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dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual assault, Torture
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a provocative and intense read. It shows the cruel and selfish side of humans in times of limited resources. When we create oppressive environments ruled by hierarchal power dynamics, the result is pain, cruelty, competition and jealousy. But even here, a small seed of kindness and mercy can bloom.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death
Moderate: Animal death, Rape
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
I would have definitely given this 2, maybe 3, stars while still in the first half, however, Bazterrica redeemed her unnamed narrator during the last half of The Unworthy.
Upon finishing this novel, I needed a moment to sit and absorb what I'd just read. At its release, I did what I could to avoid spoilers or too many details regarding the plot. Going into this, my only understanding of this novel was that it'd be about a women entering a cloistered convent, and begins to question their practices. As a result, I was totally unprepared for some events revealed in the second half. To help others avoid this, I'm going to say there are two major trigger warnings:
Sexual and animal violence.
If those are tender topics, I'd avoid this. Normally, they're not for me, but because it was wholy unexpected, it hit harder than usual.
Spoilers ahead:
Bazterrica's The Unworthy is a dystopian novel written as a journal by an unnamed narrator. Through her entries, we gain an understanding that the world has succumbed to the effects of climate change. Rising waters swallowed whole continents, trees were cut down, humans made a last ditch effort to remediate this by installing electric metal trees, however the rise of AI forced societies to go powerless to avoid being overtaken. The world is lawless, and human survivors resort to cannibalism or foraging to survive. Our narrator has survived this post-apocalyptic world and has made her way - starving - to a cloistered convent where she's taken in, fed, clothed, and forced to submit to their new faith led by a mysterious, unseen "Him."
The sisters of this convent are overseen by an abusive, authoritative Superior Sister who demands subjugation and sacrifice at the end of her whip. She appears to derive a sexual satisfaction in the abuse and torment of her lower sisters. Meanwhile, through guilt and cult-like programming, the sisters aim to prove themselves worthy of ascending to "enlightment." Though it's relatively unclear - until the end - what this would mean. The sisters are so dedicated to proving their worth that they subject anyone else who threatens their ascension with bullying, isolation, physical and verbal abuse.
The arrival of Lucía disrupts this, a mysterious new acolyte who secretly scaled the wall into the convent. She regularly challenges this dynamic by choosing kindness, forgiveness, and mercy to others. She befriends the narrator, but as she stands out amongst the other sisters, she casts a spotlight on herself as being eligible to ascend to "enlightenment," which risks separating her from the narrator.
...
This convent is the ultimate "pick me" tribe, where women will resort to violence against other women in an attempt to gain the approval of "Him" to ascend. The Superior Sister is to "Him" what Ghislaine Maxwell was to Jeff Epstein and Kristina K to P. Diddy - if you catch my spoiler. She proves to be the ultimate woman who will aid a man in his sexual violence against other women, using religion and thought control to do so.
So much more could be said of Bazterrica's symbolism throughout the The Unworthy. This proved to be a difficult read, but the narrator definitely redeems herself in the end.
Upon finishing this novel, I needed a moment to sit and absorb what I'd just read. At its release, I did what I could to avoid spoilers or too many details regarding the plot. Going into this, my only understanding of this novel was that it'd be about a women entering a cloistered convent, and begins to question their practices. As a result, I was totally unprepared for some events revealed in the second half. To help others avoid this, I'm going to say there are two major trigger warnings:
Sexual and animal violence.
If those are tender topics, I'd avoid this. Normally, they're not for me, but because it was wholy unexpected, it hit harder than usual.
Spoilers ahead:
Bazterrica's The Unworthy is a dystopian novel written as a journal by an unnamed narrator. Through her entries, we gain an understanding that the world has succumbed to the effects of climate change. Rising waters swallowed whole continents, trees were cut down, humans made a last ditch effort to remediate this by installing electric metal trees, however the rise of AI forced societies to go powerless to avoid being overtaken. The world is lawless, and human survivors resort to cannibalism or foraging to survive. Our narrator has survived this post-apocalyptic world and has made her way - starving - to a cloistered convent where she's taken in, fed, clothed, and forced to submit to their new faith led by a mysterious, unseen "Him."
The sisters of this convent are overseen by an abusive, authoritative Superior Sister who demands subjugation and sacrifice at the end of her whip. She appears to derive a sexual satisfaction in the abuse and torment of her lower sisters. Meanwhile, through guilt and cult-like programming, the sisters aim to prove themselves worthy of ascending to "enlightment." Though it's relatively unclear - until the end - what this would mean. The sisters are so dedicated to proving their worth that they subject anyone else who threatens their ascension with bullying, isolation, physical and verbal abuse.
The arrival of Lucía disrupts this, a mysterious new acolyte who secretly scaled the wall into the convent. She regularly challenges this dynamic by choosing kindness, forgiveness, and mercy to others. She befriends the narrator, but as she stands out amongst the other sisters, she casts a spotlight on herself as being eligible to ascend to "enlightenment," which risks separating her from the narrator.
...
This convent is the ultimate "pick me" tribe, where women will resort to violence against other women in an attempt to gain the approval of "Him" to ascend. The Superior Sister is to "Him" what Ghislaine Maxwell was to Jeff Epstein and Kristina K to P. Diddy - if you catch my spoiler. She proves to be the ultimate woman who will aid a man in his sexual violence against other women, using religion and thought control to do so.
So much more could be said of Bazterrica's symbolism throughout the The Unworthy. This proved to be a difficult read, but the narrator definitely redeems herself in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While I did really enjoy this, I agree with a lot of reviews that label the plot as circular and redundant. Vibes? LOVED. Creepy freaky-deaky shit? Loved. Sapphic love? Loved.
Feeling like we’re circling the drain? Didn’t love
Overall I think it’s worth the read especially if you are new to religious horror, Latine lit and like quieter dystopian/post-apocalyptic stuff
Feeling like we’re circling the drain? Didn’t love
Overall I think it’s worth the read especially if you are new to religious horror, Latine lit and like quieter dystopian/post-apocalyptic stuff
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Gore, Misogyny, Torture
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Dark religious dystopia with heavy themes of environmental destruction and themes of abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Animal death, Rape, Pregnancy
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Rape