4 out of 4 stars
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Without revealing any spoilers, I can easily say that this novella is one of the darkest I have ever came across. Author Erik Hofstatter takes the reader on a horrific journey that is sure to capture readers in a hellish grasp. Rare Breeds was published recently, in October of 2016, and is a perfect read for the Halloween month. As the author of several other horror stories, the expertise of Hofstatter shines through in this twisted novella.
In the beginning of the story, we are introduced to Zora and Aurel Schwartz. The recently married couple met on an online dating site and have started their lives together. Aurel suffers from a severe case of sleepwalking, which envelops Zora with worry because she has a ten-year-old daughter also living in their shared home. Zora tries to understand the situation her husband finds himself in, but her worry escalates when she finds him standing over her daughter’s bed holding a knife. Finding herself pleading with her husband to seek medical help, Zora is relieved when he agrees. Already sounding terrifying, the story doesn't stop there. The dark secrets that soon evolve are more than Zora can handle.
Aside from Aura's strange sleepwalking, he is also involved in an incestuous relationship with his sister- who is the strangest of all. Stealing bodies from graves is the only thing than can satisfy Aura's sister- aside from having sexual relations with her own brother. When Zora receives a call at work that an accident has occurred and her daughter has a sprained ankle, she trusts her husband to take her to the hospital. Unable to reach them on the telephone and with no one registering under their names at the hospital, Zora sets off to find her daughter. Knowing to trust her maternal gut feelings, Zora knows something is not right, and she is determined to find answers. The revelations that follow are unlike anything I have ever read before, and are sure to leave the reader in a nail biting state.
I must first start off by saying that this book is absolutely only appropriate for mature adult readers. There are explicit sexual scenes depicted, as well as extremely graphic depictions of gruesome scenarios. I read the story in one sitting, not pausing for even a slight moment. The character portrayal is all done so well, causing the reader to believe that the Schwartz family are totally normal beings, up until the point that they are not. The editing seems to be done very well, with no errors found while reading. There are also drawings by Jack Larson featured throughout that only add to the horror. The only complaint that I found with the story was Zora's failure to contact the police when her daughter had been missing for two days already. However, when the ending is revealed, I soon understood why the author did not include police intervention. The writing is done from a third person narration, with a modern day setting portrayed. The story offers a steady pace, leaving off any unnecessary fluff. Rare Breeds is a novella that takes twists and turns all along the way, keeping the reader engaged until the end.
This book was perfect for reading in the week coming up on Halloween, and I was very pleased with the pace of the story. The character development showed great promise, as the communication seemed so realistic. I am happy to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, and look forward to reading more from the author. I would only recommend this book to readers who already enjoy the horror genre, as this truly is a dark and twisted story.
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Rare Breeds
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Just reading the review gives me the creeps. Great job on the review.
