[LARGE PRINT EDITION] The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers: A Body Horror Novel

by Sofi Claythorn

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.

© 2025 Sofi Claythorn (P) 2025 Flying Rat Press.

Genres: Horror

638 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Sofi Claythorn is a disabled indie author from Leeds, England. Their work aims to amplify underrepresented voices through a horror lens. When they're not writing, they're busy yapping online about books and chronic illness. They also enjoy treating guinea pigs like royalty, losing at online chess, and hunting down the perfect gluten-free donut.

Reviews

[Sarah Marriott · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[BookSplatterBritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Body horror indeed! Imagine limbs growing out of no where and everyone thinks your just losing it. Not gonna lie this one made me cringe a bit

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDIT: I've been rotating this book in the microwave of my brain for about 12 hours and decided to go ahead and give it 5 stars. Is it perfect? No. But it was extremely memorable and exceptionally well-written, especially for an indie book, so fuck it. Take all my stars, Mx. Claythorn, and keep putting out the bangers.

ORIGINAL:
Rounding up from 3.5 stars.

This book is VERY weird. It's good weird, but definitely gets a little confusing at times. I'm also not sure what the epilogue was there to convey - maybe tie up some loose ends? But for me it felt like one last grimdark gunshot after an otherwise-wholesome ending.

Still, I super enjoyed this. The body horror is FANTASTIC. Cassandra Khaw fucking wishes she could write like this. I also loved the (not at all subtle) underlying message here: the absurdism and indignity of the medical field, and the gaslighting and guilt-mongering that comes with being chronically ill.

Heavy emphasis on this book being surreal, though; at some point you have to just accept that weird shit is happening and most of the "rules" of this horrible fever dream will never be explained. Where did Billie's "parasite" come from? What are the "rules" of the bizarro nightmare hospital? Why did Albert... um... do all that? I'll never know, and neither will you.

[Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author via the IndieTron 2026 event organisers.

With being chronically ill with multiple chronic autoimmune conditions myself, I instantly took a liking to this book and flew through it.

The distress it causes a person to be not believed by medical professionals is all too common.. especially when the condition is often not easily diagnosed.

A debut novel by an Indie author who will prove to be a hit especially among the disabled community. Thank you for drawing this condition to the attention of readers. Wonderful book

[Milena Traishe · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Wren Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for an absolutely surreal exploration of invisible illness and trying to navigate a system that is built to not just fail you, but entirely forget you, I’ve got just the thing.

Billie is a non-binary 20 something, and they are moving into a property that was purchased by their cousin Marina. It just so happens that the property is a chapel next to a cemetery.

Here, there is promise of an artistic workspace where Billy can work in their chosen medium: ceramics. They’ve got a kiln, and a potters wheel, glazed… everything they could possibly need.

They’ve also made a friend out of an old man named Albert, who visits the cemetery with his chessboard, with the intention of spending time with his beloved Noreen, who was laid to rest in the cemetery several years back.

As time progresses, and they start really trying to get into the groove with their artwork so they can start paying rent for the space their cousin has graciously offered… Billie starts to feel a little… off.

It starts small, just some fatigue and soreness. Then things get kicked up a notch when a growth appears on their hip. But strangely… when they try to present the odd protrusion to Marina, she can’t see it.

When the growth starts to take the familiar shape of a hand… Billie finally goes to see a doctor in a panic. But they also don’t see it… and the doctor tries to brush them off saying to take some Tylenol and rest.

Billie is adamant that something is definitely wrong, but this is all occurring in the depths of the 2020 pandemic, so even with a referral, finding an office that will do an exploratory ‘non-emergent’ procedure is edging on impossible.

As they wait and wait, their condition gets progressively worse, and other things in their life start to warp as they end up in this severely surreal place where they need to fight for their right to treatment for their horrendous mystery affliction.

This book was quite literally one of the weirdest things I’ve read in a long time. But, I did enjoy the insinuation of dealing with the healthcare system, having to actively convince a doctor that your condition is so incredibly real, and disruptive to your life… even if they can’t see it.

The book also has a ton of resources included in the back to help people experiencing endometriosis, mental health problems, and domestic violence.

My rating of 3⭐️ is simply because surrealism in writing often has me very lost and confused with how we got from point A to point B.

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this was going to be body horror. I did NOT expect the body to start feeling like a place I could no longer trust.
The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers is the kind of horror that gets under your skin literally. Billie Taylor’s life starts unraveling when a painful lump appears on their hip. Then it begins to change. A thumb? A hand? Something that nobody else can see. And suddenly, Billie isn’t just dealing with a physical nightmare. They’re dealing with the terrifying possibility that their own body is becoming something they no longer understand. What really grabbed me was how surreal the premise becomes. The story takes body horror and pushes it somewhere stranger, darker, and much more psychological. Once Billie enters that nightmare realm where fingers become currency and names can disappear, reality itself starts feeling unstable and the horror isn’t just about what happens to the body. It’s about being unseen, dismissed, consumed, and forgotten. That’s what made this one hit harder than a straightforward gross out horror story. Beneath all the unsettling imagery is a much bigger exploration of identity, suffering, and what happens when you’re trapped inside a system that seems designed to erase you. It’s weird. Surreal. Grotesque. Uncomfortable. Basically, exactly the kind of horror that makes you stare at your own hands afterward and think :I have questions.🖐️🩸 And apparently 52 fingers still aren’t enough.

[J.M. Sins · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[E Singer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the strangest reads I’ve ever come across. It gave me Alice in Wonderland tripping on the worst laced acid ever. But, there is a reason for this. The overall theme of the book is centered on the main character (Billie) as she navigates the healthcare system. All of the crazy scenes that don’t make sense and cause confusion…is exactly what it’s like trying to self-advocate. Billie suffers from an invisible illness and is consistently dismissed. She goes on a WILD journey to get her needs met. Sofi has an amazing gift for descriptive writing that leaves the reader literally gagging. The imagery is definitely something that will live rent free in my head for quite sometime. I gave it four stars because I think more could have been done to make the trippy parts of the book more relatable to real events occurring. It would have made it a less confusing read. But that is just my personal preference. It is still a good read underlying a very real problem that exists across the world.

[Lucy Brighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Ashley Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a deeply unsettling look at chronic illness, endometriosis, and a healthcare system that often seems stacked against disabled and chronically ill people. Wrapped in skin-crawling body horror, it completely worked for me.

The story follows Billie, a nonbinary twenty-something who moves in with their cousin Marina in a converted chapel next to a cemetery. They spend their days making ceramics until strange changes start happening to their body. A growth appears on their hip, but Billie is the only one who can see it—or take it seriously. As the pandemic unfolds, doctors repeatedly dismiss their concerns, leaving Billie fighting for answers, treatment, and the chance to be heard.

What really got to me was how realistic the medical gaslighting felt beneath all the horror. This is a weird, grotesque, and genuinely effective take on chronic illness. The horror is surreal, but the fear, frustration, and exhaustion of not being believed felt painfully real.

[Natasja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely weird and trippy read, and the best body horror I've read so far. A true fever dream of a book, that doesn't let you go until you've finished it. And I know I'll still be thinking of this one for a while. I have experienced the same frustration as Billie - not being believed by medical professionals, the waiting, more waiting, all while your body is failing you. The feeling that your body doesn't belong to you anymore and is taken over by pain, like the pain and sickness form an entity weighing you down, is (sadly) so relatable for people like me, living with one or multiple chronic illness(es). At times, I felt my endometriosis was trying to claw its way out, take over my body. I had a visceral reaction to the description of Billie's hips being gripped, which is such an accurate description. I can't wait to read more from Sofi Claythorn. I read this book as part of #indietron.

[Kazoo Mazoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★½ 4.5/5, rounded up to 5 stars.

This one got under my skin.

The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers follows a woman dealing with increasingly disturbing physical changes while the people around her struggle to understand what is happening. What starts with strange symptoms turns into full-on body horror.

The mood is claustrophobic, gross and genuinely uncomfortable. But there is also a lot of dark humor, which I wasn't expecting and really liked.

The body horror is the obvious attraction here, but what made the book work for me was the way it connects physical horror with the frustration of not being believed or properly understood.

I did think parts of the middle dragged a little, and there were moments when I wanted the story to move faster.

Still, this is an impressive debut. Weird, nasty, funny and uncomfortable in exactly the right ways.

I received a copy through the 2026 Horror Indie-Tron. I wrote a honest review on my own volition.

[R Chinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Ash Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most surreal and trippy stories I have ever read, and all for the right reasons!

Sofi has an incredible talent for writing the most disturbing, vividly gory and yet wholly satisfying body horror, set at a pace that is easy to follow.

As the reader, I instantly connected to Billie and the dilemma they faced as someone dealing with invisible illness in a world where the medical system is designed to fail you. I absolutely loved the way the narrative focused on such important real life issues and the physical and emotional turmoil which comes with not being heard or seen in the medical field because your health condition is not visible.

This was quite honestly one of the most beautifully descriptive yet crazy books I’ve read and I can’t wait to see what Sofi writes next!

[Aeron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a horrifically sad story, especially if you are a fem bodied disabled and non-cis gendered person. I’m a genderqueer trans masc person. I felt like I was punched in the gut every time the gender dysphoria from things healthcare providers and others said was mentioned. I felt like I was punched in the gut every time someone didn’t believe Billie. I felt like I was punched in the gut every time Billie’s health turned their life into the horror story that is this book.

This book was a gut punch, but a good one. It was terrifying, but in a “holy shit, my own experience felt like this” way.

Read at your own emotional risk, especially If you’re uterus doesn’t function properly and you’re queer, but read it anyway, maybe the weight of your own Enzo will become lighter.

[Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weird, wacky, and fantastical horror.

I didn't care for, or like, anyone but I enjoyed the non-binary representation. The medical gaslighting was also a nice aspect added to the body horror, and questioning what is real. It reminded me of the novels I've read by Drew Huff, as it was weird, hard to follow, and unfortunately became a chore. It seemed to meander without clear direction, and by the half way mark I was itching for it to be over. I did enjoy the ending and the summary of the impact chronic illness can have on your life, and I feel I would've enjoyed this more if it had a quicker pace and less filler. Thank you to Indie Tron for the ARC.

[Leigh Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐

The Weight Of Fifty-Two Fingers - Sofi Claythorn 

This was a great read, gripping and held my attention throughout. 

The writing drew me in and kept me invested in the characters and storyline. Speaking of which, it was good to see the body horror elements not overshadowing the plot, which can sometimes happen.

This book worked well balancing the gore with the plot of the story very nicely! A great read overall, just perhaps a little long for me personally!

⭐⭐⭐

#indietron #indieauthor #horror #bodyhorror #review

[Lisa Groves · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

Bilie struggles through the medical system after they move in with their cousin and the cousin's partner. As Billie tries to figure out what is going on with this constant pain and changes in their body, hands start to grow out of their hip.
I was confused a few times trying to discern what was real and what wasn't as far as what Billie was seeing and feeling.
I think a lot of us with female bodies can relate to what happens to Billie as they go to different doctors and have to wait for weeks to see someone.
Very weird, at times very sad, and confusing.

[Sarah Cribbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[jodie chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fever dream of a book! I’ll be honest, it took me awhile to get into, but at the halfway mark the surrealism paired with the pain Billie goes through in this story took me on one hell of a journey with them!

At points I was confused but all I can say is going in with an open mind this was written beautifully and as someone who lives with chronic pain I have to say it was wonderfully unique how this book made me feel understood more.

[Horrorpods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for Horror Indie tron!

The Weight of Fifty-Two Fingers is a must-read! The body horror is INSANE and I think it has a strong message when it comes to how those who suffer from a chronic illness aren’t taken seriously.

This one hit home as someone who loves and cares for a person who suffers from a chronic illness and can see the toll it takes to constantly advocate for themselves.

I think the title of the story is perfect and highly recommend this book!

[Emin3mzHoe69 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolutely fantastic read!! I really enjoyed the depth this book has to it! I was expecting weird and that's exactly what I got weird with a side of Yorkshire.

It is written superbly and I especially liked the character 'Mata' and all of the little bits of nostalgia mentioned throughout the book.

This was my last book of #Indietron and I 100% recommend it!
It's a fun, trippy ride- go for it!!

[Zimbellina · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Jordi Morri Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read as part of indietron, a free copy in exchange for a review.

This was a wonderfully weird body horror, with a fantastic metaphor for the medical gaslighting around women's health.

Very surreal and creative imagery, with some gruesome body horror moments.

My only nitpick is a lot of brand names are used but that is a personal preference.

4.5 starts rounded up.

[Denay Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO weird and surreal, yet such a relatable story of chronic illness and the trials we go through to get better. Some of the most relatable body horror I've ever read. I was originally going to give 4 stars because the middle just was so hard for me to follow but then I slept on it and realized; that's the entire point. Very well done.

[Mary Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was deeply upsetting in all the best ways. The author wields descriptive language in a way that pulls you in and keeps you along for the ride. There were multiple layers of horror: the body horror promised and the horror of someone with a chronic illness being ignored and gaslit until…well, you’ll find out.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Cassandra Joy Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

The weight of 52 fingers is one of the weirdest books I've read this year.
If a disturbing, surreal body horror is your thing, you wanna read this book.
It is so vividly written . I enjoyed it .
IndieTron2026

[LisaNicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit complex at times, but worth it when you get to the end.
Well written book that combines body horror with metaphor that you don’t realize until the end what it is trying to tell you