Review: DOLL CRIMES by Karen Runge

Release: November 8 2019
From Crystal Lake Publishing

5 Stars!

Review: 'Tis tempting when reading a story of such sadness to think "Whoa--at least my childood-adolescence--adulthood wasn't THIS bad!", then walk away with a feeling of temporary relief and only a fading memory of the book. But I consider that an error: this book is deserving of so much more than a tossed-off "Oh, those poor characters! (So glad it's not me!)" and a relieved good-bye. I think novels, novellas, short atories that the reader finds difficult (excluding here the sub-sub-genre of "extreme horror," gore for gore's sake, and simply bad writing); difficult because of personal triggers, or suffering of characters, or psychological disorders which the reader has never confronted and doesn't understand--fiction (and nonfiction) in these latter categories deserves to be read, examined, sometimes (if the triggers are really tough), endured. The end product you hold in your hands DESERVES reading, considering, tracing the thoughts it provokes; then admiring the author who brought this forth.

Don't read this book once and toss it off. Sit with it. Absorb it. Relate to it. Give it the respect it deserves.