Paolo Agaraff’s Horror Gem: The Frogs Of Koh Samui Explored

Horror literature is one of the most difficult genres of writing to accomplish effectively, but Paolo Agaraff executes it seamlessly in his revamped English translation of The Frogs of Koh Samui. This short novel is an amalgamation of suspense, tasteful gore, and dark humour. At a very modest seventy-eight pages, this is an easy book to get sucked into of an afternoon, before being released again a few short hours later.

Spoiler-Free Plot

This read envelopes you in the misadventures of an unlikely trio of old friends: Alessio, Jack, and Filipo – old, retired Italians – who find themselves holidaying, some more reluctantly than others, on a seemingly picturesque island in Thailand. But all is not as it seems in this scenic villa town – with friendships, tempers, and chronic health conditions being tested and exacerbated by a series of horrifying events.

The story begins when the three men decide to try and sneak into a midnight party in an abandoned village near their resort, only to discover that what they thought was a celebration of island-life pleasure, is in fact something more sinister and dangerous. Filipo is separated from his compatriots during a terrifying incident and taken captive by dark, amatory creatures. From this point onwards each chapter follows an engaging formula, beginning with a perspective from Filipo in his ocean cave prison, before following the exploits of Alessio and Jack as they try and negotiate help to rescue their friend. Of course, nothing is ever as it seems. Alessio, Jack, and Filipo must challenge themselves to look closely enough to see who the true monsters are… Is it the amphibious creatures that lurk in the caves and hunt in the shadows, called upon by some forgotten and unforgiving deity? Or are they in more danger from the beasts who look like people?

My Take on The Frogs of Koh Samui

One of my favourite things about Agaraff’s story, is his development of the three main characters. All three of them are uniquely crafted through use of epithets related to their physical qualities and psychology. This is particularly true of the prologue, where each character is given context through small revelations about their histories – the jobs they held during their working years, a lifelong smoking habit, strained relationships with ex-spouses, casual use of anxiolytics, and so on. These little nuggets of detail are littered throughout the story to provide connection within each unique interaction and situation.

The language choices made throughout the story are engaging and intelligent, creating an extra edge to the horror theme of the story. Simultaneously, all information provided in the story feels relevant and essential to the journey of the characters. Agaraff doesn’t waste his words or the time of his readers. I devoured this story, held captive by the suspense of it and felt invested in the voyage of these three men.

Naturally, with any translated piece of work, there are a few sentences that haven’t translated well – some sentences are syntactically unusual and, occasionally, there are punctuation and grammar errors. These nitty-gritty details do not detract from the story, and readers who aren’t sensitive to the rules of the English language will be unbothered.

Paolo Agaraff’s ‘The Frogs of Koh Samui’ delivers a spine-chilling cocktail of suspense, gore, and dark humor, showcasing his mastery in weaving a nightmarish tale that captivates and terrifies in equal measure.

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Content Warning

This is a must read for lovers of the horror and thriller genre. Naturally, this means it is best suited to a mature, adult audience. The story contains sexual acts and references, allusions to domestic abuse, as wells as explicit depiction of gore and death. Reader discretion is advised for these trigger warnings.

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