In the House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods

 In the House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods [book, audiobook]

I REALLY *REALLY* LIKE THIS BOOK. THIS IS PROBABLY A DUMB PERSON'S ANALYSIS OF THIS BOOK BUT:  THERE IS A CERTAIN SORT OF STORY TELLING THAT ONLY EXISTS IN SPECIFIC VIDEOGAMES. DARK SOULS TYPE GAMES ESPECIALLY. WHERE BECAUSE EVERY STORY BEAT HAS TO END WITH A BOSS TO FIGHT THEY ARE ABOUT CORRUPTION AND MUTILATION, WHERE WHATEVER ANYONE WAS FACING HAS TO ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A THING YOU FIGHT AS A BOSS.  IT IS A REALLY INTERESTING SORT OF STORY TELLING AND I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT IT EXISTS ALMOST ONLY IN VIDEOGAMES FOR VIDEOGAME REASONS AND YOU NEVER SEE 'REAL' STORIES COVERING THE SAME GROUND. THIS IS THE FIRST REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF A "LITERARY" TAKE ON SIMILAR IDEAS. THIS IS A SERIOUS STORY, BUT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS LEAVES EVERY CHARACTER AND THE WORLD ITSELF MUTILATED IN FANTASTICAL WAYS.   I MEAN AT ONE POINT A CHARACTER SEWS A CHAIN AND HEAVY METAL TRAP INTO THE SKIN OF THEIR ARM SO THEY CAN SWING IT AROUND WHILE WEARING SO MUCH ANIMAL SKIN YOU CAN'T SEE THEIR HUMAN SKIN. IF THAT ISN'T A DARK SOULS BOSS I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. BUT IT'S STILL AN ACTUAL ACTUAL STORY. IT'S THE SORT OF LOGIC THAT IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVE TO THINGS LIKE THAT BUT TAKEN TO BE A REAL NARRATIVE.

PS. I LIKE TO MESS WITH THE CATEGORIES, SO I AM COUNTING THIS AS A "LOVE STORY" BECAUSE IT'S A STORY ABOUT LOVE. HOW LOVE FOR YOUR WIFE CAN MAKE YOU HATE YOUR CHILDREN, HOW LOVE FOR CHILDREN CAN MAKE YOU HATE YOUR HUSBAND, IT'S ABOUT HOW LOVE CAN BE CORRUPTION AND ALL THE DISNEY MAGIC TO HAVE LOVE PUT A NEW MOON IN THE SKY CAN ALSO CRASH IT INTO THE EARTH. I DON'T KNOW, THIS BOOK IS JUST REALLY EXTREMELY GOOD AND IT'S HARD TO EVEN EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS. A WOMAN GIVES BIRTH TO A STILLBORN BABY AND THE DAD GOES TO KISS IT AND SUDDENLY EATS IT INSTEAD, ALSO THEY NEVER SAY ANYONE'S NAME BUT GIVE A BUNCH OF WORDLE STYLE HINTS AND I AM PRETTY SURE THEIR NAMES ARE ADAM AND EVE BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHY