3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Quick and Sick, August 26, 2009
I absolutely love stories that are disturbing; disturbing to the point of closing the book and saying "What the hell?" "Blanket of White" is of no exception, providing readers with the very feeling and wondering, "What just happened here?" Morbid, depressing, and sometimes just plain sick - "Blanket of White" is a collection of short stories to creep you out.
The very first story I read was about a small girl with debilitating cerebral palsy, in constant pain, asks her father for her only wish - to help her pass on. This story is pulls at the heart strings, having a young child myself, and the pain I imagine the parents must have to go through making this sort of heavy decision. Do they hold on to her, because they can't quite let go? Or do they love her enough to want what is best for her -- a life without pain and suffering? Do they give her what she REALLY wants (a mercy killing?)
"Blanket of White" is full of stories that will have you catching glimpses at the illness of man, the decisions made under pressure and seeing the mind snap- and blood. Lots and lots of blood.
I did have a few personal gripes about the story, however. For one, there were entirely too many stories in an unstructured order. Each story is so incredibly short, you are just getting "into" one before having to get "into" another. Little time is given to get to know the characters, bond to them, so that their madness is truly contagious. I felt that the thrills would be much more effective if the entire collection of stories were limited to about 5 short stories, on average about 35-50 pages each. This would give the reader the proper time to adjust to the book's inner voice, get to know the characters, bond to the characters - and then be disturbed by them. (Which is what the author is going for, I imagine.)
I also feel that it is incredibly important that each character has their own distinctive voice. In regards to a "voice" in novels, I am simply saying that it must be obvious to me that this person, this character, is a well developed person with a history, a personality, and a way of speaking. When all characters have the same "voice", it creates a detachment from the reader and the character. In order to truly pull a reader in, your character(s) have to be uniquely believable.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Dark, Thrilling, and Impossible to Forget, July 16, 2011
This review is from: Blanket of White (Paperback)
With a unique and enchanting style, Amy Grech delivers an incredibly provacative collection that definitely brings the goods. Each story takes the reader into a new and exciting world that is sometimes sad, sometimes scary, and always dark. Grech's style is unmatched and her voice is all her own. This is one book no fan of the macabre should be without. Highly recommended.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Chilling and Dark, July 8, 2011
The titular story of Amy Grech's collection, Blanket of White, is the perfect lead in to what reads like a conglomeration of the darker side of human nature. As I read through the first story, I became more and more unnerved as I realized it seemed the story would in fact end the way I thought it might. It was a truly deliciously dark start.
I admire the way the stories in this collection seem to fit together, flowing from one to the next as they each explore more darkness and depravity. Once you finish one story, you can't help but read the first page of the next, just to see where it starts. Then you realize you've read five pages instead of one, then you've finished another story and your starting the first page of the next, "Just to see how it starts."
A personal favorite of mine is "Raven's Revenge," which like many of the stories weaves a wonderful setting through great imagery and atmosphere. True chills, of course, follow.
The only gripe I have is that there were one or two (very minor) formatting issues. Nothing that detracts from the collection per se, but just little things that jump out at you. Overall this is a superb collection that deserves your undivided attention.
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