What do you think?
Rate this book
The Skillute Cycle #3
Astoria
In the aftermath of a shattering tragedy, Ethel Sanders flees her hometown of Skillute in search of a safe place where she can recuperate. She has discarded friends and family in a desperate bid for a new life, yet something is not right in the hideaway she's chosen. Strange images of the past pursue her, even in her dreams. Are they harbingers of the future, reminders of recent events, or her own, personal demons come to stake their final claim?
"Miskowski further enriches the all-too-real horror movie world of KNOCK, KNOCK with ASTORIA, a novella that is part Hitchcock, part David Lynch, and all Miskowski's distinctive, thoughtfully crafted, slow-burn literary terror." —Molly Tanzer, author of A PRETTY MOUTH
"S.P. Miskowski has been chronicling the mundane horrors of women’s lives – marriage, motherhood, family, and domesticity – through the lens of the supernatural since the publication of her Shirley Jackson Award nominated novel KNOCK KNOCK. Continuing with her related SKILLUTE CYCLE of novellas, Miskowski is unafraid to plumb the darkest impulses of the female psyche, and her gift for vivid characterization and naturalistic detail suffuses her fiction with a sense of frightening and devastating reality. In ASTORIA, a white-knuckle terror trip across the landscape of the Pacific Northwest, the darkness closing in on one woman’s desperate bid to escape the monster she birthed and the life she loathes becomes as palpable as the pages we’re turning; we can bolt the door and turn on the light, but in the end, Miskowski warns us, no matter what we do, our demons are coming for us." —Lynda E. Rucker, BLACK STATIC columnist and author of The MOON WILL LOOK STRANGE
"ASTORIA by S.P. Miskowski is a perfect and unique blend of THE OMEN and Elizabeth Berg’s THE PULL OF THE MOON. Miskowski’s writing is dark, delicious, and wonderfully layered. As always, her effortless elegance shines through the chilling prose, highlighting the ugly feelings that we wish weren’t inside all of us. She manages to turn the reader inside out alongside her characters, revealing that we’re all monsters and merely human at gut level." —Mercedes M. Yardley, author of BEAUTIFUL SORROWS
"Miskowski further enriches the all-too-real horror movie world of KNOCK, KNOCK with ASTORIA, a novella that is part Hitchcock, part David Lynch, and all Miskowski's distinctive, thoughtfully crafted, slow-burn literary terror." —Molly Tanzer, author of A PRETTY MOUTH
"S.P. Miskowski has been chronicling the mundane horrors of women’s lives – marriage, motherhood, family, and domesticity – through the lens of the supernatural since the publication of her Shirley Jackson Award nominated novel KNOCK KNOCK. Continuing with her related SKILLUTE CYCLE of novellas, Miskowski is unafraid to plumb the darkest impulses of the female psyche, and her gift for vivid characterization and naturalistic detail suffuses her fiction with a sense of frightening and devastating reality. In ASTORIA, a white-knuckle terror trip across the landscape of the Pacific Northwest, the darkness closing in on one woman’s desperate bid to escape the monster she birthed and the life she loathes becomes as palpable as the pages we’re turning; we can bolt the door and turn on the light, but in the end, Miskowski warns us, no matter what we do, our demons are coming for us." —Lynda E. Rucker, BLACK STATIC columnist and author of The MOON WILL LOOK STRANGE
"ASTORIA by S.P. Miskowski is a perfect and unique blend of THE OMEN and Elizabeth Berg’s THE PULL OF THE MOON. Miskowski’s writing is dark, delicious, and wonderfully layered. As always, her effortless elegance shines through the chilling prose, highlighting the ugly feelings that we wish weren’t inside all of us. She manages to turn the reader inside out alongside her characters, revealing that we’re all monsters and merely human at gut level." —Mercedes M. Yardley, author of BEAUTIFUL SORROWS
- GenresHorror
81 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2013
3 people are currently reading
324 people want to read
About the author
S.P. Miskowski
45 books257 followersS.P. Miskowski is a recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships. Her books have received four Shirley Jackson Award nominations and two Bram Stoker Award nominations. Her second novel, I Wish I Was Like You, won This Is Horror Novel of the Year 2017 and a readers' choice Charles Dexter (A)ward from Strange Aeons.
Miskowski's stories have been published in Nightmare Magazine, Vastarien, Cosmic Horror Monthly, Supernatural Tales, Black Static, Identity Theory, Strange Aeons and Eyedolon Magazine, and in numerous anthologies including Haunted Nights, The Madness of Dr. Caligari, October Dreams 2, Darker Companions: Celebrating 50 Years of Ramsey Campbell, The Best Horror of the Year Volume Ten and There Is No Death, There Are No Dead.
She is represented by Danielle Svetcov at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency and by Anonymous Content (film/TV rights).
Author site:
https://spmiskowski.wordpress.com/
Miskowski's stories have been published in Nightmare Magazine, Vastarien, Cosmic Horror Monthly, Supernatural Tales, Black Static, Identity Theory, Strange Aeons and Eyedolon Magazine, and in numerous anthologies including Haunted Nights, The Madness of Dr. Caligari, October Dreams 2, Darker Companions: Celebrating 50 Years of Ramsey Campbell, The Best Horror of the Year Volume Ten and There Is No Death, There Are No Dead.
She is represented by Danielle Svetcov at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency and by Anonymous Content (film/TV rights).
Author site:
https://spmiskowski.wordpress.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Want to read
November 2, 2018When I got the book today I noticed the actual page count was 112 pages and not as stated on this GR description.
Cover Illustration by Russell Dickerson.
Cover Illustration by Russell Dickerson.
July 16, 2013
S.P. Miskowski’s new novella, Astoria, is the latest entry in her projected “Skillute cycle.” The previeous entries are Delphine Dodd and Knock, Knock. Knock, Knock is the (impressive) origin novel for the follow up novellas – which are returns or expansions on characters featured or alluded to in the original story. I was an enthusiastic fan of Knock, Knock, finding it to be one of the better horror novels I have read over the last several years. On the other hand, I was more so-so when it came to Delphine Dodd, finding it, as I recall (I didn’t do a review at the time), that the parts were greater than the whole. Then again, maybe I was mildly disappointed at the “return,” perhaps wanting Miskowski, given her talent, to try something new. Dodd does have its fans though, since it was recently nominated for a Shirley Jackson (the only horror award worth following IMHO).
The mention of Shirley Jackson seems appropriate here, since it’s one of her characters, Eleanor, from the The Haunting of Hill House who came immediately to mind as I read Astoria. Ethel, a major character from Knock, Knock, is fleeing, like Eleanor, her oppressive and as of late, horrifying life. However, Ethel has had it considerably rougher than Eleanor, giving (unwanted) birth late in life to a genuine bad seed – Connie Sara. Compounding this difficult parenting of a budding psychopath is a sense of guilt over one particular crime (and there are many) that Connie Sara may have perpetrated against a missing boy. With these psychological (or worse) walls closing in on her, Ethel hits the road, leaving her husband, fleeing Skillute for the nearby town of Astoria. The flight is a pathetic one, with Ethel relying on badly told lies, and sketchy, of the moment, decisions. Doesn’t sound all that compelling, but Miskowski’s skills at character development and dialogue are outstanding, and also, appropriately, disorienting. Ethel’s interactions with others never feel quite right, kind of like watching scenes from a David Lynch movie. The reader, since the story coming from Ethel’s point of view, is uncertain of just what is real.
Eventually Ethel arrives at a house, and accepts a job as a temporary house sitter. Wine (she likes wine), a warm bed, unrealistic hopes and a surprise guest, are all converging into some sort of reckoning she will no longer be able to flee from. At this point it’s best not to say too much more other than the story represents a first rate psychological study of someone at the end of their rope. But this is a horror novel, a ghost story to be specific, that leaves the reader at story’s end recalling the sneaky smart quote from Henry James’ Turn of the Screw that prefaced the novella. In that quote we are reminded of another woman, the unnamed governess of that great story, and the suggestion that when bad things happen, the line between objective reality and the tormented mind is impossibly blurred.
[Note: I received an ARC of the book.]
The mention of Shirley Jackson seems appropriate here, since it’s one of her characters, Eleanor, from the The Haunting of Hill House who came immediately to mind as I read Astoria. Ethel, a major character from Knock, Knock, is fleeing, like Eleanor, her oppressive and as of late, horrifying life. However, Ethel has had it considerably rougher than Eleanor, giving (unwanted) birth late in life to a genuine bad seed – Connie Sara. Compounding this difficult parenting of a budding psychopath is a sense of guilt over one particular crime (and there are many) that Connie Sara may have perpetrated against a missing boy. With these psychological (or worse) walls closing in on her, Ethel hits the road, leaving her husband, fleeing Skillute for the nearby town of Astoria. The flight is a pathetic one, with Ethel relying on badly told lies, and sketchy, of the moment, decisions. Doesn’t sound all that compelling, but Miskowski’s skills at character development and dialogue are outstanding, and also, appropriately, disorienting. Ethel’s interactions with others never feel quite right, kind of like watching scenes from a David Lynch movie. The reader, since the story coming from Ethel’s point of view, is uncertain of just what is real.
Eventually Ethel arrives at a house, and accepts a job as a temporary house sitter. Wine (she likes wine), a warm bed, unrealistic hopes and a surprise guest, are all converging into some sort of reckoning she will no longer be able to flee from. At this point it’s best not to say too much more other than the story represents a first rate psychological study of someone at the end of their rope. But this is a horror novel, a ghost story to be specific, that leaves the reader at story’s end recalling the sneaky smart quote from Henry James’ Turn of the Screw that prefaced the novella. In that quote we are reminded of another woman, the unnamed governess of that great story, and the suggestion that when bad things happen, the line between objective reality and the tormented mind is impossibly blurred.
[Note: I received an ARC of the book.]
April 23, 2017
Astoria is a powerful and ominous addition to the Skillute Cycle, certainly my favorite of the first three books. After too much tragedy in Skillute and the slow painful loss of herself as a person, Ethel decides to leave it all behind with no goodbyes. The book offers a deep look into the psyche of an unforgettable character whose past refuses to be put to rest. I honestly could not put this down and enjoyed it immensely. A hard hitting and unpredictable ending tops this off. It is an understatement to say that I am excited for the last book, In The Light.
July 15, 2013
I was lucky enough to receive a free electronic preview copy of Astoria. I’d previously read Knock Knock and Delphine Dodd and had been highly impressed by both.
When I read Knock Knock, I’d initially planned on just reading a chapter and then putting it down. Several hours later I realized I’d lost track of time. That the book had absorbed me so thoroughly that I’d lost the afternoon. So I was prepared for this when I opened up Astoria on my Kindle. As in Knock Knock and Delphine Dodd, Miskowski’s quality of prose provides a powerful lure, creating a sense of immersion that makes effortless the loss of everyday troubles or tasks.
At the start of Astoria, Ethel is struggling to cope with raising her daughter. Her daughter is likely a sociopath. I don’t think that Ethel rationally believes that her daughter is the personification of evil resulting from a broken bargain with a supernatural being in Ethel’s youth, but she suspects in her heart that there is something wrong beyond the normal range of childhood problems. When the child dies, Ethel is therefore conflicted. She leaves her husband and the town she was raised in. She wanders southwest Washington, before crossing the Columbia to Astoria, all the while it seems like there’s something chasing her on the edge of reality.
Maybe it’s the Northwest settings in these books, but thinking about describing this time loss got me thinking about something a character in Twin Peaks said, something about “I know I should be sad, and I am, part of me is. But it's like... it's like I'm having the most beautiful dream... and the most terrible nightmare, all at once.” And that’s how I felt reading this novella about a woman who has just lost a child, but has every reason to feel like she’s been given a chance at freedom. It’s very dreamlike. Reading Astoria felt a lot like closing my eyes and experiencing the most strangely pleasing nightmare.
I’ve been struggling to put my finger on how Miskowski accomplishes this sense of enjoyable horror. It’s not like there’s over the top supernatural dark fantasy action in these stories. In Astoria so much of the action seems fairly mundane. But there’s this fringe of terror coming at it from the edges. The protagonist is exhausted. She’s seeing things that aren’t really there, or is she? There’s that question of whether she’s hallucinating or whether her past has caught up with her. And throughout the book it feels like she’s surrounded by that past. Are the things she’s seeing supernatural repercussions? Her friend Marietta, who is as close to an expert as she’s likely to find, thinks so. But Marietta doesn’t have a large role in Astoria. She’s like the sense of the supernatural in this story, connected but sort of tangentially. When Marietta contacts Ethel there’s that sense that “no you haven’t escaped”. By building up Ethel’s story of trying to start her new life in Astoria, it makes the incursions of the supernatural and her past all the more frightening.
As I said I did read Delphine Dodd and Knock Knock beforehand, but I think while these added to my enjoyment of Astoria, I’m pretty certain Astoria would stand alone well on its own. Though I’m certain that if someone picked this up first, they would be compelled by the strength of writing and the joy of the story to go back and read the others.
When I read Knock Knock, I’d initially planned on just reading a chapter and then putting it down. Several hours later I realized I’d lost track of time. That the book had absorbed me so thoroughly that I’d lost the afternoon. So I was prepared for this when I opened up Astoria on my Kindle. As in Knock Knock and Delphine Dodd, Miskowski’s quality of prose provides a powerful lure, creating a sense of immersion that makes effortless the loss of everyday troubles or tasks.
At the start of Astoria, Ethel is struggling to cope with raising her daughter. Her daughter is likely a sociopath. I don’t think that Ethel rationally believes that her daughter is the personification of evil resulting from a broken bargain with a supernatural being in Ethel’s youth, but she suspects in her heart that there is something wrong beyond the normal range of childhood problems. When the child dies, Ethel is therefore conflicted. She leaves her husband and the town she was raised in. She wanders southwest Washington, before crossing the Columbia to Astoria, all the while it seems like there’s something chasing her on the edge of reality.
Maybe it’s the Northwest settings in these books, but thinking about describing this time loss got me thinking about something a character in Twin Peaks said, something about “I know I should be sad, and I am, part of me is. But it's like... it's like I'm having the most beautiful dream... and the most terrible nightmare, all at once.” And that’s how I felt reading this novella about a woman who has just lost a child, but has every reason to feel like she’s been given a chance at freedom. It’s very dreamlike. Reading Astoria felt a lot like closing my eyes and experiencing the most strangely pleasing nightmare.
I’ve been struggling to put my finger on how Miskowski accomplishes this sense of enjoyable horror. It’s not like there’s over the top supernatural dark fantasy action in these stories. In Astoria so much of the action seems fairly mundane. But there’s this fringe of terror coming at it from the edges. The protagonist is exhausted. She’s seeing things that aren’t really there, or is she? There’s that question of whether she’s hallucinating or whether her past has caught up with her. And throughout the book it feels like she’s surrounded by that past. Are the things she’s seeing supernatural repercussions? Her friend Marietta, who is as close to an expert as she’s likely to find, thinks so. But Marietta doesn’t have a large role in Astoria. She’s like the sense of the supernatural in this story, connected but sort of tangentially. When Marietta contacts Ethel there’s that sense that “no you haven’t escaped”. By building up Ethel’s story of trying to start her new life in Astoria, it makes the incursions of the supernatural and her past all the more frightening.
As I said I did read Delphine Dodd and Knock Knock beforehand, but I think while these added to my enjoyment of Astoria, I’m pretty certain Astoria would stand alone well on its own. Though I’m certain that if someone picked this up first, they would be compelled by the strength of writing and the joy of the story to go back and read the others.
August 13, 2013
Astoria marks the latest entry in S.P. Miskowski’s ‘Skillute cycle,’ following on from the Shirley Jackson Award-nominated Knock Knock and Delphine Dodd. Its opening act offers fresh insight into the circumstances surrounding the event that precipitated the abrupt departure of Ethel from Knock Knock, allowing readers an opportunity to spend some more time in the company of her delightfully despicable daughter Connie-Sara, whilst throwing light on Ethel's own motives and mindset.
In its high-strung tension Ethel’s flight, in the novella's second act, calls to mind that of Mary in Robert Bloch / Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. In fact, Ethel has more in common with Eleanor, the narcissistic fantasist in Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. It’s here that readers may realize that Ethel is not the character they may think they know from Miskowski's earlier novel. There, Ethel seemed purely a victim of circumstance: emotionally damaged in early childhood by an abusive mother, before her parents' mysterious death; accidentally invoking a curse with her (only) two friends; encouraged to marry a man she seemed to like well enough, though never seemed to feel passionately about; before a surprisingly late and unlooked for pregnancy resulted in the birth of the terrifying Connie-Sara. After ten years of suffering under the rule of that tyrannical tot, with a husband who couldn’t see the little monster as anything other than a blessing from God, who could blame poor Ethel for wanting a little ‘me-time’…? Thus the Ethel of Astoria is an Ethel no longer constrained by the familial and social ties that had previously held her back; and over the course of the novella, drunk on freedom (and wine), she undergoes a transformation – a ‘possession’ of sorts, though not in the demonic sense.
Replying to a local newspaper advertisement for a house-sitter leads Ethel, in the novella's third and final act, into a meeting with dark handsome stranger James Bevin. The two of them share a telling conversation on books. Ethel’s favourite (indeed, the only one she can remember reading) is, of all things, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. As a teenager she sympathised with the creature – a monster of self-pity, created by an ungrateful and uncaring parent. Jane Eyre is briefly mentioned, casting Bevin as Mr. Rochester to Ethel’s Jane, but it’s Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, quoted in the novella’s chilling epigraph, that proves to be the biggest influence, with Bevin the uncle to Ethel’s governess. Not that baby-sitting is a part of their deal…
As Ethel makes herself comfortable in what seems a snug retreat, Astoria enters its endgame. Throughout the novella there’s been a definite sense of something following Ethel. Subtle, uncanny effects combine with surreal dreams and Miskowski’s natural flair for the grotesque to create a sense of supernatural forces preying upon the protagonist’s vulnerable mental state. Clinging desperately to, and seeking to preserve the promise of her newfound ‘life’ – or at least, the fleeting illusion she has of one – Ethel becomes progressively meaner, nastier, proving herself capable of acts the reader might not have thought her capable of in Knock Knock, but which here feel justified - psychologically, if not morally. The sins of the mother, and of the daughter, are visited upon Ethel, who proves to be her mother’s daughter, her daughter’s mother. Even so, knowing what I knew about Ethel, having followed her journey from Knock Knock to Astoria’s devastating finale, it was impossible not to feel for her in those final lines, as the freedom she had only briefly known was taken from her.
Astoria marks another resounding success from an author whose star continues to rise. Short but sweet (and sour), it'll leave fans clamouring for the next (and, alas, apparently final) volume in the Skillute cycle.
(This review was made possible by an ARC from the author.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2013
Full disclosure: I received an advance review copy direct from the author.
Astoria is the second novella in The Skillute Cycle linked to the Shirley Jackson Award nominated novel, Knock Knock. Whereas Delphine Dodd, (the first novella that followed Knock Knock), could be enjoyed and understood without reading the prior work, I would definitely recommended the reader to have at least read Knock Knock prior to Astoria. Astoria chronologically follows straight after the events detailed in Knock Knock so further detail of the previous events is useful for the reader to fully appreciate Ethel's current psychological state, whom this installment solely focuses on.
Astoria is a masterful story that is open to interpretation by the reader, much in the same way classic stories such as Oliver Onions' The Beckoning Fair One, or Henry James' The Turn of the Screw make the reader question the reality (even within the fictional construct) of what is being ingested - the latter is referenced in an epigraph at the start of this novella, so such a homage was evidently intended by the author.
Taken in isolation, Astoria is a wonderfully dark psychological thriller. However, if read as part of the series, after both Knock Knock, and Delphine Dodd, another chapter in a much larger story is revealed.
I'm guessing the next novella in the series will focus on Marietta, and I am looking forward to that enormously.
Astoria is the second novella in The Skillute Cycle linked to the Shirley Jackson Award nominated novel, Knock Knock. Whereas Delphine Dodd, (the first novella that followed Knock Knock), could be enjoyed and understood without reading the prior work, I would definitely recommended the reader to have at least read Knock Knock prior to Astoria. Astoria chronologically follows straight after the events detailed in Knock Knock so further detail of the previous events is useful for the reader to fully appreciate Ethel's current psychological state, whom this installment solely focuses on.
Astoria is a masterful story that is open to interpretation by the reader, much in the same way classic stories such as Oliver Onions' The Beckoning Fair One, or Henry James' The Turn of the Screw make the reader question the reality (even within the fictional construct) of what is being ingested - the latter is referenced in an epigraph at the start of this novella, so such a homage was evidently intended by the author.
Taken in isolation, Astoria is a wonderfully dark psychological thriller. However, if read as part of the series, after both Knock Knock, and Delphine Dodd, another chapter in a much larger story is revealed.
I'm guessing the next novella in the series will focus on Marietta, and I am looking forward to that enormously.
July 22, 2013
Full disclosure: I received an ARC of this novella from the author.
This latest entry in Miskowski's Skillute Cycle reinforces my faith that there really is dark fiction with women as subjects, not objects. When Ethel (mother of the monster-child Connie Sara in Knock Knock) finally flees her life in Skillute after the child's funeral, the reader is given an utterly believable glimpse into her middle-aged desperation.
Walking wounded after her own mother's failure to love her -- or, indeed, treat her as human -- and her husband's inability to see what Connie Sara actually was, Ethel embarks on an increasingly surreal road trip into terror. Though she's seeking escape, each choice she makes only reinforces the reader's suspicions that things will not end well. Through her attention to small details, interior life, & a devastatingly effective plain prose style, Miskowski grants us the viewpoint of one of life's victims. The supernatural aspects of this novella never overwhelm an equally dark view of small town life gone wrong -- at least for this one square peg of a woman.
Despite the author's skillful interweaving of details from her earlier novel, this novella might be much less satisfying for readers who have not read Knock Knock. Both are well worth reading, but should probably be read in order.
This latest entry in Miskowski's Skillute Cycle reinforces my faith that there really is dark fiction with women as subjects, not objects. When Ethel (mother of the monster-child Connie Sara in Knock Knock) finally flees her life in Skillute after the child's funeral, the reader is given an utterly believable glimpse into her middle-aged desperation.
Walking wounded after her own mother's failure to love her -- or, indeed, treat her as human -- and her husband's inability to see what Connie Sara actually was, Ethel embarks on an increasingly surreal road trip into terror. Though she's seeking escape, each choice she makes only reinforces the reader's suspicions that things will not end well. Through her attention to small details, interior life, & a devastatingly effective plain prose style, Miskowski grants us the viewpoint of one of life's victims. The supernatural aspects of this novella never overwhelm an equally dark view of small town life gone wrong -- at least for this one square peg of a woman.
Despite the author's skillful interweaving of details from her earlier novel, this novella might be much less satisfying for readers who have not read Knock Knock. Both are well worth reading, but should probably be read in order.
November 26, 2018
Huge fan of Miskowski over here. I am making my way through the Skillute Cycle while I wait for her new book to drop in 2019. Needless to say, I am a fan. I think Miskowski is one of the best horror writers out period. Actually, she could write any genre and would still be my one of my favorites. Her ability to make a story's climate so uneasy and pleasing at the same time is unparalleled in my opinion. This series is about some troubled women who survive in different ways. Trauma, violence, and disturbing relationships clash head-on with love. Astoria tells the story of Ethel, who is trying to change her future by shedding her past. She has a daughter who is likely a sociopath but could also be haunted by Ethel's mother. Ethel is trying to manage a new life after the unbalanced daughter is killed while harassing their neighbor's dog. I say Ethel tries because she can never really escape the past or the dread that comes with it.
If you were introduced to Miskowski's work by her novel Knock Knock, as I was, then reading Astoria and the accompanying books seems like common sense and you should continue to read the novellas if you haven't. If you have never read Miskowski but are reading this review thinking it seems right up your alley, it is! I still suggest you read Knock Knock first and if you do I am confident you will make your way to Astoria as I did.
If you were introduced to Miskowski's work by her novel Knock Knock, as I was, then reading Astoria and the accompanying books seems like common sense and you should continue to read the novellas if you haven't. If you have never read Miskowski but are reading this review thinking it seems right up your alley, it is! I still suggest you read Knock Knock first and if you do I am confident you will make your way to Astoria as I did.
August 15, 2013
Astoria is the second in a series of novellas linked to S.P. Miskowski's Shirley Jackson Award nominated debut, Knock Knock. Each of the linked works follows a different spoke outward from the hub of Knock Knock's primary characters, a trio of young girls and their immediate families.
One of these is Ethel Sanders, stuck in a life she finds unbearable. She reacts to sudden tragedy by abruptly fleeing Skillute, Washington, the small town she's lived in all her life. Ethel not only leaves home, but steps out of her whole identity like shed skin. She travels down the Columbia river, which divides Oregon and Washington, toward the small coastal town of Astoria, on the Oregon side. There she tries on aspects of a new life, picking up elements one at a time, fantasizing that all of it's real. Ethel clings to belief in the possibility of an unhappy middle-aged woman simply leaving behind the mundane existence that caused her dissatisfaction, to truly start over. For a while, it seems she's reinvented herself, truly run away from the elements in her life that troubled her. But has something come along for the ride? Her escape may not be what it seems.
At times, Miskowski's approach reminds me of Stephen King's. Many attribute King's lasting popularity to his story's horrific elements, but I've always believed what he does best is tell the story from a place so intimately wound up in a character's perspective that the reader feels as if they're living someone else's experience. Miskowski too writes in a style straightforward and transparent, yet vivid and always engaging. A deceptively simple narrative surface hides churning layers of confusion, pain and psychological turmoil.
Just as in Knock Knock Miskowski leads the reader to identify with the primary characters, in Astoria's we share Ethel's turmoil, her desperate grasping at a possible alternate future life. Every time she seems to have taken a step closer to this goal of reinvention, she seems to slip deeper into a state of delusion or self-deception. By the end, Ethel's situation seems at once more settled, almost domestic, and also nightmarish. Astoria is the most accomplished work of fiction yet from S.P. Miskowski, an author still improving, achieving stronger effects. It's a work of confidence, of engrossing atmosphere and real narrative control, strongly recommended.
One of these is Ethel Sanders, stuck in a life she finds unbearable. She reacts to sudden tragedy by abruptly fleeing Skillute, Washington, the small town she's lived in all her life. Ethel not only leaves home, but steps out of her whole identity like shed skin. She travels down the Columbia river, which divides Oregon and Washington, toward the small coastal town of Astoria, on the Oregon side. There she tries on aspects of a new life, picking up elements one at a time, fantasizing that all of it's real. Ethel clings to belief in the possibility of an unhappy middle-aged woman simply leaving behind the mundane existence that caused her dissatisfaction, to truly start over. For a while, it seems she's reinvented herself, truly run away from the elements in her life that troubled her. But has something come along for the ride? Her escape may not be what it seems.
At times, Miskowski's approach reminds me of Stephen King's. Many attribute King's lasting popularity to his story's horrific elements, but I've always believed what he does best is tell the story from a place so intimately wound up in a character's perspective that the reader feels as if they're living someone else's experience. Miskowski too writes in a style straightforward and transparent, yet vivid and always engaging. A deceptively simple narrative surface hides churning layers of confusion, pain and psychological turmoil.
Just as in Knock Knock Miskowski leads the reader to identify with the primary characters, in Astoria's we share Ethel's turmoil, her desperate grasping at a possible alternate future life. Every time she seems to have taken a step closer to this goal of reinvention, she seems to slip deeper into a state of delusion or self-deception. By the end, Ethel's situation seems at once more settled, almost domestic, and also nightmarish. Astoria is the most accomplished work of fiction yet from S.P. Miskowski, an author still improving, achieving stronger effects. It's a work of confidence, of engrossing atmosphere and real narrative control, strongly recommended.
August 10, 2013
As mentioned above, I had the chance to read, “Knock, Knock” by S.P. Miskowski for a review. When I seen, “Astoria” in Omnium’s website, I sent over an email requesting to read the continuation story by the same author. It was sent over without haste…and I am not disappointed.
I love when authors pick up where they left off, and in the case of Astoria, not only did she pick up where she left off, she did it from another view point of one of the characters. I am very pleased that she chose the view point of Ethel and her daughter.
Ethel’s daughter, Connie Sara, was only touched on briefly towards the end of, “Knock, Knock” but to me she was one of the most pivotal characters in that book. When I picked up Astoria and found that it was a description of what it was like being the mother of this demonic hell spawn, it was simply pleased. I hated leaving the other book with unanswered questions and a need for deeper detailing…”Astoria” definitely caters to my want.
This story flowed so well I was able to zip through it in one afternoon of page turning. It’s suspenseful and griping. S.P. does so well with character creation and building on character’s emotions. She is a fine writer with strong imaginative capabilities that build around a dark and suspenseful horror filled afternoon.
The horror in this book is subtle, deep and though provoking.
I am now off to find “Delphine Dodd” the prequel to all the strangeness in the stories by S.P…and the Pacific Northwest.
Thank you for the books to review!
I love when authors pick up where they left off, and in the case of Astoria, not only did she pick up where she left off, she did it from another view point of one of the characters. I am very pleased that she chose the view point of Ethel and her daughter.
Ethel’s daughter, Connie Sara, was only touched on briefly towards the end of, “Knock, Knock” but to me she was one of the most pivotal characters in that book. When I picked up Astoria and found that it was a description of what it was like being the mother of this demonic hell spawn, it was simply pleased. I hated leaving the other book with unanswered questions and a need for deeper detailing…”Astoria” definitely caters to my want.
This story flowed so well I was able to zip through it in one afternoon of page turning. It’s suspenseful and griping. S.P. does so well with character creation and building on character’s emotions. She is a fine writer with strong imaginative capabilities that build around a dark and suspenseful horror filled afternoon.
The horror in this book is subtle, deep and though provoking.
I am now off to find “Delphine Dodd” the prequel to all the strangeness in the stories by S.P…and the Pacific Northwest.
Thank you for the books to review!
July 19, 2013
I immediately started to re-read this after finishing it, needing to gain a deeper understanding of the rich character development. There is so much wonderful inner conflict that I effortlessly lost myself in Ethel's head. I am sure I will be pondering this one for days and weeks to come, uncovering new layers of delicious subtlety, hopefully not too haunted by monstrous reflections in the darkness.
Although this story seems to be written fairly stand-alone, I would recommend reading "Knock Knock" first to become more familiar with Ethel before embarking with her to Astoria.
Although this story seems to be written fairly stand-alone, I would recommend reading "Knock Knock" first to become more familiar with Ethel before embarking with her to Astoria.
July 21, 2013
Great Novella by S.P. Mikowski. I would classify it as part psychological thriller, part ghost story and a bit of creepy fiction.
Ethel Sanders leaves her hometown, her family and friends to escape the tragic past she has endured. She ends up with more problems… but are they real or just part of her break away from reality?
Ethel Sanders leaves her hometown, her family and friends to escape the tragic past she has endured. She ends up with more problems… but are they real or just part of her break away from reality?
December 16, 2013
For myself- the sign of a good book is that I need to know how it ends....and yet, I don't want it to end because I'm enjoying it too much.
Astoria has great characters and a highly entertaining plot.
I will definitely be looking forward to the next work by this author.
This is a short review because I don't want to include any spoilers. Read this....you won't be disappointed.
Astoria has great characters and a highly entertaining plot.
I will definitely be looking forward to the next work by this author.
This is a short review because I don't want to include any spoilers. Read this....you won't be disappointed.
August 21, 2013
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis for Readers Short on Time: Excellent novella. Buy It.
Okay-for those that have a little more time; here is my detailed review:
This is the 4th time I’ve attempted to write a review for “Astoria.” The issue is that this little gem of a novella is part of S.P. Miskowski’s "Skillute Cycle"; a series of novellas that branch off from her mesmerizing full-length novel "Knock Knock" (you can find my detailed review of her full-length novel “Knock-Knock” here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ). As I have already read “Knock Knock,” recently completed “Astoria” and am halfway through “Delphine Dodd” (another “Skillute Cycle” novella), I am having a very difficult time separating “Astoria” from the others as they all intertwine to some degree; therefore, this review will encompass not only my thoughts about “Astoria” but also my thoughts on Miskowski’s writing style in general throughout the “Skillute Cycle” series.
While “Astoria” does work well as a stand-alone novella; in my opinion, you will get the most enjoyment from this story if you take the time to read the full-length novel that inspired it, “Knock Knock” (preferably first). Part of what makes this novella so exciting is the opportunity to learn even more about the memorable characters from the original novel. There are a few important character references scattered throughout “Astoria” that may not make sense to readers if read solely as a stand-alone novella. Regardless of the order in which you choose to read the stories that make up the “Skillute Cycle”; I feel confident in predicting that once you’ve read one book, you will want to read the others.
With that said, the beloved female characters from “Knock Knock” are back: Marietta, Beverly and Ethel. Beverly and Marietta do play a small role in this story; however, "Astoria" focuses mainly on Ethel’s life and what happens to her after an unexpected (yet not entirely unwelcome) 'event' completely alters her life, freeing her from the shackles of misery and despair that anchored her in place for far too long. So begins Ethel's journey (and the reader’s) as she spontaneously makes a decision that will forever alter the course of her life. Unfortunately, a person’s past is not so easily forgotten no matter how far or how fast one flees. Liberation can have grave consequences when running away from something rather than running toward something; often it’s difficult to recognize the difference. This is one of the many components of Ethel’s journey that we experience through her eyes.
Part of what I like most about Miskowski’s writing style throughout this series is her keen insight into the female psyche and the many diverse and very real issues that women struggle with. She does not hold back in her writing; delving deep and bravely peeling away the complex and varied layers of what it means to be ‘female’ in order to expose what really lies beneath including the painful, restless, dark and sometimes violent thoughts and images that reside there. It is refreshing to read a story in which a woman’s emotions and experiences are portrayed in such a brutally honest, raw and very real way.
To better illustrate what I mean by the author capturing the ‘darker’ side that resides within us; let’s start with being a mother (and remember: we’re talking ‘thoughts’ not necessarily ‘actions’). As a mother, have you ever been so angry at your child that a fleeting thought or image of doing them harm rose to the surface despite your best efforts to keep your cool? A baby who hasn’t stopped crying night after sleep deprived night for weeks or a very mouthy teenager pushing every one of your buttons repeatedly; any violent thoughts surface that surprised you and left you feeling ashamed? Let’s move on to the role of wife. Have you ever been so angry at your husband that an image or a thought of committing an act of violence against him races through your mind? Or perhaps you have daydreamed about getting in the car and escaping, if only briefly, from your seemingly endless responsibilities of being a mother and a wife?
The point is, we all have had these thoughts at one time or another and often feel ashamed that we have. This is part of the beauty of Miskowski’s writing: she dares to venture into these darker places, exploring and exposing these thoughts for what they really are: perfectly natural. Female readers will feel an immediate and deep connection to Miskowski’s characters; due in part to this largely ignored and uncharted aspect of female emotion that we all share. That’s what Ladies Night Out at Martini bars are really for: group confessionals! ;-)
I do want to emphasize one point in order to prevent any misunderstandings. I am not stating nor even suggesting that Miskowski is a “feminist” author; additionally, I would not place any writings from the “Skillute Cycle” under that genre. Both men and women can enjoy the world of supernatural fiction that Miskowski has created. What I am stating is that the author is very skilled at creating believable and memorable characters; in regard to her female characters, she has the unique ability of capturing and portraying women’s relationships, their friendships, their lives, their pain, their regrets and their deepest secrets in a very realistic way.
To also be clear, when it comes to Miskowski’s unique style of character-building; exploring the darker (and lighter) side of femininity is not her only forte. The characters in “Astoria” as well as her additional “Skillute Cycle” writings are so well-developed and have so much depth to them that it feels like the characters could easily walk right out of the book and into your living room where you would great them as you do an old friend. That’s the level to which readers can expect to connect with her characters. In “Astoria”, the main character Ethel is no exception. By the end of the novella, I felt so attached to her and her life that I did not want the story to come to a close.
