atlantabelle's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my gosh. This book was awesome! I have been telling everyone I know about this book and how good it was. I was drawn in from the first page until the very last page. The characters were written so well. You got to know each of them and were sucked into the story. This is one I'll buy so I can read it again and again.
vondav's review against another edition
5.0
Set in plague hit England, the story follows Dr Angus Wulfe. An egocentric doctor who only had eyes for Morrigan, but due to his badly scarred face and the way he lusts after her she would not give him the time of day. However, when the plague hits her home, he knew that he could get what he wanted, if only he could make the cure. What cost to lives does it take to cure the love of his life.
From the opening scene, you know what type of man Dr Wulfe is. A Dr with no bedside manner, who whilst having a prestigious job, still felt inferior amongst the high class. An arrogant man who had a sadistic, evil streak. When it came to him experimenting and his ideas to save Morrigan he was more like Jack the Ripper and no woman was safe. Like any gentleman, Angus had his man servant Marshall, who was able to adapt to any situation. Due to the amount of gold he received he usually turned a blind eye to Angus’ behaviour. However, when Marshall’s curiosity got too much, Angus had his revenge. By the end of this story I was backing Marshall all the way.
Morrigan and her family were your typical upper class and whilst her behaviour to Angus was not ladylike, I did not blame her one bit. I felt sorry for her when she got ill and the experiments Angus did to her.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. From page one you are hit with graphic scenes and it really sets you up for a great read. Any book set in history should always be researched and this story will not disappoint, as you could tell that a lot of research had gone into creating the story. Throughout this story, I was feeling sorry for some of Angus’ victims and I was willing Marshall to find out his secret. Angus’ past is revealed in detail and it does explain why he acted how he did. The characters were well developed as I had an instant dislike to the doctor. This book is dark, well written and enough twists to make it a page turner. The ending came as a surprise and scenes between Morrigan and Robert were heart-breaking. A slant on The bride of Frankenstein makes this a must read for any dark horror reader. I cannot wait for what else the author brings out because if it is as dark as this one then I will definitely read it.
From the opening scene, you know what type of man Dr Wulfe is. A Dr with no bedside manner, who whilst having a prestigious job, still felt inferior amongst the high class. An arrogant man who had a sadistic, evil streak. When it came to him experimenting and his ideas to save Morrigan he was more like Jack the Ripper and no woman was safe. Like any gentleman, Angus had his man servant Marshall, who was able to adapt to any situation. Due to the amount of gold he received he usually turned a blind eye to Angus’ behaviour. However, when Marshall’s curiosity got too much, Angus had his revenge. By the end of this story I was backing Marshall all the way.
Morrigan and her family were your typical upper class and whilst her behaviour to Angus was not ladylike, I did not blame her one bit. I felt sorry for her when she got ill and the experiments Angus did to her.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. From page one you are hit with graphic scenes and it really sets you up for a great read. Any book set in history should always be researched and this story will not disappoint, as you could tell that a lot of research had gone into creating the story. Throughout this story, I was feeling sorry for some of Angus’ victims and I was willing Marshall to find out his secret. Angus’ past is revealed in detail and it does explain why he acted how he did. The characters were well developed as I had an instant dislike to the doctor. This book is dark, well written and enough twists to make it a page turner. The ending came as a surprise and scenes between Morrigan and Robert were heart-breaking. A slant on The bride of Frankenstein makes this a must read for any dark horror reader. I cannot wait for what else the author brings out because if it is as dark as this one then I will definitely read it.
titania86's review against another edition
2.0
Angus is a sadistic but successful doctor completely obsessed with a wealthy woman named Morrigan. The Black Death spreads rapidly across Europe and threatens his love and his city as a whole. The Unfleshed is a novel that feels scattered and confused. I didn't know until late the book what era it was in and so much basic information about the time is wrong. Plague doctors were not trained doctors and were not effectual. The reigning theory was miasmatism that saw bad air as the cause of ailments. This wasn't even mentioned until very late in the book, which is weird since much of the novel is from the point of view of the doctor.
The main characters is Angus and all the other characters are flat and undeveloped compared to him. His driving force is to possess Morrigan and do all sorts of depraved things to her. I expected it to be more focused on Morrigan, the title character, who is not in the majority of the novel. She becomes a kind of Bride of Frankenstein amalgamation of other women because of Angus and barely makes a blip in the novel. Instead, Angus' history is delved into and his present as he tries to find a cure for death. He isn't the type of villain that can carry a novel because he's terribly unsympathetic and there are no redeeming qualities to him at all. I thought this would be much more of a horror novel overall and I was pretty disappointed.
The main characters is Angus and all the other characters are flat and undeveloped compared to him. His driving force is to possess Morrigan and do all sorts of depraved things to her. I expected it to be more focused on Morrigan, the title character, who is not in the majority of the novel. She becomes a kind of Bride of Frankenstein amalgamation of other women because of Angus and barely makes a blip in the novel. Instead, Angus' history is delved into and his present as he tries to find a cure for death. He isn't the type of villain that can carry a novel because he's terribly unsympathetic and there are no redeeming qualities to him at all. I thought this would be much more of a horror novel overall and I was pretty disappointed.
thewrittenadventure's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars**
Trigger warning for violence and rape.
This novel is not for the faint of heart.
The Black Plague wiped out thousands of people during the 14th century and this novel is no different. Angus Wulfe is the town's physician, although he has a bad reputation with his horrible bedside manner and creepy ways, because he is the only one in the town that can cure people of illnesses, he is able to be excused for this behavior.
Angus lusts after Morrigan, wanting her to one day be his bride. He will do anything to accomplish that goal, anything. When Morrigan falls ill and needs the doctor's help, he is there in a heartbeat, with his own concoction that is supposed to save her.
Rather than following Morrigan, the supposed damsel in distress, the novel turns and follows Angus for the majority of the novel. The reader can hear his inner most thoughts, many of which are disturbing and frightening.
This novel took a turn that I was not expecting, which I actually really enjoyed. It went from a creepy tale to one that became even more twisted and sinister, which I loved. It's rare that you find something that is this full of horror and twisted ideas.
A few things that, for me, were a problem was that at times there was no context of time passing, it would just be another paragraph and the reader had to realize that time had passed. Another problem was that, at times, one would not be aware of who was appearing in the story/ what was the past and what was present. It took a bit to follow, which did make the story less immersive.
I felt that when there was time passing in the novel, there should have been indicators of this time being passed. (This is done once in the novel when it says (2 days before) but otherwise, the reader has to figure out the passage of time.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookgosocial for allowing me to read this novel!
Trigger warning for violence and rape.
This novel is not for the faint of heart.
The Black Plague wiped out thousands of people during the 14th century and this novel is no different. Angus Wulfe is the town's physician, although he has a bad reputation with his horrible bedside manner and creepy ways, because he is the only one in the town that can cure people of illnesses, he is able to be excused for this behavior.
Angus lusts after Morrigan, wanting her to one day be his bride. He will do anything to accomplish that goal, anything. When Morrigan falls ill and needs the doctor's help, he is there in a heartbeat, with his own concoction that is supposed to save her.
Rather than following Morrigan, the supposed damsel in distress, the novel turns and follows Angus for the majority of the novel. The reader can hear his inner most thoughts, many of which are disturbing and frightening.
This novel took a turn that I was not expecting, which I actually really enjoyed. It went from a creepy tale to one that became even more twisted and sinister, which I loved. It's rare that you find something that is this full of horror and twisted ideas.
A few things that, for me, were a problem was that at times there was no context of time passing, it would just be another paragraph and the reader had to realize that time had passed. Another problem was that, at times, one would not be aware of who was appearing in the story/ what was the past and what was present. It took a bit to follow, which did make the story less immersive.
I felt that when there was time passing in the novel, there should have been indicators of this time being passed. (This is done once in the novel when it says (2 days before) but otherwise, the reader has to figure out the passage of time.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookgosocial for allowing me to read this novel!
blodeuedd's review
1.0
Wow this was really bad. At first I thought it was YA, but then came rape and torture and I was all wtf?
Then I thought it was the 1800s but then I was told it was 1349 *headdesk* Even worse. I guess the author know one thing about the middle ages and that is black death. There were SO MANY things wrong. Please, at least read one wiki page!
Oh and the writing was nothing to cheer for.
It was never horror, it was more disturbing and gross at times.
Omg the things wrong *shakes head* I feel like I knew more about the middle ages when I was 10
Then I thought it was the 1800s but then I was told it was 1349 *headdesk* Even worse. I guess the author know one thing about the middle ages and that is black death. There were SO MANY things wrong. Please, at least read one wiki page!
Oh and the writing was nothing to cheer for.
It was never horror, it was more disturbing and gross at times.
Omg the things wrong *shakes head* I feel like I knew more about the middle ages when I was 10
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