Charcoal Audiobook By Garrett Cook cover art

Charcoal

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Charcoal

By: Garrett Cook
Narrated by: Terri Lynne Hudson
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About this listen

Thomas Kemp, the Libertine, turned cruelty, torture and humiliation into works of art. It was said that he had given his soul to something inhuman to be part of artistic immortality. It was said that his very ashes were used to make a set of charcoals still imbued with his spirit.

When Shannon Hernandez, a traumatized and repressed art student, is tasked to draw with them by her lecherous professor, she feels a change in herself and something menacing calling out to her. She is offered a chance to create work that breaks boundaries and hearts alike but comes bound with a connection to a legacy of immortal terrors.

©2022 Garret Cook (P)2024 Fright Night Audio Gothic Horror Romance Heartfelt
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Listener received this title free

The story itself was interesting, but it feels too fanciful at times. Just tell the story. Maybe that is my shallowness as a reader, as I know some prefer flowery language. It is more old school literary horror, in my opinion.

The trauma and pain are palpable in the story, and it is very well written. It’s just not my first choice of horror style. Still, a great book.

Terri Lynne Hudson does a beautiful job with the narration, and the cover art by Lynne Hansen is fantastic.

Unique

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Listener received this title free

This was a dark surreal journey written in such a way that enhances the unsettling feeling.
Terri does a great job with the narration fright night is on top of their game.

If you enjoy literary horror that blurs the line between reality and nightmare this is definitely for you 5stars

Work of art

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Listener received this title free

Where has Garrett Cook been all my life? This story, his writing, this book...it is one of the most engrossing books I've read in a while. I don't know if all of his books are as well written as this one, but I plan to find out.

Shannon is an art student plagued by self-doubt brought on by life experience and interactions with peers and skeevy professors. She's had to fight for recognition her entire life. One day her gross art professor brings a set of charcoals to class that is rumored to be made out of the cremains of the notorious artist Thomas Kemp, aka The Libertine. He spooks the class and then dares Shannon to pick them up and draw in front of the class. She does so reluctantly, but instantly finds she has gotten into something way bigger than she expected. She comes back to the professor to use the charcoals again and again and finds herself doing things she never thought she would do. Maybe there's something to the legend of the Libertine and the charcoals he left behind. All that's certain is that Shannon can never go back. Everything comes with a cost.

If you are into splatterpunk and extreme horror but yearn for something more literary, Charcoal might be right up your alley. I loved everything about this book, from the well written story to the Audible narration to the cover art.

I was gifted an Audible code from Fright Night Audio. All views expressed here are my own. Terri Lynne Hudson did a great job narrating this book. She effectively portrayed the Shannon's inner turmoil, keeping me on edge right with her. I rarely have so few words to say about a book I loved so much. Go read it.

fantastic

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Listener received this title free

This is definitely literary, atmospheric horror, which I can appreciate! I can only imagine the research and background that went into writing this. Very unique story. Terri Lynne Hudson was the perfect narrator for this book.

Old school horror!

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Listener received this title free

Charcoal is the story of a young artist of color who ends up using a set of charcoals containing the damned ashes of a notorious artist and libertine, only to end up in the dead artist’s thrall. She achieves power and artistic freedom, but at considerable cost to her mind, body and humanity.

The central character, Shannon, gives the reader insight into what it is like to marginalized - subordinate, made to keep quiet, conditioned to bear deep traumas without ever letting on. It makes one think about how the world is structured today. What makes the story interesting is when she does achieve power and what it does to her. Is she right in her actions? Is she wrong? The story does not pull punches - Shannon has justification while simultaneously making the reader wonder if the lengths she goes to are so.

Shannon is a rich character with some depth, and her friend Rem has depth as well, although not quite as much as Shannon. However, other characters come off as one-note like her Professor. I wonder if the story would have been served if the professor had had more subjectivity, just as art is itself subjective.

The story starts slow but begins to build up momentum after a time, which makes for compelling reading to the end. The narrator does a credible job although some parts of the delivery feel somewhat flat, which takes away some of the emotional impact.

Overall, it was a decent story.

Interesting story of art, avarice, and aspirations

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Listener received this title free

This book is far too high brow for me. The story I found to be very disjointed and confusing. I know there is a statement in the story but I struggled to relate. A ton of work went into this and I hope it finds it's intended audience.

I am not the audience for this book

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