Your life is no longer recognizable, every detail corrupted by unknown forces. The harder you struggle, the more you suffer. Your words mean nothin...
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reviews
Aug 10, 2011
Stephen
rated it: 
In keeping with the FUNtelligent "list theme" used by the main character, Nick, in this superbly bizarro nutter of a story, I will summarize my thoughts as follows:
1. Cursed is the breeziest mind-fuck of a novel I've ever read and I found engaging confusion on almost every page.
2. Nick and Cicily are two of the most unique, INSANEntertaining characters I have come across since John Dies at the End and their conversations about topics ranging from eating smurfs to tra More...
1. Cursed is the breeziest mind-fuck of a novel I've ever read and I found engaging confusion on almost every page.
2. Nick and Cicily are two of the most unique, INSANEntertaining characters I have come across since John Dies at the End and their conversations about topics ranging from eating smurfs to tra More...
Jan 13, 2012
Lou
rated it: 
Shipp is writing in a unique refreshing original style of his own. I can see how this strange goings on made it as a Stoker award finalist, nothing really bloody here but as one reviewer pointed out 'Cursed is humorous while at the same time deeply philosophical.' After reading the story and during reading it (now this is the crazy bit) i wanted to
1.Slap him in the face (if you have read it you would know what i mean!)
2.Burn of his mole
3.Take away his tennis ball and Gnomes
More...
1.Slap him in the face (if you have read it you would know what i mean!)
2.Burn of his mole
3.Take away his tennis ball and Gnomes
More...
Jul 24, 2010
Maria
rated it:
After reading this book I want to read all of Jeremy C. Shipp's books! 'Cursed' is funny, weird, original, compelling and in my opinion a MUST read.
Nick and Cicely are friends and they are both 'cursed' on the same day with ridiculously odd curses. Nick's curse means he will be slapped every day, whilst Cicely is forced to hold a tennis ball in her hand for ever; if she drops it the world will come to an end. They meet Abby, who is also cursed, and become friends with her through their c More...
Nick and Cicely are friends and they are both 'cursed' on the same day with ridiculously odd curses. Nick's curse means he will be slapped every day, whilst Cicely is forced to hold a tennis ball in her hand for ever; if she drops it the world will come to an end. They meet Abby, who is also cursed, and become friends with her through their c More...
Mar 09, 2011
Kelleynotlp
rated it:
I just finished Jeremy C. Shipp's "Cursed". It is the story of how three people who believe they are cursed by some unknown being come together and try to fight their way out of their situation. I won't spoil anything explicitly but warning, there are some spoilery details that will be peppered throughout.
************************SPOILERISH TYPE THINGS AHEAD--READ AT YOUR OWN RISK OF DISCOVERY******
If I take the novel at face value (which basically I do More...
************************SPOILERISH TYPE THINGS AHEAD--READ AT YOUR OWN RISK OF DISCOVERY******
If I take the novel at face value (which basically I do More...
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Jun 24, 2010
Stephanie
rated it:
I am not sure how to review this. I really liked it and I will read more from Mr. Shipp. His "Vacation" looks very interesting....
I think what I liked the most about this was the style in which it was written. I loved the lists. I was amused with the way the lists could be reused and applied to different converstaions and situations. I also liked how some chapters always followed the same opening format with the dream sequence having different characters but all doing the s More...
I think what I liked the most about this was the style in which it was written. I loved the lists. I was amused with the way the lists could be reused and applied to different converstaions and situations. I also liked how some chapters always followed the same opening format with the dream sequence having different characters but all doing the s More...
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Sep 24, 2009
Nick
rated it:
This outstanding novel is about a guy named Nick who:
1. Makes lists about everything.
2. Is dealing with a strange curse placed on him and his friends.
and
3. is one of the more interesting characters I've come across in a horror novel in quite some time.
While the first half of CURSED reads like a bizarre mystery, the second dives into unique psychological horror, written in Shipp's witty, dark, and (at times) head-scratching style. While not as difficult to fol More...
1. Makes lists about everything.
2. Is dealing with a strange curse placed on him and his friends.
and
3. is one of the more interesting characters I've come across in a horror novel in quite some time.
While the first half of CURSED reads like a bizarre mystery, the second dives into unique psychological horror, written in Shipp's witty, dark, and (at times) head-scratching style. While not as difficult to fol More...
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Aug 31, 2009
Lark
rated it:
Author Jeremy C. Shipp is never content to merely give his readers a diversion. Sure you laugh; you fall in love with his characters, are emotionally swept into his world; but his work is always so much more than emotive string pulling.
Shipp wants your mind. He wants your heart. He wants you to be so taken in by his words that by the time he is through with you, you see the world differently. He wants to wake you up, and he won’t sugar coat the brutality or the beauty of life as he d More...
Shipp wants your mind. He wants your heart. He wants you to be so taken in by his words that by the time he is through with you, you see the world differently. He wants to wake you up, and he won’t sugar coat the brutality or the beauty of life as he d More...
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Feb 25, 2011
Victoria
rated it:
What a wonderful book! Definitely quirky and definitely a great read! I just loved it! This book:
1. Utterly charmed me.
2. Made me nervous at times.
3. Made me not only smile at other times, but laugh as well.
This story of a man cursed to be slapped at least once a day had me flipping pages and all in all greatly enjoying it. I loved the many lists and just loved the main characters. It is a bit hard to put into a genre, but I would not call this a horror novel as the More...
1. Utterly charmed me.
2. Made me nervous at times.
3. Made me not only smile at other times, but laugh as well.
This story of a man cursed to be slapped at least once a day had me flipping pages and all in all greatly enjoying it. I loved the many lists and just loved the main characters. It is a bit hard to put into a genre, but I would not call this a horror novel as the More...
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Sep 03, 2011
Debra
rated it:
Something completely different.
9/3/11. I decided my one-liner above didn't do this novel justice, no matter how accurate! lol Imagine being in the mind of someone who is OCD who is experiencing a very strange curse; it's quite a ride. The protagonist, Nick, and all his other cursed friends are certainly brought to life Nick's little habits, like constantly staring at his mole, are humorous and annoying! The way the author presents the continued manifestion of Nick's curse is inve More...
9/3/11. I decided my one-liner above didn't do this novel justice, no matter how accurate! lol Imagine being in the mind of someone who is OCD who is experiencing a very strange curse; it's quite a ride. The protagonist, Nick, and all his other cursed friends are certainly brought to life Nick's little habits, like constantly staring at his mole, are humorous and annoying! The way the author presents the continued manifestion of Nick's curse is inve More...
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Jun 29, 2011
William
rated it:
3 AND ½ STARS
After reading Cursed, the one thing you can never say about author Jeremy C. Shipp is that he isn't original. I was fascinated by the setup of characters cursed with relatively minor problems - something right out of a Bentley Little novel. And while the main character, Nick, was annoying at times and apologized to others on literally every other page, you find yourself being immersed in this bizarre little world. The lighter tone begins to darken considerably in the fi More...
After reading Cursed, the one thing you can never say about author Jeremy C. Shipp is that he isn't original. I was fascinated by the setup of characters cursed with relatively minor problems - something right out of a Bentley Little novel. And while the main character, Nick, was annoying at times and apologized to others on literally every other page, you find yourself being immersed in this bizarre little world. The lighter tone begins to darken considerably in the fi More...
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Oct 02, 2009
Justin
rated it:
I got a PDF preview of Jeremy C. Shipp's latest book CURSED. He put out the call on Twitter and I answered. That right there says a lot about Jeremy; he thinks outside the box. Without getting onto a rant about the current status of the publishing industry, it's things like this that help get the word out. I can say right off, this is a book worth getting the word out about. His thinking outside the box also applies to his writing as well.
I knew very little about CURSED before I starte More...
I knew very little about CURSED before I starte More...
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May 22, 2011
Lila
rated it:
I happened upon this book via an Amazon recommendation and I'm convinced that Amazon really knows me! I enjoyed the quirky characters and all of their flaws. Nick has a horrible case of guilt and Cis seems to quote bad t-shirts and bumper stickers (you know the ones) ALL the time. These guys are abnormal to begin with, but that isn't all..they are also cursed. Not the "everyone I love dies, or "everything I touch turns to shiz" kind of curses, but the really annoying kind that r
More...
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(2 people liked it)
Oct 21, 2010
Charlie
rated it:
4.5 Stars.
Throughout the story the main character uses lists to weigh options or outcomes. This is a technique many of us use to maintain, organize or prioritize the things in our lives. But, what happens if the list is irrational, impractical or even unimaginable? So, what happens if the characters are unreliable, or are they? Cursed is humorous while at the same time deeply philosophical. The reader has to decide if they believe the characters or determine another plausible explana More...
Throughout the story the main character uses lists to weigh options or outcomes. This is a technique many of us use to maintain, organize or prioritize the things in our lives. But, what happens if the list is irrational, impractical or even unimaginable? So, what happens if the characters are unreliable, or are they? Cursed is humorous while at the same time deeply philosophical. The reader has to decide if they believe the characters or determine another plausible explana More...
Aug 23, 2010
Frederick
rated it:
You first need to forget the fact that this book was a Bram Stoker Award finalist, since the only monsters here lie in the hearts of the protagonists. And maybe in their heads since you are never really sure whether they are insane or, as the title of the book would suggest, “cursed”. In the end it’s kind of irrelevant because the draw of this book is the minimalist, but relentless writing style which provides the reader with a focused, but limited view of what the main protagonist, Nick, is s
More...
Feb 19, 2010
David
rated it:
Cursed by Jeremy C. Shipp
214 pages Trade paperback and hardcover
Raw Dog Screaming press
It's really hard to to this review without
1).making a list.
2).resorting to praise.
3).saying shit, because I promised I wouldn't make a list.
Cursed is the second novel and third fiction release of Jeremy C. Shipp who is quickly making a name for himself in two fields of dark medicine. A word surgeon with skills that cut like a knife across the More...
214 pages Trade paperback and hardcover
Raw Dog Screaming press
It's really hard to to this review without
1).making a list.
2).resorting to praise.
3).saying shit, because I promised I wouldn't make a list.
Cursed is the second novel and third fiction release of Jeremy C. Shipp who is quickly making a name for himself in two fields of dark medicine. A word surgeon with skills that cut like a knife across the More...
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Mar 07, 2011
Michael
rated it:
Have you ever had the feeling:
1. Portions of your life are out of your control
2. You know how crazy you sound but you can't help how things are
3. You are just a little bit different, but not necessarily in a good way
If so then you will be able to identify with Nick and the other characters in Cursed (which I did). Each character is cursed in some bizarre way. As they come together to try to discover who did this to them and why they form attachments (which may or may n More...
1. Portions of your life are out of your control
2. You know how crazy you sound but you can't help how things are
3. You are just a little bit different, but not necessarily in a good way
If so then you will be able to identify with Nick and the other characters in Cursed (which I did). Each character is cursed in some bizarre way. As they come together to try to discover who did this to them and why they form attachments (which may or may n More...
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Sep 28, 2010
Julie
rated it:
#91 - 2010.
Nick and Cicely are friends. They also are cursed. Each person's curse is different and each curse is relatively minor, all things considered, yet each affects their lives in deeper ways that bring gloom and foreboding. They go to work to discover who has cursed them so they can try to lift the curse.
I read it in 2 days. I couldn't put it down. Not only was the writing compelling as I tore through it to find out who had set the curse, I also was increasing anxi More...
