Synopsis:
“Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring wardrobes, shattered Brooka glassware, and vandalized Liripip sofa beds clearly someone, or something, is up to no good. To unravel the mystery, five young employees volunteer for a long dusk-till-dawn shift and encounter horrors that defy imagination. Along the way, author Grady Hendrix infuses sly social commentary on the nature of work in the new twenty-first-century economy.
A traditional haunted house story in a contemporary setting, and full of current fears, Horrorstor delivers a high-concept premise in a unique style.” (Source: Goodreads)
Review:
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix is definitely worth a read, if you’re looking for something that plays horror a little on the safe side. It’s a fun journey through the worst nightmares of handful of retail chain employees. For those that have worked in retail, it’s a pretty accurate parody of the way things work. Hendrix even has the whole “corporations don’t care about you” feel down. Simultaneously, like my Dad said the other night, Hendrix shows that the only people enthusiastic about retail are management, because they get treated a hell of a lot better than the lowest echelon, i.e., you and me.
In comparison to most of the books I read or listen to, Horrorstör is on the short side. Coming in at just over six hours of audio (which I’ve been using to help me out of this reading slump and is precisely why you’re seeing less of my arcs/physical books as of late), Horrorstör is half the length of my other recent reads. Because of that, I completed it in one sitting – which I found nice.
The idea behind this book is pretty original. You’ve got a depeartment store named ORSK which is a lot like IKEA. Interspersed between chapters are little spiels about their products, employees, or other data (which this part is narrated by the hauntingly lovely voice of Bronson Pinchot). Tai Sammons does the majority of narration for this book, but I find her voice to be rather unpleasant on the ears. After a couple hours, it becomes tolerable. I guess that’s a plus. Anyways, the ORSK store is built on the ruins of a messed up prison that borders on an asylum horror story and naturally, you’ve got some pretty stupid characters involved. The past meets present in the form of angry ghosties, and boom. The fun unfolds.
I wouldn’t read this book again, I know that for a fact. Nonetheless, despite a handful of detailed moments (none of which top my gore meter), I feel like Horrorstör plays it safe. I’d probably let my teenager (if I had one) read something like this. But then, I’m a bit strange anyway. If you are looking for a quick, fun read, be sure to check it out.
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
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