Memie's Reviews > The King in Red

2.5/5

Instead of fully embracing the horror and romance elements of the story, The King in Red is a lukewarm combination of both. There is not enough development between the couple and nowhere near unsettling enough to be Lovecraftian horror. In fact, the story is very domestic, with the eldritch abomination cooking and caring for Jade.The sex just kind of happens because that's the spot in a story where sex typically occurs and not because there is a really or interesting connection between the couple.

The story isn't bad, but I did not like the author's writing style. It felt very juvenile. Jade toes the "not like other girls" line - it is not explicitly stated, but the NLOG vibes are strong. We are TOLD she is an incredibly lonely person (which is very important thematically), but this is undercut by her interactions with her friend and the frat guy. The author tells us she is lonely through Jade's constant inner monologue, but the writing shows that she interacts with people easily enough. The author is unable to convey "lonely in a room full of people" idea.