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kateofmind's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
undertheteacup's review
5.0
PHENOMENAL.
It's hard to come across something that feels really creative and innovative these days, but this work really surprised the hell out of me, in great ways! So strange in such delightful ways that did not feel haphazard, just... off the beaten path. Extremely fun, heartwarming, relatable, while also helmed by a sarcastic hero who doesn't expect to be able to trust anybody. Just a delight all around. Loads of things were skillfully explored in a novella length - neurodivergence, making new friends, having to start life over, poverty & capitalism, found family, the problem of communication with creatures that are fundamentally different from one's own perspective - exactly the kind of story I love.
It's hard to come across something that feels really creative and innovative these days, but this work really surprised the hell out of me, in great ways! So strange in such delightful ways that did not feel haphazard, just... off the beaten path. Extremely fun, heartwarming, relatable, while also helmed by a sarcastic hero who doesn't expect to be able to trust anybody. Just a delight all around. Loads of things were skillfully explored in a novella length - neurodivergence, making new friends, having to start life over, poverty & capitalism, found family, the problem of communication with creatures that are fundamentally different from one's own perspective - exactly the kind of story I love.
ally_lester's review
5.0
Gay werecockroaches. What more could you want in a story? I loved this. Oh, and aliens. Who wear hats.
pastelkerstin's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It's strange, it knows that it's strange, and I just gotta respect that. And I, too, have been judged for my hatred of cucumbers.
This is one of those indie books that are so clearly written for an LGBTQIA+ audience because all of the main characters are LGBTQIA+ in some way. And as someone who literally doesn't have any straight friends, it's always such a "Cheers, I'll drink to that"* kind of thing for me. The lines about disliking coming out as a-spec because it always feels awkward and like you're reading from a dictionary were really relatable for me, oof.
A fun tale of friendship and found family and literal werecockroaches. Maybe the absurdness just hits different in a lockdown for a pandemic I didn't expect to be dealing with for the whole damn year, but somehow it just works for me.
*I'd drink something non-alcoholic; I just like that reaction GIF
This is one of those indie books that are so clearly written for an LGBTQIA+ audience because all of the main characters are LGBTQIA+ in some way. And as someone who literally doesn't have any straight friends, it's always such a "Cheers, I'll drink to that"* kind of thing for me. The lines about disliking coming out as a-spec because it always feels awkward and like you're reading from a dictionary were really relatable for me, oof.
A fun tale of friendship and found family and literal werecockroaches. Maybe the absurdness just hits different in a lockdown for a pandemic I didn't expect to be dealing with for the whole damn year, but somehow it just works for me.
*I'd drink something non-alcoholic; I just like that reaction GIF
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Racism and Violence
(Obviously) big content warning for insectssolly's review
5.0
This was very weird and I loved it so much and wanted it to be longer. It was short but I loved the main characters, loved the queer and neurodivergent rep, and loved how unapologetically weird the sff elements were. Genuinely, the only thing I didn't like about this is that I wanted more of Rin, Sanjay and Pete.
Edit: Gonna write a slightly more detailed review than what I wrote just above yesterday night just after finishing this novella.
This is a Weird SFF Story and I love those with all my heart. It has, as the title indicates, werecokroaches (and how awesome is that??) and an alien invasion and queer found family and a kickass trans grandma.
It's a weirdly fun and lighhearted story, with a Triple A (aro, ace, agender) main character with a dry sense of humour and a distinct voice, and I loved Rin with all my heart. My favourite character might have been Pete, though, an aspec assistant librarian with a love for conspiracy theories. He was the best and I loved him so much. And there was Sanjay, who tried his best to be patient and functional for the three of them. The three characters had excellent characterization and I loved the little found family they created. I really appreciated how queer and neurodiverse this was, too. There was so much rep! Two of the three main characters are PoC, two are aspec, Sanjay is bisexual, and there's disability rep too. Most importantly though, I fell hard and quick for the characters, which made me incredibly invested in this weird little SFF story.
I really appreciated how different the aliens were from what I've previously read in the subgenre, and how they weren't based on humans at all, and were very different from humanity. It's worht repeating too, but werecockroaches??? Amazing. I want so much more unlikely shapeshifters in my stories.
It was a fun, wild ride, with absolutely amazing characters and queer found family, which I absolutely love. I definitely want to read more by the author.
Edit: Gonna write a slightly more detailed review than what I wrote just above yesterday night just after finishing this novella.
This is a Weird SFF Story and I love those with all my heart. It has, as the title indicates, werecokroaches (and how awesome is that??) and an alien invasion and queer found family and a kickass trans grandma.
It's a weirdly fun and lighhearted story, with a Triple A (aro, ace, agender) main character with a dry sense of humour and a distinct voice, and I loved Rin with all my heart. My favourite character might have been Pete, though, an aspec assistant librarian with a love for conspiracy theories. He was the best and I loved him so much. And there was Sanjay, who tried his best to be patient and functional for the three of them. The three characters had excellent characterization and I loved the little found family they created. I really appreciated how queer and neurodiverse this was, too. There was so much rep! Two of the three main characters are PoC, two are aspec, Sanjay is bisexual, and there's disability rep too. Most importantly though, I fell hard and quick for the characters, which made me incredibly invested in this weird little SFF story.
I really appreciated how different the aliens were from what I've previously read in the subgenre, and how they weren't based on humans at all, and were very different from humanity. It's worht repeating too, but werecockroaches??? Amazing. I want so much more unlikely shapeshifters in my stories.
It was a fun, wild ride, with absolutely amazing characters and queer found family, which I absolutely love. I definitely want to read more by the author.
moh's review
5.0
4.5 stars, bumped up because it made me so happy
Werecockroach is strange, hilarious, and wonderfully queer-diverse. If someone had told me there was a science fiction novella about non-metaphorical werecockroaches, an alien invasion, and possibly the end of the world, and then asked me to free-associate, the words “charming” and “heartwarming” probably would not have come up, but there I was getting tearful warm fuzzies. This story is enchanting in every possible way. Polenth Blake is a writer to watch.
Werecockroach is strange, hilarious, and wonderfully queer-diverse. If someone had told me there was a science fiction novella about non-metaphorical werecockroaches, an alien invasion, and possibly the end of the world, and then asked me to free-associate, the words “charming” and “heartwarming” probably would not have come up, but there I was getting tearful warm fuzzies. This story is enchanting in every possible way. Polenth Blake is a writer to watch.
claudiearseneault's review
5.0
This was absolutely wonderful and exactly what I was in the mood for.
Rin's dry sense of humour and sarcasm turns this alien invasion/first contact novella into pure delight. Polenth Blake's worlds never cease to amaze me--always unexpected, always genuine and kind, always diverse (WERECOCKROACHES centers several queer characters of colour with disability, and the narrator is agender, aromantic, and asexual, and the words are used within the text). I also loved the focus on the developing friendship between three flatmates, and Rin's pre-existing relationship with their old neighbour.
All in all, this was a great read, and I wish I currently had the time & energy to properly detail EVERYTHING awesome in it. There's a lot, I promise.
Rin's dry sense of humour and sarcasm turns this alien invasion/first contact novella into pure delight. Polenth Blake's worlds never cease to amaze me--always unexpected, always genuine and kind, always diverse (WERECOCKROACHES centers several queer characters of colour with disability, and the narrator is agender, aromantic, and asexual, and the words are used within the text). I also loved the focus on the developing friendship between three flatmates, and Rin's pre-existing relationship with their old neighbour.
All in all, this was a great read, and I wish I currently had the time & energy to properly detail EVERYTHING awesome in it. There's a lot, I promise.
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