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A review by simonlorden
My Darling Dreadful Thing: A Novel by Johanna van Veen
4.5
I received an ARC through NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A sapphic horror that manages to be soft and romantic as well as horrifying. The description of rotting dead bodies is definitely horroristic, but it's not really scary, and in fact often done with love.
Roos is an abused child with a spirit companion that only she can see, at least until she meets the widowed Agnes, who has her own spirit companion. The two of them cling to each other and slowly begin a relationship, but Agnes's relationship with her husband still haunts them. You sort of know from the beginning that it's going to end horribly, but you still can't really blame Roos, because she did what she thought was best for Agnes and her love.
Overall, a horrifying but still emotional and hopeful story that focuses a lot on death and abuse and trauma, as well as racism.
A sapphic horror that manages to be soft and romantic as well as horrifying. The description of rotting dead bodies is definitely horroristic, but it's not really scary, and in fact often done with love.
Roos is an abused child with a spirit companion that only she can see, at least until she meets the widowed Agnes, who has her own spirit companion. The two of them cling to each other and slowly begin a relationship, but Agnes's relationship with her husband still haunts them. You sort of know from the beginning that it's going to end horribly, but you still can't really blame Roos, because she did what she thought was best for Agnes and her love.
Overall, a horrifying but still emotional and hopeful story that focuses a lot on death and abuse and trauma, as well as racism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Incest