Rating: ★★★★
This is my first experience with Stephen Graham Jones, and I’m really sort of sorry for it. I wish I had started reading his work sooner. Mapping the Interior is a story about a boy who is being haunted by the ghost of his father. It’s a quick story, and the plot really is that straightforward. It can be read in just a couple hours.
The prose is easy to read but also had a really strong sense of voice, which I loved. It held a rhythm and cadence that felt unique to Jones. This is a horror story, and it’s a slow burn, at least as far as a novella can be slow. At first, the ghost just seems like a benevolent spirit, watching over his sons, but after a dangerous encounter with the neighbor’s dogs, we know that’s not quite what’s happening. (Content Warnings: violence against animals.)
The ending snuck up on me, and I wasn’t at all prepared for it. It’s disturbing, not necessarily scary. There are a couple flashes of horror between the beginning and the end, but it wasn’t anything that felt so horrific I couldn’t hand it off to a friend to read. But then the ending came and I had to put the book down, and stop, and digest, and think about it, and think about it some more. My initial reaction was that I didn’t like the ending at all. It was a little ambiguous. It makes you think twice about our heroic protagonist. It seems to renege on the initial conclusions we’ve drawn.
If you’re wondering why I was raving about Jones all last week, it’s because this book stuck with me long after I had set it down. It may be with me for awhile yet. I’ve been putting off this review because I’m still not 100% sure how I felt about it.
If I had one critique, it’s that Mapping the Interior often felt literary: metaphorical and symbolic and allegorical. But I was never quite able to grasp the meaning or the message behind it all.
Mapping the Interior can be found on GoodReads or ordered on Amazon and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good horror story now and then.
You’ll love The Only Good Indians!
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I am SO excited for that one!
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I haven’t read anything by this author yet but I like the sound of this story being a slow burn novella. That’s not usually something you see very often, never mind something that’s done well. Awesome review Sarah! Jen
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Thanks Jen! If you get a chance to check it out- i hope you enjoy it. I know horror isn’t your typical read- but given how quick this one goes, it might be worth checking out if it intrigues you.
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I’m a little worried about the animal violence, but I’d still love to read this. I’ve never read him either!
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If it helps they aren’t nice animals? Lol. Usually I don’t do well with that either- so it wasn’t too horrible, but it was pretty graphic. I hope you do check it out!
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I’m glad you liked this! I haven’t read anything by Stephen Graham Jones yet, I should fix that (…and this is short, so: soon maybe?). Great review!
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Yes- definitely quick and easy to fit in!
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Nice review! That cover is disturbing, though.
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I was thinking the same thing when I was writing the review. LOL
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Great review! I might add this to the TBR it sounds interesting and has a beautiful cover.
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I hope you do! Let me know how you like it if you get around to it.
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This sounds pretty intriguing. I haven’t read any of his work yet. Might have to check this out since it’s short, and I don’t read nearly enough horror these days.
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It’s definitely a good quick horror read! And he’s such a good writer- I’d almost venture to call it literary horror.
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Oh, you got me intrigued! I do love good endings, and this sounds like one 🙂
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It’s good for the right person I think. It is kind of ambiguous, which is why I reacted the way I did initially I think. But if you like an ending that haunts you- go for it! It’s definitely worth reading regardless.
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