Aside from the author’s ability to create characters that take on a life of their own, she is also very well-versed at crafting one heck of a story. For the “Skillute Cycle” as a whole including “Astoria,” think “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café” by Fannie Flagg meets “The Omen” directed by Richard Donner. Add in Miskowski’s signature writing style, a tightly woven and creative storyline centered around a dark secret shared by three close friends, and a heavy dose of nightmare fuel and you end up with an incredibly unique series that is nearly impossible to set-aside. Oh-and we must not forget the fact that the slow and steady build-up of sheer psychological horror will scare you to the point that your own shadow will run away in terror. Mine has yet to return...
Readers will also be happy to know that this book is very well-edited (a pet peeve of mine). The plots and subplots are all resolved, leaving no loose ends or unanswered questions. As this is part of a larger series, there will be an unavoidable level of curiosity as to how Ethel’s story ties into the larger story; however, that can easily be resolved by reading the additional books in the “Skillute Cycle” which I anticipate readers of “Astoria” will seek-out almost immediately after the last page has been read.
All in all, “Astoria” is a very good and chilling read and one that I highly recommend. This novella reads fast yet has the feel of a much longer novel which speaks to the author’s skill at providing the reader with a great amount of detail within a limited amount of space.
With all my praise, some may question why I only rated it 4 stars. Before I end this review, I find it is helpful to explain my star-rating system as I've learned it differs from how others may rate novels.
1 star: absolutely terrible; the worst of the worst
2 stars: has potential but needs work in some major areas
3 stars: enjoyable and entertaining; an average yet solid read
4 stars: near-perfect, very well-written, one I highly recommend and the highest rating I usually give
5 stars: only given to those VERY RARE novels that have staying power; one that is so powerful that I find myself thinking about it long after I've finished it. I have been known to occasionally return to a 4-star read, up the rating to 5 stars and notate that in my edited review if I find that I am still thinking about the novel weeks or months later.
As a handy reference, here is the list of the books that are part of the “Skillute Cycle”:
-“Knock Knock”; full-length novel upon which the 3 additional novellas are based
-“Delphine Dodd”
-“Astoria”
-“In the Light”; Note: I have not been able to find this novella for purchase. It may not be in circulation yet but I am assuming that it will be soon..?
Before you read the following disclosure, I want to clarify to readers that I came across and purchased “Knock Knock” on Amazon for my Kindle last year as I was intrigued by the description. The only book that I was recently contacted about reviewing for the author in exchange for a free copy is “Astoria.” After she contacted me, I sought out on my own and bought “Delphine Dodd” for my Kindle as well. I was previously unaware of the “Skillute Cycle” or I would have purchased both novellas immediately after reading “Knock Knock.”
*In full disclosure with FTC guidelines, I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I do not know the author personally nor did the receipt of this book impact or alter my review in any way.*
Okay-for those that have a little more time; here is my detailed review:
This is the 4th time I’ve attempted to write a review for “Astoria.” The issue is that this little gem of a novella is part of S.P. Miskowski’s "Skillute Cycle"; a series of novellas that branch off from her mesmerizing full-length novel "Knock Knock" (you can find my detailed review of her full-length novel “Knock-Knock” here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ). As I have already read “Knock Knock,” recently completed “Astoria” and am halfway through “Delphine Dodd” (another “Skillute Cycle” novella), I am having a very difficult time separating “Astoria” from the others as they all intertwine to some degree; therefore, this review will encompass not only my thoughts about “Astoria” but also my thoughts on Miskowski’s writing style in general throughout the “Skillute Cycle” series.
While “Astoria” does work well as a stand-alone novella; in my opinion, you will get the most enjoyment from this story if you take the time to read the full-length novel that inspired it, “Knock Knock” (preferably first). Part of what makes this novella so exciting is the opportunity to learn even more about the memorable characters from the original novel. There are a few important character references scattered throughout “Astoria” that may not make sense to readers if read solely as a stand-alone novella. Regardless of the order in which you choose to read the stories that make up the “Skillute Cycle”; I feel confident in predicting that once you’ve read one book, you will want to read the others.
With that said, the beloved female characters from “Knock Knock” are back: Marietta, Beverly and Ethel. Beverly and Marietta do play a small role in this story; however, "Astoria" focuses mainly on Ethel’s life and what happens to her after an unexpected (yet not entirely unwelcome) 'event' completely alters her life, freeing her from the shackles of misery and despair that anchored her in place for far too long. So begins Ethel's journey (and the reader’s) as she spontaneously makes a decision that will forever alter the course of her life. Unfortunately, a person’s past is not so easily forgotten no matter how far or how fast one flees. Liberation can have grave consequences when running away from something rather than running toward something; often it’s difficult to recognize the difference. This is one of the many components of Ethel’s journey that we experience through her eyes.
Part of what I like most about Miskowski’s writing style throughout this series is her keen insight into the female psyche and the many diverse and very real issues that women struggle with. She does not hold back in her writing; delving deep and bravely peeling away the complex and varied layers of what it means to be ‘female’ in order to expose what really lies beneath including the painful, restless, dark and sometimes violent thoughts and images that reside there. It is refreshing to read a story in which a woman’s emotions and experiences are portrayed in such a brutally honest, raw and very real way.
To better illustrate what I mean by the author capturing the ‘darker’ side that resides within us; let’s start with being a mother (and remember: we’re talking ‘thoughts’ not necessarily ‘actions’). As a mother, have you ever been so angry at your child that a fleeting thought or image of doing them harm rose to the surface despite your best efforts to keep your cool? A baby who hasn’t stopped crying night after sleep deprived night for weeks or a very mouthy teenager pushing every one of your buttons repeatedly; any violent thoughts surface that surprised you and left you feeling ashamed? Let’s move on to the role of wife. Have you ever been so angry at your husband that an image or a thought of committing an act of violence against him races through your mind? Or perhaps you have daydreamed about getting in the car and escaping, if only briefly, from your seemingly endless responsibilities of being a mother and a wife?
The point is, we all have had these thoughts at one time or another and often feel ashamed that we have. This is part of the beauty of Miskowski’s writing: she dares to venture into these darker places, exploring and exposing these thoughts for what they really are: perfectly natural. Female readers will feel an immediate and deep connection to Miskowski’s characters; due in part to this largely ignored and uncharted aspect of female emotion that we all share. That’s what Ladies Night Out at Martini bars are really for: group confessionals! ;-)
I do want to emphasize one point in order to prevent any misunderstandings. I am not stating nor even suggesting that Miskowski is a “feminist” author; additionally, I would not place any writings from the “Skillute Cycle” under that genre. Both men and women can enjoy the world of supernatural fiction that Miskowski has created. What I am stating is that the author is very skilled at creating believable and memorable characters; in regard to her female characters, she has the unique ability of capturing and portraying women’s relationships, their friendships, their lives, their pain, their regrets and their deepest secrets in a very realistic way.
To also be clear, when it comes to Miskowski’s unique style of character-building; exploring the darker (and lighter) side of femininity is not her only forte. The characters in “Astoria” as well as her additional “Skillute Cycle” writings are so well-developed and have so much depth to them that it feels like the characters could easily walk right out of the book and into your living room where you would great them as you do an old friend. That’s the level to which readers can expect to connect with her characters. In “Astoria”, the main character Ethel is no exception. By the end of the novella, I felt so attached to her and her life that I did not want the story to come to a close.
Aside from the author’s ability to create characters that take on a life of their own, she is also very well-versed at crafting one heck of a story. For the “Skillute Cycle” as a whole including “Astoria,” think “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café” by Fannie Flagg meets “The Omen” directed by Richard Donner. Add in Miskowski’s signature writing style, a tightly woven and creative storyline centered around a dark secret shared by three close friends, and a heavy dose of nightmare fuel and you end up with an incredibly unique series that is nearly impossible to set-aside. Oh-and we must not forget the fact that the slow and steady build-up of sheer psychological horror will scare you to the point that your own shadow will run away in terror. Mine has yet to return...
Readers will also be happy to know that this book is very well-edited (a pet peeve of mine). The plots and subplots are all resolved, leaving no loose ends or unanswered questions. As this is part of a larger series, there will be an unavoidable level of curiosity as to how Ethel’s story ties into the larger story; however, that can easily be resolved by reading the additional books in the “Skillute Cycle” which I anticipate readers of “Astoria” will seek-out almost immediately after the last page has been read.
All in all, “Astoria” is a very good and chilling read and one that I highly recommend. This novella reads fast yet has the feel of a much longer novel which speaks to the author’s skill at providing the reader with a great amount of detail within a limited amount of space.
With all my praise, some may question why I only rated it 4 stars. Before I end this review, I find it is helpful to explain my star-rating system as I've learned it differs from how others may rate novels.
1 star: absolutely terrible; the worst of the worst
2 stars: has potential but needs work in some major areas
3 stars: enjoyable and entertaining; an average yet solid read
4 stars: near-perfect, very well-written, one I highly recommend and the highest rating I usually give
5 stars: only given to those VERY RARE novels that have staying power; one that is so powerful that I find myself thinking about it long after I've finished it. I have been known to occasionally return to a 4-star read, up the rating to 5 stars and notate that in my edited review if I find that I am still thinking about the novel weeks or months later.
As a handy reference, here is the list of the books that are part of the “Skillute Cycle”:
-“Knock Knock”; full-length novel upon which the 3 additional novellas are based
-“Delphine Dodd”
-“Astoria”
-“In the Light”; Note: I have not been able to find this novella for purchase. It may not be in circulation yet but I am assuming that it will be soon..?
