Rating: 
Summary: Surprising, non-stop, or in a word, compelling.
Review: Surprising, non-stop, or in a word, compelling. Diana Barron must have an unparalleled mind when it comes to imagination. Her first novel, Phatom Feast, in my opinion, is a successful cross of genres. The book is full of dark and bizarre horror ingredients, while magical fantasy is added to spice up the already hot story. Topping off this 'Feast', is a mystery that kept me turning pages.Everything must start at the beginning. Phatom Feast is no different. Barron introduces a line of characters that are each more unique than the next and each with a background more mystifyingly intense then the one before it. When a house touched by magic seemingly takes over the city-when a jungle explodes into the heart of Hester, New York-when everything was once considered sane and, if not normal, at least explainable . . . Some unknown horror stalks those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves as victims of prey. If the city streets still resembled paved roads instead of wintry woods full of carnivorous beasts, perhaps escaping with your life might seem more possible. But when the unexpected is the norm, then . . . good luck finding a sanctuary. Phatom Feast is an almost guaranteed haunting read. Clever dialogue and creative narrative allow a reader to become absorbed into the story, as if an included character in Diana Barron's story. From the beginning until the magical end, Barron's novel not only held my interest it demanded my attention. I will impatiently be awaiting more from this talented writer.
--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Third Ring & Tenth House
Rating: 
Summary: exciting psychological and supernatural thriller
Review: Ten years ago Erin rescued Mickey a dwarf from four punks. They moved in together. Five years later, Mickey met a weeping dwarf Isolde and invited her to move in as their cook. A third dwarf Beau joined the family later on. Then there are the midget twins, Patrick and Sarah, Erin's older siblings to round out the family living in a former circus wagon turned into a cottage in Hester, New York. Erin is the income maker bringing in cash through phone sex with her clients. Erin finds the circus canvasses that adorn the walls of the cottage quite magical especially when she dreams of escaping the bondage of her now bed ridden body. When she sleeps, Erin's spirit joins the canvas animals roaming Hester as predators in search of human prey. Erin has no problem with the hunt. When she was fifteen, she overpowered and drowned her parents with no remorse as her father sexually abused her. Now apparent innocents are dying leaving behind mutilated bodies. Witnesses insist nothing was there hat could have caused the mangling of a person in front of them. PHANTOM FEAST is a supernatural thriller that starts slowly allowing the audience to distinguish the varying individual personalities of the family members especially the individual psychological longings (though the twins are not quite as delineated). Once the background and individualism is established, the compelling plot turns into paranormal mode at very rapid speed especially when the spirits of the canvassed animals and Erin begin their nocturnal killing spree. Diana Barron provides horror fans with an exciting psychological and supernatural thriller. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: exciting psychological and supernatural thriller
Review: Ten years ago Erin rescued Mickey a dwarf from four punks. They moved in together. Five years later, Mickey met a weeping dwarf Isolde and invited her to move in as their cook. A third dwarf Beau joined the family later on. Then there are the midget twins, Patrick and Sarah, Erin's older siblings to round out the family living in a former circus wagon turned into a cottage in Hester, New York. Erin is the income maker bringing in cash through phone sex with her clients. Erin finds the circus canvasses that adorn the walls of the cottage quite magical especially when she dreams of escaping the bondage of her now bed ridden body. When she sleeps, Erin's spirit joins the canvas animals roaming Hester as predators in search of human prey. Erin has no problem with the hunt. When she was fifteen, she overpowered and drowned her parents with no remorse as her father sexually abused her. Now apparent innocents are dying leaving behind mutilated bodies. Witnesses insist nothing was there hat could have caused the mangling of a person in front of them. PHANTOM FEAST is a supernatural thriller that starts slowly allowing the audience to distinguish the varying individual personalities of the family members especially the individual psychological longings (though the twins are not quite as delineated). Once the background and individualism is established, the compelling plot turns into paranormal mode at very rapid speed especially when the spirits of the canvassed animals and Erin begin their nocturnal killing spree. Diana Barron provides horror fans with an exciting psychological and supernatural thriller. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A great repast!
Review: When a book begins "He was still alive and fully aware when she began to skin him" one knows one is in for a ride! In Phantom Feast, Diana Barron takes us for a terrific ride which only gets better. She deals with a circus wagon, odd circus characters and even portrays bikers as some of the good guys. In other words, this is not a typical cast of characters. The plot is excellent, and the story gets more and more exciting, right to the end. And it is an end worthy of my favorite horror writer, Richard Laymon. I recommend this novel as a unique, and delightful feast!
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