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The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers: A Body Horror Novel
Body horror that sinks its teeth in.
Billie Taylor's life unravels when a painful lump grows from their hip, mutating into something sinister... A thumb? A hand. No one else can see it. Doctors are dismissive, and friends think they're losing it.
Desperate to reclaim their body, Billie enters a nightmarish realm where fingers are currency, names are erased, and ravenous souls crave an end to their suffering. To find relief, Billie must survive the feast. But, this time, fingers won't suffice. This time, the vultures want it all... And it's going to hurt.
The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers is a gritty, surreal exploration of what it means to be consumed by a system designed to forget you. A mind-bending horror debut from Sofi Claythorn.
"Unsettling, thought-provoking, and fiercely original. It is a remarkable debut that blends body horror with sharp social commentary." Lucy Brighton, author of Finding Home."The gory body horror descriptions are so visceral, at times, I felt like invisible hands were springing from my hip and bursting out of my body! The world Sofi creates is unsettling, beautifully vivid and oddly familiar." C. Toms-Arbel, author of The Mannequins.
© 2025 Sofi Claythorn (P) 2025 Flying Rat Press.
Billie Taylor's life unravels when a painful lump grows from their hip, mutating into something sinister... A thumb? A hand. No one else can see it. Doctors are dismissive, and friends think they're losing it.
Desperate to reclaim their body, Billie enters a nightmarish realm where fingers are currency, names are erased, and ravenous souls crave an end to their suffering. To find relief, Billie must survive the feast. But, this time, fingers won't suffice. This time, the vultures want it all... And it's going to hurt.
The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers is a gritty, surreal exploration of what it means to be consumed by a system designed to forget you. A mind-bending horror debut from Sofi Claythorn.
"Unsettling, thought-provoking, and fiercely original. It is a remarkable debut that blends body horror with sharp social commentary." Lucy Brighton, author of Finding Home."The gory body horror descriptions are so visceral, at times, I felt like invisible hands were springing from my hip and bursting out of my body! The world Sofi creates is unsettling, beautifully vivid and oddly familiar." C. Toms-Arbel, author of The Mannequins.
© 2025 Sofi Claythorn (P) 2025 Flying Rat Press.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2025
5 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Sofi Claythorn
1 book6 followersSofi Claythorn is a disabled indie author from Leeds, England. Their work aims to amplify underrepresented voices through a horror lens. The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers is their debut novel, with a horror anthology, Salt Licker, planned for release soon. When they're not writing, they're busy yapping online about plants, books, and chronic illness. They also enjoy treating guinea pigs like royalty, losing at online chess, and hunting down the perfect gluten-free donut.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 19, 2025
Key elements:
- body mutations and mutilations
- physical and psychological distress
- disruption of reality/surrelism
- LGBTQ+ representation
- substance misuse
- health issues
- thought-provoking
This book was my introduction to body horror, and whilst I was anticipating the gross and grim, I was delightedly suprised to also discover hidden depths in this book.
Whilst Sofi shows a mastery in the way they describes unsettling scenes and body disfigurments in a way that quite literally put me off my lunch (in the best way), how they use these scenes to represent wider issues in a metaphorical way to highlight issues round hidden disabilities and untreated health issues was an unexpected suprise and was very thought provoking. In my opinion this is a unique blend of squeamish horror, weird literature and social commentary.
I would recommend reading before eating!
- body mutations and mutilations
- physical and psychological distress
- disruption of reality/surrelism
- LGBTQ+ representation
- substance misuse
- health issues
- thought-provoking
This book was my introduction to body horror, and whilst I was anticipating the gross and grim, I was delightedly suprised to also discover hidden depths in this book.
Whilst Sofi shows a mastery in the way they describes unsettling scenes and body disfigurments in a way that quite literally put me off my lunch (in the best way), how they use these scenes to represent wider issues in a metaphorical way to highlight issues round hidden disabilities and untreated health issues was an unexpected suprise and was very thought provoking. In my opinion this is a unique blend of squeamish horror, weird literature and social commentary.
I would recommend reading before eating!
October 2, 2025
This debut novel is unputdownable!
It has the energy of a blockbuster and I’m definitely holding out hope that it makes it to the big screen someday!
This book immediately strikes a relatable chord, especially for readers in the UK who have firsthand experience with the issues it tackles. The protagonist, Billie, struggles for attention and recognition in a world that consistently ignores and dismisses them. This emotional battle is a painful, sad reality, and Claythorn captures this contemporary isolation with incredible precision.
The narrative unfolds like an addictive television series, stealing my attention even at the most inconvenient moments. The language is easy to follow, and the setting is effortlessly visualised. The pacing never feels overdone or forced; the story maintains a beautiful, natural flow that keeps the reader fully immersed.
The supporting cast is excellent.
Enzo in particular grew on me, developing a powerful, strange attachment. (Almost at the hip!) Their character arc was perfectly, messily human, and the introduction of key players later in the story was expertly timed. I even developed a crush on Ken (perhaps a side effect the author didn't intend!).
The conclusion was deeply satisfying yet left me with a strong yearning for more. I eagerly await Claythorn’s next works.
It has the energy of a blockbuster and I’m definitely holding out hope that it makes it to the big screen someday!
This book immediately strikes a relatable chord, especially for readers in the UK who have firsthand experience with the issues it tackles. The protagonist, Billie, struggles for attention and recognition in a world that consistently ignores and dismisses them. This emotional battle is a painful, sad reality, and Claythorn captures this contemporary isolation with incredible precision.
The narrative unfolds like an addictive television series, stealing my attention even at the most inconvenient moments. The language is easy to follow, and the setting is effortlessly visualised. The pacing never feels overdone or forced; the story maintains a beautiful, natural flow that keeps the reader fully immersed.
The supporting cast is excellent.
Enzo in particular grew on me, developing a powerful, strange attachment. (Almost at the hip!) Their character arc was perfectly, messily human, and the introduction of key players later in the story was expertly timed. I even developed a crush on Ken (perhaps a side effect the author didn't intend!).
The conclusion was deeply satisfying yet left me with a strong yearning for more. I eagerly await Claythorn’s next works.
October 22, 2025
Wow! Probably the most descriptive response I can give having just this minute turned the last page of this book!
What Sofi has created here is a disturbing and incredibly visual metaphorical journey through a life blighted by hidden (undiagnosed through to diagnosis & treatment) illness. One we often hear the name of but have no concept of how debilitating it can be. This story really resonated for me having a personal acquaintance who has travelled the same road (many, many years of hellish suffering, all the while being dismissed by medical professionals and having to self-diagnose before anyone took any notice).
The story itself is wonderfully gory, vividly described, will have you questioning your sanity (it did me anyhow!) and one of the most creative pieces of work I've ever read.
If body horror is your thing, if you like gory and weird, if you enjoy the surreal, then this book is absolutely for you.
Nearly forgot to add that Sofi's style of writing is incredibly enjoyable, a great author voice which flows with ease page after page.
What Sofi has created here is a disturbing and incredibly visual metaphorical journey through a life blighted by hidden (undiagnosed through to diagnosis & treatment) illness. One we often hear the name of but have no concept of how debilitating it can be. This story really resonated for me having a personal acquaintance who has travelled the same road (many, many years of hellish suffering, all the while being dismissed by medical professionals and having to self-diagnose before anyone took any notice).
The story itself is wonderfully gory, vividly described, will have you questioning your sanity (it did me anyhow!) and one of the most creative pieces of work I've ever read.
If body horror is your thing, if you like gory and weird, if you enjoy the surreal, then this book is absolutely for you.
Nearly forgot to add that Sofi's style of writing is incredibly enjoyable, a great author voice which flows with ease page after page.
September 26, 2025
What struck me about this novel was the author's writing style. Sofi Claythorn's writing style is refreshingly precise. The author has the ability to create a rich and intricate world without going into excessive detail or providing extraneous information. I found every sentence well placed, meaningful and thought - provoking. No clutter!
You get to know the protagonist (Billie) on a personal level and by the end of the novel you feel deeply connected to them. The gory body horror descriptions are so visceral, at times, I felt like invisible hands were springing from my hip and bursting out of my body! The world Sofi creates is unsettling, beautifully vivid and oddly familiar. On a side note, there are some deliciously tantalising descriptions of food throughout the book which had me reaching for the snack drawer!
This is a seriously impressive debut novel and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author has in store next!
You get to know the protagonist (Billie) on a personal level and by the end of the novel you feel deeply connected to them. The gory body horror descriptions are so visceral, at times, I felt like invisible hands were springing from my hip and bursting out of my body! The world Sofi creates is unsettling, beautifully vivid and oddly familiar. On a side note, there are some deliciously tantalising descriptions of food throughout the book which had me reaching for the snack drawer!
This is a seriously impressive debut novel and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author has in store next!
September 29, 2025
Sofi Claythorn’s debut is a visceral descent into body horror, charting Billie Taylor’s terrifying struggle as a growth on their hip mutates into something grotesque and unexplainable. The novel captures both the physical revulsion of bodily change and the psychological dread of losing control.