Before you read the following disclosure, I want to clarify to readers that I came across and purchased “Knock Knock” on Amazon for my Kindle last year as I was intrigued by the description. The only book that I was recently contacted about reviewing for the author in exchange for a free copy is “Astoria.” After she contacted me, I sought out on my own and bought “Delphine Dodd” for my Kindle as well. I was previously unaware of the “Skillute Cycle” or I would have purchased both novellas immediately after reading “Knock Knock.”
*In full disclosure with FTC guidelines, I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I do not know the author personally nor did the receipt of this book impact or alter my review in any way.*
March 16, 2020
I've done myself a disservice by not reading Miskowski's Skillute Cycle sooner. I actually let a year pass between reading Knock Knock (book 1) and the next book (Delphine Dodd). But I enjoyed that book so well I immediately bought this book and read it in the same day. I'm happy to report that the quality of writing is just as high as in the previous two books, and the story develops more of what is happening with the characters from Skillute. But this is the Weirdest offering thus far, thanks to the strange circumstances that befall the protagonist when she leaves Skillute. Where she ends up and what happens to her definitely wander into the Weird horror realm. But she handles these different elements with the same thoroughness she handles all other facets of her writing, and it all makes for an enthralling and entertaining read.
September 16, 2013
The worst thing I can say about Astoria, the second novella in S.P. Miskowski's wonderful "Skillute Cycle", is that I wish I could remove those last two letters from the word and call it a novel. Miskowski is one of the best horror authors that I've discovered in recent years, and she is using some interesting techniques to bring us into this frightening world she has created. Beginning in 2011 with Knock Knock (in my opinion, the best horror novel of the year), Miskowski introduced us to Skillute, Washington, and created a fictional town worthy of a space on the twisted atlas of the imagination alongside places like Arkham and Salem's Lot. Rather than go for a sequel, she has chosen to expand on this story with a series of novellas. Last year's Delphine Dodd was shortlisted for a Shirley Jackson award and received well deserved praise and recognition, but I think Astoria is even better.
Astoria primarily deals with Ethel Sanders and her escape from Skillute in the midst of the tragic events of Knock Knock. Ethel begins the story in a fractured state -- her delicate and uneasy family life is destroyed, and she finds herself lost and broken after a tense decade-long domestic stalemate. Herself a child of a broken home with a tragic end, Astoria suggests -- but never tells -- much about cycles of abuse and human weakness. And, while some of Ethel's situation can be excused because of supernatural occurrences, it is interesting and insightful for the reader to view the tragic events around the birth and demise of that evil little turd (sorry) Connie Sara as symbolic of the ways that family tragedies, broken homes, and parental abuse haunt and pursue us in real life.
We do rejoin Ethel's story while she is in flight, running from demons both real and imagined, and Miskowski never pulls the lens far enough out of Ethel's mind to intrude with expository explanations. This is one of the strengths of novellas -- as much as I loved Knock Knock, a wider lens had to be used on that larger story, and I was always very curious about getting deeper into Ethel's mind. I felt like, throughout that novel, we had been kept at a distance, and spending this brief time with her in Astoria really does help to enrich my understanding of her as a person and brings her to life in a very real and most importantly believable way. I particularly enjoyed being in Ethel's mind on her manic car ride during her escape from Skillute -- her frenzied desperation to put distance between herself and her home were perfectly conveyed in these scenes. What Hitchcock managed to convey with Janet Leigh's grim and determined face juxtaposed against the frenetic score on her drive early in Psycho, Miskowski manages to do here in prose.
Another aspect I found fascinating is a re-imagining of the "demon child" trope (most effectively used and often tied to feminist backlash in the late 60's/early 70's by Levin in Rosemary's Baby and Blatty in The Exorcist). With all due respect to both of these classic novels, it is fascinating to experience the psychological and emotional damage tied to either the failure or success of the act of giving birth and how it can impact a woman's sense of self.
Miskowski's prose is sharp and to the point -- she writes more in the Shirley Jackson camp than someone more florid like, say, Stoker. Ethel is a great protagonist of the Jacksonian type for a story of this kind -- because she has recently experienced such an intense amount of trauma and stress, her perceptions are already flawed and her emotional state is fragile enough so that we have a sense of nervousness and psychological unraveling before anything even happens. Given more context for Ethel's behavior and insight into her mind makes her extremely damaged and nearly broken existence even more heartbreaking, and we find ourselves all too easily empathizing with her desire to violently beat a child and pathologically lie about her identity.
Although the reference to Frankenstein and Shelly's misunderstood and ill treated monster is applicable, I found the mention of Jane Eyre to be particularly fascinating. Indeed, it almost seems as if the final third of the novella is setting up a wonderful bit of tension between Ethel and the mysterious owner of the house she is watching, and one could almost imagine Ethel coming down the steps wearing Rebecca's dress at Manderly. Miskowski sets these final scenes with great care and detail, and it is almost disappointing to have the ending come suddenly (and tragically) just when I was getting ready to sink into what felt like the beginnings of a great gothic novel.
Astoria is a great companion piece to a great novel, and another huge victory for Miskowski. A nearly perfect and wickedly fun (if you find the heartbreaking tale of a broken woman's demise and her unsettling descent into insanity to be fun, that is...and I guess I do) read, it is a win on all accounts. There is a lot packed into this slim volume, and there is plenty to delight and disturb as you curl up with it one (hopefully stormy) evening with a glass of wine. With its only flaw being the fact that it leaves greedy readers like myself wanting more, Astoria is highly recommended on all levels, and is the clear forerunner for novella of the year for me. Rating: A-
- See more at: http://geeksout.org/blogs/ranerdin/bo...
Astoria primarily deals with Ethel Sanders and her escape from Skillute in the midst of the tragic events of Knock Knock. Ethel begins the story in a fractured state -- her delicate and uneasy family life is destroyed, and she finds herself lost and broken after a tense decade-long domestic stalemate. Herself a child of a broken home with a tragic end, Astoria suggests -- but never tells -- much about cycles of abuse and human weakness. And, while some of Ethel's situation can be excused because of supernatural occurrences, it is interesting and insightful for the reader to view the tragic events around the birth and demise of that evil little turd (sorry) Connie Sara as symbolic of the ways that family tragedies, broken homes, and parental abuse haunt and pursue us in real life.
We do rejoin Ethel's story while she is in flight, running from demons both real and imagined, and Miskowski never pulls the lens far enough out of Ethel's mind to intrude with expository explanations. This is one of the strengths of novellas -- as much as I loved Knock Knock, a wider lens had to be used on that larger story, and I was always very curious about getting deeper into Ethel's mind. I felt like, throughout that novel, we had been kept at a distance, and spending this brief time with her in Astoria really does help to enrich my understanding of her as a person and brings her to life in a very real and most importantly believable way. I particularly enjoyed being in Ethel's mind on her manic car ride during her escape from Skillute -- her frenzied desperation to put distance between herself and her home were perfectly conveyed in these scenes. What Hitchcock managed to convey with Janet Leigh's grim and determined face juxtaposed against the frenetic score on her drive early in Psycho, Miskowski manages to do here in prose.
Another aspect I found fascinating is a re-imagining of the "demon child" trope (most effectively used and often tied to feminist backlash in the late 60's/early 70's by Levin in Rosemary's Baby and Blatty in The Exorcist). With all due respect to both of these classic novels, it is fascinating to experience the psychological and emotional damage tied to either the failure or success of the act of giving birth and how it can impact a woman's sense of self.
Miskowski's prose is sharp and to the point -- she writes more in the Shirley Jackson camp than someone more florid like, say, Stoker. Ethel is a great protagonist of the Jacksonian type for a story of this kind -- because she has recently experienced such an intense amount of trauma and stress, her perceptions are already flawed and her emotional state is fragile enough so that we have a sense of nervousness and psychological unraveling before anything even happens. Given more context for Ethel's behavior and insight into her mind makes her extremely damaged and nearly broken existence even more heartbreaking, and we find ourselves all too easily empathizing with her desire to violently beat a child and pathologically lie about her identity.
Although the reference to Frankenstein and Shelly's misunderstood and ill treated monster is applicable, I found the mention of Jane Eyre to be particularly fascinating. Indeed, it almost seems as if the final third of the novella is setting up a wonderful bit of tension between Ethel and the mysterious owner of the house she is watching, and one could almost imagine Ethel coming down the steps wearing Rebecca's dress at Manderly. Miskowski sets these final scenes with great care and detail, and it is almost disappointing to have the ending come suddenly (and tragically) just when I was getting ready to sink into what felt like the beginnings of a great gothic novel.
Astoria is a great companion piece to a great novel, and another huge victory for Miskowski. A nearly perfect and wickedly fun (if you find the heartbreaking tale of a broken woman's demise and her unsettling descent into insanity to be fun, that is...and I guess I do) read, it is a win on all accounts. There is a lot packed into this slim volume, and there is plenty to delight and disturb as you curl up with it one (hopefully stormy) evening with a glass of wine. With its only flaw being the fact that it leaves greedy readers like myself wanting more, Astoria is highly recommended on all levels, and is the clear forerunner for novella of the year for me. Rating: A-
- See more at: http://geeksout.org/blogs/ranerdin/bo...
