4.5 ⭐ rounded down.

Struggling painter, Lewis Dixon, is surprised by the British Museum's interest in his work, particularly his surreal and disturbing recreation of a painting by his great-grandfather. Invited not for a show but a dangerous mission, Lewis must prove he can enter and escape powerful, cursed artworks. Tasked by a mysterious official, Evangeline, and aided by agent Noah Rao, he plunges into a world of black markets, gothic magic, and ancient history to destroy ten cursed paintings, saving their owners from unspeakable terror and searching for the potentially catastrophic tenth painting.

I don't even know what to say. I have so many thoughts on this one. First and foremost I am a big fan of Kosoko Jackson, so I was so excited when I was approved for this eARC from NetGalley for his first adult horror novel! I feel like it is nearly impossible to come up with an original idea anymore, as so many books have been written and so many stories have been told. However, Kosoko Jackson managed to write a wholly original magical horror that is incredibly layered and unique. The characters had great depth, and the story was really well paced, as it jumped very quickly into the magical world, but then immediately pulled back and provided context and reasoning behind what was going on. This was definitely a creepy and intense book, and packed an emotional punch as well. Jackson's books always have beautiful Queer elements as well, even in his books where Queerness is not the focus of the plot. The only thing stopping me from five stars is that this was a very ambitious premise that I felt was going in a few too many directions at times. There is a time travel element to this, and I do feel like that can quickly muddy a plot and make things a little confusing. So there were times where I needed to reread and pause in order to keep everything straight, but this will likely not be a problem for most people who are better at keeping layered plot elements organized in their head.

Kosoko Jackson’s The Macabre is a fast-paced, plot-driven thriller that keeps the stakes high from start to finish. It doesn’t dwell too deeply on the mechanics of its magic system, instead propelling readers forward with constant action and moments of intense self-sacrifice.

I genuinely enjoyed the ride—Jackson crafts an engaging, cinematic experience that keeps the pages turning. However, while the concept of paintings releasing terror and dread is intriguing, I often felt like I wasn’t in them long enough to fully absorb their horror. The book moves so quickly that the eerie atmosphere never entirely settles in, making the fear feel fleeting rather than immersive.

Additionally, while the protagonist faces significant challenges, there are several moments where conveniences or well-timed handouts push the plot in a particular direction. This somewhat undercuts the tension; despite the self-sacrifice, it never truly felt like things could end badly.

Overall, The Macabre delivers an exciting, high-stakes story with strong momentum, even if it leans more on thrills than deep immersion in its horror elements. Fans of fast-moving supernatural thrillers will likely enjoy the journey, even if they wish for just a bit more time in the darkness.

Would appeal to YA and Adult fantasy and horror readers!

I enjoyed the beginning and I thought it was pretty well written, but as the book continued I felt like the plot slowed and the characters didn't really develop as I hoped they would.
There also wasn't as much horror factor as I would like, but the world building was interesting enough that it was still interesting enough not to DNF.
Overall a pretty mid read, but fun nonetheless.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Kosoko Jackson’s The Macabre is an ambitious blend of fantasy, horror, and adventure, offering readers a story that feels both fresh and familiar. At its heart, this is a book about art—its power, its history, and its ability to shape and destroy those who create it. But beneath the surface, it’s also a slow-burning tale of grief, identity, and the lengths we go to for control over our own fate.

Lewis Dixon, a struggling painter, is lured into a world beyond his comprehension when he’s asked to investigate a series of cursed paintings linked to his family’s past. What starts as an intriguing opportunity quickly transforms into a dangerous game of survival, magic, and manipulation. The eerie atmosphere is immersive, and Jackson’s writing is at its strongest when depicting the sheer, unsettling beauty of the paintings and the way they twist reality around those who come too close.

However, while the novel excels in concept and mood, its execution sometimes falters. The pacing wavers—moving from methodical world-building to an intense, action-driven middle section, before losing some momentum toward the end. The horror elements, while present, are not as dominant as one might expect, making this lean more into dark fantasy than outright terror. Some readers may find the romance between Lewis and Noah compelling, but others may feel it needed more depth to truly resonate.

Despite these minor flaws, The Macabre is a fascinating read. Its unique premise, lush descriptions, and strong thematic core make it a worthwhile pick for fans of gothic-inspired adventure stories. If you’re drawn to books that explore the intersections of magic, history, and art—where beauty and horror are inextricably linked—then this one is worth diving into.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

The start of this book was the strongest part. The premise was intriguing, as was the beginning of the story. It had good pacing with a bit of a horror element thrown in. But after that, the pacing slows, and the potential for horror is a bit wasted. I also would have liked for the characters to feel deeper so that I could have connected better with the almost sitcom-y, might as well have group hugged, ending.

