The figure of the child has been a perennial presence in horror. A tremendous debut novel by Kylie Whitehead, Absorbed is at once a nightmarish body-horror story, the kind of which Cronenberg would be impressed with, and an intimate and often very funny examination of female friendship and modern relationships. Now, thanks to Influx Press, two of his short story collections — The Earth Wire and Scar City — are back in print, allowing his singular work to reach a whole new audience.
Yet with its English translation by Jonathan Wright only published in , its impact has been felt belatedly in many Anglo-centric literary circles. There are some cities that are entirely transformed by the writers who reproduce them. Dickensian London is a unique entity entirely distinct and yet strangely akin to the real city that spawned it. I take some comfort in the fact that, at least on initial release, this vampire-noir-western hybrid passed a lot of other people by as well.
Where We Live , the debut collection from Tim Cooke, fits into an emergent tradition of writing that blends evocative depictions of landscape with a harder edge: harsh reminders of urban corrosion, intimations of horror. Close Menu Home. Support us on Patreon. Write for us. Tags Absorbed , Kylie Whitehead.
