Smile So Red by Mia Dalia
Smile So Red by Mia Dalia is a horror novelette. It weighs in at 57 pages and was released on March 16, 2023.
This is a story about a man who loses his job, unbeknownst to his wife. He plays out his usual daily routine while searching for another job where he can fall into a similar, somewhat comfortable rut again. One of my favorite phrasings in the book was Dalia’s description of his life: “a slow and steady papercut-death-trudge toward retirement.” That sums it up nicely.
The doldrums of going through the motions of life and realizing his small place in the universe get to be too much for him. To change things up, he branches out and begins walking in the woods to while away the hours until he can go home and proliferate the lie his life is becoming. What he finds during those walks in the woods will change his life.
Smile So Red is a slow burn story. It starts out giving the reader a glimpse into the life of the main character, Anton. The guy is in a rut. The loss of his job only compounds the feelings of insignificance he has about himself. When he stumbles upon a peculiar house in the woods, the thrill of something new awakens his curiosity, which later gets the best of him. As a reader, we’re able to linger in his subconscious and slowly watch him degrade into a desperate and haunted man. His depression and loss of self control bring about a series of fantastical events he could never have imagined.
Once you get about a quarter of the way into the story, it starts to gain momentum. By the time you reach the end, you’ll feel like you’ve taken a harrowing journey with Anton that will leave you shocked and thrilled. Dalia ramps up the suspense and intrigue with every walk into the woods, and I enjoyed it very much!
Smile So Red has great story-telling and a well-developed main character, so this was a fun and quick read for me. I’d originally planned to just get a taste of it, but I ended up finishing it in one sitting. I loved that the author gives a mention to what real-life location inspired this story. I’m always big on learning what sparks the imagination to create something, especially a good story. I recommend this one!
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Get to know Mia Dalia
Mia Dalia is an author, a lifelong reader, and a longtime reviewer of all things fantastic, scary and strange. Her short fiction has been published by Night Terror Novels, 50 word stories, Flash Fiction Magazine, Pyre Magazine, and Tales from the Moonlit Path. Her fiction will be featured in the upcoming anthologies by Sunbury Press, HellBound Press, Black Ink Fiction, Dragon Roost Press, and Mystery Magazine. Her debut novel, Estate Sale, released in April 2023.
She'd like to give you nightmares...the fun kind.
***Taken from Mia Dalia’s website
