Scan barcode
racl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Animal death and Domestic abuse
liltakeawaygirl's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Vomit, Grief, and Colonisation
cadence99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
voxvenati's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
So many of the things I could say in favor of this book are spoilers, but even the premise alone is a treat. I can’t express how often I’m let down after a promising synopsis and excellent first chapter. This was not one of those times.
Every chapter builds. Tension. Drama. Intrigue. Every character was crisp and distinct. Every nugget of world building fascinated me. The dialect of the locals. The fables. The history. I am left wanting. Ravenous for more.
It’s dense. It can be clinical at times. I loved it because it fits the narrative. And it does start to change.
I have never had such a seamless experience reading about LGBTQ+ characters where they just are. It isn’t clumsy or ham-fisted. It’s natural. It’s real. It was so fucking good.
And my dear dead gods, the slow reveal of the post-apocalypse, that the Institute and Pseudomycota are a part of that of that too? Exquisite.
The only reason this wasn’t a full 5 stars is because I never got that overwhelming sense of dread. Still, pretty damn close.
This is all said with the understanding this is a horror. There are some difficult topics. There is medical horror, body horror, and all sorts of other things. Read the content warnings if you have triggers.
But if the premise piques your interest, and if you’re not too squeamish, this is a must read.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Confinement, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, and Cannibalism
danimacuk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Infertility, and Grief
a1exander's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
thayerbowen's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism
maimy_santiago99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A nice twist on the latest trend in Gothic horror, I found some of the more esoteric bits of world building a bit too puzzling to be creepy. I think the normally of people with their organs outside their bodies and with mechanical replacements, for example, could have been established as being completely ordinary and not unusual a bit earlier, though I don't know how without it becoming tedious and ruining that lovely opening. The mysteries abound and few are explored, though, and that pulled me out of the story a bit as things continued to tangle but very few threads came loose.
The queerness in the story is simultaneously entirely incidental and completely pervasive- a character with he/him pronouns who lactates and acted as a wet nurse presented and seen as just another person rather than a trans person or a genetic anomaly (I assume the former, but in the world of the novel it could easily be the latter), the androgyny of the narrator for the first half of the book, the almost neglectful acceptance of physical differences... It's clear that in this world, queerness of any stripe isn't a huge deal to anyone who doesn't desperately want heirs, to the point where it is ubiquitous and almost blasé in its presentation, but it still feels revolutionary in the world we live in.
The twins were a highlight for me, and I'd happily have read a version of this novel that centered on them instead of the doctor/narrator (which is not to say I didn't enjoy this version!)
All in all, an enjoyable debut. I'll keep an eye out for their sophomore effort.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Confinement, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
rorikae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
We follow a doctor, a member of the Institute, who is heading up into the mountains. One of their colleagues has died and they are seeking answers for their death as well as taking up a position as the doctor at the baron’s Chateau. But when they arrive, they learn that a creeping force is threatening the town and may have directly contributed to their predecessor's death.
Ennes’ writing is lush and descriptive. They bring you directly into the setting and story and refuse to let you go until the end. Their writing makes the body horror both fascinating and hard to read, which I think is a true mark of a good author. This is a story about possession, agency, and trauma. Set in a post apocalyptic world that gives hints to the world that preceded it, Ennes drops world building moments casually throughout. Though I don’t think more world building was needed to enjoy the story, Ennes has created such an engaging world that I want a full series that explores what happened and what will happen next. The ending was a bit abrupt and I was hoping for a bit more but it also fits the story so I wasn’t unsatisfied.
I cannot wait for what Ennes writes next because they have proven in 'Leech' that they are a superb horror writer. If you are looking for horror set during the winter months, you must pick up 'Leech.'
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Suicide
chessakat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail