A metafictional mind-melter where time means nothing and everything at once, Joe Butler's third novel blends visual elements, epistolary sections, and cyclical narratives to plumb the depths of loss of grief of horror.
Clare returns home to Harrow, hits a man with her car, has a panic attack, goes to her father's funeral, searches for his notes on his final book then Clare returns home to Harrow, hits a deer with her car, has a panic attack, goes to her father's funeral, meets a stranger called Jack, searches for her dad's notes then Clare returns home to Harrow, narrowly misses a man with her car, has a panic attack, skips her dad's funeral, doesn't meet a non-stranger called Jack, searches for her dad
And that's before everything falls apart.
An unyielding plunge into memory, grief, and the instability of reality, Imperfect Creatures explores one woman's experience with the House-an eldritch creature that feeds on pain and suffering, predating humankind's shared conceptual universe. As Clare attempts to reckon with her mother's traumatic death when she was a child and her father's recent passing, the House draws her further and further into a web of illusion and realization, through phone calls, hallucinations, and a constant repetition repetition repetition of pain and horror.
About the Author :
Joe Butler (he/him) is the author of three novels: Of All Possibilities, its tangential sequel Strange Days in the House of August, and Imperfect Creatures. He is also behind the Haunted Hotel Project, a guerrilla art project that plants short stories in hotels and public spaces. His short fiction has been featured in Hexagon, Pilcrow & Dagger, Story Bits, Bandit Fiction, New Orbit, Second Chance Lit, Noctivagant Magazine, Ghost Orchid, Humour Me Magazine, and the Found anthology, edited by Gabino Iglesias and Andrew Cull.He is a co-founder of TL;DR Press, a writing community and publisher focused on connecting writers with growth opportunities and creating anthologies for charity.He lives and works in London, but dreams of living and working elsewhere. You can find him haunting Twitter (@writelikeashark) and Bluesky (@writelikeashark.bsky.social), and at his website writelikeashark.com.
Review :
"Imperfect Creatures walks us down a rotting spiral path, its cobbles made of gripping prose, experimental formatting, and the promise of the unfathomable anglerfish that is the House. What Joe Butler has achieved here will make you question reality long after you've finished reading." -Michael Boulerice, author of Feeding the Wheel and Inhalation
"At times mind-bending, at times heartbreaking, always beautifully written. This is an accomplished novel that deserves a place on your bookshelf. It's already reserved a place in your brain." -Andrew Cull, author of Remains
"A wonderfully unnerving exploration of grief, Imperfect Creatures is stylish, immersive, and beautifully chaotic. Butler's masterful ability to build tension in an unravelling world makes this hypnotic tale a standout in the horror genre. You will love getting lost in the pages of this book." -Niall Howell, author of Only Pretty Damned
"I absolutely devoured Imperfect Creatures. Imperfect Creatures absolutely devoured me. An expertly told tale of grief, memory, guilt, and pain with a truly compelling narrative framework. It's an absolute must-read for fans of House of Leaves, Alan Wake, and Silent Hill. Bonus points for the NIN reference." -Lucy James, Friends Per Second
