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The Woods All Black
The Woods All Black is equal parts historical horror, trans romance, and blood-soaked revenge, all set in 1920s Appalachia
Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service, under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Forged in the fires of the Western Front and reborn in the cafes of Paris, Leslie believes he can handle whatever is thrown at him—but Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond his nightmares.
Something ugly festers within the local congregation, and its malice has focused on a young person they insist is an unruly tomboy who must be brought to heel. Violence is bubbling when Leslie arrives, ready to spill over, and he'll have to act fast if he intends to be of use. But the hills enfolding Spar Creek have a mind of their own, and the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand.
The Woods All Black is a story of passion, prejudice, and power — an Appalachian period piece that explores reproductive justice and bodily autonomy, the terrors of small-town religiosity, and the necessity of fighting tooth and claw to live as who you truly are.
Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service, under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Forged in the fires of the Western Front and reborn in the cafes of Paris, Leslie believes he can handle whatever is thrown at him—but Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond his nightmares.
Something ugly festers within the local congregation, and its malice has focused on a young person they insist is an unruly tomboy who must be brought to heel. Violence is bubbling when Leslie arrives, ready to spill over, and he'll have to act fast if he intends to be of use. But the hills enfolding Spar Creek have a mind of their own, and the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand.
The Woods All Black is a story of passion, prejudice, and power — an Appalachian period piece that explores reproductive justice and bodily autonomy, the terrors of small-town religiosity, and the necessity of fighting tooth and claw to live as who you truly are.
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2024
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April 6, 2024
I really wanted to like this book. The premise is amazing! Unfortunately, the book is nothing like what the summary promises.
Specifically, here is where it failed to deliver:
"Equal parts historical horror, trans romance, & blood-soaked revenge." It most definitely is not. It's 95% historical fiction without an ounce of the implied paranormal elements, 5% a grown man falling in love with a teenage boy he barely knows (wtf was that about?), & about 2 pages of bigots getting anticlimactically murdered.
"The hills... have a mind of their own," "Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond [Leslie's] nightmares," "the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand." When I tell you literally NONE of this shit happens. This is a NORMAL FOREST. The darkness is the sun setting and the haunting is Christian bigotry. This is Leslie (a character from a city) being scared of the woods because he's never been in the woods. Maybe this book would be spooky scary to someone like Leslie, but to me (someone who's lived in the Appalachia region my whole life and is frequently in the woods) it's boring. This book was constantly trying to convince the reader of sPoOkY hApPeNiNgS without giving us any spooky happenings! This gave me the same feeling as those people on Tik Tok who try to tell you 'rural Appalachia is terrifying' when they've definitely never been here. The region is not intrinsically scary, so you'll need to actually write some horror to, y'know, write a horror novel. Sorry to anyone who watched 'Silent Hill' and thought it was a documentary.
As for the characters, they're all very flat and one-dimensional. Leslie, our protagonist, has one personality trait, and that is 'gets bitches.' I found this hilarious at first but as the story wore on and it became clear he wasn't going to get any character development, he began to annoy me. He had the potential to be a cool character but the author fumbled him. His motivations were difficult to pin down, especially nearing the end when he had no reason to stick around Spar Creek other than 'I have a savior complex over this androgynous teenager (Stevie) that wants nothing to do with me.' Stevie's character was just 'angry teenager.' He and Leslie had no basis to even be friends, other than them both being gender non-conforming, and certainly no romantic chemistry. Every other character is simply 'bigoted asshole.' Everyone was just bland.
Finally, the genres this book is listed under. This is marketed as a horror novel and tagged as horror. It is not horror. This lacks everything a horror novel should have: tension, building suspense, creepy scenes to put the reader on edge. I was so ready for this book to be viscerally unsettling but it wasn't even attempting to be scary. It was a huge letdown.
I need you all to know there is one singlular reason this was a 'horror' novel instead of just a queer historical fiction, and that's so the author had a reason for the . Was absolutely not expecting the story to go there. It was so jarring I thought I had clicked off the story and accidentally hopped onto Wattpad. What was the point of this book? Was it all just a lead up to ? I'm not against it (not for me but you do you) but like... really? That's all this story was trying to do? I can't think of any other theme or moral aside from 'don't be a bigoted asshole.' I guess?
If you liked this book, that is great. I'm glad other people got something out of this. This is the 2nd book I've read by this author that I didn't like so maybe I am the problem lol
Specifically, here is where it failed to deliver:
"Equal parts historical horror, trans romance, & blood-soaked revenge." It most definitely is not. It's 95% historical fiction without an ounce of the implied paranormal elements, 5% a grown man falling in love with a teenage boy he barely knows (wtf was that about?), & about 2 pages of bigots getting anticlimactically murdered.
"The hills... have a mind of their own," "Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond [Leslie's] nightmares," "the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand." When I tell you literally NONE of this shit happens. This is a NORMAL FOREST. The darkness is the sun setting and the haunting is Christian bigotry. This is Leslie (a character from a city) being scared of the woods because he's never been in the woods. Maybe this book would be spooky scary to someone like Leslie, but to me (someone who's lived in the Appalachia region my whole life and is frequently in the woods) it's boring. This book was constantly trying to convince the reader of sPoOkY hApPeNiNgS without giving us any spooky happenings! This gave me the same feeling as those people on Tik Tok who try to tell you 'rural Appalachia is terrifying' when they've definitely never been here. The region is not intrinsically scary, so you'll need to actually write some horror to, y'know, write a horror novel. Sorry to anyone who watched 'Silent Hill' and thought it was a documentary.
As for the characters, they're all very flat and one-dimensional. Leslie, our protagonist, has one personality trait, and that is 'gets bitches.' I found this hilarious at first but as the story wore on and it became clear he wasn't going to get any character development, he began to annoy me. He had the potential to be a cool character but the author fumbled him. His motivations were difficult to pin down, especially nearing the end when he had no reason to stick around Spar Creek other than 'I have a savior complex over this androgynous teenager (Stevie) that wants nothing to do with me.' Stevie's character was just 'angry teenager.' He and Leslie had no basis to even be friends, other than them both being gender non-conforming, and certainly no romantic chemistry. Every other character is simply 'bigoted asshole.' Everyone was just bland.
Finally, the genres this book is listed under. This is marketed as a horror novel and tagged as horror. It is not horror. This lacks everything a horror novel should have: tension, building suspense, creepy scenes to put the reader on edge. I was so ready for this book to be viscerally unsettling but it wasn't even attempting to be scary. It was a huge letdown.
I need you all to know there is one singlular reason this was a 'horror' novel instead of just a queer historical fiction, and that's so the author had a reason for the . Was absolutely not expecting the story to go there. It was so jarring I thought I had clicked off the story and accidentally hopped onto Wattpad. What was the point of this book? Was it all just a lead up to ? I'm not against it (not for me but you do you) but like... really? That's all this story was trying to do? I can't think of any other theme or moral aside from 'don't be a bigoted asshole.' I guess?
If you liked this book, that is great. I'm glad other people got something out of this. This is the 2nd book I've read by this author that I didn't like so maybe I am the problem lol
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May 25, 2024let’s go trans monster schlong
I think (adult!) fans of Andrew Joseph White would probably be really drawn to this story due to its themes and atmosphere.
Featuring terrifying religious bigotry, small town horror, trans rage, and gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis, this book has a lot of amazing and well-executed elements. I do think too much of the plot was saved for the very end, leaving some of the dropped pieces of candy in the earlier parts of this narrative tale to feel more confusing than impactful and causing a meandering and slow pace, but I overall really enjoyed this little novella.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
CW: religious bigotry, violence, blood & gore, sexual content, rape (off-page), sexual violence, pregnancy, abortion (offpage), death in childbirth, medical content, needles, gun violence, drowning, cannibalism, murder, transphobia, misgendering, misogyny, animal death, dismemberment, hallucinations, fire, eugenics, racism, war (past), insects, child death (mention), antisemitism (mention)
I think (adult!) fans of Andrew Joseph White would probably be really drawn to this story due to its themes and atmosphere.
Featuring terrifying religious bigotry, small town horror, trans rage, and gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis, this book has a lot of amazing and well-executed elements. I do think too much of the plot was saved for the very end, leaving some of the dropped pieces of candy in the earlier parts of this narrative tale to feel more confusing than impactful and causing a meandering and slow pace, but I overall really enjoyed this little novella.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
CW: religious bigotry, violence, blood & gore, sexual content, rape (off-page), sexual violence, pregnancy, abortion (offpage), death in childbirth, medical content, needles, gun violence, drowning, cannibalism, murder, transphobia, misgendering, misogyny, animal death, dismemberment, hallucinations, fire, eugenics, racism, war (past), insects, child death (mention), antisemitism (mention)
March 19, 2024
Small southern towns after WWI, could request they be sent a nurse from the Frontier Nursing Service. A lot of these backwoods places didn't even have a doctor, and during those times, that was a dangerous thing. Vaccinations can't help if there's no vaccinations or people to give them. In Spar Creek they got a bit more than vaccinations, and prescriptions, when Leslie Bruin arrived.
Leslie fought in the war himself, and then spent some time in Paris before joining with the FNS. Towns like Spar Creek don't often welcome outsiders with open arms and Leslie is definitely an outsider. He soon learns that he's not going to be able to do his job effectively. Between religious zealots, racists, and just plain small town meanness, he can barely open his mouth without getting into trouble. He soon learns there's a lot more going on in Spar Creek than he originally thought. Young Stevie for one thing, and those noises in the woods for another. Will Leslie be able to help the citizens of Spar Creek? Will he be able to help young Stevie or anyone at all? And maybe most importantly, will he be able to survive the beast skulking around his cabin every night? You'll have to read this to find out!
I very much enjoyed this novella and read it in two sittings. Spar Creek seemed like a few towns here in the northeast, at least in some ways. Religious zealots. Racists. Tightly knit and intolerant of anything that smells even slightly "different." Some places are still like that now, so it's easy to imagine how much worse it would have been in the early 20's. Small minded people in small minded places.
What added some spice here was the addition of the mysterious creature in the woods. This aspect kept the story interesting and while I can't say I was all that surprised, I think it took the story in an interesting direction.
I'm struggling to find more to say without spoiling anything, so let me sum up. Small town with a new arrival. Historical fiction with intriguing facts about the Frontier Nursing Service and life in the early 20's. A revenge story you can sink your teeth into. A trans protagonist, other interesting characters, (but mostly jerks), and a mystery monster lurking in the woods. Now, let me double check my math, (scribbling madly, carrying the one), and yep! All this adds up to a WINNER!
Highly recommended for fans of LGBTQ fiction, sexy times with monsters, historical fiction fans, and to those that love tales of revenge!
*ARC from publisher.*
Leslie fought in the war himself, and then spent some time in Paris before joining with the FNS. Towns like Spar Creek don't often welcome outsiders with open arms and Leslie is definitely an outsider. He soon learns that he's not going to be able to do his job effectively. Between religious zealots, racists, and just plain small town meanness, he can barely open his mouth without getting into trouble. He soon learns there's a lot more going on in Spar Creek than he originally thought. Young Stevie for one thing, and those noises in the woods for another. Will Leslie be able to help the citizens of Spar Creek? Will he be able to help young Stevie or anyone at all? And maybe most importantly, will he be able to survive the beast skulking around his cabin every night? You'll have to read this to find out!
I very much enjoyed this novella and read it in two sittings. Spar Creek seemed like a few towns here in the northeast, at least in some ways. Religious zealots. Racists. Tightly knit and intolerant of anything that smells even slightly "different." Some places are still like that now, so it's easy to imagine how much worse it would have been in the early 20's. Small minded people in small minded places.
What added some spice here was the addition of the mysterious creature in the woods. This aspect kept the story interesting and while I can't say I was all that surprised, I think it took the story in an interesting direction.
I'm struggling to find more to say without spoiling anything, so let me sum up. Small town with a new arrival. Historical fiction with intriguing facts about the Frontier Nursing Service and life in the early 20's. A revenge story you can sink your teeth into. A trans protagonist, other interesting characters, (but mostly jerks), and a mystery monster lurking in the woods. Now, let me double check my math, (scribbling madly, carrying the one), and yep! All this adds up to a WINNER!
Highly recommended for fans of LGBTQ fiction, sexy times with monsters, historical fiction fans, and to those that love tales of revenge!
*ARC from publisher.*
April 28, 2024
When Frontier Nursing Service and World War 1 frontline nursing veteran Leslie Bruin is requested to serve as resident nurse in small town Spar Creek, KY, the trans-man encounters more than he bargained for. The people of Spar Creek are far from welcoming, the pastor preaches brimstone and hellfire, and something dark lurks in the woods. It's clear Leslie isn't wanted here. But when he encounters another kindred queer spirit in a budding young trans-man named Stevie, Leslie knows he’ll do anything to help Stevie escape.
I'm struggling to find the words to describe how I feel about this book. As a born and raised Appalachian, something about horror plotlines hinging on zealous evangelical cults in isolated “backwater” Kentucky deep in the “creepy woods” rubs me raw. This book is marketed as a horror, and the author uses the forest backdrop to instill creeping dread – but it just doesn't work, because there's nothing *wrong* with the woods. The woods aren't actually a problem.
The horror relies on overplayed tropes and leaves the story underdeveloped:
1. “This land is cursed” By what? I dunno. Why? Idk. Never comes up again.
2. “There's a demon in the woods.” Okay, but why? What magic made it? How'd it get there? *Shrug* Vague appropriation of some kind of cultural magic, probably?
3. “An outsider was invited into an isolated community. But it's clear they're not wanted here.” WHY? Why was Leslie personally invited to this place and then immediately rejected? It's never answered.
4. “The preacher is scary because he's a zealot.” Okay, scary but overplayed.
5. “The woods are spooky.”
The worldbuilding is thin. Nothing is ever explained, and instead of it being creepy, it's just annoying? There's nothing satisfying about the book (except for certain warranted deaths). The characterization is shallow. I know absolutely nothing about who these characters are aside from the most surface level things. All I know about Leslie is that he’s unbearably horny. Excuse my frankness, but you can't go 2 chapters without Leslie eyeballing and sexualizing someone’s cleavage like a nipple-seeking missile. It's an abnormal amount of horny. And who is Stevie outside of his gender identity? Who knows?
I don't think I can accurately classify what this book is. It's got horror themes, but it also heavily features an age-gap queer “romance.” I hesitate to call it a romance because the characters don't even really know each other? They're just horny for someone else that shares their experience. Leslie is 30 and Stevie is 18, and that wasn't something I was expecting. That kind of age gap paired with the power dynamics and trauma is uncomfortable at best for me. It made me cringe every time Leslie referred to Stevie as “boy” and “brat,” because it acknowledges that Leslie knows there's a power imbalance and is into it. He even calls him “an older child” at one point. I hesitate to say that the sex scenes are gross, but they honestly gave me psychic damage with words like “hole” and “guts” thrown around. It's not candid; it's just lewd.
If you haven't read the book, you should know that the main horror element is that Stevie becomes a pather-like monster, a literal embodiment of the Appalachian woods to avenge himself against the man that raped him and the hellfire preacher that excused the assualt. I honestly imagined something like a Wampus Cat, and it would've been interesting to see the author lean into that lore more. But all we get is that the woods chose Stevie to have this power. Ambiguous. The only thing I liked about this book was the idea that someone like Stevie, a born and raised Appalachian, could become a vessel for the land and hold their ground against outside prejudice (the preacher, who was not born in Spar Creek). Stevie did that…and then he left for the “civilized world.” *big sigh* I would've preferred for Stevie to slaughter the town and then live in the woods.
My tiniest nitpick in the grand scheme of things is that the town of Spar Creek felt so much like an afterthought. I didn't feel like I was reading about an Appalachian town. The characters spoke like a spaghetti western, without common Appalachian colloquialisms. And the culture just felt off in general.
I wanted to love this book. I'd had it wishlisted since before the cover dropped, but it unfortunately didn't land for me. We get so little good representation of the Appalachian region in literature, because most of it focuses on “backwards culty hillbillies terrorizing civilized folk” like this one.
2 stars
I'm struggling to find the words to describe how I feel about this book. As a born and raised Appalachian, something about horror plotlines hinging on zealous evangelical cults in isolated “backwater” Kentucky deep in the “creepy woods” rubs me raw. This book is marketed as a horror, and the author uses the forest backdrop to instill creeping dread – but it just doesn't work, because there's nothing *wrong* with the woods. The woods aren't actually a problem.
The horror relies on overplayed tropes and leaves the story underdeveloped:
1. “This land is cursed” By what? I dunno. Why? Idk. Never comes up again.
2. “There's a demon in the woods.” Okay, but why? What magic made it? How'd it get there? *Shrug* Vague appropriation of some kind of cultural magic, probably?
3. “An outsider was invited into an isolated community. But it's clear they're not wanted here.” WHY? Why was Leslie personally invited to this place and then immediately rejected? It's never answered.
4. “The preacher is scary because he's a zealot.” Okay, scary but overplayed.
5. “The woods are spooky.”
The worldbuilding is thin. Nothing is ever explained, and instead of it being creepy, it's just annoying? There's nothing satisfying about the book (except for certain warranted deaths). The characterization is shallow. I know absolutely nothing about who these characters are aside from the most surface level things. All I know about Leslie is that he’s unbearably horny. Excuse my frankness, but you can't go 2 chapters without Leslie eyeballing and sexualizing someone’s cleavage like a nipple-seeking missile. It's an abnormal amount of horny. And who is Stevie outside of his gender identity? Who knows?
I don't think I can accurately classify what this book is. It's got horror themes, but it also heavily features an age-gap queer “romance.” I hesitate to call it a romance because the characters don't even really know each other? They're just horny for someone else that shares their experience. Leslie is 30 and Stevie is 18, and that wasn't something I was expecting. That kind of age gap paired with the power dynamics and trauma is uncomfortable at best for me. It made me cringe every time Leslie referred to Stevie as “boy” and “brat,” because it acknowledges that Leslie knows there's a power imbalance and is into it. He even calls him “an older child” at one point. I hesitate to say that the sex scenes are gross, but they honestly gave me psychic damage with words like “hole” and “guts” thrown around. It's not candid; it's just lewd.
If you haven't read the book, you should know that the main horror element is that Stevie becomes a pather-like monster, a literal embodiment of the Appalachian woods to avenge himself against the man that raped him and the hellfire preacher that excused the assualt. I honestly imagined something like a Wampus Cat, and it would've been interesting to see the author lean into that lore more. But all we get is that the woods chose Stevie to have this power. Ambiguous. The only thing I liked about this book was the idea that someone like Stevie, a born and raised Appalachian, could become a vessel for the land and hold their ground against outside prejudice (the preacher, who was not born in Spar Creek). Stevie did that…and then he left for the “civilized world.” *big sigh* I would've preferred for Stevie to slaughter the town and then live in the woods.
My tiniest nitpick in the grand scheme of things is that the town of Spar Creek felt so much like an afterthought. I didn't feel like I was reading about an Appalachian town. The characters spoke like a spaghetti western, without common Appalachian colloquialisms. And the culture just felt off in general.
I wanted to love this book. I'd had it wishlisted since before the cover dropped, but it unfortunately didn't land for me. We get so little good representation of the Appalachian region in literature, because most of it focuses on “backwards culty hillbillies terrorizing civilized folk” like this one.
2 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2025
i actually found it staggering how phenomenal this book is - a rural 1920s trans thriller/romance with more than a few wild curveballs.
✧ all spoilers under tags ✧
last year i started off the new year with a lee mandelo novel that i finished in a day. this year i also read mandelo as my first proper novel of the year, but i stretched the experience over a few days, as the story seemed to demand it.
the writing takes time to get used to, but once i was acclimated to the 1920s language and atmosphere, i was hooked. leslie is a nurse on assignment to provide vaccinations and aid to an unwelcoming and highly religious isolated appalachian community. leslie identifies as an "invert," a trans man whose gender nonconforming appearance immediately spurs distrust.
mandelo's choices here are supreme. the reader experiences a disorienting incongruence along with leslie's own dysphoria, as he is referred to with he/him in the narrative, but other characters address leslie with she/her.
the story is slow, but the religious zealotry is genuinely scary, and i was repeatedly awed by mandelo's storytelling choices.
a few things are not perfect, like the
as with mandelo's feed them silence, i adore their enormous ideas and ambition. no punches pulled!
✧ all spoilers under tags ✧
last year i started off the new year with a lee mandelo novel that i finished in a day. this year i also read mandelo as my first proper novel of the year, but i stretched the experience over a few days, as the story seemed to demand it.
the writing takes time to get used to, but once i was acclimated to the 1920s language and atmosphere, i was hooked. leslie is a nurse on assignment to provide vaccinations and aid to an unwelcoming and highly religious isolated appalachian community. leslie identifies as an "invert," a trans man whose gender nonconforming appearance immediately spurs distrust.
mandelo's choices here are supreme. the reader experiences a disorienting incongruence along with leslie's own dysphoria, as he is referred to with he/him in the narrative, but other characters address leslie with she/her.
the story is slow, but the religious zealotry is genuinely scary, and i was repeatedly awed by mandelo's storytelling choices.
a few things are not perfect, like the
as with mandelo's feed them silence, i adore their enormous ideas and ambition. no punches pulled!
April 22, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up. Lee Mandelo is my King of Queer horror. The way he incorporates this sense of claustrophobic, creeping dread heavily featuring nature in his stories is so effective to me. I find his writing craft to just be so atmospheric.
Set in the 1920s, in a remote Appalachian town, Leslie is a trans trauma nurse and fresh from the battle field of WWI working for the Frontier Nursing Service and finds himself struggling through a hostile town of fire and brimstone.
This is a story of identity, rage, revenge and monster fucking. What more could you want.
Set in the 1920s, in a remote Appalachian town, Leslie is a trans trauma nurse and fresh from the battle field of WWI working for the Frontier Nursing Service and finds himself struggling through a hostile town of fire and brimstone.
This is a story of identity, rage, revenge and monster fucking. What more could you want.
May 15, 2024
Not this book making me read monster smut for the first time against my will
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2024
Lee Mandelo really said this one’s for the monsterfuckers. The Woods All Black is a captivating gothic Christian-fundie horror novella. We follow Leslie, a war-hardened nurse, who’s been sent by the Frontier Nursing Service to this back-water Appalachian town of Spar Creek. There, he’s immediately faced with hostile suspicion by this isolated community, drummed to a fervor by the local pastor. And given the setting, something unnerving is lurking at the edges of the woods, evoked beautifully by Lee’s immaculate prose. Without giving much away, there are beasts prowling in the dark, Leslie slowly discovers whether they are friend or foe (see first sentence). Lee’s development of Leslie’s character, a trans man existing in a particularly hostile environment in the 1920s, is fascinatingly portrayed and the historical elements were interesting to learn about. As someone who grew up adjacent to Christian fundamentalists, Mandelo absolutely nails the horrific atmosphere even just one religiously-fervent pastor can wield, to an unnerving degree. I found myself struggling to read at times because of how uncomfortably accurate the zealotry was portrayed and had to stop and restart multiple times. Unfortunately, it means this book hits just a little too close to ever be a favorite, but regardless it is spectacularly written. Overall, I rate this book a 4.5/5.
___
4/5
Lee Mandelo really said this one's for the monsterfuckers. Queer af, with delightful gothic writing. The religious horror means this will never be a favorite, but still a fantastic read.
___
4/5
Lee Mandelo really said this one's for the monsterfuckers. Queer af, with delightful gothic writing. The religious horror means this will never be a favorite, but still a fantastic read.
June 24, 2024
Lee Mandelo loves a weird, gory story, and with The Woods All Black he's given us another one.
Leslie is a closeted transman working as a nurse in Spar Creek. He knows that the small Appalachian town doesn't trust him, but he's working to help as many people as possible - in particular, another transman by the name of Stevie - before the pastor kicks him out or the haunting presence over Spar Creek forces him to leave. Whichever happens first.
The Woods All Black is stranger than Mandelo's most popular work, Summer Sons, but contains some of the same DNA. The humid ache of a southern summer, the hardiness of learned violence by queer men, the rolling sense of dread over a tight community. But The Woods All Black is gnarlier, darker, heavily steeped in history while sacrificing some of its subtlety. Leslie is a compelling and nuanced main character; Mandelo shows how trans people - especially in the 1920s - might choose to either disguise or express their gender depending on the needs of the moment. There's a strong theme of survival vs. self-expression explored here that works well with the observations on different expressions of queer identity.
I think I wish there was more of a gothic lean to the book. There's some interesting ideas seeded into the background here that don't get fully explored: the cave, the woman who burned her house, the pastor's origins, Marge. The Woods All Black could have also benefited from a bit more escalation in the horror over the course of the story; I wanted Spar Creek to feel like a kettle about to boil over, but most of the action doesn't happen until the last 30-ish pages.
A note for the monster romance readers out there: You will like this one!
Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.
Leslie is a closeted transman working as a nurse in Spar Creek. He knows that the small Appalachian town doesn't trust him, but he's working to help as many people as possible - in particular, another transman by the name of Stevie - before the pastor kicks him out or the haunting presence over Spar Creek forces him to leave. Whichever happens first.
The Woods All Black is stranger than Mandelo's most popular work, Summer Sons, but contains some of the same DNA. The humid ache of a southern summer, the hardiness of learned violence by queer men, the rolling sense of dread over a tight community. But The Woods All Black is gnarlier, darker, heavily steeped in history while sacrificing some of its subtlety. Leslie is a compelling and nuanced main character; Mandelo shows how trans people - especially in the 1920s - might choose to either disguise or express their gender depending on the needs of the moment. There's a strong theme of survival vs. self-expression explored here that works well with the observations on different expressions of queer identity.
I think I wish there was more of a gothic lean to the book. There's some interesting ideas seeded into the background here that don't get fully explored: the cave, the woman who burned her house, the pastor's origins, Marge. The Woods All Black could have also benefited from a bit more escalation in the horror over the course of the story; I wanted Spar Creek to feel like a kettle about to boil over, but most of the action doesn't happen until the last 30-ish pages.
A note for the monster romance readers out there: You will like this one!
Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.
February 27, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
Set in 1920's Appalachia, The Woods All Black blends horror, revenge, and erotic romance with a trans protagonist. The tone of this novella is unsettling from near the beginning, and draws on real historical fact to flesh out the world and conflicts. The story follows Leslie, a trans nurse who has been recently assigned to serve a small town rife with religious extremism and fear. He tries to blend in by adopting more feminine attire and attitudes, but the pastor has it out for him and another young trans man being pushed into marriage and "proper" gender roles. But there may be something dark out in the woods nearby...
This was an evocative read that kept me hooked and includes some interesting information about how queer people conceived of themselves during the time period. I'm not entirely sure how I felt about some elements of the ending, but in general it was satisfying and interesting. Definitely worth a look! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings include homophobia, gender-based violence, sexual assault (off-page), misogyny, death, abortion and unwanted pregnancy, graphic sex including with a non-human form
Set in 1920's Appalachia, The Woods All Black blends horror, revenge, and erotic romance with a trans protagonist. The tone of this novella is unsettling from near the beginning, and draws on real historical fact to flesh out the world and conflicts. The story follows Leslie, a trans nurse who has been recently assigned to serve a small town rife with religious extremism and fear. He tries to blend in by adopting more feminine attire and attitudes, but the pastor has it out for him and another young trans man being pushed into marriage and "proper" gender roles. But there may be something dark out in the woods nearby...
This was an evocative read that kept me hooked and includes some interesting information about how queer people conceived of themselves during the time period. I'm not entirely sure how I felt about some elements of the ending, but in general it was satisfying and interesting. Definitely worth a look! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings include homophobia, gender-based violence, sexual assault (off-page), misogyny, death, abortion and unwanted pregnancy, graphic sex including with a non-human form
February 9, 2024
2.5 Stars
After loving the author's last two releases, I was dying to read another release from this author. I liked this one but I fully admit that I was underwhelmed. I didn't find this particularly memorable. This author is capable of reading incredibly complex characters so I was disappointed when these ones fell so flat. I wanted to love this one but it left me cold.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
After loving the author's last two releases, I was dying to read another release from this author. I liked this one but I fully admit that I was underwhelmed. I didn't find this particularly memorable. This author is capable of reading incredibly complex characters so I was disappointed when these ones fell so flat. I wanted to love this one but it left me cold.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
April 7, 2025
4.5 stars
I had a feeling I was going to love this story, and so I put it off waiting for “the perfect moment.” Not sure why I did that, as it just meant I spent a long time getting my shit together to read this. Fantastic queer Appalachian folktale drenched in menace with just enough horror to call it genre.
Concept: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★ 1/2
First, an apology. I read this book MONTHS ago and then just... never wrote down my final thoughts. Which does this slim novella a huge disservice and now I'm sad about it. So please ignore me moping in the metaphorical corner of this review AND ignore any possible vagueness to the details below, as I'm doing my best to recall the finer points but it has been 5 months since my reading experience and there have been many stories since then.
But let's press on!
The Woods All Black is a historical 1920s-era horror that is both an eviscerating take on Appalachian small town religious politics and a trans horror fable. Based on those two qualifiers alone, it's worth highlighting that this slim novella is filled with trigger warnings. Take care of yourself and look those up before embarking on this ride.
Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Leslie's lived experience includes time spent in Paris, on the warfront of WWI, and in cities across the United States—he's seen a lot of crap and dealt with a lot of a drama. But he's not ready for this venture into the town of Spar Creek.
Spar Creek's aura is... menacing. With a tightknit group of residents clustered around an ironfisted church doctrine, the Appalachian small town holds its secrets close and its hatred closer. They are not interested in Leslie's medicines and even less interested in letting Leslie near their people.
And to top off this unwelcome mat, Leslie's arrival in the town sparks further drama surrounding an angry local teenager and something bloody happening in the woods.
The circle tightens like a trap.
Don't go into this book with more background than that—the ride is worth it!
My quick personal thoughts: I found this novella near-flawless. Well written, obviously, but its true shining attributes were the characterizations of the characters (from Leslie all the way to the minor ones) and the nuanced balance between real horrors vs. supernatural ones. Such a great atmospheric ride. Dark topics with dark conclusions... however, without getting into spoilers, let's just say I enjoyed the ending very much and would call it a positive one.
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I had a feeling I was going to love this story, and so I put it off waiting for “the perfect moment.” Not sure why I did that, as it just meant I spent a long time getting my shit together to read this. Fantastic queer Appalachian folktale drenched in menace with just enough horror to call it genre.
Concept: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★ 1/2
First, an apology. I read this book MONTHS ago and then just... never wrote down my final thoughts. Which does this slim novella a huge disservice and now I'm sad about it. So please ignore me moping in the metaphorical corner of this review AND ignore any possible vagueness to the details below, as I'm doing my best to recall the finer points but it has been 5 months since my reading experience and there have been many stories since then.
But let's press on!
The Woods All Black is a historical 1920s-era horror that is both an eviscerating take on Appalachian small town religious politics and a trans horror fable. Based on those two qualifiers alone, it's worth highlighting that this slim novella is filled with trigger warnings. Take care of yourself and look those up before embarking on this ride.
Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Leslie's lived experience includes time spent in Paris, on the warfront of WWI, and in cities across the United States—he's seen a lot of crap and dealt with a lot of a drama. But he's not ready for this venture into the town of Spar Creek.
Spar Creek's aura is... menacing. With a tightknit group of residents clustered around an ironfisted church doctrine, the Appalachian small town holds its secrets close and its hatred closer. They are not interested in Leslie's medicines and even less interested in letting Leslie near their people.
And to top off this unwelcome mat, Leslie's arrival in the town sparks further drama surrounding an angry local teenager and something bloody happening in the woods.
The circle tightens like a trap.
Don't go into this book with more background than that—the ride is worth it!
My quick personal thoughts: I found this novella near-flawless. Well written, obviously, but its true shining attributes were the characterizations of the characters (from Leslie all the way to the minor ones) and the nuanced balance between real horrors vs. supernatural ones. Such a great atmospheric ride. Dark topics with dark conclusions... however, without getting into spoilers, let's just say I enjoyed the ending very much and would call it a positive one.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
March 28, 2024
Lee Mandelo has perfected the art of the novella. I genuinely wish more publishers would bring them back.
Spooky, atmospheric, cathartic, satisfying, and deliciously, deliciously queer. It's got a creepy rural town, the dangers of religious fundamentalism, a glimpse at historical queer life, a trans m/m romance, and as you've probably already heard, some no holds barred monsterfucking. Mr Mandelo is truly One of Us.
That said, I would have liked if the final act went a little longer. Medyo bitin. And I wanted more time with the supernatural spookiness. Would love to see this author write a full blown novel again.
Spooky, atmospheric, cathartic, satisfying, and deliciously, deliciously queer. It's got a creepy rural town, the dangers of religious fundamentalism, a glimpse at historical queer life, a trans m/m romance, and as you've probably already heard, some no holds barred monsterfucking. Mr Mandelo is truly One of Us.
That said, I would have liked if the final act went a little longer. Medyo bitin. And I wanted more time with the supernatural spookiness. Would love to see this author write a full blown novel again.
December 6, 2023
the only thing I love more than vicious revenge is monsterfucking so this was always gonna be a winner winner chicken dinner
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2024
Alright, Lee Mandelo is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors.
December 4, 2023
Love some Appalachian horror! A great blend of scary and funny and sexy and violent. Although I don’t think this is quiiite perfect, I enjoy how Mandelo is always trying to DO something. More authors should go for it like he does!
December 14, 2023
finally some good transfag content
June 17, 2024
this was such a tense & compelling read that i really enjoyed - it's the first work i've actually read by lee mandelo (although Summer Sons has been on my list for like a year at this point) and i'll definitely be reading more by him! he does a really excellent job of blending the cloying horror of appalachian forests, the trauma of front-line nursing during world war 1, the 1920s queer experience, religious trauma, AND monsterfucking all into a punchy little novella that was EXACTLY MY SHIT.
just so good. i was immediately hooked by the setting and distinctive character voice, and mandelo does an excellent job of keeping the tension high throughout the story without things feeling too rushed. (although admittedly i would've loved to see more of leslie's backstory). there's a lot going on here and while a few plotlines seemed to fall by the wayside at times, overall it's a really impressive effort that succeeds 80% of the time. my only real complaint would be that i wanted more time for leslie and stevie's relationship to grow - i feel like that storyline would've benefited from a bit more space to breathe, but given the plot's time constraints i can see why the author went the direction he did. also lets be real, when you grow up in an abusive conservative town in the 1920s with no other queer people, you don't fuck around! you go for that bdsm relationship with the sexy older trans nurse when you get that opportunity!!
there was also graphic, enthusiastic, and gory monsterfucking and honestly i think every horror book could benefit from that so god bless lee mandelo for leading the charge.
just so good. i was immediately hooked by the setting and distinctive character voice, and mandelo does an excellent job of keeping the tension high throughout the story without things feeling too rushed. (although admittedly i would've loved to see more of leslie's backstory). there's a lot going on here and while a few plotlines seemed to fall by the wayside at times, overall it's a really impressive effort that succeeds 80% of the time. my only real complaint would be that i wanted more time for leslie and stevie's relationship to grow - i feel like that storyline would've benefited from a bit more space to breathe, but given the plot's time constraints i can see why the author went the direction he did. also lets be real, when you grow up in an abusive conservative town in the 1920s with no other queer people, you don't fuck around! you go for that bdsm relationship with the sexy older trans nurse when you get that opportunity!!
there was also graphic, enthusiastic, and gory monsterfucking and honestly i think every horror book could benefit from that so god bless lee mandelo for leading the charge.
did-not-finish
May 14, 2024Aaaaand I’m on page 12 and I think I’m going to DNF. :( A lot about The Woods All Black seems very cool, but there’s this moralizing tone hanging over the whole thing that doesn’t particularly work for me.
Interestingly, I thought the central conceit of this novella SHOULD have been the central conceit of Mandelo’s previous novella: the main character is trans and the third-person narration uses the correct pronouns, but the world around them does not—highlighting the incongruence between the character’s true gender and the world’s perception.
The thing is, with Mandelo’s previous novella, Feed Them Silence, my theory that this was happening emerged gradually, and it slowly recast the story in a new light. (Then I turned out to be wrong—apparently everyone just kept referring to the butch lesbian as profiting from male privilege??) In The Woods All Black, where Mandelo is doing this on purpose, there is Zero Subtlety. And there’s a time and place for books with Zero Subtlety, sure, but it’s not for me. Hence the DNF.
I could be convinced to keep going, since I’m not very far in, but I’m trying to be better about DNFing—and if I’m not jiving with the writing style on page 12, I doubt I’ll be jiving with it on page 200.
Interestingly, I thought the central conceit of this novella SHOULD have been the central conceit of Mandelo’s previous novella: the main character is trans and the third-person narration uses the correct pronouns, but the world around them does not—highlighting the incongruence between the character’s true gender and the world’s perception.
The thing is, with Mandelo’s previous novella, Feed Them Silence, my theory that this was happening emerged gradually, and it slowly recast the story in a new light. (Then I turned out to be wrong—apparently everyone just kept referring to the butch lesbian as profiting from male privilege??) In The Woods All Black, where Mandelo is doing this on purpose, there is Zero Subtlety. And there’s a time and place for books with Zero Subtlety, sure, but it’s not for me. Hence the DNF.
I could be convinced to keep going, since I’m not very far in, but I’m trying to be better about DNFing—and if I’m not jiving with the writing style on page 12, I doubt I’ll be jiving with it on page 200.
December 4, 2024
[ nothing i write here will capture how i feel about this book ♡ ]
i went into this book pretty blind, picking it up only because i’d been waiting a while for the author’s next book! my all time favourite book is summer sons, and while this one is wildly different it still hits the same ♡ it’s dark, and horror, and very frustrating because we have two beautiful trans babies trying to ~exist~ in a small religious-fervoured town - one a visiting nurse, the other a local.
i love leslie & i love stevie and i love every part of the way they love their own bodies and deal with the bullshit until they’re not able to anymore
i went into this book pretty blind, picking it up only because i’d been waiting a while for the author’s next book! my all time favourite book is summer sons, and while this one is wildly different it still hits the same ♡ it’s dark, and horror, and very frustrating because we have two beautiful trans babies trying to ~exist~ in a small religious-fervoured town - one a visiting nurse, the other a local.
i love leslie & i love stevie and i love every part of the way they love their own bodies and deal with the bullshit until they’re not able to anymore
April 7, 2024
Honestly so disappointed in this one. It should have been a DNF but the short length kept me from putting it down. However, I never once had a desire to pick this book up. I didn't resonate with Mandelo's writing. The historical setting is also a red flag for me as I don't often enjoy reading from books with this element, but I kept reading on, hoping for more from the book.
The writing was a miss for me. It is somewhere between too dense and pretentiously wordy. It didn't feel like a book written from someone with a passion for wordsmithing as much as it felt like it was written by someone who needs you to know that they know fancy words.
My second issue was with the tone of the book. It goes for 90% of the book with this dark atmosphere and slow, steady tension. Then, at the end, throws it all away to become something monstrously different. I mean, if they wanted to write Werewolf smut just write Werewolf smut, but to spend most of the book thinking it was going to build to this dark, cerebral revelation and then have it turn out to be such a simple, overused trope was disappointing.
Overall, I can see how this book offers much needed visibility to the Trans community, but it didn't resonate with me at all. It had good intentions and setup, but the execution missed the mark. I wouldn't personally recommend.
The writing was a miss for me. It is somewhere between too dense and pretentiously wordy. It didn't feel like a book written from someone with a passion for wordsmithing as much as it felt like it was written by someone who needs you to know that they know fancy words.
My second issue was with the tone of the book. It goes for 90% of the book with this dark atmosphere and slow, steady tension. Then, at the end, throws it all away to become something monstrously different. I mean, if they wanted to write Werewolf smut just write Werewolf smut, but to spend most of the book thinking it was going to build to this dark, cerebral revelation and then have it turn out to be such a simple, overused trope was disappointing.
Overall, I can see how this book offers much needed visibility to the Trans community, but it didn't resonate with me at all. It had good intentions and setup, but the execution missed the mark. I wouldn't personally recommend.
June 9, 2024
Part small-town historical horror, part erotic trans romance, The Woods All Black is a short yet incredibly powerful novella that feels like one big fucking rage against the machine.
Through the eyes of trans frontier nurse Leslie Bruin, we are transported back to a small town teeming with extremist religious bigotry in 1920s Appalachia. By leaning into his more feminine assets, Leslie can just barely manage to escape too much scrutiny from the vicious pastor and prejudiced townspeople. That is, until he crosses paths with another young trans man who is pushed into marriage and ‘proper’ gender roles, and then all hell breaks loose.
Now, I absolutely adored Mandelo’s debut Summer Sons, and while that is probably still my favourite work by him, I think it is exceptionally cool to see how he has grown and evolved as a storyteller and writer. This novella packs a lot of weighty subject matter in just a few pages, and in the hands of a lesser author it could so easily have crashed and burned, but Mandelo handled and executed it all with effortless grace.
Seriously, the genderfuckery in The Woods All Black is unmatched, just… chef’s kiss. Leslie immediately captured my heart in the very first chapter, and I think his resilience, rebellious and snarky sarcasm, and strong sense of self really carried me through the more harrowing, delirious, and monstrous parts of this story.
And sweet baby jesus, do things get monstrous, on both a human and a supernatural level. I mean, if you’d have told me beforehand that I would end up adoring a story with monster erotica, I would have burst out laughing in disbelief, but here we are. The dynamic between Stevie and Leslie kept me in a chokehold, and I loved the exploration of gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis in their unconventional yet heartwarming romance.
I do have to say that the pacing was a bit rocky for me, with too much of the power and meat of this novella lying in the final few chapters, but at the same time that only made the brutal ending more intense. And then add to that an utterly satisfying and hopeful epilogue, making this an absolute banger of a novella.
If you are looking for a short but absolutely unforgettable romantic horror novella that takes you on a revenge journey unlike you have ever experienced before, I can’t recommend The Woods All Black highly enough. It’s dark yet hopeful, it’s dirty yet beautiful, it’s angry yet tender, and most of all, it is just so god damned gloriously queer; I loved it!
Through the eyes of trans frontier nurse Leslie Bruin, we are transported back to a small town teeming with extremist religious bigotry in 1920s Appalachia. By leaning into his more feminine assets, Leslie can just barely manage to escape too much scrutiny from the vicious pastor and prejudiced townspeople. That is, until he crosses paths with another young trans man who is pushed into marriage and ‘proper’ gender roles, and then all hell breaks loose.
Now, I absolutely adored Mandelo’s debut Summer Sons, and while that is probably still my favourite work by him, I think it is exceptionally cool to see how he has grown and evolved as a storyteller and writer. This novella packs a lot of weighty subject matter in just a few pages, and in the hands of a lesser author it could so easily have crashed and burned, but Mandelo handled and executed it all with effortless grace.
Seriously, the genderfuckery in The Woods All Black is unmatched, just… chef’s kiss. Leslie immediately captured my heart in the very first chapter, and I think his resilience, rebellious and snarky sarcasm, and strong sense of self really carried me through the more harrowing, delirious, and monstrous parts of this story.
And sweet baby jesus, do things get monstrous, on both a human and a supernatural level. I mean, if you’d have told me beforehand that I would end up adoring a story with monster erotica, I would have burst out laughing in disbelief, but here we are. The dynamic between Stevie and Leslie kept me in a chokehold, and I loved the exploration of gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis in their unconventional yet heartwarming romance.
I do have to say that the pacing was a bit rocky for me, with too much of the power and meat of this novella lying in the final few chapters, but at the same time that only made the brutal ending more intense. And then add to that an utterly satisfying and hopeful epilogue, making this an absolute banger of a novella.
If you are looking for a short but absolutely unforgettable romantic horror novella that takes you on a revenge journey unlike you have ever experienced before, I can’t recommend The Woods All Black highly enough. It’s dark yet hopeful, it’s dirty yet beautiful, it’s angry yet tender, and most of all, it is just so god damned gloriously queer; I loved it!
January 7, 2024
Because of Lee Mandelo’s immersive writing style, I was able to place myself in “The Woods All Black”. I repeatedly said to myself, “This isn’t going to end well.” and “Run. Get out of there!” It’s best to go into the story blind and let the story unfold as it happens. For this novella, my emotions ran the gamut from sadness, disgust, anger, shock to elation. Read if you like queer horror. Thanks to Tordotcom Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.
January 7, 2024
Nope. Nuh-uh. No way. WTF did I just subject myself to?!?!
I was ok with the queerness and with it being set in backwoods Appalachia, but the monster porn? Yeah, no. That was a genre line I was not expecting to cross.
... My 2024 reading year is NOT off to a good start you guys...
I was ok with the queerness and with it being set in backwoods Appalachia, but the monster porn? Yeah, no. That was a genre line I was not expecting to cross.
... My 2024 reading year is NOT off to a good start you guys...
October 22, 2024
In the years after World War I, Leslie Bruin works for the Frontier Nursing Service. He goes around the countryside of Kentucky helping mothers gives birth, vaccinating populace, and educating about health. Undercover, he also gives out things like condoms and other things deemed immoral by the FNS. Leslie is also an "invert," that is a he/him butch, in our terms. Originally, "invert" or "inversion" referred specifically to gay men and lesbian women, and was used by sexologists such as Richard von Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis to describe a possible origin of homosexuality. It was later popularized by the lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall.
However, Lee Mandelo's usage of "invert" here isn't quite as nailed-down as the way von Krafft-Ebing, Ellis, and Hall used it, and Leslie is not simply a he/him lesbian. Before reading the book, I had the pleasure of meeting Mandelo again in person when he came to Louisville to give a talk about The Woods All Black. He describes the story as T4T between a he/him butch who isn't totally not a woman and a gay trans man. Leslie himself definitely feels "mannish," but not totally a woman. He also doesn't solely desire women. As the interview between Heather Findlay and Jewelle Gomez in Femme: Feminists, Lesbians and Bad Girls stated, there are plenty of butches who have slept with men and continue to. Not all butches are lesbian. That was fascinating to learn!
Anyway, Leslie is assigned to the small township of Spar Creek in eastern Kentucky. There, everyone is judgmental towards his presence and gender presentation, especially Ames Holladay, the local preacher. While there, Leslie runs into a enigmatic yet rebellious young man named Stevie Mattingly, whom the townsfolk force and expect to live as a woman. Leslie becomes worried for the young man, feeling a kindred spirit. However, it's not just Stevie's situation and the closemindedness of the townsfolk that has Leslie worried. Something is in the woods, stalking the town at night. It is vicious and hungry. But so are Leslie and Stevie.
This was a nice short, read from Mandelo, especially during Halloween month 2024. Not as strong as Summer Sons or Feed Them Silence, but still a good read. AS always, Mandelo's prose is atmospheric and psychological and it gives us a good apparatus to delve into Leslie's psyche and perspective. Leslie is smart and noble character, though he does have a vulnerable side. He always tries to do the right thing, even in the face of all this judgement. He is a nurse, dammit, and he will do what he can to save his patients; but the townsfolk won't always let him. That being said, there is one part of Leslie's character that I wish was more fleshed out. Obviously, The Woods All Black has a theme of religious fundamentalism and its prejudices against trans, gender non-conforming, and queer people. This is especially key in Stevie's arc. However, from what we read, it seems that Leslie already dislikes religious folk and seems to be a skeptic. I would've just like to know why. Did the horrors of the war make him disbelieve? Did he just never grow up with religion? Has he been the target of discrimination by religious folk (I mean, probably). I just wish this would've been explored a bit more.
Stevie was also an interesting character, and my favorite! He is a gay trans man whose constant gender defiance irks the town. They keep trying to force him to get married to a man to be "corrected" but he never stops fighting back. I love his unceasing will to never back down and to always bite back...sometimes literally. We don't get Stevie's perspective as he's not as present at the novella's beginning, but when he comes into focus he makes quite a splash. The way he takes vengeance on those who wronged him is amazing and cathartic. Can't reveal too much because of spoilers! However, after the big reveal, I would've liked to have seen him take more vengeance.
This a short read, so the pacing is quite quick. I don't think it would've hurt if it was a bit slower, but there's nothing wrong with how it is. I do feel that the main antagonist was bit one note, but nonetheless his presence as the main enemy was adequately served. I will say that I applaud how Mandelo revealed, or rather inferred, the presence of the creature. Slightly Lovecraftian, perhaps unintentionally, that doesn't waste its time giving some unneedlessly long explanation. Sometimes in horror, the main supernatural threat doesn't need a grandiose explanation. Sometimes it can be vague and mysterious.
The Woods All Black is a story of queer and trans defiance and survival and an apotheosis of the more feral sides of themselves, especially in the face of danger that can kill them. It's a short story about growing your teeth and finally taking a bite.
However, Lee Mandelo's usage of "invert" here isn't quite as nailed-down as the way von Krafft-Ebing, Ellis, and Hall used it, and Leslie is not simply a he/him lesbian. Before reading the book, I had the pleasure of meeting Mandelo again in person when he came to Louisville to give a talk about The Woods All Black. He describes the story as T4T between a he/him butch who isn't totally not a woman and a gay trans man. Leslie himself definitely feels "mannish," but not totally a woman. He also doesn't solely desire women. As the interview between Heather Findlay and Jewelle Gomez in Femme: Feminists, Lesbians and Bad Girls stated, there are plenty of butches who have slept with men and continue to. Not all butches are lesbian. That was fascinating to learn!
Anyway, Leslie is assigned to the small township of Spar Creek in eastern Kentucky. There, everyone is judgmental towards his presence and gender presentation, especially Ames Holladay, the local preacher. While there, Leslie runs into a enigmatic yet rebellious young man named Stevie Mattingly, whom the townsfolk force and expect to live as a woman. Leslie becomes worried for the young man, feeling a kindred spirit. However, it's not just Stevie's situation and the closemindedness of the townsfolk that has Leslie worried. Something is in the woods, stalking the town at night. It is vicious and hungry. But so are Leslie and Stevie.
This was a nice short, read from Mandelo, especially during Halloween month 2024. Not as strong as Summer Sons or Feed Them Silence, but still a good read. AS always, Mandelo's prose is atmospheric and psychological and it gives us a good apparatus to delve into Leslie's psyche and perspective. Leslie is smart and noble character, though he does have a vulnerable side. He always tries to do the right thing, even in the face of all this judgement. He is a nurse, dammit, and he will do what he can to save his patients; but the townsfolk won't always let him. That being said, there is one part of Leslie's character that I wish was more fleshed out. Obviously, The Woods All Black has a theme of religious fundamentalism and its prejudices against trans, gender non-conforming, and queer people. This is especially key in Stevie's arc. However, from what we read, it seems that Leslie already dislikes religious folk and seems to be a skeptic. I would've just like to know why. Did the horrors of the war make him disbelieve? Did he just never grow up with religion? Has he been the target of discrimination by religious folk (I mean, probably). I just wish this would've been explored a bit more.
Stevie was also an interesting character, and my favorite! He is a gay trans man whose constant gender defiance irks the town. They keep trying to force him to get married to a man to be "corrected" but he never stops fighting back. I love his unceasing will to never back down and to always bite back...sometimes literally. We don't get Stevie's perspective as he's not as present at the novella's beginning, but when he comes into focus he makes quite a splash. The way he takes vengeance on those who wronged him is amazing and cathartic. Can't reveal too much because of spoilers! However, after the big reveal, I would've liked to have seen him take more vengeance.
This a short read, so the pacing is quite quick. I don't think it would've hurt if it was a bit slower, but there's nothing wrong with how it is. I do feel that the main antagonist was bit one note, but nonetheless his presence as the main enemy was adequately served. I will say that I applaud how Mandelo revealed, or rather inferred, the presence of the creature. Slightly Lovecraftian, perhaps unintentionally, that doesn't waste its time giving some unneedlessly long explanation. Sometimes in horror, the main supernatural threat doesn't need a grandiose explanation. Sometimes it can be vague and mysterious.
The Woods All Black is a story of queer and trans defiance and survival and an apotheosis of the more feral sides of themselves, especially in the face of danger that can kill them. It's a short story about growing your teeth and finally taking a bite.
March 31, 2024
ive got a lot of thoughts on this that my poor wife has had to hear too much of but i dunno if i can bring myself to type em all out. ill just say im extremely disappointed after loving 'feed them silence' as much as i did and that this feels like a real step back in writing for the author. so much of the writing was very repetitive (there were several phrases that were repeated so often that any time i came to another one i rolled my eyes). the entire thing felt quite immature (especially with how much it loved to throw 'fuck' around - i use the word 'fuck' daily but it felt so forced and repetitive in this novella) and the main character, leslie, was extremely annoying at times (i really detested how he immediately projects certain things onto stevie + how presumptuous he is in thinking he's going to "save" stevie from his hometown).
i hadn't realized how much of this was a romance - if i had, i likely wouldn't have picked it up. but even if i had wanted that, this romance is written so poorly with one character being barely explored outside of what the main character projects onto him. who is stevie outside of his one-note anger? i also deeply disliked the age gap and how leslie takes to calling stevie "his boy" constantly after they fuck the first time. i just didn't buy that stevie cared about leslie in any real way (because they barely talked to each other! they didn't know shit about each other! it was almost entirely lust that drew them together but they're talking marriage at the end even though they haven't known each other for longer than a week!) and it made the ending portion almost unbearable.
in the end, i felt like i was sold something entirely different from what was actually delivered and i regret getting my hopes up so high for this one. for anyone looking for horror, that is barely in this book and is mostly brushed over so we can have monsterfucking. im a monsterfucker myself, but i prefer knowing that'll be happening going into a book so i dont get my hopes up super high for a compelling story. there really is almost no horror here, and the plot drags for something so short. the characters aren't great and neither is the romance. there's a lot of standing around and waiting for the plot to happen, which it only does in the last 10%. i could see some people appreciating the historical aspect of it, but that's about it. maybe if someone goes in knowing this is a romance they'll have a better time of it, but i doubt it.
i hadn't realized how much of this was a romance - if i had, i likely wouldn't have picked it up. but even if i had wanted that, this romance is written so poorly with one character being barely explored outside of what the main character projects onto him. who is stevie outside of his one-note anger? i also deeply disliked the age gap and how leslie takes to calling stevie "his boy" constantly after they fuck the first time. i just didn't buy that stevie cared about leslie in any real way (because they barely talked to each other! they didn't know shit about each other! it was almost entirely lust that drew them together but they're talking marriage at the end even though they haven't known each other for longer than a week!) and it made the ending portion almost unbearable.
in the end, i felt like i was sold something entirely different from what was actually delivered and i regret getting my hopes up so high for this one. for anyone looking for horror, that is barely in this book and is mostly brushed over so we can have monsterfucking. im a monsterfucker myself, but i prefer knowing that'll be happening going into a book so i dont get my hopes up super high for a compelling story. there really is almost no horror here, and the plot drags for something so short. the characters aren't great and neither is the romance. there's a lot of standing around and waiting for the plot to happen, which it only does in the last 10%. i could see some people appreciating the historical aspect of it, but that's about it. maybe if someone goes in knowing this is a romance they'll have a better time of it, but i doubt it.
August 18, 2024
I was expecting a lot from this book, but monster erotica involving a shadowy forest creature with a shape shifting dick, I will admit, was a punch to the gut from left field.
This is the third book I’ve read from Lee Mandelo, and it might actually be my favorite. This is a 1920s Appalachian horror novella taking place in a small god fearing town. We follow Leslie, a genderqueer nurse from the city who is called in to inoculate the town and perform any midwife duties needed. Upon arrival he is met with hostility from the residents and their reverend who view him as a “failed woman” due to his unmarried working status and propensity for wearing pants. Leslie is eager to complete his duties and get out of dodge. That is until he meets Stevie, someone who he thinks might be like him. And who is currently at the center of malicious attention of the entire town who are trying to squash him into their mold. Leslie can’t resist trying to help Stevie, even if it means he gets caught in the crossfire.
I was honestly enraptured from page one. I liked how the horror leaned more into the cultishness of small towns and the unsettling nature of their righteous eyes and gossip. And I loved Leslie’s background as a nurse on the western front. I often find that authors tend to shy away from WWI and the immense impact it had on Americans, so it was really refreshing to encounter a character who is struggling with the lasting effects of that experience. The exploration and depictions of queerness and gender were just *chef’s kiss*.
I give Mandelo extra points for including a bibliography at the end. I love when authors provide a list of sources they consulted for research on their book. Not only is it a great reading list for me to choose from, but it’s also a nice nod to the historians who dedicated years to compiling the research.
This is the third book I’ve read from Lee Mandelo, and it might actually be my favorite. This is a 1920s Appalachian horror novella taking place in a small god fearing town. We follow Leslie, a genderqueer nurse from the city who is called in to inoculate the town and perform any midwife duties needed. Upon arrival he is met with hostility from the residents and their reverend who view him as a “failed woman” due to his unmarried working status and propensity for wearing pants. Leslie is eager to complete his duties and get out of dodge. That is until he meets Stevie, someone who he thinks might be like him. And who is currently at the center of malicious attention of the entire town who are trying to squash him into their mold. Leslie can’t resist trying to help Stevie, even if it means he gets caught in the crossfire.
I was honestly enraptured from page one. I liked how the horror leaned more into the cultishness of small towns and the unsettling nature of their righteous eyes and gossip. And I loved Leslie’s background as a nurse on the western front. I often find that authors tend to shy away from WWI and the immense impact it had on Americans, so it was really refreshing to encounter a character who is struggling with the lasting effects of that experience. The exploration and depictions of queerness and gender were just *chef’s kiss*.
I give Mandelo extra points for including a bibliography at the end. I love when authors provide a list of sources they consulted for research on their book. Not only is it a great reading list for me to choose from, but it’s also a nice nod to the historians who dedicated years to compiling the research.
March 20, 2024
To say this has an unexpected element in it would be an.. understatement. Hoo-wee.
Ahem.
So I accidentally went from one WW1 book to another but other than both featuring nurses who had worked on the front lines, and dealt with things few can even imagine, that's really where the similarities end. Because this quickly gets.. uncomfortable. Eerie. Claustrophobic. And, well, all sorts of phobic. This has that small-town bigot patriarchal religious zeal vibe going for it in spades and even in novella form it's a lot. It also, not surprisingly, smashes itself up against the painful realities of what reproductive care and education looked like (and that, somehow, in some places, we're stupidly reverting to these days.. insert silent rage-filled scream here). But then, just when you're sitting there seething, fuming, frustrated, things get.. weird. And that's where I'll leave you.
If you like dark fantastical horror revenge stories, and very queer ones at that, you should definitely give this a go.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Ahem.
So I accidentally went from one WW1 book to another but other than both featuring nurses who had worked on the front lines, and dealt with things few can even imagine, that's really where the similarities end. Because this quickly gets.. uncomfortable. Eerie. Claustrophobic. And, well, all sorts of phobic. This has that small-town bigot patriarchal religious zeal vibe going for it in spades and even in novella form it's a lot. It also, not surprisingly, smashes itself up against the painful realities of what reproductive care and education looked like (and that, somehow, in some places, we're stupidly reverting to these days.. insert silent rage-filled scream here). But then, just when you're sitting there seething, fuming, frustrated, things get.. weird. And that's where I'll leave you.
If you like dark fantastical horror revenge stories, and very queer ones at that, you should definitely give this a go.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
January 6, 2025
Excellent, great trans masc author writing trans masc leads.
“The queerly willful creatures of the world had only one another to rely on.”
Definitely recommend, but I wish the age gap was smaller and/or the characters had a couple more conversations, so it was more of a 4 than a 5 for me.
I had known and liked Summer Sons and went into this without knowing much about it, so there were certainly some surprises. Definitely built tension with the religious fervor and hostility, and the rumor of a monstrous presence lurking in the woods.
“The queerly willful creatures of the world had only one another to rely on.”
Definitely recommend, but I wish the age gap was smaller and/or the characters had a couple more conversations, so it was more of a 4 than a 5 for me.
I had known and liked Summer Sons and went into this without knowing much about it, so there were certainly some surprises. Definitely built tension with the religious fervor and hostility, and the rumor of a monstrous presence lurking in the woods.
October 20, 2025
W.T.F.
If you’re into tortured wording and phalluses “made to order” this might be for you. If that last bit piqued your interest, hang on til the end….
If you’re into tortured wording and phalluses “made to order” this might be for you. If that last bit piqued your interest, hang on til the end….
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