Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by echoesofstrdst
The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
the unworthy is yet another amazing trip into the dark mind that is agustina bazterrica. written as a series of notes both to herself and whoever may find them later, the narrator leads the reader, through bazterrica’s incredible skill, through a twisted, cruel tale of love and loss, set in a brutal, vicious convent devoted to a mysterious figure in a world ravaged by climate change.
at times i found myself struck by how casual the violence was, which is not in itself unexpected for bazterrica, but the violence and cruelty in the unworthy, in my opinion, reached not just new heights but new intensity for the reader. the depiction of punishment and offering are one in the same in these pages, not an accident, but also somehow explicitly tied to and related to violence mainly women could ever face.
i thoroughly enjoyed the religious ritual and lore related to the Sisterhood and found myself wishing for more information on the Sisterhood itself. the world building in this book, for how short it is, is both phenomenal and attention-grabbing, leading the reader through a twisted journey.
the unworthy is a dark story told through violence as well as love. i very much enjoyed this book as a story of resilience, violence, change, and love.
at times i found myself struck by how casual the violence was, which is not in itself unexpected for bazterrica, but the violence and cruelty in the unworthy, in my opinion, reached not just new heights but new intensity for the reader. the depiction of punishment and offering are one in the same in these pages, not an accident, but also somehow explicitly tied to and related to violence mainly women could ever face.
i thoroughly enjoyed the religious ritual and lore related to the Sisterhood and found myself wishing for more information on the Sisterhood itself. the world building in this book, for how short it is, is both phenomenal and attention-grabbing, leading the reader through a twisted journey.
the unworthy is a dark story told through violence as well as love. i very much enjoyed this book as a story of resilience, violence, change, and love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Self harm, Pregnancy