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The Flesh of the Sea
June 25th, 1760
Jean-Baptiste,
Before I begin, I want to assure you that I am fine—in fact, you could say I am in quite good spirits considering recent events!
I’m afraid I found myself in quite the predicament—but it’s been sorted out now. My ship was boarded by a group of what I soon learned were pirates…
After Wilford Bowen is denied entry into the Royal Society of London, he sets off on a mission to discover natural marvels and earn his place in the scientific community. But his mission is off to a rocky start when he’s kidnapped by pirates, encounters parasitic wasps, and a host of other incredible Eldritch creatures. On the high seas, Wilford will need to find support within his new crew, survive dangerous encounters, collect scientific evidence of impossible beasts, all while tangling with his own complicated feelings for the friend he left Jean Baptiste de Beaupré.
With every new discovery, a new mystery is unveiled and Wilford is left wondering if the greatest secret is perhaps what is hiding in the treasure room.
Pitched as Our Flag Means Death meets Lovecraft Country!
Jean-Baptiste,
Before I begin, I want to assure you that I am fine—in fact, you could say I am in quite good spirits considering recent events!
I’m afraid I found myself in quite the predicament—but it’s been sorted out now. My ship was boarded by a group of what I soon learned were pirates…
After Wilford Bowen is denied entry into the Royal Society of London, he sets off on a mission to discover natural marvels and earn his place in the scientific community. But his mission is off to a rocky start when he’s kidnapped by pirates, encounters parasitic wasps, and a host of other incredible Eldritch creatures. On the high seas, Wilford will need to find support within his new crew, survive dangerous encounters, collect scientific evidence of impossible beasts, all while tangling with his own complicated feelings for the friend he left Jean Baptiste de Beaupré.
With every new discovery, a new mystery is unveiled and Wilford is left wondering if the greatest secret is perhaps what is hiding in the treasure room.
Pitched as Our Flag Means Death meets Lovecraft Country!
136 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2024
21 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
October 24, 2024
An epistolary love story in which the monsters are not the only thing being romanced… how did I end up here?
I enjoyed the imagery in this one but the format wasn't really my jam even though I thought it was pretty well done.
3.5 rounded up.
I enjoyed the imagery in this one but the format wasn't really my jam even though I thought it was pretty well done.
3.5 rounded up.
January 23, 2025
An adorable MM epistolary romance AND and gory creature horror with found family pirates and terrifying sea monsters.
🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙/5
I fucking loved this book. Omg.
It's told in a series of letters and journal entries between two men who love each other but aren't sure how to express it. (Don't worry, they figure it out 💗)
Wil, sets off on a navy ship which soon gets taken over by pirates. He quickly becomes the surgeon and the chef. Every letter he writes home to his best friend (and hopefully more) is about the wild, unhinged, and distressing situations he gets in.
Right when you think it can't get weirder or more surreal - it does.
I giggled and kicked my legs excitedly through this whole novella.
🩳 It's short (150 pages)
📖 It's on KU
🏳️🌈 It's queer
🇨🇦 It's written by Canadians
You'll love
⚓ Zombie lobsters
⚓ Demonic entity
⚓ Tentacle orgy
⚓ Sirens
⚓ A large mole referred to as "my wife Deborah"
Thank you to Hedone Books and Shelley Lavigne for ensuring I received a copy of this book.
TL;DR - Cozy, gory, queer pirate novella that you have to read RIGHT NOW.
🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙/5
I fucking loved this book. Omg.
It's told in a series of letters and journal entries between two men who love each other but aren't sure how to express it. (Don't worry, they figure it out 💗)
Wil, sets off on a navy ship which soon gets taken over by pirates. He quickly becomes the surgeon and the chef. Every letter he writes home to his best friend (and hopefully more) is about the wild, unhinged, and distressing situations he gets in.
Right when you think it can't get weirder or more surreal - it does.
I giggled and kicked my legs excitedly through this whole novella.
