“Our bodies are skilled at make-believe, carrying out the sacraments of lives we lost long ago. It aches inside me how close we are to existing yet how agonizingly far away.”

This was my first book by Gwendolyn Kiste, although I also own And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe, which has also been widely hailed as an excellent work of fiction by the author. I’m in love with her writing, and with the way she’s been able to create such a unique new world for so many old characters in Pretty Marys, many of whom I remember from my own childhood.

There are five Marys in the story – Resurrection Mary, Bloody Mary, Mary Mack, Mistress Mary, and Mary Lwyd. They live together in a house that exists somewhere in between worlds (or planes…? It isn’t really explained in detail), and although they’re all dead, they require sustenance in the form of the fear they get from scaring people. This part felt a little Monsters Inc. to me, which I love, so having a more adultified version of it was lots of fun! Unfortunately, not all of the Marys are as widely feared as the others, and the lack of remembrance of some of these girls is causing them some trouble.

I remember being terrified of the concept of Bloody Mary as a child, and having her written the way she is in this story shows a side to her that I never considered. Mary Mack & Mistress Mary were two I remembered from nursery rhymes – and didn’t remember being scared of them, although they definitely creep me out a bit more now! I looked up more about Resurrection Mary & Mary Lwyd, and realized I’d heard of both of them – but didn’t remember their names!

Although they share a name, each Mary retains a uniqueness that is completely her own. The story is told from Rhee’s point of view – that is, Resurrection Mary. She wanders a stretch of highway late at night, hitchhiking and terrifying those kind enough to pick her up. I liked her character, and her relationship with David – a guy she’d scared when he was a teenager, who has kept coming back to see her despite never being able to be together. I normally don’t care for romance bits to be thrown into my horror stories, but this was done really well and 

I loved the way it ended up for them.

Although this was a really quick read, it managed to pack a lot within its pages. Kiste’s prose is sharp, and the unpredictability of her plot kept me on my toes until the very end. She also has a short story collection and a full-length novel, as well as a new book coming out this year called Boneset & Feathers. Don’t miss it - it’ll be out November 3rd from Broken Eye Books!

Rating: 5 Stars

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Review by Cassie Daley

Twitter: @ctrlaltcassie

Website: letsgetgalactic.com

I purchased this book.