Hello, So recently I developed this new concept for a story, which I've titled Thalassa. The (rough) synopsis goes a little like this: In an unspecified time between 1965 and 1975, a young man with an implied dark past(we'll call him LH) applies for a job on a Great Lakes freighter named Thalassa. To his surprise, he is accepted and is abruptly assigned to a voyage in the autumn. He arrives and is given the lowest designation as a crew member. LH meets the crew, which is made up entirely of French North Americans (stylistic choice[?]) but he is put-off by their odd behavior. What follows is the gaslighting, manipulation, deception of LH by the crew, leading to the deterioration of his mental state, exacerbated by the eerie unrealness of the setting. I'm just curious if you all think this is a good concept, if there's anything that needs to be specified, and if this is considered psychological thriller? Feedback is appreciated.
I don't see what's wrong with it, it all depends on the execution. It could definitely be a psychological thriller, maybe emphasizing the isolation on the ship similar to John Carpenter's The Thing. May be hard to express that in a novel though.
Great concept! The plot sounds interesting, and as long as you handle everything well it would be quiet the page turner. I'd be interested in hearing more about what you have planned. Ships are a great setting for this type of story because there really is no where to go. The Great Lakes already have an unsettling reputation, which only adds to the story. I'd say go ahead and start drafting and adding details.
Have you writer this? I am new and just read this. This sounds very interesting and I am a sucker for gaslighting. My main question would be why the crew would do such a thing? What motivates them to drive this person crazy?