Nick and Cicely are friends. They also are cursed. Each person's curse is different and each curse is relatively minor, all things considered, yet each affects their lives in deeper ways that bring gloom and foreboding. They go to work to discover who has cursed them so they can try to lift the curse.
I read it in 2 days. I couldn't put it down. Not only was the writing compelling as I tore through it to find out who had set the curse, I also was increasing anxi More...
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Feb 12, 2010
Doug
rated it:
This was delightful and strange.
It is the story of a man who has been cursed. It seems that every day somebody in his life will come up to him and slap him. On the same day that his curse has started, a friend of his comes forward with a curse of her own. She has to hold a tennis ball in her hand for fear that if she drops it, the world will end. Are they alone, or are there others? Can they ever stop the curse or find out who caused it?
Shipp is a talented and qui More...
It is the story of a man who has been cursed. It seems that every day somebody in his life will come up to him and slap him. On the same day that his curse has started, a friend of his comes forward with a curse of her own. She has to hold a tennis ball in her hand for fear that if she drops it, the world will end. Are they alone, or are there others? Can they ever stop the curse or find out who caused it?
Shipp is a talented and qui More...
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Jan 02, 2010
Michele
rated it:
I was given this book for consideration for review by the author.
Some books are easy reads, some are emotionally harrowing, and some make you work to take the experience imbued by the author away when you close it at the end. Cursed by Jeremy C. Shipp falls very definitely into this last category.
Nick is an odd, but easy to relate to man who has reason to believe he's been cursed as strange things start to happen in his life. By chance (or maybe not) he meets Cicely and More...
Some books are easy reads, some are emotionally harrowing, and some make you work to take the experience imbued by the author away when you close it at the end. Cursed by Jeremy C. Shipp falls very definitely into this last category.
Nick is an odd, but easy to relate to man who has reason to believe he's been cursed as strange things start to happen in his life. By chance (or maybe not) he meets Cicely and More...
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Jan 29, 2010
Jason
rated it:
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
Well, it's January, which means it must be time for a new Jeremy Shipp book! This is the third book in three years, in fact, that I've reviewed by this prolific alt-horror veteran and Stoker Award nominee; and as those who have read my write-ups of his previous Vacation and Sheep & Wolves More...
Well, it's January, which means it must be time for a new Jeremy Shipp book! This is the third book in three years, in fact, that I've reviewed by this prolific alt-horror veteran and Stoker Award nominee; and as those who have read my write-ups of his previous Vacation and Sheep & Wolves More...
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Mar 15, 2010
Michael
rated it:
Jeremy has written yet another great novel!
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Jul 11, 2011
Lea
rated it:
I read this book quite a while ago, and, unfortunately my copy was destroyed, so I'm unable to refer to it for this review. I'll rely on Amazon's product description for the story outline:
Product Description
Your life is no longer recognizable, every detail corrupted by unknown forces. The harder you struggle, the more you suffer. Your words mean nothing, your actions backfire, and one by one everybody you know is sucked down with you. You are: 1) Nick 2) cursed 3) afraid all More...
Product Description
Your life is no longer recognizable, every detail corrupted by unknown forces. The harder you struggle, the more you suffer. Your words mean nothing, your actions backfire, and one by one everybody you know is sucked down with you. You are: 1) Nick 2) cursed 3) afraid all More...
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Nov 10, 2010
Lori
rated it:
Review copy from author
This novel was exactly what I needed because I:
1. Finally threw in the towel on a three-week struggle with my previous read.
2. Wanted something fun and fast to help me fall in love with books again.
3. Was dying to read me a little Jeremy C. Shipp.
Cursed is a novel unlike any other. When the book opens, Nicholas has been slapped in the face 11 days in a row. He is expecting #12 to come from his sister. He is pretty sure that h More...
This novel was exactly what I needed because I:
1. Finally threw in the towel on a three-week struggle with my previous read.
2. Wanted something fun and fast to help me fall in love with books again.
3. Was dying to read me a little Jeremy C. Shipp.
Cursed is a novel unlike any other. When the book opens, Nicholas has been slapped in the face 11 days in a row. He is expecting #12 to come from his sister. He is pretty sure that h More...
May 19, 2010
Steve
rated it:
The back cover of Jeremy C. Shipp’s novel ‘Cursed’ tells the reader it’s horror. ‘Cursed’ was even a finalist this year for the HWA’s Bram Stoker Award for best novel. But ‘Cursed’ is more than horror. Or just barely horror, in my opinion. The premise could easily spiral into horror, but Shipp injects this story with in an odd, original, refreshingly creative vibe that trancends typical genre fare, especially when it comes to horror.
In case I’m not being clear enough here, let me say More...
In case I’m not being clear enough here, let me say More...
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May 05, 2010
Shellie (Layers of Thought)
rated it:
Mini Non-Spoiler Synopsis:
Nick is a conflicted and slightly damaged person; although a good guy he has a past linked to alcohol abuse. With a number of colorful friends and family members, Nick sees his life and his relationships as a series of lists; indeed he thinks in lists. As he moves awkwardly through his difficulties, self doubt, and hilarious quirkiness, we see the “horror” of his insecurities through these lists. While he is connecting with family and friends he comes More...
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Mar 07, 2010
Keith
rated it:
THERE IS A DARKNESS that hides under society's surface, one that is rarely seen or experienced, but does occasionally break through. We want to face it, we want to look at it square in its hollow eyes and stare it down, and push it back under the covers of what society demands is normal or right. Of course, we all don't have the courage to stand ground in the face of that darkness, especially alone. Jeremy C Shipp's Cursed gives us that courage; it is our strength against adversity, our crutch o
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Sep 01, 2011
Michael
rated it:
What a great book. And strange how with two books in a row (this and "Please Look After Mom"), I ran into an author's stylistic decision that I thought might be a detriment but ended up adding to the story. Here, it was the lists. But a few pages in (the biting my fingernails list, if anyone's keeping track), I saw that it really helped you get into Nick's head and moved the story along well.
This is a wonderful story, a sort of horror-mystery about three people who have bee More...
This is a wonderful story, a sort of horror-mystery about three people who have bee More...
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Sep 16, 2009
Louise
rated it:
Jeremy C. Shipp’s Cursed is a delightful, quirky read. Shipp keeps you guessing and turning pages. You never know what you’ll read next. From edible Smurfs to alien abduction, it’s all here.
I’m a big fan of narratives that dare to be different yet enjoyable. Shipp plays with form and convention masterfully. He creates easily likeable characters liberally sprinkled with eccentricities.
Cursed has made me a Jeremy C. Shipp reader. Can’t wait to check out more of his stuff.
I’m a big fan of narratives that dare to be different yet enjoyable. Shipp plays with form and convention masterfully. He creates easily likeable characters liberally sprinkled with eccentricities.
Cursed has made me a Jeremy C. Shipp reader. Can’t wait to check out more of his stuff.
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Jul 08, 2010
Heather
rated it:
Definitely a unique read. Most of the story was about character, which are the kinds of stories I like, but there was some action, though not in the usual sense. Cursed is the kind of story that throws you for a loop, not with the twists and turns of unexpected, but because of the unique and intriguing way it is written. Though not for everyone, I recommend this book to those who are looking for something a little different than the cookie cutter norm or the writing world!
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May 18, 2010
Shawn
rated it:
A bizarre little novel filled with lists, supernatural demon things, and a man whose curse is to be slapped once every day. At times the novel seems to be trying way to hard to be weird, but it's also an engaging mix of mystery, horror, comedy. It's the type of that can't have an ending that both makes sense and is completely satisfying, so the last 15 pages or so are a little disappointing, but the ending doesn't negate all the good stuff in the other 94% of the novel.
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