Release Date: February 21st 2023
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 272
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Sister, Maiden, Monster is a visceral story set in the aftermath of our planet’s disastrous transformation and told through the eyes of three women trying to survive the nightmare, from Bram Stoker Award-winning author Lucy A. Snyder.

To survive they must evolve.

A virus tears across the globe, transforming its victims in nightmarish ways. As the world collapses, dark forces pull a small group of women together.

Erin, once quiet and closeted, acquires an appetite for a woman and her brain. Why does forbidden fruit taste so good?

Savannah, a professional BDSM switch, discovers a new turn-on: committing brutal murders for her eldritch masters.

Mareva, plagued with chronic tumors, is too horrified to acknowledge her divine role in the coming apocalypse, and as her growths multiply, so too does her desperation.

Review

Sister, Maiden, Monster is a unique cosmic horror book that is completely unlike anything I’ve read before. The story follows three women in the wake of a pandemic that spreads across the world and infects people in strange horrific ways. Each woman is transformed in ways they could not possibly imagine.

This book really pulled me in with the intriguing premise. The story is told in three separate sections, each one from a different character’s point of view. The first section, which focuses on Erin was really compelling – seeing how the virus was dealt with by government officials, how society adapted, and how it affected people in different ways. I thought this section of the book was really well paced and I was so intrigued to learn more. The middle section was where I started to struggle a little bit. It felt a bit slower and I found it a bit more difficult to get through. I wasn’t a massive fan of of Savannah and I think this contributed to why I found the middle section a bit on the slower side. The final section focusing on Mareva was horror-inducing and I found I could not look away from the book even though it was sending shivers down my spine.

I enjoyed Snyder’s writing style and the story was well executed. The story is told in a very vivid way and there were plenty of moments that really grossed me out. This is definitely a book that will stay on your mind long after you’ve finished reading. The characters are well developed and I particularly enjoyed Erin’s perspective, seeing how she adapted to life as a Type Three. If you’re looking for a dark, cleverly told story with plenty of body horror, this book should absolutely be your next read.