We Are Always Tender with Our Dead: (Burnt Sparrow, 1)

Eric Larocca’s We Are Always Tender with Our Dead introduces Burnt Sparrow, a New Hampshire town forever changed by three faceless entities arriving on Christmas morning. These figures commit a brutal act of violence that leaves the community grappling with irreversible loss. The narrative follows Rupert Cromwell, a teenage boy forced to confront his family’s painful realities amidst the aftermath. As relationships intertwine and further carnage ensues, residents discover that true retribution is futile and cruelty is earned. The story examines how certain thresholds must never be crossed regardless of circumstance. Larocca crafts a narrative where senseless tragedy alters the lives of all who reside in this isolated setting. The text focuses on the immediate psychological and social fallout rather than offering easy answers or closure. Readers seeking straightforward horror tropes may find the focus on grief and futile retribution unsettling. Those who appreciate character-driven stories about the erosion of community bonds under extreme duress will find this work compelling. The author presents a world where the past cannot be undone and the present is defined by loss. The book suits readers interested in gothic fiction that emphasizes emotional weight over jump scares. It does not appeal to those preferring fast-paced action or clear moral resolutions. Larocca’s approach requires patience with slow-burn tension and complex interpersonal dynamics. The narrative structure prioritizes the internal struggles of characters like Rupert against the backdrop of external horror.