January 29, 2014
Last year I pretty much exclusively stuck to re-reading the works of Harry Harrison and Ray Bradbury, essentially saving the best til last and finishing up 2013 with a return to Something Wicked This Way Comes. All of which meant I was quite a while getting around to reading this novella, but given that I’d made favourable comparisons between SP Miskowski’s Knock Knock and Bradbury’s Something Wicked it was a fitting treat to start this year with what in some respects is a sequel to Knock Knock.
I say ‘some respects’ because it reads more like a selection of deleted scenes that you might find among the DVD extras. Those scenes do tell a story and they tell it with Miskowski’s customary flair and insight. Her grasp of atmosphere, character and setting and her gift for crafting mood remains – as I said with Knock Knock and it’s not a word I get to use very often in book reviews – superlative.
Here, we explore the path taken by one of Knock Knock’s central cast – Ethel – as she takes flight from the town of Skillute in an attempt to escape her past and forge some kind of future for herself. Her desperation is tangible and befitting a woman who has remained too-long imprisoned in her own life and has just lost a daughter she by and large dreaded and loathed. Without wishing to give away spoilers, you get a sense that things will not end well for Ethel.
Still, wherever the path ultimately takes us, this is definitely one of those cases where it’s at least as much about the journey as the destination. The detail the author has invested in her protagonist’s (I’m tempted to just say ‘agonist’) background and thought processes paints the portrait of a real life lived and it’s rare to find an author who can get inside the heads of her characters so completely.
As with Knock Knock, it’s a slow-burn. Which is not to say it took a long time to read (far from it, once I’d started!) but rather, it’s a story where you’ll want to savour the detail because it matters. My only quibble with this one is that after taking its time in such a measured and attentive way, it hurries too quickly to its end. Just as it begins to construct an added layer of mystery, it’s over. So I guess I would have preferred a similarly measured and paced approach to the final stages.
That aside, it’s a highly recommended addition to the SP Miskowski library. You almost certainly need to have read Knock Knock beforehand, but trust me, that’s very highly recommended too.
SAF
I say ‘some respects’ because it reads more like a selection of deleted scenes that you might find among the DVD extras. Those scenes do tell a story and they tell it with Miskowski’s customary flair and insight. Her grasp of atmosphere, character and setting and her gift for crafting mood remains – as I said with Knock Knock and it’s not a word I get to use very often in book reviews – superlative.
Here, we explore the path taken by one of Knock Knock’s central cast – Ethel – as she takes flight from the town of Skillute in an attempt to escape her past and forge some kind of future for herself. Her desperation is tangible and befitting a woman who has remained too-long imprisoned in her own life and has just lost a daughter she by and large dreaded and loathed. Without wishing to give away spoilers, you get a sense that things will not end well for Ethel.
Still, wherever the path ultimately takes us, this is definitely one of those cases where it’s at least as much about the journey as the destination. The detail the author has invested in her protagonist’s (I’m tempted to just say ‘agonist’) background and thought processes paints the portrait of a real life lived and it’s rare to find an author who can get inside the heads of her characters so completely.
As with Knock Knock, it’s a slow-burn. Which is not to say it took a long time to read (far from it, once I’d started!) but rather, it’s a story where you’ll want to savour the detail because it matters. My only quibble with this one is that after taking its time in such a measured and attentive way, it hurries too quickly to its end. Just as it begins to construct an added layer of mystery, it’s over. So I guess I would have preferred a similarly measured and paced approach to the final stages.
That aside, it’s a highly recommended addition to the SP Miskowski library. You almost certainly need to have read Knock Knock beforehand, but trust me, that’s very highly recommended too.
SAF
August 12, 2015
I loved Knock Knock, the main book these short stories from the Skillute Cycle are based on, but Astoria felt a little mediocre, especially compared to Delphine Dodd. The writing was great and it easily kept my attention, but never fully drew me in. I had a hard time feeling much sympathy for Ethel, or empathizing with her character.
It was nice to get some more insight about what happened to Ethel, but most of the first half felt repetitive, I guess to provide context for those who haven't read Knock Knock. I enjoyed atmosphere and the slightly creepy parts towards the end, but the story didn't seem as well-constructed and the ending felt a bit anti-climactic.
I think this story would be much more enjoyable for someone who could better relate to Ethel's character. Overall, it was an interesting read, but didn't leave a lasting impression.
It was nice to get some more insight about what happened to Ethel, but most of the first half felt repetitive, I guess to provide context for those who haven't read Knock Knock. I enjoyed atmosphere and the slightly creepy parts towards the end, but the story didn't seem as well-constructed and the ending felt a bit anti-climactic.
I think this story would be much more enjoyable for someone who could better relate to Ethel's character. Overall, it was an interesting read, but didn't leave a lasting impression.
July 27, 2013
I received an ARC a couple weeks ago. Took me awhile to actually sit down and open it on my kindle. It was a very good extension of her book Knock Knock. If you have not read Knock Knock, you will be somewhat lost, it is better understood if you read Knock Knock first.
I enjoyed this book and finished it in one setting. It left me wanting to know more about what happens to Ethel. I can't wait for the next book!!
I enjoyed this book and finished it in one setting. It left me wanting to know more about what happens to Ethel. I can't wait for the next book!!
December 14, 2016
I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as Knock Knock and Delphine Dodd but S.P. Miskowski's brilliant writing still made this a compelling and fantastic read.
Miskowski delves in to the mind of Ethel, a character from Knock Knock, a gives us insight into her turmoil, misery and expands her story within the Skillute Cycle.
This is a quick and entertaining read with another awesome ending - Miskowski really knows how to end a story!
Miskowski delves in to the mind of Ethel, a character from Knock Knock, a gives us insight into her turmoil, misery and expands her story within the Skillute Cycle.
This is a quick and entertaining read with another awesome ending - Miskowski really knows how to end a story!
September 12, 2013
This book is a tale of misery and sadness with a supernatural twist. I found the book very interesting and it held the right creep factor. Character development in this book was well done and you were able to understand why the main character does what she does at the end.
October 31, 2018
After reading the first couple of paragraphs I was not at all sure I could continue. There are a handful of things that make a book unreadable for me. Brutality in any form is high on that list and the first few pages of this book are brutal. But this is the third book in the Skillute Cycle and my desire to know more about Skillute outweighed my immediate revulsion. More importantly, I trust S.P. as a writer and I was confident that the violence was necessary to the story. And indeed the first few pages are hard to read but you know immediately that Connie Sara is not a normal little girl, not even a normal little monster. You don't want to know what she is, but you have to and better to get it over with quickly, like tearing off a band aid. From then on everything her mother Ethel does to erase her life and create a new one that is just ordinary makes perfect sense. Except when Ethel's life stops making any sense at all. Poor Ethel. Skillute is a hard place to live and an even harder place to escape.
March 1, 2019
This is an extremely internal narrative, exploring Ethel’s feelings from the time her parents died in a fire when she was young, to everything she went through with Connie Sara. She’s always been the charity case, the poor relative, learning to smile sweetly and curtsey so her aunt would get better tips as a seamstress. Now she’s done with smiling and saying thank you. She’s ready to cut loose and take what she wants through lies and moxie. There’s a lot of insight here into the kind of woman she is in the time and place and circumstances in which she lives.
Minor content warning: there’s some discussion about Connie Sara’s tendency to maim and kill animals, and there’s a small amount of adult material and gore. This is really an internal horror story, however, not a gore-fest. I think I got a lot more out of it from having read Knock Knock first, but I think you could read them in a different order.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/03/s...
Minor content warning: there’s some discussion about Connie Sara’s tendency to maim and kill animals, and there’s a small amount of adult material and gore. This is really an internal horror story, however, not a gore-fest. I think I got a lot more out of it from having read Knock Knock first, but I think you could read them in a different order.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/03/s...
February 17, 2015
Astoria is the third book in S.P. Miskowski's Skillute Cycle. A novella that acts as a sequel to her powerful debut novel, Knock Knock. The story focuses on Ethel Sanders and her abrupt departure from Skillute, following the tragic events that took place in Knock Knock. Ethel was my favorite character in Knock Knock, so I particularly enjoyed this exploration of her character, further developing her and giving us a rather revealing look at her thoughts, her emotions, and what makes her tick. Ethel finds, however, that Skillute casts a large shadow, and no matter where she goes, she'll never truly be able to escape.
Ethel leaves Skillute with the hopes of starting over, giving herself a clean slate. She intends on changing every aspect of herself, attempting to completely erase her past in Skillute. This is both exciting and terrifying for her. Her whole life, all she knew was Skillute, and nothing else. Despite her hatred for Skillute, it was familiar to her, and actually acted as a safe haven. She felt the pull of Skillute, it was calling out to her to come back. If she didn't act fast, she would have turned around and drove back.
Ethel though of Long Beach, a place she often went to as a child, and could provide her with the safety she was needing, and, most important, it wasn't Skillute. The ocean tides of Long Beach conjure a lot of memories for Ethel, reminding her of times in Skillute and certain events she experienced during her childhood. When it comes to atmosphere, Miskowski truly shines. Her description of Long Beach creates an atmosphere that comes off, for Ethel, as haunting.
