Book Review: They Were Here Before Us10/7/2022 CW: This novella contains themes of horror, graphic descriptions of gore, corpses, and animal death. Reader's discretion is advised. Everyone who is even remotely interested in horror literature has heard of (or at least should have heard of) Eric LaRocca by now. Their nail biting, suspenseful and brilliantly written novellas have shaken the horror community ever since the viral sensation Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke was released in June of 2021. Since then, LaRocca has continued gracing the world with his talent and serving beautifully grotesque queer stories that keep readers satisfied, but hungry for more. Minor spoilers for They Were Here Before Us Eric, however, never stops delivering hit after hit, and just months after his last work - You've Lost a Lot of Blood - we're already being treated to another novella, with several more works on the way. They Were Here Before Us, a novella in pieces (as it's been called) is the newest novella hitting shelves by LaRocca - who's already proven to be a master of their craft in such a short span of time. This novella contains 6 pieces, each following a range of characters from the human, to the non-human, to the unspecified. Whether it be an unfathomable beast melting skin and bone with a touch, or a couple who want nothing more than to make each other happy, each story in this novella does not disappoint. The cruelty of human beings and the brutality of nature is on full display here, and it dares you to look at the damage it can cause. Each story is marvelous in its own right. I enjoyed beginning each tale and discovering who or what our protagonist was and where they would be taking us. The prose in this book was written with a sensitivity and kindness that I could adore, even when describing the grizzliest of content. At the same time, it was straight to the point. LaRocca doesn’t waste words; he uses them strategically to paint his characters, descriptions and gore in an exquisite fashion. My favorite stories out of the bunch (if I had to pick a few) were the first and final stories respectively. The final story, I will encourage you to read yourself as its compelling narrative is best read unspoiled, but the first piece of this novella is such a masterclass in craftsmanship and storytelling that I can’t help but speak about it. It does a perfect job of sucking you in. From the opening line, we are invited into the strange world of what we soon find to be a little beetle and the decaying corpse of a woman he calls home. Every sentence gives us more of a clue to where we are and what is happening. I found myself completely encapsulated in LaRocca's descriptions of a love greater than bodily pleasure or emotional motivations. Love, surprisingly, is a theme that comes up in most of these stories. A beetle's love for the woman it calls home, a bird's love for her babies, a father's love for his son - no matter what. As someone who's prone to reading droughts and dry spells, it's been a long time since a book has drawn me in like this. Every chance I got to read, I was sucked into each narrative. I read tales of creatures left to encounter marvels far bigger than they could comprehend, the intimacy, love and loss of relationships and the pain of regrets and tough decisions. These stories almost always ended in death or loss, but there were still sprinkles of hope and happiness sprinkled throughout. While the title states that They Were Here Before Us, this novella and its stories are surely here to stay long after us as well. Keep an eye out for all of LaRocca’s future works. They’re one author you won’t want to miss. They Were Here Before Us will be published by Bad Hand Books on October 25th, right in time for Halloween. You can pre-order a copy of it here. Jaidah-Leigh Wyattis a Canadian-Jamaican student, slowly making her way through the writing world. She aims to not only write, but be impactful and play her part in making the world a less judgmental and more accepting place for people everywhere.
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