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The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere
What would you do if you were shipwrecked, swept ashore, and menaced by a horde of ravenous crabs, only to be saved by an eldritch being and welcomed into a tower of secrets by an even more enigmatic host? As a scientist and traveler, how would you assess a situation that could only be a nightmare such as no human has ever experienced?
Join Avery Mothmere on the adventure of a lifetime! This charming story is by turns Gothic horror, strange romance, unfathomable mystery, and weird fever dream. Features 30 original illustrations by the author.
Join Avery Mothmere on the adventure of a lifetime! This charming story is by turns Gothic horror, strange romance, unfathomable mystery, and weird fever dream. Features 30 original illustrations by the author.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2025
About the author
Helen Whistberry
35 books80 followersHelen Whistberry (they/she) is the pen name for an indie author and artist who began writing after retiring from a long career working in libraries. They have published numerous books as well as contributing horror and fantasy stories to anthologies. Helen’s writing often explores their own experiences with gender, asexuality, alienation, and autism. Their whimsical digital artwork focuses on the natural world. Helen also loves to read and review books by fellow indie and small press authors. You can find out more by visiting their website at https://www.helenwhistberry.com/ for a complete list of publications and links.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 24, 2025
After reading the title, being a fan of mythology, I was expecting this novella to be a book about death, and so I was not surprised when the main character’s boat is shipwrecked during a storm. However, everything that followed this event was surprising and inexplicable. This story is possibly the most surreal thing I have ever read, and is delivered in such stilted Victorian-style prose, it could perhaps be described as Darwin meets Dali.
Avery Mothmere is an adventurer, an experienced traveller who observes her surroundings in great detail and is used to reporting on them in scientific diaries and journals. Her shipwreck at the beginning of the book sets off a whole chain of surreal events with a cast of bizarre characters all reported in her stilted, scientist’s voice, with a lack of human emotion that is often quite dazzling.
This novella reads like a series of vignettes with increasingly strange circumstances, with each chapter not necessarily having anything to do with the others. However, I found it difficult to put down, wanting to see how much more peculiar the next chapter would get.
A thoroughly enjoyable little oddity of a story.
I received a complimentary copy of this novella as part of the SFINCS 3 contest (Thank you). My opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my team.
Avery Mothmere is an adventurer, an experienced traveller who observes her surroundings in great detail and is used to reporting on them in scientific diaries and journals. Her shipwreck at the beginning of the book sets off a whole chain of surreal events with a cast of bizarre characters all reported in her stilted, scientist’s voice, with a lack of human emotion that is often quite dazzling.
This novella reads like a series of vignettes with increasingly strange circumstances, with each chapter not necessarily having anything to do with the others. However, I found it difficult to put down, wanting to see how much more peculiar the next chapter would get.
A thoroughly enjoyable little oddity of a story.
I received a complimentary copy of this novella as part of the SFINCS 3 contest (Thank you). My opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my team.
May 9, 2025
Another delightful yet slightly disturbing book by Ms. Whistberry. If you are familiar with her work, you’ll know that there will be sentient animals, and a wonderful cat companion named “Soot,” but there are also other individuals who may or may not be quite human.
Avery was on a sea journey when monsters attacked, and became shipwrecked. Somehow, Avery washed up ashore and was beset by ravenous crabs, when a child saved her.
The child and Theda take her in to recover and they may be Good Samaritans or they may be something else entirely.
Enchanting well-written read with fabulous drawings that will have you wondering who’s good and who has ulterior motives they haven’t yet disclosed.
Avery was on a sea journey when monsters attacked, and became shipwrecked. Somehow, Avery washed up ashore and was beset by ravenous crabs, when a child saved her.
The child and Theda take her in to recover and they may be Good Samaritans or they may be something else entirely.
Enchanting well-written read with fabulous drawings that will have you wondering who’s good and who has ulterior motives they haven’t yet disclosed.
October 12, 2025
This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.
This review may contain minor spoilers.
Worldbuilding: The island that Avery finds themself washed ashore on is a strange place of circles, killer crabs, forest giants, tower dwelling beings the likes of Cousin It, gilded children, and townsfolk who would rather trade their wares for a new story than money. Much of what we learn and see of this island is through Avery's eyes, which leaves you with a lot of questions, but I honestly think that works for this story. We don't need to know how everything works, just how Avery feels about it.
Emotions: Avery is a very autistic coded character (and I believe Whistberry has confirmed this as canon in posts on their social media) and they view everything through a very analytical and scientific lense. As an autistic person myself, I found them incredibly relatable, especially when they had conflicting emotions regarding their situation and how they felt about different characters. This story certainly dredged up my emotions and there is one scene in particular between Avery and Theda (their host with the bountiful locks) that absolutely ripped my heart out.
Intrigue: I talked a bit about the strangeness of this island already but that is one of the big things that drew me in to this story. I was constantly theorizing as to the nature of the island, what was actually happening to Avery (much as they wonder themselves), and what the intentions of Theda and Anchor (the gilded child) were. While I'll keep my theories to myself as to not spoil anything too much, I will say that I absolutely did not see the ending coming (it was a wonderful twist).
Relationships: In such a short wordcount it can be difficult to fully develop characters relationships, and while at time I wish we were able to see Avery spend a bit more time with each character, the development of their relationship and understanding to each inhabitant of the island progressed very naturally. In particular, I loved Avery's conversations with Zaza the giant.
Descriptions: While it's not usually a narration style I'm a fan of, I absolutely loved the almost Jane Austen like manner in which Avery spoke and narrated their story. It really seated the story in time for me and added this extra layer that really made the descriptions sing. The illustrations that preceded each chapter were so much fun and I was thrilled when it was revealed that the illustrations were diagetic.
Engagement: This was one of those stories that I really wanted to savor and read more slowly. I easily could have finished it in one or two sittings but I wanted to sit with each chapter and think about the interactions between the characters or the events Avery had just been through. Even so, I absolutely tore through the last 20% of the book.
Final thoughts: I had a blast reading this story. Every character was so full of life and I loved Avery (and dear Soot the cat) as a main character. If you love stories with a strong voice, fantastical settings, and a plot that never quite lets you know where it’s going to turn next then I’d highly recommend this novella.
This review may contain minor spoilers.
Worldbuilding: The island that Avery finds themself washed ashore on is a strange place of circles, killer crabs, forest giants, tower dwelling beings the likes of Cousin It, gilded children, and townsfolk who would rather trade their wares for a new story than money. Much of what we learn and see of this island is through Avery's eyes, which leaves you with a lot of questions, but I honestly think that works for this story. We don't need to know how everything works, just how Avery feels about it.
Emotions: Avery is a very autistic coded character (and I believe Whistberry has confirmed this as canon in posts on their social media) and they view everything through a very analytical and scientific lense. As an autistic person myself, I found them incredibly relatable, especially when they had conflicting emotions regarding their situation and how they felt about different characters. This story certainly dredged up my emotions and there is one scene in particular between Avery and Theda (their host with the bountiful locks) that absolutely ripped my heart out.
Intrigue: I talked a bit about the strangeness of this island already but that is one of the big things that drew me in to this story. I was constantly theorizing as to the nature of the island, what was actually happening to Avery (much as they wonder themselves), and what the intentions of Theda and Anchor (the gilded child) were. While I'll keep my theories to myself as to not spoil anything too much, I will say that I absolutely did not see the ending coming (it was a wonderful twist).
Relationships: In such a short wordcount it can be difficult to fully develop characters relationships, and while at time I wish we were able to see Avery spend a bit more time with each character, the development of their relationship and understanding to each inhabitant of the island progressed very naturally. In particular, I loved Avery's conversations with Zaza the giant.
Descriptions: While it's not usually a narration style I'm a fan of, I absolutely loved the almost Jane Austen like manner in which Avery spoke and narrated their story. It really seated the story in time for me and added this extra layer that really made the descriptions sing. The illustrations that preceded each chapter were so much fun and I was thrilled when it was revealed that the illustrations were diagetic.
Engagement: This was one of those stories that I really wanted to savor and read more slowly. I easily could have finished it in one or two sittings but I wanted to sit with each chapter and think about the interactions between the characters or the events Avery had just been through. Even so, I absolutely tore through the last 20% of the book.
Final thoughts: I had a blast reading this story. Every character was so full of life and I loved Avery (and dear Soot the cat) as a main character. If you love stories with a strong voice, fantastical settings, and a plot that never quite lets you know where it’s going to turn next then I’d highly recommend this novella.
October 8, 2026
I have been wanting to read this novella for quite a while due to the cover alone. News alert: yes, there is a cat playing a prominent supporting role in this book. Readers itching for a shipwreck story mixing the haunting mystery of a netherworld similar to Pan's Labyrinth with sprinkles of romance will enjoy this quick read very much.
The book commences with at a pivotal point in Avery's life. Due to unforseen reasons, the ship he set foot on as an affluent passenger seeking adventure has been plagued by disease, poor weather, and is sinking right in the first page. Clinging to dear life by his side is the ship's mouser, a black cat with a cute white moustache named Soot.
Just when an errant wave washes away a dying woman Avery flirted with during this doomed voyage, the strangest thing happens: murderous worms invade the ship and start a killing rampage. Knowing remaining on the ship against a formidable enemy would kill him, Avery (holding onto poor Soot) plunges off the ship, and.... Well, I will let readers discover the mysterious faraway land of mystery and horrors for themselves.
Each chapter gives us glimpses of another little aspect of the place where Avery and Soot have ended up in. Some parts beautiful beyond description, others whimsical, while a few prove harrowing. Each chapter is supplied with gorgeous black & white drawings by the author that offer hints of the next chapter. And oh, lucky me! We get a trope I really love immensely where a carer nurses the protagonist back to health. I don't wish to spoil anything more because it will ruin the fun.
However, I am certain plenty of readers will end this book wiping a tear from their face filled with immense satisfaction. A read well worth your time.
4.5 stars.
The book commences with at a pivotal point in Avery's life. Due to unforseen reasons, the ship he set foot on as an affluent passenger seeking adventure has been plagued by disease, poor weather, and is sinking right in the first page. Clinging to dear life by his side is the ship's mouser, a black cat with a cute white moustache named Soot.
Just when an errant wave washes away a dying woman Avery flirted with during this doomed voyage, the strangest thing happens: murderous worms invade the ship and start a killing rampage. Knowing remaining on the ship against a formidable enemy would kill him, Avery (holding onto poor Soot) plunges off the ship, and.... Well, I will let readers discover the mysterious faraway land of mystery and horrors for themselves.
Each chapter gives us glimpses of another little aspect of the place where Avery and Soot have ended up in. Some parts beautiful beyond description, others whimsical, while a few prove harrowing. Each chapter is supplied with gorgeous black & white drawings by the author that offer hints of the next chapter. And oh, lucky me! We get a trope I really love immensely where a carer nurses the protagonist back to health. I don't wish to spoil anything more because it will ruin the fun.
However, I am certain plenty of readers will end this book wiping a tear from their face filled with immense satisfaction. A read well worth your time.
4.5 stars.
July 10, 2026
This novella is a work of art in more ways than one. From the classical feel of the narration to the illustrations to how each chapters is the same short length, everything feels so deliberate and perfect that I am left standing in awe of Whistberry's craft.
This story follows the adventure of the titular Avery Mothmere who is shipwrecked and finds himself on an island with peculiar inhabitants and strange geography.
The first thing that drew me into this story was the old style of narration that you sometimes see in epistolary or adventure-themed books from the 19th century (or earlier). Think Gulliver's Travels or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That's not to say it's a difficult read. On the contrary, the language is clear and concise for an audience in 2026 and Avery is a personable narrator who seems to *want* you to understand his thoughts and emotions, even when he has trouble putting them into words.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the illustrations. Each chapter is quite short, and they’re all of approximate equal length, and accompanying each one is art by the author. These are all drawn by Whistberry herself and, though overall quite simple, they are skillful and add a little extra sauce to the overall recipe. It truly makes it feel like this is the journal of a man who’s including drawings of the things he sees on his journey. It’s a fun and interesting touch.
The second thing that drew me in was the overall vibe, and here is where *I* will struggle to put my feelings into words. There's a sense of eeriness to the island Avery is shipwrecked upon, and yet it's not an uncomfortable eeriness. In fact, it's weirdly cozy. It's melancholic and nostalgic, yet warm and welcoming. I don't know if the phrase "cozy liminal space" makes any sense, but those are the best words that come to mind when I try and explain how this novella made me feel. If that phrase means anything to you, and if it sounds intriguing, I highly recommend you pick up this book.
There's an aspect of this story I want to talk about, though depending on your perception, it might count as a spoiler. Personally, I don't believe it is, because I think you are meant to know this throughout the story and that feeling in your chest of uncertainty and dread and melancholy is meant to be part of the experience. However, for you spoiler purists who really, really do not want to know anything, I will give you a quasi-spoiler warning for the next paragraph till the end of this review:
[QUASI-SPOILER WARNING]
Avery and his cat are in limbo, having died in the shipwreck. He doesn't know it, though the reader is given sufficient hints to the point of making it obvious. Like I mentioned in the above paragraph, I believe this is intentional. I don't think Whistberry wanted us to be surprised when it was revealed, but rather to know deep down that this is what was going on, and to carry the burden and sorrow of this truth with us, unable to tell Avery while he bumbles his way through this strange land.
That dread made me wonder how the story would end, and I was terrified it would be unsatisfactory. So, I was incredibly pleased when it was better than anything I imagined. It's not often that books make me cry, let alone something as short as a novella, but this did it. I will also say: it was a very happy cry.
This story follows the adventure of the titular Avery Mothmere who is shipwrecked and finds himself on an island with peculiar inhabitants and strange geography.
The first thing that drew me into this story was the old style of narration that you sometimes see in epistolary or adventure-themed books from the 19th century (or earlier). Think Gulliver's Travels or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That's not to say it's a difficult read. On the contrary, the language is clear and concise for an audience in 2026 and Avery is a personable narrator who seems to *want* you to understand his thoughts and emotions, even when he has trouble putting them into words.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the illustrations. Each chapter is quite short, and they’re all of approximate equal length, and accompanying each one is art by the author. These are all drawn by Whistberry herself and, though overall quite simple, they are skillful and add a little extra sauce to the overall recipe. It truly makes it feel like this is the journal of a man who’s including drawings of the things he sees on his journey. It’s a fun and interesting touch.
The second thing that drew me in was the overall vibe, and here is where *I* will struggle to put my feelings into words. There's a sense of eeriness to the island Avery is shipwrecked upon, and yet it's not an uncomfortable eeriness. In fact, it's weirdly cozy. It's melancholic and nostalgic, yet warm and welcoming. I don't know if the phrase "cozy liminal space" makes any sense, but those are the best words that come to mind when I try and explain how this novella made me feel. If that phrase means anything to you, and if it sounds intriguing, I highly recommend you pick up this book.
There's an aspect of this story I want to talk about, though depending on your perception, it might count as a spoiler. Personally, I don't believe it is, because I think you are meant to know this throughout the story and that feeling in your chest of uncertainty and dread and melancholy is meant to be part of the experience. However, for you spoiler purists who really, really do not want to know anything, I will give you a quasi-spoiler warning for the next paragraph till the end of this review:
[QUASI-SPOILER WARNING]
Avery and his cat are in limbo, having died in the shipwreck. He doesn't know it, though the reader is given sufficient hints to the point of making it obvious. Like I mentioned in the above paragraph, I believe this is intentional. I don't think Whistberry wanted us to be surprised when it was revealed, but rather to know deep down that this is what was going on, and to carry the burden and sorrow of this truth with us, unable to tell Avery while he bumbles his way through this strange land.
That dread made me wonder how the story would end, and I was terrified it would be unsatisfactory. So, I was incredibly pleased when it was better than anything I imagined. It's not often that books make me cry, let alone something as short as a novella, but this did it. I will also say: it was a very happy cry.
March 3, 2025
This enchanting and curious novel made some things clear while leaving me wondering about others until near the very end. A unique and fantastic tale with a first-person perspective, and I love the believable protagonist and the fascinating cast of other characters. And yes, the cat on the cover is in the story. :)
August 31, 2025
The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere is charming. It sweeps you up and keeps you mildly, pleasantly disconcerted. A lovely short story.
Read
December 28, 2025SFINC3 read! Full rtc!
May 28, 2026
"Perhaps I seek to hold onto reality with too tight a grip. It doesn’t leave room for magic and the miraculous."
When Avery Mothmere, an inquisitive and meticulous scientist, is widowed and shipwrecked in a horrific storm, Avery expects it to be the end. But they miraculously washes onshore of a small island full of supernatural creatures, and is taken in by Theda, a benevolent humanlike supernatural entity. Avery is delighted to find shelter, companionship, and even budding romance among the island as they explore their new home, but they soon realize all is not as it seems. As things on the island become stranger and stranger, Avery questions their sanity, and whether or not landing on the island was a blessing...or a curse.
First things first, I loved the writing style! It's absolutely lovely, and I highlighted so many quotes while reading. It created the dreamlike atmosphere and established Avery's personality very well, and it flowed so well that I didn't want to put this book down! The atmosphere was at turns both lovely and eerie, and I enjoyed it immensely.
I also love the little quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I will be including some of my favorite quotes at the end of this review.
While I loved the ending, I kind of wish that some things had been explained a little bit more. I think it's pretty clear by the end that Theda is Death (or the Grim Reaper, or what have you) and the island is some kind of purgatory space, but I still feel like some aspects of the island and its inhabitants could have elaborated on. Also, this definitely isn't a complaint, but I don't think that Avery is ever given a confirmed gender or pronouns? Based on some context clues, I kind of assumed that Avery was a man, and I saw that some reviewers referred to them with he/him pronouns while others used she/her. Personally, I have decided to refer to Avery with they/them pronouns in this review due to the deliberate ambiguity of their gender in the story, although I will change that if I find out I'm incorrect.
And now, for my favorite quotes from this lovely, strange, whimsical little book:
A choir of ravens atop a gabled roof chatter. A superstitious man stops, crosses himself, thinks it an ill omen. What portents of doom are they divulging in a language too arcane for human ears? He doesn't realize they are simply discussing the weather.
If you find your soul wearing thin, seek to preserve it by stowing it in a thrice-enchanted box carved with ancient runes and encrusted with mystic stones. You will also need seven locks bound with charms that can only be dissolved with the tears of a phoenix or the excrement of a wyvern. Once your soul is safely stored within, all should be well—so long as you do not misplace the box, as has happened on more than one notable occasion.
The sun came up at last, as it always does if one is patient enough.
"Readers are welcome here, for what use is a book without someone to peruse its pages? I often
feel sorry for them. They wait patiently upon their shelves, each hopeful today is the day they will be chosen. Who are the fortunate ones today?”
I watched as a grey wolf nosed aside a bumblebee to discover an owl no larger than a grain of wheat perched upon the petal of a golden lily. They communed for hours on many subjects: wisdom, compassion, the meaning of life and of death. But never once did the wolf ask why the owl was so small, for some matters are simply none of our business.
What would you do if you were as lost as I was at that moment, sitting with my back against a wall with no door, watching—mourners? supplicants? caretakers?—tending a perfect grid of graves, while you pondered whether or not you were mad?
That alien face, never still, never truly seen, leant toward mine and bestowed upon my forehead a kiss both hard and soft, tender and harsh, welcome and unwelcome, as cold as the first touch of snow and as warm as a bonfire whose flames have flown high to greet the midwinter moon.
I used to think it was inevitable and quite commonplace. Two hearts meeting, souls delighting in discovery and wonder. But now I understand it is the merest, slightest chance. Some lovers collide, fate-touched, and sparks fly, but untold multitudes pass each other in a crowd and never know what they have so narrowly missed. What unbounded joy they might have possessed.
"A worry shared is a worry cut in half.”
“but you do not yet comprehend the entire truth of me. When you discover it, you will understand.”
Setting aside an almost paralyzing feeling of shyness, I bravely asserted, “I look forward to gaining such an understanding. In fact, I think I desire it more than anything else I have ever wished for in life.”
Was it possible to love what could not be seen?
When Avery Mothmere, an inquisitive and meticulous scientist, is widowed and shipwrecked in a horrific storm, Avery expects it to be the end. But they miraculously washes onshore of a small island full of supernatural creatures, and is taken in by Theda, a benevolent humanlike supernatural entity. Avery is delighted to find shelter, companionship, and even budding romance among the island as they explore their new home, but they soon realize all is not as it seems. As things on the island become stranger and stranger, Avery questions their sanity, and whether or not landing on the island was a blessing...or a curse.
First things first, I loved the writing style! It's absolutely lovely, and I highlighted so many quotes while reading. It created the dreamlike atmosphere and established Avery's personality very well, and it flowed so well that I didn't want to put this book down! The atmosphere was at turns both lovely and eerie, and I enjoyed it immensely.
I also love the little quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I will be including some of my favorite quotes at the end of this review.
While I loved the ending, I kind of wish that some things had been explained a little bit more. I think it's pretty clear by the end that Theda is Death (or the Grim Reaper, or what have you) and the island is some kind of purgatory space, but I still feel like some aspects of the island and its inhabitants could have elaborated on. Also, this definitely isn't a complaint, but I don't think that Avery is ever given a confirmed gender or pronouns? Based on some context clues, I kind of assumed that Avery was a man, and I saw that some reviewers referred to them with he/him pronouns while others used she/her. Personally, I have decided to refer to Avery with they/them pronouns in this review due to the deliberate ambiguity of their gender in the story, although I will change that if I find out I'm incorrect.
And now, for my favorite quotes from this lovely, strange, whimsical little book:
A choir of ravens atop a gabled roof chatter. A superstitious man stops, crosses himself, thinks it an ill omen. What portents of doom are they divulging in a language too arcane for human ears? He doesn't realize they are simply discussing the weather.
If you find your soul wearing thin, seek to preserve it by stowing it in a thrice-enchanted box carved with ancient runes and encrusted with mystic stones. You will also need seven locks bound with charms that can only be dissolved with the tears of a phoenix or the excrement of a wyvern. Once your soul is safely stored within, all should be well—so long as you do not misplace the box, as has happened on more than one notable occasion.
The sun came up at last, as it always does if one is patient enough.
"Readers are welcome here, for what use is a book without someone to peruse its pages? I often
feel sorry for them. They wait patiently upon their shelves, each hopeful today is the day they will be chosen. Who are the fortunate ones today?”
I watched as a grey wolf nosed aside a bumblebee to discover an owl no larger than a grain of wheat perched upon the petal of a golden lily. They communed for hours on many subjects: wisdom, compassion, the meaning of life and of death. But never once did the wolf ask why the owl was so small, for some matters are simply none of our business.
What would you do if you were as lost as I was at that moment, sitting with my back against a wall with no door, watching—mourners? supplicants? caretakers?—tending a perfect grid of graves, while you pondered whether or not you were mad?
That alien face, never still, never truly seen, leant toward mine and bestowed upon my forehead a kiss both hard and soft, tender and harsh, welcome and unwelcome, as cold as the first touch of snow and as warm as a bonfire whose flames have flown high to greet the midwinter moon.
I used to think it was inevitable and quite commonplace. Two hearts meeting, souls delighting in discovery and wonder. But now I understand it is the merest, slightest chance. Some lovers collide, fate-touched, and sparks fly, but untold multitudes pass each other in a crowd and never know what they have so narrowly missed. What unbounded joy they might have possessed.
"A worry shared is a worry cut in half.”
“but you do not yet comprehend the entire truth of me. When you discover it, you will understand.”
Setting aside an almost paralyzing feeling of shyness, I bravely asserted, “I look forward to gaining such an understanding. In fact, I think I desire it more than anything else I have ever wished for in life.”
Was it possible to love what could not be seen?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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