Written by far too many people to list here
If the names Marlena Frank, C. Vonzale-Lewis, Jessica Cranberry, Katya de Becerra, Elle Beaumont, D.M. Siciliano, and even Meg Dailey (who doesn’t contribute a story to The Darkest Lullaby, but instead writes the foreword), you may have read my review of Emporium of Superstition: An Anthology of Old Wives’ Tales about a year ago (almost to the day). You may even recognise Beaumont’s name from Beyond the Cogs: A Steampunk Anthology and the non-short story Slaying the Frost King: Mortal Enemies to Monster Lovers. These authors have a fine pedigree in writing for anthologies, so when the opportunity to review The Darkest Lullaby arose, I was unable to pass it up.
As Dailey notes in her fantastic foreword, The Darkest Lullaby is a book focused around children and their nannies.Dailey notes the connection between horror and children, and provides some insight and facts about nursery rhymes (including commentary that Ring Around the Rosies might not be about the Bubonic Plague after all. While the stories all dip their toe into horror, other genres are at play in the collection, including supernatural, paranormal, and humour, In fact, as the book captures all these genres, the horror has a tendency of slipping further into them, and away from its bread and butter.
At an estimated 295 pages on your favourite (at the time of writing, I don’t have the paperback page count), this isn’t a long book. There are only six stories included, none of them particularly long. The collection is an eclectic mix, with something that will likely appeal to most reader. It is unlikely, though, that all stories will resonate with all readers. However, it is likely that a few of them will resonate.
The Silver Whistle
Marlena Frank
The story is packed full of evocative imagery that’s sure to stir the reader. It tells the story of nanny Marion, looking after Peter.This is further complicated by Marion constantly having visions about her death.
As great as most of the prose is, the epilogue undercuts both it and the messaging. While it aims to answer its own questions, the epilogue lacks a certain amount of clarity, which poses even more questions. The dialogue-heavy nature of this also changes its mood. The story would have been better off finishing before the epilogue, and leaving proceedings on a deliberately vague note.
When You Hear Them Scream
By C. Vonzale-Lewis
The device, switching between the current day (well, 2022), and the past, between the late 1800s and early 1900s.
As entertaining an idea as this is, the changes from third person to first person narratives are jarring. The story moves slowly—particularly so for one of its length—but picks up in the third act for a powerful finale.
A Little Blood and a Broken Cage
Jessica Cranberry
For a story of its length, A Little Blood and a Broken Cage includes a lot of characters. That it manages to define them so well is a huge testament to Cranberry.
The atmosphere is great, particularly in relation to its sense of humour. The story builds well as it approaches the finale. This is my favourite story in the omnibus.
That Thing in the House with the Arched Roof
Katya de Becerra
With a title as great as That Thing in the House with the Arched Roof, I imagine that having its story about a creepy house live up to it was a challenge.
It’s my favourite story from the collection. The prose and dialogue work well, as do the plot, pacing and build up to the final act.
You Can Close Your Eyes
By Elle Beaumont
The second story set in a creepy house is an amusing story about nanny Eva looking after a young Rachel.
The story is amusingly written, and kept me smiling throughout. It’s also paced fantastically, as it builds towards a finale that’s pitch perfect.
A Mother’s Love
By D.M. Siciliano
I’m not sure if “nannying” is a real word, but I’ll use it anyway, as it tells the story of Alexandra nannying for a doll.
It’s a lighthearted story that builds its mystery well. Overall, however, it feels a little too simplistic, with the author’s style of prose not entirely meshing with the story.
Favourite Passage
Clara Finnigan, the witch of Santa Solana and the woman who raised me, is laid to rest today at the Reminiscence Cemetery.
Cousin Maribelle and I trail after the pallbearers into the family crypt, where we watch them slide Aunt Clara’s coffin into its niche in the wall. There she will rest next to my parents and other kin, generations of Finnigans nestled together, shivering in their stone beds. My name, too, will one day be added to the wall: Emma Finnigan. There’s comfort in this certainty, however morbid.
The Darkest Lullaby: A Dark Nanny Anthology, The Thing in the House with the Arched Roof, Chapter 1
The Darkest Lullaby: A Dark Nanny Anthology was provided by BookSirens for the purpose of an honest review.
The Darkest Lullaby will be available in paperback and eBook from retailers, including—but not limited to—Amazon from 25 October 2023.
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The Darkest Lullaby: A Dark Nanny Anthology
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