Adam Smith (12)

Through a Southern Gothic/Folk Horror lens, Smith and Fox examine themes of bereavement, suicide (TW for that, method and discovery depicted), depression and abandonment, and that there is hope and life beyond loss.

The story gets a bit hallucinogenic towards the end, which seems to have thrown a lot of reviewers and downgraded the average rating. I thought it was a solid 4⭐

Smith says that he completed the book during an ongoing period of bereavement, and I think he handles it all sensitively.

Wow, that's poignant. I honestly don't want to say any more than that for fear of ruining someone else's experience of the story. ...Except that the story is a little snarled in its telling. I love that Smith trusted his readers enough to let them untangle the threads, but be prepared, any future readers of this review: this story will be confusing until you have all its pieces.

A highly personal story for the author gets lost in the weeds as a tale of grief and loss becomes a supernatural clusterfuck with bullshit dream sequences. Bah.

Firstly thanks Netgalley for sending me this book to read and review.


I didn't know what to expect from this one. I'm glad I read it and I really liked the art style, which surprised me (it really grows on you)

The storyline is a bit hard to follow but builds beautifully and honestly I just want more!
The characters and the things they are going through and the depth that is given to the characters in how they move and look combined with the way they talk is great.
I want more Ludo and more show more Arlo.

Definitely worth a read friends when it comes out show less