Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

The Secret Life of Insects and Other Stories

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

In 'The Secret Life of Insects', a forensic entomologist tries to solve the murder of his wife, who impossibly seems to have been killed in a forest at the same time she was asleep in bed with him. The husband in 'The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife' becomes concerned by his wife's strange behavior, which includes sleepwalking, muttering strange phrases, and a bizarre erotic fascination with octopi. In 'Come to Me', a woman visits a witch doctor who promises to forge an unbreakable bond between her and the man of her dreams, but things go horribly awry after the man dies. And in the novella 'Demoness', four high school friends reunite at a class reunion twenty years later and must face the long-buried truth of a demonic experience from their youth.

Bernardo Esquinca's haunting tale 'Señor Ligotti' represented Mexico in the acclaimed The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories and was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award. Now Valancourt Books is proud to present this collection of fourteen of his best stories, which also features a foreword by award-winning author Mariana Enríquez and stunning full-page illustrations by Spanish artist Luis Pérez Ochando.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Booklist

      September 15, 2023
      Latinx writers have been kicking down all the doors in horror for the past several years, including M�nica Ojeda, Carmen Mar�a Machado, Agustina Bazterrica, Gabino Iglesias, and Mariana Enr�quez (who provides the introduction here). Esquinca joins this group of artists with a short-story collection that will remind readers of Carlos Ruiz Zaf�n and Jorge Luis Borges, enhanced by amazing artwork by Luis P�rez Ochando throughout. Fans of slow, quiet horror that causes great dread will appreciate Esquinca's tales, like "The Wizard's Hour," about a man having odd episodes who discovers ties to his childhood, a circus, then leads to an unsettling ending. Other strong stories include "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife," which delves into cosmic horror, accompanied by erotic artwork. There is also homage paid to Robert W. Chambers' classic "The King in Yellow," written in a contemporary style that modern readers will appreciate. Fans of Thomas Ligotti will enjoy the nods to his work, including "Se�or Ligotti," inflected with Esquinca's own cultural heritage. The stories address the horrors of quotidian life but also of marriage, human frailty, religion, destiny, and much more. Everyone should pay attention to this voice in horror.

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading
Check Out What's Being Checked Out Right NowThe Ohio Digital Library is a program of the State Library of Ohio and is supported in whole or in part by federal Institute of Museum and Library Services funds, awarded to the State Library of Ohio.