This novelette comes in at 32 pages, which means this review can only be so long. You know what I love, though? Novelettes. Short, sweet, to the point. If you can get my attention in such a short length of time, then you’re someone to keep an eye on.
Jim is definitely someone you should be keeping an eye on. He has a way with words that immediately draws you in and though you may have only read 32 pages, you close the book feeling like you had the experience of reading a novel. He also never seems to be at a shortage for weird ideas or great twists, so he’s an author that you can pick up any book of his and expect to be happy.
So, Ramona. Gosh, it’s going to be so hard to write this review without any spoilers, but I am determined to do it because I’d really like you to go in blind. Let’s see what I can do.
The main character of this book is named Bill. He’s an author currently struck with something all too familiar to me–writer’s block. He’s looking for something to shake something up, maybe knock something loose in his head. He’s a writer and writer’s gotta write… right? (I will not apologize.)
Anyway, enter Ramona. She is the latest and most up-to-date form of AI speaker. Think of Alexa or similar programs. Bill doesn’t seem to be the best with new technology, but the sales pitch intrigues him and so Ramona goes home with him. I got a good laugh out of him trying to figure out how to use her and that he was constantly forgetting to say her name before asking a question or giving a command. I suffer the opposite probably with my Siri; she always thinks I’m talking to her and I never am.
Ramona starts out as a novelty, but this is a horror book. I could just say that Ramona is actually evil and begins trying to get Bill to kill people, but… Jim doesn’t do things that simply, thank god. This is an amazing example of an unreliable narrator. You don’t even realize he’s an unreliable narrator through most of the book and when you do, it’s like you’ve walked into a door. Is Ramona trying to get him to kill people? Is he just losing it from writer’s block?
I will not tell you what happens–that whole please go in blind thing–but I will say that shit goes down. And it goes down hard. Jim pulls no punches when it comes to dark deeds.
Since the narrator is unreliable, the ending is left open to some interpretation. You have no idea what he’s imagining and what’s actually real, so did the ending even happen? I know this kind of thing bothers some people, but it is absolutely my favourite way to end things. Let it sit with you, dwell on it, debate with yourself what answer would make more sense and then accept that you’ll never really know.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read and some horrifying confusion.