Claythorn’s prose is precise and purposeful, creating a surreal world that feels at once alien and uncomfortably familiar. The horror is graphic, yet never gratuitous - serving instead as a metaphor for hidden disabilities, health neglect, and the erasure of identity.
What makes the book stand out is its emotional resonance. Billie’s journey is raw and relatable, woven through with themes of LGBTQ+ identity, substance misuse, and social marginalisation.
The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers is unsettling, thought-provoking, and fiercely original. It is a remarkable debut that blends body horror with sharp social commentary.
Claythorn’s prose is precise and purposeful, creating a surreal world that feels at once alien and uncomfortably familiar. The horror is graphic, yet never gratuitous - serving instead as a metaphor for hidden disabilities, health neglect, and the erasure of identity.
What makes the book stand out is its emotional resonance. Billie’s journey is raw and relatable, woven through with themes of LGBTQ+ identity, substance misuse, and social marginalisation.
The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers is unsettling, thought-provoking, and fiercely original. It is a remarkable debut that blends body horror with sharp social commentary.
September 28, 2025
I don’t usually read body horror, but wow—this one got under my skin (literally, at times). The writing is so vivid that I kept catching myself squirming while reading. It’s not just gore for shock value, though. The real horror comes from watching a character lose control of their own body, and the author captures that dread perfectly.
What surprised me most is how emotional it all felt. Between the creepy transformations and grotesque imagery, there’s a story about identity and what it means when your body stops feeling like yours. The pacing is relentless—I ended up finishing it in two nights because I couldn’t put it down.
Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you like horror that sticks with you and makes you rethink where your skin ends and the terror begins, this is worth the read.
What surprised me most is how emotional it all felt. Between the creepy transformations and grotesque imagery, there’s a story about identity and what it means when your body stops feeling like yours. The pacing is relentless—I ended up finishing it in two nights because I couldn’t put it down.
Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you like horror that sticks with you and makes you rethink where your skin ends and the terror begins, this is worth the read.
October 23, 2025
As someone who doesn’t usually like body horror, this book made me beyond squeamish, which is why you should read it if you LOVE body horror.
The descriptions and metaphors are on another level.
But this isn’t just a body horror, there’s a lot of depth and meaning to this book.
Beneath the disturbing is a story of hidden illnesses, grief, trauma and learning to feel human again.
Also, it’s set in Yorkshire, what more is there to say!
The descriptions and metaphors are on another level.
But this isn’t just a body horror, there’s a lot of depth and meaning to this book.
Beneath the disturbing is a story of hidden illnesses, grief, trauma and learning to feel human again.
Also, it’s set in Yorkshire, what more is there to say!
December 18, 2025
I really loved this story and how it handled the topic of hidden illness and how difficult it can be to advocate for yourself to doctors and the people around you. The writing style was visceral, and I loved how surreal the story became the farther I went into it. I love body horror and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for future books from this author. (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
December 11, 2025
Billie starts growing a lump on her hip and it quickly spirals out of control.
This. Was. Weird. So so weird. In a great way but very strange. I had hardly any idea what was happening for most of the book and couldn’t tell what was real and not real but it made sense in the end kinda.. well I got what the metaphor was about. Very interesting book!
This. Was. Weird. So so weird. In a great way but very strange. I had hardly any idea what was happening for most of the book and couldn’t tell what was real and not real but it made sense in the end kinda.. well I got what the metaphor was about. Very interesting book!
September 26, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. The writing pulled me in right away, and the atmosphere kept me hooked throughout. The themes were thought-provoking, and there were moments that genuinely surprised me. Definitely glad I picked it up!
November 1, 2025
ARC review:
A haunting, beautifully written masterpiece that lingers long after you’re done!
I was both horrified and fascinated from start to finish. The story gets under your skin in the most unsettling way — a true masterpiece of atmosphere and emotion.
The book is easy to follow and the vivid descriptions of fear, pain and discomfort made my own skin crawl and itch.
It is rare to find a book that feels THIS alive and this impossible to shake off!
If you enjoy a good horror that leaves you shaking long after you finish, this is a read for you!
A haunting, beautifully written masterpiece that lingers long after you’re done!
I was both horrified and fascinated from start to finish. The story gets under your skin in the most unsettling way — a true masterpiece of atmosphere and emotion.
The book is easy to follow and the vivid descriptions of fear, pain and discomfort made my own skin crawl and itch.
It is rare to find a book that feels THIS alive and this impossible to shake off!
If you enjoy a good horror that leaves you shaking long after you finish, this is a read for you!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews