by Joshua Skye:
“Girls and Monsters” is an anthology of young adult scary stories by new author Anne Michaud. I really wanted to love this collection, but like most anthologies it was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I’m afraid. Let’s explore it, shall we…
“Death Song” begins the compilation, a neat little tale of a murderous freshwater mermaid known as a Limnade. Don’t get frustrated if you find yourself reading the creature’s name as ‘limeade,’ I found myself doing so every time the word appeared. The creature presented here is a revitalizing deviation from the typical monsters haunting the horror world. I liked that.
I hate to use words like ‘underdeveloped’ in critiques, it’s presumptuous. Authors present exactly what they want in their stories for a myriad of reasons, but I do feel “Death Song” would have benefited from more exposition.
At its heart this is a story of unrequited love, the monster a metaphor for not only the forces keeping our two lead characters apart, but also the ties that bind them. Bravo to Michaud for creating such an impressively ironic dichotomy, but we’re given only the very basics upon which to build our emotional attachments to these two and their relationship. The scope of the story itself demands more. With just a little more elucidation, she would have nailed it. Unfortunately, as it is the storyline and characters are flat and almost generic. All in all, it’s not bad, but it could have been great. It is, however, the telltale sign of a gifted storyteller perfecting her craft.
“Black Dog” is about a troubled young woman traveling abroad. This disturbing story parallels Scarlet’s twisted desires, past and present, for self mutilation with a reckless teenage crawl through the seedier side of London encouraged by the very peers she fears yet desperately wants to befriend. It’s a psychological narrative thankfully free of overly sentimental political correctness, the dark side of teen angst is an open wound here. Scarlet’s damaged soul is as visible as her self-inflicted scars and as beguiling as the black dog haunting her. This is one the collection’s best stories.
The third yarn, “A Blue Story,” has a very distinct Disney vibe to it. Remember the Mouse House’s attempt to create family friendly horror films in the late seventies and early eighties? This would fit in perfectly with those movies. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but as with the movies I mentioned don’t expect a very satisfying payoff here. The monster of this tale isn’t so much mythological as it is the stuff of suburban childhood paranoia. It may be a bit too “Goosebumps” for its own good, but at least it’s different, and that’s a good thing.
“Dust Bunnies” leaves the reader slightly confused as to the age of the characters. We get a sense that the three leads are at least eighteen years of age, yet two of them are treated, reprimanded, and often behave like children. It grants the story a schizophrenic air, but doesn’t feel intentional. It comes across as an embarrassing first draft type flaw. That inconsistency, some unanswered questions, and another “Goosebumps” ending turned what might have been a shudder-evoking terror treat into the anthology’s biggest disappointment.
“We Left at Night,” finishes the collection on a high note. Though the monsters of this tale are zombies, perhaps the most popular (and overused) iconic villains of horror today, the approach is new. This isn’t a blood bath, an epic apocalyptic nightmare, or some gimmicky twist on the theme. This is an intimate portrait of a family in crisis told through the eyes of the teenage daughter. This is Anne Michaud’s crowning achievement, the perfect way to end an anthology – by leaving us wanting more.
At times the writing is clumsy, phrasings strained and analogies puzzling. In those moments, the read becomes a chore. Thankfully, they are few and far between, but there are enough of them that they’re bound to give a few readers pause. In particular, there are some one-liners that are completely out of place. “Death Song” has one that is so groan inducing it has the potential to stop a reader dead in her tracks. Otherwise, “Girls and Monsters” is a quick, fun, easy read.
It’s obvious that Anne Michaud strives to be a unique storyteller, her technique is just a bit unrefined. As I mentioned before, I am left with mixed feelings about this collection of terror tales. Although spiked with a few smatterings of adult language, this is clearly geared for a younger crowd. The problem though is that the writing doesn’t always flow as smoothly as it should for its target audience, it has the potential to lose readers along its shadowy corridors.
It is the author’s ambition and her individuality that elevates this collection above its shortcomings. This is her first outing, there is much room to grow, but she clearly has the storytelling gift. I can tell that Anne Michaud is a refreshing new voice. For the most part, she is not content roaming the realms of the banal. She wanders about in search of monsters whose dreadful tales haven’t been told countless times before, or in the case of “We Left at Night” graces us with a refreshingly personal take on a familiar sub-genre. That alone counts for something. It’s also nice to see female lead characters in horror tales that aren’t merely fodder for the kill. She’s a fledgling author to keep your eye on, a burgeoning talent readers will become fond of. There is a genre classic in Anne Michaud just waiting to happen, mark my words.
DarkMedia contributor Joshua Skye’s short stories have appeared in anthologies from STARbooks Press, Knightwatch Press, Sirens Call Publications, Rainstorm Press, JMS Books and periodicals such as Blood and Lullabies. He is the author of “The Singing Wind,” “Bareback: A Werewolf’s Tale,” “Midnight Rainbows,” the forthcoming “The Grigori,” and “The Angels of Autumn.” You can find him on his website.
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