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The Works of Vermin: A dark, decadent horror adventure about revenge, decay and toxic bugs
He was sent to kill a pest. Instead, he found a monster.
'An intriguing work of whimsi-grotesquerie' – Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
Monster hunters tangle with court politics in this horror adventure by the critically acclaimed author of Leech.
Enter the decadent, deadly city of Tiliard.
In a complex, chaotic metropolis, Guy Moulène has a simple keep his sister out of debt. For her sake, he’ll take on any job, no matter how vile.
As an exterminator, Guy hunts the uncanny pests that crawl up from the river. These vermin are all strange, and often dangerous. His latest quarry is a worm the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork. As it digests Tiliard from the sewers to the opera houses, its toxin reshapes the future of the city. No sane person would hunt it, if they had the choice.
Guy doesn’t have a choice.
'A lush and seductive story, rife with opulent horror and decaying decadence' – Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book Eaters
'I will follow this writer anywhere going forward' – Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl
Monster hunters tangle with court politics in this horror adventure by the critically acclaimed author of Leech.
Enter the decadent, deadly city of Tiliard.
In a complex, chaotic metropolis, Guy Moulène has a simple keep his sister out of debt. For her sake, he’ll take on any job, no matter how vile.
As an exterminator, Guy hunts the uncanny pests that crawl up from the river. These vermin are all strange, and often dangerous. His latest quarry is a worm the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork. As it digests Tiliard from the sewers to the opera houses, its toxin reshapes the future of the city. No sane person would hunt it, if they had the choice.
Guy doesn’t have a choice.
'A lush and seductive story, rife with opulent horror and decaying decadence' – Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book Eaters
'I will follow this writer anywhere going forward' – Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl
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First published October 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 5, 2025
For some reason I was convinced that this is a horror novel prominently featuring disgusting bugs, but it's actually a very intricate and often grim fantasy story that was both overwhelming and undeniably addicting to me. Hiron Ennes definitely has big brain energy, because I can't even start to imagine what it takes to create such a detailed and rich story with so much information on every page. Due to the dense writing style the reading experience was rather exhausting for me and I'm sure that it will be a dealbreaker for other readers, but I was still always reading with great interest and everything paid off in a very satisfying way in the end.
The story takes place in Tiliard, a gigantic city carved into an ancient tree and home to our main characters. Living among the roots is Guylag Moulène, a young man working the worst jobs the city has to offer to keep his sister out of debt and currently employed as an exterminator of all the vermin that crawl the tree. In the overcity there's Asteritha Vost, a talented perfumer working for one of the most powerful (and worst) men of Tiliard while she's also unfortunately very contaminated by something that's making her sicker every day. The city is undergoing massive changes as a new kind of stone-melting, art-eating centipede the size of a dragon is discovered, but that is really only the start of a long series of events. And along the way there are so many fresh ideas and interesting concepts presented that I wonder how much can actually fit inside one book of medium length. There is the gross bug stuff of course, and the entire city is weirdly opera-obsessed, and there's casual violence and political scheming at all times, and everyone and everything is just very messy. I can't confidently say that I was able to wrap my head around everything that happened in this book, but I can wholeheartedly appreciate this story anyway. It felt like a work of art to me that only really came together when I watched it from afar and in its entirety. I was reading for a while, unsuspectingly, and then I was hit with such insane reveals that the air was knocked out of my lungs. Like, I audibly gasped when everything came together in a way that I didn't expect and it made me extremely invested in the last part of the story. I will definitely read this book again in the future to see how everything was set up in the beginning.
I didn't mention art only to compliment the author, but also because art is an important component to the story itself. Many different kinds of art are highlighted and more than one is relevant to the actual plot. There's music and dance, painting and photography, perfumery and embroidery, and it was such a powerful way to develop the characters who are associated with each art. The world was so dark and violent while the characters had such tender moments and felt deep and multilayered. Some were so multilayered that it hurt my brain. The relationships between different characters were strong and various and it was a joy to read about so many complex dynamics. There are siblings who would die and kill for each other, friends bound by contamination, people in powerful positions constantly at the verge of having each other executed, and many, many messy queer lovers.
I may have had a bit of a hard time reading this book, but in the end it leaves me impressed in every possible way. It will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it's worth checking out, alone for its uniqueness. If you are looking for a recommendation based on this book, I would send you to Metal from Heaven by August Clarke. It has a similarly dense writing style and the same ever-queer-violent-messy vibes that are also transported in The Works of Vermin. After a bit of a break I'm gonna send myself to Leech by Hiron Ennes, because I'm quite infested with their stories already (hehe) and one book is not enough for me.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes place in Tiliard, a gigantic city carved into an ancient tree and home to our main characters. Living among the roots is Guylag Moulène, a young man working the worst jobs the city has to offer to keep his sister out of debt and currently employed as an exterminator of all the vermin that crawl the tree. In the overcity there's Asteritha Vost, a talented perfumer working for one of the most powerful (and worst) men of Tiliard while she's also unfortunately very contaminated by something that's making her sicker every day. The city is undergoing massive changes as a new kind of stone-melting, art-eating centipede the size of a dragon is discovered, but that is really only the start of a long series of events. And along the way there are so many fresh ideas and interesting concepts presented that I wonder how much can actually fit inside one book of medium length. There is the gross bug stuff of course, and the entire city is weirdly opera-obsessed, and there's casual violence and political scheming at all times, and everyone and everything is just very messy. I can't confidently say that I was able to wrap my head around everything that happened in this book, but I can wholeheartedly appreciate this story anyway. It felt like a work of art to me that only really came together when I watched it from afar and in its entirety. I was reading for a while, unsuspectingly, and then I was hit with such insane reveals that the air was knocked out of my lungs. Like, I audibly gasped when everything came together in a way that I didn't expect and it made me extremely invested in the last part of the story. I will definitely read this book again in the future to see how everything was set up in the beginning.
I didn't mention art only to compliment the author, but also because art is an important component to the story itself. Many different kinds of art are highlighted and more than one is relevant to the actual plot. There's music and dance, painting and photography, perfumery and embroidery, and it was such a powerful way to develop the characters who are associated with each art. The world was so dark and violent while the characters had such tender moments and felt deep and multilayered. Some were so multilayered that it hurt my brain. The relationships between different characters were strong and various and it was a joy to read about so many complex dynamics. There are siblings who would die and kill for each other, friends bound by contamination, people in powerful positions constantly at the verge of having each other executed, and many, many messy queer lovers.
I may have had a bit of a hard time reading this book, but in the end it leaves me impressed in every possible way. It will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it's worth checking out, alone for its uniqueness. If you are looking for a recommendation based on this book, I would send you to Metal from Heaven by August Clarke. It has a similarly dense writing style and the same ever-queer-violent-messy vibes that are also transported in The Works of Vermin. After a bit of a break I'm gonna send myself to Leech by Hiron Ennes, because I'm quite infested with their stories already (hehe) and one book is not enough for me.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2025
Heart-rending, skin-crawling decadent madness! This novel is a constantly shifting beast, a deeply developed and intricate world that continues to evolve and deepen until the very last chapter. There is no end to the world-building here, and yet it relies on familiar dystopian sci-fi enough bones (such as a vertical city where the elite literally live atop the middle class, the working poor, and the impoverished classes, constant dissent and whisperings of revolutions that precipitate an even greater ferocity of the police state, etc.,) that the reader never feels lost. Well, not entirely lost, but there are enough novel ideas wrapped up in luxurious, purple language to make you unsure if this is a neighborhood you’ve seen before, somewhat confident you know where you are but not able to make any promises. That is part of the delicious fun of this novel, it conspires against you in some ways, but it always feels like it is challenging the reader without disregarding them or looking down on them. It makes the reading experience one of perpetual movement tinged with uncertainty, which is to say an irascible excitement, the dizzying thrill of leaning over a cliff’s edge.
The writing adds to the world-building, being highly descriptive and lush, constantly burying meaning under metaphor and hiding scathing truths in gentile banalities. This world is chaotic and obsessed with art, with appearance, with performance, those are all constructive elements of how this society understands itself, and the writing reflects that. I don’t know that it would work for any given story but for this story, in this world, it is perfect. Within this chaos are genuinely heartfelt characters that feel like they’re against all odds, scrounging for scraps in a world of bejeweled dumpsters overflowing with excess. They are part and parcel of this world, weird and transgressive and emotive, overstuffed with conflicting emotions and without the means to express them all. Even the antagonists are multi-layered, seeking an aesthetic that balances their pride, lust, ambition, and regret. The primary characters and core group of ancillary characters were all wonderfully compelling. They were messy and vulnerable and conniving and wormed their way into my heart.
The actual story and plotting are a little more difficult to talk about, not perfectly effective for me throughout the story but they won me over. The writing is a close third-person that, for the most part, moves between two characters, Guy and Aster. Neither of these characters are the movers and shakers of their circle, Guy is just trying to get along while his co-workers and bosses are the ones making decisions and he is just trying to stay afloat and on the right side of an exterminator’s trap. Aster works for the second-most powerful person in the government, but she has a lifetime of servitude to pay off, and while she isn’t necessarily happy she is able to steal joy where and how she can, and celebrate the achievements in her art. Her boss, or patron, as he prefers, and others in his circle are constantly conniving and oppressing and repressing and doing all the things authoritarian regimes need to do to keep their heads on their shoulders, and she, like Guy, is just along for the ride. Because of this it almost feels like a slice-of-life novel, as we follow these characters as the world moves around them and they just try to keep up. This results in an endlessly fascinating world but one that doesn’t feel like it has a strong plot for the first 2/3 of the story. At that point things get all twisty and mind-bendy in ways that were so clearly seeded from the very beginning but are revealed wonderfully. This means the plotting does feel a little slow. If you are happy to be constantly captivated by the ever-emerging world and the beautiful language, as I was, then this won’t be a problem. When things start taking on new shapes then the whole world becomes unreliable and there is a sense of urgency, but it does take time to get there.
There are so many ideas in this novel that I don’t know where to begin. The constant exploration and prioritization of art and aesthetics, and the way violence, social control/government, and even revolution are all explored as types of artistic movements is endlessly fascinating. That is contrasted with the wild insect life, the vermin, and how the lives of our characters, impoverished or elite, mirror those of the vermin underfoot. What is the price of beauty, and how can destruction and creation, deceit and beautification, be simultaneous? What will you sacrifice for those you care for, and what will you take, by force, if necessary? When you pull at the threads of the social tapestry not even yet off the loom can you uncover a new weft and warp or will one dying artform be replaced by another, different in appearance but equally corrupt in heart? When personal identity is guarded and personal performance is celebrated, what do you have to do to really know yourself?
(Rounded from 4.5)
I want to thank the author, the publisher Tor Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The writing adds to the world-building, being highly descriptive and lush, constantly burying meaning under metaphor and hiding scathing truths in gentile banalities. This world is chaotic and obsessed with art, with appearance, with performance, those are all constructive elements of how this society understands itself, and the writing reflects that. I don’t know that it would work for any given story but for this story, in this world, it is perfect. Within this chaos are genuinely heartfelt characters that feel like they’re against all odds, scrounging for scraps in a world of bejeweled dumpsters overflowing with excess. They are part and parcel of this world, weird and transgressive and emotive, overstuffed with conflicting emotions and without the means to express them all. Even the antagonists are multi-layered, seeking an aesthetic that balances their pride, lust, ambition, and regret. The primary characters and core group of ancillary characters were all wonderfully compelling. They were messy and vulnerable and conniving and wormed their way into my heart.
The actual story and plotting are a little more difficult to talk about, not perfectly effective for me throughout the story but they won me over. The writing is a close third-person that, for the most part, moves between two characters, Guy and Aster. Neither of these characters are the movers and shakers of their circle, Guy is just trying to get along while his co-workers and bosses are the ones making decisions and he is just trying to stay afloat and on the right side of an exterminator’s trap. Aster works for the second-most powerful person in the government, but she has a lifetime of servitude to pay off, and while she isn’t necessarily happy she is able to steal joy where and how she can, and celebrate the achievements in her art. Her boss, or patron, as he prefers, and others in his circle are constantly conniving and oppressing and repressing and doing all the things authoritarian regimes need to do to keep their heads on their shoulders, and she, like Guy, is just along for the ride. Because of this it almost feels like a slice-of-life novel, as we follow these characters as the world moves around them and they just try to keep up. This results in an endlessly fascinating world but one that doesn’t feel like it has a strong plot for the first 2/3 of the story. At that point things get all twisty and mind-bendy in ways that were so clearly seeded from the very beginning but are revealed wonderfully. This means the plotting does feel a little slow. If you are happy to be constantly captivated by the ever-emerging world and the beautiful language, as I was, then this won’t be a problem. When things start taking on new shapes then the whole world becomes unreliable and there is a sense of urgency, but it does take time to get there.
There are so many ideas in this novel that I don’t know where to begin. The constant exploration and prioritization of art and aesthetics, and the way violence, social control/government, and even revolution are all explored as types of artistic movements is endlessly fascinating. That is contrasted with the wild insect life, the vermin, and how the lives of our characters, impoverished or elite, mirror those of the vermin underfoot. What is the price of beauty, and how can destruction and creation, deceit and beautification, be simultaneous? What will you sacrifice for those you care for, and what will you take, by force, if necessary? When you pull at the threads of the social tapestry not even yet off the loom can you uncover a new weft and warp or will one dying artform be replaced by another, different in appearance but equally corrupt in heart? When personal identity is guarded and personal performance is celebrated, what do you have to do to really know yourself?
(Rounded from 4.5)
I want to thank the author, the publisher Tor Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 25, 2025
Call me an entry in the Borisch Manual of Catoptric Pest Species the way I want to infest Tiliard. I mean, maybe not: Tiliard sounds like a horrible place to live. It is, however, a great place to read about.
My favourite books are those that can use the nature of fantasy or speculative fiction to make the metaphorical literal, to explore thematic meaning through physical interactions, while at the same time having cool world building and rollicking plot and fun characters and nice prose. The Works of Vermin does all of those things in spades. Looking for thematic meaning? We have the metamorphosis of insects as metaphor for transitioning, and the use of the same language for describing the extermination of pests and the persecution of political enemies. Looking for a unique and entertaining setting? We have a city with a Ministry of Aesthetics, a Seamstress Laureate, and infestations of moths that eat drapery, but only drapery carved into marble. Looking for exciting plot? We have duels galore, revenge, revelations, intrigue, and too many coups to count. Looking for fun characters? We have a woman who is blind to everything except beauty, or the messiest non-romantic love/hate imaginable, or several different versions of parent/child relationships. Looking for good writing? The prose was so good, so lyrical and beautiful, so luxurious that it was almost distracting with how well it turned a phrase.
The experience of reading this book was really something. I was continuously surprised by new secrets that in hindsight I should have seen coming, satisfying reveals and gut punch moments. I feel I cannot stress enough how beautiful is the writing itself, how the prose is uncommonly good. It is casually, easily, deeply queer, and what a joy that is. It's got horror elements, certainly, but it's not just dropping in the body horror of being stung by some horrifying pest for the sake of it, it's using that as a metaphor for the way that human bodies change, or for menstruation, or for transitioning. The world has echoes of Perdido Street Station and The Tainted Cup, but it's totally its own thing, unique and novel and exciting. It's so goddamn clever, and so goddamn good. I just know I'll get so much more out of it on an inevitable reread, too.
Leech was such a breath of fresh air, a wholly original book with beautiful, crisp prose and wild, queer ideas. I don't like reading horror, generally, but Leech convinced me that I wanted read whatever Hiron Ennes writes. The Works of Vermin has confirmed that opinion for me.
My favourite books are those that can use the nature of fantasy or speculative fiction to make the metaphorical literal, to explore thematic meaning through physical interactions, while at the same time having cool world building and rollicking plot and fun characters and nice prose. The Works of Vermin does all of those things in spades. Looking for thematic meaning? We have the metamorphosis of insects as metaphor for transitioning, and the use of the same language for describing the extermination of pests and the persecution of political enemies. Looking for a unique and entertaining setting? We have a city with a Ministry of Aesthetics, a Seamstress Laureate, and infestations of moths that eat drapery, but only drapery carved into marble. Looking for exciting plot? We have duels galore, revenge, revelations, intrigue, and too many coups to count. Looking for fun characters? We have a woman who is blind to everything except beauty, or the messiest non-romantic love/hate imaginable, or several different versions of parent/child relationships. Looking for good writing? The prose was so good, so lyrical and beautiful, so luxurious that it was almost distracting with how well it turned a phrase.
The experience of reading this book was really something. I was continuously surprised by new secrets that in hindsight I should have seen coming, satisfying reveals and gut punch moments. I feel I cannot stress enough how beautiful is the writing itself, how the prose is uncommonly good. It is casually, easily, deeply queer, and what a joy that is. It's got horror elements, certainly, but it's not just dropping in the body horror of being stung by some horrifying pest for the sake of it, it's using that as a metaphor for the way that human bodies change, or for menstruation, or for transitioning. The world has echoes of Perdido Street Station and The Tainted Cup, but it's totally its own thing, unique and novel and exciting. It's so goddamn clever, and so goddamn good. I just know I'll get so much more out of it on an inevitable reread, too.
Leech was such a breath of fresh air, a wholly original book with beautiful, crisp prose and wild, queer ideas. I don't like reading horror, generally, but Leech convinced me that I wanted read whatever Hiron Ennes writes. The Works of Vermin has confirmed that opinion for me.
October 12, 2025
I loved Leech, but this one didn't connect with me as much. Perhaps because Leech was purposefully disorienting whereas The Works of Vermin had more explicit world-building? Perhaps because I didn't jive with the characters as much? Hard to say, but I'll still try the next book from the author because their writing is so weird and interesting
Want to read
December 19, 2024No synopsis yet, but Peter Watts says
"The Works of Vermin isn't for everyone; those in thrall to YA might run screaming from the room, and good riddance. But if you're a fan of Mervin Peake, Gene Wolfe, China Miéville – mammal, have I got a book for you. A book to be not so much read as wallowed and rolled around in".
It’s giving part edge-lord, part actual originality.
Colour me intrigued...
"The Works of Vermin isn't for everyone; those in thrall to YA might run screaming from the room, and good riddance. But if you're a fan of Mervin Peake, Gene Wolfe, China Miéville – mammal, have I got a book for you. A book to be not so much read as wallowed and rolled around in".
It’s giving part edge-lord, part actual originality.
Colour me intrigued...
October 9, 2025
This had some of the most visceral writing I have read.
Is this horror, fantasy, sci fi, mystery, a story about familiar love?
Guy is an exterminator living in the under city desperately trying to pay off his impossible debts, intent on keeping his younger sister free. Only thing is, the bugs are crazy big, dangerous, and full of deadly toxins.
Aster is the perfumer for the Chancellor in the overcity, able to imbue loyalty, fear, resilience with the right scents.
First of all, I am a sucker for sibling relations. Guy’s love and fear for his sister is admirable, frustrating, and touching all at once.
Guy has a flair for the theatre and the descriptions from his pov will transport you.
Aster wasn’t as strong a character in comparison, but I was intrigued by the political turmoil around her as well as the intricacies of her work. Very imaginative. Imagine perfume able to change your persona, mood, influence others, protect you…
This world is shocking and grim and gory and horny and beautiful.
It reminded me of Perdido Street Station by China Miéville.
“Revenge is such a sad attempt to stay relevant.”
I did guess the big reveal, but I adored how it played out even if I thought the climax was slightly rushed and easy.
An easy YES recommendation for your spooky tbr.
Arc gifted by Pan MacMillan.
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Is this horror, fantasy, sci fi, mystery, a story about familiar love?
Guy is an exterminator living in the under city desperately trying to pay off his impossible debts, intent on keeping his younger sister free. Only thing is, the bugs are crazy big, dangerous, and full of deadly toxins.
Aster is the perfumer for the Chancellor in the overcity, able to imbue loyalty, fear, resilience with the right scents.
First of all, I am a sucker for sibling relations. Guy’s love and fear for his sister is admirable, frustrating, and touching all at once.
Guy has a flair for the theatre and the descriptions from his pov will transport you.
Aster wasn’t as strong a character in comparison, but I was intrigued by the political turmoil around her as well as the intricacies of her work. Very imaginative. Imagine perfume able to change your persona, mood, influence others, protect you…
This world is shocking and grim and gory and horny and beautiful.
It reminded me of Perdido Street Station by China Miéville.
“Revenge is such a sad attempt to stay relevant.”
I did guess the big reveal, but I adored how it played out even if I thought the climax was slightly rushed and easy.
An easy YES recommendation for your spooky tbr.
Arc gifted by Pan MacMillan.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
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October 17, 2025A strange and labyrinthine horror novel with intricate world-building and a central sibling relationship. This one takes its time and doesn't make it easy to understand the world or what exactly is happening. You have to be patient and let it unfold, dropping bits of information along the way.
Set in a dystopian world, there is a city in a giant tree stump. Above the wealthy play while below workers seek to exterminate giant bugs or harvest them for toxins used in perfumes that do more than just create a scent. The main character is an exterminator by day, and as a side gig allows himself to be used as a plaything by the wealthy. His only goal is to protect his sister from becoming endlessly indebted like himself, but it's a difficult world and she has her own ideas...
This author always has the most unique and strange ideas. While I didn't connect with this in the same way I did Leech, I appreciate what the story is doing. Note that there is plenty of body horror to be had and the twists are interesting. The audio narration is great and makes it feel like a Shakespearean drama. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
Set in a dystopian world, there is a city in a giant tree stump. Above the wealthy play while below workers seek to exterminate giant bugs or harvest them for toxins used in perfumes that do more than just create a scent. The main character is an exterminator by day, and as a side gig allows himself to be used as a plaything by the wealthy. His only goal is to protect his sister from becoming endlessly indebted like himself, but it's a difficult world and she has her own ideas...
This author always has the most unique and strange ideas. While I didn't connect with this in the same way I did Leech, I appreciate what the story is doing. Note that there is plenty of body horror to be had and the twists are interesting. The audio narration is great and makes it feel like a Shakespearean drama. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
October 6, 2025
I love weird fiction, especially weird SFF. So I'm sad to say that this didn't hit the spot.
I think my problem with this novel was that I didn't understand if this was supposed to be a satire or a serious novel about wealth inequity. The tone kept going back and forth on whether the novel wanted its reader to take it seriously (with subplots on child labor, indentured servitude, debt, etc.), or view this as a whimsical, almost nonsensical, story a la Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
I did like the huge twist near the end. The worldbuilding and characterization were top notch too. I haven't read too many biopunk novels, but this one excelled in its worldbuilding. You can't go wrong with a population that's one with nature and uses and abuses all sorts of insects like how we treat wild animals and farm animals. The world was definitely fascinating.
While I could connect with the MMCs, Guy and Mallory, literally every secondary and minor character read like caricatures out of a Shakespeare play. Was I supposed to take them seriously or brush them off as either satirical or nonsensical props? It's been a month since I read this arc and I'm still not sure.
Anyway, this is definitely a "it's not you, it's me" type of read. I wouldn't not recommend this, but I won't gush about it on socials or anything.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for this arc.
I think my problem with this novel was that I didn't understand if this was supposed to be a satire or a serious novel about wealth inequity. The tone kept going back and forth on whether the novel wanted its reader to take it seriously (with subplots on child labor, indentured servitude, debt, etc.), or view this as a whimsical, almost nonsensical, story a la Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
I did like the huge twist near the end. The worldbuilding and characterization were top notch too. I haven't read too many biopunk novels, but this one excelled in its worldbuilding. You can't go wrong with a population that's one with nature and uses and abuses all sorts of insects like how we treat wild animals and farm animals. The world was definitely fascinating.
While I could connect with the MMCs, Guy and Mallory, literally every secondary and minor character read like caricatures out of a Shakespeare play. Was I supposed to take them seriously or brush them off as either satirical or nonsensical props? It's been a month since I read this arc and I'm still not sure.
Anyway, this is definitely a "it's not you, it's me" type of read. I wouldn't not recommend this, but I won't gush about it on socials or anything.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for this arc.
July 19, 2025
What an absolute gem of a book but holy shit where to start. This is a speculative cacophony of sinners who find themselves in the midst of an infestation.
This is my first book by this author, and I was privileged enough to receive a physical ARC from Tor. While I don't typically read horror adjacent fantasy I absolutely devoured this book much like the bugs covering the city of Tiliard are attempting to devour its inhabitants.
The writing is purple, purple all the way down into the depths of hell. The world is complex, ever growing and changing like the city at its focus. I truly cannot describe the experience of reading this book to you. The plot is alive, I was on the edge of my seat trying to unravel the reality of it all.
The characters are spectacular, their motivations are sticky, oozing into the pages as we dive into the layers upon layers at play here. I love a clever book, and this is so smartly written I felt like I was in a competition with the book itself to see if I could figure it all out by the end.
Absolute banger. No notes. Go read this book.
This is my first book by this author, and I was privileged enough to receive a physical ARC from Tor. While I don't typically read horror adjacent fantasy I absolutely devoured this book much like the bugs covering the city of Tiliard are attempting to devour its inhabitants.
The writing is purple, purple all the way down into the depths of hell. The world is complex, ever growing and changing like the city at its focus. I truly cannot describe the experience of reading this book to you. The plot is alive, I was on the edge of my seat trying to unravel the reality of it all.
The characters are spectacular, their motivations are sticky, oozing into the pages as we dive into the layers upon layers at play here. I love a clever book, and this is so smartly written I felt like I was in a competition with the book itself to see if I could figure it all out by the end.
Absolute banger. No notes. Go read this book.
Want to read
January 8, 2025no one is prepared for who i am going to become when this comes out
October 14, 2025
Got an arc from Libro.fm
Holy shit yall this is incredible.
When I started this I told my husband “I have no idea what’s going on but I think I’m having fun” and I ended it shaking him by the shoulders telling him he NEEDS to listen to the audiobook.
There’s SO MUCH going on here and the pitch copy doesn’t necessarily do it justice simply by nature of the story. It’s such a tightly woven tapestry of timelines and reveals and information that I cannot fathom the brain power it took to balance them all and come up with this story but I’m more than a little envious of the skill. I don’t know what all I can say without spoiling so I’ll just leave you with the fact that I’m going to be haunted by this one of a long time.
Holy shit yall this is incredible.
When I started this I told my husband “I have no idea what’s going on but I think I’m having fun” and I ended it shaking him by the shoulders telling him he NEEDS to listen to the audiobook.
There’s SO MUCH going on here and the pitch copy doesn’t necessarily do it justice simply by nature of the story. It’s such a tightly woven tapestry of timelines and reveals and information that I cannot fathom the brain power it took to balance them all and come up with this story but I’m more than a little envious of the skill. I don’t know what all I can say without spoiling so I’ll just leave you with the fact that I’m going to be haunted by this one of a long time.
October 11, 2025
Exquisite, flawless, toxic perfection!
rtc!
REVIEW
*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
Highlights
~rococo bugpunk (with actual punk!)
~opera as a bloodsport
~political movements as art
~prose to get drunk on
~queer as in rainbow
~queer as in strange
~so good I read it twice
I think it says all that needs saying that when I first reached 70% of this book, I couldn’t handle it being nearly over…so I went back to the beginning and started it again.
I suspect a third read is in my near future.
If you read Ennes’ debut Leech, then I don’t need to sell you on this author because you already know they’re a genius. But I will say that Works of Vermin is incandescently and extravagantly weirder than Leech was – to the point where, having now read both, I’m now convinced Leech was Ennes toning themself down in order to test the (silvery, burning) waters of the publishing industry, the equivalent of dipping their toes into The Market to see if it was able to handle such a writer, such a wildly warped imagination (complimentary). Because it sure feels like WoV is Ennes letting loose, going no-holds-barred baroque, gleefully cutting the safety line and dropping us into free-fall.
I loved it. Obviously.
If you haven’t read Leech, then please brace for gorgeous wtfuckery, ecstatic prose, and genres that smear into each other to become something unnameable.
(Seriously, what are we calling this book? Horror? Dark Fantasy? Secondary-World SciFi? I could make arguments for all three and none of them would be wholly correct.)
My favourite kinds of books are often called fever-dreams, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a case where that was so justified as here. Works of Vermin feels exactly like being lost in a high fever; it is a grotesque rococo hallucination, surely impossible for a sober, lucid mind to ever dream up. It has all the infectious passion of a fever; it consumes the reader like one, like a brain-eating disease or a hallucinogen cut with something deadly. It gets into your blood; you have no antibodies for a book like this. There is no vaccine, no cure. You can only be obsessed.
As if dosed with the ecdytoxin the book revolves around, every thread of Works of Vermin mutates into something else before the final page; we open with Guy, a lowly pest exterminator who does sex work on the side to keep his feral younger sister fed and clothed; and Aster, a perfumer – which is something between an alchemist, wizard, and personal stylist, in this setting – whose lungs were badly damaged by a chemical weapon when she was a child, in the city’s last civil war. Guy and his coworkers are hunting a very, very big bug; Aster is sent to ‘acquire’ a dancer for her employer and patron, the Marshal (think head of the military under a dictator; he’s not the dictator, but he is not someone you want to fuck with). By the end, the city is on fire, and neither Guy nor Aster’s stories are anything like what you thought they’d be at the beginning.
Because the bug produces ecdytoxin, which warps (horrifyingly, exquisitely) everything it comes into contact with, organic or non-organic – and there are far too many people who see the potential in that. Because Aster goes to fetch a dancer and meets someone very strange, with even stranger embroidery. And on those two happenstance facts, our story turns.
Vermin is doing and saying so much, on so many levels, and I can’t tell if any of it was conscious and deliberate or if Ennes’ mind just works like this. (Again: extremely complimentary.) On the one hand, it feels as precise as jewelled clockwork – but on the other hand, it feels so lushly, horrifyingly organic, in the vein of ophiocordyceps unilateralis puppeting zombie ants or male angler fish dissolving themselves into the flesh of female ones. There are all sorts of little motifs and tableaus and recurring themes, glinting like gold thread amid the dark, meaty silk of the story Ennes has woven – like thumb names, and Guylag’s dragon, or even the Revivalist movement, which presents itself as bringing life back to Tilliard. But unstoppable life is just cancer, and with the way ecdytoxin mutates everything from bodies to buildings, the scathing commentary isn’t subtle.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
rtc!
REVIEW
*I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
Highlights
~rococo bugpunk (with actual punk!)
~opera as a bloodsport
~political movements as art
~prose to get drunk on
~queer as in rainbow
~queer as in strange
~so good I read it twice
I think it says all that needs saying that when I first reached 70% of this book, I couldn’t handle it being nearly over…so I went back to the beginning and started it again.
I suspect a third read is in my near future.
If you read Ennes’ debut Leech, then I don’t need to sell you on this author because you already know they’re a genius. But I will say that Works of Vermin is incandescently and extravagantly weirder than Leech was – to the point where, having now read both, I’m now convinced Leech was Ennes toning themself down in order to test the (silvery, burning) waters of the publishing industry, the equivalent of dipping their toes into The Market to see if it was able to handle such a writer, such a wildly warped imagination (complimentary). Because it sure feels like WoV is Ennes letting loose, going no-holds-barred baroque, gleefully cutting the safety line and dropping us into free-fall.
I loved it. Obviously.
If you haven’t read Leech, then please brace for gorgeous wtfuckery, ecstatic prose, and genres that smear into each other to become something unnameable.
(Seriously, what are we calling this book? Horror? Dark Fantasy? Secondary-World SciFi? I could make arguments for all three and none of them would be wholly correct.)
My favourite kinds of books are often called fever-dreams, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a case where that was so justified as here. Works of Vermin feels exactly like being lost in a high fever; it is a grotesque rococo hallucination, surely impossible for a sober, lucid mind to ever dream up. It has all the infectious passion of a fever; it consumes the reader like one, like a brain-eating disease or a hallucinogen cut with something deadly. It gets into your blood; you have no antibodies for a book like this. There is no vaccine, no cure. You can only be obsessed.
Heads will roll like fruit, but he knows those that fall will be the ripest, not the rotten.
As if dosed with the ecdytoxin the book revolves around, every thread of Works of Vermin mutates into something else before the final page; we open with Guy, a lowly pest exterminator who does sex work on the side to keep his feral younger sister fed and clothed; and Aster, a perfumer – which is something between an alchemist, wizard, and personal stylist, in this setting – whose lungs were badly damaged by a chemical weapon when she was a child, in the city’s last civil war. Guy and his coworkers are hunting a very, very big bug; Aster is sent to ‘acquire’ a dancer for her employer and patron, the Marshal (think head of the military under a dictator; he’s not the dictator, but he is not someone you want to fuck with). By the end, the city is on fire, and neither Guy nor Aster’s stories are anything like what you thought they’d be at the beginning.
Because the bug produces ecdytoxin, which warps (horrifyingly, exquisitely) everything it comes into contact with, organic or non-organic – and there are far too many people who see the potential in that. Because Aster goes to fetch a dancer and meets someone very strange, with even stranger embroidery. And on those two happenstance facts, our story turns.
Elspeth and Mallory play, one like a stanza of metered verse, the other like an honest, if not funny, slip of the tongue
Vermin is doing and saying so much, on so many levels, and I can’t tell if any of it was conscious and deliberate or if Ennes’ mind just works like this. (Again: extremely complimentary.) On the one hand, it feels as precise as jewelled clockwork – but on the other hand, it feels so lushly, horrifyingly organic, in the vein of ophiocordyceps unilateralis puppeting zombie ants or male angler fish dissolving themselves into the flesh of female ones. There are all sorts of little motifs and tableaus and recurring themes, glinting like gold thread amid the dark, meaty silk of the story Ennes has woven – like thumb names, and Guylag’s dragon, or even the Revivalist movement, which presents itself as bringing life back to Tilliard. But unstoppable life is just cancer, and with the way ecdytoxin mutates everything from bodies to buildings, the scathing commentary isn’t subtle.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
August 22, 2025
(5) ARC received from NetGalley and Tor Nightfire UK. This in no way changes my opinion.
You know those books that feel like they were written especially to satiate your specific bookish cravings? THE WORKS OF VERMIN was that book for me. The purple, sesquipedalian language, the convoluted world, the theme of insects, and the unashamedly queer characters immediately latched onto me with their horrible, sharp pincers and refused to leave.
Tiliard is messy and beautiful, the kind of city where you would never wish to go. It is crawling with the kind of bugs that make you want to rip your eyes out, the kind of bugs which are both human and not. I loved the excess language which mirrored this world of excess. I loved the opera, the history of the world (which felt so 18th century France), the violence of dreams, the enormous plants and bugs and duels.
We follow Guy, an exterminator drowning in dept. He only cares about two things: his little sister Tyro and opera. During work, he is stung by a pest he has never encountered before, a massive centipede drawn to art. Soon, he is caught up in the plans of ambitious men, all the while attempting to keep a hold on the sister who is outgrowing him. I particularly loved Guy and the characters around him, stubborn Tyro and cold Dawn. I have a soft spot for dreamers, and Guy was exactly that, a dreamer in a world where dreams crush you.
Our other narrative trails Aster, a girl who works with hallucinogenic perfumes with poison crawling inside her lungs. Her best friend Elspeth is similarly interesting; she is poisoned so that she can only see beautiful things. They are introduced to a mysterious newcomer, Mallory, a man with outlandish embroidered fashion and a penance for attracting friends who may or may not be planning to target those in power.
The plot and characters are exquisite, with it coming to a lovely conclusion around the 3/4 mark. I immediately rushed to reread it after finishing it the first time, and drank everything in, the gorgeously concocted complicated-ness of the characters. (trans rep!! dandys!! The messiest love/hate gay relationship ever!! OPERA!! Siblings who save each other!! Duels!! BUGS!!)
I genuinely struggle to put into words how perfect his book is. It is a book for very specific tastes though, and I have a feeling some people will DNF and that’s okay.
Never did I ever feel such anguish, such awe at how an author has arranged a text. I have no critiques of this book, and it has become a new favourite. I cannot wait for this to come out so I can mark every page with my ugly stained fingers. Five stars,
You know those books that feel like they were written especially to satiate your specific bookish cravings? THE WORKS OF VERMIN was that book for me. The purple, sesquipedalian language, the convoluted world, the theme of insects, and the unashamedly queer characters immediately latched onto me with their horrible, sharp pincers and refused to leave.
Tiliard is messy and beautiful, the kind of city where you would never wish to go. It is crawling with the kind of bugs that make you want to rip your eyes out, the kind of bugs which are both human and not. I loved the excess language which mirrored this world of excess. I loved the opera, the history of the world (which felt so 18th century France), the violence of dreams, the enormous plants and bugs and duels.
We follow Guy, an exterminator drowning in dept. He only cares about two things: his little sister Tyro and opera. During work, he is stung by a pest he has never encountered before, a massive centipede drawn to art. Soon, he is caught up in the plans of ambitious men, all the while attempting to keep a hold on the sister who is outgrowing him. I particularly loved Guy and the characters around him, stubborn Tyro and cold Dawn. I have a soft spot for dreamers, and Guy was exactly that, a dreamer in a world where dreams crush you.
Our other narrative trails Aster, a girl who works with hallucinogenic perfumes with poison crawling inside her lungs. Her best friend Elspeth is similarly interesting; she is poisoned so that she can only see beautiful things. They are introduced to a mysterious newcomer, Mallory, a man with outlandish embroidered fashion and a penance for attracting friends who may or may not be planning to target those in power.
The plot and characters are exquisite, with it coming to a lovely conclusion around the 3/4 mark. I immediately rushed to reread it after finishing it the first time, and drank everything in, the gorgeously concocted complicated-ness of the characters. (trans rep!! dandys!! The messiest love/hate gay relationship ever!! OPERA!! Siblings who save each other!! Duels!! BUGS!!)
I genuinely struggle to put into words how perfect his book is. It is a book for very specific tastes though, and I have a feeling some people will DNF and that’s okay.
Never did I ever feel such anguish, such awe at how an author has arranged a text. I have no critiques of this book, and it has become a new favourite. I cannot wait for this to come out so I can mark every page with my ugly stained fingers. Five stars,
August 18, 2025
While I was reading The Works of Vermin I kept thinking back to a comment a reading group participant said about Hiron Ennes' previous novel Leech: "Why is the language so unnecessarily fancy, it feels like the author took a dictionary and choose particular words to make it seem like they were smart." I had a hard time connecting with this novel the first half and started to wonder: Is it more flowery than it needs to be?
By happy coincidence, I read Ursula K. Le Guin's essay "From Elfland to Poughkeepsie" this morning, in which she specifically discusses style:
"Many readers, many critics, and most editors speak of style as if it were an ingredient of a book, like the sugar on a cake, or something added onto the book, like the frosting on a cake. The style, of course, is the book. If you remove the cake, all you have left is the recipe. If you remove the style, all you have left is a synopsis of the plot. [...] Style is how you as a writer see and speak. it is how you see: your vision, your understanding of the world, your voice. [...] To create what Tolkien calls 'a secondary universe' is to make a new world. A world where no voice has ever been spoken before; where the act of speech is the act of creation. The only voice that speaks there is the creator's voice. And every word counts." (The Language of the Night, p. 87-88)
Would The Works of Vermin have been the same novel with a different style, different word choices? Absolutely. But it wouldn't have been a Hiron Ennes novel. And the way they build up the story is masterful. I started of reading it too fast (too used to "easier styles" I guess), but as the world, and Ennes' vision, slowly started to become clearer to me, I was sucked in completely. I will reread this novel sometime in the future and bask in the language of this storyteller.
By happy coincidence, I read Ursula K. Le Guin's essay "From Elfland to Poughkeepsie" this morning, in which she specifically discusses style:
"Many readers, many critics, and most editors speak of style as if it were an ingredient of a book, like the sugar on a cake, or something added onto the book, like the frosting on a cake. The style, of course, is the book. If you remove the cake, all you have left is the recipe. If you remove the style, all you have left is a synopsis of the plot. [...] Style is how you as a writer see and speak. it is how you see: your vision, your understanding of the world, your voice. [...] To create what Tolkien calls 'a secondary universe' is to make a new world. A world where no voice has ever been spoken before; where the act of speech is the act of creation. The only voice that speaks there is the creator's voice. And every word counts." (The Language of the Night, p. 87-88)
Would The Works of Vermin have been the same novel with a different style, different word choices? Absolutely. But it wouldn't have been a Hiron Ennes novel. And the way they build up the story is masterful. I started of reading it too fast (too used to "easier styles" I guess), but as the world, and Ennes' vision, slowly started to become clearer to me, I was sucked in completely. I will reread this novel sometime in the future and bask in the language of this storyteller.
October 22, 2025
Written for:
-those who went to art school
-gender’s fluid
-those who are waiting for Alecto the ninth to finally fucking come out
-general artists
-those who want a cabinet of curiosities and oddities so fucking bad actually
-general fucking freaks
-those who went to art school
-gender’s fluid
-those who are waiting for Alecto the ninth to finally fucking come out
-general artists
-those who want a cabinet of curiosities and oddities so fucking bad actually
-general fucking freaks
October 29, 2025
I finished this one at 2AM on a Monday night and have no regerts. 4.75 rounded up!
Just like with Leech, I genuinely don’t think I can sum this one up in words. I already want to go back and reread it because there was just so so so much I know I missed. Firstly, that there were two timelines ongoing, which I didn’t catch until things started to fall together towards the end but wow.
This has everything: whimsical spinning-dervish-esque world set up on a tree branch that is somehow right side up yet also upside down, napoleon-esque governmentery characters with the ability to reorder reality using perfume extracted from bugs, an underdog found family orphan story with a ragtag bunch of exterminators facing The Big One, chemical warfare, class commentary, the role of art and artistry in the revolution (and in keeping the revolution from happening), A Really Really Really Big Bug that eats art and expels exotoxins that literally warp time and space and reality and matter. Musical numbers. Polyamorous love stories. Sex work positivity! An exploration of the roles that occur in dictatorships and coups and what it means to play that role. The power of a name. A trans lead with the powers of embroidery. The dangers of monopolies (especially in the extermination business).
I could go on and on and while it may seem like these are all too many things to include in one book for them all to be done well but I’m here to tell you that Hiron Ennes is a wizard and physically cannot miss. Not only did this book include all of the above (and more) but the way Ennes weaves together each plot point, each minute detail, each character arc, creates a tapestry of true literary art in a way that I still am and will be thinking about for a very long time. Leech is still my queen but this is a real close contender for the crown (and may even stage a coup upon rereading!)
Just like with Leech, I genuinely don’t think I can sum this one up in words. I already want to go back and reread it because there was just so so so much I know I missed. Firstly, that there were two timelines ongoing, which I didn’t catch until things started to fall together towards the end but wow.
This has everything: whimsical spinning-dervish-esque world set up on a tree branch that is somehow right side up yet also upside down, napoleon-esque governmentery characters with the ability to reorder reality using perfume extracted from bugs, an underdog found family orphan story with a ragtag bunch of exterminators facing The Big One, chemical warfare, class commentary, the role of art and artistry in the revolution (and in keeping the revolution from happening), A Really Really Really Big Bug that eats art and expels exotoxins that literally warp time and space and reality and matter. Musical numbers. Polyamorous love stories. Sex work positivity! An exploration of the roles that occur in dictatorships and coups and what it means to play that role. The power of a name. A trans lead with the powers of embroidery. The dangers of monopolies (especially in the extermination business).
I could go on and on and while it may seem like these are all too many things to include in one book for them all to be done well but I’m here to tell you that Hiron Ennes is a wizard and physically cannot miss. Not only did this book include all of the above (and more) but the way Ennes weaves together each plot point, each minute detail, each character arc, creates a tapestry of true literary art in a way that I still am and will be thinking about for a very long time. Leech is still my queen but this is a real close contender for the crown (and may even stage a coup upon rereading!)
September 18, 2025
4.25 stars! Dead ants produce oleic acid. The scent of oleic acid prompts worker ants to collect the corpse and drop the dead ant in a designated 'graveyard'. If the worker ants do not meticulously clean themselves, the lingering scent will prompt other workers to pick them up, still alive, and bury them among the dead. I don't know if Hiron Ennes was inspired by this specific fact but the societal structure in THE WORKS OF VERMIN is one where perfumes, fumigants, and incense are tactically employed to alter reality. Ennes hasn't simply written a story that draws from insect life, they have constructed a political system, a creation mythos, a history of art. This is complex, heavy worldbuilding with an enduring, very human story of familial love at its core. Like Hiron Ennes's previous book, LEECH, this starts out quite opaque. The only way to see the haze dissipate and the wider world materialize is to keep reading. It's well worth the journey.
dnf
August 2, 2025My thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a free DRC of "The Works of Vermin" by Hiron Ennes.
I was intrigued by this blend of Fantasy and Horror. A city inside an ancient tree with crawling creatures sounded right up my alley. Also a brother caring for a younger sister was such a relatable part.
Unfortunately I could not get used to its satirical elements and the incredibly dense writing style and I had to DNF at 25%. I love Weird Fiction, but the portrait of this city's elite was so over the top and nonsensical.
Another critique of mine is when authors fail to understand what it truly means to come from poverty. I loved Guy and how protective he is of his sister, but his understanding of Theatre and Opera are in no shape and form possible for someone of his background with no actual education, no mater how often he sneaked to watch and listen the performances.
I was intrigued by this blend of Fantasy and Horror. A city inside an ancient tree with crawling creatures sounded right up my alley. Also a brother caring for a younger sister was such a relatable part.
Unfortunately I could not get used to its satirical elements and the incredibly dense writing style and I had to DNF at 25%. I love Weird Fiction, but the portrait of this city's elite was so over the top and nonsensical.
Another critique of mine is when authors fail to understand what it truly means to come from poverty. I loved Guy and how protective he is of his sister, but his understanding of Theatre and Opera are in no shape and form possible for someone of his background with no actual education, no mater how often he sneaked to watch and listen the performances.
October 15, 2025
‘Same choice we all have, my dear. Same as every creature. Domestication, or extermination.’
I truly wish I loved this book more than I did, but to be honest I struggled through understanding most of this novel. The writing was very well done, but for the life of me I could not get a grasp on worldbuilding or the plot. Things would happen but everything felt so disconnected that nothing had any substance to it, so for the majority of this novel it felt more like I was being picked up and taken on the ride with no understanding of what would happen next, or why.
I think my biggest issue with this book was the two separate storylines going on - one that matches the book description, and one that does not at all. And neither are given any background to understand what is going on, and so even now I am unsure how the influence of art matters in this story nor how exactly the perfume that affects everything even works - or why. Throughout this novel we are given small glimpses into a bigger world, but - while nothing too hard to understand was being said, exactly - I spent most of this book in confusion.
There are multiple points of view that keep shifting between one and another and for the most part many of them are pointless. There’s bits and pieces to this story that are unnecessary and don’t add anything to it (Guy’s one specific side-job comes to mind), and other pieces that are included that just ruined characters for me. (I know Dawn has a twist near the end, but I found his sudden shift of being understanding of Guy’s boundaries with sex to pushing for something he is ‘owed’ a bit of a disappointment - I think it the twist would have been more impactful without the dismantling of Dawn’s softer character before the change).
I’ll be entirely honest - I did look at reviews for this book while I was struggling to read and kept seeing how well-received it was by seemingly everyone else. And I saw that there was some big reveal at about the 80% mark that completely changed how everyone read this book and so, against my better judgement, I pushed through to completion. If I didn’t have the audiobook and a long drive I may have honestly not bothered.
I’ll admit that there is some twist within the last 20% of the book and with this the plot does take off and quicken, but as this was a twist I had thought since the original fire at the opera house I was left less than impressed. I didn’t think this twist and sudden change in plot and tone was worth the majority of time this book meandered without a goal and somehow added more and more worldbuilding that made everything make even less sense.
If you’ve gotten at least 30% into this book and you’re not hooked on it, I’m here to tell you that you won’t really be missing anything by quitting. You can probably tell what the twist is, and in my opinion the payoff isn’t worth the punishment of muddling through the rest of the book. Normally I’d try to encourage everyone to check out something if they’re unsure, but with how overwhelmingly positive this book’s reviews are I think I should do the opposite. If you’re wondering whether you should stick through to the end or quit, that’s your sign to quit. If, however, you find this world fascinating and (somehow) understand what’s going on or why - then stay until the end and you’ll be rewarded.
The audiobook narrator was extremely well done and without it I would have never finished this book even with the promise of a twist at the end that made this story worth it. The voiceacting was phenomenal and even when I wasn’t enjoying the novel itself I was enjoying how it was being told to me. I do think this book is done very well through audiobook once you get the hang of the constant changing of POV.
‘There’s only one good man in Tiliard, and he’s been dead for years.’
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor/Macmillan Audio for providing me this e-ARC/ALC.
I truly wish I loved this book more than I did, but to be honest I struggled through understanding most of this novel. The writing was very well done, but for the life of me I could not get a grasp on worldbuilding or the plot. Things would happen but everything felt so disconnected that nothing had any substance to it, so for the majority of this novel it felt more like I was being picked up and taken on the ride with no understanding of what would happen next, or why.
I think my biggest issue with this book was the two separate storylines going on - one that matches the book description, and one that does not at all. And neither are given any background to understand what is going on, and so even now I am unsure how the influence of art matters in this story nor how exactly the perfume that affects everything even works - or why. Throughout this novel we are given small glimpses into a bigger world, but - while nothing too hard to understand was being said, exactly - I spent most of this book in confusion.
There are multiple points of view that keep shifting between one and another and for the most part many of them are pointless. There’s bits and pieces to this story that are unnecessary and don’t add anything to it (Guy’s one specific side-job comes to mind), and other pieces that are included that just ruined characters for me. (I know Dawn has a twist near the end, but I found his sudden shift of being understanding of Guy’s boundaries with sex to pushing for something he is ‘owed’ a bit of a disappointment - I think it the twist would have been more impactful without the dismantling of Dawn’s softer character before the change).
I’ll be entirely honest - I did look at reviews for this book while I was struggling to read and kept seeing how well-received it was by seemingly everyone else. And I saw that there was some big reveal at about the 80% mark that completely changed how everyone read this book and so, against my better judgement, I pushed through to completion. If I didn’t have the audiobook and a long drive I may have honestly not bothered.
I’ll admit that there is some twist within the last 20% of the book and with this the plot does take off and quicken, but as this was a twist I had thought since the original fire at the opera house I was left less than impressed. I didn’t think this twist and sudden change in plot and tone was worth the majority of time this book meandered without a goal and somehow added more and more worldbuilding that made everything make even less sense.
If you’ve gotten at least 30% into this book and you’re not hooked on it, I’m here to tell you that you won’t really be missing anything by quitting. You can probably tell what the twist is, and in my opinion the payoff isn’t worth the punishment of muddling through the rest of the book. Normally I’d try to encourage everyone to check out something if they’re unsure, but with how overwhelmingly positive this book’s reviews are I think I should do the opposite. If you’re wondering whether you should stick through to the end or quit, that’s your sign to quit. If, however, you find this world fascinating and (somehow) understand what’s going on or why - then stay until the end and you’ll be rewarded.
The audiobook narrator was extremely well done and without it I would have never finished this book even with the promise of a twist at the end that made this story worth it. The voiceacting was phenomenal and even when I wasn’t enjoying the novel itself I was enjoying how it was being told to me. I do think this book is done very well through audiobook once you get the hang of the constant changing of POV.
‘There’s only one good man in Tiliard, and he’s been dead for years.’
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor/Macmillan Audio for providing me this e-ARC/ALC.
October 13, 2025
This book is a riot of colors, a psychedelic trip, a never ending cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. It’s one of the most ambitious, absurd, and challenging books I’ve read this year.
I loved it.
~~~
Tiliard is a city nestled in the stump of a tree. Wealthy citizens spend their days debating art, visiting opulent opera houses, and navigating Tiliard’s tumultuous political landscape. This culture has turned its love of casual violence into an outrageous, avant-garde art form. In the undercity, people work off crushing debt while teams of exterminators attempt to suppress the ongoing infestation of vermin—insects the size of animals that venture into the city from the river below.
Our two primary POV characters are deeply flawed yet easy to love. Guy works long hours as an exterminator and is determined to give his younger sister a better life. Aster is a talented perfumer who has a lifelong contract working for the most ruthless man in Tiliard. By focusing on these two characters, Ennes demonstrates connections between undercity and uppercity that the characters will never understand.
~~~
I love when an author gives me something so complex that it breaks my brain. I love that moment when everything clicks and drops into place. It takes a very talented author to accomplish this instead of leaving the reader with a tangled mess, and Ennes is more than up to the task. This is one of 2025’s best books!
Thank you to Tor Books for gifting me a finished copy. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this and it did not disappoint!
I loved it.
~~~
Tiliard is a city nestled in the stump of a tree. Wealthy citizens spend their days debating art, visiting opulent opera houses, and navigating Tiliard’s tumultuous political landscape. This culture has turned its love of casual violence into an outrageous, avant-garde art form. In the undercity, people work off crushing debt while teams of exterminators attempt to suppress the ongoing infestation of vermin—insects the size of animals that venture into the city from the river below.
Our two primary POV characters are deeply flawed yet easy to love. Guy works long hours as an exterminator and is determined to give his younger sister a better life. Aster is a talented perfumer who has a lifelong contract working for the most ruthless man in Tiliard. By focusing on these two characters, Ennes demonstrates connections between undercity and uppercity that the characters will never understand.
~~~
I love when an author gives me something so complex that it breaks my brain. I love that moment when everything clicks and drops into place. It takes a very talented author to accomplish this instead of leaving the reader with a tangled mess, and Ennes is more than up to the task. This is one of 2025’s best books!
Thank you to Tor Books for gifting me a finished copy. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this and it did not disappoint!
October 16, 2025
Blending genres and themes, timelines and styles, this brilliantly surprising, unclassifiable novel should definitely be on your shelves.
It follows Guy, a ‘vermin’ exterminator with a thespian’s heart. He’s always dreamed of writing plays, but he needs to keep his little sister safe, so instead he keeps them out of poverty by hunting huge insects that haunt the undercity. It also follows Aster, perfumer to the Marshal and part of elite society. She’s suffering from a strange affliction, and allured by the gentleman newcomer who has swept in from nowhere at the head of a new artistic movement. Through their adventures, we see the (often underhanded) workings of the city, watching through a lens of art and horror as times and people change.
This novel stands on its own in so many ways, but the main one is the world building. The dark, root-and-water-based, fantastical city - Tiliard - where the story takes place is vivid in my mind because it is described in such detail. I imagine the author must have created detailed guides to Tiliard’s history and culture in order to bring it to life so well. The characters quote fictional writers from years ago as familiarly as we would Shakespeare, the politics and social structure are based on a cycle of rebellion and reformation, and the magic system (based on smells) is relatable in all the helpful and despicable ways the characters use it. I don’t begrudge the author a single page. Every sentence adds to the atmosphere and draws more from the setting.
I will read this again and find new surprises, I’m sure. Thank you to @torbooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It follows Guy, a ‘vermin’ exterminator with a thespian’s heart. He’s always dreamed of writing plays, but he needs to keep his little sister safe, so instead he keeps them out of poverty by hunting huge insects that haunt the undercity. It also follows Aster, perfumer to the Marshal and part of elite society. She’s suffering from a strange affliction, and allured by the gentleman newcomer who has swept in from nowhere at the head of a new artistic movement. Through their adventures, we see the (often underhanded) workings of the city, watching through a lens of art and horror as times and people change.
This novel stands on its own in so many ways, but the main one is the world building. The dark, root-and-water-based, fantastical city - Tiliard - where the story takes place is vivid in my mind because it is described in such detail. I imagine the author must have created detailed guides to Tiliard’s history and culture in order to bring it to life so well. The characters quote fictional writers from years ago as familiarly as we would Shakespeare, the politics and social structure are based on a cycle of rebellion and reformation, and the magic system (based on smells) is relatable in all the helpful and despicable ways the characters use it. I don’t begrudge the author a single page. Every sentence adds to the atmosphere and draws more from the setting.
I will read this again and find new surprises, I’m sure. Thank you to @torbooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2025
An absolute delight of whimsi-grotesquerie! I don't know how Hiron Ennes does it, but their worldbuilding is absolutely fantastic! I would love to get a glimpse inside their brain because I do not understand how they can create this lush and grotesque world full of political chaos, violent artistic movements, and wriggling vermin and have it clash so captivatingly on the page. I went in expecting pure horror, but it's more of a grim fantasy with bursts of violent chaos and revolution. The Works of Vermin is so grimly and viscerally eloquent that I need you all to experience what I just experienced because Ennes is an author unlike any other, and my short blurb does not do their work justice. If you thought I was annoying recommending Leech to y'all, then you aren't ready for how excited I am to recommend The Works of Vermin.
October 13, 2025
So grateful to have an ALC from Libro!
Hiron Ennes is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. The world we're placed in is so organic and oozing with character both vile and beautiful. Every detail is so meticulous that I was disappointed to have left it at the end.
As you read (or listen in my case) the very world sinks into your skin and you feel just as metamorphised by the story as the characters.
Hiron Ennes is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. The world we're placed in is so organic and oozing with character both vile and beautiful. Every detail is so meticulous that I was disappointed to have left it at the end.
As you read (or listen in my case) the very world sinks into your skin and you feel just as metamorphised by the story as the characters.
Read
October 25, 2025I didn't love this book as much as Leech so I can't give it five stars, but I think it's a wonderfully weird achievement so I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a viscerally strange slice of bizarre fantasy. For me, this was a book of two halves. It took me a long time to connect to the characters despite the extensive world-building (and Guy and Mallory were still the two I vibed with most strongly), but Hiron does something very clever in the later stages of this book that made me cackle and say "oh, you prick!" out-loud, and the final third had me fully engrossed. I think people who love this will *really* love this.
October 23, 2025
What did I just read? That’s going to need a re-read…after some time has passed!
August 23, 2025
This book will take you on all the twists and turns before you finally get smacked in the face with the answers to your questions. The world is close enough to our world that you can recognize some things while you read but just strange enough that you feel uneasy. The villains are easy to hate but then as you read you’ll find it’s not as easy as it once may have been. It’s a story that shows you over and over that you can choose humanity, faithfulness, and being genuine but the world tends to spit in the face of those choices.
Beautifully written, but I definitely had to pull out my thesaurus for this one. Worth the read and I’m so glad I got the chance to read an ARC copy from Netgalley!
Beautifully written, but I definitely had to pull out my thesaurus for this one. Worth the read and I’m so glad I got the chance to read an ARC copy from Netgalley!
October 26, 2025
4.5/5
В свое время мне очень понравилась Leech, так что за новую книгу автора, The Works of Vermin, я, конечно же, схватилась немедленно после выхода. И, что удивительно, получила от нее меньше удовольствия - хотя написана она совершенно не хуже дебютного романа, а местами так даже лучше. Подозреваю, это одна из тех книг, от которых больше удовольствия можно получить при перечитывании.
Итак, действие происходит в городе Тилиард, расположенном в гигантском дереве (и вот тут от книги мне повеяло вайбами Мьевиля - не просто потому, что это weird fiction, а еще и из-за того, что город здесь ощущается не просто как сеттинг, а как еще одно действующее лицо). Ближе к корням живут бедняки, в том числе Ги Мулен, работающий дезинсектором - а работа эта в Тилиарде опасна, потому что вредители в этом городе под стать дереву, давшему ему приют. На верхних уровнях живут одержимые оперой богачи, правящая верхушка и люди, которые на нее работают, в том числе Астер - личная парфюмерша маршала, в свое время установившего в городе новый порядок (а духи в этом городе - не просто дань моде, а инструмент манипуляции чувствами окружающих).
Линии Ги и Астер большую часть книги кажутся автономными, и при чтении гадаешь, когда же они пересекутся, . И это для меня одно из главных преимуществ книги.
В конечном итоге это книга не про охоту на гигантского членистоногого паразита, как может показаться из аннотации, а про социальное неравенство, власть и то, как она меняет людей, искусство как отражение общества - и инструмент в формировании общественного строя. В отличии от Leech, где мир был набросан штрихами, а пробелы нужно было дополнять самостоятельно, здесь очень богатый ворлдбилдинг (но без инфодампов, автор верит в способность читателя воссоздать картину из разрозненных кусочков), и, как и в Leech, здесь по-прежнему прекрасная проза. А еще при отсутствии ярко выраженных романтических линий этот роман насквозь квирный, причем, как отметили в одном из англоязычных ревью, queer as in strange and queer as in gay.
Почему же я тогда получила от него меньше удовольствия, чем от Leech? Да потому что текст, по моим ощущениям, очень плотный и вязкий - я читала роман почти две недели, часто испытывая желание отложить и подышать. Вероятно, при повторном перечитывании должно стать легче - как и серия про запертую гробницу Мьюир, The Works of Vermin должна при каждом прочтении отдавать все новые и новые секреты. Надо к перечитыванию обзавестись бумажной копией и читать со стикерами и текстовыделителем.
В свое время мне очень понравилась Leech, так что за новую книгу автора, The Works of Vermin, я, конечно же, схватилась немедленно после выхода. И, что удивительно, получила от нее меньше удовольствия - хотя написана она совершенно не хуже дебютного романа, а местами так даже лучше. Подозреваю, это одна из тех книг, от которых больше удовольствия можно получить при перечитывании.
Итак, действие происходит в городе Тилиард, расположенном в гигантском дереве (и вот тут от книги мне повеяло вайбами Мьевиля - не просто потому, что это weird fiction, а еще и из-за того, что город здесь ощущается не просто как сеттинг, а как еще одно действующее лицо). Ближе к корням живут бедняки, в том числе Ги Мулен, работающий дезинсектором - а работа эта в Тилиарде опасна, потому что вредители в этом городе под стать дереву, давшему ему приют. На верхних уровнях живут одержимые оперой богачи, правящая верхушка и люди, которые на нее работают, в том числе Астер - личная парфюмерша маршала, в свое время установившего в городе новый порядок (а духи в этом городе - не просто дань моде, а инструмент манипуляции чувствами окружающих).
Линии Ги и Астер большую часть книги кажутся автономными, и при чтении гадаешь, когда же они пересекутся, . И это для меня одно из главных преимуществ книги.
В конечном итоге это книга не про охоту на гигантского членистоногого паразита, как может показаться из аннотации, а про социальное неравенство, власть и то, как она меняет людей, искусство как отражение общества - и инструмент в формировании общественного строя. В отличии от Leech, где мир был набросан штрихами, а пробелы нужно было дополнять самостоятельно, здесь очень богатый ворлдбилдинг (но без инфодампов, автор верит в способность читателя воссоздать картину из разрозненных кусочков), и, как и в Leech, здесь по-прежнему прекрасная проза. А еще при отсутствии ярко выраженных романтических линий этот роман насквозь квирный, причем, как отметили в одном из англоязычных ревью, queer as in strange and queer as in gay.
Почему же я тогда получила от него меньше удовольствия, чем от Leech? Да потому что текст, по моим ощущениям, очень плотный и вязкий - я читала роман почти две недели, часто испытывая желание отложить и подышать. Вероятно, при повторном перечитывании должно стать легче - как и серия про запертую гробницу Мьюир, The Works of Vermin должна при каждом прочтении отдавать все новые и новые секреты. Надо к перечитыванию обзавестись бумажной копией и читать со стикерами и текстовыделителем.
October 13, 2025
I already admired Hiron Ennes' vision in Leech, and The Works of Vermin absolutely stunned me with its layers of worldbuilding and the twists and turns that masterfully unravel as the plot progresses.
The premise of the book is deceptively simple: Guy, an pest exterminator in the underground of the dangerous city of Tilliard, is sent on a contract that should be like any other, but turns out to be the stuff of nightmares - not just because it is a massive monster, but because of how it begins to reshape the entire city.
There is a second protagonist, Aster, perfumer for one of the city's most powerful men, who becomes involved with Mallory, a mysterious newcomer.
The two plotlines, even while taking place in the same city, at first do not seem to intersect at all, but I absolutely loved the slow realization of how the two stories fit together. The way the author slowly reveals information to piece the world and story together is incredibly, and done so so well.
There were times when the book was confusing, but it was never so bad as to not be engaging, it's just that the nuance of some scenes only just hits you in hindsight. It's beautiful and makes for an awesome reading experience, and it's one of those that makes me want to instantly reread the book.
The characters and worldbuilding are incredibly complex, and each scene seems to peel back more layers, shifting the shape of the story constantly, which also is a wonderful analogy to the actual happenings in the plot. It all worked so well together I am still in awe.
Max Meyers audiobook performance does it justice, as the narrator plays with his voice to give gravity to the different situations.
I will admit that some of the finer details of the political landscape were a bit lost on me, but I still feel like I understood what was important.
I also particularly enjoyed the inherent queerness of the story. None of the characters label themselves as such, there is no romance, and even the cultural stance towards non-heteronormativity remains unclear, but to our standarts there is still plenty of queerness.
It's not an easy read, both in how complex it is as in how dark it gets. There's a lot of debt and desperation, lies and manipulation, abuse and torture, a lot of it very casually mentioned as a natural part of this world. There are definitely plenty of horror elements, though I would mainly classify this as fantasy.
An absolutely stunning book that I highly recommend.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
The premise of the book is deceptively simple: Guy, an pest exterminator in the underground of the dangerous city of Tilliard, is sent on a contract that should be like any other, but turns out to be the stuff of nightmares - not just because it is a massive monster, but because of how it begins to reshape the entire city.
There is a second protagonist, Aster, perfumer for one of the city's most powerful men, who becomes involved with Mallory, a mysterious newcomer.
The two plotlines, even while taking place in the same city, at first do not seem to intersect at all, but I absolutely loved the slow realization of how the two stories fit together. The way the author slowly reveals information to piece the world and story together is incredibly, and done so so well.
There were times when the book was confusing, but it was never so bad as to not be engaging, it's just that the nuance of some scenes only just hits you in hindsight. It's beautiful and makes for an awesome reading experience, and it's one of those that makes me want to instantly reread the book.
The characters and worldbuilding are incredibly complex, and each scene seems to peel back more layers, shifting the shape of the story constantly, which also is a wonderful analogy to the actual happenings in the plot. It all worked so well together I am still in awe.
Max Meyers audiobook performance does it justice, as the narrator plays with his voice to give gravity to the different situations.
I will admit that some of the finer details of the political landscape were a bit lost on me, but I still feel like I understood what was important.
I also particularly enjoyed the inherent queerness of the story. None of the characters label themselves as such, there is no romance, and even the cultural stance towards non-heteronormativity remains unclear, but to our standarts there is still plenty of queerness.
It's not an easy read, both in how complex it is as in how dark it gets. There's a lot of debt and desperation, lies and manipulation, abuse and torture, a lot of it very casually mentioned as a natural part of this world. There are definitely plenty of horror elements, though I would mainly classify this as fantasy.
An absolutely stunning book that I highly recommend.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
October 13, 2025
The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes is an incredibly unique, weird, and imaginative fantasy novel. The setting of this world is an ancient tree stump with layers of society built on top of one another and infested with all sorts of bugs and vermin. Exterminators spray fumigants and pesticides to keep the infestations at bay while the overcity is rife with political theatre and rumblings of rebellion. The Chancellor and Marshal keep the population subjugated with perfumes that force compliance, and violent reactions to those who dissent.
We follow an exterminator, Guy Moulene, who survives an encounter with a giant dragon-sized centipede. The centipede, called the Contriver Worm, reshapes the city of Tiliard with its toxic
molts and venomous sting. Meanwhile, Guy strives to do what he can to keep himself and his sister from getting swallowed up by the brutal society in which they live. We also follow Aster Vost, a perfumer working for the Marshal, giving him the scent he needs to oppress the people and maintain his dominance.
Guy and Aster’s stories are full of tragedy, determination, survival, and much more with the backdrop of a strange and unique fantasy world. The Works of Vermin is a novel unlike any I have read before, creating a dystopian society in a world of bugs, toxins, and art. Hiron manages to meld together this incredible world along with a passion for art and theatre in a very creative way.
The plot can move a little slow at times, and the world building, while fantastic, takes some getting used to. This is a novel that needs your full focus and attention, but in the end, is a satisfying and enjoyable novel, well worth the time to read. If you are looking for something unique in a world full of tropes and cliches, I would recommend checking out The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes.
We follow an exterminator, Guy Moulene, who survives an encounter with a giant dragon-sized centipede. The centipede, called the Contriver Worm, reshapes the city of Tiliard with its toxic
molts and venomous sting. Meanwhile, Guy strives to do what he can to keep himself and his sister from getting swallowed up by the brutal society in which they live. We also follow Aster Vost, a perfumer working for the Marshal, giving him the scent he needs to oppress the people and maintain his dominance.
Guy and Aster’s stories are full of tragedy, determination, survival, and much more with the backdrop of a strange and unique fantasy world. The Works of Vermin is a novel unlike any I have read before, creating a dystopian society in a world of bugs, toxins, and art. Hiron manages to meld together this incredible world along with a passion for art and theatre in a very creative way.
The plot can move a little slow at times, and the world building, while fantastic, takes some getting used to. This is a novel that needs your full focus and attention, but in the end, is a satisfying and enjoyable novel, well worth the time to read. If you are looking for something unique in a world full of tropes and cliches, I would recommend checking out The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes.
October 5, 2025
3.5 / 4 stars
The last 20% of this are an absolute gutpunch. Unfortunately the 80% before that are... not quite as compelling. The world built for this story is wonderfully atmospheric and I did genuinely enjoy learning more and more about the city the story takes place in, because it seems like a fascinating place. But the bits and pieces of lore are handed out so slowly that it takes a long time to find that appreciation for it. The dynamics between the characters in the last 20% are incredible, and obviously couldn't have existed that way had it not been for the previous 80%, but I felt like those first 80% only served the purpose to build up the emotionality for the finale, but was not in itself very enjoyable. I did feel like I had to fight my way through the first part, and it was ultimately worth it for the finale, but the overall book could've been so much better if the first part hadn't felt like such a slog. The narrator did help keep me going, as I felt like his almost whimsical tone made everything a lot more interesting, and made the emotional gutpunch of the end hit even harder. I felt like the pauses between sentences were way too long, but that's not on the voice actor.
If you are willing to read a book that is 4/5ths just set-up and 1/5th incredible pay-off, read this. If not, this isn't for you.
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Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC
The last 20% of this are an absolute gutpunch. Unfortunately the 80% before that are... not quite as compelling. The world built for this story is wonderfully atmospheric and I did genuinely enjoy learning more and more about the city the story takes place in, because it seems like a fascinating place. But the bits and pieces of lore are handed out so slowly that it takes a long time to find that appreciation for it. The dynamics between the characters in the last 20% are incredible, and obviously couldn't have existed that way had it not been for the previous 80%, but I felt like those first 80% only served the purpose to build up the emotionality for the finale, but was not in itself very enjoyable. I did feel like I had to fight my way through the first part, and it was ultimately worth it for the finale, but the overall book could've been so much better if the first part hadn't felt like such a slog. The narrator did help keep me going, as I felt like his almost whimsical tone made everything a lot more interesting, and made the emotional gutpunch of the end hit even harder. I felt like the pauses between sentences were way too long, but that's not on the voice actor.
If you are willing to read a book that is 4/5ths just set-up and 1/5th incredible pay-off, read this. If not, this isn't for you.
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Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC
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