Diana Trees, the woman who's motto is "My vampires don't sparkle, they kill people". She was someone I had heard of, or "seen" around, you know. Her name kept popping up on other people's Follow Friday suggestions on Twitter. I would see her name come up in someone's Twitter timeline. Then she followed me on Twitter. I followed her back. Round and round, if you're on Twitter, you know. We're aware of each other, but we really haven't gotten to know each other. She had kind of been filed away on the "to read, eventually" list. Then I saw Dianna Mcheck's review for her novella Divine Wine on her blog (alas no more), and decided to move Trees up on my list.
First off I have to say that Divine Wine is not for the faint of heart or the easily offended. This story is extreme horror at its most extreme, bordering on that much reviled "torture porn" genre. So my first word of caution is to have a strong stomach and an open mind, or don't bother. The subject matter, which includes a serial killer who sexually assaults his victims postmortem, is sure to turn many away. Yeah, I know the first thing that probably comes to mind is sick, but it's a sick fucking world and most of the time what a horror writer is going to give you is a reflection of that.
Set in a gritty part of Atlantic City, the story is told from the point of view of a female vampire who stalks her prey, a twisted serial killer with a small penis, for who she has plans. She observes the scenes of necrophilia, which though graphic are not presented in a way that is meant to arouse or titillate. Oh, she has plans for him that are almost as sick and twisted, giving him a taste of his own medicine and forcing him to endure a torturous living death that will make even the most hard core gore hounds, and even torture porn lovers, cringe.
Trees has a definite way with words, although her present tense POV through an exceptionally long narrative seems a little tedious at times, and I did have the feeling she let her tenses slip at points, although I can't site an instance that stuck in my mind. The fact of the matter is it is one of those stories you feel you just have to finish, so it keeps you going forward instead of looking back.
If you like a good, gruesome and edgy story this one is for you. I give it Four and One Half Stars overall, and can't wait to read more of what Diana Trees has to offer.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Wine-ebook/dp/B0050YUZTM
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/divine-wine-diana-trees/1102799447
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/59804
eBook Store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/diana-trees/divine-wine/_/R-400000000000000401826
Blog: http://dianatrees.blogspot.com/
 |
| Master Vyle |
No comments:
Post a Comment