Before I get into the summary of this book, please scroll and check out the tags on this post. Then tell me if you think those elements don't have the potential to be 1000% terrifying.
OK, onto the summary. It's 1929, and Leslie has been sent by the Frontier Nurse Service to the small Appalachian town of Spar Creek, where he is to administer vaccinations and assist with childbirth and other women's health issues. We learn from the first page that Leslie is transgender (or an invert, as he refers to himself in the language of the day), and while the fire-and-brimstone preacher isn't too excited about modern medicine reaching into the town, he's particularly upset by Leslie's "determination to not be a proper lady." Turns out there's another young trans man in town, and Leslie's arrival doesn't seem to be helping his own survival prospects. Oh, and there's a vicious supernatural creature prowling the woods behind the town, which further sets everyone on edge.
The first two-thirds of this novella ratchet up the realistic tension and terror of close-minded people in powerful positions physically and psychologically torturing these trans characters. But the final third of the book takes a turn that's...well, I'm not sure how well it sits with me. Without going into detail, I'm not sure the author's intention of revenge plays out exactly how he wanted it to. And there's definitely a scene that was disturbing in a not-great way. So as much as I was looking forward to this book (Mandelo's Summer Sons was EXCELLENT), I can't say I particularly enjoyed it when all is said and done.
*This book will be published March 19, 2024.
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