by Natalia Shafa
A Horror, Independently Published in 2025, 375 Pages
What I Didn’t Like:
- I have no idea why but I assumed the narrator was a woman when the story first began. That made the scene with the intern even more shocking. It was already hard to read and then we added that. Anyway, probably my fault but put me on the wrong foot.
- There’s a lot of heavy-handed symbolism here. I suppose that’s the point, I wouldn’t want someone to miss something.
- There story starts with an almost speculative idea and takes a (strange) almost psychologically root. That being said, the nature vs nurture argument was flatter or more absent than I expected.
What I Did Like:
- A beautiful example of speculative fiction. This takes a central question and runs with it to sort of extremes. That, of course, is the fun part of spec fict.
- The main characters throughout the timeline are just different enough to spark good discussions. While the nature vs nurture argument isn’t really addressed verbatim in the text, the skeleton is there for the flushing out.
- The ending, while odd, is also a very interesting take on addressing childhood trauma. Can’t say more for fear of spoilers.
Who Should Read This One:
- Speculative fiction fans, this truly is a perfect example.
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