Leavings by P.D. Cacek

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Release date: October, 1997
Media: Paperback
ISBN: 1889120103

Morbid fantasy, not horror

"Leavings" won the 1997 Bram Stoker Award. Instead of producing horror of the ghost-ghoul-goblin variety (although there is one vampire who preys only on her own blood-relatives), P.D. Cacek has tapped into a morbid, 'magical reality' for her stories. Two of her characters are dying of cancer and their loved ones can't let them go. A boutique shop owner and her employee try to cope with the death of a beautiful doll. An old woman protects her favorite grandchild from her dying husband's 'leavings'.

Merlin, a unicorn, and a gargoyle make an appearance in three of the stories, but for the most part, Cacek ignores the usual fantasy stereotypes and concentrates on twisting an ordinary life off-center, especially in the presence of death.

The blurb on the back cover states, "Not since Rod Serling terrified an entire generation with his 'Twilight Zone' series has anyone tapped into the well of fear that exists inside the human soul the way P.D. Cacek does..."

That's coming on a bit strong. Cacek didn't tap into my 'well of fear'. I don't think she meant to. 'Terrifying' is not the adjective I'd use to describe any of the stories in "Leavings". They are morbid, occasionally obsessive, sometimes humorous stories with dead-on characterizations (my favorite is the boyfriend from hell in "Heart of Stone").

"Ancient One" comes closest to terror, but the monster under the crib is telegraphed way in advance of its actual appearance.

"Under the Haystack" may have a ghost, but it is really the story of a woman who loses her unborn child.

"Leavings" has many good stories, misleadingly advertised. - an Amazon customer review

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