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Cabaret in Flames
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Expected 10 Mar 26Hache Pueyo returns after But Not Too Bold with her new novella Cabaret in Flames, where Interview with the Vampire meets Certain Dark Things in an alternate-Brazil where brutal flesh-hungering Guls stalk the night streets and manipulate the government from their glittering cabaret
Guls can be brutal. Few know this better than Ariadne, who lost half her body to their appetites, but their brutality is a predictable constant amid Brazil’s political chaos. Now, she treats them in the specialized clinic she inherited from Erik Yurkov—the mentor who rescued her as a child, trained her in medicine, built her prostheses, and disappeared without a trace.
Ariadne’s routine is disturbed when Quaint knocks on her door: a charming, tattooed gul claiming to be Erik’s oldest friend. Quaint suspects foul play in Erik’s disappearance, and they soon discover Erik sought asylum at Cabaré, an infamous club in Rio de Janeiro frequented by the gul elite.
Together, Ariadne and Quaint will unravel the conspiracy behind their friend’s disappearance, navigate the labyrinthine world of Ariadne’s memories, and discover what Erik means to them—and what they are starting to mean to each other.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Guls can be brutal. Few know this better than Ariadne, who lost half her body to their appetites, but their brutality is a predictable constant amid Brazil’s political chaos. Now, she treats them in the specialized clinic she inherited from Erik Yurkov—the mentor who rescued her as a child, trained her in medicine, built her prostheses, and disappeared without a trace.
Ariadne’s routine is disturbed when Quaint knocks on her door: a charming, tattooed gul claiming to be Erik’s oldest friend. Quaint suspects foul play in Erik’s disappearance, and they soon discover Erik sought asylum at Cabaré, an infamous club in Rio de Janeiro frequented by the gul elite.
Together, Ariadne and Quaint will unravel the conspiracy behind their friend’s disappearance, navigate the labyrinthine world of Ariadne’s memories, and discover what Erik means to them—and what they are starting to mean to each other.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
160 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 10, 2026
5 people are currently reading
5235 people want to read
About the author
Hache Pueyo
2 books78 followersHache Pueyo is the Argentine-Brazilian writer and translator of Cabaret in Flames, But Not Too Bold and A Study in Ugliness & Outras Histórias. She won an Otherwise Fellowship for her work with gender in speculative fiction, and her short stories have appeared as H. Pueyo in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, and The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 28, 2025
3.5 stars.
I absolutely loved the dark and creepy worldbuilding. You've got monster people eating human flesh and drinking human blood, creepy human experimentation, human and guls having sex, etc. Super gross and super cool.
But since this is a novella, it felt like too much worldbuilding for too little payoff.
I know it's totally unfair to say that the novella word count is too short, but I think that this story would definitely work so much better as a novel. There was so much going on—too much going on tbh—that the story begged for a much longer word count.
Also, I'm not an insta-love fan, so the romance didn't work for me. It felt like it came out of nowhere. I'm happy for the characters and all, but I wish there was more of a buildup. But then again, there's only so much you can do in a novella.
I'll take it for what it is. It was a dark read and exactly the type of thing I'm into, so I did enjoy it, despite all of my complaints. I really wish this was a duology because I would've loved to read more from this world and these characters. I wanted to revel in the dark fantasy and supernatural horror-ish vibes, but the story ended all too quickly.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this arc.
I absolutely loved the dark and creepy worldbuilding. You've got monster people eating human flesh and drinking human blood, creepy human experimentation, human and guls having sex, etc. Super gross and super cool.
But since this is a novella, it felt like too much worldbuilding for too little payoff.
I know it's totally unfair to say that the novella word count is too short, but I think that this story would definitely work so much better as a novel. There was so much going on—too much going on tbh—that the story begged for a much longer word count.
Also, I'm not an insta-love fan, so the romance didn't work for me. It felt like it came out of nowhere. I'm happy for the characters and all, but I wish there was more of a buildup. But then again, there's only so much you can do in a novella.
I'll take it for what it is. It was a dark read and exactly the type of thing I'm into, so I did enjoy it, despite all of my complaints. I really wish this was a duology because I would've loved to read more from this world and these characters. I wanted to revel in the dark fantasy and supernatural horror-ish vibes, but the story ended all too quickly.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this arc.
April 27, 2025
Read the original Portuguese version, and it was charming and impossible to put down. Can't wait for you all to meet Quaint, he's the sweetest ❤️
October 12, 2025
Wow, I honestly don't know what to say about this. Dark and thought-provoking, for sure. I definitely intend to keep reading works from Hache Pueyo.
October 27, 2025
Will make a better review later, but I adore Ariadne and Quaint's dynamic so very much.
November 21, 2025
This novella is a bold, boundary-breaking work—part mystery, part dark fantasy, part intimate character study—that refuses to fit neatly into any one genre. Within its lean page count, it grapples with some of the heaviest and most human themes: childhood sexual abuse, the long echo of trauma, disability and survival, the possibility of healing, and the complicated ways love can grow in the aftermath of devastation. It also doesn’t shy away from examining abuses of political power, systemic violence, and the fragile, chosen families people build to keep going.
The world itself is astonishingly vivid for a story under two hundred pages. Humans coexist with guls—creatures who resemble us only at a distance but possess inhuman speed, strength, and a hunger for flesh, blood, and bone. It’s a world that feels fully formed, brutal, and strangely beautiful. At the heart of it all is Ariadne, a woman who carries her trauma in both memory and body, her prosthetics a stark reminder of what was taken from her. When she teams up with Quaint, a gul whose ten sets of bone-splintering teeth are matched only by the unsettling pull she feels toward him, she is forced to confront the darkest corners of her past.
Their search for Erik—the man who rescued her long ago and rebuilt her broken body—pushes Ariadne into places she hoped she’d never revisit. Old wounds split open as she crosses paths with guls she once prayed to forget. Yet this time, she isn’t alone. Quaint walks beside her, a dangerous ally, a constant temptation. The deeper they go, the harder it becomes for Ariadne to understand whether her desire for him is a twisted echo of past horrors…or the beginning of something real and fiercely her own.
I’d recommend this book wholeheartedly to readers who don’t shy away from darkness, who want characters with edges, scars, and stories that demand to be felt. Although the novella incorporates supernatural and speculative elements, the true focus lies in the characters and the emotional gravity of their journeys. Readers who typically seek out creature-driven fantasy will find plenty to enjoy, while those who prefer human-centered narratives will discover a surprising amount of heart beneath the shadows.
There is violence and gore, but it is handled with restraint—enough to unsettle, never gratuitous.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. That did not reflect my review at all.
The world itself is astonishingly vivid for a story under two hundred pages. Humans coexist with guls—creatures who resemble us only at a distance but possess inhuman speed, strength, and a hunger for flesh, blood, and bone. It’s a world that feels fully formed, brutal, and strangely beautiful. At the heart of it all is Ariadne, a woman who carries her trauma in both memory and body, her prosthetics a stark reminder of what was taken from her. When she teams up with Quaint, a gul whose ten sets of bone-splintering teeth are matched only by the unsettling pull she feels toward him, she is forced to confront the darkest corners of her past.
Their search for Erik—the man who rescued her long ago and rebuilt her broken body—pushes Ariadne into places she hoped she’d never revisit. Old wounds split open as she crosses paths with guls she once prayed to forget. Yet this time, she isn’t alone. Quaint walks beside her, a dangerous ally, a constant temptation. The deeper they go, the harder it becomes for Ariadne to understand whether her desire for him is a twisted echo of past horrors…or the beginning of something real and fiercely her own.
I’d recommend this book wholeheartedly to readers who don’t shy away from darkness, who want characters with edges, scars, and stories that demand to be felt. Although the novella incorporates supernatural and speculative elements, the true focus lies in the characters and the emotional gravity of their journeys. Readers who typically seek out creature-driven fantasy will find plenty to enjoy, while those who prefer human-centered narratives will discover a surprising amount of heart beneath the shadows.
There is violence and gore, but it is handled with restraint—enough to unsettle, never gratuitous.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. That did not reflect my review at all.
September 22, 2025
A genre defying, nuanced mystery that discusses childhood sexual abuse and trauma, disability, healing and love, while also touching on abuses of political and other power structures, found families, and desire. All this within less than 200 pages and while developing a perfectly built world shared between humans and guls, beings who share a likeness with humans, but are capable of much greater strength and speed, and who subside on human flesh, blood and bones. Ariadne must watch herself and her heart when she teams up with Quaint, a gul in possession of ten sets of bone crushing, flesh slicing teeth, in order to find Erik, the man who pulled her from a pit of mutilated children and created prosthetics for the limbs taken from her. Ariadne faces flashbacks as she encounters guls from the past she'd rather forget, but her path seems to tread directly into that past trauma - this time she has Quaint by her side, but is her desire for him just another echo from the past she must overcome, or something else?
I'd highly recommend this for readers who don't shy away from the darkness, those who are looking for a story that will fully engage with complex and interesting characters. While the novella has elements of speculative fiction, the focus is more on the characters and plot than creatures and supernatural lore, both readers who love supernatural stories and those who don't will find something to grab their interest here. Gore and violence is described, but not in great detail on the page. Readers of Cassandra Khaw, Gretchen Felker-Martin, and Poppy Z. Brite will find similar elements of exploring sexual abuse, trauma, and healing within a dark storyline and often using speculative fiction elements.
I'd highly recommend this for readers who don't shy away from the darkness, those who are looking for a story that will fully engage with complex and interesting characters. While the novella has elements of speculative fiction, the focus is more on the characters and plot than creatures and supernatural lore, both readers who love supernatural stories and those who don't will find something to grab their interest here. Gore and violence is described, but not in great detail on the page. Readers of Cassandra Khaw, Gretchen Felker-Martin, and Poppy Z. Brite will find similar elements of exploring sexual abuse, trauma, and healing within a dark storyline and often using speculative fiction elements.
December 1, 2025
Absolutely fantastic novella in a world I would happily take more from but I believe this is going to be a standalone novel.
Ariadne is a young woman living in a world with flesh-eating guls, a corrupt government and some trauma to unpack whether she wants to or not. This book is fast paced, gritty and the finest bit uplifting. I look forward to reading it again! And hopefully listening to an audiobook copy when it's out in March.
Ariadne is a young woman living in a world with flesh-eating guls, a corrupt government and some trauma to unpack whether she wants to or not. This book is fast paced, gritty and the finest bit uplifting. I look forward to reading it again! And hopefully listening to an audiobook copy when it's out in March.
October 4, 2025
Cabaret in Flames is a dark, complex, and utterly delicious novella set in an alternate-Brazil. It is immediately engaging, centered on Ariadne, a human doctor, and the charming Gul, Quaint, as they search for Ariadne's missing savior-parent-mentor-crush, Erik. I absolutely LOVE QUAINT and found all the characters to be fascinating. The Erik-Ariadne dynamic—a complicated relationship that suggests an almost-lover layer—is particularly compelling, reminiscent of a marginally more healthy version of Jinx-Silco in Arcane.
The book tackles heavy, powerful themes in its exploration of overcoming trauma. It handles difficult subjects like sexual assault, the threat of forced pregnancy, limb loss, and general lack of bodily autonomy with depth. This focus on deep trauma within a world of brutal Guls elevates the story significantly.
My only complaint is that I had sooo many questions left by the end—I genuinely want more from this universe! A spin-off about Quaint and Erik, or exploring Quaint's past, would be perfect. Read this for a thrilling and emotionally resonant dark fantasy.
The book tackles heavy, powerful themes in its exploration of overcoming trauma. It handles difficult subjects like sexual assault, the threat of forced pregnancy, limb loss, and general lack of bodily autonomy with depth. This focus on deep trauma within a world of brutal Guls elevates the story significantly.
My only complaint is that I had sooo many questions left by the end—I genuinely want more from this universe! A spin-off about Quaint and Erik, or exploring Quaint's past, would be perfect. Read this for a thrilling and emotionally resonant dark fantasy.
Want to read
June 1, 2025IWTV mentioned 🫡
August 25, 2025
My thanks to Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of this new book that is both a social commentary and a work of horror fiction, something that seems to be merging in the conscience of many humans as the world gets darker and more crueler than most of the creatures of the night are.
Horror is a genre that relfects the world around it. One can look at classic books, classic films, even some classic horror comic books and get an idea of not only what the world was like when the work was being penned, but how people felt. And what made them concerned. The rise of woman's voice in society, sex and how society dealt with, it civil rights, more woman asking for a voice and society's reaction to it. Added to that is the death of institutions, schools, social responsibility, again with sex and who can love whom, and of course a fear of that social institution that matters so much in our lives, government. Troops are in the streets, people are grabbed by masked men on streets, things are failing and justice is a joke. There will be some great stories coming from this time. This book will be considered one of them. I just hope their will be people to read them. Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo is a story of horror, the failure of our heroes to measure up, the lure of darkness, not just in people but in political movements, and of course creatures of the night doing bad, bad things.
The time is maybe now, but on an Earth not our own. The book takes place in Brazil amidst a political crisis. This crisis is exacerbated by the fact that Guls walk the Earth. Guls are creatures who feed on humans, and have become power brokers, working with the elites to keep power, and to keep feeding. Ariadne knows guls as the maimed her years before, her life only saved by the efforts Erik Yurkov, a doctor to guls, and to her, who gave Ariadne the prosthesis that allows her to walk, and help him in his work. Ariadne is at a loss as Erik has disappeared, continuing on with his work with no purpose or drive. Which changed when a Gul, Quaint knocks on Ariadne's door. Quaint is an elder Gul heavily tattooed to remind him of his past and his many sacrifices, a past that Quaint tells Ariadne includes Erik as his best friend, and doctor. Quaint offers to look for Erik, and Ariadne accompanies him, finding out much about her mentor, herself, and about the gul Quaint, findings that might change her life. Though there are others looking to stop their investigation, along with dark forces of the government fighting to keep power.
A novella that has a world that is more develeoped than most fantasy series that are ten or fifteen books. Pueyo develops a world, a mythology, a political system, even a biology for this story, which is quite compelling and keeps the reader flipping pages. The book starts immediately, and doesn't let up until the end. However one is never lost, the characters grow, and become not only more complex, but interesting. This is a dark book, but one that is rich in characters, plot and a world that asks for more investigation. This is the second book I have read by Pueyo and the writing is so different, so much darker, and yet quite compelling. A nice mix of horror, political intrigue and human and well gul insight, that make for a really good read.
Horror is a genre that relfects the world around it. One can look at classic books, classic films, even some classic horror comic books and get an idea of not only what the world was like when the work was being penned, but how people felt. And what made them concerned. The rise of woman's voice in society, sex and how society dealt with, it civil rights, more woman asking for a voice and society's reaction to it. Added to that is the death of institutions, schools, social responsibility, again with sex and who can love whom, and of course a fear of that social institution that matters so much in our lives, government. Troops are in the streets, people are grabbed by masked men on streets, things are failing and justice is a joke. There will be some great stories coming from this time. This book will be considered one of them. I just hope their will be people to read them. Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo is a story of horror, the failure of our heroes to measure up, the lure of darkness, not just in people but in political movements, and of course creatures of the night doing bad, bad things.
The time is maybe now, but on an Earth not our own. The book takes place in Brazil amidst a political crisis. This crisis is exacerbated by the fact that Guls walk the Earth. Guls are creatures who feed on humans, and have become power brokers, working with the elites to keep power, and to keep feeding. Ariadne knows guls as the maimed her years before, her life only saved by the efforts Erik Yurkov, a doctor to guls, and to her, who gave Ariadne the prosthesis that allows her to walk, and help him in his work. Ariadne is at a loss as Erik has disappeared, continuing on with his work with no purpose or drive. Which changed when a Gul, Quaint knocks on Ariadne's door. Quaint is an elder Gul heavily tattooed to remind him of his past and his many sacrifices, a past that Quaint tells Ariadne includes Erik as his best friend, and doctor. Quaint offers to look for Erik, and Ariadne accompanies him, finding out much about her mentor, herself, and about the gul Quaint, findings that might change her life. Though there are others looking to stop their investigation, along with dark forces of the government fighting to keep power.
A novella that has a world that is more develeoped than most fantasy series that are ten or fifteen books. Pueyo develops a world, a mythology, a political system, even a biology for this story, which is quite compelling and keeps the reader flipping pages. The book starts immediately, and doesn't let up until the end. However one is never lost, the characters grow, and become not only more complex, but interesting. This is a dark book, but one that is rich in characters, plot and a world that asks for more investigation. This is the second book I have read by Pueyo and the writing is so different, so much darker, and yet quite compelling. A nice mix of horror, political intrigue and human and well gul insight, that make for a really good read.
November 18, 2025
Thank you, Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom & NetGalley for this arc and allowing me to read and review the book before its release honestly.
TW: Child murder, child trafficking, cannibals, human trafficking, experimenting on guls & humans and PTSD.
I've read two books by this author and every time, they provide a banger!
I love when we get a monster/creature story that is beyond the usual ones; like vampire, werewolf etc.
In this tale, we find ourselves in Brazil on the brink of political chaos, where humans & Guls (undead, cannibalistic humanoids) wonder the streets. Our main character, Ariadne, is a human who is also a Gul Doctor and meets a gul named Quaint who has ties to her missing mentor Erik.
This book touches on a lot of darker things that exist in our world even without Guls... because we have our own human monsters in this world. There are many memories that Ariadne shares and relives as they search for their mentor and dive more into the Gul world, more than they are use to. Their trauma and their darker past with that world is revealed and it is a hard read but if we remove the supernatural creatures, we see how real this is because it happens all the time. Human trafficking & child trafficking is very real & shows our world isn't free of monsters. monsters aren't just in fiction.
Adding that element made this book so real to me at it's core.
Also if you want/like theses, you should read the book:
Amputee FMC
Ghoul/Gul creatures
Human experiments
Overcoming Trauma
Mirror of our world
TW: Child murder, child trafficking, cannibals, human trafficking, experimenting on guls & humans and PTSD.
I've read two books by this author and every time, they provide a banger!
I love when we get a monster/creature story that is beyond the usual ones; like vampire, werewolf etc.
In this tale, we find ourselves in Brazil on the brink of political chaos, where humans & Guls (undead, cannibalistic humanoids) wonder the streets. Our main character, Ariadne, is a human who is also a Gul Doctor and meets a gul named Quaint who has ties to her missing mentor Erik.
This book touches on a lot of darker things that exist in our world even without Guls... because we have our own human monsters in this world. There are many memories that Ariadne shares and relives as they search for their mentor and dive more into the Gul world, more than they are use to. Their trauma and their darker past with that world is revealed and it is a hard read but if we remove the supernatural creatures, we see how real this is because it happens all the time. Human trafficking & child trafficking is very real & shows our world isn't free of monsters. monsters aren't just in fiction.
Adding that element made this book so real to me at it's core.
Also if you want/like theses, you should read the book:
Amputee FMC
Ghoul/Gul creatures
Human experiments
Overcoming Trauma
Mirror of our world
November 26, 2025
Cabaret in Flames brings an interesting twist to the monsters that look like us - are they vampires? Ghouls? I’m infatuated with Guls, which is why I can’t help but be a little frustrated that we don’t get more… However, Pueyo offers sound physiology and science when she gets into the nitty gritty.
I haven’t read anything that has a layer of romance in some time, focusing my attention on hard horror. Thankfully, the romance in this wasn’t over the top. It didn’t absorb the story or change the arc. It helps the character growth and doesn’t last for pages. There is comfort in its passion.
The story is fast paced. The ARC moves quickly. I wish my Portuguese was better so I could read the original. I imagine it would shed more insight. However, there are still themes of corruption, power struggles, coming of age, the seedy side of life, and more that shine through the dialogue and prose.
I did pick this up during Hispanic history month, but it’s worth it for anyone who likes horror elements, a little romance, mystery, and a unique monster.
I haven’t read anything that has a layer of romance in some time, focusing my attention on hard horror. Thankfully, the romance in this wasn’t over the top. It didn’t absorb the story or change the arc. It helps the character growth and doesn’t last for pages. There is comfort in its passion.
The story is fast paced. The ARC moves quickly. I wish my Portuguese was better so I could read the original. I imagine it would shed more insight. However, there are still themes of corruption, power struggles, coming of age, the seedy side of life, and more that shine through the dialogue and prose.
I did pick this up during Hispanic history month, but it’s worth it for anyone who likes horror elements, a little romance, mystery, and a unique monster.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
this was such a fascinating book! set in an alternate brazil where human-eating guls exist, it felt like a grittier, bloodier vampire tale, focused on a young woman who has endured some of the worst brutality imaginable.
i really enjoyed this, possibly because there were so many things about it, and about quaint in particular, that felt like they were written for me, specifically. i do wish this had had a longer page count so that the romance had more time to breathe and develop, and i think there were some lines here and there that were a little cringe, but i'm impressed by the ideas this little novella tried to engage with. i also appreciated that the author did not feed us information but gave us enough clues to figure things out.
solid plot, lovely writing, excellent characters, and just hits in the way that only fiction containing all your little hyperfixations can.
i really enjoyed this, possibly because there were so many things about it, and about quaint in particular, that felt like they were written for me, specifically. i do wish this had had a longer page count so that the romance had more time to breathe and develop, and i think there were some lines here and there that were a little cringe, but i'm impressed by the ideas this little novella tried to engage with. i also appreciated that the author did not feed us information but gave us enough clues to figure things out.
solid plot, lovely writing, excellent characters, and just hits in the way that only fiction containing all your little hyperfixations can.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!
In this novella a young woman grapples with surviving in a vampire filled Brasil, where the ever-hungry ghuls rule from the shadows. Trained in medicine by her mentor Viktor, Ariande must join forces with a ghul named Quaint to solve the mystery of his disappearance. The man's vanishing seems less his choice, and more so the machinations of the ghul elite.
Short, but packing quite the harsh punch, this novella tackles the desire to die vs to live after suffering trauma. Those sensitive to discussions of csa and trafficking, please be kind to yourself as our protagonist Ariande is a survivor of such horrors. The romance between Quaint and Ariande was faster than I usually enjoy to read about, yet as this is a short-form story such things are to be expected. The world-building really reminded me of the ttrpg amd franchise Vampire the Masquerade.
In this novella a young woman grapples with surviving in a vampire filled Brasil, where the ever-hungry ghuls rule from the shadows. Trained in medicine by her mentor Viktor, Ariande must join forces with a ghul named Quaint to solve the mystery of his disappearance. The man's vanishing seems less his choice, and more so the machinations of the ghul elite.
Short, but packing quite the harsh punch, this novella tackles the desire to die vs to live after suffering trauma. Those sensitive to discussions of csa and trafficking, please be kind to yourself as our protagonist Ariande is a survivor of such horrors. The romance between Quaint and Ariande was faster than I usually enjoy to read about, yet as this is a short-form story such things are to be expected. The world-building really reminded me of the ttrpg amd franchise Vampire the Masquerade.
December 2, 2025
Monstrous and mysterious, gory and ghoulish. This dark paranormal novella is set in an alternative Brazil (own voices author) where flesh-eating Guls exist alongside humans. Ariadne runs a clinic for the care of Guls, even though she lost all four limbs to a Gul as a child. Now equipped with advanced prosthetics, she lives a life relative normalcy until Quaint, an ancient Gul claiming to be friends with her mentor, arrives to inform her of her mentor’s suspected abduction. Together they’ll travel into the elite world of Guls to save him. This fast-paced novella that blends horror with romance features complex characters and even more complex relationships. The darkly atmospheric setting contrasts with a story of survival and resilience. Readers who enjoy the work of T. Kingfisher may also enjoy Cabaret in Flames.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Macmillan for providing me with an eARC!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Macmillan for providing me with an eARC!
December 10, 2025
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
Hache Pueyo is definitely an author to keep an eye on. I love the way she tells a story, and Cabaret in Flames was excellent. It’s almost slow and quiet in its build up, but it’s such a layered story that it’s hard to put down. I love the way Erik’s journals developed the historical elements and the way Ariadne’s own history was revealed. There’s also power in how the name she refuses to have associated with because that person is gone is never revealed - she is Ariadne and that’s who she’s going to be. There’s a lot of trauma and violence, but the way it was part of the story felt gentle and like Ariadne was in control of what the reader is allowed to know of her past. I really enjoyed this and look forward to more stories from Pueyo.
Hache Pueyo is definitely an author to keep an eye on. I love the way she tells a story, and Cabaret in Flames was excellent. It’s almost slow and quiet in its build up, but it’s such a layered story that it’s hard to put down. I love the way Erik’s journals developed the historical elements and the way Ariadne’s own history was revealed. There’s also power in how the name she refuses to have associated with because that person is gone is never revealed - she is Ariadne and that’s who she’s going to be. There’s a lot of trauma and violence, but the way it was part of the story felt gentle and like Ariadne was in control of what the reader is allowed to know of her past. I really enjoyed this and look forward to more stories from Pueyo.
October 19, 2025
Pueyo is quickly becoming my go to short story author.....she is so goddamn talented and the ending of her books always wraps everything up (imo). This book is no different, for being 160 pages, she delivers a KO with the subject matter and the story.
Vampires....check
Biomechanical body parts....check
Mystery....check
Unchecked passion....check
Ariadne has always kept parts of herself hidden but when her mentor/father figure goes missing, she must work with the secretive gul, Quaint, to figure out what exactly happened to Eric....and that means confronting her traumatic past.
Everything about this book is steeped in secrets, passion and revenge...I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to Tordotcom for the ARC!
Vampires....check
Biomechanical body parts....check
Mystery....check
Unchecked passion....check
Ariadne has always kept parts of herself hidden but when her mentor/father figure goes missing, she must work with the secretive gul, Quaint, to figure out what exactly happened to Eric....and that means confronting her traumatic past.
Everything about this book is steeped in secrets, passion and revenge...I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to Tordotcom for the ARC!
November 29, 2025
Pitched as Interview with the Vampire meets Certain Dark Things, this horror novella was a wild and creepy time. It's a fast-paced vampire inspired story set in Brazil where these creatures known as guls have infiltrated the government and other places of power. There's common horror elements such as body horror, eerie scenery, and a mystery to unravel. However, what really stood out to me is that, despite the story's short length, it was a character study that explored topics such as trauma, exploitation, personal growth, disability, and connection/love. It was a creative spin on a monster story and there's a lot more that could be done in this universe. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc!
Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc!
August 27, 2025
A novel about people classed as "natural enemies" working with or against each other amidst the rise and reign of authoritarianism. I basically picked this up because I like dark fantasy, it sounded different, and it has great cover art, and I read it straight through and couldn't stop.
It's also one of the few, maybe only, books I've read with a multiple amputee protagonist.
I've already started Pueyo's other book. (Even though I'm scared of spiders!)
Content note: pedophilia, rape in addition to the stuff obvious from the blurb.
Review note: I read a digital review copy, provided free of obligation but in hopes of a review by the publisher.
It's also one of the few, maybe only, books I've read with a multiple amputee protagonist.
I've already started Pueyo's other book. (Even though I'm scared of spiders!)
Content note: pedophilia, rape in addition to the stuff obvious from the blurb.
Review note: I read a digital review copy, provided free of obligation but in hopes of a review by the publisher.
November 25, 2025
Reading But Not Too Bold made Hache Pueyo an instant auto-buy author for me; there's something raw and intimate about her writing style and the complicated characters she poses in dimly lit worlds that just eats at me.
While I didn't enjoy Cabaret quite as much as But Not Too Bold, it definitely impacted me more. It was certainly not what I expected, but I felt Ariadne's wounds so viscerally; it was impossible not to feel for her.
There was a looseness to the plot that did somewhat throw me—it was just more of a drifting, slightly off-balance stumbling through the world where I wasn't quite sure why things weren't happening more quickly. And I might be in the minority on this, but Quaint, for all his presence, felt more like an archetype than someone fully alive on the page.
The emotional gravity and the bruised tenderness at the heart of Cabaret will linger with me, though I felt like the story just needed more.
While I didn't enjoy Cabaret quite as much as But Not Too Bold, it definitely impacted me more. It was certainly not what I expected, but I felt Ariadne's wounds so viscerally; it was impossible not to feel for her.
There was a looseness to the plot that did somewhat throw me—it was just more of a drifting, slightly off-balance stumbling through the world where I wasn't quite sure why things weren't happening more quickly. And I might be in the minority on this, but Quaint, for all his presence, felt more like an archetype than someone fully alive on the page.
The emotional gravity and the bruised tenderness at the heart of Cabaret will linger with me, though I felt like the story just needed more.
December 1, 2025
This was such a strange book. I still don't know exactly what a gul is. The storyline didn't really make any sense and I found myself confused during most of it. Parts of it I found interesting, but it never fully explained what had happened to Ari when she was a child. The plot needed more clarity and explanation. I only really got through this novel because it was so short. Not the biggest fan unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
3.5/5 (rounded down)
The premise was compelling, and I loved the examination of themes of power, autonomy, and abuse. However, I feel like Pueyo's prose style would lend itself better to a full-length novel, as it is slow and deliberate. As a novella, I found the plot a bit underwhelming, and I wish the narrative was giving more space to breathe. Still, the story itself is fascinating, the characters fleshed out and unique, and the body horror elements enticing!!
The premise was compelling, and I loved the examination of themes of power, autonomy, and abuse. However, I feel like Pueyo's prose style would lend itself better to a full-length novel, as it is slow and deliberate. As a novella, I found the plot a bit underwhelming, and I wish the narrative was giving more space to breathe. Still, the story itself is fascinating, the characters fleshed out and unique, and the body horror elements enticing!!
December 20, 2025
Unfortunately, I did not like this novella very much. The beginning was promising but it fell short. And I did not connect with the characters. It ended up being quite underwhelming, but the concept was quite intriguing so I would still recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
November 25, 2025
Thank you for the ARC! I enjoyed this novella and wished it was longer!
November 30, 2025
Loved this dark fantasy and adored Quaint and Ariadne and their relationship. This explored some dark subjects for sure for such a small package but overall I felt satisfied with how it ended.
December 18, 2025
i love quaint so much, would take a bullet for that man 😭
thanking netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!!
thanking netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!!
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