The Murders of Molly Southbourne is a gripping short story. It takes this premise – the idea that were are constantly (re)making ourselves – and transforms it into a horror story of revenge.
Summary
Molly lives by a system of rules: don’t leave the property, let her parents know if here are holes in the ground or house, and don’t bleed. At the same time, Molly is trained how to set a scorching fire, the kind that burns everything quickly, to have bleach with her always, and to kill every Molly she sees. Whenever she bleeds, another Molly forms – one that cannot be allowed to live. But it’s a never-ending hunt, as each Molly seems to form with a vengeance. Can Molly find a way to be free of herself?
Review
I loved the concept of Molly’s condition, including the further developments made in the story. Additionally, the way the story unfolds upon us, in the frame narrative technique, is both fascinating and frustrating. Fascinating in the sense that it leaves a lot of mysteries unspoken at the beginning, and frustrating because this short story ends when the intrigue is at its highest peak – talk about cliff hanger.
Molly
While I loved Molly’s character, her speech patterns for example, it was a little difficult to connect to her. I think the main reason for that, is that Molly has a hard time connecting with others in general. Kept in isolation for most of her life, extremely intelligent, and trained to kill (I’m not saying that inhibits your social skills, but I do think it’s a factor). So even though I had difficulty, it was completely in line with her personality – although I still wished we could have gotten to know a bit more about her. I felt that we caught glimpses, especially towards the end, but I still wanted more Molly – maybe in the next one? If there is one?
(Also I loved Molly’s mom).
Overall,
I am so intrigued about the potential of a sequel though. As I mentioned, this one ends with a huge amount of intrigue and I would love to see where it goes in a next book. This short story is a fast read, but one that might unsettle you and will certainly fascinate you.
You can pick up The Murders of Molly Southbourne on Amazon(US) and add it to your Goodreads.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.
Discussion
What’s the last eerie book you read?
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