The pearl gray sand and the lilac haze from the sky merged here, throughout the summers of her childhood. A diffuse light had woven the colors of sky and beach. It made her heart ache to remember it. She would have loved to be here in July, with all the kites in the air. She wondered if she would ever see that sight again. As she strolled along the sidewalk in the brisk, cold breeze another memory came to her unbidden.
It's this kind of masterful writing and detailed imagery that whisked me away from my sofa. I was there, with Ethel, at Long Beach, sharing in her memories.
Ethel knew she couldn't stay at Long Beach. She needed to keep going, to escape even further. She decides she is going to completely change her identity, and be the opposite of everything she was while living in Skillute. Identity is an important theme in Astoria. Miskowski often writes of reflections and body doubles. Several times Ethel thought she saw someone who resembled her, and often saw her reflection in mirrors and windows. I feel these scenes serve to emphasize the important role of identity. The entire book is Ethel attempting to completely reshape who she is. She wants to be someone else. She changes her wardrobe, dyes her hair, and even gives herself a different name. All of this is to erase her old self, her old identity.
Ethel decides to look at want ads, and finds something that catches her eye: a house sitting job in Astoria. She contacts James Bevin, the owner of the house, and sets up a meeting with him. She gives herself her makeover, and sets off for Astoria. When Ethel arrives in Astoria, things begin to take a turn for the truly strange. Astoria is a sad, haunting, and strange place. The street the house is located on is marked by old Victorian houses and overgrown vegetation and rusting lawn furniture, except for the house she was staying in. Among the historical Victorian houses, it was truly modern. Astoria as whole, though, was odd. Houses stood at odd angles, creating the image of a "play set," a "jumble of buildings arranged in no order, ruled by whimsy." To say anymore about the story would be to spoil it. All I can say is that, in Astoria, reality is truly subjective, and things only get stranger, culminating in Ethel's past finally catching up with her. Ethel's time in Astoria plays out like a David Lynch film. Again, Miskowski shows us why she is the queen of atmosphere.
The mist in the atmosphere shifted and swayed. The damp, the mist, the very air made a sighing sound. As she walked, it rose until she felt it at her back, mocking her. When she reached the wooden arch, she bolted. She didn't stop to glance back and read the sign painted on the arch.
Every aspect of Astoria was almost palpable. I forgot where I was because I was deeply immersed in Miskowki's world. There is still one more book in the Skillute Cycle, but I think it's safe for me to say that Astoria is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the series. Starting with Knock Knock, you can clearly see the progression in Miskowski's writing; you can see that she is honing her craft as a weaver of haunting and poignant tales that will assuredly leave an indelible mark on you. Astoria is Miskowski showing us what she is capable of; why she is a powerhouse of Horror. It's a perfect blend of psychology and horror, both real and supernatural. All those elements come together so smoothly, it's hard to tell if many of things Ethel experiences are real, or something otherworldly. Miskowski knows every nook and cranny of human nature, and is not afraid to explore some of the more darker aspects of our nature; aspects we must acknowledge.
Ethel leaves Skillute with the hopes of starting over, giving herself a clean slate. She intends on changing every aspect of herself, attempting to completely erase her past in Skillute. This is both exciting and terrifying for her. Her whole life, all she knew was Skillute, and nothing else. Despite her hatred for Skillute, it was familiar to her, and actually acted as a safe haven. She felt the pull of Skillute, it was calling out to her to come back. If she didn't act fast, she would have turned around and drove back.
Ethel though of Long Beach, a place she often went to as a child, and could provide her with the safety she was needing, and, most important, it wasn't Skillute. The ocean tides of Long Beach conjure a lot of memories for Ethel, reminding her of times in Skillute and certain events she experienced during her childhood. When it comes to atmosphere, Miskowski truly shines. Her description of Long Beach creates an atmosphere that comes off, for Ethel, as haunting.
The pearl gray sand and the lilac haze from the sky merged here, throughout the summers of her childhood. A diffuse light had woven the colors of sky and beach. It made her heart ache to remember it. She would have loved to be here in July, with all the kites in the air. She wondered if she would ever see that sight again. As she strolled along the sidewalk in the brisk, cold breeze another memory came to her unbidden.
It's this kind of masterful writing and detailed imagery that whisked me away from my sofa. I was there, with Ethel, at Long Beach, sharing in her memories.
Ethel knew she couldn't stay at Long Beach. She needed to keep going, to escape even further. She decides she is going to completely change her identity, and be the opposite of everything she was while living in Skillute. Identity is an important theme in Astoria. Miskowski often writes of reflections and body doubles. Several times Ethel thought she saw someone who resembled her, and often saw her reflection in mirrors and windows. I feel these scenes serve to emphasize the important role of identity. The entire book is Ethel attempting to completely reshape who she is. She wants to be someone else. She changes her wardrobe, dyes her hair, and even gives herself a different name. All of this is to erase her old self, her old identity.
Ethel decides to look at want ads, and finds something that catches her eye: a house sitting job in Astoria. She contacts James Bevin, the owner of the house, and sets up a meeting with him. She gives herself her makeover, and sets off for Astoria. When Ethel arrives in Astoria, things begin to take a turn for the truly strange. Astoria is a sad, haunting, and strange place. The street the house is located on is marked by old Victorian houses and overgrown vegetation and rusting lawn furniture, except for the house she was staying in. Among the historical Victorian houses, it was truly modern. Astoria as whole, though, was odd. Houses stood at odd angles, creating the image of a "play set," a "jumble of buildings arranged in no order, ruled by whimsy." To say anymore about the story would be to spoil it. All I can say is that, in Astoria, reality is truly subjective, and things only get stranger, culminating in Ethel's past finally catching up with her. Ethel's time in Astoria plays out like a David Lynch film. Again, Miskowski shows us why she is the queen of atmosphere.
The mist in the atmosphere shifted and swayed. The damp, the mist, the very air made a sighing sound. As she walked, it rose until she felt it at her back, mocking her. When she reached the wooden arch, she bolted. She didn't stop to glance back and read the sign painted on the arch.
Every aspect of Astoria was almost palpable. I forgot where I was because I was deeply immersed in Miskowki's world. There is still one more book in the Skillute Cycle, but I think it's safe for me to say that Astoria is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the series. Starting with Knock Knock, you can clearly see the progression in Miskowski's writing; you can see that she is honing her craft as a weaver of haunting and poignant tales that will assuredly leave an indelible mark on you. Astoria is Miskowski showing us what she is capable of; why she is a powerhouse of Horror. It's a perfect blend of psychology and horror, both real and supernatural. All those elements come together so smoothly, it's hard to tell if many of things Ethel experiences are real, or something otherworldly. Miskowski knows every nook and cranny of human nature, and is not afraid to explore some of the more darker aspects of our nature; aspects we must acknowledge.
September 6, 2018
Another fine chapter in the Skillute series!
I'd read a couple of other books by Miss Miskowski (I Wish I Was Like You, Muscadines) which I enjoyed so decided to take a chance on Knock, Knock. Well here I am finished with the 3rd book in the series and I can't wait to start the next!
I'd read a couple of other books by Miss Miskowski (I Wish I Was Like You, Muscadines) which I enjoyed so decided to take a chance on Knock, Knock. Well here I am finished with the 3rd book in the series and I can't wait to start the next!
May 18, 2018
This is the only one of the series that I could’ve done without. Knock Knock and the other two in the cycle are awesome!
November 10, 2013
In this story, Ethel flees her home after a tragedy that she cannot deal with. She ends up in a town called Astoria and tries to start anew there. I have not read anything else in the author’s series about Skillute, but I am not sure not reading the rest of the series is such a bad idea. It probably would have helped me understand this story more. As it is, I found this story lacking in good storyline, the character difficult if not impossible to relate to and the minor mention of the other characters (all from the other book, I figured) too short to give the story any real meaning. In fact, the mention of them really only left me wanting to know who they were and how they figured. The author also alluded to things related to them without explanation, which did not help me understand or like the story. There was little or no backfill. I found Ethel a despicable character, who really did not deserve to be a mother, though other women also do not deserve this. Just what exactly her daughter was doing or was guilty of was never really made clear. Perhaps the other stories might have helped in in that regard. I just knew it was terrible and totally unforgiving. I also wondered why the parents did not get any help for the little girl or where social services were. In short, the story lacked a lot of reality, had a character and setting I neither could understand nor relate to. I do not recommend this to anyone who has not read the rest of the series. Frankly, unless you are into this dart stuff, you probably will come away dissatisfied as I did. I received this from Library Thing to read and review honestly.
November 11, 2013
There is so much to love in S.P. Miskowski’s fiction: gorgeous imagery, a flinty narrative voice, vividly drawn, complex characters and stories that keep you up late into the night. I tore through the first two installments in her Skillute Cycle, Knock Knock and Delphine Dodd, and even if I wanted to savor Astoria (knowing it’s the second-to-last novella in the cycle) I couldn’t help but devour it in one sitting. With a central character as confused and damaged as any drawn by Shirley Jackson and the appearance of a child who could kick serious ass in a cage fight with those freaky kids from A Turn of the Screw, Miskowski has written another terrifying, deeply disorienting page-turner that proves she’s a master of literary horror. I can’t wait for the next book.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews