Nana

Nana

Mark Towse2021
Nana: A term of endearment used in some countries for one's Grandma. Some say the title is derived from the Italian word for Grandmother, Nonna. Another theory is that it stems from the word Nanny, i.e., someone who takes care of children.Meet Olly's nana, Ivy. It takes more than clean dentures, brandy, and bingo night to keep this one happy!Nana Ivy lives in Newhaven Crescent, where most of the other residents are past their expiry date and all kinds of batshit crazy, the kind of place where you hang your sanity up at the door.Being the matriarchal type, Ivy cares for the other residents as though they were kin, so of course, it's of enormous concern when their veins begin to blacken and they start shedding skin, not to mention the glistening things crawling out of their hair. They're pushing their luck, and Nana Ivy knows it. Did I mention she has a dark secret?Young Olly doesn't know what to make of it when he comes to visit, but he's about to find out there's more to his nana than cough drops and slippers. Oh yes, he's in for a long night.
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Reviews

Photo of C. J. Daley
C. J. Daley @cjdscurrentread
4 stars
May 13, 2023

I had been following the author for some time, and seeing his covers everywhere, so naturally for this Spooky Season I had to grab some of his work! (I got Nana and Hope Wharf) This novella has virtually ruined my view of elderly people for the rest of my life, irrevocably. It is gross, gruesome, horrifying. The worse part being that my grandmother goes by Nana too. Now I’m not sure if I can ever view her the same…what has this world become. To me, this really had the feeling of an adult version of The Witches by Dahl. Maybe because of the venue for the climax, or because all the boil-covered, drooping, seeping elderly people made me think of the exposed witches. Maybe because of the disregard for children. It had a good effect for me, especially because the are certainly wicked! The writing was great, the story is balanced nicely, and the pacing is awesome. Nana loves you, she knows what’s best…just don’t trust her.