Title: This Is Where We Talk Things OutAuthor: Caitlin Marceau
First Published: September 22, 2022
Publisher: DarkLit Press
Pages: 116
Genre: Horror, LGBTQ, Short Stories
Format: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Rating:
Synopsis:
This Is Where We Talk Things Out by Caitlin Marceau, author of Palimpsest: A Collection of Contemporary Horror, follows the gut-wrenching journey of Miller and her estranged mother, Sylvie, who have always had a tense relationship.
After Miller's father dies, she agrees to a girls' vacation away from the city to reconnect with the only family she has left. Although she’s eager to make things work, Miller can’t help but worry that her mother is seeing their countryside retreat as a fun weekend getaway instead of what it really is: a last-ditch effort to repair their relationship.
Unfortunately, that quickly becomes the least of Miller’s problems.
Sylvie's trapped in the past and if Miller's not careful, she will be too. A cross between Stephen King's Misery and Stephanie Wrobel's Darling Rose Gold, This Is Where We Talk Things Out explores the horror of familial trauma, mother-daughter relationships, and what happens when we don't let go.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
It’s rare for me to have so visceral of a reaction to a book, but this book made my blood boil. This Is Where We Talk Things Out is an intense novella about a young queer woman and her mother, snowed-in during a girl’s trip meant to patch up their relationship after a period of no contact.
This book is a narcissistic parent nightmare! There were many times where I found myself shuddering hearing my own mother as I read the book, it was so accurate to my experiences with a controlling and abusive parent. The overt manipulation made the bile rise in my throat, I was I was shattered whenever Miller would acquiescence to avoid conflict, thinking back to all the times I had done the same thing.
There is so much to admire about this little novella, I couldn’t put it down and raced to finish it. Caitlin Marceau writes skillfully and with so much understanding of the subject matter, I was in awe.
Quote
“Part of her wants to limp back to the bedroom and unlock the door, climb into bed, and pretend like nothing’s happened. Or, worse, act like she’s to blame and grovel for her mother’s forgiveness. Another part of her knows that the only way forward is out and that turning back is not an option.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Caitlin Marceau
Caitlin Marceau is a queer author and lecturer based in Montreal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association, and has spoken about genre literature at several Canadian conventions. She spends most of her time writing horror and experimental fiction, but has also been published for poetry as well as creative non-fiction. Her work includes Palimpsest, Magnum Opus, A Blackness Absolute, and her debut novella, This Is Where We Talk Things Out. Her second novella, I’m Having Regrets, and her debut novel, It Wasn’t Supposed To Go Like This, are set for publication in 2023.
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