In a world brimming with vampire tales, very few had peaked my interest until this year. Now, I guess I am a fan of vampire stories. After reading a number of tales centered around vampires, I feel I can tackle any of them novel as well as they are unique and Nestlings by Nat Cassidy is just that.
Ana and Reid needed a lucky break. The horrifically complicated birth of their first child has left Ana paralyzed, bitter, and struggling: with mobility, with her relationship with Reid, with resentment for her baby. That’s about to change with the words any New Yorker would love to hear―affordable housing lottery. They’ve won an apartment in the Deptford, one of Manhattan’s most revered buildings with beautiful vistas of Central Park and stunning architecture. Reid dismisses disturbing events and Ana’s deep unease and paranoia as the price of living in New York―people are odd―but he can’t explain the needle-like bite marks on the baby.
Damn, why did it take me so long to read this novel. Nestlings is a horror story, but really a story of grief at its core. Cassidy masterfully intertwines themes of suffering, paranoia, love and relationships against an eerie New York City backdrop. The author brings along a journey through the labyrinth of grief, adorned with unsettling mysteries that linger long after you’ve turned the final page.
The characters are well thought out including Ana and Reid, who are poised on the cusp of what seems like fortune but soon find themselves ensnared in a living nightmare, only to find out things are to good to be true – quickly morphing into something more sinister. Cassidy puts their relationship to the test while also giving us eerie feelings and frightening moments. A great balance between the heart of the story and the horror we signed up for.
In addition to the outstanding character work, the building itself-the Deptford-is practically another character in the story. A living, breathing entity in the hustle and bustle of NYC. Its revered status among Manhattanites contrasts sharply with its hidden horrors. The author paints vivid scenes that made me feel enchanted by its grandeur while also repulsed by its secrets.
Cassidy’s writing style, which is simply fantastic, enhances the story as a whole. His prose is hauntingly poetic yet chillingly precise. He manages to make even the most mundane events pulse with foreboding energy, forcing me to stay on edge at every page turn.
Nestlings is a horror story, but truly feels like Cassidy is telling this story from his heart. This becomes evident in the heartfelt and emotion afterward at the books conclusion. The characters that lying within these pages are fictional, the real-life pain that Cassidy and his family endured over the span of only months adds a layer of intensity to an already gripping novel. This revelation pushes me to pick up Nestlings once again and read with whole new eyes.
Nat Cassidy’s Nestlings is a spine-chilling horror filled with heart-wrenching emotion and bone-chilling fear. The author precise and outstanding prose, character development and eerie setting makes for a thrilling and thought-provoking novel. My only regret is not picking this one up earlier.
Nestlings is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook, narrated by Cassandra Campbell, is available at Libro.fm!
