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Tender
Twenty-eight-year-old Nell has curated a perfect museum of the self: early accolades in her career as an archaeobotanist, a pastel Instagram filled with flowers, and a consistent manicure routine to give a veneer of control. But there has always been a part of her that doesn’t fit the mask of perfection she wears.
When two ‘bog bodies’ are discovered in elaborate floral graves in a Somerset fen, Nell gets the opportunity of a lifetime to excavate and uncover their secrets. But the deeper she digs into the fertile, waterlogged mud, the more she uncovers repressed memories of her unsettled childhood and strained relationship with her sister… and the more her body manifests her own wildness in ways she can’t ignore.
Under the pressure of a blazing summer, Nell whirlwinds into a heated but toxic romance, intense friendships, and the brutal process of reconciling her past and her future before the weight of it all buries her, too.
Blending folkloric horror and an exploration of womanhood, against a background of eco-anxiety, Tender beautifully depicts the quiet violence of overcoming and accepting our darkest sides.
When two ‘bog bodies’ are discovered in elaborate floral graves in a Somerset fen, Nell gets the opportunity of a lifetime to excavate and uncover their secrets. But the deeper she digs into the fertile, waterlogged mud, the more she uncovers repressed memories of her unsettled childhood and strained relationship with her sister… and the more her body manifests her own wildness in ways she can’t ignore.
Under the pressure of a blazing summer, Nell whirlwinds into a heated but toxic romance, intense friendships, and the brutal process of reconciling her past and her future before the weight of it all buries her, too.
Blending folkloric horror and an exploration of womanhood, against a background of eco-anxiety, Tender beautifully depicts the quiet violence of overcoming and accepting our darkest sides.
306 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2025
12 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 14, 2026
It's extremely strange and cool to read a folk horror novel that's set down the road from my house.
August 14, 2025
When Nell is offered the chance to work as a botanist on an archeological dig in Glastonbury, it comes at the perfect time. It’s a chance to get back to where she is from, the fields; the primacy and anarchy of nature. Du Plessis plays with the meanings of words effortlessly and fruitfully: roots, digging, growth, budding. The digging at the site uncovers very old, dead bodies, but also Nell’s own past. The earth is in direct communion with Nell, and stranger and stranger things keep happening at the dig. Everyone can feel that something is different, something is changing the more they uncover from the ground. The body horror mixed with the beautiful and granular language used to describe the flowers and weeds is fantastic. The movement of the novel towards the ending is great, it mirrors the dig, and feels natural: as if the novel itself is an organic thing. Du Plessis writes mental illness with deftness: the intensity of it, the fear of it returning or getting worse, the confusion it gets out of others, the anger, the shame… In many ways this novel is about a return to roots, to the earth, and a rebellion against modern life which isolates us from nature: both our own, animalistic nature, and the wildflowers, fields and marshes. Both are carefully pruned and cut back to make room for modern life, killed and concreted over, but both are perhaps untameable…
September 3, 2025
For a debut novel, this is a solid offering from Lauren Du Plessis.
The theme really struck a chord with me as a perimenopausal female, the invasion of nature over the body, the feeling of powerlessness, loss of self and unwanted change.
I loved the folkloric aspect of the story.
My criticism would be the length of this one. It comes in at just under 300 pages which feels a tad too long, and the Gunner storyline feels a little too protracted and drawn out.
Slight criticism apart, the imaginative element of the story reminds me of Midsommar (the film by Ari Aster) and In The Earth (a film by Ben Wheatley).
A good, solid folkloric story. 3.5 stars
The theme really struck a chord with me as a perimenopausal female, the invasion of nature over the body, the feeling of powerlessness, loss of self and unwanted change.
I loved the folkloric aspect of the story.
My criticism would be the length of this one. It comes in at just under 300 pages which feels a tad too long, and the Gunner storyline feels a little too protracted and drawn out.
Slight criticism apart, the imaginative element of the story reminds me of Midsommar (the film by Ari Aster) and In The Earth (a film by Ben Wheatley).
A good, solid folkloric story. 3.5 stars
October 5, 2025
Thank you so much to InfluxPress for the E-ARC
4.25!!
This.....oooof I honestly feel like what went on would help me LMAO
and that it self is troubling, but when Nell admits, "I'm tired" this part in particular hit me and the previous part of the book altogether at that point. The way this can be taken for a whole new becoming and beginning because you're that exhausted of who you are and what you're dealing with that a new you would be just the best option. If only it was that easy. Absolutely stunning.
4.25!!
This.....oooof I honestly feel like what went on would help me LMAO
and that it self is troubling, but when Nell admits, "I'm tired" this part in particular hit me and the previous part of the book altogether at that point. The way this can be taken for a whole new becoming and beginning because you're that exhausted of who you are and what you're dealing with that a new you would be just the best option. If only it was that easy. Absolutely stunning.
May 9, 2025
Firstly, the cover is stunning!
This debut novel was such a fantastic read!, I love weird fiction and especially love an unhinged female narrator. This story explores womanhood, folklore horror, mental health, a touch of prickly body horror and unhealthy relationships.
I enjoyed the anxiety as Nell’s behaviour and physical transformation were progressing throughout with the pace picking up somewhat leaving constant feelings of dread. I enjoyed some of the positive relationships with Nell and felt uneasy reading the unhealthy relationships she allowed. Although i was wanting Nell to make it through everything she was going through, I was also torn with what I felt was quite selfish and self absorbed traits that made her unlikeable but she was also very unreliable with gave everything a good edge.
I genuinely enjoyed the ecology theme throughout and learning about the work of archaeobotanists too.
The ending was wild!
I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend, Tender will be released September! Thank you to Influx Press and the author for sharing a copy with me to read and review
This debut novel was such a fantastic read!, I love weird fiction and especially love an unhinged female narrator. This story explores womanhood, folklore horror, mental health, a touch of prickly body horror and unhealthy relationships.
I enjoyed the anxiety as Nell’s behaviour and physical transformation were progressing throughout with the pace picking up somewhat leaving constant feelings of dread. I enjoyed some of the positive relationships with Nell and felt uneasy reading the unhealthy relationships she allowed. Although i was wanting Nell to make it through everything she was going through, I was also torn with what I felt was quite selfish and self absorbed traits that made her unlikeable but she was also very unreliable with gave everything a good edge.
I genuinely enjoyed the ecology theme throughout and learning about the work of archaeobotanists too.
The ending was wild!
I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend, Tender will be released September! Thank you to Influx Press and the author for sharing a copy with me to read and review
July 28, 2025
Unhinged, atmospheric, surreal - an absolutely wild ride of a debut novel.
Exploring womanhood, control, and our relationship with the natural world, this horrible and beautiful story follows a botanist working on a site uncovering bodies, buried in eerily ritualistic floral graves.
The writing was so evocative and sensory, which added to the earthy and grotesque atmosphere of the novel. I am very impressed by this debut, and will certainly be anticipating further releases from this author!
Exploring womanhood, control, and our relationship with the natural world, this horrible and beautiful story follows a botanist working on a site uncovering bodies, buried in eerily ritualistic floral graves.
The writing was so evocative and sensory, which added to the earthy and grotesque atmosphere of the novel. I am very impressed by this debut, and will certainly be anticipating further releases from this author!
March 23, 2026
Found this one hard to rate because I loved the concept, and the body horror aspect of the story was very cool, but it fell flat in many ways for me.
The main character’s emotions and motivations seemed to flip very quickly, and I didn’t really feel like she was completely consistent as a character. The link that was made between her and the prehistoric people that she was excavating could have been really interesting but I didn’t feel like the author made enough out of it. I also felt like more could have been made of how Nell and Gunner’s relationship was affected by her body/plant issues, because it felt like it ended over just standard jealousy. I also kind of felt like the backstory never made total sense to me.
Also, Nell has a blatant disregard for correct archaeological procedure. Digging into the earth with her fake nails and stealing a vital find from the trench for no apparent reason is crazy work.
The main character’s emotions and motivations seemed to flip very quickly, and I didn’t really feel like she was completely consistent as a character. The link that was made between her and the prehistoric people that she was excavating could have been really interesting but I didn’t feel like the author made enough out of it. I also felt like more could have been made of how Nell and Gunner’s relationship was affected by her body/plant issues, because it felt like it ended over just standard jealousy. I also kind of felt like the backstory never made total sense to me.
Also, Nell has a blatant disregard for correct archaeological procedure. Digging into the earth with her fake nails and stealing a vital find from the trench for no apparent reason is crazy work.
January 5, 2026
Tender is a quiet, unsettling piece of ecological folk horror that lingers long after you’ve finished it.
The story follows Nell, a botanist whose lifelong connection to plants deepens when she is invited to an archaeological dig where human remains have been buried in graves lined with wildflowers. From the moment she arrives, something stirs — not suddenly, but like a long-suppressed awareness resurfacing. The land, the plants, and the dead feel entangled, and Nell herself begins to change.
What I loved most about this book is its refusal to give easy answers. Nell’s transformation can be read psychologically — a reawakening shaped by environment, memory, and the body’s deep attunement to the natural world — or it can be read as something more literal, where the Earth itself is active, responsive, and alive. The novel never forces a choice between these interpretations, and that ambiguity is where its strength lies.
This is folk horror without spectacle. The unease comes from intimacy: soil, roots, burial, growth, and the unsettling idea that humans are not separate from the land, but part of it — subject to the same cycles of decay and renewal. The body horror is subtle rather than graphic, and it feels organic rather than gratuitous.
Tender is less about fear and more about remembrance — remembering that we are animals, that we belong to the Earth, and that this connection can be both beautiful and disturbing. It won’t be for everyone, especially readers looking for fast pacing or clear resolutions, but if you enjoy ecological themes, quiet dread, and stories that blur the line between mind and landscape, this is a deeply rewarding read.
The story follows Nell, a botanist whose lifelong connection to plants deepens when she is invited to an archaeological dig where human remains have been buried in graves lined with wildflowers. From the moment she arrives, something stirs — not suddenly, but like a long-suppressed awareness resurfacing. The land, the plants, and the dead feel entangled, and Nell herself begins to change.
What I loved most about this book is its refusal to give easy answers. Nell’s transformation can be read psychologically — a reawakening shaped by environment, memory, and the body’s deep attunement to the natural world — or it can be read as something more literal, where the Earth itself is active, responsive, and alive. The novel never forces a choice between these interpretations, and that ambiguity is where its strength lies.
This is folk horror without spectacle. The unease comes from intimacy: soil, roots, burial, growth, and the unsettling idea that humans are not separate from the land, but part of it — subject to the same cycles of decay and renewal. The body horror is subtle rather than graphic, and it feels organic rather than gratuitous.
Tender is less about fear and more about remembrance — remembering that we are animals, that we belong to the Earth, and that this connection can be both beautiful and disturbing. It won’t be for everyone, especially readers looking for fast pacing or clear resolutions, but if you enjoy ecological themes, quiet dread, and stories that blur the line between mind and landscape, this is a deeply rewarding read.
September 30, 2025
Tender by Lauren Du Plessis.....
A short *synopsis*
Twenty-eight-year-old Nell has curated a perfect museum of the self: early accolades in her career as an archaeobotanist, a pastel Instagram filled with flowers, and a consistent manicure routine to give a veneer of control. But there has always been a part of her that doesn’t fit the mask of perfection she wears.
When two ‘bog bodies’ are discovered in elaborate floral graves in a Somerset fen, Nell gets the opportunity of a lifetime to excavate and uncover their secrets. But the deeper she digs into the fertile, waterlogged mud, the more she uncovers repressed memories of her unsettled childhood and strained relationship with her sister… and the more her body manifests her own wildness in ways she can’t ignore.
My thoughts:
The novel is very atmospheric, surreal, and explores womanhood and one's relationship with nature. It has my favourite elements of eco- horror, bog bodies, and plants. Nell is an interesting character even though she can be unreliable and selfish at times. And the ending is wild. I enjoyed my time with the book and learning about the work of archaeobotanists and ecology. Definitely check out if you liked Girl in the creek, Eden, Annihilation, and Eat the ones you love. Overall, it's a 4 ⭐ read for me. The book comes out in September!
Intriguing: 2
Scariness: 1
Unsettling: 1
Thank you for @influxpress and @laurenduplessis.author for the ARC Copy.
A short *synopsis*
Twenty-eight-year-old Nell has curated a perfect museum of the self: early accolades in her career as an archaeobotanist, a pastel Instagram filled with flowers, and a consistent manicure routine to give a veneer of control. But there has always been a part of her that doesn’t fit the mask of perfection she wears.
When two ‘bog bodies’ are discovered in elaborate floral graves in a Somerset fen, Nell gets the opportunity of a lifetime to excavate and uncover their secrets. But the deeper she digs into the fertile, waterlogged mud, the more she uncovers repressed memories of her unsettled childhood and strained relationship with her sister… and the more her body manifests her own wildness in ways she can’t ignore.
My thoughts:
The novel is very atmospheric, surreal, and explores womanhood and one's relationship with nature. It has my favourite elements of eco- horror, bog bodies, and plants. Nell is an interesting character even though she can be unreliable and selfish at times. And the ending is wild. I enjoyed my time with the book and learning about the work of archaeobotanists and ecology. Definitely check out if you liked Girl in the creek, Eden, Annihilation, and Eat the ones you love. Overall, it's a 4 ⭐ read for me. The book comes out in September!
Intriguing: 2
Scariness: 1
Unsettling: 1
Thank you for @influxpress and @laurenduplessis.author for the ARC Copy.
January 26, 2026
A fantastic indie debut, even if I'm a little biased as my friend wrote it!
Tender is unlike anything I've read before, weaving a strong picture of Nell's life in the present day and key flashbacks to her childhood that have shaped who she is.
Working as a botanist at an archeological dig, Nell, already an anxious individual, keen to impress and appear perfect, begins feeling prickling sensations and growing bumps that no-one else can see. As she delves deeper into the dig, the worse it, and her attempts to control it become... Culminating in a freaky twist.
The prose is full of descriptions, adding to the picture of Nell as an expert in her field, bringing to life the fauna and flora around the boggy dig site.
Overall a really strong debut, unlike anything I've read before. If you're a body horror or psychological fan check it out 😊
Tender is unlike anything I've read before, weaving a strong picture of Nell's life in the present day and key flashbacks to her childhood that have shaped who she is.
Working as a botanist at an archeological dig, Nell, already an anxious individual, keen to impress and appear perfect, begins feeling prickling sensations and growing bumps that no-one else can see. As she delves deeper into the dig, the worse it, and her attempts to control it become... Culminating in a freaky twist.
The prose is full of descriptions, adding to the picture of Nell as an expert in her field, bringing to life the fauna and flora around the boggy dig site.
Overall a really strong debut, unlike anything I've read before. If you're a body horror or psychological fan check it out 😊
Read
February 27, 2026This book is so luxurious !!!!!!! Tender in its expedition of plot with an outrageously daring cultivation of psychosis - this book has flushed all the air out of my lungs I’m so so obsessed! Any book that explores the innate female connection to nature will immediately have me sat, but Du Plessis has such a wonderful way of tangling her language and pace with the essence of a flower that grows.
There’s an unabashed liveliness in her representation of OCD that I could weep in thankfulness for. The idea that mental health is something that must be diminished and snuffed out has no place in Tender, for Du Plessis finds avenues of strength in Nell’s lack of control - a narrative so delicately woven. Her adventurousness, respect and understanding to such themes should be praised loudly !
There’s an unabashed liveliness in her representation of OCD that I could weep in thankfulness for. The idea that mental health is something that must be diminished and snuffed out has no place in Tender, for Du Plessis finds avenues of strength in Nell’s lack of control - a narrative so delicately woven. Her adventurousness, respect and understanding to such themes should be praised loudly !
March 9, 2026
An amazing debut novel which makes a great addition to the modern folk-horror body of work. Du Plessis has created a fever-dream tapestry that seamlessly braids traditional themes in folk-horror with many modern-day worries. This also serves to keep you guessing as to what will happen next. I wish that some of the other characters had been fleshed out more but the limited insight into them is perhaps reflective of the limited insight Nell has into these others. If you're looking for a fresh take in the folk-horror genre, I definitely recommend this book.
October 2, 2025
I have just finished Lauren’s debut novel and what struck me most was how beautifully she captures the complexity and messiness of being human. It’s a story about how memory, identity and nature all get tangled together, and how the things we try to bury often shape us most. In the end, it’s a reminder that we are tender creatures - vulnerable, resilient and deeply connected to the people, places and histories around us.
February 26, 2026
The ending of this book was fabulous but it was a bit of a slog, conceptually I think Du Plessis could’ve gone further into the grotesque. As for the reviews which claim it to be folkloric I think I missed this, sure it’s folk horror adjacent but there could’ve been more play with British isles mythology which I felt was hinted at but never indulged in. Definitely potential there though and I wouldn’t shy away from reading her next work.
March 13, 2026
What the hell? I’m actually so confused about what happened at the end.
I was planning on giving this book a higher rating and greater praise but the final chapter fully ruined this for me - it was so unexpected and so unexplained.
The character of Nell is so hate-able and so is Gunner, to be honest everyone but Beth in this book is so easy to dislike - so when something bad happened to her I struggled to feel sympathetic- which I’m not sure if this was Du Plessis’ intent? If it was 10/10 that was great, if not, i’m so sorry.
I was planning on giving this book a higher rating and greater praise but the final chapter fully ruined this for me - it was so unexpected and so unexplained.
The character of Nell is so hate-able and so is Gunner, to be honest everyone but Beth in this book is so easy to dislike - so when something bad happened to her I struggled to feel sympathetic- which I’m not sure if this was Du Plessis’ intent? If it was 10/10 that was great, if not, i’m so sorry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2026
This book was so good! The pace of the story was perfect, I felt so uneasy throughout. I also really enjoyed the descriptions of the nature, it was so beautiful.
'The earth here is so alive she feels watched.' I loved this imagery, I felt like this really summed up the story and Nell's experience.
'The earth here is so alive she feels watched.' I loved this imagery, I felt like this really summed up the story and Nell's experience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2026
Absolutely loved this. I was totally absorbed in Nell's story from the start. The message about women masking their true selves was brilliantly delivered in a creative, evocative and refreshing way. It was relatable at the same time as being strange and surreal. Can't wait to read more of du Plessis's work.
April 16, 2026
I adored this. I personally love folk horror/drama type books so this was always going to speak to me. The way of writing and pacing meant I finished this within two days and just wanted to eat up every moment of it. The female psyche was perfectly explored with a deep ache of misunderstanding and internal world building which was just perfect in the landscape. Adored.
November 19, 2025
As someone who has studied Archaeology in uni and loves a good folk horror, this book was extremely enjoyable for me! ! love how unique and captivating the story is and would highly recommend it to anyone!
March 12, 2026
Can we move on, given what we are?Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful writing; exactly what I wanted and needed to read as I flailingly searched for my next book.
'Tender' is Sue Rainsford meets 'Eat the Ones You Love' by Sarah Maria Griffin, and just as with parts of that knockout novel, I literally found myself scratching all over my neck and face and clawing at my scalp reading this. There are parts that I couldn't do all at once and had to take breaks from - if you're squeamish, skip the shower scene with the razors!
I can't wait to read more from Du Plessis
'In that moment, all of her life feels perennial.'
November 12, 2025
rly wanted to like this.. n the writing was good but like.. what. semi felt like three different books mushed togeth
January 26, 2026
I did not enjoy the level of body horror in this novel. From my perspective, the main character is very unlikeable, and I found it difficult to want to try and understand her actions and emotions.
March 29, 2026
Such a cool concept that just fell a lil flat
March 5, 2026
This book is creepy, wild, and hypnotic. I could not stop reading this. We follow along as she slowly descends into some sort of breakdown and discover the cause as the story goes on. It’s atmospheric and you feel hot and uncomfortable most of the time. The dig is a wonderful setting to explore the unraveling of her inner thoughts. My favourite parts were her imaginings about the bodies in the ground and how they got there - it really brought to life the possibilities of the past.
You will not look at thistles (or compost bins!) the same after this book!
You will not look at thistles (or compost bins!) the same after this book!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews