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mcr1955's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
The writing is beautiful. The narrative is slow for a long time, with very subtle clues about what is going on. On the surface of the novel certain things are happening, but all along, there is an undercurrent that gets stronger and more visible. Olga Tokarczuk is a master story teller. This is my third novel of hers.
sarrra93's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
antimony's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
THIS WAS SOOO SO GOOD i literally do not have words for it. i need to go back and reread the last couple chapters because i had to rush through this so as to not leave myself on a cliffhanger before class but ohh my god. the beginning was slow but the buildup was so sooo good and i honestly think i could just sit down and start this from the beginning all over again just to soak it in and get more layers out of it...i dont even know how to describe it this was just so good. everyone go read it right now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Medical content
garbgini's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tabitha997's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
krj's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
tam_townsend's review against another edition
5.0
very possibly the best thing I’ve read all year. the prose is incredible, wonderfully textured, and there are so many levels of ideas
andreeavis's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Empusium is a genre-bending, philosophical work that moves between horror, historical fiction, and metaphysical reflection. Set in 1913 at a sanatorium in the mountains of Silesia, the novel follows Mieczysław Wojnicz, a young man suffering from tuberculosis, as he seeks treatment and respite. Tokarczuk’s sanatorium is no simple place of healing, it’s where the anxieties and existential dilemmas of the early 20th century, on the brink of war and in the throes of rapid cultural and ideological shifts, fully unfold. This is a world in transition, where conversations about gender, mental health, and the supernatural blur the line between reality and the otherworldly.
The first half of the book is quite slow but the Gothic atmosphere, filled with suspense places you in an eerie sanatorium surrounded by a mystical forrest. The plot is purposely ambiguous and it gives you that feeling where you glimpse something at the corner of your eye without knowing what it is. Wojnicz interacts with the other residents and their discussions evolve from mundane observations to profound debates about life, illness, the fragility of human existence, and differences between men and women. This tension keeps you going and the philosophical debates are well-written and hilarious at times (plus, one character is Romanian).
The supernatural elements are inspired by the Empusae, Greek mythological female figures that seduce and kill men. These are enigmatic women who can shapeshift, pray on the local male populace and stalk the woodlands. In the book, they may represent the darker side of desire, which the men interpret as part of being a woman. Tokarczuk uses the supernatural and horror to explore the interaction between gender and fear, exposing how society saw women as alluring and grotesque, dangerous creatures, impossible to comprehend.
This theme is prevalent in conversations between the male patients in the sanatorium, which dissect the issues of gender, the “nature” of women (being inferior to men, of course, men who were also afraid of them), and the fears and fantasies projected onto them. This use of the Empusae raises questions about how men perceive women as both mysterious and dangerous, feeding into cultural narratives that cast the feminine as something to be feared, controlled, or mythologised.
Overall, not your usual horror novel. The surprise at the end - I started to get hints of it midway - was so well planned and delivered! All the conversations, reminiscences, and actions Wojnicz takes build toward it and the final reveal is gorgeous, happening at the peak of the horror side of the story as well. A horror novel that explores illness, gender, and the psychological pain that a world in turmoil, on the brink of WWII brought. I loved the book and now I have to pick up more of her books, of course!
deebury's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0