Review by likeagilmoregirl - Of Monsters and Mainframes

likeagilmoregirl 's review for:

Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove

5.0

adventurous emotional funny tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This is one of my favorite books of 2025!

If you like universal monsters, sci-fi, and/or found family, then do yourself a favor and pick up this book.

Of Monsters and Mainframes is a dazzling new addition to the sci-fi genre. The book is written mostly from the perspective Demeter, the main operating system of a passenger spaceship whose humans keep being killed by monsters. And it all starts with Dracula. As the decades unfold, Demeter is joined by a cast of unlikely creatures that must work together to defeat Dracula and save Demeter.

I loved every minute I spent reading this book. The relationships between the characters were so fascinating and fun to read, especially Demeter and Steward’s. As a horror fan, I loved seeing new takes on classic monsters. Each character was distinct and easily resembled their inspiration monster without feeling like something we’ve seen a million times.

I truly have nothing bad to say about this book. At first, I was a bit hesitant about the transitions between chapters. Sometimes it jumps to years later and you have no idea what happened in the years between, but this is actually a wonderful part of the structure because it puts the reader in line with Demeter’s perspective. It helps us understand her choices and her growth more.

At the end of the day, Of Monsters and Mainframes is easily in my top 5 books now. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy (the cover is gorgeous) and I highly recommend this to…everyone. I can’t wait to see more from this author.

*Huge thank you to Barbara Truelove, Bindery Books (Ezeekat Press), and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced e-arc of this book in exchange for honest review.*

Content Warnings