d want to watch.
I love how Gunn describes mannerisms and body movements so perfectly matched to the mood of the scene! She gives us very necessary descriptions, not the word-filler irrelevant ones.
But most important, and the reason I read horror, some of the scenes really creeped me out! To be able to articulate a chilling scene through written word, without visuals or sound is a true art.
Allison Gunn is an artist.
The story is about the inner monsters we face, both inside and out.
We follow a main family who recently experienced a tragedy and are now carrying sorrow, guilt and anger so heavy and palpable that when things start to crumble around them, they are in no shape to fight it.
It’s a great example of what happens when we brush our shit under a rug.
The main characters become their own villain fighting against themselves, the townspeople and the things in the woods.
Everyone in this book was in denial. I shouted at them many times but they did not listen because they were so blinded by their blame and guilt.
And because they were all in denial, the consequences were dire for everyone! Sometimes characters listen, sometimes they don’t.
A sneak peek:
I want to point out a scene that stood out to me. It’s not a spoiler, but it does give an idea of what to expect in the book.
There is a scene where Finn (one of the main characters) is watching a darker version of himself and that version is getting ready to kill himself. As both versions lock eyes, he feels a cold numbness sweep through his body and right before the gun was shoved in his mouth, he starts to hear all the insults from his wife being thrown at him, amped up to 120 decibels drowning out his sanity.
This is exactly what guilt, shame and blame can do to a person. They are heavy and oppressive and will squeeze and suffocate until there is nothing left.
I won’t spoil the book and tell you what happens to Finn, you’ll have to read it to find out. But please know this. Guilt, blame and shame are feelings. We have the power and ability to choose our feelings.
This debut novel was fantastic.
Too bad I have to wait until April 2027 for her next book to be released (Hive Mind). But just like the darkness lurking in those woods, I shall wait patiently. And once the book is released, I’m devouring it!
