Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam’s debut novel is an expertly crafted genre mashup of romance and horror that changes hats effortlessly. Grim Root follows Linda and Sabrina, two contestants competing for Tristan’s hand in marriage on a reality TV show called The Groom. When all but the final four contestants are eliminated, the show moves to its final location; a haunted mansion, but Stufflebeam knows that any good ghost story keeps the fine details and the ifs and hows of the haunting a secret as long as possible. Grim Root is funny, creepy, gross, and earnest. There’s a beating heart behind the walls of the old Williams’ Manor.
Generally, I am allergic to reality TV, to me, it’s the intellectual and artistic sewer. If sitcoms are a McDonald’s hamburger, then shows like Vanderpump Rules or The Bachelor are the soggy PB&J the lunch lady would give you at school when your balance was too high, or worse the Jello with broccoli in it. I am not a fan of the format, and the fact that this novel had me so deeply invested long before the first ‘boo’ is a testament to Stufflebeam’s writing craft. But craft expertise should be no surprise, with a resume that boasts a jaw-dropping 90 published credits, and one novella, one has to wonder what cruel twists of fate kept the world from getting this debut sooner.
The high concept hook at play in Grim Root promises The Haunting of Hill House meets The Bachelor, and the book not only delivers on that premise, it transcends it. Sabrina was born to be beautiful. Her mother, a hippy-magic type, believed in manifestation and expended her efforts into making her youngest daughter gorgeous so she could one day marry out of poverty. For Sabrina, marrying Tristan is her destiny. Linda is a divorcee with a love for horticulture and a dark past that she’ll do anything to keep hidden, including making herself a punching bag on a reality TV dating competition in exchange for a new life. The Groom in question, Tristan, isn’t particularly fetching, with only two of the final four contestants deeply committed to him. Linda’s ambivalence towards the man whose “most redeeming quality is his pocketbook,” makes for some wonderful character dynamics, especially as a love triangle opens up complicating matters. The characters in Grim Root grab your attention right away, with my favorite of the lot being Charity, one of the final four contestants, who despite being described as incredibly beautiful, seems to be written off by Linda as being too strong and smart for the bachelor Tristan. The other contestant, Marion, is fiercely jealous, playing to type she will do any and everything for Tristan, no matter who she hurts. Deja, the producer, is the ringleader of this circus manipulating the women to maximize drama, but her co-producer, and host, Brett, is manipulating her too. Deja has bought into the system, and mythologized her success, allowing it to turn her into something more monstrous than any mansion ghost.
When things begin to unravel at Williams Manor, the thread of incredulity is stretched as far as it can possibly go, with the producer’s need to manipulate and prod the contestants to secure the highest possible ratings, being the most obvious explanation. Bodies pile up, and it gets increasingly difficult to dismiss the strange happenings as the antics of over-zealous producers. When the mystery finally unraveled, I don’t think I was quite prepared for the surprises that awaited.
Grim Root is focused on women and the stories forced upon them by patriarchal beauty standards and gender roles. It’s clear Stufflebeam is a reality TV fan, but she also is dissecting some of the more nefarious wish-fulfillment fantasies at the heart of the genre and what they say about us. Women are pressured to compete for the attention of men, and that story is percolated through every facet of our culture. Rejecting those imposed myths comes with costs in Grim Root. Class dynamics define the story, with producer Deja doing everything in her power to remind these women that they are not “ladies,” and manipulating our two POV characters on account of their financial vulnerability. The book takes the extreme scrutiny of the reality TV camera and uses it to make statements about the world we live in. Sabrina has been trained her entire life to be everything men want. For Linda, the kindness of men meant survival. “In-betweens weren’t sexy, and Linda had never felt more aware of the ways people avoided transition and the uncertainty that came with it.” There’s a story of self-discovery here; I’m trying to keep things as spoiler-free as possible, but if you ever saw through the thinly veiled queer characters in The Haunting of Hill House and read them screaming JUST KISS, this “Eleanor and Theo” do more than full frontal snogging. This brings me to my next point, THIS BOOK IS SPICY, so maybe don’t read it with your boss over your shoulder. Or do, if that’s what you’re into.
“In-betweens weren’t sexy, and Linda had never felt more aware of the ways people avoided transition and the uncertainty that came with it.”
Tonally, this isn’t the reserved, psychological, and atmospheric Haunting of Hill House. This is as raucous and loud as any reality TV meltdown. The result is an energetic horror that’s great fun to read. Think more the lit equivalent of Ready or Not. The gloomy, decaying manor is smartly juxtaposed against the artificiality of the reality TV pageantry. There’s no such thing as perfect, no such thing as happily ever after.
I can’t in good conscience write about this book without mentioning the cover, which evokes both pre-code horror comics, and that Fantagraphics indie charm. Cover artist Dan Fris, and designer Rob Carroll have delivered an enticing object, that tempts the reader to pass judgment long before they see page one. Normally, for the reader to do this would be folly, but in the case of Grim Root, I can attest, dear reader, that you are safe in your assumption because the contents are as wonderful as the exterior. The book serves up great literary horror, romance, and comedy without any of these elements ever getting in each others way.
Grim Root is a feminist parable for the ‘Bravo stans’ about overcoming shame, forgiving yourself, and accepting changes from within because, at the end of the day, our options are to grow or succumb to the rigidity of our roots. Sometimes, the only way forward is through rebirth, and once the Grim Root takes hold, it may be too late. Perhaps none of us make it out of the woods unscathed. Grim Root hits shelves today, June 4th, 2024.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this horror book review voluntarily. Sign up to receive email updates or to comment and tell us what you think. Follow Nocturne on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Support a dream by buying indie horror, supporting indie horror, telling your friends about indie horror. Below, are three links where you can purchase this book from two locally owned bookstores in Saint Louis, MO and one directly from the publisher.
Comentários