🩳 It's short (150 pages)
📖 It's on KU
🏳️🌈 It's queer
🇨🇦 It's written by Canadians
You'll love
⚓ Zombie lobsters
⚓ Demonic entity
⚓ Tentacle orgy
⚓ Sirens
⚓ A large mole referred to as "my wife Deborah"
Thank you to Hedone Books and Shelley Lavigne for ensuring I received a copy of this book.
TL;DR - Cozy, gory, queer pirate novella that you have to read RIGHT NOW.
July 10, 2025
Surprisingly charming and upbeat for body horror in which many people perish in disgusting ways!
The pacing was a little off. I'd have liked the final third to be drawn out a bit more, with more time spent with the Tear folks. And more time with Jean, who was my favorite of the two MCs!
I quite enjoyed this and would recommend it to people who like quirky characters and weird romps.
This isn't horror in the scary sense, although if you're very squeamish it may be too icky for you.
The pacing was a little off. I'd have liked the final third to be drawn out a bit more, with more time spent with the Tear folks. And more time with Jean, who was my favorite of the two MCs!
I quite enjoyed this and would recommend it to people who like quirky characters and weird romps.
This isn't horror in the scary sense, although if you're very squeamish it may be too icky for you.
December 30, 2024
I originally read this book back in July. I'll be including that review below, so this first bit is specific to the audiobook.
Wow. Ben Galpin is THE voice of Wilford and Jean-Baptiste. I loved the text the first time I read it, but now...I'm now going to specifically recommend the audiobook edition. I truly felt I was hearing each character's thoughts from their own mouths. I'd say I'm speechless but I could go on about how incredible this piece is. I am begging people to give this book a listen immediately.
Now for the text review...
Wait...this is wholesome??
The Flesh of the Sea is a charming and incredibly gay epistolary horror. I love the main characters' voices! All the chaos is filtered through nerdy scientist nonsense and hopelessly homosexual pining. Delightful, 10/10, reasonable tentacle-to-pirate ratio.
Thank you to Hedone Books for sending me both the initial ARC and now the audiobook for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
Wow. Ben Galpin is THE voice of Wilford and Jean-Baptiste. I loved the text the first time I read it, but now...I'm now going to specifically recommend the audiobook edition. I truly felt I was hearing each character's thoughts from their own mouths. I'd say I'm speechless but I could go on about how incredible this piece is. I am begging people to give this book a listen immediately.
Now for the text review...
Wait...this is wholesome??
The Flesh of the Sea is a charming and incredibly gay epistolary horror. I love the main characters' voices! All the chaos is filtered through nerdy scientist nonsense and hopelessly homosexual pining. Delightful, 10/10, reasonable tentacle-to-pirate ratio.
Thank you to Hedone Books for sending me both the initial ARC and now the audiobook for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
August 26, 2024
Pirates, romance, monsters and an amazing adventure, These are just a few of the amazing things to expect from the flesh of the sea, I was lucky enough to be given an arc of this book, and I loved every minute of it. I'm definitely gonna recommend this to people.
May 29, 2025
Guess I'm a 'purveyor of moist fiction' now?? Fast, fun, weird(ly wholesome), packed with adventure, and there's the iconic wtffff did I just read moment when we discover who the pirates are visiting in the Treasure Room. [What happens in the Treasure Room STAYS in the Treasure Room!] FLESH calls down on the great olde sea tropes, throws in a few of its own, and never takes itself too seriously.
Wilford and Jean are just two nerdy little fellows trying to find their way back to each other, with every siren and flesh-eating creature of the seven seas out to keep them apart. How can we not cheer them on?
Wilford and Jean are just two nerdy little fellows trying to find their way back to each other, with every siren and flesh-eating creature of the seven seas out to keep them apart. How can we not cheer them on?
September 2, 2024
Such a fun read! A blossoming queer romance, fantastical creatures, and adventures on the high seas: what’s not to love?!
Read
August 22, 2024A goopy, swashbuckling adventure told through love letters? Giant monsters and pirates? What's not to love here? Get in the boat, loser, we're going sailing! Highly recommended.
August 21, 2025
Short Story: This book felt like watching a movie directed by Guillermo Del Toro and/or Alfonso Cuaron and scored by John Williams or Michael Giacchino. I would want a million sequels, some spin-offs, and to watch the original every day of my life.
Sometimes you begin to read a book and know instantly you're going to love it. Sometimes you fall deeply in love with a story and it's characters, getting more and more lost with every page. Sometimes a book compels you to coin your own personal term for a piece of media because you loved every second you spent with it so much that terms like "best" and "favorite" and "incredible" seem to fail you: a Soul Book. Sometimes a book is all three of these things. The Flesh of the Sea was that book for me.
One of my favorite things about this book is that the aching romantic tension between our two distant lovers is apparent immediately, and so is how uniquely bizzare the world is. Wilford's side of the book is brought to us via letters written to his dear Jean, revealing a logical and scientific thought process often peppered with soul-baring romanticism that he's crossed out and re-written more tamely, with devastating effect. The excerpt's from Jean Baptiste's diaries are equally raw and moving, leaving us with two intimate portraits of very different men experiencing an uncannily similar time apart.
That time apart manages to be similar, for one, because of the unfathomable horrors of the sea this universe contians. There is a level of detail here in the action and creature design that elevates the horror and gore in this book to nothing short of exquisite. I found my mouth hanging open at the descriptions of the monsters the men encounter: gigantic mutant versions of land and sea things that I'm already afraid of because of their sharp claws or unsettling size, nightmare editions of mythical creatures, and creative abominations that I would love to see more of in future installments (a sentiment that left me feeling rather like the terminally curious Wilford).
Our protagonists' love story was as thrilling to read as the action storyline, and we get a thoroughly satisfying conclusion for their arc. It's astounding that a book which manages to be this scary can also be so heart-fluttering and romantic, but that's just what a Soul Book does. It checks all your boxes just when you thought nothing else could.
Thanks to the team at Hedone books for this advance copy! It was a pleasure to review.
Sometimes you begin to read a book and know instantly you're going to love it. Sometimes you fall deeply in love with a story and it's characters, getting more and more lost with every page. Sometimes a book compels you to coin your own personal term for a piece of media because you loved every second you spent with it so much that terms like "best" and "favorite" and "incredible" seem to fail you: a Soul Book. Sometimes a book is all three of these things. The Flesh of the Sea was that book for me.
One of my favorite things about this book is that the aching romantic tension between our two distant lovers is apparent immediately, and so is how uniquely bizzare the world is. Wilford's side of the book is brought to us via letters written to his dear Jean, revealing a logical and scientific thought process often peppered with soul-baring romanticism that he's crossed out and re-written more tamely, with devastating effect. The excerpt's from Jean Baptiste's diaries are equally raw and moving, leaving us with two intimate portraits of very different men experiencing an uncannily similar time apart.
That time apart manages to be similar, for one, because of the unfathomable horrors of the sea this universe contians. There is a level of detail here in the action and creature design that elevates the horror and gore in this book to nothing short of exquisite. I found my mouth hanging open at the descriptions of the monsters the men encounter: gigantic mutant versions of land and sea things that I'm already afraid of because of their sharp claws or unsettling size, nightmare editions of mythical creatures, and creative abominations that I would love to see more of in future installments (a sentiment that left me feeling rather like the terminally curious Wilford).
Our protagonists' love story was as thrilling to read as the action storyline, and we get a thoroughly satisfying conclusion for their arc. It's astounding that a book which manages to be this scary can also be so heart-fluttering and romantic, but that's just what a Soul Book does. It checks all your boxes just when you thought nothing else could.
Thanks to the team at Hedone books for this advance copy! It was a pleasure to review.
July 28, 2024
First of all, thank you to Hedone Books for sending an ARC copy to me. Thank you for your trust!
Secondly, this book is a must read in my opinion. It has everything you'd like in a story like this. Well written plot, well written characters, great dialogues and personally, I've found very interesting the letter format as well (I loved the first letter, to be honest).
Overall it is very enjoyable, and refreshing too! The perfect read for a hot summer night 🩷
Secondly, this book is a must read in my opinion. It has everything you'd like in a story like this. Well written plot, well written characters, great dialogues and personally, I've found very interesting the letter format as well (I loved the first letter, to be honest).
Overall it is very enjoyable, and refreshing too! The perfect read for a hot summer night 🩷
June 13, 2024
Big thank you to DarkLit and the authors for sending an ARC.
Ferociously fun. THE FLESH OF THE SEA throws all your favourite things—Pirates! Queer pining! Adventure! Giant monsters!—into a ship at sea and ties you to the mast to watch its irresistibly charming journey unfold. Alive with mischief, madness, and shenanigans. You'll love every minute of it.
Ferociously fun. THE FLESH OF THE SEA throws all your favourite things—Pirates! Queer pining! Adventure! Giant monsters!—into a ship at sea and ties you to the mast to watch its irresistibly charming journey unfold. Alive with mischief, madness, and shenanigans. You'll love every minute of it.
July 24, 2024
Wait...this is wholesome??
The Flesh of the Sea is a charming and incredibly gay epistolary horror. I love the main characters' voices! All the chaos is filtered through nerdy scientist nonsense and hopelessly homosexual pining. Delightful, 10/10, reasonable tentacle-to-pirate ratio.
Thank you to Hedone Books for sending an ARC my way for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
The Flesh of the Sea is a charming and incredibly gay epistolary horror. I love the main characters' voices! All the chaos is filtered through nerdy scientist nonsense and hopelessly homosexual pining. Delightful, 10/10, reasonable tentacle-to-pirate ratio.
Thank you to Hedone Books for sending an ARC my way for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
September 3, 2024
If Cronenberg directed Our Flag Means Death. I really loved the inventiveness of the creatures and monsters depicted and how they were described. I would love if Lor and Shelley made a return to this world they've created, because I want to know even more. I think this would make a sick graphic novel too.
August 24, 2024
Blue Monkey - The Faculty - Lair of the White Worm
Oh, gross! This book is actually totally my jam. It’s got ooey gooey, creatures, weird blobs, and a really sorta sweet little lovey going on between all of it.
Oh, gross! This book is actually totally my jam. It’s got ooey gooey, creatures, weird blobs, and a really sorta sweet little lovey going on between all of it.
November 20, 2024
Adventure! Goop! Monsters! Pirates! Longing! Romance! Deborah! Heartwarming characters in horrifying predicaments with high stakes! This book has everything I love. It’s a wild, delightful, swashbuckling love story that I couldn’t put down and I can’t recommend it enough.
June 10, 2024
I was lucky enough to be offered an advance copy for review by the publisher.
The Flesh of the Sea is a rollicking adventure shot through with both pitch-black horror and charming character building in equal measure. The dual narrative builds beautifully, and the central relationship brings a wonderfully fresh perspective to the epistolary structure. Moving along at a lively pace, Gislason and Lavigne breathe new life into the nautical adventure narrative in a way that feels effortless. The authors are both ones to watch in the horror and dark fantasy genres, and I can't recommend Flesh of the Sea highly enough. Take this one to the beach, folks, and be spooked.
The Flesh of the Sea is a rollicking adventure shot through with both pitch-black horror and charming character building in equal measure. The dual narrative builds beautifully, and the central relationship brings a wonderfully fresh perspective to the epistolary structure. Moving along at a lively pace, Gislason and Lavigne breathe new life into the nautical adventure narrative in a way that feels effortless. The authors are both ones to watch in the horror and dark fantasy genres, and I can't recommend Flesh of the Sea highly enough. Take this one to the beach, folks, and be spooked.
August 14, 2024
Absolutely loved this heartfelt horror with so much character and imagination
Imagery...this book is full of beautiful Imagery. I feel like I stumbled upon a message in a bottle containing a long lost love letter, and the details were this book.
Fanciful, nostalgic, and longing juxtaposed with horror, myth, and the grotesque. Beautifully melding the bleak from the joy.
The blossoming love between two friends, the
carefree and unique cast
of pirates, the monsters...every detail
is lovingly crafted.
My imagination was
thoroughly satiated
by the amazing imagery
in every correspondence
🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙
Five Squids
Imagery...this book is full of beautiful Imagery. I feel like I stumbled upon a message in a bottle containing a long lost love letter, and the details were this book.
Fanciful, nostalgic, and longing juxtaposed with horror, myth, and the grotesque. Beautifully melding the bleak from the joy.
The blossoming love between two friends, the
carefree and unique cast
of pirates, the monsters...every detail
is lovingly crafted.
My imagination was
thoroughly satiated
by the amazing imagery
in every correspondence
🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙
Five Squids
January 12, 2025
I snagged this book during the Dark Mode SYKD and I’m so glad I did. The cover drew me in and the story sealed the deal for me! Genuinely wish it was longer!
This is a unique shorter story where we learn everything about our characters Wilford Bowen and Jean Baptiste de Beaupré through letters and journal entries. Close friends with the hint of something more there, have separated while one makes it in the Royal Society Fellowship while the other doesn’t. Keep in mind this tale takes place in 1760. Jean is on land wondering and worrying about Wil while Wil has made it (kidnapped, really) onto an actual pirate ship, Sea Goddess.
As Wil quickly becomes a cook and doctor on Sea Goddess and begins to uncover all the weird ailments and other strange medical wonders of the crew, Jean waits on shore for Wil’s updates through letters. Wil grows close with the crew and starts to realize that the sea is full of wonders and creatures that he knows no one but maybe Jean would believe him about.
I loved the pining that Wil and Jean have for each other and you get to see how their feelings develop. Wil’s wild pirate adventures are actually quite awesome and this was a super fun part of this story. Wil’s letters and Jean’s journal entries tell a story that is wholesome even if it involves weird medical conditions and killer sea creatures! I wanna know the rest of Wil and Jean’s story!
Happy reading! 📖🦑🧜♀️🦀🪼
This is a unique shorter story where we learn everything about our characters Wilford Bowen and Jean Baptiste de Beaupré through letters and journal entries. Close friends with the hint of something more there, have separated while one makes it in the Royal Society Fellowship while the other doesn’t. Keep in mind this tale takes place in 1760. Jean is on land wondering and worrying about Wil while Wil has made it (kidnapped, really) onto an actual pirate ship, Sea Goddess.
As Wil quickly becomes a cook and doctor on Sea Goddess and begins to uncover all the weird ailments and other strange medical wonders of the crew, Jean waits on shore for Wil’s updates through letters. Wil grows close with the crew and starts to realize that the sea is full of wonders and creatures that he knows no one but maybe Jean would believe him about.
I loved the pining that Wil and Jean have for each other and you get to see how their feelings develop. Wil’s wild pirate adventures are actually quite awesome and this was a super fun part of this story. Wil’s letters and Jean’s journal entries tell a story that is wholesome even if it involves weird medical conditions and killer sea creatures! I wanna know the rest of Wil and Jean’s story!
Happy reading! 📖🦑🧜♀️🦀🪼
August 1, 2024
This was more of a love story than I expected, and I’m not complaining it’s a gay pirate live story!
Wil and Jean’s relationship is pretty evident from the beginning but throughout the letters Wil sends and Jean’s journal entries you start to see their relationship bloom for them.
On top of that the creatures featured in this story are on par with many a fantasy book Ive read. It’s a nice blend!
Oh and tentacled and many eyed goddesses and gods!
Wil and Jean’s relationship is pretty evident from the beginning but throughout the letters Wil sends and Jean’s journal entries you start to see their relationship bloom for them.
On top of that the creatures featured in this story are on par with many a fantasy book Ive read. It’s a nice blend!
Oh and tentacled and many eyed goddesses and gods!
January 1, 2025
there was nothing wrong with this book other than that i didn’t realize this wasn’t gonna be what i expected based off what i had been told. it’s not fair to hold it against the book but it did diminish my enjoyment coming to terms with my disappointment.
August 1, 2024
This was an unexpected read for me! At first, I was like “okay, I was told it’s horror, what’s happening,” then things started getting creepy. I loved the way it is written from the perspective of two friends (who definitely feel more for each other than friendship) who write letters and journal entries. If you’re wanting a pirate story with a sci-fi/horror twist, this is the book for you!
Read
July 12, 2025An historical romantic monster horror sea voyage piracy supernatural science research epistolary queer romp.
October 6, 2024
i love stories told through letters and journal entries <3 this book was such a perfect read for the start of halloween season. it exceeded all my expectations and was delightfully more queer than i thought it would be!!
August 13, 2024
This book was like Robinson Crusoe meets Our Flag Means Death, a gay, goopy, swashbuckling adventure! Ultimately, it’s a story of separated lovers battling regret, longing, and a maritime world of grotesquely beautiful creatures. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
September 1, 2024
I've been charmed by The Flesh of the Sea, which sat me down, took my hand, and offered me a cup of tea full of queer pining, a splash of scientific fascination with strange creations, and two cubes of tentacle-shaped sugar. I'll be back for another cup.
August 2, 2024
Sometimes, as soon as you start to read a book you just instantly know you’re going to love it. This is one of those books for me. I fell deeply in love with the story and the characters. One of my favorite things about this book is how this story is told through letters and journal entries.
The love story that was slowly unfolding, the horror elements and the action are so beautifully done. It’s a weird, surreal and queer story full of pirates, found family and sea monsters.
Thanks to Hedone books for the ARC.
The love story that was slowly unfolding, the horror elements and the action are so beautifully done. It’s a weird, surreal and queer story full of pirates, found family and sea monsters.
Thanks to Hedone books for the ARC.
August 7, 2024
Loved this epistolary queer horror novella! I’m not a big fan of pirate-esque themes but this was written in a very palatable, and non-stereotypical(?) way I think.
July 24, 2024
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There’s another disclaimer, too - this story fits my tastes and preferences to an uncanny degree, so I might not be entirely objective (although I very much think I am!) This was perfect for me, and I loved it to bits. I’m going to buy the paperback, keep re-reading and stare at it because it’s gorgeous too (the illustrations and the interior design are impressive). I would give it six stars if I could.
The story is told in letters and journal entries, which works beautifully in the context, giving it a ‘found media’ dimension while paying tribute to 18th century epistolary novels. This novella stands on very strong fundations - classic literature, (a very British genre of) early modern science, and history (despite its Out Flag Means Death-style a-historical approach). There’s H.G. Wells in this, a solid dollop of adventure fiction, and the air of Britishness which feeds my shameful obsession with the UK.
The story is fast-paced and engaging, the structure well-thought through and skillfully designed. The world-building is an absolute delight! The descriptions are vivid, luscious, immersive, and imbued with lovely characterisation. Truly masterful body-horror too. The sense of wonder just radiates from the pages and I adored sharing the feelings of discovery and excitement with the characters. Some moments are hilarious, too. Wilford’s ‘scientific’ approach to danger made me chuckle every time and his narration was charming and endearing. The love story is romantic, and full of pining. Although Wilfred and Jean spend the majority of the narrative apart, the nostalgia-filled descriptions of their time together are full of warmth and rooted in a strong friendship, common interests, shared passions and priorities - a real joy to see.
A shout out to the first appearance of the sirens, which had the atmosphere of a classic ghost story and somehow captured a universal feeling of a classic myth. The imagery there was so brilliant and intense - my imagination had a field day with this and the scene will stay with me.
If you’re like me and your perfect afternoon consists of walking around Oxford museums in starry-eyed wonder, you crave queer love stories at all times, wanted to grow up to be Indiana Jones, and have an 18th century gravestone in your garden, then this book will speak to your soul as it did to mine. Although the requirements might be much less strict than that.
There’s another disclaimer, too - this story fits my tastes and preferences to an uncanny degree, so I might not be entirely objective (although I very much think I am!) This was perfect for me, and I loved it to bits. I’m going to buy the paperback, keep re-reading and stare at it because it’s gorgeous too (the illustrations and the interior design are impressive). I would give it six stars if I could.
The story is told in letters and journal entries, which works beautifully in the context, giving it a ‘found media’ dimension while paying tribute to 18th century epistolary novels. This novella stands on very strong fundations - classic literature, (a very British genre of) early modern science, and history (despite its Out Flag Means Death-style a-historical approach). There’s H.G. Wells in this, a solid dollop of adventure fiction, and the air of Britishness which feeds my shameful obsession with the UK.
The story is fast-paced and engaging, the structure well-thought through and skillfully designed. The world-building is an absolute delight! The descriptions are vivid, luscious, immersive, and imbued with lovely characterisation. Truly masterful body-horror too. The sense of wonder just radiates from the pages and I adored sharing the feelings of discovery and excitement with the characters. Some moments are hilarious, too. Wilford’s ‘scientific’ approach to danger made me chuckle every time and his narration was charming and endearing. The love story is romantic, and full of pining. Although Wilfred and Jean spend the majority of the narrative apart, the nostalgia-filled descriptions of their time together are full of warmth and rooted in a strong friendship, common interests, shared passions and priorities - a real joy to see.
A shout out to the first appearance of the sirens, which had the atmosphere of a classic ghost story and somehow captured a universal feeling of a classic myth. The imagery there was so brilliant and intense - my imagination had a field day with this and the scene will stay with me.
If you’re like me and your perfect afternoon consists of walking around Oxford museums in starry-eyed wonder, you crave queer love stories at all times, wanted to grow up to be Indiana Jones, and have an 18th century gravestone in your garden, then this book will speak to your soul as it did to mine. Although the requirements might be much less strict than that.
August 3, 2024
His work on snails not considered original enough Wilford Bowen leaves England on a naval ship, signing on as doctor. He is swiftly captured by pirates on the ship Sea Goddess, who need him to deal with parasitic wasps that are infesting them. This begins a series of adventures detailed in his letters to his friend Jean Baptiste De Beaupré. These are interspersed with Jean’s notes in his journal about his reactions to Wilford’s escapades which slowly move into action.
These are adventures that mostly revolve around strange monsters. There include glowing whales, flying jellyfish, lobsters that are colonised by slime molds, sirens and the Flock a gestalt being made up of birds. Other mysteries emerge, including the Sea Goddess herself, a creature that sexually controls the pirate ship’s crew. Not Wilford though, who is gay and in love with Jean, though was unable to realise this back in England. Only by escaping to the sea can he understand.
Jean, receiving these letters, attempts to have Wilford rescued, but is turned down by both the Navy and the Royal Society, who think Wilford’s descriptions of these creatures are ridiculous. He comes to the conclusion that so great is his love, he will have to find him himself. As such he joins the ship Watchman’s Favour, which has it’s own strange controlling creature in the crows nest.
If I note that the story does not rigorously reflect the actual dealings of the Royal Society, pirates, the law on piracy, or travel in the 18th century, it seems superfluous when there are carnivorous plants that lay out lures of treasure to trap sailors. Nevertheless I have to say I had to get up and walk around for a few minutes when an entry dated August 23rd 1760 has a reference to travelling by train from London to Bristol, a line that was not opened until 1841.
It treats injury, death, possession and sex with monsters lightly, moving swiftly from one weird event to the next. Slightly less lightly the slow burn realisation of the two protagonists that they should be together. Fun, breezy, gleefully ahistorical, occasionally gruesome.
Read This: Weird monster adventures while an epistolary romance goes on
Don’t Read This: People get horribly killed and mutilated, also taken over by strange gods
I Received A Review Copy: From Hedone Books
These are adventures that mostly revolve around strange monsters. There include glowing whales, flying jellyfish, lobsters that are colonised by slime molds, sirens and the Flock a gestalt being made up of birds. Other mysteries emerge, including the Sea Goddess herself, a creature that sexually controls the pirate ship’s crew. Not Wilford though, who is gay and in love with Jean, though was unable to realise this back in England. Only by escaping to the sea can he understand.
Jean, receiving these letters, attempts to have Wilford rescued, but is turned down by both the Navy and the Royal Society, who think Wilford’s descriptions of these creatures are ridiculous. He comes to the conclusion that so great is his love, he will have to find him himself. As such he joins the ship Watchman’s Favour, which has it’s own strange controlling creature in the crows nest.
If I note that the story does not rigorously reflect the actual dealings of the Royal Society, pirates, the law on piracy, or travel in the 18th century, it seems superfluous when there are carnivorous plants that lay out lures of treasure to trap sailors. Nevertheless I have to say I had to get up and walk around for a few minutes when an entry dated August 23rd 1760 has a reference to travelling by train from London to Bristol, a line that was not opened until 1841.
It treats injury, death, possession and sex with monsters lightly, moving swiftly from one weird event to the next. Slightly less lightly the slow burn realisation of the two protagonists that they should be together. Fun, breezy, gleefully ahistorical, occasionally gruesome.
Read This: Weird monster adventures while an epistolary romance goes on
Don’t Read This: People get horribly killed and mutilated, also taken over by strange gods
I Received A Review Copy: From Hedone Books
August 5, 2024
The Flesh of the Sea is hands down the best book I have read this year. It has excellent pacing, endearing characters and creatures, intriguing mysteries, and some truly memorable (and fantastic) gross-out scenes. I could not ask for more.
Wilford Bowen, a gentle, nerdy guy who joins a pirate crew after being rejected by the Royal Society of London. Determined to make new discoveries to impress the RSL and his close friend Jean Baptiste de Beaupré, Wilford documents his otherworldly encounters in a series of letters to Jean, interspersed with Jean's journal entries.
I intended to annotate this book more formally, but my categories ended up being “Sweet Queer Stuff”, “Gross Stuff”, and “Pirates Being Better People Than the British Ever Were”.
The monster of the week setup was used wonderfully. Discovering each anomaly through Wilford’s curious eyes is incredibly fun. The pirates are well-developed; despite their number, each one is distinct and significant, enhancing rather than overshadowing Wilford’s journey. I felt like a proud dad watching Willie come into his own.
Please read this book. I am completely in love with it. Every person I cross paths with over the next few days (or weeks) will be hearing about this book. Despite its brevity, it has captured my heart. Thank you, Lor & Shelley. If you two ever revisit these characters, I will be first in line to preorder.
Thank you Hedone Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Wilford Bowen, a gentle, nerdy guy who joins a pirate crew after being rejected by the Royal Society of London. Determined to make new discoveries to impress the RSL and his close friend Jean Baptiste de Beaupré, Wilford documents his otherworldly encounters in a series of letters to Jean, interspersed with Jean's journal entries.
I intended to annotate this book more formally, but my categories ended up being “Sweet Queer Stuff”, “Gross Stuff”, and “Pirates Being Better People Than the British Ever Were”.
The monster of the week setup was used wonderfully. Discovering each anomaly through Wilford’s curious eyes is incredibly fun. The pirates are well-developed; despite their number, each one is distinct and significant, enhancing rather than overshadowing Wilford’s journey. I felt like a proud dad watching Willie come into his own.
Please read this book. I am completely in love with it. Every person I cross paths with over the next few days (or weeks) will be hearing about this book. Despite its brevity, it has captured my heart. Thank you, Lor & Shelley. If you two ever revisit these characters, I will be first in line to preorder.
Thank you Hedone Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
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