REVIEW: The Remedy

The Remedy
Author: Adam Haslett

**CAUTION: If discussion of depression, self-harm, suicide and other dark topics are triggers for you -- please avoid reading or listening to this story.**

Derrick has been dealing with extreme, untreatable pain for years. Nobody has been able to help. Then his cousin tells him about a miracle cure offered by a New York clinic. The treatments are expensive, but Derrick sees the improvement in his cousin so he decides it is worth trying. The treatment does work....but in very unexpected ways.

I have to say that this is my least favorite of all the stories in this collection mostly because I found it bordering on offensive. I can't come right out and say why without spoiling the story.....so I will just say it offers up something as a solution that might trigger a reader dealing with depression to harm themselves. I understand the author's intentions....and his point. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. Nope....this story is just not for me. All of the stories in this collection have been more psychological in nature and not really horror stories. I can enjoy them for what they are and have liked most of them. This one just went too far for even me to give it space.

The Remedy is the sixth story in the Dark Corners Collection, an Amazon/Audible Originals horror series. This series doesn't offer run-screaming-into-the-dark horror, but more emotional, creative tales designed to horrify in a more cerebral way rather than scare readers. There are seven stories in the collection, each written by a different bestselling author. I listened to the audio book version of each one. I'm reviewing the stories separately as most of these stories are vastly different and the authors new to me. I didn't want to lump it all together in one jumbled review.

Adam Haslett has written several other books including Imagine Me Gone and You Are Not a Stranger Here. He seems to focus on some dark, depressing topics so although this story was well-written and interesting, I'm going to pass on reading more by this author. The audio book, narrated by Will Damron, is just under an hour long. Damron reads with skill and at an even pace. I have partial hearing loss but was easily able to hear and understand the entire story.