A professor of mine once claimed that books aren’t meant to be praised, they’re meant to be critiqued, but what is there to critique about this book!
Clive Barker’s imagination & storytelling talent is truly unmatched. “Books of Blood: Volume I” is a collection of 6 short stories that explore several avenues of horror— from the grotesque, to the demonic, to death, immortality, and giants comprised of human bodies.
Barker strikes a beautiful balance of horror, sensuality, and comedy, which all seem on opposite sides of the spectrum yet are interwoven in the stories so seamlessly. And his writing is lyrical without being sentimental.
If you’re a fan of the film Hellraiser (which I’ve only recently found out was another one of Barker’s creations)— an amalgamation of the bizarre, grotesque, and the unbound imagination— this book is definitely for you.
There are graphic scenes— they aren’t gratuitous with their details, but are enough to keep your imagination running on about the gory and gag worthy parts of the story, leaving you wondering… did I really just read that?
Hi there! My name is Via and I reside on the beautiful island of Guam, where the ocean is about 10 to 15 minutes away from any standpoint and the sunsets are as breathtaking as the mosquitos are abundant. I graduated from the University of Guam with my B.A. and M.A. in Literature in the Fall of 2020.
Roughly 6 years ago, I wrestled with the idea of starting this blog for no other reason than writer’s insecurity; but I told myself, “Fuck it dawg. Life’s a risk,” and haven’t regretted it since. For as long as I can remember, I have been an aspiring writer (I mean, what does that even mean, right?) and one of my goals is to become a published author. I’m not sure if that’s the path I’ll end up on, but I feel I owe it to myself to try. I’ve also learned that the key to bettering my craft is to open it up to criticism. So please feel free to interact with me and let me know what you enjoy reading or what you feel might need work.
This blog, in many ways, is a record of what the universe is teaching me and a timeline of my progression both as a writer and as a regular person navigating her way through life. It is a privilege to share it with you.
I’m a lot more active on my IG page: @a_coldroom_poetry. Feel free to check me out there!
Via Justine De fant 
Leave a comment