Bedfellow was a delightfully macabre mind eff of a novel. I tore through the 200 plus pages in two nights. No lie. I traveled down this weird demon influenced inception style labyrinth with Shipp and never looked back.
The story begins with what looks like the home invasion of a family but quickly turns into an oddly cryptic case of misunderstood identity. You could say it is a possession of sorts, but it also is the occupation of an entire family’s minds. The narrative unfolds through the various characters Dad, Mom, Brother, and Sister. With this family’s psyches infected, emotions like fear and sadness are exploited as are the bounds of family love. You will find yourself in some seriously creepy and bizarro territory as you make your way deeper and deeper into their innermost thoughts. Shipp has some serious talent for blending humor and grotesqueness in a way that kept me simultaneously uneasy, amused, and captivated.
I definitely recommend this book to readers who do not like their narratives spoon fed to them. It is not complicated beyond comprehension or anything, but it works so much better if you stick with it and pace yourself, I think you will see what I mean when you read it. When I finished it I felt satisfied yet unsettled. I read the authors previous Tor release, a gothic ghost story called The Atrocities, which I loved, and then knew I was going to give a second crack at Shipp. With Bedfellow Shipp has made it all but certain I will be taking a third crack at his work. I have one of his old books in my library I may check out at some point. I do hope he continues to drop these gems as he has with Tor in the future. Great work.
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About the author
Psychological horror redeemed by humanity
A very weird tale of an odd personage and what is a home invasion that is passively accepted by the family. Looking deeper into the story is the abomination, judgment, and sentence of the father, Hendrick and the bully, Everest. The daughter's fascination with the Salem witch trials pulls us into our own somber history. Ultimately, the mother with her children doesn't know which of the many voices and false memories to believe so she "decides to trust in her own." Marvin seems to be the manifestation of an evil and manipulative universe that has spawned the father and his duplicity. The ending of "Bedfellow" is brilliant and a message of hope for the mother, her children, humanity, even for one of the small alter egos of the evil Marvin. Even in the midst of evil and weirdness lies hope and redemption, and those who dance with the devil and think they'll change the devil "haven't got a clue because the devil changes you." “In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, an ass, and a nightingale. Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity.” Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) Satirist, Poet, Journalist”
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Top reviews from other countries
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Justaword.frReviewed in France on July 19, 2019
Oncle Marvin s'invite à la maison...
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - C CustomerReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2019
Beware of a knock at your door
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Kenna McKinnonReviewed in Canada on February 12, 2019
Psychological horror redeemed by humanity
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Prior to "Bedfellow," I read Shipp's "Atrocities" some time ago and am struck by the humanity in his writing when all is said and done, after the weirdness and the brilliance of his prose. He deserves the Bram Stoker award, in my opinion, but I can see that he's not everyone's cup of poisoned java! Looking deeper into the story is the abomination and what is judgment and sentence of the father, Hendrick and the bully, Everest. The daughter's fascination with the Salem witch trials pulls us into our own somber and evil history.Kenna McKinnonPsychological horror redeemed by humanity
Reviewed in Canada on February 12, 2019
Ultimately, the mother with her children doesn't know which of the many voices and false memories to believe so she "decides to trust in her own." Marvin seems to be the manifestation of an evil and manipulative universe that has spawned the father and his duplicity. The ending of "Bedfellow" is brilliant and a message of hope for humanity, even for one of the small alter egos of the evil Marvin.
Even in the midst of evil and weirdness lies hope and redemption, and those who dance with the devil and think they'll change the devil "haven't got a clue because the devil changes you."
“In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, an ass, and a nightingale. Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity.” Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) Satirist, Poet, Journalist”
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- P.G.BellReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2019
Unsettling and surreal
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
