pissed offThe Wicked by James Newman
This was presented as a homage to 1980s horror novels. This takes place in some undefined time after 2002. There are dvds, a dvd player, Blockbuster video and no internet. The hero makes a living illustrating book covers, he has an embittered realtionship with his wife and a sense of schism from her. He also has high self-regard and I HATE him.
The goob hero and his wife and daughter move to a small town where a demon is lurking. The hero is a jackass who harasses his wife for sex, ignores the concept of consent, ignores how his wife was raped and how she has untreated trauma, he also hates his wife's unborn child, is sexist and racist and homophobic and violent.
The wife is ignored, gets no counselling no anything and it makes one peeved that the hero belittles his wife and is the living definition of toxic masculinity. Bad things happen in boring fashion and the author wrote a previous novel about a convicted sex offender killing people who he says are 'persecuting' him. James Newman is cancelled.
This was boring, badly written, offensive and the 'hero' gets away with his lack of responsibility, he's profoundly aggressive with monotonous regularity and he's not really into rational debate. The 'hero' gives no indication of remorse. This book forsakes artistry and it is particularly disturbing how such a problematic book about a poisonous violent irresponsible man got published
Newman has obvious destructive distain for women. This book was calamitous and full of anger and vitriol toward women. This book was wholly unremarkable and an appalling waste of time. This was horrifyingly wretched and full of horrible statements. This was grotesque, absurd, preposterous, ponderous, dreadful, bad, boring, ridiculous and mind-bogglingly banal/
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Something In The Water by Catherine Steadman
This 'thriller' was a truly truly terrible tiresome melodrama. An over-reactive couple make a find on their honeymoon and too late come to epiphanic realisations. This is overly earnest as it tries for an ominious edge and tragic destiny as the couple spiral ever further towards ruin.
The couple aren't useful parts of society. This was a wholly inadequate dismal disappointment that lacks emotional muscle. Characters are absolute idiots given to profound melancholy but not introspection. There are appalling consequences, an unpardonable crime and a comical extremity of torment.
Best Line:
“A world i wouldn't even begin to know how to access.”