From These Dark Abodes

by Lyndsie Manusos

St. Edah's, a house without Lethe and Petunia are mortal prisoners, servants to immortal creatures who unzip from their skin each night and party as skeletons.

Lethe has no memory of how she came to be trapped in this nightmare, only that despite the tenderness she feels for Petunia, she must escape. Together, they traverse the infinite house, searching for passage while finding evidence of their former lives-lives that are not what they believed them to be.

Lethe must Join the immportals in their revelry or escape St. Edah's once and for all.

Genres: Horror, Novella, Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Fiction, LGBT

115 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 17, 2024

About the author

Lyndsie Manusos’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in Tor.com, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, and other publications. Her work has been nominated for Pushcart Prize and appeared on Locus Magazine's Annual Recommended Reading List.

Her debut novella, FROM THESE DARK ABODES, is forthcoming from Psychopomp press in Summer 2024.

She lives in central Indiana with her family, where she works as a bookseller for her local indie, Wild Geese Bookshop. She also is a senior contributor at Book Riot.

Reviews

[Books_the_Magical_Fruit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick, horrifyingly interesting novella. It did not go as I expected in the slightest. You, too, will wonder where the main characters came from and why they can’t leave. It’s a scary mystery that unravels little by little.

Trigger warning: body horror, and lots of it. Don’t read this if you are squeamish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Psychopomp for an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Ai Jiang]

A big thank you to the publisher for an early copy of FTDA! My blurb below!

FROM THESE DARK ABODES is an intricately crafted labyrinth with hidden spaces in between that weaves together decadent body horror, complex relationships—intimate like hugging bones, exposed like peeled back skin—told through prose with an intoxicating atmospheric pull, crawling with sensory details.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how the beginning of From These Dark Abodes by Lyndsie Manusos focused on building a sense of dread for something we didn’t understand yet. Though it did feel slow and didn’t draw me in right away, I can appreciate that now that I’ve finished it.

This story was unexpected to me. That somewhat slow feeling persisted throughout, though I think that was more the vibes rather than the actual story. Despite the dread and obvious abuse, there was almost a comfort deep down as well? I don’t even know how to explain it.

Once it did pick up its pace and one reveal after another happened, I couldn’t look away anymore, and I really enjoyed how everything came together.

I do have to mention one thing though. I don’t usually comment on this during reviews, but since this is for a competition, I’ll make an exception. Multiple submitted books, including this one, have been advanced review copies with misspellings, grammar mistakes, etc. throughout, and I want to recommend not doing so in the future because if there are several books I’ve loved and want to recommend moving forward in a competition, I have to look at the whole package so the ones with better proofreading might win out if it comes down to the details. I did obviously enjoy this one, but whether there has been further editing after ARCs go out or not, you want to put your best foot forward and submit the final copy rather than one that feels unfinished.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very unexpected. I definitely cringed at some of the descriptions - it was a bit horrifying in spots. A quick thriller with some heavy underlying themes (specifically postpartum depression). I couldn’t put it down because I wasn’t sure what would happen next. I would classify this as a horror/thriller with a love interest. I kind of wish the book was longer to get into more details regarding the characters. 4⭐️ would recommend if horror/thriller is your cup of tea

[Lexi Denee · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 130 pages, These Dark Abodes is the perfect one-sitting morsel to get ready for spooky season. Filled with body horror and questions of morality (and humanity,) I am already looking forward to reading this one again.

Lethe and Petunia are trapped in a never ending house without a door to the outside. They are tasked with serving the occupants of the house when they throw down and party each night. The jump scare part of this is that the occupants of the house peel out of their skin each night to dance around as skeletons.

Beautifully written and insightful enough to make me question the weight of my own skin. Check this one out if you like body horror, haunted houses, and questioning everything!

This is an ARC so quotes may differ from finished copy:

“She held sway over the house, its occupants, and controlled who could unzip from their skins.”

“Even so, everyone had a reason for wanting to leave their own body. A trauma to escape from, to unzip from their skins and celebrate a night without its heaviness.”

**Thank you to NetGalley and Psychopomp for the eARC of this terrifying title!**

[Julia Ember · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extraordinarily strange novella, but the body horror is somehow beautiful, the mythos cleverly incorporated. Dark, queer and devour-able in one sitting!

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Publishing date: 17.09.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Psychopomp for the ARC. My opinions are my own. 


The book as a meal: No food for me, whisky on the rocks only 
The book left me: Feeling a deep sense of dread 


Negatives:
Wished it was longer
The twist came a little suddenly 


Positives:
Sublime vibes
Will stick with me for a long time
Great writing


Features: 
A labyrinthine house with horrific hosts, a lowkey murder mystery, LGBTQ rep, a character that does not know who they are or how they got here


Why did I choose this one?
The cover is stunning, the combination of genres is right up my alley, and  the blurb gave just enough intrigue to really want to read it. It seemed like just the book for me. 


Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Very pick-up-able. This book got its claws in me almost immediately. You get thrown into it from the beginning and you really want to see what happens next.


What was the vibe and mood?
Claustrophobic. Wandering a labyrinth. The floor is sticky. The air is stale. The smell of alcohol, blood, and putrid meat follows my every step. I am not safe. I am not free. I am being watched everywhere I go. 


Final ranking and star rating?
A tier, 4 stars. This book was just wonderful and I really enjoyed it. The only downer is the twist at the end and the fact that it was very short. I wished for more and I wished for a different outcome. Even so, I am thoroughly satisfied and I will be strongly recommending this in the future. 

[Jordan Dailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I visited the quaint little bookstore known as Wild Geese Bookshop I did so based on my wife’s recommendation. When I asked the staff for something to read I was handed several books and then almost as an afterthought they handed me this book. Not certain the recommendation was about the book’s quality as much as it may have been for the fact it was the owners own published work I somewhat reluctantly accepted it.

Despite not being something I would normally read, I am pleased to say that I was hooked from nearly the beginning. The concept, the storytelling, the sentence structures… I’m not quite able to put a finger on it, but something about this novella grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let it go. A definite surprise and a tremendously wonderful journey which has further solidified that asking others to share their literary taste and basing my purchases from that once again did not disappoint.

[Krystelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book was a beautifully atmospheric book with absolutely lilting prose. There was so much worldbuilding in here for such a short novella, and I will say the substance of my critique is that I wish this were longer. There's a lot in here to see, and there's some really prosaic descriptions of appalling body horror in here.

I really did enjoy this book, but I wished it was longer and a bit more fleshed out. The characters could have done with a bit more development, but they are described well, and what we are given of them was nicely done and felt like it was piecemeal on purpose. This one is well worth the read, particularly if you can deal with body horror without flinching.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely, eerie queer novella. Petunia and Lethe are stuck in an underworld mansion with no exit, St. Edah's. They're made to serve the immortals there who shed their skin every evening to party as skeletons. But then one of the skeletons goes missing. They're supposed to be immortal, but maybe that promise is a lie. Meanwhile, Petunia's memories slowly leak through the spell she's under, though Lethe still can't remember anything.

[Myna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The gothic setup and characters hooked me immediately. Lethe and Petunia are such compelling characters; I felt invested in their plight, and I enjoyed the reveal of the mystery surrounding their identities. The descriptions of the house & the revelries are strong--the scenes came to life as I read. This is a hell of a horror story, with gorgeous language and characters I won't soon forget. Definitely recommend for horror fans!

[Bethie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novella and I think it works for the type of story it is because the entirety of it is quite intense and dark. Lethe and Petunia are mortal prisoners, servants to immortal creatures who unzip from their skin each night and party as skeletons. Such a bizarre concept but I loved it, and the imagery really sold it. There was a feeling of dread the entire time I was reading it. Highly recommend.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I edited this, so yes I've read it. A perilous journey through a house that does not wish to give up its people. A heartfelt romance, and an exploration of postpartum depression that you don't often see in speculative work.

[samar · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very very weird book that goes in completely unexpected places. i think i found some bits jarring -- modernity chafing against the fantasy -- but i was very much intrigued by the ideas on display. this was the perfect length for what it was.

[Carlie St. George]

Oh, the body horror in this one is exquisite. For me, the story really picks up in Part 2 and doesn’t stop from there. I particularly enjoyed how the story moves from an eerie, gothic sort of horror to something much more visceral and grotesque. Strange and dark and lovely.

[Maria Dong · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gorgeous, moody novella with spectacularly original wordbuilding. Moody, deeply psychological, and very queer (in all the possible connotations of the word). I absolutely adored this read and shot through the entire thing in one sitting.

[Annika Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an early version of this book and it's incredible! Full thoughts to follow when I get an ARC of the edited version.

[Samantha Hehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lethe and Petunia scour St Edah's in search of a way out. Each day, they must serve its macabre inhabitants- ethereal gods and goddesses who shed their skin and revel as skeletons.

[Eugenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both mysterious and intimate, From These Dark Abodes will enthrall you and make you fall in love with all the charming imperfections of humanity.

[Susie Dumond · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chilling, atmospheric, queer horror novella that gets its claws in you right from the start! Perfect spooky season reading!

[Tara Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivid, haunting, and unique, this slim volume plays by its own rules, keeping you guessing with each turn down a dark new hallway.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is the writer in residence at Franklin's charming Wild Geese Books!

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts off as an engaging and unnerving mystery, and has strong atmosphere the whole way through.

[Maria Haskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, dark and strange, this novella is full of dancing skeletons, shapeshifting revelers, and slipped skins. It's a realm of death where memories can be lost but where maybe love can be found.

[Venneh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an eerie novella full of longing and oppression, and, just for fun, the world lapping at the edges of a never ending party for skeletons that's totally not hiding anything sinister and wrong. The mood is exquisitely gothic, and I am absolutely intrigued for what Ms. Manusos will put out next.

[Jan McManus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because the bookseller was the author, I took a chance on this novella. I read half of it, read the ending, researched the characters' names, then went back to the middle and finished it.

The writing is strong. The premise is ancient and new. Mythology speaks to the soul.