And God Created - a horror novella to make you question your faith

Name: And God Created - a horror novella to make you question your faith
Price: 14.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781446788592

✍️ Matt Shaw

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$14.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A man blames God for a fatal crash after a stranger arrives with scripture.

This novella examines the intersection of personal guilt and divine blame. Jimmie’s journey begins in a hospital bed, haunted by memories he cannot recall. The arrival of the stranger introduces a theological conflict that replaces legal accountability with spiritual reckoning. Shaw uses the Holy Book as a catalyst for Jimmie’s radical shift in perspective. The narrative avoids explaining the crash mechanics, focusing instead on the psychological fallout. Readers encounter a protagonist who seeks justice through unconventional and terrifying means. The story critiques the ease of shifting responsibility onto higher powers. It offers a stark look at how trauma can warp moral reasoning. The ending leaves the reader to consider who truly bears the weight of sin.

Key Themes

divine judgment involuntary manslaughter religious guilt

Literary Context

Published in 2023 by Lulu.com, this work sits within contemporary American horror fiction. It engages with Christian theological traditions and modern legal frameworks surrounding accidental death. The novella reflects current cultural anxieties about faith and personal accountability in a secular age.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Shirley Jackson · H.P. Lovecraft · Thomas Ligotti · Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Lulu.com 📅 2023 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781446788592

📝 Description: And God Created - a horror novella to make you question your faith

Matt Shaw crafts a psychological horror narrative centered on Jimmie, a man who awakens in a hospital with no memory of causing a fatal car crash. The story explores his struggle with guilt after hitting pedestrians, including a mother and infant, while facing legal consequences for involuntary manslaughter. A stranger arrives with the Holy Book, shifting the blame from Jimmie to God, which sets him on a dark path to set things right. The novella draws on religious traditions and the supernatural to examine themes of faith and responsibility. Shaw structures the plot around Jimmie’s internal turmoil and his interactions with this mysterious figure. The text does not offer redemption but rather a descent into moral ambiguity. It suits readers interested in theological horror and character-driven dread. Those seeking traditional monster stories or clear resolutions may find it unsatisfying. Shaw qualifies as a writer who challenges religious assumptions through fiction. The work is organized to maintain tension through Jimmie’s deteriorating mental state. The narrative relies on the weight of guilt and divine judgment rather than external threats. It appeals to fans of gothic fiction that question moral authority. The story remains grounded in the immediate aftermath of the accident, focusing on psychological impact.

💎 Our verdict on And God Created - a horror novella to make you question your faith

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Matt Shaw crafts a compelling psychological horror narrative that prioritizes internal turmoil over external threats. The novella effectively uses the arrival of a mysterious figure with scripture to catalyze Jimmie’s radical shift in perspective, creating a tense atmosphere rooted in theological conflict. Shaw succeeds in maintaining dread through the protagonist’s deteriorating mental state rather than relying on conventional scares. This approach suits readers who enjoy complex character studies and dark fantasy elements that critique the ease of blaming higher powers for human failings. While it may disappoint those seeking clear resolutions or traditional monster stories, it offers a profound examination of faith and responsibility.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in psychological horror and character-driven dread will find value in this novella’s exploration of moral ambiguity. It suits those who appreciate narratives that avoid traditional monster stories or clear resolutions, preferring instead to delve into the weight of guilt and divine judgment. Fans of gothic fiction that questions moral authority will engage with Jimmie’s deteriorating mental state as he seeks justice through terrifying means. The book appeals to individuals willing to confront uncomfortable themes about shifting responsibility onto higher powers, offering a stark look at how trauma distorts one's perception of sin and accountability without providing easy redemption.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Matt Shaw crafts a compelling psychological horror narrative that prioritizes internal turmoil over external threats. The novella effectively uses the arrival of a mysterious figure with scripture to catalyze Jimmie’s radical shift in perspective, creating a tense atmosphere rooted in theological conflict. Shaw succeeds in maintaining dread through the protagonist’s deteriorating mental state rather than relying on conventional scares. This approach suits readers who enjoy complex character studies and dark fantasy elements that critique the ease of blaming higher powers for human failings. While it may disappoint those seeking clear resolutions or traditional monster stories, it offers a profound examination of faith and responsibility.