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The Coiled Serpent
"One of the most startlingly original writers we’ve got." —A K Blakemore, Guardian
A little girl throws up Gloria-Jean’s teeth after an explosion at the custard factory; Pax, Alexander, and Angelo are hypnotically enthralled by a book that promises them enlightenment if they keep their semen inside their bodies; Victoria is sent to a cursed hotel for ailing girls when her period mysteriously stops. In a damp, putrid spa, the exploitative drudgery of work sparks revolt; in a Margate museum, the new Director curates a venomous garden for public consumption.
In Grudova’s unforgettably surreal style, these stories expose the absurdities behind contemporary ideas of work, Britishness and art-making, to conjure a singular, startling strangeness that proves the deft skill of a writer at the top of her game.
A little girl throws up Gloria-Jean’s teeth after an explosion at the custard factory; Pax, Alexander, and Angelo are hypnotically enthralled by a book that promises them enlightenment if they keep their semen inside their bodies; Victoria is sent to a cursed hotel for ailing girls when her period mysteriously stops. In a damp, putrid spa, the exploitative drudgery of work sparks revolt; in a Margate museum, the new Director curates a venomous garden for public consumption.
In Grudova’s unforgettably surreal style, these stories expose the absurdities behind contemporary ideas of work, Britishness and art-making, to conjure a singular, startling strangeness that proves the deft skill of a writer at the top of her game.
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2023
57 people are currently reading
2215 people want to read
About the author
Camilla Grudova
22 books177 followersCamilla Grudova lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. She holds a degree in art history and German from McGill University, Montreal. Her fiction has appeared in the White Review and Granta.
Grudova originally posted stories on her Tumblr blog before being spotted by an editor from The White Review.
Her story, "Waxy" (Granta 136), was nominated for a British Fantasy Award for short fiction and won the Shirley Jackson Award for best novelette.
Grudova originally posted stories on her Tumblr blog before being spotted by an editor from The White Review.
Her story, "Waxy" (Granta 136), was nominated for a British Fantasy Award for short fiction and won the Shirley Jackson Award for best novelette.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
August 19, 2023
Camilla Grudova’s stories draw on personal anxieties and impressions of life in contemporary Britain. A place that provides ample fuel for nightmarish fiction. Like Grudova’s earlier work, these pieces trade in the visceral and macabre. Her particular form of body gothic has a heightened visual quality - the verbal equivalent of shock art or the paintings of outsider artists. Grudova’s talked about failed ambitions to write children’s books but this collection, with its numerous references to custard creams, Rupert Bear and Ovaltine, often seems to echo the landscapes of vintage children’s literature. But her characters are grappling with trauma or rage or both, a parade of murderous women, disturbed children and sadistic men.
Grudova’s Britain is a blood-soaked nursery governed by imperious nannies or a snot-filled, boarding-school that serves as a breeding-ground for an anachronistic class system. A system highlighted in entries like “Madame Flora” which revisits the domestic gothic of key influences like Barbara Comyns’ particularly her novel The Vet’s Daughter. It’s an interesting companion piece to the Hitchcock-inspired “Ivor” set in a boys’ public school where pupils never leave, just grow older, more raddled and more depraved. Her Britain’s overrun with misplaced nostalgia, littered with images of empire and relics of supposedly “better” days. Its history is steeped in perversity, suggested via Grudova’s retelling of the experiences of the working-class, Victorian girls ruthlessly exploited by male, pre-Raphaelite artists.
Some pieces play out in fantasy or alternative worlds, like the monster-inhabited “Hoo Hoo” with its unsettling, post-apocalyptic flavour. Others like “The Poison Garden” explicitly comment on contemporary society, based in rapidly-gentrifying Margate it features a male character who masks deep-seated misogyny behind a façade composed of left-leaning politics and literary pretensions. “Avalon” and “The Apartment” revisit themes from Grudova’s Children of Paradise: grasping landlords and decaying flats; consumerism; the abuse of workers by indifferent employers and the plight of the precariat under capitalism; as does “The Surrogates” with its exploration of cultural snobbery, and the treatment of marginalised, Eastern European workers. Grudova’s curious title piece is an oblique examination of conspiracy theories and obscure online communities, here presented through her version of the practices of real-life followers of a philosophy put forward by C. J. Van Vliet in his 1939 The Coiled Serpent. Van Vliet urged men to practice celibacy and semen retention as a pathway to spiritual peace and worldly prosperity, ideas now enthusiastically promoted via YouTube videos and dedicated Reddit forums.
Grudova continues to delight in the transgressive, her collection’s filled with lovingly-detailed descriptions of oozing, festering, stinking bodies, pumping out streams of waste. Although, I found the effect less striking than before, reading these close together felt a bit like reading Sade, the accumulation of the repulsive and the degenerate numbs more than it startles – whether that’s intentional or not I couldn’t tell. I still admire Camilla Grudova’s commitment to politically-charged, body horror but unlike The Doll’s Alphabet there’s a lot here that seems rushed or slightly undercooked.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Atlantic for an ARC
Rating: 3 to 3.5
Grudova’s Britain is a blood-soaked nursery governed by imperious nannies or a snot-filled, boarding-school that serves as a breeding-ground for an anachronistic class system. A system highlighted in entries like “Madame Flora” which revisits the domestic gothic of key influences like Barbara Comyns’ particularly her novel The Vet’s Daughter. It’s an interesting companion piece to the Hitchcock-inspired “Ivor” set in a boys’ public school where pupils never leave, just grow older, more raddled and more depraved. Her Britain’s overrun with misplaced nostalgia, littered with images of empire and relics of supposedly “better” days. Its history is steeped in perversity, suggested via Grudova’s retelling of the experiences of the working-class, Victorian girls ruthlessly exploited by male, pre-Raphaelite artists.
Some pieces play out in fantasy or alternative worlds, like the monster-inhabited “Hoo Hoo” with its unsettling, post-apocalyptic flavour. Others like “The Poison Garden” explicitly comment on contemporary society, based in rapidly-gentrifying Margate it features a male character who masks deep-seated misogyny behind a façade composed of left-leaning politics and literary pretensions. “Avalon” and “The Apartment” revisit themes from Grudova’s Children of Paradise: grasping landlords and decaying flats; consumerism; the abuse of workers by indifferent employers and the plight of the precariat under capitalism; as does “The Surrogates” with its exploration of cultural snobbery, and the treatment of marginalised, Eastern European workers. Grudova’s curious title piece is an oblique examination of conspiracy theories and obscure online communities, here presented through her version of the practices of real-life followers of a philosophy put forward by C. J. Van Vliet in his 1939 The Coiled Serpent. Van Vliet urged men to practice celibacy and semen retention as a pathway to spiritual peace and worldly prosperity, ideas now enthusiastically promoted via YouTube videos and dedicated Reddit forums.
Grudova continues to delight in the transgressive, her collection’s filled with lovingly-detailed descriptions of oozing, festering, stinking bodies, pumping out streams of waste. Although, I found the effect less striking than before, reading these close together felt a bit like reading Sade, the accumulation of the repulsive and the degenerate numbs more than it startles – whether that’s intentional or not I couldn’t tell. I still admire Camilla Grudova’s commitment to politically-charged, body horror but unlike The Doll’s Alphabet there’s a lot here that seems rushed or slightly undercooked.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Atlantic for an ARC
Rating: 3 to 3.5
September 23, 2023
Camilla Grudova's The Coiled Serpent is a collection of enchantingly bizarre short stories that encompass horror, dystopia and gothic fiction.
Each story stands alone, linked to the others only by a handful of recurring motifs - such as custard, boarding school, eggs, the colour green and Rupert Bear - which have a central role in some stories and are mentioned in passing in others. Like all the best horror, much of Grudova's writing is an arched commentary on contemporary society, exploring themes such as misogyny and the plight of the working poor.
Each story in the collection juxtaposes the utterly mundane and the fantastical, used to marvellous effect in Ivor, which takes the tropes of a vintage school story and plays with them with hilarious, horrifying results. Many are unsettling but are described with a light, whimsical touch; others have all the visceral gore, body horror and offhand violence of a splatter picture. I found the former much more enjoyable, though admittedly that is very much a personal preference.
I found Grudova's writing to be sharp, witty and irreverent, and I will certainly be seeking out her previous work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
Each story stands alone, linked to the others only by a handful of recurring motifs - such as custard, boarding school, eggs, the colour green and Rupert Bear - which have a central role in some stories and are mentioned in passing in others. Like all the best horror, much of Grudova's writing is an arched commentary on contemporary society, exploring themes such as misogyny and the plight of the working poor.
Each story in the collection juxtaposes the utterly mundane and the fantastical, used to marvellous effect in Ivor, which takes the tropes of a vintage school story and plays with them with hilarious, horrifying results. Many are unsettling but are described with a light, whimsical touch; others have all the visceral gore, body horror and offhand violence of a splatter picture. I found the former much more enjoyable, though admittedly that is very much a personal preference.
I found Grudova's writing to be sharp, witty and irreverent, and I will certainly be seeking out her previous work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
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September 11, 2024Unfortunately, I am calling it quits with this book about 25% of the way through.
I am typically a fan of short, weird, and gross things, but none of the stories in here so far have made me feel anything. The writing is very simplistic, and I find myself having a difficult time connecting to what is happening. It reads like "This person did this, and then this other thing happened, and then I did this." In addition, the endings to each story seemed abrupt, and I felt like the stories were never fully built out. Just a collection of half-developed concepts.
It feels like the author was more focused on being disgusting (I think every story mentions poop for no reason) for shock value, rather than creating a strong and cohesive plot. After not enjoying the first few stories, and my final thoughts with most being 'huh?' I think I need to admit that this author's style is just not for me.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy body horror, weird speculative fiction, easy to digest writing, and short stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for providing me with an electronic copy of this book to review.
I am typically a fan of short, weird, and gross things, but none of the stories in here so far have made me feel anything. The writing is very simplistic, and I find myself having a difficult time connecting to what is happening. It reads like "This person did this, and then this other thing happened, and then I did this." In addition, the endings to each story seemed abrupt, and I felt like the stories were never fully built out. Just a collection of half-developed concepts.
It feels like the author was more focused on being disgusting (I think every story mentions poop for no reason) for shock value, rather than creating a strong and cohesive plot. After not enjoying the first few stories, and my final thoughts with most being 'huh?' I think I need to admit that this author's style is just not for me.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy body horror, weird speculative fiction, easy to digest writing, and short stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for providing me with an electronic copy of this book to review.
October 25, 2023
A really solid collection exploring the gruesome and the weird side of horror. Definitely enjoyed some more than others but the ones I enjoyed I thought were really skillful and well written - Grudova seems to have mastered the art of gross horror and turning people and spaces which make us squirm into something we fear through her nuance and use of the uncanny. I think I would want to see a full length novel from her next as I vibe with novels a lot more but this collection was still really great.
March 7, 2024
A bunch of gripping twisted body horror stories generally obsessed with bodily fluids, school stories, Ovaltine, and the festering and the rotting. All well done, making subtle political points but very often it seemed like the same theme/story and I was going to give it three stars, but then I read ‘The Custard Factory’ (I don’t read in order) one night after I came home from a pub crawl followed by a long card game with drinks and it seemed perfect, a 5 star experience, every word in the right place. Could be nostalgia (custard), could be drunkenness. I’m scared to go back and re-read in case I spoil the lingering feeling.
September 23, 2024
This collection of short stories is written to gross you out. If you like Mariana Enríquez's work, particularly The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, you might enjoy this. Unfortunately, I find these stories too disjointed to leave an impression. They have tons of disgusting imagery but offer nothing beyond that.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Unnamed Press for a free review copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Unnamed Press for a free review copy.
October 17, 2024
Well, I’ve got to be honest with this one- I didn’t get along with it. The writing style, the stories, the whole nine yards, it wasn’t for me. Each story felt too weighty, like it was trying to convey something that I just couldn’t get...that’s on me.
Horror short stories- I felt this would’ve been better marketed as a speculative fiction collection, it just sits better as that. Maybe I’ve been too used to reading unhinged stuff because I felt like I wanted to go find some excitement while reading it, never a good sign!
I didn’t really feel anything for the stories, I perhaps should’ve just DNF’d early on, but seeing as it was an arc, I felt I owed it to the author to review like any other ARC.
Horror short stories- I felt this would’ve been better marketed as a speculative fiction collection, it just sits better as that. Maybe I’ve been too used to reading unhinged stuff because I felt like I wanted to go find some excitement while reading it, never a good sign!
I didn’t really feel anything for the stories, I perhaps should’ve just DNF’d early on, but seeing as it was an arc, I felt I owed it to the author to review like any other ARC.
October 10, 2024
thank you NetGalley & unnamed press for providing me a copy of this book in return for an honest review ❤️
this review has taken me 3 days to write. it was originally 2k words. bear with me.
this novel is insanely hard to describe, not only because it is a collection of short stories where i have vastly different opinions on each, but because this is bonkers. i think to enjoy this you need to go in with an open mind, and be aware no topics are off-limits for grudova.
overall, this is quite a unique compilation of stories. the stories often stuck with me after reading them, and i was left pondering them. i also think (for me at least), this is a sleeper hit. i’ll be honest and say i wasnt enjoying this novel until about 7 stories in, and there are 16 total, so it took me a bit to get into this book.
my biggest gripes with this book are that there feels like there’s no link between stories in terms of themes or tone. also this book CONSTANTLY mentions poop. i think i counted it up and like half of the stories mention poop in explicit detail. I KEPT A POOP COUNTER WHILST READING THIS. i was losing it. finally, the endings of each story seem like the story was cut. the endings most of the time felt like there was zero conclusion which annoyed me endlessly.
i think its best if i break down my thoughts per each story, as some of these i couldn’t stand (simply due to personal preference), whereas some i adored.
through ceilings & walls:in my opinion, this was the worst story to start the book off. compared to all the others, it felt flat, low in horror, and wasn't interesting at all. my third least-fav.
ivor: this story stuck with me for a while after reading it. it didn't raise my expectations for the collection, but i will say i did like it. but, i felt the horror elements were missing, and honestly this story had me on the fence whether i actually enjoyed it, or just had fun compared to the first story. my third favourite overall.
description and history of a british swimming pool/banya banya!: the poop bit started wearing me down at this point. i felt like this story was just aiming to be gross just for the sake of it, and felt like there were no connections between any points, and things were just being said because “oh yeah that sounds bananas”. 10/16 for me.
the custard factory:here i REALLY was getting worn down with this book. yet again, more explicit poop explanations, random things going on just for randomness, and i was not having fun. like this felt like it was gross just to be gross. this is 11/16 for me.
the green hat:here is my favourite story. i cannot rave about this one enough! i think honestly at this point if this story didnt exist i would have dreaded reading the rest of this. but GOD i loved this! the allusion towards real-life uranium girls, and the commentary of capitalism, plus some actual good-ol fashioned horror?
a novel (or a poem) about fan, aged 11 years or the zoo:i enjoyed this one! it kind of felt like it was reverting to just being crude and not horror, but i dig the themes of exploitation, and this story made sense. overall i’d say this is 7/16 in ranking for me.
mr elephant:i’ll be candid here. i dont know what was going on here. i cant even say i hated this because there was no story. it just felt like this was a full novel and this was a section isolated, because nothing felt important in this story. everything felt meaningless. my second least-fav.
avalon: i think here the entire tone of the novel does a 180, and goes from “pee pee poo poo vomit bodily fluids collecting teeth” gross kind of horror and into “murder death horrific acts but more so thriller but i guess it is horrifying” type of horror. and i enjoyed this shift in tone! this story wasn't my favourite, but compared to all the stories before it (minus the green hat my beloved), this was a step up. this is the fifth best for me.
the poison garden:i mean this was fine… i was back to not caring about the stories honestly, as it started getting repetitive with this new tone. 9/16 for me.
the surrogates:honestly i was mad as hell at this one. mainly at the ending. because seriously there was this one line that actually infuriated me. it wasnt needed, was there just for the shock factor, and made me feel icky.. and not in a horror way but an “oh this is um…” way. this is 12/16 for me.
madame flora’s:so fun, very zany yet also felt realistic? easily my second fav. BONKERS.
the coiled serpent:for the namesake of the collection, this was fine. by this point i felt like i was getting the hang of grudova’s writing.. with four stories left. for me this is the 6th best story.
the meat eater:here grudova lost me again. the last two stories were so good, and this one just felt like a very formulaic rehash of half of this collection. this is 8th for me overall.
white asparagus:i was once again disillusioned with grudova’s writing. the stories began bleeding into one, as they all seemingly followed the same pattern of “murder murder ew ew weird thing mc does with the body”. this is 13/16 for me.
the apartment:somehow grudova pulls another 180 because i enjoyed this! this felt very new yet still true to the voice established in the other stories! i was happy again! this is fourth in rankings for me.
hoo hoo!:another complete tone shift. i hated this. i had no idea what was going on, it felt completely out of character for the other stories, and honestly i was over this constantly see-saw i was having with the stories. worst story imo.
i really cannot explain my thoughts on this collection coherently. it is so unique in the worst and best ways. i can only really compare this book to “bliss montage” by ling ma. i was disappointed as i was expecting horror, and i don’t know what this was, but it defo wasn’t horror. it transcends genre.
if you like gross horror or books where you don’t know what’s going on but you’re here for the ride, this books’ for you.
this review has taken me 3 days to write. it was originally 2k words. bear with me.
this novel is insanely hard to describe, not only because it is a collection of short stories where i have vastly different opinions on each, but because this is bonkers. i think to enjoy this you need to go in with an open mind, and be aware no topics are off-limits for grudova.
overall, this is quite a unique compilation of stories. the stories often stuck with me after reading them, and i was left pondering them. i also think (for me at least), this is a sleeper hit. i’ll be honest and say i wasnt enjoying this novel until about 7 stories in, and there are 16 total, so it took me a bit to get into this book.
my biggest gripes with this book are that there feels like there’s no link between stories in terms of themes or tone. also this book CONSTANTLY mentions poop. i think i counted it up and like half of the stories mention poop in explicit detail. I KEPT A POOP COUNTER WHILST READING THIS. i was losing it. finally, the endings of each story seem like the story was cut. the endings most of the time felt like there was zero conclusion which annoyed me endlessly.
i think its best if i break down my thoughts per each story, as some of these i couldn’t stand (simply due to personal preference), whereas some i adored.
through ceilings & walls:in my opinion, this was the worst story to start the book off. compared to all the others, it felt flat, low in horror, and wasn't interesting at all. my third least-fav.
ivor: this story stuck with me for a while after reading it. it didn't raise my expectations for the collection, but i will say i did like it. but, i felt the horror elements were missing, and honestly this story had me on the fence whether i actually enjoyed it, or just had fun compared to the first story. my third favourite overall.
description and history of a british swimming pool/banya banya!: the poop bit started wearing me down at this point. i felt like this story was just aiming to be gross just for the sake of it, and felt like there were no connections between any points, and things were just being said because “oh yeah that sounds bananas”. 10/16 for me.
the custard factory:here i REALLY was getting worn down with this book. yet again, more explicit poop explanations, random things going on just for randomness, and i was not having fun. like this felt like it was gross just to be gross. this is 11/16 for me.
the green hat:here is my favourite story. i cannot rave about this one enough! i think honestly at this point if this story didnt exist i would have dreaded reading the rest of this. but GOD i loved this! the allusion towards real-life uranium girls, and the commentary of capitalism, plus some actual good-ol fashioned horror?
a novel (or a poem) about fan, aged 11 years or the zoo:i enjoyed this one! it kind of felt like it was reverting to just being crude and not horror, but i dig the themes of exploitation, and this story made sense. overall i’d say this is 7/16 in ranking for me.
mr elephant:i’ll be candid here. i dont know what was going on here. i cant even say i hated this because there was no story. it just felt like this was a full novel and this was a section isolated, because nothing felt important in this story. everything felt meaningless. my second least-fav.
avalon: i think here the entire tone of the novel does a 180, and goes from “pee pee poo poo vomit bodily fluids collecting teeth” gross kind of horror and into “murder death horrific acts but more so thriller but i guess it is horrifying” type of horror. and i enjoyed this shift in tone! this story wasn't my favourite, but compared to all the stories before it (minus the green hat my beloved), this was a step up. this is the fifth best for me.
the poison garden:i mean this was fine… i was back to not caring about the stories honestly, as it started getting repetitive with this new tone. 9/16 for me.
the surrogates:honestly i was mad as hell at this one. mainly at the ending. because seriously there was this one line that actually infuriated me. it wasnt needed, was there just for the shock factor, and made me feel icky.. and not in a horror way but an “oh this is um…” way. this is 12/16 for me.
madame flora’s:so fun, very zany yet also felt realistic? easily my second fav. BONKERS.
the coiled serpent:for the namesake of the collection, this was fine. by this point i felt like i was getting the hang of grudova’s writing.. with four stories left. for me this is the 6th best story.
the meat eater:here grudova lost me again. the last two stories were so good, and this one just felt like a very formulaic rehash of half of this collection. this is 8th for me overall.
white asparagus:i was once again disillusioned with grudova’s writing. the stories began bleeding into one, as they all seemingly followed the same pattern of “murder murder ew ew weird thing mc does with the body”. this is 13/16 for me.
the apartment:somehow grudova pulls another 180 because i enjoyed this! this felt very new yet still true to the voice established in the other stories! i was happy again! this is fourth in rankings for me.
hoo hoo!:another complete tone shift. i hated this. i had no idea what was going on, it felt completely out of character for the other stories, and honestly i was over this constantly see-saw i was having with the stories. worst story imo.
i really cannot explain my thoughts on this collection coherently. it is so unique in the worst and best ways. i can only really compare this book to “bliss montage” by ling ma. i was disappointed as i was expecting horror, and i don’t know what this was, but it defo wasn’t horror. it transcends genre.
if you like gross horror or books where you don’t know what’s going on but you’re here for the ride, this books’ for you.
July 1, 2023
An exceptionally good book. Completely unsettling, and utterly delicious.
Read
February 16, 2025like somebody tickling you to figure out where you're ticklish, but with gross descriptions aimed @ your personal zones of squeamishness. in other words essential. terminal yarn "hoo hoo" got me esp hot & bothered, evoking as it does patricia highsmith at her most sci-fi-est (see e.g. "the snail is big," "there are a lot of snails," and "the trees spew acid"). camilla freakin grudova man
May 15, 2025
Storytelling that made me feel high in the best way, but way too much poop.
November 1, 2023
In Camilla Grudova’s second short story collection, the conventions of horror, gore and the fantastic converge in a weird-fest, a carnivalesque parade of the most original, strange and often disgusting characters, set against the horrors of capitalism.
Back in April, I had the chance to see Camilla Grudova read in a horror fiction panel at Cúirt Festival. She talked about her debut novel, Children of Paradise, which is set in a decaying cinema. When asked about the inspiration for the grotesque horrors of the novel she simply replied that she had worked in a cinema, as if it was obvious to anyone who had ever held a similar job that there was an abundance of horrors to choose from.
In her latest book, a collection of short stories, the links between horror and working-class struggles intensify. The Coiled Serpent, out November 2nd, is not only set against today's economic climate and houseing crisis, but blatantly exposes the horrors and injustices of our systems with the same shameless chagrin with which Grudova answered questions. Most importantly, it does so in an utterly original way, a true feat in the genre.
The stories included in The Coiled Serpent deal with the grotesque, the supernatural and the weird, but also touch on unfair working conditions, gender violence and poverty, all delivered in Grudova’s matter-of-fact, fable-like manner, some to the point of appearing cryptic, although for me it’s more about the actual things on the page rather than about interpreting them, which is one of the reasons why I love her fiction.
The stories are all different although some seem to be set in the same universe, some in the same town of Margate, some linked through an infamous custard factory. Some are closer to dystopia and others too familiar: we meet a young archaeologist, a struggling art history graduate, a PhD dropout, factory workers, sauna employees, but also nepo-babies, computer programmers, evil scientists.
I thought most of the stories shared a common message along the lines of “eat the rich”, because in these stories wealth seems to equal decay, rot, a grotesque opulence which is mirrored by the spaces inhabited by these characters: houses overflowing with stuff, pipes bursting with shit, flooding saunas, bodies exploding due to containing too much semen (really). Grudova's aesthetic of the overflow —faeces, murky waters, custard, bodily fluids—is particularly disturbing considering how concerned we are, as a society, to hide all these. We rely on the fact that there will always be someone unclogging the toilets, draining the pipes, cleaning the pool—and these are Grudova’s characters, who also are cinephiles, avid readers, musicians, contemporary poètes maudits.
Each one of these tales is utterly disturbing and original, from a young woman starting her own poison garden at the Tudor House Museum in Margate, to a boarding school for boys of all ages, all ages. I could talk about each story for hours, but I'll just say read at your own risk. Also, Mayakovsky!!
Thank you Atlantic Books and NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy.
Back in April, I had the chance to see Camilla Grudova read in a horror fiction panel at Cúirt Festival. She talked about her debut novel, Children of Paradise, which is set in a decaying cinema. When asked about the inspiration for the grotesque horrors of the novel she simply replied that she had worked in a cinema, as if it was obvious to anyone who had ever held a similar job that there was an abundance of horrors to choose from.
In her latest book, a collection of short stories, the links between horror and working-class struggles intensify. The Coiled Serpent, out November 2nd, is not only set against today's economic climate and houseing crisis, but blatantly exposes the horrors and injustices of our systems with the same shameless chagrin with which Grudova answered questions. Most importantly, it does so in an utterly original way, a true feat in the genre.
The stories included in The Coiled Serpent deal with the grotesque, the supernatural and the weird, but also touch on unfair working conditions, gender violence and poverty, all delivered in Grudova’s matter-of-fact, fable-like manner, some to the point of appearing cryptic, although for me it’s more about the actual things on the page rather than about interpreting them, which is one of the reasons why I love her fiction.
The stories are all different although some seem to be set in the same universe, some in the same town of Margate, some linked through an infamous custard factory. Some are closer to dystopia and others too familiar: we meet a young archaeologist, a struggling art history graduate, a PhD dropout, factory workers, sauna employees, but also nepo-babies, computer programmers, evil scientists.
I thought most of the stories shared a common message along the lines of “eat the rich”, because in these stories wealth seems to equal decay, rot, a grotesque opulence which is mirrored by the spaces inhabited by these characters: houses overflowing with stuff, pipes bursting with shit, flooding saunas, bodies exploding due to containing too much semen (really). Grudova's aesthetic of the overflow —faeces, murky waters, custard, bodily fluids—is particularly disturbing considering how concerned we are, as a society, to hide all these. We rely on the fact that there will always be someone unclogging the toilets, draining the pipes, cleaning the pool—and these are Grudova’s characters, who also are cinephiles, avid readers, musicians, contemporary poètes maudits.
Each one of these tales is utterly disturbing and original, from a young woman starting her own poison garden at the Tudor House Museum in Margate, to a boarding school for boys of all ages, all ages. I could talk about each story for hours, but I'll just say read at your own risk. Also, Mayakovsky!!
Thank you Atlantic Books and NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy.
October 11, 2024
An almost comically disgusting collection of stories — full of defecation, blood, raw meat, decrepit bath houses, body hair and fluids, cannibalism. Don’t let the beautiful cover fool you, this collection contains the most repulsive stories I’ve ever read.
What I adore most about horror as a genre, and this book specifically, is the way it offers such unique and searing commentary on contemporary society. In Grudova’s collection, she explores and ultimately illustrates the true barbarities of misogyny, class, and capitalism. After a while the horrors felt almost comedic, in a way that suggests society has succumbed to absolute ridiculousness in our value of these things.
As someone who can be incredibly picky about short stories, I felt this collection far exceeded my expectations and kept me needed to read on, unable to look away from the dark disgusting realities within the pages. Such a distinct and impressive horror collection.
Thank you to Unnamed Press for the chance to read & review this collection
What I adore most about horror as a genre, and this book specifically, is the way it offers such unique and searing commentary on contemporary society. In Grudova’s collection, she explores and ultimately illustrates the true barbarities of misogyny, class, and capitalism. After a while the horrors felt almost comedic, in a way that suggests society has succumbed to absolute ridiculousness in our value of these things.
As someone who can be incredibly picky about short stories, I felt this collection far exceeded my expectations and kept me needed to read on, unable to look away from the dark disgusting realities within the pages. Such a distinct and impressive horror collection.
Thank you to Unnamed Press for the chance to read & review this collection
November 13, 2024
For a girlie who is usually a fan of short, disgusting stories, this just didn't do it for me. Review to come.
September 6, 2025
alveg frábært smásagnasafn frá grudova en mér finnst the dolls alphabet ennþá aðeins betra, vildi að ég gæti gefið fjórar og hálfa stjörnu. hún hefur mjög sérstaka höfundarrödd sem ég er mjögmjögmjög hrifin af, allt svo furðulegt og smá ógeðslegt en samt svo einlægt.
August 28, 2024
Bizarre, disturbing, gross - what the fuck did I just read
The Coiled Serpent is a weird collection of short stories, twisting at every turn. They sometimes left me confused as to what world and era they were set in, which made me feel incredibly uneasy (I loved it - there is a real sense of travel out of space and time). It's a 4/5 stars from me! Publishers, more of Camilla Grudova please!! Some of the stories' best parts include:
- a poem in binary, which wrapped up the whole story perfectly
- a bizarre and almost repulsive sexual theme, from descriptions of the characters' (mostly men) genitalia to the way they pleasure themselves
- a recurring cabinet of curiosities, displaying the most disgusting human beings on the planet
- the disorientation of the reader (me, lol) when confronted to unusual/insane behaviour and almost magical creatures - to quote one, a tiny man living in a cupboard, peeling oranges.
It scratched an itch in my brain I didn't know existed. More than this, what made the collection so enjoyable was the way in which the author delivers the atmosphere of the story in simple yet striking prose. Now I don't know if I was losing my mind by that point, but it felt like the stories were subtly connected, with bits I recalled from previous characters.
The only thing I think would have made the collection better is a more elevated language, especially with descriptions. Lots of 'there was', 'it was', 'they had'...etc. made the prose feel a bit heavy at points.
Read if you enjoy : American Horror Story, Tim Burton films, and Ottessa Moshfegh.
Content warning: mention of rape, sexual material, violence, miscarriage, and murder.
Thank you to The Unnamed Press for providing this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
UK release date 8th October 2024.
The Coiled Serpent is a weird collection of short stories, twisting at every turn. They sometimes left me confused as to what world and era they were set in, which made me feel incredibly uneasy (I loved it - there is a real sense of travel out of space and time). It's a 4/5 stars from me! Publishers, more of Camilla Grudova please!! Some of the stories' best parts include:
- a poem in binary, which wrapped up the whole story perfectly
- a bizarre and almost repulsive sexual theme, from descriptions of the characters' (mostly men) genitalia to the way they pleasure themselves
- a recurring cabinet of curiosities, displaying the most disgusting human beings on the planet
- the disorientation of the reader (me, lol) when confronted to unusual/insane behaviour and almost magical creatures - to quote one, a tiny man living in a cupboard, peeling oranges.
It scratched an itch in my brain I didn't know existed. More than this, what made the collection so enjoyable was the way in which the author delivers the atmosphere of the story in simple yet striking prose. Now I don't know if I was losing my mind by that point, but it felt like the stories were subtly connected, with bits I recalled from previous characters.
The only thing I think would have made the collection better is a more elevated language, especially with descriptions. Lots of 'there was', 'it was', 'they had'...etc. made the prose feel a bit heavy at points.
Read if you enjoy : American Horror Story, Tim Burton films, and Ottessa Moshfegh.
Content warning: mention of rape, sexual material, violence, miscarriage, and murder.
Thank you to The Unnamed Press for providing this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
UK release date 8th October 2024.
June 30, 2023
Body Horror Fairy Tales
Hoowoohoo!
This November, expect a body horror extravaganza from Camilla Grudova, whose garden-variety grotesqueries of “The Doll’s Alphabet” now morph into fleshy appetizers of animalistic anarchy, served up on the same old crockery but clamped between new fork-sewn jaws in “The Coiled Serpent.”
There is nowhere to hide in this pantheistic purgatory of sloshing acids and bubbling bowels. Animals inside animals inside animals, a Russian doll game made of torn skin and guts, the cyclical carousel of the carnivorous.
Grudova constructs cities of mouldy mushroom saunas and stained-glass apartments cracked and housed by rats, poisonous gardens tucked into museum courtyards and exploding custard factories. In these spaces, denizens lurch and loiter about in a dark and dripping haze, chemists poison children with green paint, and boys in the occult retain their semen for enlightenment. Her characters appear as unfeeling, anesthetized survivors in a world that gnaws at them constantly while they search in hunger for something to soften the pit in their sickly stomachs.
Some stories blend surrealism with horror, where beetles who grow to human size and tiny old men eat apples in locked wardrobes. In these stories, women are left to resort to violence in an attempt to retrieve agency in an absurd universe governed by predatory men. In other stories, women hunt men for love and nourishment. Meat is the source of life and consumption is the modality of existence.
What Grudova does that sustains her place amongst great contemporary surrealists such as Mircea Cărtărescu has something to do with her ability to unearth a nightmarish recipe stirred up in the very ingredients that boil upon the surface of everyday life. Readers will find long lists of groceries and anatomical scraps of body flayed side by side, white asparagus and severed limbs refrigerated in dark rooms whose wallpapers resemble forbidding flora and fauna. In Grudova’s grim world, desire hisses at the bottom of the spine, coiling upwards into the mind, where it strangles the will and leaves the reader, like her characters, exploding onto a cold, disturbed universe.
Hoowoohoo!
This November, expect a body horror extravaganza from Camilla Grudova, whose garden-variety grotesqueries of “The Doll’s Alphabet” now morph into fleshy appetizers of animalistic anarchy, served up on the same old crockery but clamped between new fork-sewn jaws in “The Coiled Serpent.”
There is nowhere to hide in this pantheistic purgatory of sloshing acids and bubbling bowels. Animals inside animals inside animals, a Russian doll game made of torn skin and guts, the cyclical carousel of the carnivorous.
Grudova constructs cities of mouldy mushroom saunas and stained-glass apartments cracked and housed by rats, poisonous gardens tucked into museum courtyards and exploding custard factories. In these spaces, denizens lurch and loiter about in a dark and dripping haze, chemists poison children with green paint, and boys in the occult retain their semen for enlightenment. Her characters appear as unfeeling, anesthetized survivors in a world that gnaws at them constantly while they search in hunger for something to soften the pit in their sickly stomachs.
Some stories blend surrealism with horror, where beetles who grow to human size and tiny old men eat apples in locked wardrobes. In these stories, women are left to resort to violence in an attempt to retrieve agency in an absurd universe governed by predatory men. In other stories, women hunt men for love and nourishment. Meat is the source of life and consumption is the modality of existence.
What Grudova does that sustains her place amongst great contemporary surrealists such as Mircea Cărtărescu has something to do with her ability to unearth a nightmarish recipe stirred up in the very ingredients that boil upon the surface of everyday life. Readers will find long lists of groceries and anatomical scraps of body flayed side by side, white asparagus and severed limbs refrigerated in dark rooms whose wallpapers resemble forbidding flora and fauna. In Grudova’s grim world, desire hisses at the bottom of the spine, coiling upwards into the mind, where it strangles the will and leaves the reader, like her characters, exploding onto a cold, disturbed universe.
Read
August 12, 2024aye yai yai….
The Coiled Serpent is a collection of 16 short stories in only 200 pages, making for a good read if you’re looking for something short and sweet. Although, maybe “sweet” isn’t the appropriate word to use as these stories are quite the opposite. There is body horror, yes, which I can absolute get on board with but here, there was a lot of talk of feces and stories written for mere shock value rather than literary merit.
The writing is very plain—elementary, really—and told in a detached voice. “This happened and then this happened and then I did this.” It was jarring and dull.
If this is “the deft skill of a writer at the top of her game” then I'm not certain that I would read this author again.
Thank you Unnamed Press and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Available 10/08/2024.
The Coiled Serpent is a collection of 16 short stories in only 200 pages, making for a good read if you’re looking for something short and sweet. Although, maybe “sweet” isn’t the appropriate word to use as these stories are quite the opposite. There is body horror, yes, which I can absolute get on board with but here, there was a lot of talk of feces and stories written for mere shock value rather than literary merit.
The writing is very plain—elementary, really—and told in a detached voice. “This happened and then this happened and then I did this.” It was jarring and dull.
If this is “the deft skill of a writer at the top of her game” then I'm not certain that I would read this author again.
Thank you Unnamed Press and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Available 10/08/2024.
January 22, 2024
"I developed a stomach ache and wind - from eating too many of the apples, I supposed - and my faeces that night reminded me of the green gelatinous substance I had seen in the drain, which filled me with the horrible thought that it had been faeces in the sink"
The quote sets the tone for this collection of 17 short stories by Camilla Grudova: body horror, gothic atmosphere, repugnant excretions, rottenness, murderous, and sadistic characters dominating the stories. Underlying these horrific, disgusting, and repulsive elements, Grudova explored classism, capitalism, poverty, exploitation of the marginalised, feminism, domestic drudgery, desire and obsession with a unique approach and a variety of settings (such as post-apocalyptic, Victorian society, and contemporary Britain). Instead of poetic or flowery language, Grudova's sentences are straightforward, short, and punchy. But she is still able to deliver a surreal and vivid imagery, which seeded an unsettling and unpleasant feeling among her readers.
My personal favorites (to be honest, all of the stories are impactful enough for me) would be "The Surrogates" (the narrator and her boyfriend are aspiring writers desperate for money, who then agree to be a surrogate for another couple that possess certain snobbery qualities), "The Green Hat" (a mother, whose daughter was poisoned by a toxic green dye decided to work as a maid for the owner of the chemical factory that manufactured the dye, with the intention to kill him), "The Meat Eater" (the narrator who is obsessed with a man murders him to ensure that he belongs to her). To say that Grudova's stories in this collection are distinctive or original would be an understatement. Camilla Grudova is in a league of her own. A strong 5/5 star read!
The quote sets the tone for this collection of 17 short stories by Camilla Grudova: body horror, gothic atmosphere, repugnant excretions, rottenness, murderous, and sadistic characters dominating the stories. Underlying these horrific, disgusting, and repulsive elements, Grudova explored classism, capitalism, poverty, exploitation of the marginalised, feminism, domestic drudgery, desire and obsession with a unique approach and a variety of settings (such as post-apocalyptic, Victorian society, and contemporary Britain). Instead of poetic or flowery language, Grudova's sentences are straightforward, short, and punchy. But she is still able to deliver a surreal and vivid imagery, which seeded an unsettling and unpleasant feeling among her readers.
My personal favorites (to be honest, all of the stories are impactful enough for me) would be "The Surrogates" (the narrator and her boyfriend are aspiring writers desperate for money, who then agree to be a surrogate for another couple that possess certain snobbery qualities), "The Green Hat" (a mother, whose daughter was poisoned by a toxic green dye decided to work as a maid for the owner of the chemical factory that manufactured the dye, with the intention to kill him), "The Meat Eater" (the narrator who is obsessed with a man murders him to ensure that he belongs to her). To say that Grudova's stories in this collection are distinctive or original would be an understatement. Camilla Grudova is in a league of her own. A strong 5/5 star read!
October 27, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and The Unnamed Press for the free Arc. This did not influence my review.
Normally I am a big fan of horror or uncomfortable short stories. Though, I have to admit my experience with them has been limited to classics. I believe that is where the disconnect came from. I just could not get into these stories! Perhaps the author has gotten what she wanted, because indeed I was uncomfortable but also I keep thinking this cannot be the purpose of these texts. I feel bad because I want to give every arc the best chance and I was excited to read this one because of the premise but I had to force myself to finish this book.
First, it felt disingenuous and not well developed when every story had some sort of mention of poop. It felt like a random addition to make the story more disgusting. That is fine of course, but the fact I noticed the pattern made it not work anymore.
Second, there were not a lot of real horror elements. Most of it was absurd nonsense and I could enjoy that but for some reason I did not.
I will say however, I really enjoyed the writing and I think the author has talent. The stories were varied and I could never guess what they would be about so they were always a surprise. I feel bad this one did not click but I will hopefully one day try another book of Grudova because I do not want to give up yet.
Normally I am a big fan of horror or uncomfortable short stories. Though, I have to admit my experience with them has been limited to classics. I believe that is where the disconnect came from. I just could not get into these stories! Perhaps the author has gotten what she wanted, because indeed I was uncomfortable but also I keep thinking this cannot be the purpose of these texts. I feel bad because I want to give every arc the best chance and I was excited to read this one because of the premise but I had to force myself to finish this book.
First, it felt disingenuous and not well developed when every story had some sort of mention of poop. It felt like a random addition to make the story more disgusting. That is fine of course, but the fact I noticed the pattern made it not work anymore.
Second, there were not a lot of real horror elements. Most of it was absurd nonsense and I could enjoy that but for some reason I did not.
I will say however, I really enjoyed the writing and I think the author has talent. The stories were varied and I could never guess what they would be about so they were always a surprise. I feel bad this one did not click but I will hopefully one day try another book of Grudova because I do not want to give up yet.
June 25, 2024
A strange and compelling set of short stories that span different genres, but all have horror elements. The stories have a disturbing, sometimes gothic atmosphere and I liked the magical realism elements. The writing style is like cross between Heather O'Neill and Ottessa Moshfegh.
My favourite stories:
Ivor
Description and History of a British Swimming Pool / Banya Banya!
Avalon
The Surrogates
The Coiled Serpent
The Meat Eater
The Apartment
A NetGalley ARC review
My favourite stories:
Ivor
Description and History of a British Swimming Pool / Banya Banya!
Avalon
The Surrogates
The Coiled Serpent
The Meat Eater
The Apartment
A NetGalley ARC review
December 26, 2024
This is a unique collection of stories perfect for anyone who enjoys an unsettling atmosphere and creatively dark body horror. I don't have any favorites because I enjoyed them all so much. I would highly recommend this! Special Thank You to Camilla Grudova, Unnamed Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2025
3.5
Completely absurd stories in a brilliant way but I found that a lot of them just fell flat. My favourite was Ivor, I found it had the most body and worked well without an ending. I believe all the stories take place vaguely in the same universe and sometimes there were links between which I liked. I just thought a lot of them could have done with more development but they all ended quite suddenly.
Completely absurd stories in a brilliant way but I found that a lot of them just fell flat. My favourite was Ivor, I found it had the most body and worked well without an ending. I believe all the stories take place vaguely in the same universe and sometimes there were links between which I liked. I just thought a lot of them could have done with more development but they all ended quite suddenly.
October 7, 2024
The Coiled Serpent is a collection of eclectic horror stories, most of which contain commentary on society, capitalism and the human experience.
The concept behind most stories were unique and utterly bizarre, but ultimately I was left wanting more. I felt that a lot of the stories had no clear direction and every time I felt like I was finally learning about the characters and the world, the story would end abruptly. Most, if not all the stories also include grotesque descriptions of bodily fluids and unnatural transformations of the body, which I feel in some cases only added to the shock value and nothing more.
In saying that, there were a couple of standouts which I felt were complete and impactful stories such as ‘Ivor’, ‘The Green Hat’ and ‘The Coiled Serpent’. I also think this collection is still worth picking up if you’re in the mood for something strange and horrifying during spooky season!
Thank you Unnamed Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
The concept behind most stories were unique and utterly bizarre, but ultimately I was left wanting more. I felt that a lot of the stories had no clear direction and every time I felt like I was finally learning about the characters and the world, the story would end abruptly. Most, if not all the stories also include grotesque descriptions of bodily fluids and unnatural transformations of the body, which I feel in some cases only added to the shock value and nothing more.
In saying that, there were a couple of standouts which I felt were complete and impactful stories such as ‘Ivor’, ‘The Green Hat’ and ‘The Coiled Serpent’. I also think this collection is still worth picking up if you’re in the mood for something strange and horrifying during spooky season!
Thank you Unnamed Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
September 2, 2024
Very strange.
March 2, 2025
Easily the weakest, most disjointed of Grudova's books.
February 2, 2024
This was so good! I didn’t know what to expect and it took me a few stories to get into it but I was fully hooked on the world by the end
January 28, 2024
This short story collection was everything I needed in my life and more. Full of uncanny settings and gross happenings. Camilla writes these strange narratives about seemingly mundane things that end up being more than what they appear. My favourites of the bunch are about a custard factory and a swimming baths. She is unbelievably creative, and she just writes things, and they make complete sense in my brain even though in hindsight, they are completely unmoored from reality.
She is 100% an autobuy author for me now, and even though Children of Paradise is still my favourite of hers, this is well worth the read. If you love mundane settings and weird little sattire filled short stories, you need to grab a copy of The Coiled Serpent🐍
She is 100% an autobuy author for me now, and even though Children of Paradise is still my favourite of hers, this is well worth the read. If you love mundane settings and weird little sattire filled short stories, you need to grab a copy of The Coiled Serpent🐍
June 24, 2024
Thank you to NetGally and Unnamed Press for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
The Coiled Serpent is a collection of grotesque, body horror short stories that give a certain kind of texture to the idea of Britishness. The highlight story is "Ivor" which, for me, was the only cohesive and well-written story. The short story is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's "Downhill" and is set at a boarding school for boys where the students are lifelong boarders. As I said, I think this was the only cohesive and well-written story in the bunch. The others all felt very shallow and the writing, while descriptive, seemed to be done more for the shock value of the imagery rather than for the narrative. Like, the gross factor does nothing for the storytelling in the stories other than to gross the reader out. I just felt it wasn't needed to get the points across. If anything, whatever messaging or ideas that were presented in the stories get lost in the gruesome details.
On the plus side, this encouraged me to deep clean my new kitchen and bathroom (with the help of my partner).
Overall, would not recommend.
The Coiled Serpent is a collection of grotesque, body horror short stories that give a certain kind of texture to the idea of Britishness. The highlight story is "Ivor" which, for me, was the only cohesive and well-written story. The short story is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's "Downhill" and is set at a boarding school for boys where the students are lifelong boarders. As I said, I think this was the only cohesive and well-written story in the bunch. The others all felt very shallow and the writing, while descriptive, seemed to be done more for the shock value of the imagery rather than for the narrative. Like, the gross factor does nothing for the storytelling in the stories other than to gross the reader out. I just felt it wasn't needed to get the points across. If anything, whatever messaging or ideas that were presented in the stories get lost in the gruesome details.
On the plus side, this encouraged me to deep clean my new kitchen and bathroom (with the help of my partner).
Overall, would not recommend.
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