Book Review: Is T. Kingfisher’s ‘Wolf Worm’ Gothic American Horror Story Pure Nightmare Fuel? Maybe.
Wait, am I actually starting to like some horror books? Who am I?! This is already the second one I’ve read this year. I haven’t met a T. Kingfisher book I haven’t liked yet. And Wolf Worm is no exception. While I do prefer her more fantasy focused novellas, this gothic horror, historical fiction, with a dash of fantasy, was one of those “can’t look away” reads that gets progressively more sinister and creepy as you go along. And bugs. Lord, are there so many bugs. If you’re squeamish about bugs, or they’re a trigger for you, this tiny novella might give you nightmares. It’s a lot. And while the story starts out pretty innocently, with a young woman starting a new job as an illustrator for a reclusive naturalist, you get the feeling from the very beginning that something’s just a little off about the whole situation. And you learn very quickly how far some people will go to in the name of science. Ok, but let’s get into it…
Things to Know:
Gothic horror
Historical Fiction
Bugs, lots of bugs
Mysterious
Novella
TW: torture, again bugs
It’s 1899, and Ms. Wilson has just lost her father, and she’s desperate for a way to make a living in the world. She’s a super talented painter and scientific illustrator and she’s managed to get a job painting insects for a naturalist in a manor house in North Carolina.
Right away there are questions. What happened to the person who was painting the insects before her? Why is Dr. Halder such a jerk? Is there danger lurking in the woods? Why is a wild possum trying to break into her room in the middle of the night? And what’s going on in the shed in the woods? But things unfold slowly.
I definitely don’t want to give any spoilers because the reveal is definitely worth you piecing it together as you read.
I’m NOT a fan of bugs at all, and there were times where it was definitely a bit much for me. But Kingfisher’s writing keeps you glued to the page, and her characters always come with a bit of snark and spunk that I thoroughly enjoy.
I did an immersive read with a hardcover book from the library and an audiobook ARC from Macmillan (thank you!). Somehow I think the audio made the grotesqueness slightly more bearable. If you’re an audiobook reader, and you want to give this book a try, you can find the audiobook on Audible or Libro.fm (ProTips: Audible is 99 cents/mo for three months (99 cents/book) right now AND you can get two free audiobooks on Libro.fm with the code SWITCH right now).
Favorite Quotes:
“You’d think being in mortal peril would eliminate any sense of social awkwardness, but apparently it just means that you get to spend the last moments of your life embarrassed.”
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“But if you rule out sex and science, what else is there?”
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