This month's Booklist has 3 reviews by me. All three books will appeal to a wide library reading audience BUT the first one is spectacular and is going to be on a lot of year end best lists.
First, a reminder that this post contains my draft reviews with extra appeal info and my three words.
Let's start with the STAR
Kraus’ latest is an unintentional sequel to Whalefall* in how it portrays its deeply emotional themes. Private Bagger has used his wits to stay alive in the trenches of WWI France as a latrine and grave digger, he and four other misfits are asked to stay behind, in order to “take care” of a suffering soldier laying in the dangerous no man's land between them and the Germans. However, it is not a soldier they find screaming, rather it is an angel fallen from heaven and stuck in barbed wire. As the men carry the angel enroute to rejoin their unit, each is mesmerized by her light and tempted by her power. She could save them all or lead to their death. Unfolding like a chant, in short paragraphs each beginning with the word “and,” readers quickly fall under Bagger’s narrative spell, as they see the visceral toll war takes on the entire planet. Is Bagger going to survive through a miracle or by luck? A brilliant novel that will encourage its readers to live their best life while alive, despite the horrors that surround them. For fans of The Militia House by Milas and thought-provoking tales which sow discomfort through story and narrative structure such as The Unworthy by Bazterrica..
*the same life affirming message also guilt and shame about his relationship with his father and survival despite it all. This statement gives away a lot of the appeal I had to leave out for word count.
Three words that describe this book: visceral, ambitious, reads like a chant.
Further Appeal: This book is one of those that you can describe in a million different ways but until someone reads it they will not understand why everyone is gushing about it.
I need to address the word ambitious (above) first. This book is ambitious as it sets out to put the horrors of war on the page without being literal like All's Quiet on the Western Front, and it is visceral and difficult but also very readable and compelling.
The book is able to put the horror of war on the page, but also the humans who fight in it. The horror of war from the violence to the living conditions to the lives lost to....just all of it, is center stage here.
Everything is through Bagger's eyes and he is very clear from the start that he is a con-artist, a charlatan. He has avoided fighting by offering to dig graves and latrines. He holds a lot of shame and guilt from the second he was born (killing his mother in the process) and the way he parted with his dad before his death. He grew up the son of a Bishop, in the church, but is more spiritual than religious. He is a misanthrope in many ways, but in others-- he is not. His adoration for the young Arno is the best example. The boy is like the little brother he never had.
The book is structured and reads like a chant (religious or secular). Every paragraph begins with the word "and." There are many commas and few periods. There are small horizontal bars at times, they are there for the reader to take a breath, a small pause and then keep going. (I felt that at least)
Kraus keeps this up for the entire book (except one key section that was awesome) and it works. Readers fall into the rhythm, and I for one, couldn't imagine this book any other way. The pages themselves are striking to look at. But a straight narrative would not have worked here. Kraus needs to reader to fall under his and Bagger's spell, in order to make it through the VERY visceral depictions of war (what happens to a body destroyed by weapons). Readers need to be able to get through the gore of war to fall into the story he is crafting.
Following those who come into contact with the angel, and how they react, is as mesmerizing as she is herself. It allows the reader a peek into the other character's state of mind, what is most important to them, who they are at their most essential core, without taking the POV away from Bagger. Watching them allows Bagger to find himself.
And the overall message here is worth the trip-- yes it is about the horrors of never ending war, yes it is about the horrors of the things people do to each other, yes it is about the horrors we do to ourselves, yes it is about the horrors we humans inflict on the earth.....you could go on and on. This is not a "happy" book, but it is a book (much like Whalefall) that renews the readers faith in living their best life while alive-- despite the horrors around us.
This book is challenging-- not so much to read but to sit with. But it is also bare-naked honesty on the page.
Here is a note I took: Is Bagger's story driven by a miracle or luck? Does it matter? What does matter here is Kraus' awe-inspiring skill.
Readalikes: The two above are the ones that made it into the magazine, but I had a long list. Two nonfiction I thought of were W. Scott Poole's amazing Wasteland: the Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror, and Joe Sacco’s Graphic Novel, The Great War: July 1, 1916: The First Day of the Battle of the Somme. (I have thoughts on this book here as well)
I would put this book in a thematic series for Kraus that begins with Rotters, then Whalefall, and this one. The themes from these have grown over his career. I feel like this is part three in an unintended series.
And clearly, this book is for those who loved The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones earlier this year and want something else great. We have an embarrassment of riches this year in Horror.
And next up....
Below The Grand Hotel
By Cat Scully
May 2025. 286p. illus. CLASH, paper, $19.95 (9781960988584).
First published May 1, 2025 (Booklist).
Mable wants nothing more than to be a Ziegfeld girl, but until her big break, she is living hand to mouth, robbing people to keep herself housed and fed. When she follows a wealthy woman wearing a diamond necklace into The Grand Hotel, Mable’s life changes forever. She is offered the chance to make all of her dreams come true. The price? Her soul. Scully convincingly re-creates the Great Gatsby-esque world of a lavish hotel in 1920s NYC. The glitz and the glamour,yes, but also the bleak, devastating hardship of those on the outside. Readers eagerly follow Mable, as she races against time, through the constantly shifting, alluring, awe-inspiring, but extremely sinister hallways of the hotel (a character here itself), to steal back her soul and hopefully, destroy the evil force at its foundation. Suggest to those who like tales of artists making dark deals in pursuit of their craft like Roses and Rot by Howard and fans of strong women kicking demon butt like Devils Kill Devils by Compton.
Three Words That Describe This Book: strong sense of place, demons, struggle of artists.
Further Appeal: This novel is an excellent choice for Dark Fantasy readers who want to dip their toe into Horror.
The hotel is a character here. When I say strong sense of place I mean the time-- it is art deco, 1920 all the way. The way people talk even. But also, the entire book is set in The Grand Hotel. and it is not your ordinary hotel since it is run by demons, has unlimited and ever shifting floors, is filled with amusements of every kind, and began as the parents of the current owner-Frank- sold their souls to make it that way.
Mable Rose Dixon is the protagonist and narrator through this world. She is new but unwilling to accept her fate. She is a thief and a magician turned Ziegfeld girl wannabe. This is a plot driven book. The characters are interesting but bides Mabel, there art not enough pages to develop them fully. We get enough to care about them but the story is the star here. The entire things begins with a 30 day time limit as Mable needs to collect 100 souls for Frank the current owner in that time. But why he needs them exactly and her quest to escape before then takes up the bulk of the book.
There are satisfying twists and a very good ending- one that is HORROR not Dark Fantasy.
Mable is strong and independent throughout. She is tough but also readers see her fears and concerns.
Dark fantasy and Horror fans will like this. It is more sinter and has less romance than your average Dark Fantasy.
Scully re-creates the world of a decadent hotel in 1920s NYC- the glitz, the glamour yes, but also the hardship of those on the outside. It is also a book about artists- how they toil and often never get the glory they want or even deserve- but the book encourages all creatives who will read it to keep going.
Readalikes: The publisher says The Great Gatsby meets Clive Barker and I think that is fairly accurate, but I think more recent titles that show the appeal of this story are as listed above-- Roses and Rot by Kat Howard meets Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton just set in the 1920s.
And this books shares no plot points in common but the story of a strong young woman confronting Demons and making hard choices reminded me of Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger by K.C. Grifant (which I have read and reviewed)
A deep cut for people who liked the hotel as a character- try Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser
And finally, a books that was both fun and existentially terrifying-- that dichotomy was pretty great but
the way.
My Ex, The Antichrist
By Craig DiLouie
July 2025. 416p. Run for It, paper, $19.99 (9780316578189); e-book (9780316578196). First published May 1, 2025 (Booklist).
The Shivers were one of the biggest pop punk bands of the early 2000s, but their origin story holds a dark, apocalyptic secret, one with which front woman Lily Lawless can no longer bear to live. So begins DiLouie’s latest horror novel, unfolding on the page as an oral history of the band, as told by Lily, and others, as Lily sits in prison, for murder. Readers follow The Shivers, led by Lily and her boyfriend Drake Morgan,as they quickly garner attention for their unique sound and the violence that follows in the wake of their performances. Cheekily playing off of the age-old accusation that harder edged music is satanic, DiLouie spins a story that is fresh, entertaining, and intensely unsettling. Is Drake Morgan actually the Antichrist? The answer may existentially unmoor readers. An easy handsell for fans of We Sold Our Souls by Hendrix or Silver Nitrate by Moreno- Garcia, but don’t forget those who loved the discomforting verisimilitude of The Ghost That Ate Us by Kraus.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Oral History Frame, Satanic, Intense Unease
Further Appeal: The history of a band as they rise to the top is a huge appeal here. The fact that one of their founding members was the Antichrist adds interest for Horror fans but I don't think it removes interest for music fans with no opinion about Horror.
This story is intensely uneasy more than outright terrifying and I think that is on purpose because of how the narrative is structured.
First of all the narrative unfolds through the voices of those involved in a history that already happened. This means that we know the characters who are talking to the "journalist" lived through the experience. That lessens some of the terror. Also the oral history frame keeps readers from getting too comfortable-- again, on purpose.
Second-- it is a tale we all have heard before in two ways. There is the artist selling their soul frame and the tendency for conservative forces to perpetually call out certain types of music as being the work of the devil. Readers come in thinking they know this book, but they don't. Again, keeping the reader off balance.
Third, the conclusion of the novel is set to existentially unmoor the reader. The story we are being told is concluded. The sense that it could be real permeates throughout-- that in and of itself is uneasy. But then it lets the fear percolate out into the real world of the reader. ON PURPOSE
I really like how DiLouie doubled down on the unease, again, on purpose, but I am predicting some will be like...not scary enough. If they do that is just an instance of them not getting it or the book not being for that reader. I am not saying there are not terrifying moments. There are but the overall tone of this book is intense unease or existential unmooring.
This book accomplishes what I think DiLouie wants it to very well.
There is a huge Christian religious frame here -- as there always is in satanic horror BUT in this story other religious groups are clearly aware of and trying to stop Drake. I appreciated that. This is bigger than 1 version of GOD.
Tying all of the most dangerous action to the final days of 1999 and the very real, historical Y2K panic was also cool.
Readalikes: Comparisons to WE SOLD OUR SOULS by Grady Hendrix are inevitable and will work; however, this book is most similar to Daniel Kraus' THE GHOST THAT ATE US. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4604343699
Silvia Moreno-Garcia's SILVER NITRATE works well too-- cursed art, using the curse to help yourself (or not), romance as an important part of the storyline, background info into a specific real world frame (90s pop punk in a college town vs the 90s Mexico City film industry)
I couldn't stop thinking about NOTHIN' BUT A GOOD TIME: THE UNCENSORED HISTORY OF THE 80's HARD ROCK EXPLOSION while reading this book. That NF book is written just like this novel-- as an oral history but it is 100% true. Since I loved that book, and DiLouie uses a similar frame, I kept thinking DiLouie's novel was real as well.
