Reviews with content warning for Racism - The Woods All Black

I should note the reason for as low of a score as I gave may be influenced by the several queer literature courses I took over my college career. In this case, the novel felt more like referencing other, fuller novels rather than becoming a fully-fleshed story itself. It does receive a full star for truly committed to monster porn, though.

My main issues come from the main character. Leslie is an outsider looking in, and that meant a lot of character development surrounding love interests, “friends”, and antagonists was not present. I also have a strong distaste for stories that have a bias against rural towns, claiming cities are better. In the case of Leslie, Stevie does call this out at one point but it is hardly acknowledged and does not seem to change his opinion. Of course, yes, this town is evil and the population is truly horrible, but it felt as though I were being told through past stories and dialogue why they were so villainous. I would have liked to see more action between the protagonist and antagonist(s), as much of their scuffles really only came from passive-aggressive comments.

I was also frustrated with the pacing, as we don’t even see the monster until halfway through the story. Most of the book consists of Leslie becoming frustrated with the townspeople and, it is noted several times, being unable to read Woolf’s Orlando. It did drive me crazy how many times this was noted. The last fourth of the story is great, there are very exciting and tense scenes (and monster porn) that truly categorize it as a horror. It is disappointing that we did not get more of it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes queer horror, with an emphasis on queer living. Mandelo’s writing is decent and can be very engaging when something is happening to move the plot forward.

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arlingtonchamberofgay's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

His first baptism was a violation, but the second was a renewal.

There is so much to love about this story, and it is amazing that it accomplishes all that it does in less than 150 pages. Mandelo presents us with a familiar enough scene: city nurse and former vet Leslie gets assigned to the small, rural, religious community of Spar Creek. Nearly all the townsfolk regard him with an icy demeanor, which only grows frostier when he takes notice of the “troublesome” youth, Stevie. Despite growing threats from the community, lead by the overzealous Pastor Holladay, Leslie knows that he and Stevie share a commonality in their gender — one that’s only further put a target on their backs. But, maybe, you call someone a monster enough times, they’ll show you their claws and you’ll live just long enough to find out how monsters fight back.

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nerdysread's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

4.75

Wow monster fuckers this is for you. Also reading this book during night time: great idea

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ominousspectre's review against another edition

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3.75

Spill enough blood on it, and the earth was bound to go strange.

So I was hesitant to pick this up, as I saw that the main character's transness was very integral to the plot. I often find that equates to an almost obsessive focus on trans suffering, and I generally find that exhausting and reductive. If our suffering is all we have to share, what message does that send to everyone?
HOWEVER
I was pleasantly surprised this book didn't do this. The portrayal is honest, still gritty and hard at times, but honest. I really loved it up until the climax. Leslie and Stevie's romance felt particularly forced and unnecessary. So did the

monsterfucking

. That really took me out of it.

Overall though, impressed with this and the level of historical research done here. Would read more of this author.

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herelieshenry's review

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I think Mandelo’s writing is superb and some people will eat this book up—the romance subplot just wasn’t for me and I didn’t expect it going in, so I think I was expecting something slightly different. The atmosphere of dread was very well done though, and the historical Appalachian cadence of the dialogue was stellar. I think I’ll enjoy Mandelo’s other works more.

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blacksphinx's review

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

This is the second time I've read a horror novella from Lee Mandelo that I didn't think qualified as horror. I guess it does because it is a rape-revenge story, but it's mainly a historical queer empowerment novella about monsterfucking. Normally I'd love such a thing but our protagonist is so useless though, and 95% of the story would have shaken out the same way if he wasn't there at all.

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