Women in Horror: Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman

Carol Evers has a secret that only a few know of: she occasionally falls into a deathlike sleep. After being rejected over her condition, Carol is understandably more reserved about who she should tell until now, years after that incident. Her best friend John Bowie knew about her secret, but he recently died. Carol worries that someone will bury her if her husband Dwight is out of town and no one would know they were burying her alive. Right when she almost tells Molly, she falls into a coma. Her husband Dwight tells everyone she's dead as she appears to be. Molly sends word of Carol's death to her ex James Moxie, legendary outlaw. He knows the truth and travels down the Trail to save her.  

Unbury Carol is not exactly what I expected from Malerman after reading Bird Box. It has many interesting concepts and storytelling I haven't seen before. No one knows how Carol's deathlike comas happen except that they occur in times of stress. In these comas, she is completely aware and able to hear, but unable to move or speak. She appears dead as her heart and breathing slow down to an undetectable rate. Her experience inside the coma is one of falling and the sound of wind howling which is why she calls it Howltown. Other than this, Carol is a typical woman, beloved by the town and wealthy. I felt that she was a pretty bland character because she fell into the coma so early in the book. We don't get to know her much. Her inner monologue and experience in Howltown is seen, but the other male characters with much more character development and agency are the main focus. 

Those characters are primarily John Moxie, Smoke, and Dwight. John Moxie is legendary outlaw on the Trail most famous for beating a man in a duel without ever drawing his gun. Once he hears about Carol's predicament, he's filled with guilt over rejecting her because of her condition. He couldn't handle the worry about her all the time and ran away like a coward. The long trek back to her is filled with ghosts of the past he needs to overcome. Even though he is aged, he quickly proves why he's legendary on his way to save the woman he still loves. Smoke, on the other hand, is a villain of the highest order and a hired assassin to kill Moxie. He doesn't carry a gun like most, but uses oil stored in his metal lower legs to set deadly fires. While deadly and capable, he is also haunted by his past on the Trail and stops often to settle old debts and inflict pain where possible. Dwight is the worst of them all as a coward satsified to bury his wife alive. He feels emasculated and overshadowed by her money, opinion, and attitudes. Throughout the book, he becomes more and more plagued by guilt, uncertainty, and panic until he's a shell of the man he used to be.

Unbury Carol takes place in a western style world with some supernatural elements. Rot shows up as a deus ex machina for the villains so their lies are believed and Moxie is attacked numerous times on his way. It sees Carol as an affront to and mocking of death. It's presence is a bit frustrating but fits the flavor of the world. Besides the treatment of Carol, there is a missed opportunity. A mysterious Illness is ravaging cities and it's never described or seen. The ending is pretty satisfying and actually has Carol actively doing something. I wouldn't say it's completely satisfying as some things seemed too convenient. However, Unbury Carol brings a world of fantasy and horror entwined with memorable characters, a unique plot, and a sweet romance.

My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins