Jack

Jack is an beautifully well written and atmospheric gothic novella set in London during the blitz during WW2. Originally released in 1991, this reformat and re-release in a special hardcover edition from Subterranean Press and Connie Willis is 112 pages.

I really loved everything about this read. There are classic nods to horror fiction from the past at the same time maintaining a wonderfully clean and distinct narrative which never devolves into homage. The characters are so distinctly drawn and motivated that they live and breathe. The narrative arc is precisely controlled and the denouement crisply delivered (and bittersweet).

I started reading at bedtime and I'm glad it was a short book because there's absolutely no way I could've put it down before finishing it.

Wonderful novella from a talented author at the top of her game. (Trivia factoid: The author has won more major awards in the SF/Fantasy category than any other writer - 11 Hugos and 7 Nebulas (nebulae?)).

Five stars. Fabulous short read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.