Incorrect Eyes

by Andromeda Ruins

Be Not Afraid

Those three words have haunted me my entire life, and now I'm close. I know I am. I'm close to finding out the truth behind the words, the truth behind the Seraphim.

The closer I get to uncovering the truth, to proving that the Seraphim are real, the further my mind slips. I can't sleep - can't dream - without seeing them. Life has become difficult all of a sudden and I know it's tied to them. I just have to keep going, keep learning, keep discovering. Everything will be better once I complete my research...

Incorrect Eyes is a psychological religious horror involving paranoia, angels with too many eyes, and the least mentally stable protagonist I’ve ever written. Please read with caution.

Genres: Horror, Ebooks, Mythology

50 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2024

About the author

Andromeda is a queer author from a small town in the Midwest. He recently graduated his undergrad program with a Classics major and loves to take the themes and stories he learns about and adapt them to the modern day.

Reviews

[Shrike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incorrect Eyes is visceral in every sense of the word. This story broke my heart.

Andromeda drew me into the main character's head. I felt their dogged determination to uncover the truth. I felt their fear, questioning my own perception of their reality. This short paints serious mental illness in a beautiful, tragic light. I feel that it remains respectful while acknowledging the personal horror of constantly second-guessing what seems to come naturally to everyone else.

There are some minor editing issues but nothing that detracted from the story's impact for me.

Thank you so much to the author for the chance to check this story out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.

[⋆❈⋆Ryssa⋆❈⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was disturbing

Good job to the author for being able to make that as visceral as they did because that was crazy 😰

[Alex Harvey-Rivas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tl;dr: this book is gross in the best way possible.

Firstly: Do not read this book if you are squicked out by eye things. There are eye things. All the eye things. It's disgusting (affectionate) and I wanted to vomit by the end. I think I almost did. If you do not like eye things, you will not like this book.

Secondly: This book is off like a shot from the moment you open it, and it does not relent until the final gorey page. Incorrect Eyes is an excellent study of a person undergoing a religious psychosis episode. It's never quite clear if what the MC experiences is all in his head or not, but regardless it's all brutally horrifying. Ruins excels at portraying the rambling, conversational tone of a character spiraling out of control mentally and it's a thrilling ride from start to finish. This coupled with the way he's able to make everything sound so gross (AFFECTIONATE) adds to the sheer fucked-upness of it all. Were the angels real, after all? We might never know.

But Gods forbid I ever hear what an eyeball squishing sounds like ever again.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

{3.5/5 ⭐}

I started reading this book simply because I wanted to read something short and I ended up really liking it. So many eyes..... And the incredible description of the angel's appearance in the final chapter....... I loved it.

[Danelle✍🏽 Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this psychological religious horror reels you in from the very first page. It also gives the bible verse of Matthew 5:28-29, which is mentioned before the start of the story, a much more somber and horrifying meaning. I will never look at it the same way. While our protagonist was a little off his rocker (ok, A LOT), he was relatable because he was only human and we all have struggles and pains we deal with in one way or another. I really liked him. The illustrations giving evidence of our poor protagonist’s trauma were worth a thousand words– it was eerie and very creepy and aided in giving the book a melancholic feeling. I shuddered a few times, staring at them.

Despite Incorrect Eyes being a short story, it gives the reader a clear view of how truly tragic struggling with mental health issues is. It is a very lonely road. I was impressed with Andromeda’s writing style– the talent he possesses to create such a masterpiece is praiseworthy. Incorrect Eyes is grotesque and yet I couldn’t stop reading; I was enthralled. The crazy grossness is part of the intrigue, and I will definitely give it another read.I also like how Andromeda weaved the double standards the Catholic faith has when it comes to homosexuality into the story. Only God can judge. 5/5 for this deliciously horrifying religious book. The editing was also great.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[prerana · Rating 3 out of 5]

lowk this review is gonna be rly short bc this book was lowk a fever dream AND WAS 8 CHAPTERS SOOO

this story was MADDD creepy in the best way. ur just thrown into this world with someone who’s totally losing it, WHICH REAL!! SAME LOWK 😭😭u also dont even know the persons name their gender NOTHINGGG. and i wish we got to know this stuff bc it made what the person was going thru kinda impersonal

the whole thing with the eyes 🧍BRO WTF, like they’re moving around, making noises, and then popping out of the socket?? IT WAS CREEPY AND I LOVED

i will say it got confusing sometimes. i wish there was more background or more time spent explaining what was happening. it was short, and i feel like it could’ve been even better if it was longer.

overall!! i had fun and now i wanna read more horror 🫶🤭

[Ladz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voicey and claustrophobic, INCORRECT EYES is a brisk read of paranoia and religious trauma in which Angels make their presence known to a student who took Be Not Afraid to heart. This narrative grabs the reader by the neck and holds their eyes wide open as the narrator grapples with divinity becoming distressingly real.

[Mich Devinity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great title and premise: thought it would be scarier. It is spooky and had the potential to be a fantastic novel if longer. Would definitely have liked it more drawn out with a bigger world. Nice art to accompany the story. Chapter 5 is phenomenal.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay, it starts kind of interesting and then is just a person losing their mind and kind of stretches on and then the end is kind of interesting. Almost dnf'd but I did finish because it was a short story so I figured why not.

[Meghan-Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is gross and fucked up and so perfect. the writing is beautiful, i have quotes saved that punched me in the chest at full force. as a gay horror loving ex-catholic with a fucked up relationship with god and religion adore this weird lil story with my whole heart

[Shelby Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this a bit blind (no pun intended iykyk) I got it during a stuff your kindle event and I’m so glad! For such a short book I had to pace myself it’s the perfect horror and the art included. Definitely helps that angels are a hyper fixation of mine. Highly recommend.

[Emma Hewett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was weird and a bit gross

[georgie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Lennox Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

(forgot to crosspost here, ooops)

This was what I like to call a slow release story. My initial reaction was still positive. I definitely enjoyed this short story. . . but it took some days for it to have its full effect, and over a week later, I’m low-key obsessed with how impossible it is to really know for sure what I’ve read. This is top-notch unreliable narrator goodness. I don’t doubt, for a second, that our ill-fated protagonist did what they did at the end there (no spoilers here, no worries), but I am forever going to wonder why.

Did they really see what they thought they saw, or was it a series of hallucinations brought about by a combination of sleep deprivation, overwork, and a fixation that hurtled towards obsession and kept on going? I also have to wonder how much their religious upbringing contributed to the gruesome outcome. If they’d been an atheist with only a scholarly interest in Angels, would this story still have unfurled the same way?

In any case, Incorrect Eyes was a remarkable exhibition of paranoia that I’m not likely to shake off anytime soon (nor do I want to).

My dorky self even felt inspired to write a poem afterwards, LOL.

[lex ❄ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 3. This is a great short story that involves religious horror. I find this subject interesting so I was very excited to try it.

I think this is one of those books where 1st person POV really works and it's essential for the experience. At times it almost felt like a fever dream, because of the mental state of the protagonist. I thought the little details about how therapy went for them and how they were raised complemented the story really well, giving context for the horror in present time.

The only thing I wished is that this had a few more pages at least, or to have more build up in between scenes because some parts felt a bit repepetive. The ending brilliant though, a bit predictable given the title of the book, but it still felt worth it.

I'm definitely checking more of this author's book, I really liked the writting style and the paranoia inducing narrative. The idea was great, and I'm excited to see more of their catalogue.

-I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Darth C · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book promised divine terror, Seraphim with extra eyeballs, and psychological unraveling. Instead, I got a plot so slow it made the Book of Numbers look like an action thriller.

I came seeking angelic nightmares and was handed a sermon on ✨vibes✨ and vague dread. The only thing that descended from the heavens was my interest.

The protagonist is losing their mind, but I was losing the will to keep turning pages. I prayed for something—anything—to happen, but alas, my cries went unanswered.

This wasn’t a descent into madness. It was a meandering pilgrimage to Nowheresville, with pit stops for existential dread and not a single flaming sword in sight.

Truly, I’ve been tested. My patience has endured trials. I walked through the valley of the shadow of yawns.

May God bless and keep this book far away from my TBR ever again. Amen.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is any subgenre of horror that I'm obsessed with, it's religious horror. Nothing unsettles me more than the twisting of supposedly holy/sacred themes into something to be feared. I also love an unreliable narrator, which our main character undoubtedly is.

I can't stress this enough - this story is disgusting in all the best ways. Eyes are already yucky, but the descriptions were extra gross. The artwork was stunning and added to the story so much.

I think the short story format worked well for this, but I would love to see a full length novel either exploring the main character's unraveling in more detail, or exploring the same world/concepts from a different character's perspective. Maybe the partner wants to uncover what really happened to their beloved?

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a self-proclaimed "recovering Catholic", I have always been fascinated by religion and the various beliefs and facets found therein. Even at a young age, I was questioning the nuns as to why when the angels appear, they had to tell folks "be not afraid"; like, seriously, how horrifying do they look?? This quick 50 page read touches on exactly that. (As an aside, the nuns didn't take kindly to my questions.)

While I definitely enjoyed this one, I was left wanting way more, and I would've loved for this to be a longer novella. But if you enjoy religious horror and are intrigued by the angels of Catholicism, check this one out!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incorrect Eyes captures the intense paranoia and darkness that can corrupt someone's mind in the depth of mental anguish and instability.

This psychological, religious story leaves readers uncomfortable and on edge throughout, which was the best way to feel while reading. It truly puts us in the shoes of the protagonist, as we're left feeling so deeply with what they are struggling with.

If you're a fellow religious horror girlie, jump on the deeply disturbing bandwagon!!

This story was wonderfully gruesome and disgusting in all the best ways!! I can't wait to read other works by Andromeda!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Directly from the book: “Some topics include: bodily mutilation, extreme paranoia, eye things (including disembodied eyes, being watched at all times, and removal of eyes), fear and terror, psychosis, possible misophonia and emetophobia, Catholicism (and the guilt associated with it), religious trauma, desecration of a church.”

Religious mental breakdown is what I’d call this and idk what else to say about it tbh.

[Daemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked the minute I started reading it. Right away, it didn't hold any punches. It's well written, descriptive, and exciting. It's a descent into madness when th ANGELS. How could anyone say no to that? I felt connected to the main character in ways I didn't know possible. As someone who deals with hallucinations, and religious ones sometimes at that, I got where he was coming from. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys religious horror.

[Kei Evermoore · Rating 5 out of 5]

For being such a short read it paints such a detailed portrait. The religious trauma is real. The description of how the Angel turns from heavenly innocence to being demon like and horror inspiring is enough to give me nightmares. I commend you for that.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[U.R. Holm · Rating 5 out of 5]

INCORRECT EYES left me feeling more icky and paranoid than any book ever did before.
The main characters feelings really got to me and stayed with me longer than I could've expected. I needed more time to recover from the book, than the time it took to read it.

If you want a short read that will leave you feeling disturbed and weird for hours afterwards, this is absolutely it.

[Whitney A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the idea behind this story, and the author's descriptions of the Messengers was both unique and chilling. I would have liked more depth into what was being researched and why, because the concept was really interesting.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a really quick read but it honestly felt like a full novel. the way the story was written, the details, the artwork, it was all so beautifully done. you feel everything the main character feels. the anxiety, the worry, the confusion. all of that seeps through the pages onto you while trying to figure out what’s happening. that internal, and even external, battle between ideas & feelings on religion really shows in this and it’s shown so well. really really really good read.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this as a psychological horror genre, it had that feel that I was looking for and thought the overall concept was really well done. I was engaged with the characters and was hooked from the first page. Andromeda Ruins has a strong writing style and am excited to read more from them.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[noé · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a one and a kind read. I don’t relate to the MC, however I know many people who have experienced fear when it comes to religion and it truly is interesting. This was a first for me in this genre, would love to read more similar books. Loved the authors writing, very descriptive and disturbing.

[PrettyBookish13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this book would make a great graphic novel. The unnerving descriptions of the angels and the eyes, the overbearing feeling of being watched, the descent into madness… the illustrations in this book are reminiscent of manga volumes. These all work together to create a macabre masterpiece
There are so. Many. Eyes.

[Tyler Battaglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

INCORRECT EYES is a fast-paced, eerie, and paranoia-inducing thrill-ride. Andromeda Ruins weaves dread into every bit of prose, and readers will spiral with the narrator into obsession and anxiety. This unique psychological spin on religious horror is a must-read.

[Dorian Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

INCORRECT EYES is a psychosis drenched must read that brings the reader through a thrilling yet unsettling religious experience. Andromeda Ruins has crafted a twisting narrative that leaves readers wanting more by the end. Highly recommend for a short, skin crawling read.