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Elizabeth Engstrom
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When Darkness Loves Us Paperback – September 1, 2009

by Elizabeth Engstrom (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 7 ratings
See all formats and editions
Sally Ann is a bright and bubbling farm girl, still caught in the thrill of a brand-new husband and a shining future ahead. When a careless exploration leaves her trapped underground, she learns to live again in the absence of everything she once knew. Even driven by love and light, Sally Ann finds the deepest darkness within herself in When Darkness Loves Us. Old Martha Mannes has been a part of Morgan, Illinois since her birth. The whole town knows her as the dim-witted woman who was born without a nose, but Martha's mind wasn't always a blank slate. Unlocking the monster buried deep in her memories may bring back the sparkling child she once was...or it may send those around her crashing down into the nightmares of a little girl gone wrong. A reprinting of Elizabeth Engstrom's first book, this two-novella collection twists together the beauty and horror underlying the seeming simplicity of small town life.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    218 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Apex Publications
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0982159668
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0982159668
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Apex Publications (September 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 218 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0982159668
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0982159668
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

About the author

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Elizabeth Engstrom

Elizabeth Engstrom

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Elizabeth (Liz) Engstrom grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois (a Chicago suburb where she lived with her father) and Kaysville, Utah (north of Salt Lake City, where she lived with her mother). After graduating from high school in Illinois, she ventured west in a serious search for acceptable weather, eventually settling in Honolulu. She attended college and worked as an advertising copywriter.

After eight years on Oahu, she moved to Maui, found a business partner and opened an advertising agency. One husband, two children and five years later, she sold the agency to her partner and had enough seed money to try her hand at full time fiction writing, her lifelong dream. With the help of her mentor, science fiction great Theodore Sturgeon, When Darkness Loves Us was published.

Engstrom moved to Eugene, Oregon in 1986, where she lives with her husband Al Cratty, the legendary muskie fisherman. Liz holds a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing and a Master of Arts in Applied Theology, both from Marylhurst University. A recluse at heart, she still emerges into public occasionally to speak at a writers conference, or to teach a class on various aspects of writing the novel, essay, article or short story. An avid knitter and gardener, she is always working on the next book. Learn more at www.elizabethengstrom.net.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
7 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Stephen T. Vessels
5.0 out of 5 stars Real Horrors
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2012
The thing I look for a horror story to do is question the nature of reality at a visceral level. To achieve that, the world of the story has to be compellingly rendered. In the two novellas in this book, Engstrom created worlds I could taste, then snuck up behind me and made me re-examine everything I thought I understood. If you're looking for a story to reinforce your comfort zone, look elsewhere. If you enjoy bitter candy, the insidious creep of apprehension, and giving your mind a stretch, put yourself in Engstrom's hands and she'll take care of you.
3 people found this helpful
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Héctor M Curiel
4.0 out of 5 stars A little bit out of the normallity of fiction...
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2013
Verified Purchase
...which makes it interesting. It feels a little bit raw at the beginning, but as you go you get the 'accent' and the idea.
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Dreamer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Haunting Tale
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2011
I read this book years ago, and it still haunts me. Elizabeth Engstrom is a wonderful writer, a master storyteller. If you like strange, twisted tales that are beautifully written--be sure to check out all her books.
One person found this helpful
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Craig H. Rettig
3.0 out of 5 stars Decent, but Not Amazing
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2011
This book contains two novellas, so I'll talk about them separately:

The titular story was my favorite of the two and centered around a young woman who got trapped underground where she adapted to her environment in order to survive. Although the ending was a bit anticlimactic, the various adjustments made by the lead were interesting to read.

The second story, "Beauty Is...", was centered around a mentally disabled woman named Martha with a disfigured face. It alternates between her story and the story of her parents' marriage and life with Martha. This didn't do a whole lot for me, as the historical segments were fairly predictable, and the present story turned into one of those second-rate horror-thriller movies from the late '70s/early '80s.

Not a bad read overall, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone, either.
One person found this helpful
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Drake Tungsten
4.0 out of 5 stars Creates Her Own World.
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2005
I remember reading this book several years ago. The thing that struck me about it then (and even now) is how successfully the author managed to create her own world. The caverns where the story takes place have their own set of rules. Daylight is a myth. Kidnapping is okay. Monsters dwell in deep, dark pools.

Given how well the author pulls things off, I am quite surprised that this book isn't still in print. If you can track it down online or in your local library, please do. It's a good read.
5 people found this helpful
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