New Arrival: Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

 

Many horror fans are probably familiar with the image of Samara, the creepy ghost girl from The Ring, crawling out of the television, her damp, black hair forming a veil across her face. They might not know that she originally appeared in the movie Ringu and in the novel by Koji Suzuki. They also might not know that, in the novel, her name is Sadako Yamamura and she is the vengeful spirit, or onryo, of a young woman who was murdered and thrown into a well. However, there are also fans of J-Horror films and stories who are quite aware of Koji Suzuki and other creators in this subgenre. Fans of those stories will be delighted to know that Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth expertly uses Japanese mythology and spirituality, as well as some down-to-earth human ugliness, to tighten the screws on some adult friends who just wanted to attend a wedding in a haunted mansion.

Those who have seen a few horror movies already know that having a wedding in a mansion that’s supposed to be haunted is a terrible idea, but it doesn’t stop four friends from planning a wedding there. Nadia and Faiz are there to tie the knot, while Phillip is the friend from old money who has made this wedding possible. Relating these events is the semi-reliable narrator Cat, recently recovered from depression and disliking her best friend Faiz’s new bride (the feeling is quite mutual). Throw in Lin, the comic relief that the friends don’t really find funny, and you have a group that are basically fodder for the ghost bride that is happy to finally have some living guests at her mansion.

This novella is a quick and brutal read but Khaw’s gift for description paints a vivid picture of the supernatural terrors that borrow heavily from Japanese folklore. Throwing around terms like yokai and kitsune might confuse some readers, but Khaw not only provides enough context to keep the readers in the story, she demonstrates a knowledge of these terms that grounds the story in if not reality then authenticity. The characters trapped in this nightmare might not be ones the reader would like to spend time with, but they will want to see what happens to them as the story progresses to a violent and even heartbreaking end. Nothing but Blackened Teeth is an example of a novella that showcases why this medium shines at telling horror stories, providing the depth of a novel with the pace that quickens the readers’ heartbeats. It also is the perfect novella for J-Horror fans that want to delve into its particular brand of mythology.