I think the difference between LaRocca and others is that everyone else does fantasy horror. It’s scary but something that might not likely happen anytime soon if at all. It feels safe. Eric writes about things that have happened in the past, happen today and will continue happening in the future. He writes realistic horror. I read and think, - this is 100% reality. He gives me chills.
Yet another video where I’m just nodding along in agreeance with everything you say! I’m so glad to have found someone else who not only shares a love of horror but of Eric LaRocca’s horror. In several of my reviews of their books, I’ve mentioned that “THIS is what reading for pleasure feels like!” Now… the content does not promote the most pleasurable of experiences; however, LaRocca’s writing… their ability to craft a horror story that feels so much deeper than most is unmatched. I get giddily excited for each book they release because I KNOW I’m going to love it!
Am I the firsst to see this? I feel privileged. Sooo glad its about horror books. Badly needed recommendations. And I did like things have gotten worse since we last spoke. So Im pretty excited for this video.
I've read You've Lost a Lot of Blood, and I am at this position where I'm not sure if I am 100% into the writing but at the same time, it is SO incredibly memorable and becomes more... beautiful, potent, intense with time? Usually the longer a story stays with me, the higher it rises in my personal star rating. I am most definitely reading more of Eric Larocca's works!
I've recently finished Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes and I'm now on a mission to read everything that LaRocca has written to date! That first story, wow. I'm a big horror fan and I don't think I've ever read anything quite like Things Have Gotten Worse. Is one of the very few horror stories I've read that produced a pronounced physical reaction for me as well as an emotional/psychological one. I also read it one sitting as I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pages! Outstanding. I love his boldness and his ability to go to shocking places without employing superficial shock tactics, and that the depth of his own considerations of complex issues and anxieties are so evident in his writing. Really looking forward to reading more of his work. Fabulous video, Willow. And I agree that it does seem like a lot of us queer and trans folk are well into our horror. I think that horror speaks to me so powerfully in large part because I'm queer and trans - it's an intrinsic connection. Particularly body horror. Which makes total sense to me!
The older, blue cover of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke was the book that single-handedly changed my lackadaisy viewpoint on cover art. I couldn't stop thinking about it, and jumped through hoops to get a copy. I'm saving You've Lost a Lot of Blood for a rainy-mood day, and can't wait to get everything they ever write. In the same lane, I love how many queer people are hardcore into horror, myself included. It's so interesting that so many of us find comfort in monster's dens. Not surprising, I think, once the surface of the hardships of our existences is scratched. Fascinating and cathartic!
Really glad u acknowledged that Larocca themselves as a queer author . Trying to see what elements make up a good splatterpunk- or even what splatterpunk are considered good and considered fetish gore porn is difficult to navigate , and I remember seeing a lot of booktubers and even horror lit RUclipsrs criticizing Larocca specifically trying to frame him as a cishet man writing Abt women suffering and I just never felt like that was an actual critical observation
I wish I could enjoy horror this much. But most of it induces so much anxiety that I just go insomniac. There are so many incredible stories in this genre that I'll never experience. I'm gathering strength to continue reading Our Share of Night, because the first 100 pages were hypnotic and immersive but I know it will deprive me of sleep when I go on haha. I deal better with movies/shows because they last less for me. The Haunting of Hill House is one of my favorite shows ever.
I still haven't read Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke 😬 My first time reading anything by Eric LaRocca was their short story The Neon Holocaust from the anthology The Book of Queer Saints (which btw is an excellent anthology and you should totally check it out someday.) Also I learned from an interview with the podcast This is Horror that the story about the woman who is afraid she'll burn her niece came about when he was diagnosed with OCD and dealing with intrusive thoughts. I hope I worded that well. Anyway, thinking about Eric LaRocca and his stories always brings a smile to my face :)
I just completed Everything the Darkness Eats and loved it. I adore well done cosmic horror, and that is what this is. It gives me that feeling this type of horror induces, that cosmic melancholic awe inducing sense of unease. I am not so much into splatter punk, but he did not go overboard here, it was gritty and violent. I felt for the horrowing ordeal of the gay couple and the sorrow of the main character. I cared for the characters and was worried for them. I have a gay brother and saw him attacked multiple times as a kid. I literally fought on his behalf in grade school and middle school and worried for his well being when I could not be with him. This novel stirred some of those old fears. I would put this novel up there with The Southern Reach novels, The Cronning, and The Fisherman. Maybe not quite that level of excellence, but in the neighborhood. Go buy this novel and enjoy.
Omg these sounds so AWESOME!!! Damn, I live on $0 basically.....I DO have a kindle unlimited account my dad pays for (😂 I'm 51 but homeless & I read a ton on my phone, so I asked for that my last bday...!) I'm hoping at least some of these books are on there.....I'm gonna go check right now.... That one with the serial killers sounds delicious....I adore books like that....presenting it as letters and all else.... Thanks for sharing ❤🧙🏻♀️
I wish I could love this author the way you do. I've tried both of his books and disliked them both. Horror is my favorite genre, but I don't like grotesque/bizarre/nasty horror. To me, that's like the low hanging fruit of horror so naturally this author wouldn't be the right fit since this is what he writes and why those who worship him like him. So why did I read him? Mainly because I don't discount the possibility that someone can do any genre or subgenre well enough that it has universal appeal, that it's greatness transcends the niche its targeting. That's why I gave this book a try. Hoping it would do that. But in my opinion, it failed. My main points of contention: The material. It's extreme. Its bizarre. It's nasty. It's gross. Check on all accounts. But it doesn't feel fresh or modern to me. In fact, these books feel like they were written 10-15 years ago. The ideas feel dated. My 2nd complaint is the writing. For as much as I can read amateur writing if nothing else in the story is grabbing my attention (not characters, not the plot) then I need the writing to be at least "good" to continue and the writing here was subpar on a technical level. It tried too hard in some instances and not enough in others. It was inconsistent and just bad writing. The worst offender, however, was the crafting - or lack thereof - of the overall narrative. When I read a novel I expect that there is a point and everything will come together in a way that creates meaning and that has resonance. Both of the books I read felt like a first draft that was messy and had no clear direction. His debut was slightly better, a bit more linear (though that made it more boring) but the follow up "You've Lost a Lot of Blood" was just a mess of a narrative and the story within the story wasn't even the reason. It was just mismatched and full of cliches. And I just could not throw the book in the trash can fast enough. I've literally read horror fanfiction that is free that is better crafted. To me, his books are a bit like those trashy erotica. For those who want extreme erotica and don't care if the prose is even good or if the book is even crafted with any real care. This 100% puts shock value over any kind of quality. It's shitty writing that has become popular because of the grotesque content. I guess there's a market for that, like there's a market for hardcore porn, but in terms of literary merit, this falls well short.
Agreed. I read the author for the novelty but each book gets worse and worse. It should be the opposite. You put my complaints into a better worded review than I ever could.
I think why You Lost A Lot of Blood got bad reviews was bc it was very rushed and there wasn't much depth to it. Yes the concept of a novella within a novella and the collection or poems and transcripts is very cool however I think it was executed poorly. The characters didn't have any personality to them and the novella seemed very rushed. The way it was written was like "She did ____ which made her think ____ and due to those feeling she was ___". It just came off as listing actions rather than telling a story. I wanted to like this book so bad but I think it being a novella was its downfall. If there was more depth to the stories and characters I think this would've been a great read.
I think you've hit on why I've bounced off Eric LaRocca despite loving queer horror usually - it's the depravity, and I completely get what he's doing but it's not for me, much like the movies you mentioned.
I think the difference between LaRocca and others is that everyone else does fantasy horror. It’s scary but something that might not likely happen anytime soon if at all. It feels safe. Eric writes about things that have happened in the past, happen today and will continue happening in the future. He writes realistic horror. I read and think, - this is 100% reality. He gives me chills.
Realistic horror? Have you read "You've lost a lot of blood"?
Yet another video where I’m just nodding along in agreeance with everything you say! I’m so glad to have found someone else who not only shares a love of horror but of Eric LaRocca’s horror. In several of my reviews of their books, I’ve mentioned that “THIS is what reading for pleasure feels like!” Now… the content does not promote the most pleasurable of experiences; however, LaRocca’s writing… their ability to craft a horror story that feels so much deeper than most is unmatched. I get giddily excited for each book they release because I KNOW I’m going to love it!
I am so excited for Everything the Darkness Eats. My library hold should be in next week.
Am I the firsst to see this? I feel privileged. Sooo glad its about horror books. Badly needed recommendations. And I did like things have gotten worse since we last spoke. So Im pretty excited for this video.
I've read You've Lost a Lot of Blood, and I am at this position where I'm not sure if I am 100% into the writing but at the same time, it is SO incredibly memorable and becomes more... beautiful, potent, intense with time? Usually the longer a story stays with me, the higher it rises in my personal star rating. I am most definitely reading more of Eric Larocca's works!
I've recently finished Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes and I'm now on a mission to read everything that LaRocca has written to date! That first story, wow. I'm a big horror fan and I don't think I've ever read anything quite like Things Have Gotten Worse. Is one of the very few horror stories I've read that produced a pronounced physical reaction for me as well as an emotional/psychological one. I also read it one sitting as I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pages! Outstanding. I love his boldness and his ability to go to shocking places without employing superficial shock tactics, and that the depth of his own considerations of complex issues and anxieties are so evident in his writing. Really looking forward to reading more of his work. Fabulous video, Willow. And I agree that it does seem like a lot of us queer and trans folk are well into our horror. I think that horror speaks to me so powerfully in large part because I'm queer and trans - it's an intrinsic connection. Particularly body horror. Which makes total sense to me!
The older, blue cover of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke was the book that single-handedly changed my lackadaisy viewpoint on cover art. I couldn't stop thinking about it, and jumped through hoops to get a copy. I'm saving You've Lost a Lot of Blood for a rainy-mood day, and can't wait to get everything they ever write.
In the same lane, I love how many queer people are hardcore into horror, myself included. It's so interesting that so many of us find comfort in monster's dens. Not surprising, I think, once the surface of the hardships of our existences is scratched. Fascinating and cathartic!
Really glad u acknowledged that Larocca themselves as a queer author . Trying to see what elements make up a good splatterpunk- or even what splatterpunk are considered good and considered fetish gore porn is difficult to navigate , and I remember seeing a lot of booktubers and even horror lit RUclipsrs criticizing Larocca specifically trying to frame him as a cishet man writing Abt women suffering and I just never felt like that was an actual critical observation
I love your videos btw. Ive been binging on your translation series. Added so many books to my TBR. Thank you so much for the good work!!!
I've never heard of this horror writer, but I'm intrigued. I'll give him a try.
I wish I could enjoy horror this much. But most of it induces so much anxiety that I just go insomniac. There are so many incredible stories in this genre that I'll never experience. I'm gathering strength to continue reading Our Share of Night, because the first 100 pages were hypnotic and immersive but I know it will deprive me of sleep when I go on haha.
I deal better with movies/shows because they last less for me. The Haunting of Hill House is one of my favorite shows ever.
Oh yeah, Hill House is wonderful. Mike Flanagan doesn’t miss. My favourite thing he’s done is Midnight Mass
Finally picking up more Larocca after getting Last spoke for Christmas and I’m ecstatic to get everything before his new collection early next year
Your review did it for me I'm actually gonna give this author a try and pick up one of the books ❤
Had an eye on this for a while, time to finally get it (found your channel because I searched for Videos about Eric LaRocca‘s work btw)
and goodreads (I think) made me unsure haha even if I know my taste is rather unpopular.
I still haven't read Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke 😬 My first time reading anything by Eric LaRocca was their short story The Neon Holocaust from the anthology The Book of Queer Saints (which btw is an excellent anthology and you should totally check it out someday.) Also I learned from an interview with the podcast This is Horror that the story about the woman who is afraid she'll burn her niece came about when he was diagnosed with OCD and dealing with intrusive thoughts. I hope I worded that well. Anyway, thinking about Eric LaRocca and his stories always brings a smile to my face :)
I just completed Everything the Darkness Eats and loved it. I adore well done cosmic horror, and that is what this is. It gives me that feeling this type of horror induces, that cosmic melancholic awe inducing sense of unease. I am not so much into splatter punk, but he did not go overboard here, it was gritty and violent. I felt for the horrowing ordeal of the gay couple and the sorrow of the main character. I cared for the characters and was worried for them. I have a gay brother and saw him attacked multiple times as a kid. I literally fought on his behalf in grade school and middle school and worried for his well being when I could not be with him. This novel stirred some of those old fears.
