Thoughts Be Bloody

by Auden Patrick

A struggling student, a resident golden boy, and the curse that will bring them this queer, trans retelling is Hamlet as you’ve never read it before

Exploring classism, identity, and the true meaning of revolution, this dark academia novel is perfect for fans of R. F. Kuang’s Babel and S. T. Gibson’s An Education in Malice

The summer before his sophomore year, Horatio Bithersea walks into the university library to find Carson Hamlett, resident golden boy and master magician, cradling his father’s dead body. Life at Elsinore, one of the most prestigious universities in the secretive magical world, simply goes on when the professor’s death is ruled an accident—despite the mysterious circumstances and the bloody scene.

 A year later, Horatio is keeping his head down, attempting to graduate without his out-of-control magic harming his classmates. That changes when the ghost of Hamlett’s father appears and places a curse on Horatio and avenge his death by destroying Elsinore and its heart, lest the ghost robs them of their minds, memories, and their very souls.

Elsinore has given Horatio everything—knowledge of his magical ability, an escape from his abusive family, and freedom to pursue his life as a transgender man—and now he’s to be its doom. As the two uncover more of Elsinore’s secrets Horatio finds himself becoming more and more ensnared in Hamlett’s dark but charismatic web. 

The question is not if Horatio will manage to destroy Elsinore. The question is if Hamlett will destroy him first.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Dark Academia, Retellings, LGBT, Horror, Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 15, 2026

About the author

Auden Patrick is an early-30s trans-masculine author and future ghost. As a queer and trans person raised in the American South, he has spent much of his life concerned with hauntings, driving down backroads at night, and chasing magic wherever he can find it.

He was a student at Cat Rambo's inaugural Wayward Wormhole Workshop in 2023, and his work has appeared in Apparition Lit, Beaver Magazine, among others. His work has a strong focus on gender identity, surviving trauma, the nature of monstrosity, and the strangeness of having a body.

When he is not writing, he can be found knitting, obsessing over planner supplies, or haunting the local library.

Reviews

[cyra]

This is either going to be absolute cinema or hot garbage. Place your bets chat

[Gabriela M]

Look at that cover 🤩
Got the ARC! If only life would let me read it now, but human has to work.

[Y.N.]

Thank you to Netgalley and DAW for the eARC

I'm sorry but I won't finish this one. It's very classical dark academia, with a murder, obsession, first person narration, and magic. And a trans character! Which will appeal to a lot of people.

Unfortunately, I was quite bored. Since our narrator isn't exactly the protagonist in the sense that he is leading the story.

Quite, sad, because queer stories by queer author are such an important addition. Plus, the cover is wonderful.
Hope the book will find its reader!

[Jessica Swan]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I went into this with super high expectations because a queer trans retelling of Shakespeare? Sign me up. However, this was not working for me at 20% in.

The narration style. I genuinely struggled with it. I feel like if this was an audiobook I could've probably connected with the story more. That is not a book problem- that is 100% a me problem.
But I was also getting bored at 20% in and didn't feel like continuing either way. Shame since the cover is absolutely stunning. I may try this book again one day if/when an audiobook comes out.

[The Reading Frog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immediate thoughts after reading: God, I need a cig and a drink after this (complimentary)

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

Thank you to Auden Patrick, DAW & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review

Rating: 4.75/5 ⭐
Re-readability: Yes, it could offer a different reading experience after knowing all the details.
CW: Explicit | Parental loss, grief
Moderate | Blood, suicidal ideation, disregard for own safety, drugs/edible use, trauma responses to past physical abuse, vomit, minor gore, manipulation, dissociation
Mild | Mention of sex, fade-to-black/implied sex, mention of alcohol, past (child) abuse/domestic violence, some restrictive eating habits, murder, minor self-injury, gaslighting
My chosen soundtrack(s): Salt of the Earth/H2ome - Eartheater | It's Ok - Rok Narding

Grief is a funny thing. You think you know it until you’re met with it. I thought I knew grief then. (...) Now I know grief is an ocean. You breathe it in, it fills your lungs, it drags you down. You can kick and struggle and you might get a breath of air but the grief, the ocean, it will overwhelm you. Eventually, you won’t know which way is up anymore. You’ll find yourself swimming deeper, thinking you’re fighting it when you’re just going further down. The weight of it, all that water, all that pain, will eventually crush you unless you learn to breathe underwater.

After his father’s death, Hamlett was drowning for a long, long time.

Representation
╰┈➤ Trans-masc MC, Horatio
╰┈➤ Trans-femme MC, Lia Hart
╰┈➤ Bi/pan MCs, Horatio and Hamlett
╰┈➤ Mental health rep, though not explicitly stated, some behaviours and thoughts could be described as Mania, as well as some suicidal ideation.
╰┈➤ Queer dynamics
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ╰ Poly dynamic
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ╰ MLM dynamic
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ╰ T4T dynamic


Themes
Grief, uncertainty about reality, otherness, social hierarchy, ignorance, identity/sense of self, self-worth issues, jealousy/envy, wanting/needing/yearning, the allure of the forbidden, obsession, parental relations (specifically fathers), impossible choices, the lesser of two evils/lose-lose situations, privilege or the lack thereof, power and what one would do to obtain it, power imbalances, predetermination vs free will, control, agency or the lack thereof, memories, repeating cycles, exploitation, elitism, classism, responsibility, the "False We".

Tropes/what to expect
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Dark academia
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Unreliable narrator
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ "Do I want them or do I want to be them?"
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Murder mystery
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ A character haunts the narrative
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Time shenanigans
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Social outsider x golden boy/girl
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Morally-grey/flawed characters



What I liked/loved
Disclaimer: I'm sorry, this review is long.... I had a lot to say!
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The Narration was definitely one of the most enthralling and unique aspects of this book.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Unreliable narrator. Our narrator gets confused, misremembers, and at times doesn’t remember at all, leaving himself and us to guess what version is the truth, or if they perhaps are all true.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Emotionally immersive writing. My anxiety rose when the narrator’s did, I felt lost in memories when he was, and I got a painful, disruptive reality check each time we were reminded of the inevitability of something horrifying set to happen.

“Somewhere there is a Horatio who did these things. Somewhere there is a world in which I am a bad person. Is it this one?”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ A combination of linear and non-linear storytelling. The narrator switches between past, present, and future tenses.

“I knew it even then.
Now?
Then.”

The narrator clarifies, quite early on, that this is a recounting of events. It’s implied that the events described in this story have already taken place. Yet, he slips into the present tense, describing it as something happening in the here and now. Seemingly forgetting that the future is set in stone, doomed to end in something horrifying. I found myself forgetting alongside him, which made it all the more jarring each time the narrator reminded himself and us of this doomed inevitability.

“I see it now. I see all the things that have ever happened or ever will or ever could. I see all the ways things could’ve gone differently, and all the ways they couldn’t. All the knots I can’t untie. I am bound by time the same way it is bound to me.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Unique. I don’t have the right words; it just really was something special.

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Writing style
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Quotable lyrical prose.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Great at building tension. The pace of the book wasn’t fast, but it was still able to keep me on my toes.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Somewhat reminiscent of C.G. Drews’ work. There is an intense level of yearning, pining, need, want, and obsession. My God, do these characters hunger. They are starving for things, people, acknowledgement, love, revenge, and power. Which reminded me of ravenous dynamics portrayed in Don’t Let The Forest in or Hazelthorn. Which is a huge compliment coming from me because C.G. Drews is my favorite author.

“There was still the fact that he loved us, both, in his way.
Perhaps he wasn’t just cruel. Perhaps he was simply human.
I think now that he was cruel. I think now that he was terrible. Yet, I love him. I loved him. He was everything I was not.
I loved him. I’m sorry.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Symbolism and imagery that transform along with the story or characters associated with it.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Ex. Triangles and circles. Warmth, fire, burnt. Sun, stars, comets, and supernovas. Birds and colors.

"Three is a magical number, I thought.

Triangles are magical shapes. We could be magic, if we wanted. I wanted."

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Mirroring and parallels within events, between characters, and their dynamics. There is a poetic sense to it all.

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Amazing character writing.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Complex, intriguing character dynamics. Horatio is somewhat of a social outcast, which contrasts with Hamlett and Lia’s reputation. There is a certain “Do I want them or do I want to be them?” vibe that is enthralling. Horatio constantly compares himself to others, on a multitude of levels: respectability, level of power/skill, social rank, the ease with which others move through society compared to his conscious and continuous effort, and what he regards as ‘the ideal man’.

“I liked the campus most in the early hours when everything was asleep and waiting to be woken up because I liked to think the world was waiting for me to arrive, as if I was special, as if I meant something, as if I wasn’t just a player in someone else’s play. I wanted to be the golden boy, center stage, which is to say I wanted to be Carson Hamlett, though I didn’t know it yet.”

Horatio seems to be obsessed with the golden couple. He wants them, envies them, and sometimes even hates them. Even though this sounds extremely flippant, it is written in a way that makes his feelings understandable and valid.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Well-rounded, intricate, and morally grey/questionable/flawed characters. Are they safe? No. Are they sane? Definitely not! Are they compelling and fascinating to read about? Absolutely.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Queer rep and specifically trans rep done in a way where those aspects are important to these characters, more than just a footnote, without diminishing them to something one-dimensional. It’s a part of them, but not all of them.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Queer romantic dynamics, going into spoiler territory here, so keep that in mind. I myself am monogamous and haven't ever been enticed by the idea of polyamory, yet I was trying to manifest a poly relationship almost directly from the start. I tend to joke, "they should all just fuck each other, it would solve a lot of problems," but I meant it this time. They were a true love triangle, not the version people always associate with it, aka two people being into the same person and fighting to win their heart. No. Everyone was into everyone, and I loved that.
Also, T4T??? Thank you for feeding us so well, Auden Patrick!!!
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Insane yet believable character arcs. Those at the start of the book are drastically different people at the end, yet I did not question its validity.

“I couldn’t do this. (…) It would change me. I knew that much. (...) I would be someone else entirely. But then—wasn’t I already someone else entirely?”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Powerful and diverse exploration of grief through multiple characters.

“Did grief make him cruel, the way my father’s pain made him painful too?”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Exploration of the concept of power; the lack of it, the allure of it, and what one would do to obtain it.

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Unique and well-thought-out magic system. Magic in this universe seems to be a volatile thing; something that keeps changing, always in motion. It reminded me of math in a way. It's like the caster knows the formula and the intended unchanging result required for successfully casting a spell. But the Xs and Ys continuously change, making no two casting experiences the same, only their intended result. The magic system in itself is interesting enough that I would be open to reading other stories taking place in this universe.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Physical magic is the common type of magic that affects any material of the periodic table.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Mind magic is rare and has aspects to it that are considered taboo. It has a sub-type of magic called dream-walking that reminded me a lot of the movie Paprika (2006) and, of course, Inception (2010), which was really cool.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Theoretical magic is all magic that is considered too dangerous to actually practice, which is why it’s only explored through theory. I would love to say more about it, but I can’t without spoiling anything. Just believe me when I say it’s unique and fascinating.

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Social/political commentary
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ On an interpersonal level, we explore manipulation, abuse, the "False We" (Forced Plurality), gaslighting, and overall just toxic dynamics.

“ “You just have to do this for me, and then we’ll be unstoppable.”
Do this for me. I did so much just because of that phrase.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ On a structural/institutional/societal level, this book tackles inequality, classism, corruption, elitism, abuse of power, (anti)institutionalism, and privilege.

“Like much of human history, people with power will kill to keep it and those without it will kill to gain it. A lot like money. It can do good, if shared. But no one will ever share it.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ It also touches on a certain ignorance only affordable to those who have grown up privileged, which, in this universe, is people who are ‘born into magic’ in the same way someone can be ‘born into money’ in a contemporary setting.
Horatio doesn’t belong to that category. He is humdrum-born. Which means that he only entered ‘magical society’ recently; he wasn’t born into it. This leaves him with a gap in information, skill, connections, and resources. Regardless of this disadvantage, he still gets measured on the same scale as those who have always had those things. (Sound familiar, huh?) This contrast in lived experience between our MCs makes for some really interesting dynamics and exploration of inequality.

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Though this story is a retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet, prior knowledge is not needed to enjoy this book. It stands strong on its own without leaning on the source material it is based on.



What I didn't like/felt lackluster about
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I was a bit overwhelmed by all the character introductions in the first few chapters. I had to take notes on everyone so I wouldn't forget their names and relations to each other while simultaneously learning about the worldbuilding. This is something quite normal in the fantasy genre, so it might not be a book-specific issue but more of a personal genre complaint.

‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I think for some people the narration style could become dragging, repetitive, or feel slow-paced. I didn't mind it; it helped me stay immersed and grow tension, but this might not be everyone's cup of tea. Though I'd imagine that those who are into character/emotion-driven stories will enjoy it as much as I did.



Conclusion/Notes
This is my second attempt at trying to write a review for this book. There was just so much in there that I love. So many complex and intricate aspects that were just right up my alley.

It's gothic, intense, and ravenous. Its characters are flawed, complex, and undeniably human.

I wish I could say something more concise and profound that could summarize the journey this book took me on, but unfortunately, I'm the king of yapping, especially when I love something.

Just trust me and go read 'Thoughts Be Bloody' once it releases on the 15th of September!!!



⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆



Want to buddy read this book now or in the future? You can do so on Storygraph.

Follow me on Spotify for specific reading playlists like this one: 📚 This Connection Is Muddled With Rot | Overview of all playlists

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

"I am a student at Elsinore University. I know I am. The lake still won't show me my face."

To say I'm at a loss for words would be an understatement.

I have been waiting for this book for months now. I'm unsure exactly when I first heard about it, but emailed DAW last July about an ARC so it's actually been almost a year now, it seems. I don't think anything could be more worth the wait. I started this book a few hours ago and only put it down when my cat knocked over a stack of books on my shelf.

I'll be honest here and, embarrassingly, admit I've never read Hamlet, nor even know the plot. Yes, I am an English Lit major and, not only that, went through a massive David Tennant and Michael Sheen phase where I watched anything I could find with them in it, yet still somehow evaded Hamlet's storyline.
TLDR, I had no clue what I was getting myself into, and I think that may have been a positive for me.

I honestly think that the hole in my heart where a certain magical world created by a certain TERF was has been filled by Thoughts Be Bloody. Not replaced by, as this has left a much heartier and genuine feeling in my chest. Like the hole was originally filled with hot chocolate made with piss but now it's hot chocolate made with milk and marshmallows shaped into hearts and a sprinkling of peppermint and love.

I don't know where to begin here. I believe that this book truly hit some of my favorite niches of all time:
- dark academia
- trans rep (transmasc and transfem!)
- queer rep
- strange and intriguing narration type/unreliable narration
- mystery
- an intricate and incredibly well developed magic system. like, sheesh holy hell. everything was described and yet also, the magic felt new to any media I've read before

The arc of Hamlett's character and personality was insane. In. Sane. I went from writing in my notes "is Horatio stuck in his own mind and Hamlett his unreality key???" to "why is this freak giving J.D. in meant to be yours" and it was SUCH a naturally developed arc, too. Despite how extreme he was on each side of the spectrum of personality, it didn't feel rushed at all.

I loved Lia. SO, so much. I mean duh, who wouldn't, right? And I especially love the choices made with her character, from beginning to end, and the changes decided upon. It left a much better taste in my mouth, but still hitting similarly.

The developing romance was also incredibly done, especially towards the end when things were all kinda crazy. I loved how it was tied up.

I've since looked up a detailed synopsis of Hamlet and, based off of that, I've never seen a retelling done so perfectly while in an entirely different genre and universe-type, with a new narrative and character types, and especially with explicit queerness like this. I could piece each part of the plot to a part of the book with ease, despite this also feeling like a completely brand new idea and storyline at the same time due to how well-developed and detailed the magic system was set up. Along with the way the POV/narration was utilized to create a very unreliable feeling, not knowing what's real and what isn't, or what is missing (something I ADORE in a book).

Before this novel, I had yet to read a book where the MC being trans wasn't a massive plot point. And that isn't a bad thing whatsoever, I quite enjoyed it about those books. However, reading a book with a trans MC where the plot was intricate and detailed and full of so much without the character's being trans playing a real role in it was so... relieving, I suppose? To see a character like Percy Jackson or Richard Papen or Neil Josten or Melchior Gabor be like me, but not have any of their story revolve wholly around their being trans allowed me to feel so much truer in my skin. Again, not that it would have been bad if that were not the case. But I really loved it. That's not to say his being trans is completely disregarded, either! We learn about magical HRT, he talks about wearing a binder, choosing his name, the camaraderie with another trans classmate.

I truly can't recommend this enough. I apologize for how long the next list will be, but given how much I adore this genre, I have a lot of examples
This is the perfect book for fans of any of the following:
- The Secret History
- Kill Your Darlings (2019)
- Spring Awakening
- Link Click (yes, the anime)
- These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
- Vicious by VE Schwab
- Evocation
- If We Were Villains
- K. Ancrum
- Heathers
- the songs "How Could I Ever Forget" and "I am the One (Reprise)" from Next to Normal
- being trans and wanting to Fuck Shit Up

Thoughts Be Bloody had me captivated at every page, sentence, word. Despite what Horatio fears most, I'll never forget him or this story. I'll probably never shut up about it, either, to be honest. This was a beautiful expression of how grief can turn to pain in many different ways and many different types, and that no matter how many times it feels you've lost yourself, you can always remember. And fuck the powers that be.

[Ana Bucsaru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for this e-ARC! This is my honest review.

“He was the sun, the rest of us orbited around him.”

THOUGHTS BE BLOODY is a trans, queer retelling of Hamlet set at the magical university Elsinore. I can’t say I’m a fan of Shakespeare in any way, so if you’re hesitant picking up this book because it’s a retelling, do not fret. This is a review for you.

At its core, THOUGHTS BE BLOODY is a story about a young man, Horatio, who has come into power, who wants power, after not having it his entire life. I have read many books that discuss themes of power, especially institutional one set against a dark academia backdrop, but I’ve rarely encountered a story that delves into the theme of power on such a personal level as Patrick has done in TBB. Usually, power revolves around ruling a kingdom and HAVING power, even in Babel, power is used to fuel imperialism and control colonies. But TBB is about BEING powerful, and all the ugliness, and sacrifice, and ethical dilemmas that come with it.

It was so riveting to experience this theme from the perspective of someone who wants so deeply, and who so aware of the consequences, yet they can’t stop being corrupted by the promise of more. Patrick has expertly woven in Horatio’s backstory and other characters (Hamlet) to make his yearning for power feel natural, and most of all, inevitable. The theme’s exploration reminded me of Blood Over Bright Haven, and while it’s not the same, both stories evoked similar feelings when reading.

This story is a retelling in the end, and while Horatio is the main character of TBB, Hamlet is the main character of the play. It is tricky to follow the same beats of a story while turning Hamlet, who drives those beats, into a secondary character, and turning Horatio, a secondary character who reacts to those beats, into driving force. But Patrick has achieved this effortlessly. Horatio’s aliveness and desires cannot be ignored, and you simply can’t deny that this story is HIS and he is the ruler of this world. (iykyk).

Still, this wasn’t achieved by making the other characters of Hamlet lesser than. Carson Hamlet is such an intriguing and twisted character that you can’t help but be drawn by even though you know you should run far, far away from him. I don’t want to talk about him too much because I feel like everyone should experience him just as I have. But to give you a taste, it was similar to how I felt about Terren when reading The Poet Empress. I knew I should hate him, I knew why I should hate him, but I still felt so drawn to him regardless.

Lia… oh sweet and lovely Lia. Her character was treated with such love and care. I read up on Hamlet after reading, and I simply adore what the author has chosen to do with her character. I will not say anything more, as again, I urge you to experience her yourselves.

“I see everything that has happened or will happen. Or ever could. I see all the things that might have happened.”

One of my favorite parts of this story is the strange narrative. You can tell, from the prologue, that the narration style is unique and kind of twisted. Most of all, I loved it because the narrative choice was not made just to be quirky, but it is a consequence of the plot, and it is purposeful and very well executed. This might not make any sense, but just trust me that it will once you read. If you like the vibes and the concept of the Raven from The Raven Scholar, I think you would really like this book.

Another wonderful aspect that I haven’t encountered in a long time, and have been searching for ever since I read The Atlas Six, was the feeling of being dropped into academic, magical conversations that keep you on your toes and force your mind to expand and accept the addition of magic to concepts where magic has not previously been present. Babel does this, sure, but with Babel it’s more academic, language focused, rather than magical. I wanted the feeling of magic to come first and foremost, and Patrick has delivered. The magic system in TBB is truly unique and very captivating. It’s split between minders and physicists, minders being rare and unique and the more powerful, albeit smaller, group. And the way the magic itself works is very interesting (I will let you learn about it as you read), and deeply tied to the plot and themes, which is always something I look for in books. I personally don’t like it when the magic is there for the sake of there being magic. I want it to be consequential to the plot, for it to be tied to the themes. Again, Patrick delivers.

All in all, I devoured this book. Even though I’m quite busy in my work life and pretty tired once I get home, I finished this book in 3 days, and it will stay with me long after I finished that last page. In my opinion, those are the best kinds of books, and THOUGHTS BE BLOODY is one of them.

[monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was something other, and for once, the othering was beautiful.”

now, let me start by saying that i’d been thinking about this book for MONTHS before i even got a chance to read it - and the moment my arc request was accepted, i dropped everything to start it. and i’m happy to say i do not regret it, and it lived up to my expectations.

thoughts be bloody is a queer, dark academia/fantasy retelling of hamlet, and if you know only one thing about me, it’s probably that i’m absolutely obsessed with hamlet - as well as with queer literatury and fantasy, and that i’ll never say no to a good dark academia story. so i am very much the target audience for this, probably as much as possible.

with any retelling, there’s always the challenge of finding a point somewhere between the familiarity of the source text, and doing something new and original. thoughts be bloody leans strongly towards going away from hamlet, especially in the second part of the novel. it’s not a bad or good thing in itself, and sometimes one works out better than the other. and here, it just works really well for the story the author wants to tell.

when it comes to the characters, i felt like they were a mixture of what i’d recognize as shakespeare’s and what was new, but it just made sense. i liked them, in a sense that they were interesting to me, because i can’t say they were always likable as people haha what i want to especially point ou is that i truly appreciate this leaning into not only hamlet’s recklessness, but also cruelty. without giving spoilers, i’ll just say that i haven’t seen it done that way before, and i really enjoyed it.

i’ve read 6… 7? hamlet retellings over the past two years or so, and this still felt really fresh and original. that comes not only from the setting, but also from the choices made for the characters and the plot. it’s definitely one of my favorite hamlet retellings, despite, or maybe because of how much it sometimes diverges from how i understand and think about the characters and the story.

other things i enjoyed: the strange, unrelliable narration; the treatment of time; the approach to and handling of the characters (though in some cases, like with laertes or ross and gil, i would have liked to see more); the relationship between horatio and lia; the magic system; and of course, the queer rep!

things i believe could be stronger: sometimes the pacing wasn’t well balanced, thoguh perhaps it would have had to be a much longer book for that to be completely sorted - it’s the matter of introducing a whole world, magic system and the characters, and at the same time still making it feel like things are moving, and i often notice that in standalone fantasy novels. the writing could also be tighter - i read an arc, so it might still be edited, but some repetitions were a little much. overall, though, it wasn’t so detracting as to ruin the experience for me.

all in all, this was a highly engaging and original take on hamlet, and i enjoyed it a lot! i’m not sure it’s objectively (if there even is such a thing) a 5-star book, but i know i’ll keep thinking about it, and i really appreciate it as a retelling. and so i want to give it 5 stars.

thank you NetGalley and DAW for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up to 4,25⭐

Who doesn't love a Hamlet retelling with queer characters (trans rep!) that makes you question what's actually happening at every turn? Love you some dark academia, magical society and ambiguous characters? Thoughts Be Bloody will deliver you that and possibly more.

The experimental and pretty much disassociating narrative choice was so risky but I personally think it worked so well! At some points it came off as confusing but I could pick up the line of thought soon after and I think that works really well with the aspects of the story.
The first 20% were a bit hard to get into, I think it could use a bit of cleaning up and that's the reason why I can't give it a stellar 5⭐, but after you're familiar with the setting, the author's writing and the characters you just get lost, in a good way, in it. The last 40% makes you devour it without a second thought, you just have to get the prose inside your skin and inhale this story into your lungs.

Humans and their obsessions as a moving force of the story is one of my favorite devices in a book and we have it here in two instances that make this story the banger it is. I think the author utilizes Hamlet's themes pretty way here, it was way adapted into the retelling.

I loved the ending, the building up to that was my favorite part of this whole book. It was suffocating and constraining and low-key maddening. There is no straight to the point here, you have to go with them and enjoy the ride. Trust the narrative will get you where you have to be because it will and it did. The characters remain true to themselves until the end, their development is solid, and the story's ending is truthful to what Auden Patrick ambitiously intended it to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Abi Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m honestly a bit entangled with this one. I have been looking forward to this book since its announcement, so I wasted no time in requesting and reading Auden's Thoughts Be Bloody.

However, I am a little on the fence about this one. On a craft level, it’s messy. The prose could do with tightening, and there were moments when I really wanted more clarity, especially in the emotional beats, which could have landed with greater clarity to keep me feeling the emotional core of the story more.

And yet, with all that said, the last 150 pages of this book are completely under my skin.

I love obsessive books, and this is a novel about obsession in every sense, whether that’s Horatio’s pull towards Hamlet, or Hamlet’s all-consuming fixation on revenge. It’s intense, messy, and emotionally overwhelming in a way that feels very deliberate. A cousin to The Secret History and These Violent Delights, with Hamlet running through its veins, it leans fully into that dark, obsessive energy I always fall for. this really was a fantastic demonstration of what a retelling can do to the original texts. Thought Be Bloody uses Hamlet as a guide but creates something unique and original all to its own credit. I finished it feeling winded, like I wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened, but I knew it had affected me.

I don’t think it’s a perfect book. I don’t even know if it’s a five-star one. But it’s the kind of read I’ll keep turning over in my head, replaying certain moments, trying to untangle what it made me feel.

If anything, I think this might be one that becomes even more incredible on a reread.
And I am so excited to see what others think of this story!

[Luca · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I really wanted to love this book, it had everything I thought I'd like - dark academia, magic, queer characters and a Shakespeare retelling. Hamlet is my favorite play of his. And yet I was disappointed by this story.

I think the premise is amazing but it's overdone here. It's overwritten in a way that is messy (and maybe it's my fault because English is not my first language) but I got so lost towards the ending. I'm still unsure about the ending, about to be honest anything. I'm left with more questions than answers and absolutely no energy to reread it. There are sentences and structures overused that make this book simply a bore especially the more you read it. I actually had to force myself to read it - hoping that it would get better towards the end but I feel like it just never really picked up.

The characters also had potential but towards the end I realized they never really felt like their own people - just kind of plot devices convinetly placed where they were needed. Even Horatio (our MC) was a bit of a gray area - where we got little snippets of who he really is but nothing is explored and you're left with too much wanting to really like him. Hamlett was interesting, at least towards the end, he was a fun character but again the way the ending was written I'm unsure I understand what really happened.

I wanted to love it, I loved the premise. But in the end it fell so flat I'm just in pain I didn't like it. Cause it still has all the elements I would have loved. And I'm sorry - I think stories with characters like these are important but everything that was supposed to make it just didn't.

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I keep falling for these beautiful covers and I have only myself to blame when the actual book doesn't live up to it.
Thoughts be bloody is a murder mystery with magic, dark academia and queer characters. It should be right up my alley, but it wasn't.
The beginning was good, I was enjoying it a lot but suddenly it just got really boring at the 20% mark and it never picked up pace again. The ending was confusing but I don't know if it's because I wasn't engaged enough or if it was just a mess, I'm leaning towards the second option. The characters are not developed enough, their relationship even less so. I think the author had some ideas and instead of separating them into different books they just threw everything into this one and it did not work.
I can only compare it to boys with sharp teeth, so if you enjoyed that book I think it's safe to say you would probably enjoy this one as well, personally I found both lacking. At least in this one all three main characters were queer, two being trans, so that was better.

Thank you Netgalley and DAW for the ARC.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fitting that I finished reading this queer Hamlet retelling while visiting Denmark a few days ago. If I had to describe this book I'd say it's a Hamlet retelling set in a Harry Potter style world.
I did enjoy parts of it a lot - the magical dark academia setting, the moody ambiance, the unreliable narrator - but the storytelling style didn't really completely work for me. Plotwise it was quite engaging in the beginning but somewhere halfway through it kind of fell apart and completely lost me, and things just kept happening that felt illogical to me. There was also not enough character development to make me relate and empathize with any of the main characters, which is a pity because the potential was there.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dnf at 36%

I was so excited to read this book. Firstly, I’m a Shakespeare fan. Secondly, a queer retelling. It checked so many boxes for me. The beginning was a solid start, I was intrigued. But something changed because I started getting bored. There wasn’t a lot going on. That’s when I decided to DNF it. I really didn’t want to but I couldn’t find a reason to care what happens. This book has many aspects that are great for storytelling. The way it was put together didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Auden Patrick, and DAW for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Mathter Works · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars
Hamlet meets Harry Potter meets Inception in a book that leaves marks. Using an unreliable first person narrating character named Horatio, a hidden school of magic devolves into the specific brand of chaos only revenge can stir. Circular in a way that might drive you a little mad while reading, the control needed to keep steering the plot forward is a testament to the author. That being said, some lines and rhetorical techniques did get a little repetitive.

[jlreadstoperpetuity · Rating 4 out of 5]

a retelling inspired by hamlet where revenge, madness, and power collide as characters spiral deeper into violence, betrayal, and their own unraveling.

this feels intense and theatrical in a good way.. i like how it leans into obsession and moral decay instead of trying to soften it, making everything feel dramatic, sharp, and a little chaotic as the story unfolds.

🩸 revenge and moral downfall
👑 court intrigue + betrayal
🖤 madness and obsession

[Trisha]

How amazing does this one sound?!! AND THAT COVER!! 😍😍😍

can't wait to read it!

[livia]

gay shakespeare retelling? I am so here for it