Negative Space by B.R. Yeager: A Review
If you are looking for a novel that will challenge your expectations, disturb your senses, and haunt your imagination, you might want to check out Negative Space by B.R. Yeager. This is a book that defies easy categorization, blending elements of horror, thriller, fantasy, and queer fiction. It is also a book that explores the horror of being queer, alienated, and addicted in contemporary America, through the stories of four teenagers who are drawn into a dark and mysterious reality.
negative space b.r. yeager pdf free download
Introduction
What is Negative Space about?
Negative Space is a novel that begins and ends in Kinsfield, a dying Northeastern town with a suicide epidemic. The novel follows the stories of three high school seniors, Ahmir, Jill, and Lu, as they relate to Tyler, a fourth teenager and the locus of change for the novel. The novel shifts between four first-person points of view, and we see through the eyes of Tyler, his friend Ahmir, Jill, and her friend Lu. Tyler and Jill meet in a psych ward and their connection twists into a relationship. Their friends are unpopular and weird in the eyes of peers, and the novel shifts between four first-person points of view. We see through the eyes of Tyler, his friend Ahmir, Jill, and her friend Lu.
Tyler obsesses over a cosmic horror that lurks in the forest around Kinsfield, convinced of its existence by his experiments with blood rituals and a chewable entheogen called WHORL that opens metaphysical cracks in space. He drags his friends into his quest to reach this horror, which he believes holds the key to his salvation. Along the way, they encounter an anonymous imageboard that feeds on the suicides, shared nightmares, recurring geometric patterns, and excerpts from metaphysics texts that hint at the nature of the mystery.
Why is Negative Space worth reading?
Negative Space is a novel that challenges the mainstream culture and expectations with its unflinching portrayal of the lives of marginalized youth. It is a novel that does not shy away from topics like depression, self-mutilation, suicidal ideation, drug abuse, abusive relationships, and self-destruction. It is also a novel that celebrates the queerness, creativity, resilience, and love of its characters, who try to make sense of their identities and their place in the world.
Negative Space is also a novel that offers a fresh and original take on cosmic horror, blending elements of occultism, metaphysics, science fiction, and fantasy. It is a novel that creates a hypnotic and immersive atmosphere of dread and wonder, as it reveals the hidden connections between reality and fiction, life and death, self and other. It is a novel that will keep you guessing until the end, and leave you with more questions than answers.
Main Body
The plot and the characters
Tyler and his occult experiments
Tyler is the catalyst for the events of Negative Space. He is a troubled teenager who suffers from bipolar disorder and hallucinations. He is fascinated by occultism and metaphysics, especially by the works of Werner Baumhauer, a local physician and writer who tried to weigh his soul by hanging himself on a scale. Tyler believes that Baumhauer discovered something beyond death, something that he calls "the loop". He wants to follow Baumhauer's footsteps and find out what lies beyond the loop.
To do so To do so, Tyler experiments with blood rituals and a chewable entheogen called WHORL, which he obtains from a mysterious dealer named Z. WHORL is a drug that alters the perception of space and time, allowing Tyler to see cracks in reality that lead to other dimensions. Tyler believes that these cracks are the gateway to the loop, and he tries to open them wider by using his own blood and the blood of his friends as catalysts. He also uses an online imageboard called /necro/ to document his experiments and communicate with other users who share his obsession.
Jill and her troubled relationship with Tyler
Jill is Tyler's girlfriend, who meets him in a psych ward after a suicide attempt. She is a smart and artistic girl who suffers from depression and anxiety. She is drawn to Tyler's charisma and mystery, and she hopes that he can help her escape from her abusive home life. Her father is an alcoholic who beats her mother, and her mother is a religious fanatic who blames Jill for everything. Jill feels trapped and hopeless, and she sees Tyler as her only chance of happiness.
However, Jill soon realizes that Tyler is not the person she thought he was. He is manipulative, secretive, and obsessed with his occult experiments. He uses Jill as a pawn in his quest to reach the loop, and he does not care about her feelings or well-being. He also cheats on her with Lu, one of her best friends. Jill tries to break free from Tyler's influence, but she finds herself addicted to him and to WHORL. She also starts to see the cracks in reality that Tyler sees, and she wonders if there is something more to his madness.
negative space b.r. yeager google books
negative space b.r. yeager apocalypse party
negative space b.r. yeager epub
negative space b.r. yeager review
negative space b.r. yeager goodreads
negative space b.r. yeager horror novel
negative space b.r. yeager read online
negative space b.r. yeager summary
negative space b.r. yeager quotes
negative space b.r. yeager genre
negative space b.r. yeager book cover
negative space b.r. yeager archive.org
negative space b.r. yeager pdf download
negative space b.r. yeager blake butler
negative space b.r. yeager whorl drug
negative space b.r. yeager suicide epidemic
negative space b.r. yeager new hampshire
negative space b.r. yeager occult youth
negative space b.r. yeager gray space
negative space b.r. yeager dennis cooper
negative space b.r. yeager box cutter
negative space b.r. yeager pills and cigarettes
negative space b.r. yeager james nulick
negative space b.r. yeager kinsfield city
negative space b.r. yeager strings everywhere
negative space b.r. yeager conceptual horror
negative space b.r. yeager message boards
negative space b.r. yeager memes and bodies
negative space b.r. yeager magic and quotidian
negative space b.r. yeager first edition
negative space b.r. yeager isbn 9781733569453
negative space b.r. yeager matthew revert
negative space b.r. yeager for jamie
negative space b.r. yeager douglas hofstadter quote
negative space b.r. yeager charles manson quote
negative space b.r. yeager ahmir character
negative space b.r. yeager 382 pages length
negative space b.r. yeager bildungsroman category
negative space b.r. yeager march 2020 publication date
negative space b.r. yeager paperback format
Ahmir and his suicidal tendencies
Ahmir is Tyler's best friend, who shares his interest in occultism and metaphysics. He is a black teenager who faces racism and discrimination in Kinsfield, a predominantly white town. He is also gay, but he keeps it a secret from everyone except Lu, who is his confidant. Ahmir suffers from low self-esteem and self-hatred, and he often thinks about killing himself. He believes that death is the only way to escape from his miserable life.
Ahmir follows Tyler in his experiments with WHORL and blood rituals, hoping to find some meaning or purpose in his existence. He also participates in /necro/, where he posts pictures of his self-inflicted wounds and receives encouragement from other users who want him to kill himself. Ahmir feels a twisted sense of belonging in /necro/, where he is known as "the king of scars". He also develops a crush on Tyler, who does not reciprocate his feelings. Ahmir becomes more isolated and suicidal as the novel progresses, until he reaches a breaking point.
Lu and her gender fluidity
Lu is Jill's best friend, who identifies as gender fluid. She switches between male and female pronouns depending on how she feels at the moment. She is also bisexual, and she has a crush on both Jill and Tyler. She is a rebellious and outspoken teenager who does not care about what others think of her. She expresses herself through her punk rock style, her graffiti art, and her music. She plays guitar in a band called Negative Space, which gives the novel its title.
Lu is the only one of the four main characters who does not use WHORL or participate in /necro/. She is skeptical of Tyler's claims about the loop, and she tries to protect Jill from his influence. She also tries to help Ahmir with his suicidal tendencies, but she feels powerless to stop him. Lu is conflicted by her feelings for Jill and Tyler, and she ends up sleeping with both of them behind each other's backs. Lu struggles with her identity and her relationships throughout the novel, as she tries to find her place in the world.
The themes and the style
Suicide and self-destruction
One of the main themes of Negative Space is suicide and self-destruction. The novel depicts the lives of four teenagers who are unhappy with themselves and their circumstances, and who seek escape through various means of self-harm. The novel also explores the reasons behind their suicidal ideation, such as mental illness, trauma, abuse, oppression, alienation, addiction, and hopelessness. The novel does not romanticize or glorify suicide, but rather shows its devastating consequences for both the victims and the survivors.
Queerness and identity
Another major theme of Negative Space is queerness and identity. The novel features diverse characters who identify as LGBTQ+, such as Ahmir (gay), Lu (gender fluid), Jill (bis p>Jill (bisexual), and Tyler (pansexual). The novel also portrays the challenges and struggles that they face as queer individuals in a heteronormative and homophobic society, such as discrimination, violence, rejection, and self-loathing. The novel also celebrates their queerness as a source of strength, creativity, and love, and shows how they find support and acceptance in each other and in their subcultures.
Cosmic horror and metaphysics
A third theme of Negative Space is cosmic horror and metaphysics. The novel draws inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft, who created a genre of horror that focuses on the insignificance and helplessness of humans in the face of incomprehensible and malevolent cosmic entities. The novel also incorporates elements of occultism, science fiction, and fantasy, such as blood rituals, parallel dimensions, alien life forms, and metaphysical texts. The novel creates a sense of dread and wonder as it reveals the hidden reality behind the mundane world, and questions the nature of existence, consciousness, and reality.
Fractured narrative and shifting perspectives
The final theme of Negative Space is fractured narrative and shifting perspectives. The novel does not follow a linear or chronological structure, but rather jumps between different time periods, locations, and points of view. The novel also mixes different media formats, such as prose, poetry, images, transcripts, excerpts, and online posts. The novel challenges the reader to piece together the puzzle of the story, and to consider the reliability and subjectivity of each narrator. The novel also reflects the fragmented and unstable identities of its characters, who are constantly changing and evolving throughout the novel.
Conclusion
Summary of the main points
In conclusion, Negative Space by B.R. Yeager is a novel that offers a unique and original reading experience. It is a novel that combines horror, thriller, fantasy, and queer fiction in a way that is both disturbing and captivating. It is a novel that explores the lives of four teenagers who are unhappy with themselves and their world, and who seek escape through self-destruction or transcendence. It is a novel that challenges the mainstream culture and expectations with its unflinching portrayal of the realities of being queer, alienated, and addicted in contemporary America. It is also a novel that celebrates the queerness, creativity, resilience, and love of its characters, who try to make sense of their identities and their place in the world.
Personal opinion and recommendation
Personally, I think that Negative Space is a brilliant and powerful novel that deserves more recognition and appreciation. I think that it is a novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy dark, complex, and unconventional stories that push the boundaries of genre and style. I think that it is also a novel that will resonate with readers who identify as LGBTQ+, or who have experienced mental health issues, trauma, abuse, or addiction. I think that it is a novel that will make you think, feel, and question your own reality.
I would highly recommend Negative Space to anyone who is looking for a novel that will challenge their expectations, disturb their senses, and haunt their imagination. I would also recommend it to anyone who is interested in cosmic horror, metaphysics, p>I would also recommend it to anyone who is interested in cosmic horror, metaphysics, occultism, or queer fiction. I think that it is a novel that will not disappoint you, but rather surprise you and leave you wanting more.
If you are curious about Negative Space by B.R. Yeager, you might be wondering where you can get a copy of it. Unfortunately, the novel is not widely available in print or digital formats, as it was published by a small independent press called Apocalypse Party. However, there are some ways that you can access the novel for free or for a low cost. Here are some options that you can try:
Option
Description
Pros
Cons
PDF download
You can download a PDF version of the novel from the author's website:
Free, easy, and fast.
Low quality, no cover art, no page numbers, no bookmarks.
Ebook purchase
You can buy an ebook version of the novel from Amazon:
Cheap ($2.99), high quality, cover art, page numbers, bookmarks.
Requires an Amazon account and a Kindle device or app.
Print purchase
You can order a print version of the novel from Apocalypse Party:
High quality, cover art, page numbers, bookmarks, physical copy.
Expensive ($15.00), limited stock, long shipping time.
Library loan
You can request a library loan of the novel from your local library or interlibrary loan service.
Free, high quality, cover art, page numbers, bookmarks, physical copy.
Depends on availability, may have waiting list, may have borrowing limit.
I hope that this article has given you some insight into Negative Space by B.R. Yeager, and that you will give it a try. I think that it is a novel that deserves more attention and appreciation, and that you will enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Negative Space by B.R. Yeager?
Negative Space by B.R. Yeager is a novel that does not fit into one genre, but rather combines elements of horror, thriller, fantasy, and queer fiction. It is a novel that challenges the conventions and expectations of genre fiction, and creates its own unique and original style.
Who is B.R. Yeager?
B.R. Yeager is an American writer who lives in Massachusetts. He is the author of two novels: Negative Space (2019) and Amygdalatropolis (2017). He is also a musician and a teacher. He writes about topics such as mental health, addiction, queerness, occultism, and metaphysics.
What is the loop in Negative Space?
The loop is a term that Tyler uses to refer to the cosmic horror that he believes exists beyond death. He thinks that the loop is a cycle of reincarnation that traps all living beings in an endless repetition of suffering and ignorance. He wants to break free from the loop and reach the source of all existence, which he calls "the negative space". He thinks that the negative space is a state of bliss and enlightenment that transcends all dualities and limitations.
What is WHORL in Negative Space?
WHORL is a chewable entheogen that Tyler uses to alter his perception of space and time. It is a drug that opens metaphysical cracks in reality that lead to other dimensions. WHORL is derived from a plant called "the whorl tree", which grows in the forest around Kinsfield. The whorl tree is connected to the loop and the negative space, and it has a mind of its own. WHORL is addictive and dangerous, and it affects different people in different ways.
What is /necro/ in Negative Space?What is /necro/ in Negative Space?
/necro/ is an online imageboard that Tyler and Ahmir use to communicate with other users who are interested in suicide and occultism. /necro/ is a dark and twisted place where users post pictures and videos of dead bodies, gore, self-harm, and rituals. /necro/ is also a source of information and inspiration for Tyler's experiments with WHORL and blood. /necro/ is a dangerous and addictive community that feeds on the despair and curiosity of its members.
What does the title Negative Space mean?
The title Negative Space has multiple meanings in the novel. One meaning is that it refers to the negative space in art, which is the space around and between the main objects of an image. The negative space can create contrast, balance, and shape in an image. In the novel, the negative space represents the hidden reality behind the visible world, the cracks in reality that Tyler sees with WHORL.
Another meaning is that it refers to the negative space in psychology, which is the space where negative emotions and thoughts reside. The negative space can affect one's mood, behavior, and perception of oneself and others. In the novel, the negative space represents the inner turmoil and pain of the characters, who struggle with depression, anxiety, self-hatred, and suicidal ideation.
A third meaning is that it refers to the negative space in metaphysics, which is the space where nothing exists. The negative space can be seen as the source or the end of all existence, depending on one's perspective. In the novel, the negative space represents Tyler's ultimate goal, which is to reach the loop and transcend all dualities and limitations. 44f88ac181
Comments