Photo courtesy of Andy Carroll
I would like to first thank Jesse D’Angelo for his generosity in sending Brandy and me a copy of his book. I also would like to acknowledge his patience in waiting for me to get caught up, and being able to read and provide my honest feedback. So, thank you Jesse it is much appreciated.
The Lady of the Lake by Jesse D’Angelo is one of three titles Jesse released this year. In my humble opinion it is very impressive being his first published works. Not to mention his active engagement on social media, and his YouTube channel is constantly having additional videos added. That is all a lot of work! Not to mention that he is an independent author, and has achieved much of these tasks on his own. For that I tip my hat.
The Lady of the Lake centers around an outcast named Zevon Lang. When his mother passes his father decides to uproot their lives to basically start fresh. On a lovely lake front home. Zevon seems to love the new home, but his popularity continues to suffer. Or lack of popularity. Zevon is bullied, and becomes friends with an unlikely and strange being.
As Zevon grows older it is apparent that his social awkwardness is still an issue, his looks are diminishing, but he keeps extremely fit. The one he has devoted his life to in his killings is on the verge of exploding when Zevon begins to go out, and seems to become friends with a small group. It is the woman that infuriates The Lady of the Lake. How will she survive without Zevon? Is her demise inevitable while Zevon rides off into the sunset? Or will tragedy strike once again?
D’Angelo masterfully weaves this tale in an intriguing way. It is very commendable considering that the story jumps around from present day to previous time frames. Jesse makes the story all come full circle, and with everything leaving you begging for answers he reveals secrets at the best possible moments. You can tell that there was a lot of thought and effort put into this novel, and that D’Angelo is very well read and intelligent. In my opinion this is a must read for horror enthusiasts, and you can definitely hear echos of influences on D’Angelo in his style. Such greats as Stephen King, Robert McCammon, and many more. I also loved Jesse injecting the story with music references. It was a well seized opportunity, and great taste.
Overall, I give Lady of the Lake by Jesse D’Angelo four and a half severed limbs out of five jugs of blood. I only deducted half a star for the simple fact that around two-thirds of the way into the book I felt that some of the story slowed down. Nevertheless, in the end it all had purpose and served the outcome of the book. Therefore, I will be rounding up to a full five stars. I can see D’Angelo is very talented, and if he keeps it up he will be going places. I highly recommend The Lady of the Lake, and if that isn’t enough you can always check out his other books Skinner and A Collection of Tails. Until next time, my friends.
Written by Andy C on 8/19/2021
Andy’s Honest Reviews 