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As Marcus Banyon recovers from a traumatic experience involving his wife, Brooke, he begins to recognize an alternate reality where he hears whales speaking to him. And when he sleeps, his dreams are terrifying and strange. All of this could be the result of a psychotic break. Brooke seems to have come through the ordeal fairly well, but Marcus still struggles with anxiety and depression.
In an effort to help Marcus, Brooke makes plans to take him to an isolated chalet, along with his oldest friend, Spaulding. Maybe the peace and quiet will help Marcus come to terms with what happened to them.
Once they arrive at the chalet, memories of the awful event that put Marcus in the hospital continue to haunt him. His visions become stronger until he’s face-to-face with three malevolent mythological beings, whose motives concerning the fate of the world are unclear. Marcus plays a role in this fate, but he’s not certain whether he’ll survive it.
Gardens of Night is a surreal psychological horror novel. You’ll find yourself drawn into the bizarre maze of Marcus’s mind as he tries to make sense of what happened to him and his wife. And, little by little, you learn what actually did happen. The suspense builds and builds until you’ll practically be climbing the wall, desperate to get at the whole story. And, in the end, even after you learn what happened, you’ll still be somewhat confused by what went on in Marcus’s mind.
The very fact that Gardens of Night is confusing makes it a fascinating read. As you read, you’ll be forced to choose and discard different ideas about what’s going on. Is all of this in his mind, or did it really happen? Though I think I know what was actually going on, I still can’t be sure—too many questions still linger in my mind.
Gardens of Night isn’t for everyone. But if you sometimes like your horror to be a bit on the abnormal side (like I do), you’ll get caught up in the story as much as I did. I’ll definitely read this author again in the future.
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