Divine in Essence

Divine in Essence: Stories by Yarrow Paisley is a collection of ten short literary horror tales. Prepare yourself for a journey like no other where you encounter a multitude of metaphysical, psychedelic, and illusory landscapes, each more surreal than the last. Paisley transports the reader through graveyards, hauntings, and hallucinations throughout these stories. Paisley’s stories have a gothic feel with more recognizable settings.

There may be no best way to describe these tales. Psychedelic, illusory, eerie, dreamy, ghostly, and weird are inadequate. One might include bizarre, grotesque, and deranged. Most of all, these stories are a literary escape into the haunted musings of Yarrow Paisley. As troubling as these stories are, they are beautifully written. Though the influences of Poe and Lovecraft are obvious, Paisley has a style all his own. Each story and the book as a whole is a unique experience that challenges the reader in dark and disturbing ways.

This book needs to come with a trigger warning. Many subjects can be deeply disturbing to some readers. Some scenes can be unsettling and can contain acts of violence against children by adults. This book is definitely not for the week at heart, so if you venture forth, you’ve been warned. Stories in this book can evoke a sense of unease that could lead one to question what is real or not.

Despite the disturbing topics, Paisley’s book has literary merit. All ten stories are engaging and could be considered a work of art. Paisley has a flare for storytelling. In these short stories, Paisley introduces interesting characters and well-defined settings. The imagery, even the disturbing scenes, is captivating and graphic. As in art, these stories evoke strong emotional responses. Paisley does not hide the monsters in the shadows. He exposes the reader to the horrors out in plain sight. However, how and who these horrors come at the reader is the genius of Paisley’s writings. Each tale is a psychological thrill ride. Paisley tends to focus on symptoms of trauma, from out-of-body experiences to detachment from reality.

Divine in Essence: Stories by Yarrow Paisley is perfect for readers of literary, psychological horror stories. Readers should be ready for a deep dive into a dreamscape that seems more like a nightmare. This book is not for the meek. Get ready for a reading experience like no other. But be warned, once you enter the worlds of Paisley’s imagination, there is no escape.