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Tethered
Tethered is a novella-in-flash that explores the fractured relationship of a father and son. Each story is told with unflinching and honest prose that is both hard hitting and heartrending. These stories delve into themes of toxic masculinity, love, hope, despair, domestic violence, sexuality, weakness and overcoming oppression.
Tethered also asks the bigger question of 'do we ever escape the harm our parents do to us; or do we go through life marred and influenced from our upbringing.
Tethered also asks the bigger question of 'do we ever escape the harm our parents do to us; or do we go through life marred and influenced from our upbringing.
- GenresHorror
128 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2020
About the author
Ross Jeffery
29 books340 followersRoss Jeffery is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of 'Tome', 'Juniper', 'Scorched', 'Only The Stains Remain' and 'Tethered'.
His debut collection 'Beautiful Atrocities' was published in the summer of 2022 through Cemetery Gates Media.
His works to date have been self-published / indie-published and his stand-out, self-published and award-nominated series 'The Juniper Trilogy' is getting a well-deserved re-release in late 2022.
He is also a 3x Splatterpunk nominated author and has had his novellas 'Tethered' and 'Only The Stains Remain' translated into Czech.
'The Devil's Pocketbook', his latest and most anticipated novel to date, will be published by DarkLit press in 2023.
Ross lives in Bristol with his wife and two children.
His debut collection 'Beautiful Atrocities' was published in the summer of 2022 through Cemetery Gates Media.
His works to date have been self-published / indie-published and his stand-out, self-published and award-nominated series 'The Juniper Trilogy' is getting a well-deserved re-release in late 2022.
He is also a 3x Splatterpunk nominated author and has had his novellas 'Tethered' and 'Only The Stains Remain' translated into Czech.
'The Devil's Pocketbook', his latest and most anticipated novel to date, will be published by DarkLit press in 2023.
Ross lives in Bristol with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 30, 2020
The relationship between a father and his son, from the son's birth to his adulthood, told in vignettes by both parties. Both tough and touching, the realities of masculine behaviors, mistakes and truths are shown to us by two very real and relatable people. We know these two figures. And they never fail to move us. This is a well written and heart-rending novella.
May 29, 2022
BONK!
Oh boy! This is the second book I’ve read by Ross Jeffery, the first being ‘Only the Stains Remain’, and I should know by now to have a box of tissues to hand.
This novella is about the relationship between a father and son, told by both perspectives. The father is the epitome of an ‘alpha male’, trying to instil in his young son, that’s its NOT ok to cry, to always fight back, and that he’s ‘the man of the house, and is always right’. In parts you begin to dislike the father, but sometimes throughout the book, you can see he wants to be a better dad. I read this in one sitting, and cried some bug-ugly tears, which seems to be the only thing I do, when reading one of RJ’s books, leaving me with a red, and puffy face for the rest of the day 😢 Ross Jeffery sure knows how to write a heartbreaking story, and this man once again deserves more than the 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ given!!
Oh boy! This is the second book I’ve read by Ross Jeffery, the first being ‘Only the Stains Remain’, and I should know by now to have a box of tissues to hand.
This novella is about the relationship between a father and son, told by both perspectives. The father is the epitome of an ‘alpha male’, trying to instil in his young son, that’s its NOT ok to cry, to always fight back, and that he’s ‘the man of the house, and is always right’. In parts you begin to dislike the father, but sometimes throughout the book, you can see he wants to be a better dad. I read this in one sitting, and cried some bug-ugly tears, which seems to be the only thing I do, when reading one of RJ’s books, leaving me with a red, and puffy face for the rest of the day 😢 Ross Jeffery sure knows how to write a heartbreaking story, and this man once again deserves more than the 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ given!!
March 5, 2022
A powerful look at humanity. Terrifying. Heart breaking. Brought me to tears.
This is not a long read. Yet, the words pulled me in, slowing me down, causing me to drink in every page, every sentence, every word.
Through a deep look at a broken father and son relationship, the author has exposed pure humanity, the good, and the bad. The story unfolds in such a profound manner. The twists are shocking. The most terrifying moments are laced with love.
I was brought to tears at the end, and found myself taking time to process what I read.
A powerful story. A powerful message. A book I will never forget.
This is not a long read. Yet, the words pulled me in, slowing me down, causing me to drink in every page, every sentence, every word.
Through a deep look at a broken father and son relationship, the author has exposed pure humanity, the good, and the bad. The story unfolds in such a profound manner. The twists are shocking. The most terrifying moments are laced with love.
I was brought to tears at the end, and found myself taking time to process what I read.
A powerful story. A powerful message. A book I will never forget.
Read
August 6, 2023Wow, did Tethered stir up my emotions. No other book has made me cry so much since Muse of Nightmares.
Tethered is presented as a "novella-in-flash", which seems to mean that each chapter could stand alone as a flash fiction story, while forming a longer piece as a whole. Of course, I would recommend reading the whole thing from cover to cover to get the full effect; at only a bit over 100 pages, it packs a solid punch into those short chapters.
The story is a rumination on toxic masculinity and the father/son bond. It shows how parents can be emotionally damaging to their children, but also how this damage can result in the child wanting to do better when they grow up and have their own kids. This is best exemplified in the chapter "Things I Want to Teach My Daughters (Filtered)" which plays off the earlier section called "Things My Dad Taught Me (Which I'd Do Well to Filter)". Here, the son is able to give some amazing advice because he knows what NOT to do as a father. But he also manages to glean some helpful information from his dad by filtering out the questionable parts.
Even the father is a complex man, not relegated to the role of a one-note antagonist. He shows the occasional moment of loving kindness (see the chapter on the Star Wars toys) and eventually makes efforts to rebuild the bridges he has burned. Whether that is enough - - well, you'll have to read the novella to get that answer.
I believe Tethered is marketed as horror, or at least that's the genre that Ross Jeffery is best known for writing. And while it is certainly horrific at times, don't go into this expecting supernatural elements, serial killers, or anything of the sort. It is horror in an emotional sense, in that it conveys how deeply the behavior of humans can cut each other and leave lasting wounds.
Now excuse me, I should probably go call my father.
Tethered is presented as a "novella-in-flash", which seems to mean that each chapter could stand alone as a flash fiction story, while forming a longer piece as a whole. Of course, I would recommend reading the whole thing from cover to cover to get the full effect; at only a bit over 100 pages, it packs a solid punch into those short chapters.
The story is a rumination on toxic masculinity and the father/son bond. It shows how parents can be emotionally damaging to their children, but also how this damage can result in the child wanting to do better when they grow up and have their own kids. This is best exemplified in the chapter "Things I Want to Teach My Daughters (Filtered)" which plays off the earlier section called "Things My Dad Taught Me (Which I'd Do Well to Filter)". Here, the son is able to give some amazing advice because he knows what NOT to do as a father. But he also manages to glean some helpful information from his dad by filtering out the questionable parts.
Even the father is a complex man, not relegated to the role of a one-note antagonist. He shows the occasional moment of loving kindness (see the chapter on the Star Wars toys) and eventually makes efforts to rebuild the bridges he has burned. Whether that is enough - - well, you'll have to read the novella to get that answer.
I believe Tethered is marketed as horror, or at least that's the genre that Ross Jeffery is best known for writing. And while it is certainly horrific at times, don't go into this expecting supernatural elements, serial killers, or anything of the sort. It is horror in an emotional sense, in that it conveys how deeply the behavior of humans can cut each other and leave lasting wounds.
Now excuse me, I should probably go call my father.
August 29, 2020
This novella was a page-turner, read over two sessions. Both narrators, father and son, have strong, distinct voices and I found myself empathizing with both points of view. It was easy to connect with the characters and their individual motives, easy to find myself thinking, I know someone just like that.
The book is so well written, with many poignant moments but also humorous ones, ‘The Boss’ being a perfect example.
The novella felt autobiographical, though I have no idea whether or not this assumption is correct.
There were many thought-provoking moments which exemplified the father's instability and how swiftly his thoughts and emotions changed.
A few favorite moments included the nail polish incident, “Joy stripped away with each furious swipe." Also the A&E incident - a perfect example of the father’s conflicting emotions. And another, the pet coffin story, which shows how the father hates his son being so upset, how he sees it as a sign of weakness, yet at the same time the making of a tiny coffin is his way of showing he cares.
Being brought up in a working class environmental, raised on working class ethics, I really understood where the father characteristics hailed from: those mixed messages about what makes a man, the inability to overcome his need to dominate, the inability to learn from his own childhood and do better by his son. Yes, you ‘get’ where he’s coming from but his behavior is still inexcusable.
There were clever metaphors and imagery throughout, too, for example, the swimming pool incident and this particular line, “I let him pierce me with his spikes, deflating into his arms like a punctured ball.” And another, the argument scene, “the volcano blows its stack. We’ll be buried in his hot ash for days, if not weeks.”
I loved the scenes which re-visited rough play. These scenes were a great way of letting the reader witness the son mature, how his physical and emotional strength grows with him, until he becomes a match for the father. Surely autobiographical because the level of detail was astonishing, such as the description of the vein on the father’s forehead becoming more pronounced until it was, “... a petty victory sign.”
I adored the flash list, ‘Things my Dad Taught Me’. Rang so many bells! Some examples were hilarious (the Tracy Chapman one and the one about hitting a transvestite in particular).
As the novella progresses, the pieces grow more reflective, more melancholic. You sense how the father changes with age, how he softens. Wallpapering Over the Cracks is a perfect example of this.
Although this novella is about a father/son relationship, it also reminds you of how enabling the mother can be in these situations.
All in all, thoroughly enjoyable. I will definitely be reading more of this author's work.
The book is so well written, with many poignant moments but also humorous ones, ‘The Boss’ being a perfect example.
The novella felt autobiographical, though I have no idea whether or not this assumption is correct.
There were many thought-provoking moments which exemplified the father's instability and how swiftly his thoughts and emotions changed.
A few favorite moments included the nail polish incident, “Joy stripped away with each furious swipe." Also the A&E incident - a perfect example of the father’s conflicting emotions. And another, the pet coffin story, which shows how the father hates his son being so upset, how he sees it as a sign of weakness, yet at the same time the making of a tiny coffin is his way of showing he cares.
Being brought up in a working class environmental, raised on working class ethics, I really understood where the father characteristics hailed from: those mixed messages about what makes a man, the inability to overcome his need to dominate, the inability to learn from his own childhood and do better by his son. Yes, you ‘get’ where he’s coming from but his behavior is still inexcusable.
There were clever metaphors and imagery throughout, too, for example, the swimming pool incident and this particular line, “I let him pierce me with his spikes, deflating into his arms like a punctured ball.” And another, the argument scene, “the volcano blows its stack. We’ll be buried in his hot ash for days, if not weeks.”
I loved the scenes which re-visited rough play. These scenes were a great way of letting the reader witness the son mature, how his physical and emotional strength grows with him, until he becomes a match for the father. Surely autobiographical because the level of detail was astonishing, such as the description of the vein on the father’s forehead becoming more pronounced until it was, “... a petty victory sign.”
I adored the flash list, ‘Things my Dad Taught Me’. Rang so many bells! Some examples were hilarious (the Tracy Chapman one and the one about hitting a transvestite in particular).
As the novella progresses, the pieces grow more reflective, more melancholic. You sense how the father changes with age, how he softens. Wallpapering Over the Cracks is a perfect example of this.
Although this novella is about a father/son relationship, it also reminds you of how enabling the mother can be in these situations.
All in all, thoroughly enjoyable. I will definitely be reading more of this author's work.
August 5, 2020
"Be kind to those around you, everyone is fighting a battle you can’t see. So be kind, above all else."
This is deeply and beautifully moving. It resonates deep within the heart and soul. Relationships like this happen more than a person realizes. Parenthood is messy and it doesn't matter if you think you are doing a great job, there is always going to be disagreements, mistakes made, and many imperfections. There is always hope, hope to rise above, to change, to learn, to be a better father, son, mother, daughter. Tethered in love!
Everyone should be reading this!
This is deeply and beautifully moving. It resonates deep within the heart and soul. Relationships like this happen more than a person realizes. Parenthood is messy and it doesn't matter if you think you are doing a great job, there is always going to be disagreements, mistakes made, and many imperfections. There is always hope, hope to rise above, to change, to learn, to be a better father, son, mother, daughter. Tethered in love!
Everyone should be reading this!
June 20, 2020
TETHERED is an extremely well realized and thought provoking book. From his poetic prose, to the manner in which he lets the narrative unravel, Ross Jeffery has succeeded in writing a unique and tragic story. While I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book, I wasn’t expecting to be impacted by it as heavily as I was. If you’ve ever had to let go of childhood baggage, mend deep rooted psychological trauma, unlearn negative behavior patterns, dealt with anger issues, or been given the terrifying task of raising a child, TETHERED will definitely speak to you. The choice by Jeffery to segment this book off into self contained flash fiction tales that all connect together, was a brilliant one. It almost serves as a testament to life itself, moving along while barley giving the reader a moment to grasp their thoughts. Each consecutive story immediately shows the father and son in a new stage of their relationship, with memories and mistakes waiting to made just around the corner. The point of view switches back and forth between the father and son, which really leads to some beautiful passages. Jeffery shows us just how much of the father’s line of thinking the son starts to carry, while also hammering home their differences. While there is a lot of stuff the father in this book gets right, the author makes the decision to hone in on the parent’s glaring flaws. I don’t have any children, but can imagine that any dad who reads this will take a moment to consider just how easily you can fuck up a kid’s mind. The emotional landscape that growing up forces a child to traverse is so vast, that not having an open minded and patient parent is a true detriment to a kid’s development. After reading this, I’m even more thankful for having a father who really did his best to make life less complicated for me. I was not an easy son to raise, and definitely thank my father for helping me turn out okay. He had his convictions and personal morals, but chose to instill only the ones that would aid in me becoming a kinder, more courageous, and stronger human being. The will to understand me was at the center of it all. The problem with the dad here, as well as well as so many others, is that he forces all his beliefs onto his child. Although he does love his son, the dad forgets the kid’s an individual. It’s a fools errand to try and mold someone to fit a certain personality you have placed on a pedestal. Accepting a person for who they are are, then helping them attain a positive self image is the much harder, but more logical option. I understand that being parent doesn’t come with a handbook, which is why I’ll have to think long and hard before ever becoming one. I am very headstrong when it comes to certain beliefs, and don’t know whether or not I’d be able to hold back from reprimanding a child who goes against them. This book really made me feel pure joy in parts, but also solidified every fear I have related to raising a kid. If you have a son or daughter, strive to be a constant reminder of how much they are capable of being loved. If you still have your parents around, give them a break, cause their job is painstakingly difficult. Ross Jeffery is a very underrated author, and I definitely recommend you check out his novella-in-flash. This sounds like a cliche, but more people really do need to read this. 5 out of 5 stars for TETHERED!
January 10, 2021
Heartbreaking.
A gorgeous rendering of the complicated nature of family, of the legacies that we pass on and survive.
A gorgeous rendering of the complicated nature of family, of the legacies that we pass on and survive.
September 3, 2020
Over the last few years I've had a front row seat watching Ross develop his writing. Through 'Juniper' and 'Tome' Ross has created two great pieces of dark, post apocalyptic fiction, with the third book in the trilogy coming soon.
'Tethered' was, from the outset, a book I was hesitant to read. Not because it's not a 'horror' book or because I believed it to be bad. Purely because, as a newer father (my son just turned four) and someone who has a gruffer dad myself, I wasn't sure if I was emotionally up for a dark dive into a strained father-son relationship.
What I liked: Told through short, quick vignettes, 'Tethered' is a stunning piece of fiction. We are there at the beginning, as a child is abandoned, only to grow up and become a dad. His own history of having no father is embedded deep within his soul, so just how can he be a good dad when he himself never experienced that? The chapters/pieces flip back and forth, between the father's POV and the son's POV, focusing on key moments throughout their lives. Ross doesn't hold back, making both characters equally likable and dis-likable. We see how through time and situations their relationship soars and sours and I loved how this was a 'warts-and-all' look at interpersonal relationships.
Emotionally, this book has it all. Happiness, sorrow and everything in between. I read this in one sitting and found that the flow of the narrative was such that when the book ended I was surprised I'd read it so quickly.
Ross is such a natural storyteller and 'Tethered' shows just how talented he is, even when not writing something with horror-darkness attached. He did justice to a drama-filled piece that I normally wouldn't find myself that engaged with.
What I didn't like: This was more personal than anything, but as someone who has been analyzing their own parent-child relationship over the last twenty years, there are moments in here that felt like a band-aid being ripped off. Some people may find that parts of this are incredibly hard to read, but much like your favorite drama on TV, these moments are necessary to the story. But, seriously Ross, you jerk!
Why you should buy it: This is a stunning, brilliant piece of fiction that at times will read like an autobiography to some of you. Ross has done a fantastic job of really capturing the father-son dynamic and it was a joy (even though incredibly hard to stomach at times) to come along for the ride.
If you are looking for a quick, character driven story that follows two great characters look no further. 'Tethered' was outstanding.
'Tethered' was, from the outset, a book I was hesitant to read. Not because it's not a 'horror' book or because I believed it to be bad. Purely because, as a newer father (my son just turned four) and someone who has a gruffer dad myself, I wasn't sure if I was emotionally up for a dark dive into a strained father-son relationship.
What I liked: Told through short, quick vignettes, 'Tethered' is a stunning piece of fiction. We are there at the beginning, as a child is abandoned, only to grow up and become a dad. His own history of having no father is embedded deep within his soul, so just how can he be a good dad when he himself never experienced that? The chapters/pieces flip back and forth, between the father's POV and the son's POV, focusing on key moments throughout their lives. Ross doesn't hold back, making both characters equally likable and dis-likable. We see how through time and situations their relationship soars and sours and I loved how this was a 'warts-and-all' look at interpersonal relationships.
Emotionally, this book has it all. Happiness, sorrow and everything in between. I read this in one sitting and found that the flow of the narrative was such that when the book ended I was surprised I'd read it so quickly.
Ross is such a natural storyteller and 'Tethered' shows just how talented he is, even when not writing something with horror-darkness attached. He did justice to a drama-filled piece that I normally wouldn't find myself that engaged with.
What I didn't like: This was more personal than anything, but as someone who has been analyzing their own parent-child relationship over the last twenty years, there are moments in here that felt like a band-aid being ripped off. Some people may find that parts of this are incredibly hard to read, but much like your favorite drama on TV, these moments are necessary to the story. But, seriously Ross, you jerk!
Why you should buy it: This is a stunning, brilliant piece of fiction that at times will read like an autobiography to some of you. Ross has done a fantastic job of really capturing the father-son dynamic and it was a joy (even though incredibly hard to stomach at times) to come along for the ride.
If you are looking for a quick, character driven story that follows two great characters look no further. 'Tethered' was outstanding.
May 29, 2020
Emotionally raw, poetic dad-hood ruminations.
A frank unflinching mirror against a father and son relationship. Reminiscent of ‘This Be The Verse’ By Philip Larkin with drops of Bukowski's ‘Ham On Rye’.
——
What is good writing?
It doesn't arduously expose every detail with so much intimacy and detail, that the author's internal creative is made indiscriminately real.
Well placed vivid emotional markers, signposts and a trail are laid by the author. So, when you pick it up, your own memory and experience become the stories heart, filling in, on cue. A good writer is like an orchestrator and great musician. Like BB King, it’s the space left between the notes, to be imagined as your own, and colours created in the audience that define the utmost composition by the artist.
The hearer and reader interpret the final strokes.
This is Tethered.
Emotionally tailored (and tethered) to the reader from the first flash.
It’s poetry.
I cried, laughed and smiled. Happy, nervous and uneasy. Probably at all the wrong points. But, it allowed me to do that. So well written - it became my world.
A frank unflinching mirror against a father and son relationship. Reminiscent of ‘This Be The Verse’ By Philip Larkin with drops of Bukowski's ‘Ham On Rye’.
——
What is good writing?
It doesn't arduously expose every detail with so much intimacy and detail, that the author's internal creative is made indiscriminately real.
Well placed vivid emotional markers, signposts and a trail are laid by the author. So, when you pick it up, your own memory and experience become the stories heart, filling in, on cue. A good writer is like an orchestrator and great musician. Like BB King, it’s the space left between the notes, to be imagined as your own, and colours created in the audience that define the utmost composition by the artist.
The hearer and reader interpret the final strokes.
This is Tethered.
Emotionally tailored (and tethered) to the reader from the first flash.
It’s poetry.
I cried, laughed and smiled. Happy, nervous and uneasy. Probably at all the wrong points. But, it allowed me to do that. So well written - it became my world.
May 26, 2020
From the opening line in ‘Dadhood’, the first story in Ross Jeffery’s novella-in-flash, Tethered, we know the relationship between this father and his son is going to be complicated. Still bruised from the disappointment of his own father’s shortcomings, this father is determined to do better by his son. With outdated expectations, in a time when traditional roles are being challenged, will this father be able to teach his son what it means “to be a man”?
There’s such tenderness in Jeffery’s depiction of this young boy. There are misunderstandings big and small that only a child can make, but that have such a bearing on the way he sees his father and the world around him. As the boy grows up, the balance of power in the father-son relationship changes constantly and it’s with great care that this is explored.
The stories gain momentum throughout and it’s with baited breath that we hurtle towards end, towards that killer last line.
A wonderful and touching tale of a father and his son. Highly recommended.
There’s such tenderness in Jeffery’s depiction of this young boy. There are misunderstandings big and small that only a child can make, but that have such a bearing on the way he sees his father and the world around him. As the boy grows up, the balance of power in the father-son relationship changes constantly and it’s with great care that this is explored.
The stories gain momentum throughout and it’s with baited breath that we hurtle towards end, towards that killer last line.
A wonderful and touching tale of a father and his son. Highly recommended.
April 20, 2020
Tethered is an extremely moving portrayal of a damaged relationship between father and son, and of the struggle to break free of the past. Beautifully written, it's haunting and at times shocking. Most impressively of all, Jeffery perfectly captures the fear and desire for approval that is woven through the narrative, and in spite of everything, manages to capture the overwhelming love that shines through.
July 16, 2020
Ross Jeffrey makes every word count in this dual-viewed, nuanced novella of fathers and sons. It explores the complexities of love and the more damaging notions of masculinity.
"I'm big, you're small, I'm strong, you're weak. I'm right, you're wrong."; a mantra that I grew to believe in, knowing that whatever I did, my dad would have done it first, or at least knew something about it that I didn't.
June 19, 2020
A moving novella written with each story another piece of flash fiction. Fathers and sons are a complicated dynamic, and Jeffery captures both the shouted and silent pain of those relationships. I kept wondering when the title would be relevant and... damn.
May 1, 2020
I was really unprepared for this book. I had recently read Juniper also by Ross Jeffery and had an absolute blast reading about life in a small American nowhere town after a terrible turn of events. It was a brilliant horror tale with elements of very dark comedy.
But Tethered is very far from this, it's so heart wrenching and beautifully written.
We follow a troubled father and son journey as they navigate through life, told through a series of flash fiction. It's a brilliant portrayal of a troubled father and son relationship. and the affect it has on both sides. Does anyone escape unharmed from their childhood. Is there such a thing as a perfect parent.
Unfortunately the answers to both these questions is no. But at times this book holds some very tender moments. They never seem to get things right but there is a lot of love for each other even though it gets lost through misunderstandings and anger.
We have the father, who loves his son deeply the moment he is born. He wants the best for his most cherished child, to teach his son how to be a real man, yet he too has been a victim of a troubled upbringing fuelled by toxic masculinity. As the story unfurls we see how all too easily the cycle repeats, the same hurts re-emerging with each generation.
He wants to be a good father but he is powerless in changing himself and healing his old hurts.
I loved the ending the ending to this book, it's a powerful ending the story deserved. An absolute must read for all parents and children!
But Tethered is very far from this, it's so heart wrenching and beautifully written.
We follow a troubled father and son journey as they navigate through life, told through a series of flash fiction. It's a brilliant portrayal of a troubled father and son relationship. and the affect it has on both sides. Does anyone escape unharmed from their childhood. Is there such a thing as a perfect parent.
Unfortunately the answers to both these questions is no. But at times this book holds some very tender moments. They never seem to get things right but there is a lot of love for each other even though it gets lost through misunderstandings and anger.
We have the father, who loves his son deeply the moment he is born. He wants the best for his most cherished child, to teach his son how to be a real man, yet he too has been a victim of a troubled upbringing fuelled by toxic masculinity. As the story unfurls we see how all too easily the cycle repeats, the same hurts re-emerging with each generation.
He wants to be a good father but he is powerless in changing himself and healing his old hurts.
I loved the ending the ending to this book, it's a powerful ending the story deserved. An absolute must read for all parents and children!
December 4, 2020
A little book of memories with a big old heart that is wonderfully put together and an absolute joy to read.
This collection was exactly what I needed to read right now.
But you know what makes it even better?
His novel TOME, which I'd just finished a few days ago, had me feeling a little overwhelmed from all the horror.
It was great don't get me wrong, but this little gem of a book took me in another direction entirely. Seriously, it was like one extreme to the other with this, and further testiment to the quality of Ross Jeffery's writing.
He really is one hell of a talent.
And you know what else I loved?
I loved the way these stories ran into each other at times but always conveyed a different meaning.
Bit in truth though it really is all about the heart here.
This one absolutely thumped all the right buttons for me and is now 100% my favourite from him.
Great work.
Five stars plus.
Deserved.
This collection was exactly what I needed to read right now.
But you know what makes it even better?
His novel TOME, which I'd just finished a few days ago, had me feeling a little overwhelmed from all the horror.
It was great don't get me wrong, but this little gem of a book took me in another direction entirely. Seriously, it was like one extreme to the other with this, and further testiment to the quality of Ross Jeffery's writing.
He really is one hell of a talent.
And you know what else I loved?
I loved the way these stories ran into each other at times but always conveyed a different meaning.
Bit in truth though it really is all about the heart here.
This one absolutely thumped all the right buttons for me and is now 100% my favourite from him.
Great work.
Five stars plus.
Deserved.
September 1, 2023
„Naučil mě, že rodičovství je podivné bludiště bez mapy, jak se v něm pohybovat a jak ho přežít. Dělal to nejlepší, co mohl, a já ho miluju nevyčíslitelnou láskou – jen si musím pamatovat, že to, co mě naučil, mám přehodnocovat.“
Jeffery mě dostal knížečkou Zůstanou jen skvrny, takže jsem automaticky sáhla i po jeho dalším počinu, který sice vybočil z hororového žánru, ale též se zaobírá rodinou a zejména vztahem otec x syn. Střet dvou generací, snaha být dobrým rodičem, i když na to člověku nikdo předem nedá podrobný návod, snaha být dobrým synem, i když dítě zná definici dobra zejména na základě toho, co vidí od rodiče. Jak se vztah mění a vyvíjí, když otec stárne a syn dospívá. Jako vždy dokázal Jeffery do malého rozsahu stran nacpat obšírný obsah, který rezonuje i po dočtení. A pokud je čtenář rodič, asi mu to zabrnká ještě na citlivější strunu.
Jeffery mě dostal knížečkou Zůstanou jen skvrny, takže jsem automaticky sáhla i po jeho dalším počinu, který sice vybočil z hororového žánru, ale též se zaobírá rodinou a zejména vztahem otec x syn. Střet dvou generací, snaha být dobrým rodičem, i když na to člověku nikdo předem nedá podrobný návod, snaha být dobrým synem, i když dítě zná definici dobra zejména na základě toho, co vidí od rodiče. Jak se vztah mění a vyvíjí, když otec stárne a syn dospívá. Jako vždy dokázal Jeffery do malého rozsahu stran nacpat obšírný obsah, který rezonuje i po dočtení. A pokud je čtenář rodič, asi mu to zabrnká ještě na citlivější strunu.
April 23, 2020
Tethered is a visceral reflection on father and son relationships. At once sharp like a punch in the face and as warm and comforting as being lifted by a giant from the back seat of a Ford Sierra when pretending to be asleep. Ross Jeffery's prose is immediate and at times arresting in its observations. There were moments I laughed out loud, cringed, gritted my teeth and wanted to cry. If the mark of good art is to make us feel, then Tethered does it with a bright, challenging intensity.
May 31, 2020
“In the immortal words of Philip Larkin: ‘They f*ck you up, your mum and dad / They may not mean to, but they do.’ Ross Jeffery takes these words to heart as he deftly paints a beautiful, and painful, portrait of a troubled father-and-son relationship. Searingly honest and insightful, to the point of feeling confessional, Tethered will lead you towards its heartbreaking and emotionally devastating conclusion with the authority of parent’s hand.”
April 8, 2022
A powerful, haunting work that shows once again some of the best storytelling is being done in novellas and short stories. The author confronts the horrors of generational trauma, the way hurt those we love, abuse, victimhood, and more. He does it all in this tight novella where the storytelling is done in vignettes taking us back and forth through father and son pov. At times reminiscent of Stephen King in style and the horrors of being human. I loved this and would recommend it.
December 7, 2021
I don't have kids and have never felt any desire to, but this one had me in tears by the end.
June 16, 2021
3.5 rounded up. The writing here is decent, I quite like the style, but whilst it has a nice rawness to it, some of the main dad "issues" I feel have been covered a lot elsewhere in other portrayals of toxic masculinity, such as Benjamin Myers, Pig Iron for one example. I feel bad saying that as it appears quite autobiographical and I don't want to slight the author of his experiences. That said, looking forward to starting some of Jeffery's horror books.
June 7, 2020
In this book, Jeffery manages to sensitively portray a father’s journey from residing within the familiar confines of toxic masculinity, to doubting everything he knows about gender roles, to escaping his regressive mental model and achieving a more progressive way of thinking. This is not a stern finger-wagging at outdated attitudes – it’s an examination of toxic masculinity, an empathic attempt to gain an understanding of it in order to make sure that it doesn’t infect future generations.
The main take away from Tethered is that toxic masculinity hurts everybody, even the perpetrators. What is presented here is not a two-dimensional attack on this sort of outdated attitude, but a compassionate examination, an endeavour to understand and help change, rather than to condemn.
Full review: https://idleink.org/2020/06/06/review...
The main take away from Tethered is that toxic masculinity hurts everybody, even the perpetrators. What is presented here is not a two-dimensional attack on this sort of outdated attitude, but a compassionate examination, an endeavour to understand and help change, rather than to condemn.
Full review: https://idleink.org/2020/06/06/review...
November 28, 2021
No hay condescendencia en esta historia sobre la relación de un padre con su hijo. Una novela corta que trata con mucha inteligencia los miedos y la autorreflexión que conlleva el tener hijos. Buen trabajo, Ross.
January 29, 2023
Útlounká knížečka, která ale na jeden zátah přečíst nejde. Novela in-flash (blesková novela) byl pro mě doteď naprosto neznámý literární útvar, kdy několik krátkých samostatně fungujících povídek dohromady tvoří jeden příběh. V tomto případě je spojujícím tématem vztah mezi otcem a synem.
Každá stránka je tak silná a plná emocí, že jsem si čtení musela dávkovat. Slzy v ocích a rozostřené řádky - to je něco, s čím je třeba při čtení této novely počítat. Tolik emocí! Už po pár přečtených stránkách jsem byla smutná z toho všeho co čtu a hlavou mi vířila spousta myšlenek. Každá kapitola (povídka) funguje jako kousek skládačky v obrovském příběhu plném hloubky, bolesti, emocí, zklamání, zoufalství. Silný emoční zážitek!
Číst tuhle knihu chce svým způsobem odvahu. Ne pro to, že byste museli mít silný žaludek, pevné nervy nebo rozsvícenou lampičku na nočním stolku. Ale kvůli emocím! Ty nad vámi totiž převezmou moc prakticky hned po otevření knihy.
Každá stránka je tak silná a plná emocí, že jsem si čtení musela dávkovat. Slzy v ocích a rozostřené řádky - to je něco, s čím je třeba při čtení této novely počítat. Tolik emocí! Už po pár přečtených stránkách jsem byla smutná z toho všeho co čtu a hlavou mi vířila spousta myšlenek. Každá kapitola (povídka) funguje jako kousek skládačky v obrovském příběhu plném hloubky, bolesti, emocí, zklamání, zoufalství. Silný emoční zážitek!
Číst tuhle knihu chce svým způsobem odvahu. Ne pro to, že byste museli mít silný žaludek, pevné nervy nebo rozsvícenou lampičku na nočním stolku. Ale kvůli emocím! Ty nad vámi totiž převezmou moc prakticky hned po otevření knihy.
June 20, 2020
A vastly different offering from Ross Jeffery's last book ('Juniper' - a delightfully original slice of mangled small-town weirdness - well worth checking out), 'Tethered' is nonetheless just as accomplished and enjoyable.
This collection of flash fiction is a raw and honest examination of father and son relationships and toxic masculinity. It's unflinching - at times brutal, at times moving - but it always feels very real. In just a few words Jeffery is able to paint a character with complex nuances, and the development of the two protagonists and their troubled relationship is entirely believable.
A gripping read with a number of stand-out flashes (one of the early chapters, 'On the Shoulders of Giants', is especially outstanding), what makes 'Tethered' so memorable and touching is the honesty and heart that Jeffery brings to each piece. A wonderful read.
This collection of flash fiction is a raw and honest examination of father and son relationships and toxic masculinity. It's unflinching - at times brutal, at times moving - but it always feels very real. In just a few words Jeffery is able to paint a character with complex nuances, and the development of the two protagonists and their troubled relationship is entirely believable.
A gripping read with a number of stand-out flashes (one of the early chapters, 'On the Shoulders of Giants', is especially outstanding), what makes 'Tethered' so memorable and touching is the honesty and heart that Jeffery brings to each piece. A wonderful read.
December 5, 2022
Every book I have read by Ross Jeffery I have given 5 stars and this one is the same! A story of the relationship between a father and his son. Immerses you into the storyline and you feel you are right there in the moment, right there, almost a family member watching it all unfold. Deeply moving. I am beginning to think Mr Jeffery has an anointed hand, and as the words flow through his brain to hand, we as readers are experiencing the divine at work. Gosh, I loved this novella-in-flash!
June 8, 2020
Ross Jeffery’s flash fiction is immediate, visceral and real. To read his stories is to feel the understanding of a life lived through the eyes of a compassionate man. Always unapologetic, always raw, always true.
June 26, 2020
'I push him down onto the carpet. Press my body up against him, I go limp and subdue his movements. ‘Get out of that without moving.''
A poignant novella in flash. Raw. Honest. Like holding a magnifying glass up to a father-son relationship and seeing all the love/hate squirm about.
A poignant novella in flash. Raw. Honest. Like holding a magnifying glass up to a father-son relationship and seeing all the love/hate squirm about.
July 27, 2021
This review is part of a collection of reviews on the horror oasis. To see the full review, visit the Horror Oasis on the following link:
(To be provided)
This is a book that plays directly to the emotional experiences of the reader. It’s extremely hard not to find resonance in a book that depicts events and emotions the reader has, themselves, experienced. This is simply the tale of a relationship between a father and a son. The father is flawed but remains well-meaning in his love for his son. It’s a classic theme, one that many of us have lived through, judging by the reviews I skimmed. And it's great horror because this is horror we recognize.
Now to be fair, my own upbringing was from a father that had witnessed (and rebelled against) violence at home. My father was (and still remains) the total opposite. A bear of a man who had done a stint in the army to better control and understand his own strength, my father’s relationship to his kids and his wife was always loving. I don’t remember him ever even shouting at my mum, but he had his own personal hang-ups. He did and said some of the things written in this book, the ties to what a “man” had to be and how a “man” should act were ingrained deep in him from his own childhood, I believe. So, this story – let’s just say there’s a lot of integral themes in the shorts that struck a chord in this reader.
It’s beautifully observed psychological drama. I can’t say this is horror, it’s a father/son relationship story, but it plays wonderfully to the horror crowd, there are a lot of things in here that play to the open-minded horror reader – and leave you in no doubt that what you just read will stay with you for a long time.
The ramp-up of detail in the last few chapters leave you in no doubt that something terrible will occur, and the play of it is well-executed, the last father pov chapter exceptional. And leaves us all in no doubt that at least this father, in his own, warped, maladjusted, narrow-minded way, loved his son. And that’s just heartbreaking.
A solid 5 out of 5⭐ ‘s, Ross’ writing just keeps getting stronger, the observational-emotional content of this book knocks everything out of the park.
(To be provided)
This is a book that plays directly to the emotional experiences of the reader. It’s extremely hard not to find resonance in a book that depicts events and emotions the reader has, themselves, experienced. This is simply the tale of a relationship between a father and a son. The father is flawed but remains well-meaning in his love for his son. It’s a classic theme, one that many of us have lived through, judging by the reviews I skimmed. And it's great horror because this is horror we recognize.
Now to be fair, my own upbringing was from a father that had witnessed (and rebelled against) violence at home. My father was (and still remains) the total opposite. A bear of a man who had done a stint in the army to better control and understand his own strength, my father’s relationship to his kids and his wife was always loving. I don’t remember him ever even shouting at my mum, but he had his own personal hang-ups. He did and said some of the things written in this book, the ties to what a “man” had to be and how a “man” should act were ingrained deep in him from his own childhood, I believe. So, this story – let’s just say there’s a lot of integral themes in the shorts that struck a chord in this reader.
It’s beautifully observed psychological drama. I can’t say this is horror, it’s a father/son relationship story, but it plays wonderfully to the horror crowd, there are a lot of things in here that play to the open-minded horror reader – and leave you in no doubt that what you just read will stay with you for a long time.
The ramp-up of detail in the last few chapters leave you in no doubt that something terrible will occur, and the play of it is well-executed, the last father pov chapter exceptional. And leaves us all in no doubt that at least this father, in his own, warped, maladjusted, narrow-minded way, loved his son. And that’s just heartbreaking.
A solid 5 out of 5⭐ ‘s, Ross’ writing just keeps getting stronger, the observational-emotional content of this book knocks everything out of the park.
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