I love lists. Not shopping lists or to-do lists or anything like that (they always mean I have to do something unpleasant), but bullet-point kind of lists that cut straight through a ton of unnecessary bullshit. Jeremy C. Shipp’s new book (Bram Stoker Award nominated book, I might add) employs my favorite kind of lists perfectly. CURSED follows the story of
1. Nicholas, who gets slapped in the face every day;
2. Cicely, who must remain in constant contact with a tennis ball for the good of the universe; and,
3. Abby, whose entire family has disappeared.
That the author uses these lists is not to say that the book is in any way lacking in detail or anything — it’s all there, and it’s funny and weird, and just… great! The story involves the three aforementioned characters trying to figure out what in the hell is going on in their lives to make them suffer so — what do they have in common, who do they all know, are they being targeted by some common acquaintance because they all like the color green? (I love the way Cicely sets up this hotline for those who might be cursed — it totally reminded me of Chuck Palahniuk’s Survivor.) It’s very imaginative and I love it!
(Though, I have to say, it’s the second book in a row that I’ve read involving a blind character. I hope that’s not some kind of curse in and of itself! :-O)
Rush right out and get CURSED! It’s a quick and fun read, and if your local bookstore does not have it in stock, it’s totally worth the trouble of ordering it and waiting for it to come in! (And Jeremy is such a super-nice guy, too!)
