My Early Crimes

My Early Crimes by Paolo Di Orazio is an anthology of short stories that involve children, violence, and murder. A disturbing book on many levels, Di Orazio manages to keep its subject matter from becoming exploitive, using various styles and points of view to describe truly terrible acts. He gets into the minds of his young killers, showing us what makes them tick…and what makes them kill. Some of the protagonists are flat-out crazy, some abused, some accidentally thrown into awful circumstances, but all are unforgettable.Our Mother’s Eyes gives us a glimpse into an appalling family dynamic full of physical abuse and deviance, culminating in an act of murder that, despite its justification, brings little comfort to either the reader or the characters.Candy tells the story of a boy who’s very fond of candy, and doesn’t take “no” for an answer.My Babysitter Is an Ogre is written like a diary entry, of sorts, and deals with sexual abuse. Very disquieting.Patrick Wile E. Coyote is one of the weaker tales efforts, focusing on triplets and how familial bonds don’t always survive insanity.Silence! shows us the beginning of a mad, evil genius, of sorts.I defy you to take a dip in your local public swimming pool after reading I Won’t Go Underwater!Original Sins takes us to a church-run orphanage and the horribly abusive nun in charge. This isn’t nunsploitation the way we’re used to from Italian horror media, believe me.Burning Smell tells the story of delusion and what happens when the young have to deal with the death of an elderly relative.The Turkey Wants to Play went a little too long, but still manages to bring some true nastiness. Sometimes, comic books may not be right for your child. Don’t eat the rice salad.Mott was a story that can be easily skipped. Incomprehensible and an unnecessary touch of the supernatural.The translation from Italian to English seemed awkward in places, making it difficult to determine if the phrasing was intentional or accidental. Nevertheless, Di Orazio takes this sensitive subject and sticks it right into your guts, making you squirm. Nobody likes to be reminded of the powerlessness, the helplessness of childhood, where your daily fate can be determined on the whim of an angry adult. This book puts you right there anyway, and it’s a good, if uncomfortable read.(Review originally posted at Ginger Nuts of Horror: http://gingernutsofhorror.com/4/post/2015/08/my-early-crimes-by-paolo-di-orazio.html)

Must Have!!!!!

No more scary book for you after this one!

A great, great italian book.