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yoshisaura's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty
chamomiledaydreams's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a genre that I never knew existed: cozy horror. It's great for people who like a bit of gore and body horror but at the same time appreciate kindhearted characters and stories that revolve around interpersonal connections and found family. There is quite a bit of violence in this story, but it's often combined with humor, thanks to our shapeshifting, non-human protagonist who finds maintaining a humanoid form rather inconvenient.
I'm rather picky about romances, so the relationship between Shesheshen and Homily isn't my favorite part of this story. They make a cute couple, for sure, and I love how unconventional they are, particularly in the sense that neither of them enjoys kissing. But I often feel flabbergasted at how quickly fictional characters fall in love, and I question at what point these two became girlfriends when they never said anything to confirm it out loud.
Still, I love Shesheshen and Homily as individuals, and I don't mind the romance between them. Homily especially intrigues me, because I enjoy how John Wiswell explores her upbringing and how that affects her personality. Shesheshen discovers that the kindness she loves in Homily is a result of her desperate need to please her cruel family, and I appreciate the comedy in Shesheshen's narration, where she debates the pros and cons of eating Homily's abusive family for her.
Speaking of Homily, I love the naming conventions in this universe. Many characters are named after English nouns, such as Homily, Ode, Catharsis, and Epigram. These names are unusual and carry with them a bit of whimsy, yet they are familiar and lend additional meaning and nuance to the characters they describe.
One critique that I saw of this book online is that it felt unrealistic to see terminology such as "enby" and "allosexual" scattered throughout a fantasy story. I disagree with this complaint vehemently. Sure, it may feel strange to see the words "enby" and "allosexual" on the written page, but I would argue that this is because we rarely see these words in novels, period. It doesn't matter that this is a fantasy story; these are words that are still being added to the popular lexicon, and I will not complain when an author tries to normalize them.
Furthermore, if we're going to get bogged down in semantics and argue over which words do not belong in a fantasy novel, there are (in my opinion) more pressing matters to consider. For example, this novel is written in English. I don't suppose that means the characters are speaking English in-universe, although we do get confirmation that the letter O exists in their alphabet. Regardless, we also have a country called L'État Bon, which implies the existence of French, as well. Why would I draw the line at "enby" and "allosexual" when Fantasy France is right there?
The answer, in my opinion, is that all of these words and concepts are acceptable. All fantasy stories draw from our world, some more than others, and it's a widely accepted strategy to model fantasy countries after real countries. Why would "enby" and "allosexual" be more unusual? The critique that I saw online didn't point out the fact that this story has "men" and "women." But clearly, they have a gender binary in their universe, so why wouldn't they also have people who exist outside of that binary, "enbies"? Additionally, it's not like allosexuality is a term limited to our universe. Surely there are asexual people in Shesheshen's world (possibly Shesheshen herself, and Homily, as well), so why shouldn't there be a term to describe people who aren't asexual? Even if they might not use the same term as us, this novel is written in English, so why shouldn't the author use English words to convey and simplify fantasy concepts?
(The only critique I will accept here is that it's odd that Shesheshen doesn't mention asexuality at any point in the novel. If she knows that allosexuals are a thing, then why is she surprised that neither she nor Homily like kissing? The solution here, in my opinion, is to use more queer terminology, not less.)
I'm tired of people saying that queerness and terminology related to queerness (since allosexuality is a term coined in relation to asexuality) are out of place in fantasy novels, when the whole point of fantasy is that it can adhere to its own set of rules. Knowing that enbies exist in this novel doesn't contradict the worldbuilding; it simply adds another layer to it, and if some readers find this disagreeable, then they're taking issue with the fact that queerness is given space in a work of fiction. Language doesn't have to develop the same way in a fantasy novel that it did in our universe, and it's wrong to assume that fantasy novels always take place in "the past" and therefore cannot use "modern" terminology. Sure, don't use the word "laptop" if laptops don't exist in the book, but why shouldn't nonbinary people exist? Why shouldn't the word enby?
If you're interested in this discussion about fantasy and language, then consider checking out the essay "Hot Dog, Katsa!" written by Kristin Cashore, the author of the Graceling Realm novels. In it, she discusses her struggles to keep her fantasy world separate from ours. Every word in the English language has a history dependent on a specific time and place, making it impossible to write without such influences. Kashore admits, "I won’t use the word spartan, but I’ll use the word mentor, even though the word mentor comes from the mentor of Odysseus’s son Telemachus, who was named Mentor. Anything relating to Odysseus evokes thoughts of Greece, right? But I guess the question is, How strongly does it evoke thoughts of Greece?" She also remarks that, "A writer is trapped in the language she’s using," so there are certain allowances that must be made in order for a story to be told.
Language rants aside, I really enjoyed this book. The premise intrigued me from the moment that I saw the cover, and I love how many twists and turns the story takes. It's a common plot device to have a character unable or unwilling to tell their partner the full truth about them until it's too late, but in Shesheshen's case, I completely understood why she hesitated. She missed her best opportunities to talk to Homily, and by the time she chose to come clean (fairly early on), the universe conspired against her and didn't give her the chance to do so. The eventual revelation was satisfying, and I love the course that Homily's character took.
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
I'm a little less enthusiastic about the final section, although I can't quite pin down why. It might have something to do with the pacing. The first seven sections take place over a relatively short period of time, and then the eighth section covers the rest of the year. It would have been one thing to have an epilogue that jumps to the very end and fills readers in on what's happened in the past several months, but this epilogue takes you along for the ride at a rather brisk pace.
I like that Shesheshen's egg sac was destroyed and that she chose to raise her other offspring with Homily. You might argue that her eggs were alive or had some will of their own, but in my mind, the other offspring was Shesheshen's only living child. It would have sent an unfortunate message if Shesheshen sacrificed her one living child for the idea of other children who might be "better" or more conventional than her first. Luckily, Shesheshen fights the hardest for the people who are already there, and I love how she chooses to reconcile with her offspring rather than let it take the fall for her as the Wyrm of Underlook.
The final section brings up some interesting points, such as how Homily will learn to raise Epilogue differently from Epigram, without compromising her own safety and well-being in the process. But it felt a little disjointed from the rest of the novel. I do appreciate how the book comes full circle, beginning with Shesheshen being disturbed from hibernation and ending with her waking up after her next hibernation. But for a novel that constantly wowed me and encouraged me to keep reading, the final section was definitely the least rousing and immersive.
I'm rather picky about romances, so the relationship between Shesheshen and Homily isn't my favorite part of this story. They make a cute couple, for sure, and I love how unconventional they are, particularly in the sense that neither of them enjoys kissing. But I often feel flabbergasted at how quickly fictional characters fall in love, and I question at what point these two became girlfriends when they never said anything to confirm it out loud.
Still, I love Shesheshen and Homily as individuals, and I don't mind the romance between them. Homily especially intrigues me, because I enjoy how John Wiswell explores her upbringing and how that affects her personality. Shesheshen discovers that the kindness she loves in Homily is a result of her desperate need to please her cruel family, and I appreciate the comedy in Shesheshen's narration, where she debates the pros and cons of eating Homily's abusive family for her.
Speaking of Homily, I love the naming conventions in this universe. Many characters are named after English nouns, such as Homily, Ode, Catharsis, and Epigram. These names are unusual and carry with them a bit of whimsy, yet they are familiar and lend additional meaning and nuance to the characters they describe.
One critique that I saw of this book online is that it felt unrealistic to see terminology such as "enby" and "allosexual" scattered throughout a fantasy story. I disagree with this complaint vehemently. Sure, it may feel strange to see the words "enby" and "allosexual" on the written page, but I would argue that this is because we rarely see these words in novels, period. It doesn't matter that this is a fantasy story; these are words that are still being added to the popular lexicon, and I will not complain when an author tries to normalize them.
Furthermore, if we're going to get bogged down in semantics and argue over which words do not belong in a fantasy novel, there are (in my opinion) more pressing matters to consider. For example, this novel is written in English. I don't suppose that means the characters are speaking English in-universe, although we do get confirmation that the letter O exists in their alphabet. Regardless, we also have a country called L'État Bon, which implies the existence of French, as well. Why would I draw the line at "enby" and "allosexual" when Fantasy France is right there?
The answer, in my opinion, is that all of these words and concepts are acceptable. All fantasy stories draw from our world, some more than others, and it's a widely accepted strategy to model fantasy countries after real countries. Why would "enby" and "allosexual" be more unusual? The critique that I saw online didn't point out the fact that this story has "men" and "women." But clearly, they have a gender binary in their universe, so why wouldn't they also have people who exist outside of that binary, "enbies"? Additionally, it's not like allosexuality is a term limited to our universe. Surely there are asexual people in Shesheshen's world (possibly Shesheshen herself, and Homily, as well), so why shouldn't there be a term to describe people who aren't asexual? Even if they might not use the same term as us, this novel is written in English, so why shouldn't the author use English words to convey and simplify fantasy concepts?
(The only critique I will accept here is that it's odd that Shesheshen doesn't mention asexuality at any point in the novel. If she knows that allosexuals are a thing, then why is she surprised that neither she nor Homily like kissing? The solution here, in my opinion, is to use more queer terminology, not less.)
I'm tired of people saying that queerness and terminology related to queerness (since allosexuality is a term coined in relation to asexuality) are out of place in fantasy novels, when the whole point of fantasy is that it can adhere to its own set of rules. Knowing that enbies exist in this novel doesn't contradict the worldbuilding; it simply adds another layer to it, and if some readers find this disagreeable, then they're taking issue with the fact that queerness is given space in a work of fiction. Language doesn't have to develop the same way in a fantasy novel that it did in our universe, and it's wrong to assume that fantasy novels always take place in "the past" and therefore cannot use "modern" terminology. Sure, don't use the word "laptop" if laptops don't exist in the book, but why shouldn't nonbinary people exist? Why shouldn't the word enby?
If you're interested in this discussion about fantasy and language, then consider checking out the essay "Hot Dog, Katsa!" written by Kristin Cashore, the author of the Graceling Realm novels. In it, she discusses her struggles to keep her fantasy world separate from ours. Every word in the English language has a history dependent on a specific time and place, making it impossible to write without such influences. Kashore admits, "I won’t use the word spartan, but I’ll use the word mentor, even though the word mentor comes from the mentor of Odysseus’s son Telemachus, who was named Mentor. Anything relating to Odysseus evokes thoughts of Greece, right? But I guess the question is, How strongly does it evoke thoughts of Greece?" She also remarks that, "A writer is trapped in the language she’s using," so there are certain allowances that must be made in order for a story to be told.
Language rants aside, I really enjoyed this book. The premise intrigued me from the moment that I saw the cover, and I love how many twists and turns the story takes. It's a common plot device to have a character unable or unwilling to tell their partner the full truth about them until it's too late, but in Shesheshen's case, I completely understood why she hesitated. She missed her best opportunities to talk to Homily, and by the time she chose to come clean (fairly early on), the universe conspired against her and didn't give her the chance to do so. The eventual revelation was satisfying, and I love the course that Homily's character took.
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
I'm a little less enthusiastic about the final section, although I can't quite pin down why. It might have something to do with the pacing. The first seven sections take place over a relatively short period of time, and then the eighth section covers the rest of the year. It would have been one thing to have an epilogue that jumps to the very end and fills readers in on what's happened in the past several months, but this epilogue takes you along for the ride at a rather brisk pace.
I like that Shesheshen's egg sac was destroyed and that she chose to raise her other offspring with Homily. You might argue that her eggs were alive or had some will of their own, but in my mind, the other offspring was Shesheshen's only living child. It would have sent an unfortunate message if Shesheshen sacrificed her one living child for the idea of other children who might be "better" or more conventional than her first. Luckily, Shesheshen fights the hardest for the people who are already there, and I love how she chooses to reconcile with her offspring rather than let it take the fall for her as the Wyrm of Underlook.
The final section brings up some interesting points, such as how Homily will learn to raise Epilogue differently from Epigram, without compromising her own safety and well-being in the process. But it felt a little disjointed from the rest of the novel. I do appreciate how the book comes full circle, beginning with Shesheshen being disturbed from hibernation and ending with her waking up after her next hibernation. But for a novel that constantly wowed me and encouraged me to keep reading, the final section was definitely the least rousing and immersive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, and Medical content
pashpunk7's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Physical abuse
inabacklistmood's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
benji_dw's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Amazing fantasy read that’s genuinely original. Mix of “would you love me if I was a worm” meets spinning silver
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Medical trauma
ezrazoe4's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Admittedly I will be biased towards this book because I love eldritch main characters trying to blend into society. That wasn’t exactly what happened, but I love it all the same.
I love Shesheshen. Although I do wish we could’ve gotten more on Homily’s thoughts about Shesheshen basically eating her whole family, Catharsis in particular? That was the death Shesheshen directly caused. Nevertheless.
I really like the weird creepy monster biology. I like that the author really leaned into it and didn’t try to humanise her too much. Usually I’m not a fan of instalove, but I donno. The way this was written made me like it. Probably because it started as a big crush, then grew quickly into love? I can’t really wrap my head around it.
Also omg sapphic ace lesbians??? I’m so happy.
I genuinely did not guess that the Baroness was also Shesheshen’s mother? That was some reveal.
Anyway, in conclusion, good standalone sapphic fantasy with a lot of horror elements. I like it. Would love if there were more books like this.
I really like the weird creepy monster biology. I like that the author really leaned into it and didn’t try to humanise her too much. Usually I’m not a fan of instalove, but I donno. The way this was written made me like it. Probably because it started as a big crush, then grew quickly into love? I can’t really wrap my head around it.
Also omg sapphic ace lesbians??? I’m so happy.
I genuinely did not guess that the Baroness was also Shesheshen’s mother? That was some reveal.
Anyway, in conclusion, good standalone sapphic fantasy with a lot of horror elements. I like it. Would love if there were more books like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Violence, and Torture
woolerys's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This monster romance was a mix of funny, harrowing, and touching, as a monster romance should be! Mild spoiler for queer rep: both the protagonist (the monster) and her human love interest are ace! There’s a strong theme of “humans are the real monsters” which… could have been more subtle, but at least the overtness read as a stylistic choice and not just blundering. The villains are increasingly absurd. The plot kept me engaged and frequently surprised. Shesheshen, our protagonist, is wonderfully likable and disgusting at the same time. The ending wasn’t as strong as I’d hoped, but it was… interesting, ha.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Violence, and Abortion
temperamentalprotagonist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Body horror, and Child death
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Homophobia
bookthief404's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Sweet language age, gory scenes, lovable characters and lothable villians all from the perspective of a non-human lesbian? Yes please
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Death
sgrunwald96's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Deeply surprised by this one. Elements of old fairytales, classic kids stories, gory body horror, crazy monster design, quiet romance, and family issues somehow come together in a truly wholesome story? I had so much fun, and really loved the monster in all her iterations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse