The storybook may still be regarded by many as the domain of children's literature, but thankfully, there are those who dare challenge this stereotype. Among them, Mike Mignola and Christopher Goldren (the duo behind previous Book to Die For JOE GOLEM AND THE DROWNING CITY) and Brom, author/illustrator of this week's selection: THE DEVIL'S ROSE.
Of course, Brom first explored illustrated stories for adults with 2005's PLUCKER, a horrifically realized fairy tale for adults that would be equally worthy of a spot on this list. In 2007, he returned to the format with THE DEVIL'S ROSE. In it, a group of damned souls escapes Hell, chased by another one who's been tasked with capturing and returning them. The story begins just as the escapees lay siege on a group of campers, bathing in and drinking their victims' blood in order to make their trail less traceable to the one sent to hunt them. That man, Cole, has made a deal with the devil (or rather, with one of many devils - Brom's vision of Hell is both complex and intriguing). If he returns the souls of the escapees and their unusual ringleader, he will be released from his obligations to the underworld, leaving him free to search for his long-lost love, Rose, whom he betrayed mere hours before her death and has carried guilt over ever since.
A fluid western/biblical horror hybrid, THE DEVIL'S ROSE brims with reanimated corpses, Hell beasts (which take the form of some seriously creepy stallions), fire demons and severed heads - many of which are captured in the oversized hardcover's glorious full-colour illustrations.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of the storybook medium is its constrictive length, THE DEVIL'S ROSE clocks in at just over 10 pages - a mammoth undertaking as far as storybooks go, but not much longer than a novella in horror fiction terms. Because the scope of this tale is so large, one can't help but feel a bit disappointed that it ends so quickly. Brom's imaginative envisioning of the hierarchies of Hell alone practically demands more stories set in this universe. But that still doesn't diminish the absolute treat that this is. Recommended for macabre art lovers and horror fiction fans alike.
New copies of THE DEVIL'S ROSE can be obtained from Amazon for less than $20, while used copies tend to sell for less than $10. Ride out with the devils today.
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Books to Die For
NonfiksiA book for book lovers, this is collection of reading recommendations and author interviews, as they appeared on Rue-Morgue.com, as well as my various #fabfictionfridays shout-outs on Wattpad. Here you'll find mainstream releases, Wattpad serials, s...
