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A review by ninegladiolus
The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
If you’ve ever read a book and thought after finishing it, “Wow, it’s like the author reached inside my head and told me an awesome story with all the elements and themes that have been on my mind lately!”, then you’ll know how I felt after finishing The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo.
It’s no secret I love a good punch-packing novella and The Woods All Black delivers one for sure. It follows Leslie, a trans (invert, in the novel’s historical terminology) nurse assigned to the Appalachian township of Spar Creek after the war. Intensely religious, multiple sinister forces are stirring in the congregation, in the township, and in the woods beyond them, forces that Leslie soon finds himself immersed in on all fronts.
This novella just has it all for me: complicated discussions of sexuality and gender in a historical context, the terrifying reality of bigotry within fundamentalist/evangelical Christian communities, a central queer relationship with an age gap some readers will find eyebrow raising, the delicious blend of horror and the erotic, and of course, the trans monsterfucking. I loved every moment of The Woods All Black unequivocally and highly recommend it if the aforementioned topics sound intriguing.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
It’s no secret I love a good punch-packing novella and The Woods All Black delivers one for sure. It follows Leslie, a trans (invert, in the novel’s historical terminology) nurse assigned to the Appalachian township of Spar Creek after the war. Intensely religious, multiple sinister forces are stirring in the congregation, in the township, and in the woods beyond them, forces that Leslie soon finds himself immersed in on all fronts.
This novella just has it all for me: complicated discussions of sexuality and gender in a historical context, the terrifying reality of bigotry within fundamentalist/evangelical Christian communities, a central queer relationship with an age gap some readers will find eyebrow raising, the delicious blend of horror and the erotic, and of course, the trans monsterfucking. I loved every moment of The Woods All Black unequivocally and highly recommend it if the aforementioned topics sound intriguing.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.