Reviews with content warning for Body horror - The Woods All Black

So here for this rural trans midwife/nurse Southern Gothic revenge on religious fundamentalism horror. But like major heads up for the explicit monster sex scene that I was not prepared for.

Content Warnings

courtneys_shelves's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

NOTE: REVIEW BASED ON AN UNCORRECTED DIGITAL GALLEY

This book is not for everyone. But it is for some very specific people who will cherish it.

The book is graphic, both sexually and with regards to violence. It is a dark, dark novella. It begins slowly, but when it picks up, it REALLY picks up, and I didn’t want to put it down.

Leslie is a trans man serving in the Frontier Nursing Service in rural Appalachia in 1929. When he is assigned a post in a small, religiously zealous town, he struggles not only achieve the medical ends he wants to achieve to help the people of Spar Creek, but also to find ways to help Stevie, a young man with whom Leslie thinks he may have much in common. As trouble between Leslie and the town grows, so does the sense that something supernatural is afoot.

If you you can stomach the intensity, this book has much to say about belonging, revenge, and religious zealotry.

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acrosstheskyinstars's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

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kieu's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious 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? No

4.5

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erin0999's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.5

Angry, vengeful, bloody, gay, and SO horny. I really enjoyed the setting and there’s a definite catharsis to the ending. This book was a fast and wild ride and if you just want to read something short and angry that takes place in a particularly interesting point in time and involves a particularly interesting group of healthcare workers in America, the Frontier Nurse.

I attended Lee Mandelo’s lecture in Richmond, VA a couple weeks ago where he discussed the inspiration for this book, the explanation for certain scenes, and the overall sex positivity/horniness he wants to bring to queer art. All of which I massively enjoyed and support and comes through super honestly in this novella. Anyways, sometimes revenge fantasies are fun ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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