A review by thebiasedbibliophile
My Throat an Open Grave by Tori Bovalino

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

I absolutely loved Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino, so when I saw the cover of My Throat an Open Grave, I wanted to read it right away. I have to say, I’ve read quite a few books in under 48 hours over the years, but it has been a long time since I’ve read one in under 24 hours, but that was the case with My Throat an Open Grave.

First off, the lore behind the story was so compelling. The main character, Leah, lives in a small, religious town and has heard stories of the Lord of the Woods since childhood. Every several years, a child goes missing, and a woman is ultimately sent after the baby to “pay for her sins.” When Leah’s baby brother is taken by the LoW, her mother sends her after him, turning the whole town against her.

From the start, the myth of the Lord of the Woods was compelling, but what hooked me even more was a sharp sense of empathy and injustice for Leah. She didn’t even want a baby brother, why should she have to go after him?

Similarly, Leah copes with depression and suicidal thoughts throughout the story, which I thought Bovalino did an exceptional job of depicting. I definitely recommend reading this book when you’re in a good headspace because the depressive atmosphere is very immersive, which made the story feel more realistic.

Finally, Leah’s relationship with Tristan added a lot to the story and felt right for the story. I also appreciated the social justice messages tied into the story. As a whole, My Throat an Open Grave is a must read, regardless of whether you’re typically a fan of horror.