Carni by R. Saint Claire
December 1, 2023
268 pages
Horror / Clown Horror
After reading the latest Clown in a Cornfield 3, I wanted to cement Carni in here as just as fun, and just as twisted, before I review The Church of Frendo. If the Gathering of the Juggalos took place in the prelude to In The Pines by Karl Edward Wagner, it would be the birthplace of Carni. Set partially on the real-life Burlington Island, the site of a burned-out and abandoned carnival at one time, it embodies the kind of evil clown energy that makes for a great horror story.
After making some very piggish chauvinist decisions, Dag wants to reboot his career. Tired of hiding in his parent’s basement, he begins writing articles following a group of people obsessed with the spirit of Carni–the clown mascot for a long abandoned carnival now overrun by wayward teens. While his attitude is long overdue for an adjustment, it is a magnet for the evil forces stirring in the spirits of the past. All three main characters, Dag and Carni included, are very unlikeable. However, the tug of war between the strange new girlfriend with her goal of hosting a Carni-cult revival and Dag’s motives as a journalist makes the whole situation doubly enticing. It’s one to pick up if you want some action, intrigue, history and a madcap clown.
Double points for shining a light on the cancelled, and having a thoroughly unlikeable main character who actually grow on you – slimy as he is! Check out more, and Regina’s latest book, Final Dress, out now.