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A review by fruitbatwoman
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.0
This book was recommended to me and I knew very little going in, except that it is a horror-romance-monster-fantasy-story. It was all that, and more!
The story is about a monster, Shesheshen, who terrorizes the area she lives in, and is in turn terrorized by the humans living there. She is a sort of "shapeless shapeshifter", wo absorbs pieces of the beings she consumes to create her own body - which is as weird and sometimes gruesome as it sounds. After being rescued by a human woman, Homily, she falls in love and has to re-examine who and what she wants to be: does she want to continue being "a monster", especially since her species has a rather invasive form of reproduction, or protect her romantic interest from the dangers of the world, her abusive family - and especially from herself. The underlying topic was powerful and explored sexuality and asexuality in a new and gentle manner. In the end, it was of course also about who the real monsters are.
For all its seriousness and gore, the book was also funny and macabre throughout. I loved Shesheshen's struggle to "pass" as human, and some things I could eerily relate to on bad days. Her way of speaking and her inner thoughts were hilarious and well done, and the witty writing style made for a fast and entertaining read.
Some of the body horror gave me the shivers, mostly because I am not a fan of body horror descriptions, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment. A few twists were predictable, others weren't, and I loved how the stakes were so high that it was never clear what to expect. One other minor complaint were the many mentions of Homily's size, which on one hand were fitting for Shesheshen's perceptions of bodies and her focus on body mass specifically, but after the first dozen mentions I could have done without it.
Overall a great read for everyone looking for a different kind of fantasy-romance, as long as you don't shy away from horror.
The story is about a monster, Shesheshen, who terrorizes the area she lives in, and is in turn terrorized by the humans living there. She is a sort of "shapeless shapeshifter", wo absorbs pieces of the beings she consumes to create her own body - which is as weird and sometimes gruesome as it sounds. After being rescued by a human woman, Homily, she falls in love and has to re-examine who and what she wants to be: does she want to continue being "a monster", especially since her species has a rather invasive form of reproduction, or protect her romantic interest from the dangers of the world, her abusive family - and especially from herself. The underlying topic was powerful and explored sexuality and asexuality in a new and gentle manner. In the end, it was of course also about who the real monsters are.
For all its seriousness and gore, the book was also funny and macabre throughout. I loved Shesheshen's struggle to "pass" as human, and some things I could eerily relate to on bad days. Her way of speaking and her inner thoughts were hilarious and well done, and the witty writing style made for a fast and entertaining read.
Some of the body horror gave me the shivers, mostly because I am not a fan of body horror descriptions, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment. A few twists were predictable, others weren't, and I loved how the stakes were so high that it was never clear what to expect. One other minor complaint were the many mentions of Homily's size, which on one hand were fitting for Shesheshen's perceptions of bodies and her focus on body mass specifically, but after the first dozen mentions I could have done without it.
Overall a great read for everyone looking for a different kind of fantasy-romance, as long as you don't shy away from horror.