This is one of those times I am mad at myself for taking so long to finally dive into a story by an author who has had a few books under their belt and people tend to like. Finally, with Dichotomy, I decided to take the plunge and am better for it in the end. Dichotomy by Katherine Silva is a terrifying and atmospheric feminist horror that had me gripping the pages tight from start to finish.
On a rainy spring evening on an island in Lake Ontario, a research project erupts in violence. Dichotomy pits those still alive fighting for survival against assimilation in its most sacred, feral, and feminine form.
Silva has been one of those authors around the horror scene in New England people have been raving about, but I hadn’t gotten around to reading. I felt that Dichotomy was a good place to start, which has made me want to read so much more. This story is one that immersed me in the tale on this island where things go terribly wrong and the frightening moments are almost as terrifying at the deeper meaning the book brings to light.
A remarkable horror is one that scares you, unsettles you, but also timely and poignant at the same time. We live in a horrible time and things don’t seem to be getting better, especially for certain groups of people. Mix this with terrifying storytelling and you get one frightening novel.
Dichotomy is an intense story from start to finish. Silva weaves in elements that almost feel like a Resident Evil story (minus the undead) with a beautifully sad and emotional core. Fast-paced action along with deeper and emotional moments that ground the story. A mix that can sometimes be hard to accomplish but Silva does with ease. Not to mention carrying the weight of exploring how women at treated by the healthcare system in a way that blends well within a horror tale. Silva knew how to grab this reader and not let go.
“This story will stay with you” sounds just like a thing you should say after reading a good book, but I truly feel this now that I have closed the final page. Silva has a way of crafting dialogue, descriptions, imagery, and setting to creep under your skin and park for a good long while. It’s not a cop-out to say that I will be sitting in Dichotomy for a bit now and will continue to think back to what Silva put on the page. It honestly can sometimes be hard to put your feelings into a review after reading a story such as this.
Dichotomy is a story that will make you feel terrified and uncomfortable while having something important to say and Katherine Silva delivers all of this without losing sight of the characters and emotion at the center of the tale. Dichotomy is a ferocious and atmospheric horror story that got in my head and refuses to leave.
Dichotomy hits bookstores everywhere on March 30, 2027 from Strange Wilds Press.
