Ooh I am obsessed with this one! The story centers around an upcoming artist, Lewis Dixon, who has just received his big break only to find out that he has been recruited specifically for a magical and horrific mission within the art world. There truly is something for everyone in this novel between the magical realism, the queerness, the mystery, and the graphic horror moments that were perfectly balanced with the storytelling. I think The Macabre is a MUST READ.

Thank you Net Galley for an eArc of this book!
I was really intrigued but the plot and narrative, however I feel the writing fell short in some areas. The main character does a lot of internal monologue explanations for things, as well as internal speculation on other motives.
I also feel like some of the dialogue is meant to come off as very cool but it falls flat.
The plot and story are really interesting and get your attention, but I struggled through because of the reasons listed above.
I'm excited to see the author grow and can't wait to see what he has next as I think his ideas are fun and rather gripping, it's the execution that has room to grow.

Kosoko Jackson's "The Macabre" immediately hooked me with its incredibly inventive concept – I was really captivated by the unique blend of dark fantasy, art history, and adventure centered around Lewis Dixon and the idea of magical paintings. The premise felt so fresh and full of potential! I particularly enjoyed seeing the world through Lewis's eyes as an artist – that perspective felt authentic and added a lot for me, making him very relatable. The developing connection between Lewis and Noah also provided a strong emotional core that I found quite compelling amidst all the magical chaos and globe-trotting adventure. Jackson definitely creates some effectively eerie and atmospheric scenes throughout the book, especially when dealing with the paintings themselves, which I really appreciated.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the creative ambition and the overall journey, perhaps for me, the intricate plot occasionally felt like it was juggling quite a lot at once, which sometimes affected the pacing slightly in the middle. And maybe there were a few instances where I personally wished certain elements, like the finer points of the magic system, were explored just a touch more.

But overall, "The Macabre" was a truly unique and imaginative reading experience for me. I admire the originality and the way it blended genres, and the core story featuring Lewis, Noah, and the paintings definitely kept me engaged. It's certainly a testament to Jackson's creative vision.

I thought I was going to be reading a book about a cursed painting.

What I got was a book with a diverse cast of characters, secret societies, an interesting and unique magical system, all wrapped up in a book about many cursed paintings.

The story follows Lewis, a struggling artist dealing with the death of his mother. A chance opportunity arrives when he is invited to participate in an exhibit at the British Museum, where he meets Noah and Evangeline, agents at the museum and magicians.

Lewis is thrust into a world of secret agents, magic, and cursed paintings created by his ancestor, and only he can break the curses on the paintings. Along the way, friends become enemies, enemies become allies, and the fate of the entire world is at stake.

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson is a lush, atmospheric book that blends urban fantasy with queer horror, blending magic with art and sorrow that is felt through generations. The world building is very interesting, though I wish that more had been done with the magic system. That being said, the fantasy and magic is not the main focus of this book- rather, the way that characters understand their own pain and grief is a bigger focus, and I think that the way this book handles pain, grief, and loss is beautiful.

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson is a gorgeously chilling read that absolutely deserves five stars. It’s dark, lush, and immersive—full of gothic atmosphere, slow-burning suspense, and a creeping dread that builds beautifully with each chapter. I devoured it in just a couple of sittings and kept thinking how perfect it would’ve been to read around Halloween. Jackson crafts a haunting, twisted world where nothing is quite what it seems, blending supernatural elements with deep emotional resonance and some very sharp social commentary. If you like your horror intelligent, eerie, and beautifully written, The Macabre is it. Just maybe save it for a foggy October night if you want the full shiver-down-your-spine experience.

An incredibly unique addition to both the horror and fantasy genres! From the prologue, I was immediately drawn in and read the book fairly quickly because I had trouble putting it down. Lewis is a character who I felt almost attached to! I was invested in what was happening to him and just as eager to figure it all out. The author’s writing style flows easily and he does a great job with world-building as well as creating a different type of magic system. All in all, this was a 5 star read and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read in advance!

4.25

How to explain this book? Literary fantasy with elements of horror. It defiantly leans into the urban fantasy aspect but for me there is not enough detail on the workings of the magic system to be a successful fantasy novel. It focuses more on the darkness and horror of the air work itself vs deep diving into the magic system. As for character development, I thought it was done well. There is depth and dimension to them and as the reader I did develop an interest in their lives. I wish we had more of the dark and dangerous interactions with the pairings. I will admit this one did start a little slow for me. Which is why it is a 4 and not a 5. It took until about 30% in before it really peaked my interest. But once it did, I was hooked. Overall, this book is written so well and the descriptions are incredibly vivid.

Jackson’s prose is vivid and evocative, immersing readers in a narrative that explores themes of identity, legacy, and the transformative power of art. While some readers have noted that the magic system could benefit from more defined rules, the novel's unique premise and emotional depth have been praised. The blend of horror and fantasy elements creates a compelling story that resonates with fans of both genres.

Kosoko Jackson does a fantastic job in writing this horror adventure novel, I really enjoyed the idea of the cursed paintings and how it was used in this plot. The characters were everything that I was looking for and was engaged with how they were used in this adventure book. It was everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed in this type of book, I'm excited to read more from Kosoko Jackson as this was really well done.

Unexpected! Deliciously creepy and atmospheric, this horror novel kept me on edge from the first page to the last. The tension builds steadily, with eerie twists, unsettling imagery, and a chilling climax that lingers long after you finish. Who knew historical horror could be my thing!

Premise? Magical. Concept is so interesting and I found myself struggling with putting the book down once I'd find time to read. If there's a sequel, I'd definitely read it.

Lewis, an unwitting possessor of bloodline magic connected to a series of deadly paintings created by his ancestor, finds himself catapulted from everyday life into the thick of international magic investigation. Working at the service of the British museum, he learns quickly that his gift has the potential to eliminate dangerous works of art specific to his family. But what will Lewis be willing to give up to address the danger?

I went into this novel incredibly excited about the premise of “haunted / cursed” paintings, and the bloodline aspect of the magic really drew me in and piqued my interest. However, I found myself confused at several points and desiring of more information or more depth for certain plot points. My favorite parts of the novel were Lewis’ forays into the Dumonts, and the backstory of each of the paintings for Edgar. While the story always felt high stakes and was mostly engaging, I struggled at times with the antagonist(s). As a personal preference, I prefer character-heavy novels so this fell a bit flat in that respect for me.

Thank you for the advanced copy of Macabre!

Overall, especially at the beginning, I was totally in the story of Lewis. I felt his grief, his struggles, and I was so excited to see how he dealt with his magic he was uncovering. I felt the book was best when Lewis was able to truly describe himself within these Macabre paintings and survive.

Unfortunately, I felt after a strong start that the story began to get muddled. I felt very much thrown around, telling things versus showing. It felt like much of the story ended up being the reader feeling behind (at least I did) and then just having to ignore the lost feeling and continue on. I also felt this was a bit more fantasy, versus horror which initially I thought.

Overall happy to have given this a shot! I hope to see what else Kosoko has to show us.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for a review!

I've been a fan of Kosoko Jackson since Yesterday is History and this book is just as good. I loved that this book felt like an adult novel and not a YA pretending to be an adult novel. I liked that Noah and Lewis had a slow burn relationship that didn't start towards the middle of the book when it was clear both had feelings for each other. The payoff felt nice and didn't make the book feel romance heavy, which I think would pull the book down. The only reason I don't think this is a perfect book is because I did think there were a few phrases that felt awkward.

I thought the plot of this was really cool. It reminded me of a video game almost with a linear plotline that was not so linear as it went on. The addition of Cassanrda's POV chapter was also interesting since it added extra mysteries. I like the magic in this, but I do think it was slightly confusing at times and could have used more world building. I still really enjoyed the progression of the story and the rich tales of Edgar, Lewis, and Cassandra.

I know a lot of people probably won't be a fan of the romance in this since it does feel—I won't say forced, but convenient. However, I didn't feel that way at all about it. Noah felt like a fully thought out character with his own goals and motivations. To me, it was a great romance and I liked that it was added.

Overall, this was a big hit for me and one I'll be getting for my shelf when it releases.

I really enjoyed this book. My first impression was that it started too quickly into the action, but upon reflection I feel like that pulled me into the story quickly. I'm more of a plot-driven reader though. I think this book will appeal to fans of Lev Grossman's The Magicians, but might prove challenging for readers who are very character driven.

As an artist, any story about haunted paintings are an immediate read for me. Unfortunately this wasn't it. The only time this book ventured into "horror" (and I'm using that term loosely), is when Lewis delved into the paintings. And that was about 10% of the book.

I would even say it leaned more towards sci-fi at times. The magic system was explained at length, but still came out convoluted.

The main bad's motivation was... disappointing, to say the least. The relationship between Lewis and Noah was cute though.

I went in hoping for more Duma Key Stephen King vibes, but ended up getting more Doctor Who wibbly wobbly timey wimey instead.

In general I enjoyed this book. Generally speaking I prefer my fantasy reads to explain the rules of the world and stick to them, but this read was such a unique premise I could get past my preferences. I did feel misled by the horror category, as I was expecting more. I’d only mark this as fantasy, the horror elements were so sparse. Interesting read overall.

What an intriguing, thought provoking book! I’m hoping for more books like this from this author. A completely original concept that had me hooked

As an art lover, and a person who enjoys magical/horror takes on art, I was incredibly excited about this book - magic paintings! unseen fantasy! mysterious organizations! And, as a reader, I have... a lot of thoughts.

TLDR: I think this book went too broad and not deep enough. There are a lot of cool ideas that aren't followed up on, and a lot of pretty forgettable moments.

Fantasy is at its best when it has stringent rules, and fantasy-horror is most effective when it shows how those rules are broken. Kosoko Jackson is pretty loosey-goosey with the rules, and that freedom works against the book. It gets a little repetitive ("go on ten of the same magical quest!") and some of the horror is more effective than the rest. Not to mention the character work is pretty thin at points, and I was not super impressed by the portrayals of Japan nor physical disability in this book.

That being said, I was hooked enough to read to the end! I loved the revelations about what the Macabre actually are, and while the Noah-Lewis relationship started as being flimsy, I liked them a lot by the end. I'm not familiar with Kosoko Jackson's other work, and this had pretty big debut energy (or genre-debut energy), but I bet the next one will be killer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!