The Cut by C.J. Dotson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**3.5-stars rounded up**
After fleeing an abusive relationship, Sadie Miles, with her toddler, Izzy, in tow, ends up at the L’Arpin Hotel, a historic property on the edge of Lake Eerie.
She’s not there for rest and relaxation though, she’s there for a job. When she’s offered a position as a housekeeper, which includes a free room at the hotel, she jumps at the offer. She’s beyond desperate.
We follow Sadie as she tries to navigate her new circumstance, having to do things that make her uncomfortable, such as leaving Izzy alone with an elderly woman she just met, so that she can get her work done.
It’s not just those necessary actions that are making her uncomfortable though, there’s a lot around the hotel that is odd; including, but not limited to, the people.
Individuals go missing, and there’s definitely something in the water, or the pipes, or food. The higher-ups seem to be covering-up, but what? And what about the man from the power plant, always yelling and carrying on, like she’s done something to him. What is going on here?
Sadie, like many great Horror characters before her, isn’t willing to let any of this stuff go. She’s determined to figure out the truth behind the hotel, even if she needs to put herself in peril in order to do so.
I had fun with this one. The Cut has a great set-up, and it did succeed at keeping me guessing and compelled to move forward with the unsettling narrative.
It reminded me of one of those Creature Feature movies from the late-70s/mid-80s, that had like ants that had grown to the size of houses and ate entire towns.
Were they super logical? No. Did they keep you entertained on a rainy Saturday afternoon? Absolutely. This is the vibe I got and I’m not complaining about it.
This is solid B-Horror, and don’t take that as an insult, because it’s not. I love B-Horror. It’s pure entertainment, that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It tells a story, gives you thrills, chills, and keeps you at the edge of your seat.
I will say, Sadie’s daughter, Izzy, drove me absolutely nuts. I would have enjoyed this even more if she hadn’t been in it. I know that seems mean, but it is what it is.
Overall, though, this was a fun ride. It had some issues, but at the end of the day, I didn’t really care. I actually Buddy Read this and it was a fun one to try to guess what was really happening. Which by the way, I was no where near guessing.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. I highly recommend the audio format if you have it available to you. The narration was a great fit for the tone of the story!
