"We're sick. We're all sick. But we can be cured. And we can be kind. And we don't have to let our lives be ruled by the shadows of the past. Not if we act through love."
Synopsis: Sugar Hill mental asylum is home to tortured souls, the criminally insane, as well as elements of our worst nightmares. One of it's most notable residents is serial killer, Crosby Nelson. The knife-wielding terror is now in the hands of Dr. Eli Alpert and Dr. Alex Drexler, who do not always see eye to eye on their preferred method of treatment. One prefers a more holistic and natural approach drawing on the influence of Buddhist spiritualism, while the other is a front runner in the development of the latest drugs to treat patients of schizophrenia. Regardless of intentions, the line is crossed and patients are used in the testing of said treatments leading to disastrous results. When a particular treatment is used, it backfires opening the patient's "third eye" and the inner demons pour out. But is it the patients or doctors who are harboring those inner demons? Once they are released the horror begins inside Sugar Hill and the sanity of everyone is questioned.
My Review: While a captivating psychological horror story, this novel is also a deep and multi-faceted examination of the issues that surround mental illness. We are all fascinated by mental asylums and the schizophrenic mind, and we all want to be taken on a psychological thrill ride but we never imagine that ride being within ourselves. It is a refreshing twist to see the staff at Sugar Hill asylum discover their own unknown inner demons while scrutinizing the ones of their patients. We also feel a sort of vindication because the terror begins after the doctors begin experimenting on patients. It is interesting that Dr. Drexler's aggressive form of treatment, as well as Dr. Alpert's laid back approach, have both compromised patient care. There is a fine line in medicine between too much and not enough when dealing with each individual patient.
Human emotion is such a deep and difficult subject to analyze, but Kirk does an excellent job of expressing the inner turmoil of the human psyche. No matter what walk of life we come from, we all have something from our past that changed us whether for good or worse. However, most of us ignore or bury those things and refuse to acknowledge the fact that the events made us who we are today. As the book illustrates, the inability to deal with these scars can lead some people to do unthinkable things. Knowing this, as a society, we make an effort to force people to "get help" from various levels of institutions. The methods by which that "help" is achieved are laid open for a deep analysis in this book. How far is too far? Who really needs help and who doesn't? Maybe some people want to stay in the world of their imagination. What exactly is normal?
Besides inciting the reader to ponder on the aforementioned issues, this novel is extremely well written. All of the characters, even those who play an insignificant role are well-fleshed and incite a large emotional response from the reader. They are relatable and totally plausible unlike those imaginative psychopaths in many horror novels. The reader can really understand and gather insight from the description of their pasts and grasp the reasoning behind their current positions. It must be admitted that there is some initial lagging in the buildup of the plot, but once the peak is met the pace quickens and the reader is taken on a real roller coaster ride of fear and emotions. The wording of the novel doesn't make it a difficult read but the depth of the subject matter involved may be something that new readers may find difficult to follow. Overall, it is a highly recommended read especially for, fans of psychological horror, as well as those interested in human psychology or in a medical profession. Being that this is Brian Kirk's debut novel it is assumed that his future works will be something to look forward to.
Note: Trigger warning for sexual violence and child sexual abuse.
My rating: 4.5 Stars
About the Book:
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Author: Brian Kirk
Published Date: July 7, 2015
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
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