shawcrit's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
cowboy_blue's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely wackadoodle. This was my first cosmic horror. No clue what to do with it. I haven’t decided between 3.5 and 4 stars.
neilsb's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
thereadingwren's review against another edition
4.0
This was really interesting and I wasn't expecting cult vibes but that's what we got. I gotta admit I was kind of lost throughout parts of this, maybe I just missed some important details near the beginning btu I was confused about the origins of the cult and how everyone knew about it. But it was all really interesting and I love that it had a queer main character!
stingrayafflictlon's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
familyguy026's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
iremaltun's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
reads_vicariously's review against another edition
5.0
The Worm and His Kings is the best cosmic horror story I’ve read all year, and easily takes a place amongst my all-time favourites. It has a protagonist you really root for, creepy monsters, a fantastic backstory, lots of twists and turns, and plenty of unsettling and mind-bending scenes. It also has an ending that surprised me, but also makes perfect sense with the story. This is my first book from Hailey Piper, and I can’t wait to read what else she has written.
Full review available at Beyond the Veil (https://gobeyondtheveil.co.uk/books/the-worm-and-his-kings).
Full review available at Beyond the Veil (https://gobeyondtheveil.co.uk/books/the-worm-and-his-kings).
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review against another edition
4.0
The Worm and His Kings is quite frankly a phenomenal novella. It excels in its characterisation, which is by far, powerful. First and foremost, it is a novel about acceptance and identity. Monique, our protagonist, is a trans woman who has spent her entire life trying to fit in, to the detriment for her inner self. She tries to rectify that, an action that results in physical trauma. A story that highlights a world full of prejudice and hate. A cosmic horror novel that had me intrigued but had my search for answers going beyond the story, beyond the deeper meaning, beyond everything I thought I knew.
Imagine losing the woman you love, not through death but through abduction. Abduction from a hideous monster that could slice through you with one swipe. The Worm and His Kings, with its sharp narrative and first-person point of view catapulted me into Monique’s shoes instantly. Her thoughts, her feelings, the pain, the anguish. Hailey Piper flicked the switch on my anxiety and didn’t switch it off until the last page. Be prepared to have one feeling in particular pulse through you – a feeling of unnerving tension.
Life hasn’t been the same for Monique since the love of her life, Donna was taken. There is gossip surrounding the circumstances of women like her disappearing. She knows deep within her heart that Donna just wouldn’t take off. She’s been there during the hard times and wouldn’t just give up. Memories of doctors, scalpels and searing hot pain are embedded and only Donna got her through that. They have an unbreakable bond and she needs to bring her back home. The characters that Monique interacts with during her task build up the impossible and the inevitable all at once. I had so many questions, its healthy to question the inconceivable but man did it hurt my head!
The Worm and His Kings was a story told in the now with flashbacks thrown at the reader to give context. The author hadn’t given us massive amounts of information about Monique’s and Donna’s life together, but I had a taste for how they were, what they were passionate about and just how strongly they believed in something. This was a testament to just how acute and stunning the author’s skills were. Now back to the main timeline and we should know that life doesn’t carve an easy way to the ending for us and Monique’s journey is no different.
The Worm and His Kings was never going to be a maudlin read but always promised on the heart-wrenching. The confusion, the grief and a life existed was one not meant for this world. All she wants in this shambles of a world is to have a happy life with the one she loves…move on from this disastrous experience…but what if...
Moving on was never on the table?
Imagine losing the woman you love, not through death but through abduction. Abduction from a hideous monster that could slice through you with one swipe. The Worm and His Kings, with its sharp narrative and first-person point of view catapulted me into Monique’s shoes instantly. Her thoughts, her feelings, the pain, the anguish. Hailey Piper flicked the switch on my anxiety and didn’t switch it off until the last page. Be prepared to have one feeling in particular pulse through you – a feeling of unnerving tension.
Life hasn’t been the same for Monique since the love of her life, Donna was taken. There is gossip surrounding the circumstances of women like her disappearing. She knows deep within her heart that Donna just wouldn’t take off. She’s been there during the hard times and wouldn’t just give up. Memories of doctors, scalpels and searing hot pain are embedded and only Donna got her through that. They have an unbreakable bond and she needs to bring her back home. The characters that Monique interacts with during her task build up the impossible and the inevitable all at once. I had so many questions, its healthy to question the inconceivable but man did it hurt my head!
The Worm and His Kings was a story told in the now with flashbacks thrown at the reader to give context. The author hadn’t given us massive amounts of information about Monique’s and Donna’s life together, but I had a taste for how they were, what they were passionate about and just how strongly they believed in something. This was a testament to just how acute and stunning the author’s skills were. Now back to the main timeline and we should know that life doesn’t carve an easy way to the ending for us and Monique’s journey is no different.
The Worm and His Kings was never going to be a maudlin read but always promised on the heart-wrenching. The confusion, the grief and a life existed was one not meant for this world. All she wants in this shambles of a world is to have a happy life with the one she loves…move on from this disastrous experience…but what if...
Moving on was never on the table?