#kristi demeester

[shxpeshifterr]

[ill-try-to-do-book-reviews]

Such A Pretty Smile

Kristi DeMeester

RATING: 🕯🕯🕯🕯🔥 (4.5/5)

Such A Pretty Smile is a gripping novel with an incredibly powerful story. The entire book serves as one big metaphor, but it is not a metaphor that is difficult to unravel for those of us already familiar. It has its moments of alluding to more graphic things, but nothing so explicit that I feel it warrants a trigger warning.

This book took me a cumulative 7 hours to read, all spread over the course of about 8 days. Each time I picked it up, I found myself positively enraptured with the writing, the story unfolding before me. I allowed myself frequent breaks to prevent personal burnout but even when I wasn't directly consuming Kristi DeMeester's words, I was thinking about her characters.

SUMMARY: There’s something out there that’s killing. Known only as The Cur, he leaves no traces, save for the torn bodies of girls, on the verge of becoming women, who are known as trouble-makers; those who refuse to conform, to know their place. Girls who don’t know when to shut up.

2019: Thirteen-year-old Lila Sawyer has secrets she can’t share with anyone. Not the school psychologist she’s seeing. Not her father, who has a new wife, and a new baby. And not her mother—the infamous Caroline Sawyer, a unique artist whose eerie sculptures, made from bent twigs and crimped leaves, have made her a local celebrity. But soon Lila feels haunted from within, terrorized by a delicious evil that shows her how to find her voice—until she is punished for using it.

2004: Caroline Sawyer hears dogs everywhere. Snarling, barking, teeth snapping that no one else seems to notice. At first, she blames the phantom sounds on her insomnia and her acute stress in caring for her ailing father. But then the delusions begin to take shape—both in her waking hours, and in the violent, visceral sculptures she creates while in a trance-like state. Her fiancé is convinced she needs help. Her new psychiatrist waves her “problem” away with pills. But Caroline’s past is a dark cellar, filled with repressed memories and a lurking horror that the men around her can’t understand.

As past demons become a present threat, both Caroline and Lila must chase the source of this unrelenting, oppressive power to its malignant core. Brilliantly paced, unsettling to the bone, and unapologetically fierce, Such a Pretty Smile is a powerful allegory for what it can mean to be a woman, and an untamed rallying cry for anyone ever told to sit down, shut up, and smile pretty.

MY DETAILED REVIEW (SPOILER WARNING)

Despite being chronologically all over the place, Such A Pretty Smile has amazing pacing that lends itself well to the story it is telling.

Having gone in blind to the metaphor, I found myself suspicious of every man at play - Caroline's counselor, Lila's counselor, Daniel. This wariness played perfectly into the metaphor at hand - these men were the men I needed to be suspicious of. Just not as individual men.

Like I said, this metaphor is a familiar one to those who have lived it. Men taking strong, independant women and beating them, biting them into submission or ripping them to shreds for disobedience. Men who feel entitled to your body as a young woman, a young girl. And the way those around you deem you as crazy, or out of line, if you fight back. The way our mothers filled those roles of obedient wives out of fear. The way that we will try to fight for the independance they could never have.

All in all, Such A Pretty Smile is extremely worth your time. I will most certainly be trying to ascertain myself a physical copy, and I encourage you too, as well. Amazing feminist literature that should be on everyone's TBR.

[beegoould]

Parents kept their girls at home locked in their proverbial towers, as if wood and locks couldn’t be opened, or broken. Those pure, innocent girls. Kept from anything that defined them in the name of protection, while their brothers carried on like there was nothing to fear. But for them there wasn’t. They would never understand the inherent trepidation of being wrapped in girl flesh.

[theremightbecupcakespodcast]

Book Review: Liminal Spaces edited by Kevin Lucia

Book Review: Liminal Spaces edited by Kevin Lucia

Notes from The StoryGraph: Plot- or character-driven? PlotStrong character development? It’s complicatedLoveable characters? NoDiverse cast of characters? YesFlaws of characters a main focus? Yes Short story anthology–authors: Kevin Lucia, Gwendolyn Kiste, Kelli Owen, Michael Wehunt, Todd Keisling, Kristi DeMeester, Richard Thomas, Bob Ford, Joshua Palmatier, Chad Lutzke, Anthony J. Rapino,…

[beingfictional]

Such a Pretty Smile

Title: Such a Pretty Smile Author: Kristi DeMeester Genre: horror Thank you, NetGalley, for this book. I became aware of DeMeester from the Books in the Freezer podcast and have been meaning to read her for a while. When this one came on to NetGalley, I knew I would be reading it, and I couldn’t put this one down. I finished in 24 hours and was hooked the entire time. I absolutely loved this…

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: Such A Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester

I’ve been a horror fan since I was a teenager and I’m always looking for something fresh within the genre. Sadly, this tends to be pretty rare and I’m afraid that while this book was unique, it didn’t really work for me.

Lila is full of secrets that she can’t talk to anyone about. This only increases when she starts sensing a malevolent presence within herself while young girls are being killed in the area. Her mother Caroline is an artist, well-known for her macabre sculptures. 15 years ago, Caroline began hearing angry dogs everywhere and it was dismissed as nothing but mental delusions but Caroline knows that it’s something that the men could never comprehend.

Caroline is an oddball within the community and her mother’s infamy seems to follow Lila around. She is aware that the other mothers avoid Caroline and are perhaps even afraid of her. However, I don’t think this is the reason that Lila also appears to be afraid of her mother. After all, Caroline is a pretty terrible parent disguised as a ‘highly caring, concerned mother’.

Lila has severe anxiety and at first, I thought her hauntings could be a manifestation of her fragile mind. She is so secretive but it’s through no fault of her own. I think Lila is a really well-written, accurate portrayal of a girl who has never felt like her own feelings matter. She knows how her parents would react if she ever talked to them about what was going on, which causes her to spiral deeper into her pretty dangerous condition.

Lila’s ‘best friend’ Macie is the stereotypical ‘cool best friend’ for an awkward 13-year-old girl. Lila has a crush on her that she doesn’t dare reveal to anyone but she does also clearly want to be like Macie -pretty, popular and reckless. Their ‘friendship’ was another very authentic aspect of the book, as intensely frustrating as it was. 

The saddest part of the book is that in Caroline’s flashback chapters, we see her as a girl who hasn’t ever been listened to and whose anxiety has just been allowed to build as a result. She vows to never stifle her future children, which is exactly what she does to Lila, perhaps without even realising. However, I’m not sure I could believe that the strict rules that she imparts on Lila could have been done unintentionally. She MUST have realised what she was doing. The generational curse trope works on two levels in this story, which gave it a bit of depth but I just wish the supernatural aspect hadn’t been as abstract as it was. 

My main gripe was that I couldn’t really understand what was actually happening. Were they both actually werewolves? Or were they actually just women who hallucinated and a string of violent murders happened to be occurring at the same time? I don’t know if this was ever clarified or whether it was and my attention span had just ebbed away by that point.

Such A Pretty Smile had promise but the characters often felt flat and the story got extremely convoluted at the end. It’s a shame because it had all the elements of a great horror but it lost me during the second half. However, I’d be interested in reading another book by the author as she clearly has some pretty cool, fresh ideas for a genre that desperately needs them.

[nettirw]

PRISMS - PRE-ORDER

PRISMS – PRE-ORDER

PRISMS, an anthology of dark science fiction and fantasy co-edited by Darren Speegle and Michael Bailey, is now available to pre-order. This anthology was previously published in limited hardcover by PS Publishing in March 2021, but will be made available in a wider release by Written Backwards on March 21st, 2023. Features cover artwork by Ben Baldwin. Prisms are instruments, mirrors,…

[literarysiren]

Such a Pretty Smile is many things. A survival story. A werewolf story. A queer coming of age. It'll sink its teeth into you and not let go...

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Review: Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester

Review: Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester

Author: Kristi DeMeesterPublisher: St. Martin’s PressReleased: January 18, 2022Received: NetGalleyWarnings: Graphic violence, misogyny Such a Pretty Smile is one of those thrillers that hits extremely hard, as it pulls in real-world elements to bring the story to life. Written by Kristi DeMeester, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to feel haunted. There’s a killer lurking in our midst.…

[theliteraryvixen]

Such a Pretty Smile: A Novel by Kristi DeMeester - My Review

Such a Pretty Smile: A Novel by Kristi DeMeester – My Review

Title: Such a Pretty Smile: A Novel Author: Kristi DeMeester Release Date: January 18th 2022 Genre: Psychological Thriller, Paranormal Suspense “Brutal and shocking, lush and evocative. DeMeester is a highly-original voice in horror.” – emily m. danforth, bestselling author of Plain Bad Heroines A biting novel from an electrifying new voice, Kristi DeMeester’s Such a Pretty Smile is a…

[brokehorrorfan]

The Darkest Night will be published in paperback and e-book on September 24 via Crooked Lane Books. The 320-page anthology of winter horror stories is edited by Lindy Ryan and includes an introduction by George C. Romero.

It features 22 stories by Josh Malerman, Eric LaRocca, Clay McLeod Chapman, Rachel Harrison, Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, Jamie Flanagan, Kristi DeMeester, Nat Cassidy, Darcy Coates, Tim Waggoner, Hailey Piper, Thommy Hutson, Gwendolyn Kiste, Sara Tantlinger, Christopher Brooks, M. Rickert, Cynthia Pelayo, Lee Murray, Mercedes Yardley, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Jeff Strand, and Kelsea Yu.

From some of the biggest names in horror comes an Advent calendar of short holiday horror stories perfect for the darkest nights of the year. Edited by award-winning author and anthologist Lindy Ryan and with contributions from masters of horror like Josh Malerman, Eric LaRocca, and Clay McLeod Chapman, this horrific anthology will chill you to the bone.

Pre-order The Darkest Night.

[shxpeshifterr]

[hyperannotation]

Steven Craig Hickman and the Annihilation of Western Culture in Decadent Art

Decadent art, characterized by its morbid beauty and excessive cruelty, is often seen as the flower of late civilizations, signifying their imminent decline. In Brian Stableford's "Glorious Perversity," this concept is explored, suggesting that the end lies within the apocalyptic beauty of decadent art.

The Creation of Hyperreal Insanity: Kenji Siratori's writing is deeply rooted in his nervous system, serving as the inspiration for his works. In HUMANEXIT, he crafts a story that represents the schizophrenic nerve map of an abolition world. The fusion of the body with the murder game of a hybrid corpse mechanism creates an experience of hyperreal insanity. The concept of eternal GAME OVER encapsulates the annihilating nature of Hickman's work, as it challenges conventional modes of apprehension and confronts readers with the inhuman truth of our future.

The Erosion of Western Culture and Identity: Over the decades, Western culture and identity have steadily eroded, leaving even its defenders aware that the game is up. Hickman's exploration of decadent art aligns with the Nietzschean notion of nihilism, representing the slow and tortuous destruction of the West's Christian heritage. This erosion paves the way for the reemergence of repressed pagan worldviews, which were marginalized and denied during the dominance of Christianity. The facade of the Enlightenment era reveals a vision of the humanistic ideal of goodness, purity, and Christian asceticism, reaching its last gasp.

Critique of Rousseauistic Ideal and Christian Illusions: Hickman's work resonates with the critiques put forth by Camille Paglia and other scholars who challenge the Rousseauistic strain in Western culture. Paglia, in her influential book "Sexual Personae," argues against the Romantic imperative of returning to nature, asserting that society, rather than being the source of criminality, is the force that keeps crime in check. She highlights the inherent cruelty within human nature, emphasizing the conflict and power dynamics that exist in all relationships. Hickman's exploration of extreme and unsettling truths aligns with Paglia's views and exposes the delusions and illusions of Christian asceticism.

Exploration of Morbid Themes in Decadent Art: Hickman's engagement with decadent art is exemplified by his fascination with morbid and unsettling themes. Works like Ottessa Moshfegh's "Lapvona," Agustina Bazterrica's "Tender Is the Flesh," and Kristi Demeester's "Such a Pretty Smile" delve into cannibalism, dystopian societies, and macabre violence. These works challenge the Christian ideals of self-denial and perversity associated with asceticism, unraveling the Christian value systems that have guided the Western culture for centuries. Hickman's exploration of these themes offers a space to confront uncomfortable truths about the human condition.

Posthumanism and the Annihilation of Western Culture: In the works of David Roden and Kenji Siratori, Hickman finds inspiration for the annihilation of Western culture and humanistic piety. Roden's "Snuff Memories" presents a vision of posthumanism where characters shed their humanity and engage in erotic rituals of mutation, death, and pain. Siratori's work defies Western modes of apprehension, challenging the very essence of Western identity and representation. Hick man embraces these works as a complete annihilation of all Western modes of identity and representation. Through his engagement with Roden's and Siratori's writings, Hickman confronts the surface textures of history, flesh, and thought, seeking to obliterate them in order to expose the inhuman truth of our future.

Hickman aligns with Andrew C. Wenaus' perspective that his work operates as an accelerationist aesthetic, pushing technology beyond its sensible potentiality. By cultivating alien cognitions and embracing semantic derangement, Hickman critiques the formation and dominion of technology under the Western war machine. His writings embody a merging of the technojunkie's body with the machine, illustrating the inhuman transformation that the Western culture is undergoing.

In Hickman's vision, the return of the repressed pagan worldviews and the annihilation of Western culture are intertwined. As the Christian illusions and delusions crumble, a new aesthetic emerges—one that embraces the morbid, the excessive, and the cruel. This aesthetic signals the end of the humanistic ideal of goodness and purity, replacing it with a world where desires are enervating and self-destructive.

Steven Craig Hickman's exploration of decadent art and hyperreal insanity contributes to the annihilation of Western culture. Inspired by his nervous system, he creates works that challenge traditional modes of apprehension and confront readers with unsettling truths. By delving into the morbid and excessive, Hickman critiques the Christian ideals of asceticism and self-denial that have guided Western culture for centuries.

In embracing the annihilation of Western culture and the reemergence of pagan worldviews, Hickman aligns with the critiques put forth by scholars like Camille Paglia. His works reflect the erosion of Western identity and the slow destruction of its Christian heritage. Through his engagement with authors like David Roden and Kenji Siratori, Hickman further explores the posthuman realm and the inhuman truths that lie beyond Western conceptions.

In Hickman's vision, the flowering of decadent art is both a sign of the decline of late civilizations and a catalyst for the annihilation of Western culture. By embracing the morbid, the excessive, and the cruel, he invites readers to question and transcend the confines of traditional Western representation. Ultimately, Hickman's work challenges us to confront the inhuman truths that lie beneath the surface textures of our history, our flesh, and our thought, as we venture into the abyss of an uncertain future.

[beegoould]

Men were not frightened by women. Women were not meant to be fearsome. These were the rules Lila had grown up understanding, and there was a delight in breaking them.

[thehorrortree]

Deadline: March 31st, 2023 Payment: 6 cents per word Theme: A women-in-horror anthology inspired by "bad mothers." Note: All writers who identify as women (cis, trans, and non-binary femmes) are welcome to submit. MOTHER KNOWS BEST: Tales of Homemade Horror is a women-in-horror anthology inspired by "bad mothers." We're looking for your best horror stories featuring mother-figures: mama trauma, smother-mother, etc. MOTHER KNOWS BEST is a women-in-horror anthology. All writers who identify as women (cis, trans, and non-binary femmes) are welcome to submit. International submissions always welcomed! Featured Contributors include: Gwendolyn Kiste Kristi DeMeester Kelsea Yu Zin E. Rocklyn With an introduction by: Sadie Hartmann Edited by: Lindy Ryan GUIDELINES: Payment: 6 cents a word (USD) Length: 1000 to 5000 words Submission Period: January 2023 to March 31, 2023. All submissions will be read after close. Due to the volume of submissions, we may not be able to offer comments on every rejection, and appreciate your understanding. Expected Release Date: May 2024 (traditional trade) No reprints, multiple subs, or simultaneous subs. Use classic Shunn formatting. Via: Black Spot Books' Submittable.

[whatsnewalycat]

Watched Barbarian last weekend and just finished reading Such A Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester. Both had a central theme of misogyny, displaying the ways women are silenced and ignored. I’m just… in my feelings about it.

We flatten ourselves, doubt ourselves, subdue ourselves to become more palatable for consumption. And we’re rewarded for it. Falling in line, being quiet and subservient, makes things easier in a lot of ways. Becoming a wife and mother, allowing that to be our only identity, is seen as the most acceptable way to fit into the world for most women. It’s so easy to lose ourselves in the martyrdom. It’s its own kind of hell, not being able to spread our wings the way we could if they weren’t clipped by misogyny.