📖 The Black Farm
Author: Elias Witherow
Date Published: June 7th, 2017
🧵 Synopsis
After a failed suicide attempt, Nick awakens in The Black Farm, a grotesque afterlife for those who take their own lives. Hunted by monstrous overseers and trapped in a cycle of pain and survival, he must navigate a nightmarish world where escape may be impossible.
🔖 Memorable Quotes
“the moment you think you’re in control is the moment this place will destroy you all over again.” ― Elias Witherow, The Black Farm
🧠 My Thoughts
I’ve decided to try new genres in 2025. This is my first Splatterpunk experience and I must say (sheepishly)I absolutely loved it! The world that Elias created is so detailed in my head, I feel like I really visited there (God forbid)! Thank God I escaped. As for Nick and Jess, you’ll have to find out for yourselves.
We see everything through Nick’s eyes. We are introduced to them at the start as a grieving couple, who have lost a child amongst other sadnesses. They see no hope in staying in this world and are seeking to drift off into eternal peace. Only life (or death) has other plans. Please check your trigger warnings before you read this book as just about every trigger will be triggered.
The Black Farm is a feast for the eyes (quite literally). The world is so well created. This is masterful imagery creation through words. I was most terrified about the black ocean, imagine how scary the ocean looks at night and the sea always being this colour? This, for me, was the most chilling of images conjured up in my head. When you read the rest of this book, you’ll wonder about my head if this was the most terrifying concept! I cannot help what I am most terrified about though.
I recommend not eating whilst reading this book, the smells, the blood, the sounds, will definitely put you off your bacon sandwich. I wonder if Elias was thinking of Orwell’s Animal Farm when concocting this horror world where fates are decided by monstrous pigs?
Whilst the world creation, through fantastical descriptive nightmares producing intense imagery, is undeniably brilliant, the character development does let this story down unfortunately. Nick’s partner, Jess, is extremely one dimensional. She is going through some of the worst traumas imaginable, yet her responses are very flat, “Yes Nick”, “No Nick”, “Whatever you say Nick”. She felt very unbelievable to me. Nick interested me though, there are parts of the story where I questioned whether Nick might actually be starting to enjoy this hellish world. A world where remorse cannot exist.
Read this book if you’re looking for a visual treat that will wake and test all the senses, but bear in mind the character development is almost non existent.
I give this book 3.75 stars.