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Root Rot
Come meet The Liar, The Secret Keeper, The Crybaby, and the rest.
Nine children travel with their families to their Grandfather’s vacation property, where strange things begin to eyes blink from the bottom up, mushrooms ooze blood, people's faces don’t hang right anymore—except they do, once you look more closely. Transformations warp the children’s sense of time and place, the very land itself seeming to encroach upon them.
As The Liar watches the children succumb one by one to an unknown fate, she must make sense of absent stars in the night sky, vials of amber liquid that taste of milk, a funny little rope tied in knots. She’s faced with a join or resist, only the choice is not so simple.
Set in The Grandfather’s Lake House as he continues to extend his property lines and told in the eerie we of the children, Root Rot explores predatory family dynamics, the boundaries of bodies and home, and how individuals choose to participate in or push back against structures that would harm them.
Nine children travel with their families to their Grandfather’s vacation property, where strange things begin to eyes blink from the bottom up, mushrooms ooze blood, people's faces don’t hang right anymore—except they do, once you look more closely. Transformations warp the children’s sense of time and place, the very land itself seeming to encroach upon them.
As The Liar watches the children succumb one by one to an unknown fate, she must make sense of absent stars in the night sky, vials of amber liquid that taste of milk, a funny little rope tied in knots. She’s faced with a join or resist, only the choice is not so simple.
Set in The Grandfather’s Lake House as he continues to extend his property lines and told in the eerie we of the children, Root Rot explores predatory family dynamics, the boundaries of bodies and home, and how individuals choose to participate in or push back against structures that would harm them.
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First published March 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
May 25, 2025
When their grandmother dies, a group of nine related kids, cousins, siblings, and twins, visit their grandfather's house for a longer stay. During their collective outings, lowkey unsettling things start happening, Like seeing weird stuff that looks like dead people etc, and then they start getting lost, but keep re-appearing, until we learn the source of it all ultimately.
This little book is very quiet, dry, with occasional scary scenes, until it turns downright terrifying in the last ten pages or so. The children don't really have names, they have designators, like “The Liar” “The Crybaby” “The One That Ran Away” etc. and I didn't really find any meaning in that, maybe I missed something, I don't know why he characters are called that way and I wish that had lead somewhere, so that was disappointing. I kept waiting for something really smart turning up concerning the names but nothing came. Other than that I really liked it and found it genuinely disturbing. 3,5 rounded down.
This little book is very quiet, dry, with occasional scary scenes, until it turns downright terrifying in the last ten pages or so. The children don't really have names, they have designators, like “The Liar” “The Crybaby” “The One That Ran Away” etc. and I didn't really find any meaning in that, maybe I missed something, I don't know why he characters are called that way and I wish that had lead somewhere, so that was disappointing. I kept waiting for something really smart turning up concerning the names but nothing came. Other than that I really liked it and found it genuinely disturbing. 3,5 rounded down.
March 29, 2025
Title/AuthorL Saskia Nislow (they/she/he)
Page Count: 142
Publisher: Creature
Format: paperback finished review copy
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: first time
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978195197...
Release Date: March 25th
General Genre: Horror
Sub-Genre/Themes: Modern gothic, LBGTQIA+, vacation, sporror, family drama, body horror
Writing Style: compelling, unique, open to interpretation, experimental, rotating or collective POV "we"
What You Need to Know: "Nine children travel with their families to their Grandfather's vacation property, where strange things begin to happen."
My Reading Experience: Reading Root Rot feels like sitting around at a family gathering, listening to your cousins retell that one wild thing that happened years ago, only now it’s embellished or has an extra layer of mythology.
Told from the collective perspective of the children, Root Rot plunges you into the strange, secretive world of kids left to their own devices while the adults do whatever it is that adults do.
The children don’t have names in the traditional sense, there are “The Liar,” “The Baby,” and “The One with the Beautiful Voice", labels that feel like something assigned to the child during a situation and it stuck. You’re branded as “the dramatic one”, “the crybaby” or “the troublemaker,” and breaking free from that identity is nearly impossible.
And then there’s the way Nislow plays with reality. Are the kids just making things up, or is something truly rotten beneath the surface? The story spirals from something familiar into darker territory. Some scenes, like when The Baby goes missing, will be burned in my mind forever. I loved how Nislow was able to give glimpses into our collective nostalgia for family vacations at a vacation house while twisting it into something alien and gross.
Final Recommendation: Perfect for readers who aren't afraid of the strange and unusual. Southern gothic vibes, sporror (spore horror) and fungus, gross vegetation and eco-horrors, toxic family dynamic, fever-dream storytelling. It's fun to develop theories about subtext and symbolism. I was a little let down by the conclusion--I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I did feel a little ho-hum after I finished. Loved the journey though, a lot.
Comps: Kelly Link, Karen Russell, Katherine Dunn
Page Count: 142
Publisher: Creature
Format: paperback finished review copy
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: first time
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978195197...
Release Date: March 25th
General Genre: Horror
Sub-Genre/Themes: Modern gothic, LBGTQIA+, vacation, sporror, family drama, body horror
Writing Style: compelling, unique, open to interpretation, experimental, rotating or collective POV "we"
What You Need to Know: "Nine children travel with their families to their Grandfather's vacation property, where strange things begin to happen."
My Reading Experience: Reading Root Rot feels like sitting around at a family gathering, listening to your cousins retell that one wild thing that happened years ago, only now it’s embellished or has an extra layer of mythology.
Told from the collective perspective of the children, Root Rot plunges you into the strange, secretive world of kids left to their own devices while the adults do whatever it is that adults do.
The children don’t have names in the traditional sense, there are “The Liar,” “The Baby,” and “The One with the Beautiful Voice", labels that feel like something assigned to the child during a situation and it stuck. You’re branded as “the dramatic one”, “the crybaby” or “the troublemaker,” and breaking free from that identity is nearly impossible.
And then there’s the way Nislow plays with reality. Are the kids just making things up, or is something truly rotten beneath the surface? The story spirals from something familiar into darker territory. Some scenes, like when The Baby goes missing, will be burned in my mind forever. I loved how Nislow was able to give glimpses into our collective nostalgia for family vacations at a vacation house while twisting it into something alien and gross.
Final Recommendation: Perfect for readers who aren't afraid of the strange and unusual. Southern gothic vibes, sporror (spore horror) and fungus, gross vegetation and eco-horrors, toxic family dynamic, fever-dream storytelling. It's fun to develop theories about subtext and symbolism. I was a little let down by the conclusion--I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I did feel a little ho-hum after I finished. Loved the journey though, a lot.
Comps: Kelly Link, Karen Russell, Katherine Dunn
November 10, 2024
Root Rot is a bizarre little novella that had me wondering what the hell I was reading page after page.
The story follows a family gathering at a Lake House, we’ve got the Adults and we’ve got nine unnamed children: The Oldest, The One Who Runs Away, The One with the Beautiful Voice, the Baby, the Cry Baby, the Secret Keeper, The Liar, and the Twins (Boy Twin and Girl Twin). Their Grandmother has recently passed and this family gathering is taking place for a reason they do not know.
What follows is a chronological kaleidoscope of scenes in which the different kids witness strange things they can’t explain and quickly forget, and how some of them don’t come back quite themselves from their solo strolls in the woods.
This was so bizarre and had so many clues about what may have been going on, it kept me interested. My toxic trait when reading is that I always try to guess the ending, and this book had me putting my thinking cap on with how many clues and red herrings it had (the narration POV, the cover, the bloody tooth mushrooms, the word choices…).
Sadly, I found the theorizing more satisfying than the conclusion. I’m still not sure I got it. This book would have been a five-star read, even with the confusing progression, if 1) the imagery had been more unsettling, vivid, and/or bizarre (not asking for body horror but that would have been the cherry on top) and 2) the character “names” had been utilized for anything. I rarely saw the Liar lie, the Crybaby cry, or the Secret Keeper keep secrets (forget them, she surely did lol).
3.5 stars rounded up. The theorizing was fun and the writing was nice.
Please, look at the bloody tooth mushroom. What the fuck is this guys. What is this. I am traumatized.
*ARC received for free, this hasn't impacted my rating.
The story follows a family gathering at a Lake House, we’ve got the Adults and we’ve got nine unnamed children: The Oldest, The One Who Runs Away, The One with the Beautiful Voice, the Baby, the Cry Baby, the Secret Keeper, The Liar, and the Twins (Boy Twin and Girl Twin). Their Grandmother has recently passed and this family gathering is taking place for a reason they do not know.
What follows is a chronological kaleidoscope of scenes in which the different kids witness strange things they can’t explain and quickly forget, and how some of them don’t come back quite themselves from their solo strolls in the woods.
This was so bizarre and had so many clues about what may have been going on, it kept me interested. My toxic trait when reading is that I always try to guess the ending, and this book had me putting my thinking cap on with how many clues and red herrings it had (the narration POV, the cover, the bloody tooth mushrooms, the word choices…).
Sadly, I found the theorizing more satisfying than the conclusion. I’m still not sure I got it. This book would have been a five-star read, even with the confusing progression, if 1) the imagery had been more unsettling, vivid, and/or bizarre (not asking for body horror but that would have been the cherry on top) and 2) the character “names” had been utilized for anything. I rarely saw the Liar lie, the Crybaby cry, or the Secret Keeper keep secrets (forget them, she surely did lol).
3.5 stars rounded up. The theorizing was fun and the writing was nice.
Please, look at the bloody tooth mushroom. What the fuck is this guys. What is this. I am traumatized.
*ARC received for free, this hasn't impacted my rating.
January 30, 2025
This was a strange book and I enjoyed it but honestly I’m a bit confused about what I read. I had trouble keeping the characters straight because of the names: The Liar, The Secret Keeper, The Crybaby, etc.
This was an interesting read and the writing was great but I wish I had a bit more clarity. If you want a strange, fever-dream of a book, I think this will be for you! The cover to this book is absolutely stunning as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.
This was an interesting read and the writing was great but I wish I had a bit more clarity. If you want a strange, fever-dream of a book, I think this will be for you! The cover to this book is absolutely stunning as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.
July 10, 2025
** I received an ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review**
3,5 stars rounded upward for Goodreads.
Root Rot is a story about family, but not in the way that you think. It was not completely what I expected, but honestly, I was not sure what I exactly expected. The whole book felt like a fever dream, though I did find it somewhat predictable at some points. Relatively early in the book I figured out what was happening. Not that this was a bad thing, as this didn't take away from the overall story. Though, personally, I would have liked for it to be a little less predictable at times.
The writing style is not everyone's cup of tea. It almost feels as if you're reading a poem and the weird POV feels off at the start. Of course, it made sense when the book came to an end, and that was something that I really liked about it. The story was flowing pretty well, giving me the vibe of a modern gothic story.
Creepy, weird and dream-like stories are completely my thing. And if you enjoy things like that as well, Root Rot might be the book for you!
3,5 stars rounded upward for Goodreads.
Root Rot is a story about family, but not in the way that you think. It was not completely what I expected, but honestly, I was not sure what I exactly expected. The whole book felt like a fever dream, though I did find it somewhat predictable at some points. Relatively early in the book I figured out what was happening. Not that this was a bad thing, as this didn't take away from the overall story. Though, personally, I would have liked for it to be a little less predictable at times.
The writing style is not everyone's cup of tea. It almost feels as if you're reading a poem and the weird POV feels off at the start. Of course, it made sense when the book came to an end, and that was something that I really liked about it. The story was flowing pretty well, giving me the vibe of a modern gothic story.
Creepy, weird and dream-like stories are completely my thing. And if you enjoy things like that as well, Root Rot might be the book for you!
February 3, 2025
“He hadn’t really understood before, he mused vaguely, how small he was in comparison to his body. There was so much space inside of him. So much empty space. Filling up.”
Growing up on the Dutch-German border, I remember exploring my families bookshelves filled with decades old books they held onto. One of them terrified me in particular. A book of classical regional fairytales. Not the Disney-variety, but the gruesome originals, filled with folk-horror and bizarre imagery. Many of them, including some of the lesser-known niche ones, had me looking over my shoulder whenever I was out in nature.
Root Rot felt like it came from the pages of this book. Bizarre, unsettling, but strangely hypnotic; I was under its spell.
Our story begins with nine children arriving at the grandfather's vacation property, for a family-gathering following the death of grandma. We don’t learn any of their names, as they’re only referred to by a moniker (“the Liar”, “the Secret Keeper”, the “Oldest” etc.), nor do we get any backstory on them. Whilst the adults convene inside the house, the kids explore the forest and gardens around the Lake House, where they encounter increasingly strange and unsettling events.
All of this is told through the voice of an unnamed narrator, watching from just outside the frame, referring to the kids as “we/us”. Are they one of the 9 children, a 10th child, or something else entirely?
Nislow proves herself a master of atmosphere. From page 1, she nails the “uncanny-valley” feeling, and truly shines in her ability to defamiliarize the familiar. Visuals and events that might otherwise be normal or even nostalgic are warped, transformed and twisted into unrecognizable shapes. It’s a brand of horror that I’m a sucker for, and Nislow executes it to perfection here.
Similarly, I loved how the story “flirts” with familiar figures of European mythology, whilst completely making it her own as well. There are hints at , but the eventual answer to the mysteries are all Nislow’s own twist of mythology.
Root Rot requires quite some suspension of disbelieve, and a bit of work from the reader. It intentionally keeps you at a distance and in the dark for quite a while, and while it adds to the fever-dream-feeling, I can understand how not every reader will appreciate that. In its current dose, this being a novella and all, it was perfect for me.
That being said, if you your fairytale/folk-horror, nature-horror or even sporror with a hint of the bizarre and uncanny: this is one that’s 100% worth your time.
Many thanks to Creature Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Growing up on the Dutch-German border, I remember exploring my families bookshelves filled with decades old books they held onto. One of them terrified me in particular. A book of classical regional fairytales. Not the Disney-variety, but the gruesome originals, filled with folk-horror and bizarre imagery. Many of them, including some of the lesser-known niche ones, had me looking over my shoulder whenever I was out in nature.
Root Rot felt like it came from the pages of this book. Bizarre, unsettling, but strangely hypnotic; I was under its spell.
Our story begins with nine children arriving at the grandfather's vacation property, for a family-gathering following the death of grandma. We don’t learn any of their names, as they’re only referred to by a moniker (“the Liar”, “the Secret Keeper”, the “Oldest” etc.), nor do we get any backstory on them. Whilst the adults convene inside the house, the kids explore the forest and gardens around the Lake House, where they encounter increasingly strange and unsettling events.
All of this is told through the voice of an unnamed narrator, watching from just outside the frame, referring to the kids as “we/us”. Are they one of the 9 children, a 10th child, or something else entirely?
Nislow proves herself a master of atmosphere. From page 1, she nails the “uncanny-valley” feeling, and truly shines in her ability to defamiliarize the familiar. Visuals and events that might otherwise be normal or even nostalgic are warped, transformed and twisted into unrecognizable shapes. It’s a brand of horror that I’m a sucker for, and Nislow executes it to perfection here.
Similarly, I loved how the story “flirts” with familiar figures of European mythology, whilst completely making it her own as well. There are hints at , but the eventual answer to the mysteries are all Nislow’s own twist of mythology.
Root Rot requires quite some suspension of disbelieve, and a bit of work from the reader. It intentionally keeps you at a distance and in the dark for quite a while, and while it adds to the fever-dream-feeling, I can understand how not every reader will appreciate that. In its current dose, this being a novella and all, it was perfect for me.
That being said, if you your fairytale/folk-horror, nature-horror or even sporror with a hint of the bizarre and uncanny: this is one that’s 100% worth your time.
Many thanks to Creature Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 18, 2025
Root Rot reads like a drugged-fueled fever dream.
Essentially it is a story about an extended family stay at their Grandfather's lake house. I say essentially because other than this fact, very little made any sense at all to me. Maybe this is the point of the story but even then I can't figure that out.
I could continue writing and direct every little event in this mind-boggling book but you're far better off trying it for yourself.
Ultimately I did enjoy my reading of this short story so will recommend giving it a read. I just can't tell you what it's about.
Essentially it is a story about an extended family stay at their Grandfather's lake house. I say essentially because other than this fact, very little made any sense at all to me. Maybe this is the point of the story but even then I can't figure that out.
I could continue writing and direct every little event in this mind-boggling book but you're far better off trying it for yourself.
Ultimately I did enjoy my reading of this short story so will recommend giving it a read. I just can't tell you what it's about.
November 25, 2024
Root Rot
Saskia Nislow
4.25 / 5
This story reads like a ketamine-fueled journey I unknowingly took once, in my early 20's. (Don't ask, it's a long story.)
Odd as that may sound, I mean it as the biggest compliment.
When I think of "weird fiction", THIS is what I'm talkin about!!
Go in blind ... You'll enjoy getting lost ... And the effort it takes to find your way back out of the woods to the real world is more than worth it.
I had a blast trying to figure out what the hell was going on at The Lake House and in those Woods. (I'm still not sure I understand, but I can't wait to reread this weird-ass, trippy, familial nightmare again.)
And I eagerly await what Saskia writes in the future!
Recommended for my fellow lovers of weird horror lit.
4.25 / 5
Saskia Nislow
4.25 / 5
This story reads like a ketamine-fueled journey I unknowingly took once, in my early 20's. (Don't ask, it's a long story.)
Odd as that may sound, I mean it as the biggest compliment.
When I think of "weird fiction", THIS is what I'm talkin about!!
Go in blind ... You'll enjoy getting lost ... And the effort it takes to find your way back out of the woods to the real world is more than worth it.
I had a blast trying to figure out what the hell was going on at The Lake House and in those Woods. (I'm still not sure I understand, but I can't wait to reread this weird-ass, trippy, familial nightmare again.)
And I eagerly await what Saskia writes in the future!
Recommended for my fellow lovers of weird horror lit.
4.25 / 5
April 23, 2025
wow! this was weird and disorientating, i didn’t think i was going to like it as much as i did but omg the writing just has that effect on you. it was almost mesmerizing at times with how things were escalating and being described. i’m a sucker for odd horror with fungus elements and this checked the boxes for me!! thank you to the publishers and net galley for the ARC
February 5, 2025
If you are in the mood for a modern gothic horror with a bizarre abstract ending then this is for you. The story follows nine children, who are never given names, as they spend time at their grandfathers lake house for the summer. The story is driven primarily by the atmosphere of the house, woods, and lake. Inside the house voices are distorted, faces change suddenly, the parents exhibit strange behavior, and things smell and taste as they should not. Outside the house is even creepier. It’s set it a highly forested area that is full of rot and decay. Houses nearby have become completely succumbed by nature. There are mushrooms all over, forming odd shapes. The children see and hear strange things in the woods, lake, and even in the sky. The book will be released March 25, 2025. I look forward to seeing discussion about the meaning of the ending.
April 18, 2025
A feverish, dreamlike novella, but one I very much enjoyed. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but the lyrical nature of the narrative swept me up and I read it in one (dread filled) sitting. The characters can be a little hard to keep track off, but I think this fits with the style of writing- by the time you manage to straighten them out and count them up, it’s too late. It’s very effective. A lovely, eerie read for a drowsy weekend. Thank you to Netgalley and Saskia Nislow for allowing me to read this arc 🪱
June 1, 2025
I don’t think I completely understood what happened in this story. I may give it another read through, because it definitely had some frightening imagery and nods to fae lore, skin walkers, and/or doppelgängers.
It was very difficult to follow the characters and where they fall into line relationship-wise. They didn’t have names, just descriptions (the liar, the boy twin, the one who runs away, etc).
It was very difficult to follow the characters and where they fall into line relationship-wise. They didn’t have names, just descriptions (the liar, the boy twin, the one who runs away, etc).
July 26, 2025
I was so excited for Root Rot but I just don't think it really landed for me.
This is about a group of young cousins staying at their grandfathers lakehouse and the weird/creepy things that occur there. The characters aren't given names but instead are referred to as "The Liar," "The Crybaby," "The Twin," etc. I liked this concept but there were too many characters for that to work for me. I think this whole book is supposed to feel fever dreamy which that contributes to, but too much of my energy was spent trying to figure out who was who and what had happened to which character and it took me out of the experience.
Some of the horror scenes in isolation were AMAZING. I love plant/mushroom/nature body horror and Nislow does that immaculately. It was simultaneously beautiful and horrifying which is truly difficult to execute. For me, these scenes/elements where great on their own but didn't really amount to anything impactful as a whole.
If you are someone who appreciates vibes & atmosphere > characters & plot, this might be for you!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is about a group of young cousins staying at their grandfathers lakehouse and the weird/creepy things that occur there. The characters aren't given names but instead are referred to as "The Liar," "The Crybaby," "The Twin," etc. I liked this concept but there were too many characters for that to work for me. I think this whole book is supposed to feel fever dreamy which that contributes to, but too much of my energy was spent trying to figure out who was who and what had happened to which character and it took me out of the experience.
Some of the horror scenes in isolation were AMAZING. I love plant/mushroom/nature body horror and Nislow does that immaculately. It was simultaneously beautiful and horrifying which is truly difficult to execute. For me, these scenes/elements where great on their own but didn't really amount to anything impactful as a whole.
If you are someone who appreciates vibes & atmosphere > characters & plot, this might be for you!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2025
“In his dreams, the grass on the ground beneath him wasn’t grass at all, but long pale mushroom stalks. No, not that either. It was fingers. Thousands of them, cradling his face like a pillow, stroking his cheeks like his mother did when he was sad or lonely. He was still drowsy, even inside the dream, and as he nestled deeper into the thousand fingers, they nestled deeper into him, pushing gently into his mouth, his nostrils, his ears. Digging their way into his eyes. It wasn't a bad feeling. Just strange. He hadn't really understood before, he mused vaguely, how small he was in comparison to his body. There was so much space inside of him. So much empty space. Filling up.”
Creepy fungal horror that will make readers feel like they're in one hell of a fever dream! This was quite the unique reading experience.
Creepy fungal horror that will make readers feel like they're in one hell of a fever dream! This was quite the unique reading experience.
April 21, 2025
Very surreal, very bizarre, very experimental. But I think everything clashes together to create a perfect storm in the form of a modern gothic horror story--with lots and lots of fungi! The narrative is very surreal and dreamlike, and I found myself getting swept up in the eerie atmosphere of the lake house and the woods surrounding it. Although this novella is quite short, I felt like the tension creeped on me excellently and the description of the fungi/nature was truly skin crawling. I feel like I will gain more from this from a second read. I'm still trying to decipher that ending!
June 3, 2025
A delightfully disorientating, perspective-spiralling novella, with all the illogic and vivid visceral urgency of a dream. A bit of queer(ed) bittersweet triumph at the end. Root Rot's language has something of a dark alienation magic that reminds me of Kafka. (This might not be the most obvious, or significant, or unique, feat of language people find it Kafka, but it is one that has captivated me: the abstractness and the concreteness of The Father - the symbol, the Other, the one right across the table, the other, the terror, patris potestas - gleaming brass buttons, stomping at Gregor Samsa's much-suffering head.) It does make for an impenetrable little read. But I like books that are stubborn, and belligerently unique, that burrow their own hollows, so you have to follow them on your knees crawling through the dark narrow earth. One shouldn't read koans for self-help either.
That's someone else's sky, said The Secret Keeper from behind us, a slight wobble in her voice. It's not for us.
{Review of an advanced reader's copy,
provided by Creature Publishing, through NetGalley.
Reviewer's opinions not for sale,
like the stars, like the sun, like the earth.}
January 23, 2025
While this book has a fantastic cover design by Luísa Dias, the story overall was not to my liking.
This surreal, weird, creepy dream-like plot was just too “out there” for me to follow and completely comprehend. Really just too bad, as my hopes were so high going into this.
It was a very distinctive choice, and a brave one, for the author to write their story in such a way. I’ll keep my eyes out for future works to see if they are more my vibe.
Thank you anyways to NetGalley, the author, and Creature Publishing for a copy.
This surreal, weird, creepy dream-like plot was just too “out there” for me to follow and completely comprehend. Really just too bad, as my hopes were so high going into this.
It was a very distinctive choice, and a brave one, for the author to write their story in such a way. I’ll keep my eyes out for future works to see if they are more my vibe.
Thank you anyways to NetGalley, the author, and Creature Publishing for a copy.
February 8, 2025
3 stars!
Thank you so so much to Netgalley, Creature Publishing, and Saskia Nislow for the e-arc!!
Honestly I think this book started out better than it ended up. At first, this started pretty slow, but after a little while I really started to get into it. I think the writing style in this book is really good, and I was really enjoying the supernatural type horror vibes. I also enjoyed the concept of like fungi doppelgangers and I thought that concept was really creative. And although the characters not having any real names or physical descriptions got pretty confusing, I didn't mind it that much!
And I thought that, that was also a pretty unique form of storytelling. But around the point where I found myself getting into this and really enjoying this, it unfortunately started to go downhill not long after. The reason for that being is that, it was just confusing. I started to lose my grip on the plot, on the story, on the horror, and it just felt like a lot of weird stuff was happening for the sake of it being weird. And by the end I personally don't understand why anything that happened, happened.
I understand that this novella alludes to most things rather than outright telling us, and that this book is *supposed* to have a lot of underlying metaphors, but I personally didn't get any of them. Which to me I feel like if you've created an entire message behind a book, but your readers don't really get the message, then that's a problem. I still understand nothing of why anything really happened and was just confused most of the time to the point where the plot felt kind of pointless because of how outrageous it had suddenly become. Which is a shame because I was very excited to receive this e-arc and was also excited to delve into a new, fungal, plant-like section of horror. But I don't really feel like it delivered. I think it delivered in other ways, but not necessarily in the sensical or horror way.
And other than that I'm not sure what more I can say! I'm gonna say that this book was a low 3 stars, I might end up giving it a lower star rating in the future when my emotions really settle on this novella. But yeah!
Thank you so so much to Netgalley, Creature Publishing, and Saskia Nislow for the e-arc!!
Honestly I think this book started out better than it ended up. At first, this started pretty slow, but after a little while I really started to get into it. I think the writing style in this book is really good, and I was really enjoying the supernatural type horror vibes. I also enjoyed the concept of like fungi doppelgangers and I thought that concept was really creative. And although the characters not having any real names or physical descriptions got pretty confusing, I didn't mind it that much!
And I thought that, that was also a pretty unique form of storytelling. But around the point where I found myself getting into this and really enjoying this, it unfortunately started to go downhill not long after. The reason for that being is that, it was just confusing. I started to lose my grip on the plot, on the story, on the horror, and it just felt like a lot of weird stuff was happening for the sake of it being weird. And by the end I personally don't understand why anything that happened, happened.
I understand that this novella alludes to most things rather than outright telling us, and that this book is *supposed* to have a lot of underlying metaphors, but I personally didn't get any of them. Which to me I feel like if you've created an entire message behind a book, but your readers don't really get the message, then that's a problem. I still understand nothing of why anything really happened and was just confused most of the time to the point where the plot felt kind of pointless because of how outrageous it had suddenly become. Which is a shame because I was very excited to receive this e-arc and was also excited to delve into a new, fungal, plant-like section of horror. But I don't really feel like it delivered. I think it delivered in other ways, but not necessarily in the sensical or horror way.
And other than that I'm not sure what more I can say! I'm gonna say that this book was a low 3 stars, I might end up giving it a lower star rating in the future when my emotions really settle on this novella. But yeah!
March 23, 2025
As an avid horror reader it is so rare that a book truly gives me the chills. This book is one of those exceptions. It was so deeply unsettling and finding out what horror would unfold next was at once riveting and unnerving. The narrative style and imagery is unlike anything I’ve read before as it draws you in making you believe you as the reader are also one of the children getting slowly consumed by the rot and the tragic loss of innocence that follows.
I will say that for such a short novel it starts off very slowly but once it grips you it won’t let go.
Overall an absolutely stunning work of fiction!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I will say that for such a short novel it starts off very slowly but once it grips you it won’t let go.
Overall an absolutely stunning work of fiction!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 27, 2024
There are definitely glimmers of something really unique here, but overall this wasn't something I'd read again.
I absolutely love the way Saskia names characters & locations (can't say more w/o spoiling it). Admittedly a little confusing at the start, it quickly became easy to track.
More often than not Saskia used "or is it?" kinda sentences to convey suspicion, which ended up feeling like an easy way out after the first few.
{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Saskia Noslow and Creature Publishing for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}
I absolutely love the way Saskia names characters & locations (can't say more w/o spoiling it). Admittedly a little confusing at the start, it quickly became easy to track.
More often than not Saskia used "or is it?" kinda sentences to convey suspicion, which ended up feeling like an easy way out after the first few.
{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Saskia Noslow and Creature Publishing for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}
March 7, 2025
Easy five stars. What the fuck. What, how, when, why did things happen? Don't ask me. I already know that this will be one of my top 3 books this year. This was so confusing, eerie, nauseating, scary, and despite all of that kind of comforting in a very weird way. But all of that in the best possible way.
May 31, 2025
Root Rot is a masterclass in insinuation and eco-horror. A slow, suggestive nightmare that thrives in the margins of what’s said; and more importantly, what’s not. It reminded me of Gaiman’s Other World in Coraline—a reality that’s just off enough to be terrifying. Rooted (ha!) in reality, yet constantly slipping sideways into something uncomfortably strange.
The story follows nine cousins on a family vacation to their grandfather’s lake house. But these aren’t children with names or ages or familiar markers of identity. Instead, they’re known only by titles like The Liar, The One Who Runs Away, and The Crybaby—monikers that feel like assigned identities with no escape. The adults are ominous, unknowable. The children? Equally unsettling.
The cousins begin to experience strange hallucinations—or; what we might call hallucinations. The sky is wrong. The stars are missing. Things are backward and upside down. And yet, no one seems to know how long it’s been this way. The ambiguity is the horror. The reader is forced to fill in the blanks, and if your imagination is anything like mine… let’s just say it gets weird fast.
Told entirely from the children’s viewpoint, there’s an unreliability that adds to the dread. Are they telling the truth? Are they the danger? Is this even really happening? Their suspicion and disdain for the adults echo the eerie dynamics of many real-life family vacations; just dialed up to eleven and dropped into a dark lake full of rot.
The joy of Root Rot is in the investigation. You will highlight passages, reread chapters, comb for clues, and still be left scratching your head (and loving it).
My only complaint is that the ending didn’t quite land for me. It felt more like a flickering out than a conclusion. But given the surreal, slippery nature of the story, that could be intentional. Root Rot doesn’t want to be solved.
Highly recommended for fans of eco-horror, weird lit, suggestive storytelling, and anyone who enjoys having their brain quietly fried.
Huge thanks to Creature Publishing for the e-copy in exchange for an honest review! I’ll be looking forward to more of Saskia Nislow’s works.
The story follows nine cousins on a family vacation to their grandfather’s lake house. But these aren’t children with names or ages or familiar markers of identity. Instead, they’re known only by titles like The Liar, The One Who Runs Away, and The Crybaby—monikers that feel like assigned identities with no escape. The adults are ominous, unknowable. The children? Equally unsettling.
The cousins begin to experience strange hallucinations—or; what we might call hallucinations. The sky is wrong. The stars are missing. Things are backward and upside down. And yet, no one seems to know how long it’s been this way. The ambiguity is the horror. The reader is forced to fill in the blanks, and if your imagination is anything like mine… let’s just say it gets weird fast.
Told entirely from the children’s viewpoint, there’s an unreliability that adds to the dread. Are they telling the truth? Are they the danger? Is this even really happening? Their suspicion and disdain for the adults echo the eerie dynamics of many real-life family vacations; just dialed up to eleven and dropped into a dark lake full of rot.
The joy of Root Rot is in the investigation. You will highlight passages, reread chapters, comb for clues, and still be left scratching your head (and loving it).
My only complaint is that the ending didn’t quite land for me. It felt more like a flickering out than a conclusion. But given the surreal, slippery nature of the story, that could be intentional. Root Rot doesn’t want to be solved.
Highly recommended for fans of eco-horror, weird lit, suggestive storytelling, and anyone who enjoys having their brain quietly fried.
Huge thanks to Creature Publishing for the e-copy in exchange for an honest review! I’ll be looking forward to more of Saskia Nislow’s works.
March 25, 2025
When I started Root Rot I thought about following only one of the children that visit the lake house. But instead I discovered a way of story telling that had me gripped from the beginning even if it made some things a little bit more confusing sometimes.
I think it is best read in one sitting so you can keep track of the names and what happens to each children. As I read it over two days it took some time to grasp how changes of perspectives showed a replacement working of the children. I love the way the narrative is told because in the end it makes even more sense to speak of our and us even if it had its rightness already in the beginning.
The decision to name the children for what part of the family they are is really interesting. But I'm not sure if I like that "The Liar" is the one that seems to be trans.
There were some disturbing scenes that got dream like through the narration style. I liked it but I could have stomached something more explicit in some of the scenes. The last twist at the end came a little bit out of the blue but I liked the epilogue very much.
I think I will definitely like to read more by them!
3,5 stars
I think it is best read in one sitting so you can keep track of the names and what happens to each children. As I read it over two days it took some time to grasp how changes of perspectives showed a replacement working of the children. I love the way the narrative is told because in the end it makes even more sense to speak of our and us even if it had its rightness already in the beginning.
The decision to name the children for what part of the family they are is really interesting. But I'm not sure if I like that "The Liar" is the one that seems to be trans.
There were some disturbing scenes that got dream like through the narration style. I liked it but I could have stomached something more explicit in some of the scenes. The last twist at the end came a little bit out of the blue but I liked the epilogue very much.
I think I will definitely like to read more by them!
3,5 stars
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October 24, 2025🍄🟫
May 19, 2025
I emphatically recommend this folklore fever dream of a novella to anyone for whom the phrase “folklore fever dream” elicits intrigue. If that’s you, stop reading this review right now, don’t read any other reviews, and pick up this book. You can come back and learn what the rest of us thought after you’ve experienced it yourself.
Have you ever had a dream where the plot turned sideways, and you knew it, watched it happening, tried to make sense of it, but fell deeper into the absurdity the harder you looked? Nislow’s story lets you simmer in that space alongside her collection of characters, staring at a grainy photograph that promises to contain a face but dissolves into pixels when you squint and strain.
I finished this book over my cup of tea this morning, just 34 hours after I started it, and I’ve spent all day at work today mentally trying to put the pieces in order. Not that the book’s conclusion is unsatisfying; there is semi-logical closure, but I wonder if my typical desire to theorize and tie up all the loose ends is entirely wrong for this book. I suspect that if I were to put the puzzle too close to right, the pieces might turn into dirt in my hands. Five stars, excellent.
Thank you to Creature Publishing and netgalley for free access to this book.
Have you ever had a dream where the plot turned sideways, and you knew it, watched it happening, tried to make sense of it, but fell deeper into the absurdity the harder you looked? Nislow’s story lets you simmer in that space alongside her collection of characters, staring at a grainy photograph that promises to contain a face but dissolves into pixels when you squint and strain.
I finished this book over my cup of tea this morning, just 34 hours after I started it, and I’ve spent all day at work today mentally trying to put the pieces in order. Not that the book’s conclusion is unsatisfying; there is semi-logical closure, but I wonder if my typical desire to theorize and tie up all the loose ends is entirely wrong for this book. I suspect that if I were to put the puzzle too close to right, the pieces might turn into dirt in my hands. Five stars, excellent.
Thank you to Creature Publishing and netgalley for free access to this book.
January 14, 2025
Root Rot is a surreal, fever-dream of a novella that simply cannot be easily categorized. It’s not your typical horror story, but rather something entirely its own—blending unsettling ambiguity with a strange, hypnotic charm. The plot follows a family reuniting at a remote Lake House after the passing of their Grandmother. While the adults remain largely in the background, the narrative alternates between the perspectives of the nine unnamed children, identified only by their titles: The Oldest, The Baby, The One Who Runs Away, The Crybaby, The Secret Keeper, The One with the Beautiful Voice, The Liar, and The Twins (Boy Twin and Girl Twin).
From the outset, the narrative immerses you in a dreamlike haze, where strange events in the Lake House and the surrounding woods are glimpsed, partially understood, and then inexplicably forgotten by the children. Each chapter builds upon the last, layering eerie moments as ventures into the woods leave the children altered in imperceptible ways. Just when you think you’ve grasped what’s happening, the narrative slips through your fingers, leaving you lost in its disorienting labyrinth.
The use of labels for the children is both intriguing and frustrating. At first, one would assume these titles define their personalities or roles within the story, but as events unfold, it becomes clear that they reveal more about the limits of labels than the characters themselves. This subversion adds to the story’s enigmatic quality, but it also makes it difficult to distinguish the children or track the family connections.
While the progression of the story is often confusing, this confusion feels deliberate, challenging the reader to piece together meaning from fragmented perspectives. The narrative invites multiple re-reads, as each pass promises to reveal new layers, clues, and context. It’s a book that will thrive on interpretation, rewarding those who enjoy diving into the strange and unexplained.
Root Rot is a fascinating read that will appeal to fans of surreal, thought-provoking fiction. It’s a story that lingers in your mind, challenging you to unravel its mysteries long after you’ve turned the final page. If you enjoy books that make you question what you’ve read, and maybe even your own comprehension, this is the kind of story you’ll want to revisit again and again.
Thank you Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to exploring more of this author’s work in the future.
From the outset, the narrative immerses you in a dreamlike haze, where strange events in the Lake House and the surrounding woods are glimpsed, partially understood, and then inexplicably forgotten by the children. Each chapter builds upon the last, layering eerie moments as ventures into the woods leave the children altered in imperceptible ways. Just when you think you’ve grasped what’s happening, the narrative slips through your fingers, leaving you lost in its disorienting labyrinth.
The use of labels for the children is both intriguing and frustrating. At first, one would assume these titles define their personalities or roles within the story, but as events unfold, it becomes clear that they reveal more about the limits of labels than the characters themselves. This subversion adds to the story’s enigmatic quality, but it also makes it difficult to distinguish the children or track the family connections.
While the progression of the story is often confusing, this confusion feels deliberate, challenging the reader to piece together meaning from fragmented perspectives. The narrative invites multiple re-reads, as each pass promises to reveal new layers, clues, and context. It’s a book that will thrive on interpretation, rewarding those who enjoy diving into the strange and unexplained.
Root Rot is a fascinating read that will appeal to fans of surreal, thought-provoking fiction. It’s a story that lingers in your mind, challenging you to unravel its mysteries long after you’ve turned the final page. If you enjoy books that make you question what you’ve read, and maybe even your own comprehension, this is the kind of story you’ll want to revisit again and again.
Thank you Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I look forward to exploring more of this author’s work in the future.
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December 18, 2024Definitely a lovely little weird one! I feel like this is meant to be read straight through and pondered at the end.
Some of the lower reviews don’t seem to get that some of the issues they had with the book were done purposely to achieve the desired effect. The author did a wonderful job of exploring family dynamics in a unique fever dream way. The characters were not meant to be developed they were meant to meld together. The naming of the character’s accomplishes exactly what the author intended.
Some of the lower reviews don’t seem to get that some of the issues they had with the book were done purposely to achieve the desired effect. The author did a wonderful job of exploring family dynamics in a unique fever dream way. The characters were not meant to be developed they were meant to meld together. The naming of the character’s accomplishes exactly what the author intended.
January 25, 2025
This novella is very unique, a fungal horror fever dream. Due to how short this book is, the rising action accelerates very quickly. For that reason I wish the book was longer, or the first third was more fully developed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC.
October 12, 2025
3.75 🍄🟫 buddy read 👯♀️
I really enjoyed the way this was written. It took a bit to understand what was happening - the narrator changes frequently and is more a narration of the collective rather than one of the children. Also 10/10 for mycelium narration. Creepy, unsettling, and very intriguing, but the ending made me stare at a wall for a few minutes and then scour the internet for an explanation of what the hell the last 10 pages were. Could’ve been a 4 had the ending been a little bit different!
I really enjoyed the way this was written. It took a bit to understand what was happening - the narrator changes frequently and is more a narration of the collective rather than one of the children. Also 10/10 for mycelium narration. Creepy, unsettling, and very intriguing, but the ending made me stare at a wall for a few minutes and then scour the internet for an explanation of what the hell the last 10 pages were. Could’ve been a 4 had the ending been a little bit different!
October 22, 2025
Hahahahhaha holy SHIT this is exactly what I want out of horror. My review will be up on Instagram @horr.her sometime this week but right now I need to SIT and THINK about this book. It is so beautiful to be in the middle of a book and think “oh this will be one of my favorite books for the rest of my life”!!!!!!
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