Darling Jim by Christian Moerk

I chose Darling Jim because it reminded me of Lady and the Tramp. You know? Jim Dear and Darling. It captured my attention!
And let me tell you, it kept my attention.....
Darling Jim (the novel) is a gruesome fairy tale, a twisted love story, a creepy mystery. It’s the story of a young man reading the stories of two young women, through their diaries found posthumously, who were telling the story of a charming, evil storyteller and his telling story.
It was well-written and compelling. It was chilling and amusing. Clever and cryptic.
I read a critical review of this book by one woman who couldn't relate to the way the females in these little Irish towns kept swooning over a character that she found rather irritating, a breathtakingly handsome stranger who tells horrific fairy tale-type stories of torture and revenge. While that woman found him a complete turnoff, it is not entirely unbelievable that one captivating character could take control of so many hearts and minds, it happens. Gary Gilmore, Charles Manson, Ted Bundy..... this is what makes it so frightening.
Beyond that, I found the characters to be quite real. They were flawed and imperfect, yet funny and authentic. I wasn’t honestly expecting Lady and the Tramp, you know, but I was pleasantly surprised by this new Darling Jim.