Review: 'The Croning' by Laird Barron, narr. by Emily Zeller

I'm all here for some pre-Christmas horror. It is the darkest time of the year after all, the time when we most hope for the light to return. So why not scare ourselves with the idea that it's only more darkness waiting for us? The Croning comes at the perfect time with a healthy dose of terror. 

Pub. Date: May 2012
Paperback Publisher: Night Shade
Audible Publisher: Audible Studios

Strange things exist on the periphery of our existence, haunting us from the darkness looming beyond our firelight. Black magic, weird cults, and worse things loom in the shadows. The Children of Old Leech have been with us from time immemorial. And they love us....

Donald Miller, geologist and academic, has walked along the edge of a chasm for most of his nearly 80 years, leading a charmed life between endearing absent-mindedness and sanity-shattering realization. Now, all things must converge. Donald will discover the dark secrets along the edges, unearthing savage truths about his wife Michelle, their adult twins, and all he knows and trusts. For Donald is about to stumble on the secret... of The Croning

There is something about the inescapable doom of incomprehensible horror. Of the horrible things that are simply beyond understanding. Lovecraft was the progenitor of this genre, with his behemoth deities from the vast reams of space who could not care less about us and our lives. Laird Barron introduces a few key differences to this set up, which make The Croning exciting and new even for those readers deeply steeped in the Lovecraftian. You can't go into The Croning with the idea that you know what will happen, as Barron whisks you from location to location, decade to decade, showing us a man grappling with something beyond his comprehension.

Don Miller is a geologist and a loving husband to his eccentric and fascinating wife Michelle. Their union felt fated and while they have spent much time apart due to their traveling, they remain devoted. But something is off. In his old age, Don has gaps in his memory, events he can't remember, or perhaps, won't remember. But certain things have been set in motion and all he can do is keep going until the bitter end. Key for me in The Croning was how fully fleshed out his main character is, from his shuffling old self to the memories of his more active and adventurous younger years. All Don's experiences, thoughts, and fears feel true and real. Further, Barron excels at describing atmosphere, building tension, stacking the uncanny upon the unnerving.

Mild Spoiler alert here, not for details but general thoughts, but do highlight the text below if you're up for it. If not, continue at 'Safe Zone' below. I have to be honest here and say that once the intergalactic horror of it all really takes off in the last few chapters the novel kind of... lost me. This doesn't really happen with me when reading Lovecraft and I think it truly is because I was so deeply engaged in the humanity of the characters and the banality of the potential villains that the reveal just didn't hit home. If there are cosmic forces out there, then truly it does not matter what we choose and therefore my interest, or rather investment, wanes. Safe Zone begins here! 

The Croning was Laird Barron's first full-length novel, after producing countless of highly awarded short stories. This habit of short story-writing does pop up occasionally throughout The Croning, as we get a variety of flashbacks and memories that run interference (in a good way) on the main tale. And then there is the brilliant take on the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale at the beginning, which definitely adds to the ambiance of the rest of the novel. Since I was listening to the book, rather than reading it, I did occasionally get confused on the timeline as the novel hops back and forth quite a bit. There are also quick cuts between what is real and what thinks is real to Dan which I was entranced by. I struggled a little in trying to sum up my thoughts on The Croning, wavering between a 3 and 4 Universe rating. I was captivated by much of the story and absolutely adored Barron's writing. The way tension is brought to life, the way setting is described, it's all stunning. Emily Zeller also does a brilliant job at making it all real, investing each character with something special, and she really matches the tone and the tonal shifts throughout the novel. And yet at times the story didn't entirely work for me, or lost me a little. I will definitely be looking out for more works by Laird Barron, however, specifically the short stories but also the novels that have followed The Croning.

I give this novel...

4 Universes!

The Croning is a great introduction to all the powers that Laird Barron can summon. Full of tension and dread, The Croning is also the story of a man faced with the incomprehensible.