Let Gravity Seize the Dead by Darrin Doyle

Synopsis:

In 2007, Beck Randall moves with his wife and teenage daughters into a long-abandoned cabin deep in the woods, built a century before by his grandparents. Once there, daughters Tina and Lucy discover that their predecessors have left an imprint of suffering and violence the girls refer to as “ The Whistler,” an eerie presence infused in the nature that surrounds them. As the 1907 and 2007 storylines braid together, characters and events intrude upon each other, blurring the boundaries between eras and illustrating that people and lives are not forgotten; instead, they are woven into the fabric of the land itself. With gritty, lyrical storytelling, Let Gravity Seize the Dead is an inter-generational literary horror story featuring a blend of suspense, beauty, and terror.

Trigger Warnings:

My Edition:

Print ARC provided by the publicist (thanks, Lori!)

My Thoughts:

Let Gravity Seize the Dead is a truly haunting example of what happens when a setting is treated as a character. Never in my life have I felt so frightened of the woods of Michigan. The location of Beck’s family cabin positively oozes malevolence. This place has the darkest of dark pasts going all the way back to Beck’s great grandfather who died shortly after construction of the homestead was completed.

This is one truly disturbing story. The way the presence latches onto Beck’s daughter Tina is nothing short of terrifying (but really good for the story – this is how we get a lot of the exposition out of the way). I still don’t really understand what exactly the Whistler is, but I do know that I would want absolutely nothing to do with it.

The way that Let Gravity Seize the Dead weaves both present-day and past narratives to tell the story of the cabin, and of the Whistler, and of the fates of Beck’s ancestors is truly beautiful. Dual narratives like this seem to be pretty easy to biff, but Doyle treats it like it’s the simplest thing in the world. And maybe it is for him – this is the first I’ve read by him, although he appears to have a solid handful of books under his belt. After reading this one, I’m definitely going to be seeking out more from him.

Rating:

Let Gravity Seize the Dead
By Darrin Doyle
Regal House Publishing
Publishes: July 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781646034468
Paperback, E-book
97 pages