My Two Cents (Book Review): WICKED THINGS by Amanda Ruzsa

Just in time for spooky season, Amanda Rusza brings us "Wicked Things: A Collection of Halloween Horror." The poems and prose in its pages conjure up nightmarish visions of trick-or-treating gone horrifically awry, and nostalgic moments of how much fun Halloween can be.

My favorites from the bunch: "Candy Corn," which gives a whole new (and gruesome) take on this much-maligned seasonal staple; "The Rot that Binds Us," in which a grieving couple happens upon a novel way to keep their child alive in their hearts, if not in the flesh; and the titular "Wicked Things," lending a twisted take on what lurks behind a jack o' lantern's grin.

Each selection is a brief but chilling read. Something I've never mentioned before about Ruzsa's work but really like, is the visual structure of her prose. The writing itself has a natural, lyrical rhythm and flow to it, but she typesets it on each page in verses and stanzas that guide your gaze along, pacing things perfectly. I've said it before but it bears repeating: Ruzsa's a gifted poet, and "Wicked Things" is a wonderful collection to get you in the mood for damp, chilly autumn days and the sinister dread found in dark autumn nights.

"Wicked Things" is available here.