PAPER CUTS: COREY FARRENKOPF Chills With Made-Up Horrors That Feel All To Real In "HAUNTED ECOLOGIES" (REVIEW)

We first became aware of Corey Farrenkopf not through his incredible fiction, but through his remarkable dedication to literature via Instagram (we highly encourage everyone to follow Corey) highlighting the extraordinary work he does as an Adult Services and Reference Librarian at the Eastham Public Library on Cape Cod. When we found out he was an author and an author who writes horror and dark fantasy, we knew we had to add him immediately to our ever-growing TBR list. His debut novel, “Living in Cemeteries,” was released from JournalStone in April 2024. His debut short story collection, “Haunted Ecologies,” was released this February. He is the Fiction Editor for the Cape Cod Poetry Review. His work has appeared in Electric Literature, Strange Horizons, The Southwest Review, The Deadlands, Nightmare, SmokeLong Quarterly, Tiny Nightmares, Catapult, Flash Fiction Online, Bourbon Penn, and elsewhere. His work has been nominated for multiple Pushcart Prizes and a Best of the Net award. He has also been nominated for the Year’s Best Horror Anthology and the Year’s Best Horror and Dark Fantasy Anthology.

We were fortunate enough to receive a copy of “Haunted Ecologies” and couldn’t wait to write a review, so you can experience the magic Corey creates. The collection features 15 stories, three of which were published here for the first time: “Growth/Decay,” Dredging the Bay,” and “To Tend a Grove.” Leaning into Cli-Fi/Eco-Horror, the writing is crisp, clean, and compelling, often evoking a palpable sense of the dread from the repercussions we’ve created through destroying our ecosystem, allowing our environments to suffer, or placing our faith in Elder Gods who have little sympathy for humankind.

The protagonists feel real in today’s modern world; every day, beleaguered people just trying to make sense of a situation that is often beyond their scope or understanding, frequently becoming the ghosts, ghouls, and monsters of their own design. These stories deliver subtle (and not so subtle) thrills that are compelling and, often, infuriating, in their depiction of what we’ve done, not only to the planet, but by proxy, ourselves. Fear not horror lovers, there are also plenty of monsters and mayhem. Swamp creatures run amok, werewolves that need care, Lovecraftian seaside folk-horror, the rise of an insect revolution, the morbid devolution of a tree cult, and the horror of extreme eco-tourism, if it’s scares you looking for, the bump in the night and intellectual kind, this collection is for you. Here are some of the highlights:

“The Burnt Floor” - ever wonder what it would be like to be a Disney Adult in a world of ecological decay. Wonder no longer as you pack your family into the only room you can afford on the Burnt Floor. Don’t forget your respirator, or it will be an extremely short trip. Corey manages to bring a sense of excitement and wonder for what’s essentially a family trip to Hell. 

“Mothers’ Wolves” - even though this isn’t the collection's werewolf tale, it gave off serious werewolf vibes. A daughter spends her days in the Maine wilderness on a mission to record the lonely howl of wolves that should not exist there, but her true mission is much closer to home. A crushing, emotional story full of atmosphere and melancholy. 

“We’ve Been in Enough Places” and “Watterlogged” - features a weary property manager who’s not the least shocked by the thing swimming around the basement of a rundown condominium complex, singing to him in the darkness. This may have been our favorite of the collection. A hauntingly beautiful piece about realizing, even as jaded as you may be, you can still find wonder in the unknown.  

“To Tend a Grove” - the whims of an eccentric millionaire are a waking nightmare for the landscaper tasked with turning a golf course into a vibrant forest, all meant as a gift for an Elder God. The cosmic beauty of this story still resonates with us. Part Lovecraft, part Poe, this tale stands out amongst the collection as one we’d love to see expanded into novel length.

“Translations for a Dead Sea” - another cosmic delight. A daughter retreats to her Father’s seaside cabin, determined to decipher his last poem, which may be the salvation or destruction of the known world. A challenging task made all the more difficult by nightly visitors that rise from the ocean depths nightly to put a stop to her quest. 

“Fences and Full Moons” - if you think raising a Fourth Grader is hard, try doing it when they’re a werewolf. This quirky, funny, quick hit of delight still has us smiling. The sorbet of the collection to cleanse the palate with some levity, before diving headfirst back into the horror. 

This collection is the perfect companion to others in the same vein, such as  Nathan Ballangrud’s “North American Lake Monsters” or Andrew F. Sullivan’s “The Marigld.” Eerie, insightful, and heartfelt, these stories will chill your bones with the fantastical monstrosities Corey has created, while also making you think about the very real-life environmental horror we seem to be idly watching unfold around us.

You can watch our interview with Corey here.

You can purchase “Haunted Ecologies” at JounalStone, Amazon, and Bookshop.org.

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