Negative Space

Negative Space follows multiple teenagers in western Massachusetts who become entangled in an occult online phenomenon. As their town faces a spate of suicides, the characters document their experiences through social media posts, text messages, and first-person narration. The narrative moves between three main perspectives: Tyler, a teenager exploring gender identity; Ah Jeong, a student processing grief; and Richard, who moderates a dark web forum. Their stories intersect through shared trauma and a mysterious ritual that gains momentum online. The novel combines elements of cosmic horror, experimental literature, and contemporary internet culture. Through fragmented storytelling and mixed media formats, it examines isolation, identity, and collective behavior in the digital age. The book engages with themes of transformation and liminality, questioning the boundaries between online and offline reality. Its structure mirrors the destabilizing nature of internet spaces while exploring how technology shapes human consciousness and connection.

Readers describe Negative Space as an experimental horror novel that blends internet culture, drug use, and cosmic horror. Many note its unique formatting and non-linear narrative structure. Readers appreciated: - Raw, authentic portrayal of teen life and online spaces - Effective building of dread and unease - Creative use of different text formats and perspectives - Handling of grief and trauma themes Common criticisms: - Confusing plot structure that's hard to follow - Graphic content some found excessive - Pacing issues in middle sections - Ending left too many questions unanswered Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (100+ ratings) StoryGraph: 4.15/5 Reader quote: "Like House of Leaves meets We Need to Talk About Kevin, but for extremely online zoomers" - Goodreads reviewer Critical quote: "The format switches between characters became exhausting rather than engaging" - Amazon reviewer

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🔹 B.R. Yeager wrote Negative Space while working overnight shifts at a homeless shelter, incorporating elements of their real-life experiences with grief and loss into the narrative. 🔹 The novel blends elements of cosmic horror with contemporary social media culture, exploring how digital spaces can become portals to something darker and more sinister. 🔹 The book's structure mimics internet culture by featuring multiple narratives that intersect through social media posts, text messages, and forum discussions. 🔹 Released in 2020 by Apocalypse Party press, Negative Space gained significant attention through word-of-mouth on "BookTok" and other social media platforms despite being from a small independent publisher. 🔹 The story was partly inspired by real-world phenomena of online suicide clusters and the ways digital communities can influence collective behavior.