I would put this novel up there with The Southern Reach novels, The Cronning, and The Fisherman. Maybe not quite that level of excellence, but in the neighborhood. Go buy this novel and enjoy.
Omg these sounds so AWESOME!!! Damn, I live on $0 basically.....I DO have a kindle unlimited account my dad pays for (😂 I'm 51 but homeless & I read a ton on my phone, so I asked for that my last bday...!) I'm hoping at least some of these books are on there.....I'm gonna go check right now....
That one with the serial killers sounds delicious....I adore books like that....presenting it as letters and all else....
Thanks for sharing ❤🧙🏻♀️
I wish I could love this author the way you do. I've tried both of his books and disliked them both. Horror is my favorite genre, but I don't like grotesque/bizarre/nasty horror. To me, that's like the low hanging fruit of horror so naturally this author wouldn't be the right fit since this is what he writes and why those who worship him like him. So why did I read him? Mainly because I don't discount the possibility that someone can do any genre or subgenre well enough that it has universal appeal, that it's greatness transcends the niche its targeting. That's why I gave this book a try. Hoping it would do that. But in my opinion, it failed. My main points of contention: The material. It's extreme. Its bizarre. It's nasty. It's gross. Check on all accounts. But it doesn't feel fresh or modern to me. In fact, these books feel like they were written 10-15 years ago. The ideas feel dated. My 2nd complaint is the writing. For as much as I can read amateur writing if nothing else in the story is grabbing my attention (not characters, not the plot) then I need the writing to be at least "good" to continue and the writing here was subpar on a technical level. It tried too hard in some instances and not enough in others. It was inconsistent and just bad writing. The worst offender, however, was the crafting - or lack thereof - of the overall narrative. When I read a novel I expect that there is a point and everything will come together in a way that creates meaning and that has resonance. Both of the books I read felt like a first draft that was messy and had no clear direction. His debut was slightly better, a bit more linear (though that made it more boring) but the follow up "You've Lost a Lot of Blood" was just a mess of a narrative and the story within the story wasn't even the reason. It was just mismatched and full of cliches. And I just could not throw the book in the trash can fast enough. I've literally read horror fanfiction that is free that is better crafted. To me, his books are a bit like those trashy erotica. For those who want extreme erotica and don't care if the prose is even good or if the book is even crafted with any real care. This 100% puts shock value over any kind of quality. It's shitty writing that has become popular because of the grotesque content. I guess there's a market for that, like there's a market for hardcore porn, but in terms of literary merit, this falls well short.
Woah babe, tl;dr. Time to start a blog
I actually agree with the review above and would read her blog. lol I need better horror recs. Tis the season! But LaRocca ain't it!@@WillowTalksBooks
Agreed. I read the author for the novelty but each book gets worse and worse. It should be the opposite. You put my complaints into a better worded review than I ever could.
I enjoyed and hated this book. I enjoyed it yet wanted it to end so badly!
Ok
@@WillowTalksBooks
No that's a good thing😂 I enjoyed it but 'hated it' because It made me nauseous.
I think why You Lost A Lot of Blood got bad reviews was bc it was very rushed and there wasn't much depth to it. Yes the concept of a novella within a novella and the collection or poems and transcripts is very cool however I think it was executed poorly. The characters didn't have any personality to them and the novella seemed very rushed. The way it was written was like "She did ____ which made her think ____ and due to those feeling she was ___". It just came off as listing actions rather than telling a story. I wanted to like this book so bad but I think it being a novella was its downfall. If there was more depth to the stories and characters I think this would've been a great read.
I think you've hit on why I've bounced off Eric LaRocca despite loving queer horror usually - it's the depravity, and I completely get what he's doing but it's not for me, much like the movies you mentioned.
I just read THGWSWLS and it's so dumb and shock over substance. Their writing is so bad overall, it's just a fast read.