Answering sex ads in the back of a flyer is all fun and games until you come home with an evil entity who watches you masturbate. Or something like that. This week, we dive into Aron Beauregard’s The Cuck, a horror novella. Let’s get into it!
What Is The Cuck About?
I feel like it’s been forever since I wrote a proper book review (or read a proper horror book), but this one kicked my ass back into gear fear. Short, spooky, and filled with sex (and not the good kind).
Mickey and Ben have been friends for years, and when Mickey needs him, Ben is always there. Maybe too much. Mickey has a date with a local gal he’s head over heels for, and in an attempt to keep his *ahem* performance up, Ben suggests the only real solution: an anonymous sex ad found in the back of some flyer. Once they get there, nothing is as it seems. Bessie is larger than expected, though that’s not really the problem. But her freaky husband, a living corpse that smells like burned flesh, might be. He follows the boys upstairs and insists on watching.
Once the deed is done, Mickey and Ben start to realize their problems have only just begun. The Cuck is following them, watching them, and telling them to do awful things to themselves. The only way to save themselves (and their manhood) is to unravel the mystery of The Cuck before it’s too late.
What worked…
The Cuck has been my first Aron Beauregard book, which may be a crime in the horror bookstagram sphere. I’ve seen his name popping up all over with his Playground series, but since books with kids make me a bit queasy, I thought this might be a better starting point. I was not disappointed. His writing style is clear and easy to read. The length of this one is perfect for blowing through in an afternoon, and I thought this one was ridiculously fun.
In general, I would not consider myself someone who shies away from extreme horror. I churned through 100% Match and I liked It’s Me, Charlie. Be My Friend is a book that has lived in the back of my mind since I read it. But I’ve realized recently I’m quite particular about my extreme horror tastes. The Cuck was exactly what I needed. This was just good ol’ gory fun (though I might feel that way partially because of my lack of wingwang). This is a book that features no children, no sexual assault, and just the right amount of gore. As someone coming off of a DNF spree (looking at you, Ingest Me), this was very much needed.
The main thing I adored about this book was Mickey. We’re told very early on that while Ben has a new lady on his arm every night, Mickey is always a bridesmaid and never a bride. He’s a scrappy man who has fought for everything in his life, and by his own admission, his only real connection is Ben. He’s a man who’s both lonely and alone, and the writing does so well to highlight the pain of this for him. How? Let me get into the actual story a bit more below.
READER BEWARE: Spoilers For The Cuck
After Mickey and Ben’s run-in with Bessie and her ‘husband’, the boys realize pretty quickly that something is wrong. When Ben tries to get intimate with a lady, he can feel The Cuck’s eyes watching him again. The man is haunting him, trying to convince him to mutilate his penis. And while Mickey doesn’t believe him at first, it becomes pretty clear once Mickey experiences it for himself. The night of Mickey’s big date finally comes, and when he tries connecting with the woman he fancies, he (and his family jewels) experiences The Cuck’s horror. After some investigating, which I won’t spoil, it becomes pretty apparent that this evil entity isn’t going anywhere, and Ben and Mickey are going to have to make a choice: die a boner-having hero or live long enough to see yourself become the cuck (or something to that effect).
A Look At Our Relationship With Sex
Overall, one of the really great things to see in this book is a closer look at our relationship with sex. MORE SPOILERS AHEAD, but the book features some characters who would literally rather die than not be able to have it. And on the flipside, we get exposed to characters who have trained almost all sexual thoughts out of their heads and focused on growing life (and love) outside of sex. In what is a really kind of silly, bloody, and gross extreme horror novel, it’s nice to see some deeper commentary come through. If you’re looking for something that is equal parts fun and thoughtful, I really think The Cuck might be a good choice for you (a sentence I never thought I’d say).
Final Thoughts
Overall, I thought this was a really great little book. This was my first exposure to Aron Beauregard, and I thought the writing was clear, the story was fun, and the narrative was thoughtful. Or as thoughtful as a book about a deranged spirit watching you jerk it can be, at least. If you need something fun this weekend, definitely consider picking this horror novella up on KU.