Sometimes, you can judge a book by its cover—and in this case, it’s the cover that sets you up for disappointment. Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth boasts one of the most striking and haunting covers I’ve seen in recent memory. It was the sole reason I picked up this novella, and paired with a promising premise—a wedding among friends in a haunted Japanese mansion—it seemed like a surefire horror hit. Unfortunately, the story inside doesn’t live up to the chilling visuals outside. 

To start with some positives, the inclusion of yokai and Japanese folklore adds an intriguing layer to the story. The ghost bride and the mansion’s eerie history had incredible potential to create a haunting atmosphere. Sadly, that’s where the praise stops. 

The novella suffers from weak execution on almost every front. Clocking in at just over 100 pages, there isn’t enough room to develop the plot or its characters. The five friends at the center of the story are flat, unlikable, and ultimately forgettable. With so little depth given to their relationships or personalities, I felt no connection to any of them, making it hard to care about their fates. 

The pacing is another major flaw. The story drags its feet for much of the book, only to rush through the climax in a way that felt abrupt and unsatisfying. Instead of being enveloped in the terror of the mansion and its ghostly inhabitant, I was left feeling detached and underwhelmed. 

This novella should have been unsettling, especially given the setting and folklore it draws from. But instead of evoking fear or unease, it left me frustrated at the squandered potential. Nothing But Blackened Teeth had all the right ingredients for a creepy, memorable horror story, but it’s let down by poor pacing, shallow characters, and a lack of true scares. 

The cover deserves a standing ovation. The story behind it? A disappointed sigh.