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A review by bethboo
Leech by Hiron Ennes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I knew nothing about this book other than the title going into it. It gave a mix of Parasyte (manga/anime) and Ancillary Justice, a pleasant mix of sci-fi and horror.
We follow a doctor of the Institute, which is a mind/consciousness that is shared between all it's doctors, unbeknownst to the world. Something has gone wrong up north where the Institute has lost touch with one of it's bodies and they want to get to the bottom of it. Nothing seems to be going right and everything this old being has come to know and what should be easy for the Institute is slipping through their fingers. After their arrival, they discover that some sort of parasite is on the loose in the Baron's estate, but the doctor is losing their grip and can't seem to contain it much less fight it. The Institute has no plan for this.
This book has gothic intrigue and societal scandal and Victorian sci-fi, combining in such a unique story that I feel like this quote from another review sums it all up: "Can you be repulsed and engrossed at the same time??" - Amy Imogene Reads on Goodreads
This one had me on all angles with minimal cringing. I listened to the audio book for this one. I thought the narrator was great though I hated the weird French accent she gave the Baron's son, because it was tough to understand. The world building was amazing by the end of the book where all the pieces fell together, but I will say that about half way through I got a little confused. The characters were the perfect mix of unpleasant, mysterious, and complex. Emile, of course, is baby and should be protected at all costs. The setting is so perfectly gothic, creepy, and Victorian with the plot being such a mix of sci-fi and old fiction. It left me wondering if the MC was just imagining it all, instead of experiencing it. Made it feel dreamy.
Boy, what the Baron's son did was fucking despicable and so sad and makes me hate the author a bit for doing that, but Emile's reactions were so heart wrenching and painful and so accurate, so, I loved the author for that.
The main character doctor was so fascinating, especially when they lost contact with the Institute and they became so desperate. Oh, man, when they were trying to turn Emile, that was so painful. Just such a vast consciousness and old being, shoved into a tiny mind and body must have been hell itself. When they got all messy and sick, making us wonder was this the parasite or just them losing it. And how was this different for the last doctor.
But the author really gave us clues the whole time and I had no clue. And I really like where the author ended it, because I needed for Simone and Emile to be happy and free, but I will say that when I was on that last hour or two, I was like okaaaaayyy where are they going with this.
Now some of the horror bits had me gagging a bit, like the birth scene and the following scene where the parasite crawled out of her and all the bits where the parasite would show itself a little. Yuck.
We follow a doctor of the Institute, which is a mind/consciousness that is shared between all it's doctors, unbeknownst to the world. Something has gone wrong up north where the Institute has lost touch with one of it's bodies and they want to get to the bottom of it. Nothing seems to be going right and everything this old being has come to know and what should be easy for the Institute is slipping through their fingers. After their arrival, they discover that some sort of parasite is on the loose in the Baron's estate, but the doctor is losing their grip and can't seem to contain it much less fight it. The Institute has no plan for this.
This book has gothic intrigue and societal scandal and Victorian sci-fi, combining in such a unique story that I feel like this quote from another review sums it all up: "Can you be repulsed and engrossed at the same time??" - Amy Imogene Reads on Goodreads
This one had me on all angles with minimal cringing. I listened to the audio book for this one. I thought the narrator was great though I hated the weird French accent she gave the Baron's son, because it was tough to understand. The world building was amazing by the end of the book where all the pieces fell together, but I will say that about half way through I got a little confused. The characters were the perfect mix of unpleasant, mysterious, and complex. Emile, of course, is baby and should be protected at all costs. The setting is so perfectly gothic, creepy, and Victorian with the plot being such a mix of sci-fi and old fiction. It left me wondering if the MC was just imagining it all, instead of experiencing it. Made it feel dreamy.
The main character doctor was so fascinating, especially when they lost contact with the Institute and they became so desperate. Oh, man, when they were trying to turn Emile, that was so painful. Just such a vast consciousness and old being, shoved into a tiny mind and body must have been hell itself. When they got all messy and sick, making us wonder was this the parasite or just them losing it. And how was this different for the last doctor.
But the author really gave us clues the whole time and I had no clue. And I really like where the author ended it, because I needed for Simone and Emile to be happy and free, but I will say that when I was on that last hour or two, I was like okaaaaayyy where are they going with this.
Now some of the horror bits had me gagging a bit, like the birth scene and the following scene where the parasite crawled out of her and all the bits where the parasite would show itself a little. Yuck.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Body horror, Medical content, Blood, Medical trauma, and Pedophilia
There is a graphic child birth scene.