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The Exclusion Zone
She would harness fear. And this terrifying place would help her do it.
Renya, a scientist who studies how people react to fear, flees a troubled marriage to conduct research on the scientists working in the “exclusion zone” around Chernobyl. In the eerily silent forests surrounding the research station, she finds more is haunting her than the dangers of radiation exposure. As she gathers data from her colleagues and probes historical records of the Chernobyl disaster, unsettling questions rise to the surface. Who is funding her research? Why are all the scientists’ findings off? And what do those who stalk the ruins of the abandoned city nearby want? In this atmospheric tale, Alexis von Konigslow deftly weaves the struggles of women in science with the impact of politics, both past and present, on people and on the environment. Part ghost story, part literary thriller, The Exclusion Zone is a mesmerizing story that reminds us all to listen to our hearts as well as the earth.
Renya, a scientist who studies how people react to fear, flees a troubled marriage to conduct research on the scientists working in the “exclusion zone” around Chernobyl. In the eerily silent forests surrounding the research station, she finds more is haunting her than the dangers of radiation exposure. As she gathers data from her colleagues and probes historical records of the Chernobyl disaster, unsettling questions rise to the surface. Who is funding her research? Why are all the scientists’ findings off? And what do those who stalk the ruins of the abandoned city nearby want? In this atmospheric tale, Alexis von Konigslow deftly weaves the struggles of women in science with the impact of politics, both past and present, on people and on the environment. Part ghost story, part literary thriller, The Exclusion Zone is a mesmerizing story that reminds us all to listen to our hearts as well as the earth.
- GenresCanada
224 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 15, 2025
I wrote about The Exclusion Zone by Alexis Von Konigslow for The Temz Review.
April 15, 2025
This book had a unique setting, Chernobyl exclusion zone. I have always been interested in Chernobyl and willing to pick up any book that features this tragedy. There were many intellectual discussions throughout and I did find the scientific research aspect interesting but I also feel like it slowed the pace considerably. I also didn’t care for the main character’s hang ups with her cheating husband.
Thank you Wolsak and Wynn for this complimentary copy.
Thank you Wolsak and Wynn for this complimentary copy.
May 15, 2025
I received this book from River Street Writing in exchange for a fair review.
A ponderous dive into fear, forgiveness, and science, The Exclusion Zone is a great read for women in STEM who don’t often see themselves represented, or those interested in Chernobyl.
The plot is very literary fiction, in it follows Renya as she learns about herself through the experiences she has - with a random Russian dude, other women at the research center, and conversations with her husband back home (whom she’s frustrated with/mad at/considering leaving because he smooched another woman).
Renya is a … kind of frustrating character at times. You sometimes feel sorry for her or understand her, but other times, she does stuff that makes you raise an eyebrow. I found her a bit inconsistent, mainly as sometimes she’s very research-driven and at others she’s sort of wandering around. I had trouble understanding how old she was, as sometimes she felt like she was late 30s, and at other times, she felt like she was in her early 20s. She’s very naive, though I suppose that is part of her character’s progress - she is mainly at the exclusion zone because she wants to prove to herself she can be on her own (without the cheating husband) and accomplish things without her dad’s name helping her out. The thing is, we don’t get enough of her homelife before she came to really make either a strong arc.
One of the best aspects of the novel was how women were shown to be treated in the STEM fields. This was a bit didactic, but it does shed light on how women are talked down to, have their accolades downplayed, have their research seen as less important, and taken advantage of. Renya does some stuff that seems stupid, but at the same time, if the men were predatory, it wouldn’t be stupid. Above all else, she is naive, and overcoming that is part of her (though it's frustrating she has to do so, really; despite her making some questionable choices, she is not to be blamed for things that happen).
The book does have some good tension at the end, mainly due to a situation Reyna finds herself in, but it takes some time getting there. The middle of the book lags a bit in terms of plot - Reyna spends a lot of time walking in the woods, staring at algorithm findings, and then walking around some more, but overall it’s quite interesting if you don’t mind a slow pace.
Unfortunately, the writing was a bit harder to get into. There are a lot of short stocky sentences that feel a bit choppy, and the dialogue lacked authenticity quite often. There was quite a bit of passive writing, with “was” verbs every sentence or Reyna watching, hearing, seeing things, versus describing the action for us first hand.
Overall, though, an interesting novel despite its slow pace!
