I obtained a evaluate copy from the writer. This doesn’t have an effect on the contents of my evaluate and all opinions are my very own.

The Minimize by C.J. Dotson

Mogsy’s Score: 3.5 of 5 stars

Style: Horror

Sequence: Stand Alone

Writer: St. Martin’s Press (April 8, 2025)

Size: 304 pages

Creator Data: Web site | Twitter

The Minimize by C.J. Dotson was a ebook the place the quilt caught my consideration earlier than I even knew what the story was about. I imply, take a look at it! There’s simply one thing in regards to the picture of a slimy tentacle curling out of a bathe drain that immediately offers off the heebie-jeebies, and as a horror fan, I used to be instantly curious. Was this cosmic horror? Or some form of creature function? Both approach, I used to be all for it.

At its core, The Minimize is a lady making an attempt to rebuild her life after escaping an abusive relationship. After the loss of life of her first husband, Sadie Miles thought she’d discovered a second likelihood at love together with her new fiancé Sam. However as his phrases turned more and more controlling and his mood tougher to foretell, she got here to understand she and her toddler would not be secure—particularly after discovering she was pregnant. Packing up her daughter Izzy and a few meager belongings, Sadie flees to a quaint little inn referred to as the L’Arpin Resort, nestled on the shores of Lake Erie. There, she lands a job as a housekeeper with a short lived live-in association, the place she hopes to cover from Sam till she makes sufficient to afford her personal condominium.

From the very first day, nonetheless, it’s clear one thing is off in regards to the lodge and the individuals who work there. At nighttime, Sadie hears the unmistakable sound of splashing within the lodge pool, solely to seek out it empty when she arrives to analyze. But the administration’s response is dismissive, with hints that they may even be hiding one thing. And when Sadie presses the problem, she begins to uncover unusual occurrences that solely deepen her fears. Safety footage goes lacking. The proprietor of the property subsequent door accuses the lodge of poisoning the land. A maid disappears, which solely will get lined up. Then Sadie begins to see issues—squirmy issues wriggling out from taps, inside takeout bins, and seemingly out of the very partitions of the lodge itself. Sadie could have escaped Sam for now, bringing her younger daughter and unborn little one to what she hoped was security, however the occasions unfolding at L’Arpin counsel that hazard has adopted them, simply in a unique type.

As soon as the story received going, I discovered The Minimize to be a suspense and unsettling sluggish burn learn, and several other primary themes started rising. Sadie is a pregnant and single mother who has no assist from her family, and because of this has to face the challenges of fleeing abuse on her personal. Dotson leans onerous into the protagonist’s harrowing feelings with the intention to create suspense but additionally mixes within the gothic environment of a decaying lodge that’s long gone its heyday. And sure, there’s a little bit of Lovecraftian affect as nicely, bringing that exact model of bizarre fiction and horror aspect to northwestern Ohio.

As such, this ebook is certainly extra of a “vibe” story, aiming for creeping dread slightly than in-your-face terror or all-out gore. One of many strongest facets of the ebook is now the supernatural tensions mirror the emotional tensions, enjoying them up in tandem. The specter of Sadie’s previous isn’t far behind, but it surely’s additionally the on a regular basis anxieties—whether or not she may be the mom her youngsters want or maintain down the job that’s protecting a roof over their heads—that weigh the heaviest on her thoughts. Nonetheless, that’s to not say there weren’t loads of extra conventional horror parts within the ebook, equivalent to disturbing imagery. It’s simply not over-the-top, which, as a fan of subtler horror, I appreciated loads.

That mentioned, The Minimize didn’t fairly do it for me in each space, particularly when it got here to the pacing and the ending. The primary half dragged in locations, with the “Sadie discovers one thing bizarre, employees then proceeds to gaslight Sadie and fake it’s nothing” sample turning into repetitive. Her character additionally pissed off me at instances, as greater than as soon as her decision-making made me query her intelligence. And this would possibly simply be me, however I didn’t all the time take care of the best way Sadie’s relationship with Izzy was portrayed. At instances, the little lady’s habits bordered on grating, written in a approach that made her come off extra like a tantum machine than an actual little one. Sadie’s response to that was simply as hokey, as is the obnoxious “stinker” nickname she has for Izzy, making it onerous to completely purchase into their dynamic. Lastly, the ending felt rushed, with the decision feeling overly tidy contemplating how a lot had been constructed up, particularly with the supernatural parts.

Nonetheless, regardless of a number of stumbles, there’s loads to admire right here, particularly for what I imagine is C.J. Dotson’s debut novel. No, it isn’t excellent, however nonetheless it’s an entertaining entry into the horror style with a powerful emotional core that I feel many readers will most likely be capable of relate to. Followers of sluggish burn horror with a supernatural twist will discover loads to love right here, and I’ll be protecting my eye out for what the creator writes subsequent.