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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Interesting themes in this story that I overall enjoyed.
mysterious
tense
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence
Great writing and mind-bending ideas! I probably liked the under-advertised and unexpected short story "Peace, Pipe" even more than The Beauty and therefore don't love how this was published to suggest just the one longer story.
Haunting and thought provoking, but maybe not focused enough in its messaging. It feels like it is trying to do too much. The slow unraveling of the history of the community, and the slow transformation of the women, the narrator, the community, the side characters is all great. What is odd is how it all comes together. It doesn't feel like the characters are acting naturally, and if you wanted that to be the point, then they behave too erratically for me. It is so short that it is petty to be hard on it, but I wish I could feel enthusiastic more than confused.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What did I just read...so weird (putting it lightly)
Intriguing short novel set in a world where a fungus infection has led to the death of all women, and in which the men sit around the camp fire telling stories. Then mushrooms start growing on the women’s graves and develop into mushroom women. Fascinating in parts and sometimes very perceptive, but I found it hard to follow the line of the story, and was, at times, frustrated by the narrative.
Came as a 2 pack with Peace, Pipe. Both were good quick reads. Weird, but in a good way
Does one enjoy something as weird and inspired as The Beauty, or do you just experience it and wait months for it to keep growing on you like a meaty Portobello? Very rarely does something this transgressive read so much like a calming fever dream, but Whiteley's expert prose really does an excellent job of conveying how quickly we can succumb to the absurd and find comfort in it. Both the title novella and the second story "Peace, Pipe" showcase the power of stories and the meaning of language.
Both scoot close to horror but fuse sci-fi, fantasy, fable, morality plays, the new weird, and fairy tales into something that feels entirely Whiteley's own. I'm reminded of how Jeff Vandermeer plays with genre, though echoes of authors like Eric LaRocca can be found. What a delightful, disorienting book this is, and while it's not one that everyone will enjoy, for those willing to just let a story take you along for the journey, this is quite the thrill ride.
Both scoot close to horror but fuse sci-fi, fantasy, fable, morality plays, the new weird, and fairy tales into something that feels entirely Whiteley's own. I'm reminded of how Jeff Vandermeer plays with genre, though echoes of authors like Eric LaRocca can be found. What a delightful, disorienting book this is, and while it's not one that everyone will enjoy, for those willing to just let a story take you along for the journey, this is quite the thrill ride.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes