You Weren't Meant to Be Human

You Weren't Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White, 336 pages

After presenting as a peppy cheerful girl for most of his life, Crane had trouble fully being himself. So when Levi, a handsome ex-Marine, lures him to mysterious hive-centric cult in Appalachia, Crane finds that, for the most part, they're OK with him being a silent man. However, when Levi gets Crane pregnant, the hive forces him to go through with the pregnancy, despite all of Crane's attempts to MAKE. IT. STOP. Can this really lead to anything but horror?

The answer, of course, is no. However, the horror of this book — Crane's forced pregnancy and captivity, the lengths to which he tries to end the pregnancy and escape — is so brutally and unflinchingly told that it's a very hard read and made me want to just reach into the book and give Crane a hug (as little as he'd like that). Indeed, while reading this, there were several times that I had to set this aside and pick up something lighter, and I probably wouldn't have finished it at all if I didn't have to. There was a chance to go for something easier to read by focusing on the hive — which seemed ripe for more exploration in the text — but unfortunately for readers, White chose not to go in that direction. Not my favorite, and I wouldn't recommend it.

Mechanize My Hands to War

Mechanize My Hands to War by Erin K. Wagner, 320 pages

Four events hold the center of this novel of Appalachia, AI, and a militant cult:

• The director of the ATF holds a press conference about an AI-soldier-involved shooting
• A farmer and his sick wife bring home an AI nurse and another AI farmhand to help out at their rapidly deteriorating home, surrounded by toxic soil and water
• An ATF agent leads a raid on a house occupied by the child soldiers of an anti-technology militia leader
• An AI soldier spends months awake and captive in a cell following his actions in the raid, which resulted in the death of a child

While it may seem like I've given away the entire story with that bulleted list, but I haven't, as the book looks at those events (and the time before and after them) through the eyes of a variety of characters. It's a bit confusing at the outset, but quickly draws you in, forcing complex musings on morality, personhood, guilt, empathy, and the role of technology in the military. While it would have been nice to get a bit more info about the kids who were armed at the behest of the militia leader (especially since his kid is one of the POV characters), it's a surprisingly intriguing tale, though perhaps not a particularly cheerful one. Still, I'd definitely recommend it!

The Ascent

The Ascent by Allison Buccola, 352 pages

Lee grew up in a cult, and when the rest of the group disappeared mysteriously when she was 12, Lee became the sole survivor. For years, she's hidden this background from almost everyone, including her husband, and has tried to move on. But now there's a documentary about the cult on a popular streaming service and someone she thought she lost may have popped back up in her life. Combine that with her strained marriage and her fear of leaving her infant daughter, and Lee is questioning everything she thought she knew.

I honestly didn't think about the fact that I was reading this at the same time the latest rapture was supposed to happen (spoiler alert: it didn't), but that might be because the cultish part of this book didn't play nearly as impactful as I thought it would — I assumed by the title, the cover, the flap copy, etc. that this book would bring the main character back into the cultish fold or at least focus on her attempt to escape that fate. Instead, it's more of a backstory and explanation for her psychoses, while the big twists kinda come out of nowhere and have nothing to do with the cult. It almost felt like the author had a great idea for a character, but didn't really know what to do with her and ended up with a kinda blah plot. Feel free to pass this one by.

Ghost World & Monica

Ghost World by Daniel Clowes (1998) 80 pages

A slim story in eight chapters. Friends Enid and Becky have finished high school and spend their time making snide, sarcastic observations about the people in their town and programs on TV. It was adapted into a 2001 movie, which I watched after reading this. The movie changes a lot, and I only gave it 3 out of 5 stars. Minimizing the character John Ellis was good. Minimizing their friend Josh from school was not a good decision. There is a lonely character, who places a wanted ad in the paper to meet a woman, and the girls play a prank on him. This character is played by Steve Buscemi in the movie. Buscemi, or his agent, or a close producer friend must have been the one to make the deal to turn this into a movie because this character is hugely expanded. He almost has as much screen time as Enid's character. It becomes less about Enid and Becky as their friendship grows apart, but that is one of the strongest parts of the graphic novel.

Monica by Daniel Clowes (2023) 106 pages

A portion of the Goodreads synopsis says, "Monica is a multilayered masterpiece in comics form that alludes to many of the genres that have defined the medium — war, romance, horror, crime, the supernatural, etc. — but in a mysterious, uncategorizable, and quintessentially Clowesian way." I see the influence of the different genres, but I would not call this a masterpiece. I found it weird and disturbing.

The Future

 The Future by Naomi Alderman, 415 pages.

Kara reviewed this very cool (and slightly hard to quantify) book here a couple of weeks ago, and I entirely agree with everything she said. Despite a lack of linear plot and many characters doing entirely unrelated things in distant places, this book never felt like it was moving slowly. That being said, I  will say that I felt like the first half of this book was stronger than the second. It felt like the climax of the novel couldn't quite deliver on how strong the rising action was. This also feels like a book that has to be read to be understood. It was an exciting, thought-provoking ride, definitely recommended.
 

The Future

The Future by Naomi Alderman, 415 pages

In the near future, three tech billionaires have determined that when the apocalypse inevitably brings the end of civilization, the three of them should be saved to help reboot the world. (They have the brains and inclinations to do so after all.) Their super-secret warning system, their network of secret bunkers, and years of preparation make them sure that they and their chosen companions will be able to survive the end of times, no matter what sort of disaster it is. Meanwhile, internet-famous survivalist Lai Zhen is fleeing from an assassin in Singapore when her wearable tech starts offering her guidance to escape, revealing a mysterious bit of software that seems to be able to predict the future. And then there's Martha Einkorn, a woman who grew up in an apocalypse cult led by her father and ended up as the assistant to one of the aforementioned tech billionaires. From her place near the head of a social media empire, Martha can see that the parables she learned throughout her childhood are becoming truer and truer, and she's no longer sure how far off her father's prophecies are.

In a lot of ways, this book is almost too realistic — the tech billionaires intent on saving themselves, the data-mining capabilities of the online lives we live, even the online survivalists forums ring VERY true to today's world. But Alderman pushes things a bit farther, and I mean that in a very good way. This is a fast-paced, compelling novel with complex characters and ideas, but one that makes you think HARD about the present and the future. I have very few quibbles with the book (and none that I can discuss here, as they're major spoilers), but even with those, I'm confident in saying this is one of the best books I've read this year. Fantastic read.

Our Share of Night

 Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, 736 pages.

The Order has been worshiping The Darkness for centuries, making terrible offerings of torture and murder to further their own power and fortunes. Juan Peterson is their most recent unwilling prophet, called a medium, who serves as an avatar for the power during their terrible rituals. But Juan has a son, and while The Order is determined that Gaspar will be his heir, Juan is even more determined that his son will have nothing to do with the ghosts and dark rituals. 

It is hard to summarize the plot of this book because it is sprawling and non-continuous. The book is divided into five parts, most with a different protagonist or protagonists. Four of the five take place in Argentina, and one in England, and the sections move back and forth in time. I found this division to be one of the weaker parts of the book. I found this novel shockingly lacking in momentum, which is a major problem for a book this large. Part of the problem was the leisurely pace of the plot, where very often nothing in particular is happening, and part of the problem is that every time the story starts to build any momentum it is often interrupted for something totally unrelated. It probably also doesn't help that, with the way the book is ordered, generally the audience knows much more about everything than any of the characters, so there are very few mysteries to resolve. I personally found that Enriquez's very good prose and the interesting elements of horror placed during the military dictatorship in Argentina unfortunately weren't enough to make up for the weak plot and characters. It feels like this book might be really good for someone, but I can't quite figure out enough of what it's goals were to figure out if it met any of them. 

Hell Followed With Us

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White, 416 pages.

Benji is sixteen, trans, and on the run from the fundamentalist cult that raised him, caused the apocalypse, and infected him with a virus that is slowly turning him into a monster. Benji is found and taken in by the ALC, the remnants of the Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, who are now banding together to try and survive the apocalypse and the cult that is trying to finish the job that the plague they unleashed started. A job that Benji was made to help them complete. But he figures that if he's being transformed into a monster anyway, he may as well make them suffer for it. 

For a debut novel this is pretty strong. If this was Kara's book club I would definitely have some items in the "Don't buy it" category, but it overall read very smoothly and was genuinely spooky and/or deeply disturbing in a lot of places. It's also, fair warning, very gross. There's a whole lot of body horror in this novel, and I would definitely say it's not for the squeamish. 

Side Note: this cover is so cool, I love the flat style and colors
 

We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep

We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart, 168 pages

Remy is one of a handful of choristers on the submarine Leviathan, the only safe place for the faithful in a post-nuclear world. The "Topsiders" are all at war, fighting for resources, and the crew of the Leviathan must survive on the few things they can gather from the ocean, or steal from military ships above. Or at least, that's what Remy's been taught. But there are also secrets aboard the Leviathan, including the fact that Remy is a girl — the only one on board, brought because of her angelic voice — and as she learns more, she begins to doubt the stories she's been told.

A blurb on the cover of this book refers to it as "claustrophobic suspense," which I completely agree with. While the plot is something that can easily be compared to suspense and even dystopian young adult novels, the submarine aspect lends to a tighter sense of being trapped (both mentally and physically) than I've read in a long time. It's an intriguing story, and well worth the short time it'll take to read it.

The Poison Garden

The Poison Garden by Alex Marwood, 391 pages

Romy grew up as a member of The Ark, a survivalist/hippie cult in North Wales. Now 21 and pregnant, Romy is one of handful of survivors, after more than 100 of her fellows died by poisoning. Luckily, her half-siblings Eden and Ilo have also survived, and are now living with her long-estranged aunt Sarah. But Romy has plans to reconnect with a second branch of The Ark, plans that require some truly horrific actions. Are Romy, Eden, and Ilo safer now than they were in The Ark? It's hard to say, though they certainly want to go back.

This is a creepy, and somewhat confusing story, which is understandable given the brainwashing the three siblings got growing up. Marwood does an excellent job of making sure the reader never gets too comfortable, always keeping us on edge. A good read if you're into cults and thrillers.

A Queer and Pleasant Danger

A Queer and Pleasant Danger: A Memoir by Kate Bornstein  258 pp.

I must admit that the only reason I picked this book was to fill the "Q" slot in an "A to Z Title Challenge". However, I found it to be an interesting, if not great, book. Kate Bornstein is the transgender author of Gender Outlaw. This book chronicles her entry into the all consuming world of Scientology which lead them (then known as Al Bornstein) into the upper echelons of L. Ron Hubbard's cult dynasty all the while fighting the internal battle of gender dysphoria. After leaving Scientology Bornstein makes the decision to have reassignment surgery and becomes a woman in body while identifying as gender non-conforming. Parts of their story are disturbing and not for the faint of heart.

It Devours! A Welcome to Night Vale Novel

It Devours! A Welcome to Night Vale Novel By Joseph Fink, 368 pages

I have been listening to the podcast Welcome to Night Vale for over four years so I was so excited to find out they had released a second novel set in the "friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep." Think of the Night Vale universe as if Prairie Home Companion was set in the Twilight Zone. While knowing the podcast gives context to the story, it is perfectly enjoyable without any background knowledge.

Nilajana Sikdar is a scientist working under Carlos, known throughout Night Vale for his perfect hair and relationship with Cecil, the radio DJ who is the main character in the podcast. Disaster strikes as giant holes open up all over town, swallowing entire buildings and the citizens within them. Carlos is convinced that the city council is involved but Nilanjana's investigation leads her to the mysterious Joyous Congregation of the Smiling God. The investigation is then further complicated by Darryl, a devout member of the congregation who she finds strangely irresistible.

This book had everything I expect from a Night Vale novel - bizarre situations, clever turns of phrase, and an interesting premise. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the uncanny and slightly disturbing.

Strange Practice

Strange Practice: A Dr. Greta Helsing novel by Vivian Shaw  385 pp.

Dr. Greta Helsing has the unusual medical practice of treating the undead seeing a variety of supernatural creatures like vampires, ghouls, banshees, mummies, etc. When a mysterious cult targets both the living and the undead she sets about to stop them before they destroy her practice and her undead friends. When they come for her, it becomes personal. The premise of this book is great, the execution not quite. There's nothing wrong with the story or the writing but I finished reading with the feeling that it could have been so much more. The ending is an obvious lead to a second book.

Mr Splitfoot

Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt, 322 pages.
The novel veers back and forth between a couple of genres, starting off as a tale of two orphans being raised on some weird combination of orphanage and cult, to something near horror, as a weird, off-kilter ghost story. Nat and Ruth were always looking out for each other when they were young and living on the farm. Something separated them when they got older and the next time we see Ruth she's older, mute and leading her pregnant niece on a strange cross-country walking tour.
Strange and kind of wonderfully fun.

Ghostwritten

Ghostwritten by David Mitchell  426 pp.

Mitchell's novels are not particularly easy but they are intriguing. Ghostwritten is a series of stories involving widely disparate characters living through a variety of life events that are all connected in some small, or large, way. A terrorist act in Japan by a devoted cult member reminiscent of the Sarin attack in a Tokyo subway connects with a vintage jazz record store sales clerk to an old woman with a tea shack through a crooked lawyer and a disc jockey among others. The stories and vignettes travel from Japan through China, Mongolia, Russia, England, and the U.S. While reading I would frequently wonder how the subsequent section would connect to the previous ones. It is intriguing and yes, there are ghosts.

The Girls

The Girls by Emma Cline, 355 pages

In this excellent debut novel, Cline tells a fictionalized version of the Manson Family from the point of view of a young girl who becomes enamored with the cult, particularly with the other girls in it. Our narrator, Evie, is an awkward 15-year-old who is doesn't seem to fit in with the wealthy community where she lives in rural California. When she sees a few ragged girls shoplifting toilet paper and digging food out of a dumpster, her curiosity gets the better of her. Pretty soon she's tagging along with them out to a commune, and becomes infatuated with Suzanne, the leader of the titular girls. (I find it interesting that despite her descriptions of cult leader Russell's charms, Evie doesn't seem to care about him much; her magnet is Suzanne.)

This book has been getting a lot of buzz, and it's easy to see why. Evie is an excellent vessel in which to tell this story, as we watch her innocence fade while simultaneously watching the veil being lifted from her eyes. Cline's characters are compelling, and the story is wonderfully told. I'm excited to see what Cline comes up with next.

You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine

You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleeman, 283 pages

Christa did a great wrap-up of the seminal points here, so I won't retread what she wrote, at least not too much. Our narrator, A, has an obsessive roommate, B. Both of them have low self-esteem issues, though it's hard to say who's in worse shape. A also has a boyfriend, C, and their relationship seems to be the textbook definition of dead-end. Then there's a whole bunch of stuff about beauty cream commercials, and the disgusting-sounding (yet somehow really enticing to A) Kandy Kakes, and a lot of talk about oranges. Oh, and a really creepy cult.

I honestly don't know what I think of this book, other than that it's really weird. So if you're up for an odd book, go for it. Just don't expect to crave an orange afterward.