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A review by natlren
Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an arc. All opinions are my own.
This book was a lovely little gem that I positively devoured. I’ve been teetering in and out of a reading slump for the past couple of weeks and I can confidently say that Together We Rot cured me.
I think the star of this book was my beloved Elwood. He’s gentle and delicate and so undoubtedly himself despite his traumatic upbringing. I loved him and his growth dearly. In simpler terms: I’m an Elwood stan first and a person second.
I think this book always tackles themes of religious guilt and trauma really well. So much of Elwood’s life has been dictated to him as an extension of what the Lord would order of his followers, and watching Elwood step away from the suffocating beliefs of his family and the cult that they’re apart of was just so incredible to me.
The one thing that didn’t quite work for me with this book was the pacing, mostly because I wanted to spend much more time with these characters and would love to see more facets of their personality explored and elaborated on (specifically Kevin? Idk I really enjoyed his character).
That said, Skyla Arndt is a master of writing an atmospheric tale, and I’m SO excited to read more of her work going forward! I’m officially a lifelong fan!
Side note: it’s a travesty that there’s no moth emoji </3
This book was a lovely little gem that I positively devoured. I’ve been teetering in and out of a reading slump for the past couple of weeks and I can confidently say that Together We Rot cured me.
I think the star of this book was my beloved Elwood. He’s gentle and delicate and so undoubtedly himself despite his traumatic upbringing. I loved him and his growth dearly. In simpler terms: I’m an Elwood stan first and a person second.
I think this book always tackles themes of religious guilt and trauma really well. So much of Elwood’s life has been dictated to him as an extension of what the Lord would order of his followers, and watching Elwood step away from the suffocating beliefs of his family and the cult that they’re apart of was just so incredible to me.
The one thing that didn’t quite work for me with this book was the pacing, mostly because I wanted to spend much more time with these characters and would love to see more facets of their personality explored and elaborated on (specifically Kevin? Idk I really enjoyed his character).
That said, Skyla Arndt is a master of writing an atmospheric tale, and I’m SO excited to read more of her work going forward! I’m officially a lifelong fan!
Side note: it’s a travesty that there’s no moth emoji </3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse