Wet Linda by Paul Parducci is a great example of how horror stories can benefit from being character-driven as opposed to purely plot driven.Parducci takes the first part of the book to clearly establish the lead character's detachment and despondency. Understanding Mandy’s interaction with her mother and how she sees herself in relation to her family and social peers really allows the reader to indulge in suspension of disbelief and see her actions as plausible within the context of the story.
Whereas in many contemporary horrors the thrust of the action is the monster, killer, etc., in 'Wet Linda' the driving force is Mandy's damaged sense of self which leads her to express her compassion and need for camaraderie from a dangerous place of delusion. Also, because Parducci takes the time to communicate her inner-dialogue as the story unfolds, you find that the gory scenes make a certain kind of warped sense as opposed to being simply gratuitous.
While I felt that the end could have used a bit more explanation, I was impressed by how much time he took to get the reader into the lead character's head and let us fully experience how bat-sh*t crazy she truly became.
I felt that Parducci mixed just the right amount of gore and story to make this a solid horror read that will actually leave you a bit disturbed and remind you that "monsters" can be made in many ways and come in many forms.
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