A review by schadenfjola
A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock

dark sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I wanted to love this book and the premise is there but it really fell flat for me in that the use of women’s bodies as props is never really addressed? I know it’s a horror book, but it felt very close to gay men’s misogyny at the club, groping women, and I couldn’t connect with it. On the one hand, I think it succeeded at being a horror novel in the sense that I was discomfitted through most of reading it. On the other, I’ve read horror books this year where women’s bodily autonomy is taken away and I couldn’t connect still feel with even the villainous characters.