It Rides a Pale Horse

August 15, 2022
In this disquieting novel, two siblings are forced to take part in an uncanny ceremony. Where does the line between art and ritual lie? Over the course of the last decade, the Hudson River Valley has emerged as a setting for a host of inventive works of horror from writers like John Langan, Sam J. Miller, and Laird Barron. Marino's latest novel, set in the fictional town of Wofford Falls, is a solid addition to their number. Peter "Lark" Larkin and his sister, Betsy, both in their 30s, grew up there; Lark spent some years in New York City before returning to his hometown with a degree of art-world success under his belt. It's Betsy who is the more gifted of the siblings, though her skills veer into the paranormal, as this glimpse of one of her creations demonstrates: "The object's doing something prismatic with the air, with the space that surrounds it. He tilts the box, half expecting a staggered trail of after-image, a holographic stutter." Then Betsy is abducted and the Larkins are forced to take part in a bizarre occult ceremony by another brother and sister--Helena and Griffin Belmont, who are both impossibly long-lived and hope to return their father to full life and health. As Lark works on building strange sculptures at the Belmonts' compound, the effects on the larger world--including distortions of space and reality--become clearer, and the full scope of the Belmonts' plan becomes more and more apparent. There's a lived-in sensibility to much of this novel that makes the horrific elements stand out even more, and Marino has a good eye for genuinely disturbing imagery. At times things can feel a little too crowded--the Belmonts' centuries of plotting could support a novel all its own--but this novel hums with a terrifying momentum. A memorably visceral take on art, family, and power.

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August 1, 2022
Lark, a famous artist, eschewed life in the city for historic Wofford Falls, a place where he can create while protecting his troubled but brilliant painter sister. That idyllic life is destroyed when Lark delivers his latest piece to reclusive clients, and is informed that Betsy has been kidnapped, only to be returned if he completes a series of sculptures as described in a 300-year-old text. Enlisting the help of his childhood best friend and agent, Lark begins creating, but his actions immediately invite malevolent forces back into the world. Marino draws readers in quickly, creating sympathy for the characters, unveiling the necessary details to immerse them in a world of art, siblings, deadly intrigue, and a centuries-long nefarious quest. Dread is present from the start, but it quickly escalates into a disorienting cosmic terror that touches everyone. Booktalk it to readers as The Twisted Ones, by T. Kingfisher (2019) meets Slade House, by David Mitchell (2015) with a touch of Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff (2016).

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 29, 2022
It takes two chapters of dazzling if disjointed overwriting for Marino’s second horror novel (after The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess) to hit its stride, but as the relationship between sculptor Lark and his painter sister, Betsy, comes into focus, a sophisticated blend of high art and small-town gore likewise emerges. Lark grew up in Wofford Falls, left, and has now returned under mysterious circumstances. He’s become a big deal, but not too big to personally deliver a sculpture to anonymous buyers up the road—only to discover that they’ve abducted Betsy and will kill her unless Lark fulfills a grisly commission inspired by an 18th-century psalter. From this implausible premise, the bare bones of the plot develop predictably: Lark steadily abandons his moral compass, Betsy paints in frenzied parallel in her dungeon, and the reader’s dread of their artistic confluence grows. The telling, however, is proportionately complex, invoking vast swaths of culture and history. There are disappointing slips into the misogynistic trope that a man’s greatest horror is to be rendered impotent by a woman, but a compensating strength is Marino’s rendering of the minor characters, whose steadfastness and humor keep the story grounded even in its wildest flights. It’s more style than substance, but it’s stylish indeed. Agent: Cameron McClure, Donald Maass Literary.

September 1, 2022

The latest from Marino (The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess) is a lesson about how art can open doors that probably shouldn't be opened. The story focuses on the Lark siblings, both eccentric artists. Peter Larkin (Lark to his friends) is a famous artist, a hometown boy who made good yet decided to stay in the community where he grew up, idyllic Wofford Falls. His sister Betsy is also talented, but her paintings can have disconcerting effects on people and on reality itself. This makes her integral to the plans of a pair of one-percenter siblings who want the Larkins to help them create works of art that might just destroy the world. Marino demonstrates his skill as a storyteller, creating empathetic, fleshed-out characters who must fight through the madness that is bearing down on them--but note that this novel isn't Stephen King-style, slice-of-Americana, triumph-of-the-human-spirit horror. VERDICT Marino is very willing to plumb the depths of human discomfort and nihilistic despair, revealing disturbing images that sear into the brain while showing how art, and sibling bonds, can both create and destroy.--James Gardner

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