What an interesting read! The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson feels like a very unique fantasy read. I want to say it falls into the realm of a 'Grim Fantasy' but our main character Lewis doesn't fit the morally grey, villainous character arc. This book however... does.

In The Macabre, our main character faces a huge loss and from it, springs a whole new reality for him. He finds out that he has a unique tie to magic. This sends him on a mission to neutralize a dark spirit that is linked to a series of grim paintings. The sacrifice in doing this is heavy for Lewis and personally, very stressful for me as the reader. The magic system was unlike anything I had ever read. It had me fully wrapped up. This author opened a whole new world where I had no clue what to expect. His descriptive writing made me feel as though I stepped into the book myself. The world he created was a mix between poetry and something terrifying.

Not a single character in this book felt insignificant to the plot and more than that, each character was given a rich back story that I enjoyed reading apart from the main story. I found the diverse representation very satisfying. It didn't feel forced for the sake of inclusion. And on the thread of inclusion, the MM romance subplot pulled at my soul in the best way. The yearning that built as the story progressed left me giddy and kicking my feet! These two were so cute!!

Possibly more mundane things that I enjoyed about The Macabre, was the length of the book. This book didn't drag on and on, yet, it didn't feel cut short. It felt like a very intentional, well thought out and structured book.

Slight cons would be the emotional aspect between the main character and his love for his mother. I got the sense that the love was there, but it didn't tear at me much. It was sad, but I think if Lewis was more hurt about losing her in the end than I, as the reader, would have been too, Also, the mother's story in trying to defeat Evangeline was a bit abrupt. Not in a way that took me out of the story, I just think a little more could have been added there. And last but not least, there are still a few grammar mishaps that have not yet been caught.

All-in-all, I really hope this book gets the love it deserves when it releases.

I will be doing a YouTube review on my channel (date not set yet).
Channel: Kidpilot BendsTheSpine

Kosoko Jackson’s The Macabre is a thrilling and chilling ride that masterfully blends horror, suspense, and gripping storytelling. From the very first page, Jackson pulls readers into a dark and eerie atmosphere, crafting a tale that is both unsettling and impossible to put down.

The storyline is undeniably entertaining, packed with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. Jackson's ability to build tension is impressive, and the way he weaves in psychological depth alongside supernatural horror makes for a truly immersive experience. The characters are well-developed, and their struggles feel real, adding an emotional weight that elevates the narrative beyond just scares.

While the book delivers on its eerie and macabre premise, at times, the pacing slows down slightly, which is the only reason I’m holding back from a full five stars. That said, the novel’s unique blend of horror and storytelling makes it a must-read for fans of the genre. The Macabre is a gripping, well-crafted horror novel that will leave readers haunted long after they turn the final page. Highly recommended!

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I think Jackson's jump from YA to Adult fiction went pretty well, although his writing did skew a little more YA at times throughout the book. I really enjoyed the cast of characters, but it felt a little too... to the point. There weren't any background characters or unnecessary subplots, other than the romance plot, and very little background is given about anything that isn't necessary to the plot which made it feel a little less like a story and more like a series of plot points held together to make a story.

I did wish that there was more character nuance but I did love how Jackson subverted who the villain was. I feel like this could've been fleshed out more in general. A lot of the character arcs and plot points felt surface level at best and I wish we, the readers, got to spend more time with Lewis, Edgar and the paintings, beyond just "I'm Black and queer from Baltimore" and "I'm doing evil things because I desperately want my sister back and these paintings are reflections of what I did."

There were several grammatical errors throughout, and the genre definitely errs more to fantasy than it does horror but I do want to see what Jackson comes up with next. I'm sure with more time and practice, Jackson can improve upon what he started in The Macabre, especially because the magic system was so unique and the premise so interesting. The open ending epilogue made it seem like we may be seeing more of this universe, and I will be waiting for Jackson to release more.

Beautifully written and thoughtful novel exploring the horror and horrors of power and art and humans-I really enjoyed the concept and the main characters. Darkness literally came to life within the pages.

Kosoko is a wonderful author with great range. His adult fantasy debut has such an interesting premise and brings together the adventure and semi dark academia vibes of the art world with comic horror and eldritch curses. YOU WANT THIS BOOK!

This was an incredible book with magical realism and I couldn’t put it down! I really enjoyed the characters and settings.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I had so much fun with this book, and I was completely drawn into this world of art and magic. The author was so descriptive that I felt like I was there looking at the same streets, the same pieces, and had the same feelings. The concept of this book felt so unique to me. Art being dangerous and hurting not only its owners but anyone who comes into contact with it and it has to be neutralized.

Pros:
1. I loved the art and the descriptions of the pieces.
2. The characters all felt necessary. There were no minor characters or random people that were thrown in.
3. There were some deep truths buried in the book, and it was quite thought provoking at times. I enjoyed mulling some of the statements over.
4. No idea if it was on purpose or not, but there is a parallel to 1984 by Orwell in this book, and that was an incredible surprise.
5. The queer story did not feel shoehorned in. (You see that happen a lot, and this was well done)

Cons:
1. I wanted more paintings, more scenes with them. We only get a handful, but it wasn’t enough. (That’s me being selfish though)
2. I mentioned in the pros that there were some deep truths buried in the book. I would have loved to see the book explore that more.
3. The epilogue felt unnecessary? Or rushed?

Overall, I really did enjoy this. It was fun, quick, but it has an emotional depth to it if you allow yourself to look.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC. This book had me in the prologue. I’m someone who usually has multiple reads at the same time, but this story had me set the others aside.

The Macabre was fast paced and full of intriguing imagery, while evoking a lot of emotion from the reader. The Macabre addresses how we process and cope with loss, in a darkly magical and sci-fi thriller. It had been awhile since I felt I’d read a distinguishably unique read like this.

While I liked the diversity of the characters, it would be valuable to get to know our characters a little bit better. It takes awhile for us to learn much background on our main characters and that can take away from their depth.

Overall, I loved it and I look forward to the final version!

Enjoyed the story of this book a lot. Found it very engaging from the beginning. Feel like it still skews a bit YA with the descriptions. Really loved the queer love story. I really loved that Art was such a big focus of the book. Also really enjoyed the main characters POV as a young black youth from Baltimore.

I did find a typo in chapter six with an extra use of the word through “every moment this house had stood, all its experiences, through passed through him in a matter of seconds.” Believe that first through needs to be removed.

Kosovo is a very bright young author and I hope he continues to write unique stories.

The Macabre was a genre-defying book that I didn't expect to be drawn into as much as I was. The title made me think 'horror', the description made me think 'fantasy', and what I got was a mix of that and more. This entire book really read like an action movie to me--I could absolutely see picture this as a high-speed thriller on a screen. I loved the global chase and the diverse characters that ended up comprising Lewis's group! This is definitely a unique book and I've never read anything like this.

I unfortunately did not connect with this story or any of its characters. The world building really fell flat for me as well. I thought the premise sounded so fascinating so maybe for some people, it will land but it just did not for me.

My review is also posted on both my Goodreads and Fable accounts.

First and foremost, Kosoko Jackson is an auto buy author for me. When I saw this ARC was available, I had to have it. A few things that immediately stood out to me are:

No filler characters. This story was full of essential people that were easy to keep up with. Any new character added was given a description and it was easy to see how they tied into the story.

Very gripping, cliff hanger chapters made me want to keep reading.

descriptive text makes you feel like you’re in the story. The colors, settings, and other adjectives used throughout the pages truly painted a picture.

I could not WAIT to get to the next art piece to see what shenanigans were going to happen. After the second portrait, I was right there with Lewis trying to guess the names.

Not your typical lgbtq read, very subtle romance element with big thrillers and fantasy.

Perfect historical context of other races and cultural groups. Especially the piece about other races having access to ancestral homes in their countries of origin, which black people were denied in America.

The perfect villain origin story, and your perspective of who the villain is changes as the book progresses.

Cannot wait for the published book, will 100% be buying, re-reading, and shelving it front facing.

I had my eyes on THE MACABRE from the moment it was announced - I'm a HUGE fan of horror/fantasy genre-blends. I do think, however, it veered a lot more in the contemporary/urban fantasy direction than horror.

The premise itself is fantastic: creepy, cursed, magical paintings. Already, I was sold. The book opens with some stunning scenes with said cursed paintings; a super unique take on the art world with the horror blends. The worldbuilding was interesting, with magic and geopolitics overlaid on top of the existing character goals and motivations.

I do think the book could have been slightly more fleshed out if it dropped a plot point or two; a lot happened in the book, but it sacrificed a bit of the character development as a result.

The premise of this story was so strong and made me so hopeful that this would be a fantastic book but it ended up falling flat on its face. For starters, there wasn’t any background information on the characters or the world they’re in so we’re just expected to catch up and figure it out along the way. With their not being any background information we also don’t really get to know our main characters at all, for example we don’t even know how old or approximately how old Lewis is, the only age we get is for one of the antagonists. Some plot lines were just glazed right over while insignificant details were relentlessly described as “like _____” and that also took away some the enjoyment here. Finally, this was more fantasy than horror with more of a focus on magic than anything else.

Unrelated to the story line there was a huge amount of grammatical errors as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC! This story started off strong with some strong world building and good character concepts but ultimately, the third act of the book felt like it was trying to do entirely too much. Lots of plot concepts that didn’t feel earned or well-developed and the character work needed some nuance. I definitely want to see what the author does in the future but this very much felt…incomplete, like it could’ve been developed much better, but still had some great moments sprinkled throughout. Ultimately, it’s a 2.5 stars for me.