Book Review | Let Me Out I've Had Enough

Let Me Out I've Had Enough by Mark Matthews presents a collection of short stories revolving around death, despair, and people who are at the end of their rope. It’s a raw and visceral exploration of the human psyche during people’s darkest hours—written by a licensed professional counselor.

Needless to say, this is one heavy read.

The stories vary in subject and genre, but they are all filled with the same underlying theme of sadness and desperation.

On one hand, there’s by far the most bizarre and experimental of the bunch: “Body of Christ.” This story centers around both a girl coping with the death of her mother and a boy who's coping with the death of his father in … unusual ways. This particular story teeters between grotesque and comically absurd at times, but its horrifying conclusion redeemed the story for me and made my skin crawl.

There are two standouts in this collection for me though.

First is “The Last Bug Chaser.” The story follows an alien who may be the last of its kind and whose body is key to the survival of the human species against a raging deadly virus. This was my personal favorite of the bunch and I found it to be a compelling and unique spin on the alien invasion trope.

Second is “The Burdens of the Father,” an eerie dystopian tale where Earth's oxygen is limited and an expecting father grapples with whether to try and rehome his family.

All in all, Let Me Out I’ve Had Enough is a haunting and fascinating exploration of mental illness if you’re in an alright head space to read it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Wicked Run Press, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : August 31, 2021

Publisher : Wicked Run Press

ISBN : 1736695037

Pages : 157

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