Review: ENGINES OF THE BROKEN WORLD by Jason Vanhee

Let me start by saying: This is one of the spookiest books I’ve read in quite a while.  There’s so much going on in this story, and it’s pretty freaking bizarre, so I’m going to give you a list of the six most awesome freaky spooky things that you’ll find in Jason Vanhee‘s ENGINES OF THE BROKEN WORLD:

Henry Holt and Company (BYR), November 2013.

1. Dead mom.  No, wait.  Dead mom’s body hanging out under the kitchen table, because she’s too hard for the kids to move.

2. The kids — Merciful Truth and her older brother  Gospel — can’t get anyone to help move her because there is no one.  On account of the end of the world.  On account of the world is closing in on everyone.

3. The only people left are crazy and/or too old to be of much help outside of stories.  And some of them are losing body parts to the end of the world thing.

4. The Minister.  It’s a cat.  Or is it a dog?  Or a squirrel?  Or is it anything?

5. Dead mom.  Again.  Only, maybe not dead.  Or is she?

6. The cellar.

This is a book that will consume you.  It will chill you to your bones, even if you’re not reading it in one of those northern areas where it actually snows.  This is not an end-of-the-world book.  It’s psychological horror. And it will leave you full of questions.  In a good way.  Jason Vanhee is absolutely an author to watch.