A ponderous dive into fear, forgiveness, and science, The Exclusion Zone is a great read for women in STEM who don’t often see themselves represented, or those interested in Chernobyl.
The plot is very literary fiction, in it follows Renya as she learns about herself through the experiences she has - with a random Russian dude, other women at the research center, and conversations with her husband back home (whom she’s frustrated with/mad at/considering leaving because he smooched another woman).
Renya is a … kind of frustrating character at times. You sometimes feel sorry for her or understand her, but other times, she does stuff that makes you raise an eyebrow. I found her a bit inconsistent, mainly as sometimes she’s very research-driven and at others she’s sort of wandering around. I had trouble understanding how old she was, as sometimes she felt like she was late 30s, and at other times, she felt like she was in her early 20s. She’s very naive, though I suppose that is part of her character’s progress - she is mainly at the exclusion zone because she wants to prove to herself she can be on her own (without the cheating husband) and accomplish things without her dad’s name helping her out. The thing is, we don’t get enough of her homelife before she came to really make either a strong arc.
One of the best aspects of the novel was how women were shown to be treated in the STEM fields. This was a bit didactic, but it does shed light on how women are talked down to, have their accolades downplayed, have their research seen as less important, and taken advantage of. Renya does some stuff that seems stupid, but at the same time, if the men were predatory, it wouldn’t be stupid. Above all else, she is naive, and overcoming that is part of her (though it's frustrating she has to do so, really; despite her making some questionable choices, she is not to be blamed for things that happen).
The book does have some good tension at the end, mainly due to a situation Reyna finds herself in, but it takes some time getting there. The middle of the book lags a bit in terms of plot - Reyna spends a lot of time walking in the woods, staring at algorithm findings, and then walking around some more, but overall it’s quite interesting if you don’t mind a slow pace.
Unfortunately, the writing was a bit harder to get into. There are a lot of short stocky sentences that feel a bit choppy, and the dialogue lacked authenticity quite often. There was quite a bit of passive writing, with “was” verbs every sentence or Reyna watching, hearing, seeing things, versus describing the action for us first hand.
Overall, though, an interesting novel despite its slow pace!
Read
April 21, 2025DNF @ 20%. I tried but this one is so hard to read. The sentences are so short and repetitive. The scientific jargon is killing me (and I am a stem student!!!) The conversations feel so off and I don’t understand the point of this book… ☠️
I wish I could like it since the synopsis was so interesting!
I wish I could like it since the synopsis was so interesting!
April 18, 2025
Set against the haunting backdrop of Chernobyl, The Exclusion Zone offers a compelling premise that blends science, history, and mystery. The novel's greatest strength lies in its exploration of the Chernobyl disaster—Von Konigslow clearly did her research, and the historical elements were fascinating and immersive. If you're intrigued by nuclear history or post-disaster settings, this aspect alone might pull you in.
The concept itself is ambitious and intriguing, with shades of speculative fiction and scientific inquiry that raise big questions about ethics, human intervention and fear. The idea behind the book is undeniably cool with the concept of can a machine catch scientist's fear and report it to authorities to trigger faster response time.
That said, the execution didn’t fully land for me. The writing often relies on simple sentence structure, which made the narrative feel disjointed at times. Dialogue between characters—especially between the female lead and her male scientists—felt stiff and stereotypical, which took me out of the story. As a reader, I found it hard to believe this is how scientists would naturally interact.
Some scenes felt disconnected from one another, making the pacing feel uneven and, at times, disorienting. Repetition in both theme and character interactions slowed the momentum, and I struggled to get a sense of a clear, cohesive plot. The protagonist is portrayed as a hyper-focused researcher, but her character veers into a tropey mix of independent and tough without much to show. Her ignorance outside her field felt exaggerated, making her hard to root for.
That said, The Exclusion Zone may still appeal to readers who enjoy science-based speculative fiction, particularly those interested in stories set in real historical contexts. If you're curious about Chernobyl and open to a more conceptual and atmospheric read, this one could be worth a looking into.
The concept itself is ambitious and intriguing, with shades of speculative fiction and scientific inquiry that raise big questions about ethics, human intervention and fear. The idea behind the book is undeniably cool with the concept of can a machine catch scientist's fear and report it to authorities to trigger faster response time.
That said, the execution didn’t fully land for me. The writing often relies on simple sentence structure, which made the narrative feel disjointed at times. Dialogue between characters—especially between the female lead and her male scientists—felt stiff and stereotypical, which took me out of the story. As a reader, I found it hard to believe this is how scientists would naturally interact.
Some scenes felt disconnected from one another, making the pacing feel uneven and, at times, disorienting. Repetition in both theme and character interactions slowed the momentum, and I struggled to get a sense of a clear, cohesive plot. The protagonist is portrayed as a hyper-focused researcher, but her character veers into a tropey mix of independent and tough without much to show. Her ignorance outside her field felt exaggerated, making her hard to root for.
That said, The Exclusion Zone may still appeal to readers who enjoy science-based speculative fiction, particularly those interested in stories set in real historical contexts. If you're curious about Chernobyl and open to a more conceptual and atmospheric read, this one could be worth a looking into.
August 31, 2025
Sometimes I am pulled to a novel simply because of the setting. If the setting is unique and offers as a catalyst for conflict and suspense in a narrative, I am drawn in and anticipate coming out of this space altered. Alexis von Koningslow’s speculative fiction, “The Exclusion Zone,” is set in the devastated landscape of post-Chernobyl. Amongst the backdrop of radiation forests and an abandoned urban sprawl, the author orients a secluded scientific community amongst this danger, excavating the remains of a ghostly society and ruined ecological footprint that once was.
The historical event that ripped open at Chernobyl is a universal wound for humanity in facing our true horrors and the devastations we can wreak on ourselves and our environment. There was much potential with this setting, the ruin of the shell of a society abandoned, the haunting and disturbing atmosphere that could be cultivated, made me anticipate an apocalyptic tone and plotline.
Published by Wolsak & Wynn in May this past spring, I’ve combed through the reviews and identify the current of conversation that puts forward the shortfalls of the storyline. Reviewers have noted the ambition of pursuing universal horrors and a critique of ethical perimeters sought in the novel, but the writing has fallen through for some reviewers, other reviewers could not connect fully with the main character, and others felt that the plotline ended shallow and unstimulating.
The author holds degrees in mathematical physics from Queen’s University and a degree in creative writing from the University of Guelph. Her knowledge of physics and the application of science in general within the novel is evident, as the reader sees through the eyes of the main character Renya, a scientist who studies fear through picture datasets and facial recognition. She strives to build a program that will help prevent future disasters like Chernobyl by isolating the observable behaviour of fear in body language and fine muscle recognition. Renya has escaped to Chernobyl from Toronto due to a troubled marriage and the shadow of a father who is a successful scientist, to pursue her work and to define her sense of self. Alexis layers the character arc of her female protagonist with her own scientific lens.
In an interview with On Creative Writing, Alexis gives context to this scientific scope in “The Exclusion Zone.” “I love to write about how science and studying science seeps into everyday life. I liked to write about how the questions we become fascinated by and consumed with inspire us and change us.” This passion is very much a backbone of the novel, in Renya, and the elite scientific world she treks through. Alexis delves deeper, “I love to write about safety too. This world wasn’t made for us. We were born into it. Feeling safe in the world in a choice, and it’s one that I often forget to make, so I love to write about that.” This dynamic plays out in the climax and resolution of the plot of “The Exclusion Zone,” in which Renya’s mentality shifts to a wider scope of human well-being as she comes to know the decay and Chernobyl wasteland better. Questions arise for Renya as she comes to understand and lift the veil of the unethical and politically-charged workings of the world around her. She questions the funding of her research, the data-sets of the findings of other scientists around her, and who are the men she encounters in a dead forest and what do they want? I anticipated learning something shocking and scathing in this novel that would re-orient me in negotiations of the repercussions of Chernobyl for humanity.
But, that re-orientation did not come, the application of fear to a wider lens was gleaned, but my reflection of what actually made me fearful of life in this novel is quite subtle but explicit. What I walked away from with this novel in terms of fear was not the potential of the risk and danger to health with the protagonist being exposed to the radiation of post-Chernobyl, but the way that female scientists were treated by the male scientific community instead. There is a bone-chilling facing of the reality of how women are discredited and hunted, even. Ironically, that treatment is what I fear more, whether intended by the author or not, I kind of laugh that this feeling is what I come away from the novel with and what the zone of exclusion actually is.
“I found one lever I can pull, with fear, but I have more questions, more ideas now. What if emotions can presage illness? What if the same techniques I use can be harnessed to monitor for heart attacks, imminent strokes, auto-immune conditions? What if I can scan for body heat and muscle activation to predict medical crises? I keep thinking about that, as I take pictures of scientists here. Emotions are cool, but there are processes even deeper, physiological ones that could open a window to peoples’ underlying health. Anyway.”
The growth in thought of Renya in contemplating that her work does not have to apply to potential disaster, but the detection of illness and disease in general is the trajectory of her character arc. This conversation evolves with the female comradeship Renya experiences with the other female scientists at Chernobyl. There has been critique by reviewers who work in the sciences themselves that the behaviour of the male characters is too exaggerated and trivializes the actuality of discrimination experienced by women in various fields. The explicit sexism depicted in the novel left the reviewer feeling that the characters were less real, more caricature. It was suggested that if the author could pull off this conflict more subtlety with nuances of the passive-aggressive nature of the adversity experienced, I pictured, then, more of a psychological plotline arcing through that would leave the reader disturbed. Sometimes those psychological thrillers leave the most lasting impressions.
I held on as Renya continued to explore the abandoned ruins of Chernobyl and was eager to feel out the ghosts and phantoms of a landscape stricken by death and disaster. There were two characters found within the forests and separate from the scientific community I was hoping would become ghost-like and almost not real in a juxtaposition of character orientation and play with magic realism.
However, the ghosts remain unseen, yet they are there.
“They whispered in the scientists’ ears from time to time, telling them to look up, asking them to zoom out. They blew in their faces to make them feel unsettled. They ran toward the birds to make them all take flight at once. They made them afraid, of what the scientists didn’t quite know. In that way, they offered what protection they could.”
Pointing the reader in the scope of contemplating disaster in a universal layer, the reader is left with the residue of ghosts as protectors, as witness to knowing the potential of greater danger and disaster.
Thank you to Alexis von Koningslow, Wolsak & Wynn and River Street Writing for the complimentary ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
https://www.sarahailstone.com/book-re...
The historical event that ripped open at Chernobyl is a universal wound for humanity in facing our true horrors and the devastations we can wreak on ourselves and our environment. There was much potential with this setting, the ruin of the shell of a society abandoned, the haunting and disturbing atmosphere that could be cultivated, made me anticipate an apocalyptic tone and plotline.
Published by Wolsak & Wynn in May this past spring, I’ve combed through the reviews and identify the current of conversation that puts forward the shortfalls of the storyline. Reviewers have noted the ambition of pursuing universal horrors and a critique of ethical perimeters sought in the novel, but the writing has fallen through for some reviewers, other reviewers could not connect fully with the main character, and others felt that the plotline ended shallow and unstimulating.
The author holds degrees in mathematical physics from Queen’s University and a degree in creative writing from the University of Guelph. Her knowledge of physics and the application of science in general within the novel is evident, as the reader sees through the eyes of the main character Renya, a scientist who studies fear through picture datasets and facial recognition. She strives to build a program that will help prevent future disasters like Chernobyl by isolating the observable behaviour of fear in body language and fine muscle recognition. Renya has escaped to Chernobyl from Toronto due to a troubled marriage and the shadow of a father who is a successful scientist, to pursue her work and to define her sense of self. Alexis layers the character arc of her female protagonist with her own scientific lens.
In an interview with On Creative Writing, Alexis gives context to this scientific scope in “The Exclusion Zone.” “I love to write about how science and studying science seeps into everyday life. I liked to write about how the questions we become fascinated by and consumed with inspire us and change us.” This passion is very much a backbone of the novel, in Renya, and the elite scientific world she treks through. Alexis delves deeper, “I love to write about safety too. This world wasn’t made for us. We were born into it. Feeling safe in the world in a choice, and it’s one that I often forget to make, so I love to write about that.” This dynamic plays out in the climax and resolution of the plot of “The Exclusion Zone,” in which Renya’s mentality shifts to a wider scope of human well-being as she comes to know the decay and Chernobyl wasteland better. Questions arise for Renya as she comes to understand and lift the veil of the unethical and politically-charged workings of the world around her. She questions the funding of her research, the data-sets of the findings of other scientists around her, and who are the men she encounters in a dead forest and what do they want? I anticipated learning something shocking and scathing in this novel that would re-orient me in negotiations of the repercussions of Chernobyl for humanity.
But, that re-orientation did not come, the application of fear to a wider lens was gleaned, but my reflection of what actually made me fearful of life in this novel is quite subtle but explicit. What I walked away from with this novel in terms of fear was not the potential of the risk and danger to health with the protagonist being exposed to the radiation of post-Chernobyl, but the way that female scientists were treated by the male scientific community instead. There is a bone-chilling facing of the reality of how women are discredited and hunted, even. Ironically, that treatment is what I fear more, whether intended by the author or not, I kind of laugh that this feeling is what I come away from the novel with and what the zone of exclusion actually is.
“I found one lever I can pull, with fear, but I have more questions, more ideas now. What if emotions can presage illness? What if the same techniques I use can be harnessed to monitor for heart attacks, imminent strokes, auto-immune conditions? What if I can scan for body heat and muscle activation to predict medical crises? I keep thinking about that, as I take pictures of scientists here. Emotions are cool, but there are processes even deeper, physiological ones that could open a window to peoples’ underlying health. Anyway.”
The growth in thought of Renya in contemplating that her work does not have to apply to potential disaster, but the detection of illness and disease in general is the trajectory of her character arc. This conversation evolves with the female comradeship Renya experiences with the other female scientists at Chernobyl. There has been critique by reviewers who work in the sciences themselves that the behaviour of the male characters is too exaggerated and trivializes the actuality of discrimination experienced by women in various fields. The explicit sexism depicted in the novel left the reviewer feeling that the characters were less real, more caricature. It was suggested that if the author could pull off this conflict more subtlety with nuances of the passive-aggressive nature of the adversity experienced, I pictured, then, more of a psychological plotline arcing through that would leave the reader disturbed. Sometimes those psychological thrillers leave the most lasting impressions.
I held on as Renya continued to explore the abandoned ruins of Chernobyl and was eager to feel out the ghosts and phantoms of a landscape stricken by death and disaster. There were two characters found within the forests and separate from the scientific community I was hoping would become ghost-like and almost not real in a juxtaposition of character orientation and play with magic realism.
However, the ghosts remain unseen, yet they are there.
“They whispered in the scientists’ ears from time to time, telling them to look up, asking them to zoom out. They blew in their faces to make them feel unsettled. They ran toward the birds to make them all take flight at once. They made them afraid, of what the scientists didn’t quite know. In that way, they offered what protection they could.”
Pointing the reader in the scope of contemplating disaster in a universal layer, the reader is left with the residue of ghosts as protectors, as witness to knowing the potential of greater danger and disaster.
Thank you to Alexis von Koningslow, Wolsak & Wynn and River Street Writing for the complimentary ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
https://www.sarahailstone.com/book-re...
Read
May 15, 2025The Exclusion Zone is set in irradiated Chernobyl, just cleared for Canadian scientists to research its quiet and terrifying mysteries. Renya is researching fear, while simultaneously running away from her marriage. What advantage could identifying fear serve for scientists, universities and governments? And can fear give all the answers the Chernobyl’s mysteries?
The setting and general plot of this book is so strong, but I’m saddened to say the writing missed the mark for me. As a woman in science myself, the struggles I’ve witnessed are much more subtle than the exaggerated misogyny shown in the novel, and because of this, more frustrating. The blatant sexism Renya experiences felt cartoonish and unrealistic from my perspective, making the characters feel less real to me.
I kept waiting for something to be found out, anything to draw me in in the first half of the book but I only read repetition of Renya talking to fellow scientists and then calling her ex-husband.
My favorite part of the book was when Renya to explore eerie vacated areas of Chernobyl and I would’ve loved to see more of that early on. There was so much potential to lean into these scenes more.
I would like to thank River Street Writes for the opportunity to give this book a chance as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The setting and general plot of this book is so strong, but I’m saddened to say the writing missed the mark for me. As a woman in science myself, the struggles I’ve witnessed are much more subtle than the exaggerated misogyny shown in the novel, and because of this, more frustrating. The blatant sexism Renya experiences felt cartoonish and unrealistic from my perspective, making the characters feel less real to me.
I kept waiting for something to be found out, anything to draw me in in the first half of the book but I only read repetition of Renya talking to fellow scientists and then calling her ex-husband.
My favorite part of the book was when Renya to explore eerie vacated areas of Chernobyl and I would’ve loved to see more of that early on. There was so much potential to lean into these scenes more.
I would like to thank River Street Writes for the opportunity to give this book a chance as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2026
Thank you so much to @wolsakandwynn and @river_street_writes for the #gifted copy of this book.
The Exclusion Zone is a short read, at 224 pages, and I was definitely left wanting more. Perhaps an epilogue. I really wanted to have some insight into our main character, say 12 months later.
I read The Exclusion Zone as an eco horror. This was a slow burn read with the true horror being created by the tension in the unknown.
Our main character, Renya, is a scientist who studies human emotions. In particular, her current studies explore fear, and recognizing fear in others. She has been provided a grant to study the scientists working in the "exclusion zone" around Chernobyl. Her findings show, that the scientists research is concerning them, they are showing fear. But, Renya also likes to chase fear herself. Taking risks to explore the abandoned areas around Chernobyl.
There was a lot of tension in this story. The tension of the female scientists being isolated with male scientists who had little respect for them, the tension of locals who didn't want interference, the tension of the scientists discoveries and what they meant for our planet, and the tension of Renya putting herself into situations that could potentially expose her to the harmful and irreversible effects of radiation.
I didn't really know much about Chernobyl, so I found the aspects about Chernobyl and the disaster to be fascinating.
If you enjoy eco horror, I would definitely recommend this one.
The Exclusion Zone is a short read, at 224 pages, and I was definitely left wanting more. Perhaps an epilogue. I really wanted to have some insight into our main character, say 12 months later.
I read The Exclusion Zone as an eco horror. This was a slow burn read with the true horror being created by the tension in the unknown.
Our main character, Renya, is a scientist who studies human emotions. In particular, her current studies explore fear, and recognizing fear in others. She has been provided a grant to study the scientists working in the "exclusion zone" around Chernobyl. Her findings show, that the scientists research is concerning them, they are showing fear. But, Renya also likes to chase fear herself. Taking risks to explore the abandoned areas around Chernobyl.
There was a lot of tension in this story. The tension of the female scientists being isolated with male scientists who had little respect for them, the tension of locals who didn't want interference, the tension of the scientists discoveries and what they meant for our planet, and the tension of Renya putting herself into situations that could potentially expose her to the harmful and irreversible effects of radiation.
I didn't really know much about Chernobyl, so I found the aspects about Chernobyl and the disaster to be fascinating.
If you enjoy eco horror, I would definitely recommend this one.
April 12, 2025
A haunting and atmospheric blend of literary thriller, psychological exploration, and environmental mystery.
Centered around Renya, a scientist researching fear in the eerie, abandoned surroundings of Chernobyl, the novel draws readers into a layered narrative where the personal, political, and, at times, seemingly paranormal intersect. Fans of science, psychology, and complex characters will appreciate the rich details of scientific research and the nuanced exploration of fear—both rational and irrational.
A suspenseful plot, chilling setting (Chernobyl “exclusion zone”- yikes!), and thought-provoking themes, this novel offers a compelling look at what truly haunts us, both individually and collectively.
I think readers with a science background, especially those involved with scientific research and psychology, will appreciate the in-depth exploration in this one!
Thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy to read & review.
Centered around Renya, a scientist researching fear in the eerie, abandoned surroundings of Chernobyl, the novel draws readers into a layered narrative where the personal, political, and, at times, seemingly paranormal intersect. Fans of science, psychology, and complex characters will appreciate the rich details of scientific research and the nuanced exploration of fear—both rational and irrational.
A suspenseful plot, chilling setting (Chernobyl “exclusion zone”- yikes!), and thought-provoking themes, this novel offers a compelling look at what truly haunts us, both individually and collectively.
I think readers with a science background, especially those involved with scientific research and psychology, will appreciate the in-depth exploration in this one!
Thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy to read & review.
May 28, 2025
The Exclusion Zone isn’t a fast-paced thriller—it’s a slow, eerie unraveling. Renya, a scientist studying fear, retreats to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and slowly begins to confront her own emotional fallout. The setting is vivid, the writing sharp, and the atmosphere heavy with tension.
This book doesn’t hand you answers—it invites you to sit with questions: What does fear do to us? What happens when we run from our own minds? It’s thoughtful, strange, and quietly haunting.
Not for everyone, but if you like character-driven stories that lean into ambiguity and emotional depth, it’s a standout.
This book doesn’t hand you answers—it invites you to sit with questions: What does fear do to us? What happens when we run from our own minds? It’s thoughtful, strange, and quietly haunting.
Not for everyone, but if you like character-driven stories that lean into ambiguity and emotional depth, it’s a standout.
July 14, 2025
This is such an artfully rendered novel about the nature of fear -- it takes place in the exclusion zone around Chernobyl. Hauntingly brilliant. I recommend it highly!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews