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stephanieluxton 's review for:
Motel Styx
by Michelle von Eschen, Jonathan Butcher
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Book 12 for the indie horror brawl 2025.
This is a book I never would have picked up if I wasn't forced to for this reading challenge. It doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. The title is very clever though.
This book is about America in the future, where an law was passed that legalizes necrophilia permitting that people donate their bodies consensually ahead of time, similar to signing up for organ donation. Though still very taboo, these activities are available at specific hotels, or "necrotels". The story follows Ellis, a man (who isn't into dead bodies) who's on a mission to infiltrate one of these hotels after his wife donates her body.
I feel weird even writing this synopsis. This book was gross and uncomfortable, but not in a way that felt it was just for shock value. It didn't feel like extreme horror or splatterpunk filled with pointless debauchery. It truly felt like it was just exploring the idea of how could this heinous act be legalized, what would that look like as a business, and how would the world and different people react to it?
This book reminded me a lot of Tender is The Flesh. The book starts out in a similar way in which we join our main character as he gets the grand tour of the Motel Styx and we learn how the place operates. Things get tense as Ellis does his best to not blow his cover so he can look for his wife. The book is actually very well written. We get clues about what happened to Ellis' wife, and the true nature of the people in the hotel and of Ellis himself. I appreciated the pace in which things were revealed.
Much like Tender is the Flesh (but also totally different), the ending hit me like a ton of bricks and I was very very uncomfortable. I still don't know how to feel. Wtf even is this book? I had to stay up pretty late finishing it because things got wild.
Who would I recommend this to? DON'T KNOW. Not most people, although it's one of the better quality books in the brawl. Who is the target market for this book? I have no idea. It's a pretty good book if you don't mind being miserable and grossed out. Okay, I got it - if you've ever wanted a mix between Tender Is The Flesh, Hostel, and 50 Shades of Gray, you'll love this.
This is a book I never would have picked up if I wasn't forced to for this reading challenge. It doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. The title is very clever though.
This book is about America in the future, where an law was passed that legalizes necrophilia permitting that people donate their bodies consensually ahead of time, similar to signing up for organ donation. Though still very taboo, these activities are available at specific hotels, or "necrotels". The story follows Ellis, a man (who isn't into dead bodies) who's on a mission to infiltrate one of these hotels after his wife donates her body.
I feel weird even writing this synopsis. This book was gross and uncomfortable, but not in a way that felt it was just for shock value. It didn't feel like extreme horror or splatterpunk filled with pointless debauchery. It truly felt like it was just exploring the idea of how could this heinous act be legalized, what would that look like as a business, and how would the world and different people react to it?
This book reminded me a lot of Tender is The Flesh. The book starts out in a similar way in which we join our main character as he gets the grand tour of the Motel Styx and we learn how the place operates. Things get tense as Ellis does his best to not blow his cover so he can look for his wife. The book is actually very well written. We get clues about what happened to Ellis' wife, and the true nature of the people in the hotel and of Ellis himself. I appreciated the pace in which things were revealed.
Much like Tender is the Flesh (but also totally different), the ending hit me like a ton of bricks and I was very very uncomfortable. I still don't know how to feel. Wtf even is this book? I had to stay up pretty late finishing it because things got wild.
Who would I recommend this to? DON'T KNOW. Not most people, although it's one of the better quality books in the brawl. Who is the target market for this book? I have no idea. It's a pretty good book if you don't mind being miserable and grossed out. Okay, I got it - if you've ever wanted a mix between Tender Is The Flesh, Hostel, and 50 Shades of Gray, you'll love this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail