Full of existential dread, themes of isolation and loneliness, and body horror that will make your skin crawl, this collection of short stories by Eric Larocca has earned its place in the ranks of iconic queer horror novels. Consisting of three short stories independent of one another, Larocca is able to explore themes many of us may be too afraid to explore on our own, and unsettle even the most seasoned of horror readers.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke is a great introduction to LaRocca’s style of queer horror. It explores the strange and taboo desire’s of the individuals within the story while still managing to depict the realistic struggles of queer individuals in the early 2000s. It both draws you in to the charecters, and makes you recoil with disgust at the same time.
While the titular short story is one of Larocca’s most well-known works, the real star of this short story collection is The Enchantment. If The Shining’s Overlook Hotel was haunted by a wayward angel instead of ghosts, it would exist on Temple Island. Following a grieving devout mother, and a disillusioned father on the brink of divorce, this story makes you wonder how far they will go to save their marriage and themselves.
The final story in the collection, Things Are Like That All Over, is typically regarded the weakest of the three but it is not entirely without merrit. It exists within a perpetual state of uneasiness that feels more like a cautionary tale than a horror story. If you are new to horror, however, this might be a good one to start with.
This entire book feels eerie, isolating, and grim. While I think it receives a disproportionate amount of hate now for not living up to “book-tok” hype, it is quite enjoyable for the audience it was intended for. Not exactly a cozy beach read for summer, but a great pick nonetheless.
