Sister Creatures

by Laura Venita Green

“Captivating and sublime... and centered on a cast of women bound to their roots in unexpected ways, this is a book that interchanges the tender and the cruel, the weird and the real, with breathtaking ease.” –Jinwoo Chong, author of Flux 

In the muggy, insect-ridden town of Pinecreek, Louisiana, college dropout Tess Lavigne is watching two bickering siblings while their parents are away. Her listless day drinking is interrupted when someone emerges from the woods behind the house. Filthy and feral, the daughter of religious fundamentalists, the girl known in town as Sister Gail convinces Tess to take her in for the night. The strange events of that evening will set the course for Tess’s future, and Sister Gail’s ultimate fate. 

Meanwhile, other residents of Pinecreek try to cobble together a future from what little they have, their lives intersecting in small and not-so-small ways. Sisters fight to define independence for themselves (and from each other), while two young women on a bicycling trip wonder what their relationship promises, or threatens. Throughout, a deeply unsettling presence connects the characters to the buried secrets of the ominous Thea, a malevolent shape-shifting entity whose rage and despair stems from a tragic history of misogyny, maternal loss, and stolen ambitions. 

As time marches forward, so does Tess, creating a new path for herself while accepting what can never be entirely left behind. At times atmospheric and eerie, and at others all too real, Sister Creatures is about manufacturing resilience from nothing but the bonds that tie us together. 

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Adult, Southern Gothic, Literary Fiction, Gothic, Contemporary

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Laura Venita Green is a writer and translator with an MFA from Columbia University, where she was an undergraduate teaching fellow. Her fiction won the Story Foundation Prize, received two Pushcart Prize Special Mentions, was a finalist for the Missouri Review Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize and the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival Fiction Contest, and appears in Story, Joyland, The Missouri Review, and Fatal Flaw. Her translations appear in Asymptote, World Literature Today, Spazinclusi, and The Apple Valley Review. Raised in rural Louisiana, Laura now lives with her husband in New York City. Sister Creatures is her first novel.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sooo... calling non linear, interconnected stories a novel is, like, a thing now?

I just DNF’d Habitat over that recent disappointment, and I came thiiiissss close to DNFing this one too. I wasn’t in the mood for a story collection—I wanted a novel. A real one. And the cover and description made it seem like that’s what I was getting. I feel duped. But then again, I'm also a sucker because I'm the one who requested the review copy. I've gotta read the jacket copy more closely going foward.

The stories? Meh. Some had a weird vibe, some were painfully straightforward. A kid from one story randomly shows up as an adult in another. A creepy hemp doll keeps making the rounds. Crappy people stay crappy. Unhappy people stay unhappy. Rinse and repeat.

This trend of slapping “novel” on a story collection just because a few characters overlap? I'm not digging it. Novels are immersive and character-driven, and allow me to actually follow someone’s arc and get invested... to feel something.

Instead, I got a handful of snapshots and a lot of emotional static.

['*•.¸♡ nay♡¸.•*' · Rating 3 out of 5]

Women being weird <3

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book and the way it was told was really unique! There’s a cast of characters (all female!) who each get one or two chapters, and we meet them again at different stages of life. I felt connected to a lot of the stories, but I was expecting them to connect in a more meaningful way.
The ending was pretty unsatisfying and abrupt which is the major downside of the book.

If you like weird books and short story collections (this is not one but def reads like one!) I think you would like this.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of weird I like. It could be read as short stories but characters reappear at different stage in their lives. It focuses on women living as mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, friends, coworkers, lovers and so on. There’s madness, breakdowns, alcoholism, obsession, fanaticism, creepy dolls, a shapeshifter and dark forests. Beautifully written and I loved it.

[Madisen Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️s — I had the absolute pleasure of reading this early for the center for fiction first novel prize and WOW this is gonna be tough to beat! this book is such a stunning, haunting debut — so well written and incredibly captivating.

This book has scarier, almost horror-like elements at times which isn’t typically within my typical reading genre, but once I began to see how each of the characters were connected I couldn’t stop reading and thinking about the book when I was away from it. I can’t wait for others to read this - I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time


Laura Venita Green you are a star!!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I wanted more about the spiritualist cult in the woods, I’ve realized the story I crave is the one I need to write myself. The small town, oppressive or peaceful depending on the character’s POV immediately pulled me into these women’s stories. That fear of never being able to leave is visceral and relatable. A feeling that applies to other places throughout the story, not just Pinecreek. The question of Thea’s existence (demon or myth?) drove the unsettling narrative but what made this eerie and disturbingly all-too-familiar was the theme of self-sabotage. Gail, locked in a shed by her grandfather because she wanted to leave the family/cult only to then invoke similar trauma on her daughter; Tess, married to a man out of convenience, cheating and drinking to cope; Olivia, a lesbian in a judgmental southern town, hated not for being a lesbian but for her judgment of them. Motherhood, sisterhood, familial obligations, individuality are all explored in a fresh way.
To make this simple, yes I recommend this book. I read it in a day and will be thinking of it for months.

[Portia · Rating 4 out of 5]

rip ethel cain, you would’ve loved sister creatures

loved the atmosphere, loved not knowing what the fuck was going on, loved seeing each of these women grow and LIVE

i would’ve liked a liiiittle bit more plot but characters and vibes were fantastic, will definitely be reading more of laura venita green

[Madeline Elsinga]

Really weird not my cup of tea after a snake turned into a woman and then said woman left her husband for a hawk. Bring back Tess and the weird cult girl

[Sarah Waldorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seemingly disparate stories of different women that weave themselves together in a dark, tense and ultimately tender way. Left me reflecting on the roles we play in each other’s pasts, presents, and futures, and the mystical quality of sisterhood.

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and at times, unnerving story. I enjoyed the writing style and the slight edge from some of the characters. There were moments of eerie horror and confusion and the different characters and chapters linked together. I think my only criticism is the messy feeling throughout, some scenes felt entirely unnecessary and at times I needed more explanation and context. It was a little all over the place, but I still had fun reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #SisterCreatures #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Unnamed Press for providing me with the ARC.
Pub Date: 7 Oct 2025
I liked the way the book was written, it was a bit confusing but once you get the structure of it, it’s easy following the stories. There are so many characters, their lives intertwined. It almost reads like separate short stories, and there is an actual short story in it, that I loved a lot. The multitude of characters was a bit heavy on me, as I was trying to remember everyone’s names and relationships with each other. This prevented me to connect to most of them. I really appreciated the uniqueness of the book, but I can see how it might be off putting for some readers. There were elements I really loved, but there were a lot of time jumps and incomplete story narrative. I expected everything to be more connected at the end but the last 10% were very lackluster. This is disappointing, because it was almost a 5 star for me, so I am sad to give it 4 stars after that ending. I was bracing myself for stronger emotional impact, but ultimately I felt nothing at the end.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sister Creatures by Laura Venita Green has absolutely taken over my thoughts for the past couple days since I read it. Simple yet containing so many twists and turns.

While the separate chapters could be read as, and I think a couple have been published as, short stories, together they do indeed create a novel. It isn't simply that different characters show up in chapters focused on a different character but that there is both additional information provided and in some cases a level of causality. What makes it special is that the reader isn't beat over the head with these threads between characters but an active, engaged reader will pick up on things.

Having said that, I think what really makes this ideal for book clubs and even classroom discussion is that some things that click will make you want to go back and check what you read several chapters earlier. There is also a lot of room for various interpretations, grounded in the text, for who and/or what these characters are or what they represent. I wish I was in a book club that was meeting tomorrow to talk about this, I want to share some of what I think and hear what others came up with.

I know some readers focus on the likeability of characters so these characters are going to be like people you know in real life: sometimes you want to hug them and sometimes to want to have an intervention. What I will say is that beneath the specifics of what they do you will find the same human drives and emotions we all share. You may think you would never do what one of them did in a situation, and you may be right, but if you also take the time to find what basic human need or desire drove that action, you will be able to relate. Insecurity, desire to please, being in or giving up control, and so many more.

I've talked about why I love this book but I also understand why some might not be big fans. It is both episodic and told from various characters' perspectives, or at least focusing on different characters, every chapter. If that isn't the kind of novel you enjoy, you may want to either skip this or read it as a collection of short stories. If you do the latter, I think you may understand why this is a novel rather than a short story cycle. Also, if you like connections to be very obvious, you might be disappointed. That said, the things that connect the characters and connect the chapters aren't hidden, it is just that many are just casually mentioned.

If anyone wants to chat about this book, let me know. I don't have much disposable income (social security isn't exactly making retirement easy) but this is a book I will probably buy or ask for as a gift so I can write in the margins. And even if you read this in another year or two, I would be happy to reread it (again, since I've already reread it once). I would love to hear how others understand Thea and share how I do.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[The Blog Without a Face · Rating 2 out of 5]

BWAF Score: 5/10

Laura Venita Green aims for a feral Southern Gothic about girls, gods, and the rot that seeps under a small town’s skin, and on paper it should be my catnip. The book shuffles POVs across Pinecreek, Louisiana, but the anchor is Tess, a twenty one year old babysitter who drinks to sand down the edges while wrangling two kids with a haunted doll and a watcher in the treeline. Their normal is heat, lovebugs, VHS tapes, and waiting for a mom who never calls. It breaks when Sister Gail, a Pentecostal wild card from the off grid Liebrecht clan, steps out of the woods and rearranges the family orbit. Tess wants quiet competence and just enough money to float. In the way are jawing secrets, a ragged faith economy, and a doll named Thea who feels less like a toy and more like a keyhole. The texture is crabgrass and chlorine, Chef Boyardee and Fiona Apple, the cranky twang of The Little Mermaid on worn tape, and a backyard full of stump thrones where bad choices get made.

What’s special are the spikes where the novel mutates into folk myth. The Gail scenes have this eerie frankness that makes every sentence feel like a dare. There is also a midbook swerve into bestiary fable that reads like Angela Carter got lost in Kisatchie National Forest. Thea’s origin turns predation into a love story, and the writing suddenly rips open with body change and appetite that actually feels dangerous.

The book moves like a mixtape. Short, barbed scenes. Tactile nouns. Dialogue that can spit. Then the pacing drifts. We circle the same rooms and the same arguments, and repetition dulls what should be ritual. The form promises a chorus, yet too many voices sing the same note. Green’s sentences often land clean and vivid. The structure fights them.

The themes are possession and permission. Who owns a body, a story, a child’s hope. Faith is a currency that buys silence. Addiction becomes a household spirit that keeps moving the furniture. The aftertaste is sticky and dim. Not dread but the woozy hangover of complicity.

This is a Southern folk horror curio with flashes of brilliance and too much drift. The swamp sings, then the song loops. Memorable for its feral metamorphosis myth, uneven as a novel. Big imagination, sharp set-pieces; the braid frays before the payoff.

Read if you crave Southern folk dread; can handle animal death; like multi-voice horror mosaics.

Skip if you need a single tight protagonist; hate episodic structures; prefer subtlety over splatter.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the audiobook of Sister Creatures. This was my first time experiencing Laura Venita Green’s work, and it definitely left an impression. Strange, unsettling, and thoughtful in a way that stuck with me long after it ended.

📝 Short Summary

Sister Creatures is a Southern Gothic literary horror story told through the lives of several women connected by a small Louisiana town filled with secrets, belief systems, and an underlying sense of unease. This is not a straightforward or linear narrative but one driven by atmosphere, emotion, and psychological tension.

Review

This audiobook was weird and I loved that about it. It is the kind of story that makes you slow down, listen closely, and really think about what you are hearing. The narration leaned into the unsettling tone without overexplaining, which worked perfectly for a story built on ambiguity and mood. The shifting perspectives and nonlinear structure kept me actively engaged, constantly questioning what was real, what was remembered, and what was being shaped by fear or belief. The story explores womanhood, control, repression, and identity in a way that feels heavy but intentional, with the horror rooted more in psychology and atmosphere than shock value. There is a constant feeling that something is off, not just in the town but within the characters themselves and the lives they have inherited. I finished this audiobook feeling unsettled in a thoughtful way, still turning pieces of the story over in my mind and questioning its meaning long after the final chapter.

✅ Would I Recommend It?

Yes, for readers who enjoy strange, unsettling stories that do not give easy answers. If you like books that make you think, question, and sit with discomfort, this audiobook is absolutely worth your time.

[Lynsey (To read or not to read… definitely read!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A haunting debut with interconnected stories

A strange and unusual novel, including many short stories intertwined by way of a character, object or even a song. This was beautifully written, creating vividness and imaging to the reader.

Sometimes hard to follow, as it lacked explanation, cohesion and jumped about with a considerable number of characters. However, there were many elements of which I enjoyed; the writing was to the point and well written, some sections offered suspense with an element of horror, mystery or even mythological/fantasy imaginings. These all had the effect of a gravitational pull to the reader, becoming absorbing and unputdownable.

I enjoyed many of the storylines, Sister Gail, Tess, Olivia and Amelia particularly. These storylines detailed hardship, abuse both physically and mentally, addiction, mental health issues and special needs. If you look deeper into some of the stories, you will find more connection than on first read, or at least that has been my interpretation.

The book had much promise for those who like weird and different stories. The ending of the story, for me, did not offer the complete closure of all storylines that I would have liked, with the narrative leading towards an interpretation of events from the reader’s perspective. Overall, thought provoking yet slightly unsatisfying.

Thank you to Netgalley, Unnamed Press and Laura Venita Green for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Due to be published on 7 October 2025.

[Anoko Paris · Rating 3 out of 5]

As this was an ALC I want to comment on the narrator first: I had never listened to a book narrated by Jenn Lee and I really enjoyed her narration. Her voice matched the vibe of the story and I will look up which other books she has narrated. Thanks to Brilliance Publishing for this ALC!

My reading experience was mixed: I went into this expecting a horror novel with a main of cast women. But it were different stories, some a little interconnected. I didn't see the horror, more literary fiction with a weird, at times unsettling vibe. But not unsettling enough to consider it horror.

I thouroughly enjoyed the first chapter and was very excited to see where this was going. But then another character's story started and the story didn't get back to the first plotline until about the middle of the book, but it only briefly picked up on the mystery of chapter one. And this was the one I was intrigued by the most.

My expectation to read a horror novel was not met. You accompany different characters through different stages of their life and while I enjoyed some of them I didn't care about others at all.

I'd say this is a story about no matter how far you go or where you are in life - The past or a certain place never really let you go.

If the author publishes a novel, I will read it, because there were parts in Sister Creatures that really had me captivated, others unfortunately didn't. 

[A Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Something I wish I’d known going in was that this book was more like a series of interconnected short stories that jumped around in time, in place, and from character to character. I’ve read books with this approach that I’ve enjoyed, but there were so many things thrown out early on in this book that it just felt disjointed and confusing. It might be that this would be better as a ebook/physical rather than an audiobook.

Although there were characters that showed up many times throughout the stories, they generally hadn’t undergone any real growth or change even when years had gone by. Or maybe they had, but I couldn’t remember because of the vast number of names that had been thrown at me and the time jumps. This was disappointing and made it even more difficult to connect with the characters than it already was. In fact, these chapters/short stories felt more like little glimpses than fully developed stories.

The other thing I wish I’d known going in was that this was much more literary fiction than horror. There were moments when it got into horror/southern gothic solidly, but it generally didn’t stray into those genres. I think I would probably like this book more on a reread, but I honestly don’t think I’ll find out. My thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Rachel Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Creatures weaves together four loosely connected narratives into a compelling novel, layering the lives of the protagonists onto a small Louisiana town and beyond. Within a subtly haunting atmosphere, strange realism unfolds across three storylines and thirty years, while a fourth principal figure wills herself into magical existence. As the stories push onward through time and place, they occasionally bump into one another and gather the breadcrumbs left scattered about.

My only complaint is that the disjoint storylines could have been better intertwined, and after reading a little about this author, I discovered that four of the chapters in Sister Creatures are in fact previously published short stories. Given this knowledge, I’m impressed with how well they all came together, but I still would have liked to see more integration.

That said, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a quick read, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys strange fiction and short stories. I’ve mentally shelved it alongside similar favorite authors like Carmen Maria Machado, Kelly Link, Kathryn Harlan, and Lauren Groff.

Thank you to Unnamed Press, Laura Venita Green, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC Review- Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this book*

This book suffers from poor marketing first off. This is not a horror book in any sense. Publishers seem to really want to stick "weird girl lit" into the horror category because they are uncertain where it belongs. This is a literary fiction, not a horror. Being an absolute lover of horror this left me searching and begging for the horror that just didn't exist.

I also felt like the non-linear timeline that is in this book just did not make sense with the slice of life that was going on around it. It just muddied the timeline beyond repair. Thea could have still been sick and weird without having her intersect planes of time. Also I think it would have been way better to focus on the weird of Sister Gail or the weird of Thea. Just pick one and go with that.

I loved Olivia's story and Tess's but wished that they would have came back together at some point after Tess grew up. It would have been a catharsis I think.

I think this book could have been a solid 4-4.5 star read, had it been fleshed out and thought out just a little differently.

[☆ piupiu ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

halfway through reading this book i had to stop and stare at a wall just to think about how odd it was. very odd. very cool. these characters? these stories? loosely connected to each other but mostly not at all and isn’t it crazy how so many different lives can be lived in a small town where you think everyone is the same?

lainey and olivia’s chapters were my favourites, they had the most interesting storylines to me but i think your favourites will depend on what you’re looking for in a story and which characters speak to you the most. i don’t want to risk any spoilers but i will just say that the last two chapters were also my favourites– one felt so unsettling and chaotic while the other was like chaos being muted by a hug.

in general, there were some connections or chapters that felt disorienting and made it hard to get into at first, but once i was into it i was into it. i say i like charming little weird books in my bio for a reason!!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

[Audrey Bonfig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of weird fiction that I love! This reads less like a novel and more like a collection of interconnected short stories. All the stories revolve around womanhood and the ties that bind women together. Woven throughout is a strange, half-feral shapeshifter named Thea.

For me, Thea represented the dark, wild feminine side that women are always trying to repress. Her ultimate goal is to ascend into the stars - she wants to escape from the mundanity of every day life and live on her own terms. She very much gave me Lilith vibes.

All the women in the stories are trying to do what’s expected of them, but deep down they all have messy, wild sides that are just simmering under the surface. I think that’s why Thea’s present throughout - she IS that messy, wild side.

This was very Ethel Cain-coded, and perfect for fans of Ottessa Moshfegh and Dizz Tate.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Christine HorrorReaderWeekend · Rating 4 out of 5]

This horror novel contains an intriguingly creepy group of intertwined stories of women from Pinecreek, a small, backwater town in Louisiana.

Olivia, Tess, Lainie and Gail have lives that loosely overlap but each are influenced by a dark, rage-filled presence named Thea. This book is beautifully narrated by Jenn Lee, who perfectly captures the fear, angst, desperation and wounded souls of each character.

Well-written stories, with real weird-girl lit vibes. I needed to restart each chapter after the first minute of audio because I was so invested in the last chapter that I was jarred by the new POV. Green so gently molds our impressions of Pinecreek and its dark influence that we feel unmoored and disoriented as she tells of each characters messy lives. I loved each of these flawed women and the prisons they created for themselves, by searching for freedom from their lives in Pinecreek.

Weird, unsettling, confusing, disturbing. I love that sort of story-telling.

[Stacey (Bookalorian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Creatures by Laura Venita Green

Tess is a college drop out and her current job… watching 2 bickering siblings. Her alcohol infused days are interrupted one day by sister Gail…. A girl from the religious fundamentalist group… The night leaves its mark on Tess…

It sets Tess on a new path with her life intersecting with 2 women on a bike ride years later and a malevolent shapeshifting entity calling itself Thea…


I read the book… I did the audio in one sitting… I am still not sure what it was I read. It was massively disturbing. It scared the sheet out of me. I am still thinking about what the heck it was about days later.
I can’t even decide if I liked it. It was weird… The pace was decent and the story… It was bizarre!! The ending was WTAF just happened…


I don’t even know what to say except if you like books that keave you scratching your head..,


This is it..


4 stars… Crickets… I have no words haha

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn in to this book by the beautiful and haunting cover and could not wait to start. I am a sucker for an intriguing cover! At first, I found it confusing the way the author jumped from different characters or places in time but was happy to continue on to follow the process and I am so glad I did! The author has woven together these seemingly unrelated stories in such an interesting way, slowly revealing the relationships. The descriptive language paints such a vivid picture of these women, their strengths and flaws, and also the environment in which they surround themselves. As a woman that has also grown up in Louisiana, these places seemed so familiar, as did the women. Amazing debut novel!

Disclaimer: I was sent an ARC of this novel by the publisher and am posting this review without incentive.

[Linnéa Lange · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

A haunting collection of stories of women from the same town in Louisiana. It drew me in right away, because the characters were so vivid, and I was curious to see what was happening to them.

The stories felt loosely connected at times, the writing a bit too descriptive. I think there’s a lot that can be done with this kind of layout, although I also think the stories would have benefited by letting the reader do more work. At times I felt like it read like very descriptive journals but from a third person POV.

A solid debut, I’m looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for the future.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher on NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review.

[Aleesha Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by Jenn Lee| Brilliance Audio

I honestly loved this, even though I spent part of it thinking, “What kind of book is this?” and I mean that in the best way.

Sister Creatures is all about perspectives. So many voices, stories, and emotional threads that slowly start to intertwine. It’s not plot-heavy, it’s feeling-heavy, and once I stopped trying to label it, I was fully in.

Jenn Lee’s narration was INCREDIBLE. She gave every POV its own presence and made the whole experience feel intentional and immersive. One of those narrations where you’re like… yes, this was meant to be audio.

It’s thoughtful, moody, and stays with you more than it explains itself. If you like books that trust the reader and don’t spoon feed meaning, this one hits.

[RecycledWords · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliantly interwoven novel with 4 main characters all of whose stories cross over in places, albeit sometimes for a fleeting moment.

Green is brilliant at scene setting. Whilst the stories are only loosely connected it is always very clear where each vignette is taking place. There's a sense of eerie unease throughout which waxes and wanes but never quite dissipates. In the final chapter we are left in a sort of cliffhanger as it's clear that a past encounter has still not left the mind of one of the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Unnamed Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Rebecca Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sister Creatures is both fairy tale and family drama, and the lines are blurry!

We follow a handful of characters as they navigate the darkness inside them and try to overcome the limiting potential of being human - at least that what I got from the novel. My mistake was putting it down and leaving it for a few days before reconnecting. It really is a book you need to remain invested in constantly so you don't get confused with who is who.

It isn't until you finish the novel that things seemingly come together. Although I have to admit I was still a little addled when I closed the last page.

All I can say is I'm glad I didn't grow up in a small US town!

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

i enjoyed these odd little stories and liked the writing style, following multiple women from a small town in louisiana as they move through life. some chapters were great and others were just fine. there weren’t any character POVs that i did not enjoy, but lainey’s chapters were my favorite! i do wish we got to hear more from gail’s POV, as that’s what i thought the book was going to be about based on the description. this is labeled as horror but i did not get a lot of horror vibes at all and would most likely have rated this higher if it was labeled as literary or something of that sort.

[Erica Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down.

Weird women doing weird things. Is it wrong that I pictured each female lead as Ethel Cain? I was sorta digging it then realized this isn't actually a novel but a series of short vignettes featuring recurring characters and new ones as well. By the time a story about eating underwear featuring a boy screaming "MUSTARD," I was convinced this book was punking me.

All that said, there's some real promise here and I'll be on the lookout for Green's actual first novel where she delivers one cohesive story.

Thanks NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for the advance listening copy.

[Tonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best novel I have read in a long while. This is THE ONE I will be talking about. The book I've been waiting for.

This novel traces the lives and difficulties several young women from rural Louisianna. The thread that binds them is the connection to Thea, a mythical and somewhat terrifying creature. It's not a horror story, though there are surprises at every turn in characterization and plot. The structure is surprising, too, and kept me glued to the page. A very interesting concept and cast of characters delivered exceptionally well.