Hi and welcome to my review of Sebastian!

With the spooky season just around the corner, I was having a look at the upcoming Flame Tree Press books. I fell in horror love with Sebastian the very instant I spotted it. There are few horror tropes that truly freak me out, but creepy dolls is definitely in the top three so I figured Sebastian would be right up my #spooktober reading street.

I think it was fortunate that I went in with very few expectations. I did expect Sebastian to give me the heebie-jeebies, but how it was going to go about that, I had no idea and I was basically up for anything. It crossed my mind that a sort of Child’s Play / Annabelle-like experience might be on the cards but that’s not at all what this story was like, so I’m happy I didn’t go in with that fixed idea.

The story is told from the perspective of Morgan, the son of a famous photographer who has got hold of a manikin that is about the size of a young boy, which she’ll be using as a Halloween and photograph prop. Morgan is creeped out by Sebastian from the get-go, as was I, but things get creepier and creepier when his mum starts to treat Sebastian as a real boy. Is she delusional or is Sebastian more than the plastic dummy he seems to be?

As I said above, Sebastian is no Chuckie. He doesn’t run about wielding a knife. This story is a lot more insidious than that and if I were to describe it in one word, I’d say it’s eerie. It also focuses on the somewhat complicated relationship between Morgan and his mum, with Sebastian as some kind of focal point. Or at least that’s what it felt like to me. Oftentimes, the eeriness is not so much in what is actually said and shown but in the things left unspoken and hidden, not so much in what is, but in what might be.

After feeling rather underwhelmed by a number of books and heading for a slump, picking up Sebastian was the best decision I could have made. It was a breath of fresh air and I was completely absorbed. It might not be your typical horror story or creepy doll tale, but it is so so good and I had a fantastic time with it. It’s also much more tragic than I thought it would be, for reasons I can’t disclose, and it unexpectedly hit me right in the feels.

Don’t expect any of your questions answered at the end, I feel like I have more now than when I started out. While that can in fact annoy the crap out of me, in this very instance, I couldn’t care less, to me Sebastian was practically perfect in every way and I wouldn’t change a single thing.

Sebastian is out on 18 October.

Massive thanks to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Sebastian by P.D. Cacek is a beautifully written story of a photographer who becomes a bit obsessed with her subject, an old department store manikin that she names Sebastian. This story is told from the point of view of the artist’s son, Morgan. The story was so good that I read all of it in less than 24 hours even though it goes absolutely nowhere. I kept expecting something to happen with this creepy little manikin, but by the last page still nothing. I loved the setup of the story and Cacek definitely kept me engaged, but this is definitely not horror. It felt more like a contemporary family drama, which is not a genre that I read or enjoy. It was well written, but I am clearly not the intended audience. This was just not what I expected.

Flame Tree Press have often provided me with sleepless nights. Some of the books I have read from them have been truly chilling and with that portrait of a mannequin on the front cover and the book publishing ready for Halloween, I was ready for a scary ride with Sebastian.

I think that my expectation, (which to be completely fair was not backed up by the books blurb or tagline so is completely on me) was what made Sebastian fall a bit flat. I was expecting a bit of an RL Stine affair – a creepy mannequin found in the corner of a shop which has mysteriously closed when the protagonist comes back to ask important questions a few days later. A mannequin that moves, impacts dreams or is responsible for unfortunate circumstances. Sebastian, however, is none of these things, it’s more a family drama about a son trying to come to terms with his mother becoming elderly and losing her mind. As a photographer she is never without her camera, but when she buys a blank faced mannequin she names Sebastian, she begins to become obsessed with it.

The book is a very slow burn, and I would not say it is creepy or scary at any point – it’s more unsettling. We read how Sebastian is assimilated into every aspect of the mother’s life, how she treats it like a son, or sometimes a friend or a partner. The family scenes all feel dramatic and filled with tension, but it takes a long time to build to anything substantial. I think it needed to be edited down, particularly in the middle section. The chapters are interspersed with conversational dialogue between Morgan (the son) and an unknown person. These try to increase the stakes with ‘if only I’d known then what I know now’ kind of dialogue which becomes a bit wearing over time. There are also some comments made in those chapters that make no sense when looking back in hindsight of what really happened, particularly regarding the mother’s camera. In reading some of the other reviews I was looking forward to a shocking twist at the end, but it’s not actually that impactful and I had guessed what was happening quite early on.

Overall, Sebastian did not become an obsession for me I’m afraid - it’s a slow-burn and unsettling read but not a scary one. Thank you to NetGalley & Flame Tree Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

PD Casek’s new novel Sebastian is a very interesting book that doesn’t quite manage to live up to the marketing but beyond it. This is a deeper more invested novel then how it is currently being advertised and it is the better for it.

When I first chose the book, I thought it was going to be like PIN by Andrew Neiderman (The Devil’s Advocate and VC Andrews ghost writer) and the film of the same name but this novel was fuller and richer and worked on so many varied levels from psychological, to aging and loneliness to relationships between a mother and a son. This is what sets this novel apart from others given the reader a rich tapestry of emotions and regrets.

PD Casek’s characters are so full life and feel they have a life off and within the pages to become fully realised characters. As this is told through an almost first person narrative this can be an incredible feat but Casek does this with complete admiration. The only character who is a bit of a shadow of themselves would be Morgan’s wife as she there and present but lacks clear definition for me though this is the only one that I can say this above.

The plot keeps the reader totally engaged and although this is more of a psychological sleeper than thriller or horror, the payoff is filled with pathos and loss which really had me feeling for the characters. The main character of Morgan is irritating and engaging in equal measures and as we are really seeing things through his eyes, we have to trust that he is a reliable narrator.

Overall, this is an excellent novel that I think that the payoff and skill gives the book its own genre and going to be difficult to actually pigeonhole into a specific style. This gives the reader something unique and something that one really wants to get to know more about. As to whether this is a supernatural thriller or a book about mothers and sons will all depend on how the reader wants to interpret. This is truly a remarkable read because it is keeps you off balance. Highly recommend.

The premise of this book was very intriguing. I began reading and the next thing I know is that this is a book that will bring on nightmares. I do not do well with books about ‘dolls’ that have the potential to be alive. This book was creepy, frightening and ended with a “what!?” That left me wondering…

I went into this story expecting it to be about a creepy doll but got way more than that. Sebastian was very heavy on the family drama, and while I didn't mind, I would have loved a little more of a horror aspect to it. The cover is amazing, but I can see how it can be a little misleading. Don't get me wrong the doll is creepy but I felt like this was such a great mother/son relationship story. The ending was pretty amazing though.

I would recommend this book to readers who want a mild spooky read with a great story and some good family drama.

Do you have a phobia of creepy dolls? Do you ever see a mannequin in a store and wonder, “did that thing just move?”

Yeah, I didn’t think so. Me either! Not that I would admit anyway! The cover of Sebastian by P.D. Cacek was sufficiently creepy enough to entice me. The premise of a creepy doll story and an eccentric artist sounded like a great combination for a good horror story.

The main character’s (Morgan’s) mother is an eccentric artist – a photographer – who picks up a mannequin from a store that was unloading unwanted items. The mannequin quickly becomes the subject of her photographs and is given Morgan’s hand-me-down clothes and named Sebastian. Morgan wonders if his mother isn’t becoming a little obsessed with the doll, but she is an artist after all. She isn’t crazy. She’s eccentric.

The book involves family drama, a bit of strangeness, more family drama. But it lacks quite a bit on the horror I was expecting. It was still a good book, but I wouldn’t recommend going into it expecting a lot of horror or frights. It will definitely fall short if you expect that. I’ll give this book three out of five stars – good, but it didn’t wow me.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Flame Tree Press, for making this ARC available for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks so much for the ARC!
I enjoyed this journey through the uncanny Valley. The family had genuine love for each other, and that carried through the eerie strangeness.

I...don't know what I just read. I know it's supposed to be subtle horror, but maybe that's just not fot me. I was expecting something more like Annabelle, and instead it was more family drama with a hint of horror.

That being said, I did love the ending. It brought up a lot more questions that I wish I had the answers to. I can see a sequel from Hannah's POV being fun.

While this wasn't for me, it did have some good writing and an interesting premise. Who doesn't love creepy dolls?

Enjoyed this creepy doll book which gave off the right amount of unease throughout.
Storyline perfectly fitted the introduction of the mannequin into the family and professional circle and addressed the vibes it caused each of the characters.
If you’re looking for a good cosy read with not overly creepy vibes throughout then this is for you.
Recommend this maybe as an introduction to the horror genre.

P.D. Cacek has already given us two superb novels in the horror genre from Fame Tree Press– Second Lives and Second Chances. Sebastian is her third novel from this publisher and in it she takes the theme of the creepy doll – or, in this case a manikin – and gives it a whole new twist.

The story centres on Morgan Riley’s relationship with his mother, a world-renowned photographer. Theirs has not been the easiest of relationships but there is a strong bond between them but then, one day, she brings home a brand new prop – a child-size white plastic manikin. If it could only have remained a prop all would have been well, but Sebastian takes on an increasingly important role in her life and that’s when Morgan starts to worry. Really worry.

This is not a slash/gore, in-your-face, monster, Annabelle or Chukkie style story. It’s way more subtle than that. P.D. Cacek is a mesmerizing writer who draws the reader into this tale with characters you care about. Even Sebastian, who doesn’t even have a face. I resented time spent away from this book almost as much as Morgan’s mother hated to be apart from Sebastian. Its sense of menace, of something not right was something I found addictive.

If you think you’ve had your fill of creepy doll stories, think again. Sebastian is a whole new ballgame and P.D. Cacek has cornered the market.

This creepy shorter horror novel slyly works it's way into your mind and then squeezes tightly until the conclusion.

The manikin in question, Sebastian, is something I personally loved because I hate dolls (and doll like things) in general. So it upped the spooky factor, for me, quite a bit. This book isn't what one would deem "traditional" horror. In fact, the majority of the book feels like a family memoir. However, once Sebastian is introduced, he becomes the focal point even when he's not spoken of.

The narrator keeps saying that his mother is not crazy but there's every possibility this might be the case as her obsession with this manikin starts taking a chilling turn. Is it human or just a human shaped plastic lump? This is the question throughout this book and, even with an ending that might provide an answer, you're still never sure.

I do recommend this book as it is well written and engaging. But for fans of more traditional horror, you might want to look elsewhere. I truly enjoyed it, however, as creepy like like dolls will always grab my attention!

I really enjoyed this, I feel like the whole book had a sense of unease to it which added to the building suspense and pressure. The time spent building the family dynamics and letting us really sit with these characters was not wasted time in my opinion it helped the book feel really uncomfortable and like you didn't know where it was heading. I would have liked a little more creep from it but the character work in this was phenomenal and its a story that will stay with me for a while.

Review Copy

Doll, manikin and dummy stories and tv shows...I love 'em. Twilight Zone captured me in the '60's, William Goldman set the bar in the 70's and who didn't love Linda Black in the '80's movies? I'm a fan of Cacek's short stories so when I saw SEBASTIAN, i quite naturally grabbed it and my expectations were high. This isn't a short story - it's about a 6 hour read. Fun stuff, right?

Well, it turned out to be a slow burn, something else I enjoy. And I waited. Halfway through the book of dramatic holiday festivities, the author managed to offend me. Yeah, even me. Still no shivers...

Her writing is very good so I kept on. Not in one fell swoop, but over a couple of days. The family dramatics were a bit wearing. And I did want to know what was going to happen.

Ultimately, I found out. but it just was a bit late for a novel. Maybe a 30 page short story or a 30 minute tv script. It was all right, but overall as a cozy psy-horror novel it kinda missed.

Who doesn’t like a good creepy doll horror story? Well, Sebastian looked like it was going to be one of those, but it held the creep factor way down in favor of a family drama.
I didn’t mind it since I’m a fan of subtlety, literary horror and the author, but it’s easy to see how it may not work for more action-minded genre fans.
There is a doll. It’s kinda creepy. It’s meant to be a company and an art subject for a well-known photographer. Well-known enough so that flights of whimsy may and will be excused. At least, by others. For her son, it’s kind of difficult to deal with but he does.
Technically, Sebastian isn’t a doll, he’s a manikin. And yes, there is a difference. Is he creepy? Well, no, not really, he’s more along the lines of Winston of the Travels with My Father fame.
So maybe don’t read it for the horror, at least not exclusively) although the ending is delicious. Maybe just read it as a literary novel, a mother/son relationship drama, or just a good slow-boiling story. Thanks Netgalley.

This book had a fantastic setup, a photographer obsessed with her new child manakin she’s gotten and named Sebastian. A son trying to navigate his relationship with his famous photographer mother while growing concerned about her relationship with this manakin. There’s a lot of great stuff here and there’s a creep that tries to get under your skin. The description grabbed me immediately, but overall it was a slow burn that ultimately fizzled. I wanted it to get creepier and scarier and just never got there. It plateaued at some point and though the straightforward writing style and intriguing premise made you wanna keep turning the pages, it just never found its footing. When it seemed like it was finally gonna get over the hump it ended. I loved the writing and there’s lots of great ideas in here, but ultimately it didn’t all work for me. Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.