Praise
DARK BLOOM is a horror story that I would compare, movie-wise, to Stake Land. But it’s also a deep delve into the human condition and the psychological despair and distrust caused by severe abuse and the worry, self-doubt, and redemption that can arise from it, as we’re taken on a journey into the mind of Kate, a woman who relives her pain in a way that is accessible to most any reader. You feel for her. One wants her to find peace in herself and find trust but aren’t sure if it is possible, as horror after horror reinforces her trauma.
I am usually not one for the trope of the hard military man with a soft core, but, even so, Nick ended up speaking to me, as the author gives us deep insight into his psyche, and one yearns for he and Kate to find happiness. Nick is believable, and he is a perfect foil for the depravity one finds that others have succumbed to in a world gripped by anomie. And, yet, one still clearly comprehends Kate’s reticence.
I will fully admit my bias here, as this is the same “genre” I tend to write, but DARK BLOOM, which verges on literary fiction over genre, was hard to put down. While the gory horror plot remains present, it takes a backseat to the psychological horror that pervades the reader’s mind and never lets go. When I review a book, which isn’t often, I apply the same critical eye that I use for my own writing, and, although there are some minor issues that stood out to me as I read, they were quickly swallowed up by the storyline and forgotten. It flows, and even the numerous flashbacks serve to add tension and do not detract from the progression.
DARK BLOOM is an exceptional debut that I recommend, and I look forward to reading the sequel.
Set during the end of the world overrun with the undead, you might think that Dark Bloom is another run of the mill zombie apocalypse novel, but you'd be sorely mistaken to overlook this grim debut by the stellar Molly Macabre.
I have no idea if Molly's surname is brilliantly real or a nom de plume, but either way, it fits her well as the skull stomps the horror genre to announce her arrival.
Macabre would certainly describe Dark Bloom in a nutshell. But we're not in a nutshell here. We're in Molly's World where the grisly and the brutal intermix seamlessly with real moments of levity and humanity set to a soundtrack of chewed flesh and unsettling death cackles. These are grand features of Molly's 2 year journey to bring us Dark Bloom, and the effort shows in her sometimes gracefully poetic prose, and the darkly detailed thrills that will have you racing to turn the page.
As we venture with Kate and Nick, we're given 3 simultaneous stories fluidly told through their present desperation for survival and the blended flashbacks of the traumas that have deeply affected our fractured MCs.
This is a grim world, I say stating the obvious if the catchy title and killer cover didn't paint that picture already, and there's levels to it that Molly has masterfully created into a pulse pounding apocalyptic thriller seasoned with an underlying and believable romantic spice. Like a Michelin chef, Molly has worked very hard to flavor her killer debut into a dish you'll want to devour with the ravenous appetite of the Infected from beginning to end.
Dark Bloom is the debut horror novel by the amazing Molly Macabre. It is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. It focuses on 2 main characters Kate and Nick. Kate deals with a ton of past mental and physical abuse and Nick has PTSD from his time in the Marines and losing someone close to him. This book will have you cheering for the characters as they work their way through there on problems on one page and have you fearing for their lives on another as zombies and laughing children chase after them. This was my first ever horror novel and let me say I can't wait to see what Molly has instore for us next! Please go pick this book up if you like horror novels because dang it is incredible!