Bari Wood

Bari Wood's The Tribe lives on a borderland between horror, cultural critique, and suspense novel, sharing spirit and concepts with novels of Jewish Magical Realism--in fact, it might belong there more than in horror, where the Paperbacks from Hell label places it--but I'm glad to have discovered it, regardless. Although there are moments in the writing itself that definitely come across as dated to the 70s/80s, especially in relation to stereotypes and, to a lesser extent, gender, the book's story and writing overall stand up well and offer a fascinating blend of genre. What's potentially most impressive about the writing is the way in which Wood blends Jewish culture, belief, and legend together without weighing the book down, whereas particularly poignant moments that feel all too real add to the realism she achieves here.

All told, this book has made me a big fan of the author's, and I hope the Paperbacks from Hell reprinting allows many more readers to discover it. It's not quite like anything else I've read... and I rather loved the journey of it. Absolutely recommended.… (meer)

A compelling story about a small group of Holocaust survivors living in New York City who create a golem to protect them but it gets out of hand. The character development is good, particularly Rachel, the young widow who determines to go against her beloved father-in-law and stop the golem. This novel had some interesting things to say about the lengths we may go to feel safe after suffering great trauma. Although unfortunately coming off as a bit dated now, this entry in the Paperbacks from Hell series is worth reading for horror aficianados.… (meer)

It's the early 1970s. Amy is only 8 years old when she (mostly) sees her father kill her mother with a hammer. She was locked in a closet at the time, and she tried – with her mind – to stop him. From here on, when Amy gets upset, she feels a cold and is able to control other people with her mind. Her uncle, who is in a mental institution, sees things through other people and knows what's happened. One of the police officers who saved Amy from the closet decides to take her in as a foster child. His daughter, Greta, loves having Amy around, but teenager, Paulie, HATES Amy and will do anything to get rid of her.

I have had this over 25 years and never read it until now. There is an inscription from a couple of friends from high school and it took me this long to read it! It's a good thing I still “like” horror novels, because it was really good (though quite horrifying). There is a lot of violence, though, so beware.… (meer)