PSYCHROS BY CHARLENE ELSBY [BOOK REVIEW]
17/12/2021
Psychros by Charlene Elsby Publisher : Clash Books (2 Nov. 2021) Language : English Paperback : 140 pages ISBN-10 : 1955904111 ISBN-13 : 978-1955904117 A book review by Richard Martin Nobody writes quite like Charlene Elsby does and her trademark philosophical musings, pitch-black humour and uber-violent protagonists are all on display with her latest novella. ‘Psychros’ follows an unnamed protagonist whose boyfriend has recently committed suicide. After attending his funeral, she begins to seek out increasingly violent sexual encounters as a means of dealing with her grief, sending her deeper down into a path into psychosis. This was my second time reading Elsby’s fiction, the first being her debut novella, ‘Hexis’, and ‘Psychros’ is similar in a lot of regards, namely a murderous female protagonist, and a story told largely via the leads own (often seemingly unrelated) internal thought processes. ‘Psychros’ differentiates itself in a number of ways however, not least that this is by far the most accessible piece of the two. It is also incredibly funny, particularly in the earlier chapters and while ‘Hexis’ didn’t shy away from the dark humour, it wasn’t as overtly comedic as ‘Psychros’ can be. Given the dark themes being tackled, it’s a tough balance to strike to include some humour without downplaying the more serious elements, but the uniquely disjointed inner monologue of the protagonist helps strike the right tone where you can laugh out loud at her musings on the ‘relative density of buttocks’ or uproariously passive-aggressive coffee shop orders, without losing sight of the fact that this is a woman experiencing intense grief and slowly descending into madness. The lead character is a big reason why the book works so well, in that she is fairly unlikeable and completely unrelatable in her actions, but is a completely sympathetic character nonetheless because her struggle with grief is universal. As she spirals further and further out of control, you can’t help but wish her circumstances were different and that she can find some semblance of, if not happiness, then at least normality. Elsby opts for a more ‘traditional’ narrative with ‘Psychros’, using a linear narrative and effective pacing to tell its story. While we don’t immediately get a full picture as to what’s going on, hints and clues are sprinkled throughout, gradually pulling back the curtain on her current circumstances. The pacing is perfect, keeping just enough back to hook you in while giving away just enough to keep you engrossed. Elsby doesn’t seem as concerned with the ‘what’ of the story, however, as she is with the ‘why’ (although readers shouldn’t expect clear answers to be forthcoming in that regard). Her lead isn’t so much an unreliable narrator, as she is one prone to let her mind wander, but it’s in these stream of conscious ramblings that the real insight lies. While Elsby’s work is not necessarily the most accessible and easy to read, there are few authors capable of getting into the minds of their characters as effectively, using seemingly unrelated thoughts to convey feeling and emotion that the character is feeling, but not expressing, and the result is a book as challenging as it is rewarding. Psychros may polarise readers with its strange, discursive style and utter nonconformity to a traditional narrative but there is a fascinating, tragic and very human story within that is utterly engrossing if the book catches you in the right headspace. This book may not be to everyone’s tastes but a genuinely unique and distinctive voice in horror is something to be applauded nonetheless. 4 Stars Psychros |
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