Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
SYNOPSIS
Feeling shunned in their new neighborhood, a family attributes the cold attitude of the neighbors to prejudice—but a little investigation unearths a more shocking motive. A conniving widower finds a new wife through a foreign dating service, but the bride turns out to know him much more intimately than he imagined. A young man enlists a shaman to exorcise a terrifying spirit from his apartment, and as he learns more about the supposed ghost, he begins to form a strange and tender bond with her. To the Solemn Graves presents thirteen illustrated stories that, while laced with the supernatural, remind us that most horror comes from the all too natural.
REVIEW
To the Solemn Graves is a book of 13 short stories. They have a diverse cast of characters with diverse viewpoints but all of them have one thing in common. They deal with ghosts in some way. Some of the stories have actual ghosts or ghost like encounters while others are more grounded in the natural world. But most of the stories have a deeper meaning and go beyond just spooks and scares.
From a family adjusting to a new home, to a “mail order bride” who knows more than she is letting on to a creaky staircase where a writer finds inspiration and something sinister, the stories are all fairly entertaining. The illustrations are well made and haunting.
Like any short story collection there are some stories that stand out more than others and much of that is based on the readers taste. In this volume it seems to me the ones that shine brightest are the ones which reveal a more human and often times more evil motive than a ghost might have. My personal favorite was the one titled Consequences which proves to be a good mix of the real, the surreal, and the supernatural.
Another aspect that is often lacking in ghost stories but is present here is diversity. The characters come for a good variety of genders, sexual identities and backgrounds making for a refreshing read. Kim Idynne excels at getting the reading into the head of her characters quickly no matter who they are and where they come from.
If you enjoy ghost stories but are looking for something with a few surprise twists and turns, with engaging characters and a decent payoff in each story, To the Solemn Graves is definitely worth reading. If another collection comes from this author I expect it will also be a refreshing read when it appears.
