I received this book for free from the publisher (egalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman Also by this author: Ghost Eaters
Published by Quirk Books on October 8th 2019
Genres: Fiction, Horror, Occult & Supernatural, Supernatural, Thrillers
Pages: 304
Source: the publisher (egalley)
Ella Louise attempts to live a quiet and remote life in the woods outside of Pilot’s Creek, Virginia. Expelled by her family, her only companion is her daughter, Jessica. The identity of Jessica's father is unknown, but the townspeople have their own suspicions. Residents seek Ella out secretly when they have an ailment that only she can treat. When a prominent resident dies, Ella is accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake. Unwilling to leave her, Jessica joins her mother at the stake and the two die together, arms wrapped one another, in the middle of the night.
The site of Ella's burial is a mystery but her daughter's cannot be missed. The townspeople feared that Jessica may, in fact, be more dangerous than her mother, so she is interred in a steel-reinforced coffin surrounded by a fence of white crosses.
Their story becomes an urban legend, a story told at a campfire by a young man plagued by sightings of Jessica when he was a child. That man grows up and in the ’70s produces a horror movie inspired by the Witch Girl of Pilot’s Creek. Amber Pendleton, a yet unknown young actress, is cast in the role of Jessica. What transpires on the set of that infamous film ruins her life, and she is forever typecast as young Jessica.
Twenty years later, an attempt to remake the movie brings Amber back to Pilot's Creek. This time, however, the consequences of her role are unforgettable. Years pass, and an investigator tracks her down to interview her for his popular podcast. Will this reunion restore her lost reputation, or will this perpetual cycle horror continue?
I’ve been pining for this book since I read about it earlier this year. I don’t need to tell you how obsessed I am with classic horror movies so this was just what I needed to read to get me in the Halloween spirit! I devoured it in one afternoon of reading, something I haven’t treated myself to in some time.
Chapman picks up the very thing about horror movies (and fiction!) that I adore; the feeling of inescapable horror, an evil that persists through time. The horror that is told around campfires, that is kept alive through word of mouth. He didn’t do it by using an excessive amount of gore that more modern “horror” evokes, but instead focused on the very thing about horror that terrorizes us most.
Also, rather than hiding in the guise of a thriller, Chapman and his publisher (Quirk Books) embrace the very aspects of horror that we must celebrate. He evokes a feeling of a young Stephen King (yes I did go there) and leaves me hoping that he continues on this path of horror fiction. A true talent, one that we’ll all be pronouncing as a horror great as we follow him on that dark and haunting path. Highly, highly recommended.
