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Indigent
Not yet published
Expected 20 Mar 26Leigh Pierce Estates is home to a diverse array of working mothers, immigrants, the forgotten elderly. All working poor—and all in danger.
Because the tenants of Leigh Pierce are disappearing.
Xavier, a young Black man living in an opiate-afflicted, gentrifying Atlanta neighborhood, is thrust into a surreal nightmare of starvation and consumption after a chance encounter leaves him infected with something horrifying.
Succumbing to his infection, Xavier is drawn into the cobbled-together family squatting in Leigh Pierce’s A patriarch and matriarch from the Rust Belt whose health left with the Ford factories forty years ago, a first-gen American who learned that the institutions supposedly there to help were not a real option … People who, through a myriad of roads, fell into the same self-destructive cycle of indigency, harboring dark secrets and darker appetites.
Now, Xavier is forced to confront the cost of survival in a world that has disregarded him, lost in a messy family dynamic of codependency and complicity all too like what he’s used to—a dynamic he’s desperate to break.
Because the tenants of Leigh Pierce are disappearing.
Xavier, a young Black man living in an opiate-afflicted, gentrifying Atlanta neighborhood, is thrust into a surreal nightmare of starvation and consumption after a chance encounter leaves him infected with something horrifying.
Succumbing to his infection, Xavier is drawn into the cobbled-together family squatting in Leigh Pierce’s A patriarch and matriarch from the Rust Belt whose health left with the Ford factories forty years ago, a first-gen American who learned that the institutions supposedly there to help were not a real option … People who, through a myriad of roads, fell into the same self-destructive cycle of indigency, harboring dark secrets and darker appetites.
Now, Xavier is forced to confront the cost of survival in a world that has disregarded him, lost in a messy family dynamic of codependency and complicity all too like what he’s used to—a dynamic he’s desperate to break.
- GenresHorror
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 20, 2026
13 people are currently reading
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January 9, 20262 stars
thank you Briana N Cox for an ARC copy in exchange for feedback
~~~
unfortunately, this book really didn’t do it for me. while the concept had potential but the idea never felt fully fleshed out. the narrative jumped around so much that it became difficult to follow, and instead of feeling intrigued, i spent the majority of the book feeling confused.
the constant shifts made it hard to connect with any of the characters on a deeper level, and honestly, there was just WAY too many different POV’s. just as i would start to settle into someone’s perspective, the story would move on, which kept me from becoming emotionally invested. there were moments that carried weight and hinted at something impactful, but the lack of focus and clarity often undercut those moments.
i didn’t start to feel genuinely interested until about 75% into the book, when i finally pieced together what was happening. at that point, the themes and message became clearer, and i could see what the author had been working toward all along. unfortunately, that sense of understanding came too late to fully redeem the reading experience.
thank you Briana N Cox for an ARC copy in exchange for feedback
~~~
unfortunately, this book really didn’t do it for me. while the concept had potential but the idea never felt fully fleshed out. the narrative jumped around so much that it became difficult to follow, and instead of feeling intrigued, i spent the majority of the book feeling confused.
the constant shifts made it hard to connect with any of the characters on a deeper level, and honestly, there was just WAY too many different POV’s. just as i would start to settle into someone’s perspective, the story would move on, which kept me from becoming emotionally invested. there were moments that carried weight and hinted at something impactful, but the lack of focus and clarity often undercut those moments.
i didn’t start to feel genuinely interested until about 75% into the book, when i finally pieced together what was happening. at that point, the themes and message became clearer, and i could see what the author had been working toward all along. unfortunately, that sense of understanding came too late to fully redeem the reading experience.
January 6, 2026
Briana N. Cox has done a truly remarkable thing with this book. It’s brilliant, cutting, socially conscious horror. It creates a fully realized community in the high rise apartment building at the heart of the story. It is suspenseful, scary, and fun. And it is so gloriously gross.
Following an… outbreak of … something very bad at an apartment building filled with marginalized people, low income, elderly, BIPOC, this story shows the hypocrisy and power imbalance at the heart of the medical industry while at the same time being a fully realized horror story, Cox has created a uniquely American nightmare and is an absolute must read for 2026.
Following an… outbreak of … something very bad at an apartment building filled with marginalized people, low income, elderly, BIPOC, this story shows the hypocrisy and power imbalance at the heart of the medical industry while at the same time being a fully realized horror story, Cox has created a uniquely American nightmare and is an absolute must read for 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Welcome to Leigh Pierce Estates, a lower working-class housing estate with a parasite problem. Not that the authorities seem to care. The residents are disappearing, and young handyman Xavier has come into contact with the culprit, which begins to take hold on Xavier’s appetites. But how can the residents of Leigh Pierce survive in a world that has failed them?
Drawing the obvious parallel to Bong Joon Ho’s brilliant ‘Parasite’, Briana N Cox has a lot that she wants to say in this marvellous and claustrophobic horror thriller. It is foremost a scathing indictment of American healthcare and how communities are marginalised. There’s critique of the Opioid crisis and urban gentrification. It’s a book that you’ll be unpacking the symbolism long after you’ve put it down.
As a playwright myself, I often wonder of our relative advantage in writing truthful dialogue. It came as no surprise to find that Briana N Cox is a Fellow of the TN Playwrights Studio. Her dialogue is sharp, characters well developed and setting vividly drawn. I particularly enjoyed the change in styles from the more conversational residents of Leigh Pierce to chapters focused on the clinical doctors, complete with footnotes to their published research – a wry touch which helped accentuate their callousness to those affected.
The symbiosis that forms a central part of the horror does affect the narrative and dialogue. I felt sometimes disoriented as focus shifted between multiple characters. But this is clearly a conscious choice from a writer that is drawing you in and allowing you to experience events as the characters themselves experience them. It’s a unique stream of consciousness style of prose that is sometimes confounding but ultimately rewarding.
It’s not an easy read but, like the parasitic terror that hides within the novel, it lingers. And the injustices that it brings to light will burrow into your brain.
Indigent by Briana N Cox is available March 2026.
Drawing the obvious parallel to Bong Joon Ho’s brilliant ‘Parasite’, Briana N Cox has a lot that she wants to say in this marvellous and claustrophobic horror thriller. It is foremost a scathing indictment of American healthcare and how communities are marginalised. There’s critique of the Opioid crisis and urban gentrification. It’s a book that you’ll be unpacking the symbolism long after you’ve put it down.
As a playwright myself, I often wonder of our relative advantage in writing truthful dialogue. It came as no surprise to find that Briana N Cox is a Fellow of the TN Playwrights Studio. Her dialogue is sharp, characters well developed and setting vividly drawn. I particularly enjoyed the change in styles from the more conversational residents of Leigh Pierce to chapters focused on the clinical doctors, complete with footnotes to their published research – a wry touch which helped accentuate their callousness to those affected.
The symbiosis that forms a central part of the horror does affect the narrative and dialogue. I felt sometimes disoriented as focus shifted between multiple characters. But this is clearly a conscious choice from a writer that is drawing you in and allowing you to experience events as the characters themselves experience them. It’s a unique stream of consciousness style of prose that is sometimes confounding but ultimately rewarding.
It’s not an easy read but, like the parasitic terror that hides within the novel, it lingers. And the injustices that it brings to light will burrow into your brain.
Indigent by Briana N Cox is available March 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I liked the premise of the book and the first part was fantastic. After the halfway point, things got muddled. I think the book tried to incorporate too many themes. It was still worth the time to read. This is good for people who enjoy body horror.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.75 🌟
First, I want to thank the author for the eARC copy of this book! I'm terrible at writing reviews and I don't know how to write about this one without giving too much away so here it goes!
I did struggle getting into this at first (sometimes, I struggle with trying to keep up with multiple POVs) about 30% in everything started clicking for me. The switch between the consciousness of the parasites and the characters were disorienting at times but it felt intentionally and eventually, it added to the overall experience.I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the sense of dread it ended up creating. Briana did an incredible job depicting the issues of systemic racism within the medical system (and the world in general). It is definitely one of the best horror books that I have read in a while and definitely one that I will continue to think about.
First, I want to thank the author for the eARC copy of this book! I'm terrible at writing reviews and I don't know how to write about this one without giving too much away so here it goes!
I did struggle getting into this at first (sometimes, I struggle with trying to keep up with multiple POVs) about 30% in everything started clicking for me. The switch between the consciousness of the parasites and the characters were disorienting at times but it felt intentionally and eventually, it added to the overall experience.I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the sense of dread it ended up creating. Briana did an incredible job depicting the issues of systemic racism within the medical system (and the world in general). It is definitely one of the best horror books that I have read in a while and definitely one that I will continue to think about.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Indigent by Briana N. Cox
3.40 rounded down to 3🔮🔮🔮orbs
Est. Pub. Date: March 20, 2026
Briana N. Cox, Self-Published
The death of Orb…
💡 Orbs Prologue: Through a transparent tube, I float toward the snowballed brilliance of white. With a thud, I land as if a shoe has dropped. I awake… yet not quite. I hover in the corner of a quarantined section of the hospital, looking down upon a cadaver looking eerily similar to myself. Am I dead? Taking in more of the ominous scene, I watch two men in sterilized hazmat suits untangle my innards. My body lies in ruins. Fetid smells overtake the nasal cavities of all those cutting into my flesh in search of undesirable answers. By all accounts, my body should remain lifeless under the prodding. However, my vision is overtaken by snakelike movements, leading to an overstimulated situation succumbing to chaos. Cocking my head to the side, I notice slippery organisms dropping towards the cold, vinyl floor, yearning for purchase amongst the living. Searching for control, to feed an incessant hunger, a desire to be nurtured, cultivated. This is what “they” tried to avoid. Who are they, you might ask? Those in the know, government officials whose information remains stolen from the public's eyes, are treating the dregs of society as nothing more than laboratory rats. How did I get here, one might ask, and dear reader, I can tell you only what I can faintly remember….
🧐 A small glimpse: Xavier, resident maintenance man, lives in the low-budget housing location known as the Leigh Pierce Estates. People within its walls have become quite neighborly, and this living community does what it has to do to help each other to survive. Tenants' relationships remain close, so when some of the residents disappear, Xavier starts wondering where they have gone. Unbeknownst to everyone at Leigh Pierce Estates, drastic changes are forthcoming. Decisions that will leave residents stranded in search of an alternate living situation. With difficult times come new faces to the premises. A “family” has taken over one of the estate's apartments, but how did they come about seizing control? The complex is descended upon by detectives, looking to monitor the residents' health for strange changes and occurrences. As Xavier’s best efforts rise to the occasion, a new reality begins to unfold that surely has a “host” of undesirable consequences.
👍 Orbs Pros: Multiple POVs added different elements as the dreary world manifested. Emotional!! Lost beings in a hopeless world, attempting to survive something akin to an apocalyptic nightmare, living and breathing within the fatty tissues of flesh enveloping that which lies underneath. The meaning of family and its impact on the psyche to overcome traumatic events becomes both paramount and gutwrenching, intertwined. Interestingly horrific!! Whatever do you mean, Orb? Blood, death, a standard horror-filled affair, and yet in this story, the relationships between people remained what I remember most. Briana N. Cox, author, delivers a poignant story about the doldrums of inequality in society, also focusing on the moral compass of individuals during grotesque times. Cox poured liquid emotion from a tap, handed me a glass, and said, “Don’t mind the shards of glass on the rim.”
👎 Orbs Cons: I fought this book as if an angry Mike Tyson had magically appeared, ready to do one minute of light sparring. My cranium constantly pummeled! Now, the prose, while creative, just felt somewhat clunky. It never remained easy to consume, and I was constantly backtracking to reread passages to gain an understanding of the intent. A strange phenomenon began to materialize, where the writing remained arduous, yet I found myself at a crossroads of wanting to finish a compelling novel. Orb doesn’t quit! I remained steadfast on my trail of misery and climbed the snow-ridden path all the way to the top. I am glad I finished the book until its conclusion, but I did hope for a sunnier stroll along the way.
Recommended! Perhaps these hiccups I experienced will sidestep you completely, resulting in an amazing experience. I can recommend with a small "beware" sticker in the corner!
💡 Orbs Epilogue: I lazily sat upon the rooftop of Leigh Pierce Estates with my college friend Xavier. Perched high above the concrete streets, we scanned for any “abnormalities,” people or persons who may not belong in this part of town. Xavier had told me about finding the body of a deceased woman last week and how the visions were haunting his mind. Xavier seemed abnormally distracted, as if he were an eagle searching for a fish in the ocean, his eyes displaying menacing desires that, if I’m being honest, made me feel a certain amount of discomfort. Abruptly, I let Xavier know my family was expecting me home for dinner shortly and that I needed to get going. “How about you stay and have dinner with my family?” Xavier suggested. I reluctantly accepted the invitation. Upon entering Xavier’s apartment, I heard the chain lock slide, metal scraping against metal in slow motion, and a strange smell of sanitizers hanging in the air….
Many thanks to the publisher, Briana N. Cox, for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
3.40 rounded down to 3🔮🔮🔮orbs
Est. Pub. Date: March 20, 2026
Briana N. Cox, Self-Published
The death of Orb…
💡 Orbs Prologue: Through a transparent tube, I float toward the snowballed brilliance of white. With a thud, I land as if a shoe has dropped. I awake… yet not quite. I hover in the corner of a quarantined section of the hospital, looking down upon a cadaver looking eerily similar to myself. Am I dead? Taking in more of the ominous scene, I watch two men in sterilized hazmat suits untangle my innards. My body lies in ruins. Fetid smells overtake the nasal cavities of all those cutting into my flesh in search of undesirable answers. By all accounts, my body should remain lifeless under the prodding. However, my vision is overtaken by snakelike movements, leading to an overstimulated situation succumbing to chaos. Cocking my head to the side, I notice slippery organisms dropping towards the cold, vinyl floor, yearning for purchase amongst the living. Searching for control, to feed an incessant hunger, a desire to be nurtured, cultivated. This is what “they” tried to avoid. Who are they, you might ask? Those in the know, government officials whose information remains stolen from the public's eyes, are treating the dregs of society as nothing more than laboratory rats. How did I get here, one might ask, and dear reader, I can tell you only what I can faintly remember….
🧐 A small glimpse: Xavier, resident maintenance man, lives in the low-budget housing location known as the Leigh Pierce Estates. People within its walls have become quite neighborly, and this living community does what it has to do to help each other to survive. Tenants' relationships remain close, so when some of the residents disappear, Xavier starts wondering where they have gone. Unbeknownst to everyone at Leigh Pierce Estates, drastic changes are forthcoming. Decisions that will leave residents stranded in search of an alternate living situation. With difficult times come new faces to the premises. A “family” has taken over one of the estate's apartments, but how did they come about seizing control? The complex is descended upon by detectives, looking to monitor the residents' health for strange changes and occurrences. As Xavier’s best efforts rise to the occasion, a new reality begins to unfold that surely has a “host” of undesirable consequences.
👍 Orbs Pros: Multiple POVs added different elements as the dreary world manifested. Emotional!! Lost beings in a hopeless world, attempting to survive something akin to an apocalyptic nightmare, living and breathing within the fatty tissues of flesh enveloping that which lies underneath. The meaning of family and its impact on the psyche to overcome traumatic events becomes both paramount and gutwrenching, intertwined. Interestingly horrific!! Whatever do you mean, Orb? Blood, death, a standard horror-filled affair, and yet in this story, the relationships between people remained what I remember most. Briana N. Cox, author, delivers a poignant story about the doldrums of inequality in society, also focusing on the moral compass of individuals during grotesque times. Cox poured liquid emotion from a tap, handed me a glass, and said, “Don’t mind the shards of glass on the rim.”
👎 Orbs Cons: I fought this book as if an angry Mike Tyson had magically appeared, ready to do one minute of light sparring. My cranium constantly pummeled! Now, the prose, while creative, just felt somewhat clunky. It never remained easy to consume, and I was constantly backtracking to reread passages to gain an understanding of the intent. A strange phenomenon began to materialize, where the writing remained arduous, yet I found myself at a crossroads of wanting to finish a compelling novel. Orb doesn’t quit! I remained steadfast on my trail of misery and climbed the snow-ridden path all the way to the top. I am glad I finished the book until its conclusion, but I did hope for a sunnier stroll along the way.
Recommended! Perhaps these hiccups I experienced will sidestep you completely, resulting in an amazing experience. I can recommend with a small "beware" sticker in the corner!
💡 Orbs Epilogue: I lazily sat upon the rooftop of Leigh Pierce Estates with my college friend Xavier. Perched high above the concrete streets, we scanned for any “abnormalities,” people or persons who may not belong in this part of town. Xavier had told me about finding the body of a deceased woman last week and how the visions were haunting his mind. Xavier seemed abnormally distracted, as if he were an eagle searching for a fish in the ocean, his eyes displaying menacing desires that, if I’m being honest, made me feel a certain amount of discomfort. Abruptly, I let Xavier know my family was expecting me home for dinner shortly and that I needed to get going. “How about you stay and have dinner with my family?” Xavier suggested. I reluctantly accepted the invitation. Upon entering Xavier’s apartment, I heard the chain lock slide, metal scraping against metal in slow motion, and a strange smell of sanitizers hanging in the air….
Many thanks to the publisher, Briana N. Cox, for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Indigent, by Briana Cox, is a dark, parasitic horror about the residents of Leigh Pierce Estates who are already on the brink and are desperately trying to claw their way out, in one way or another. Live-in handyman Xavier notices that one of the residents, Rashon Wilkinson, has recently passed away. After encountering the cause of Rashon’s death, Xavier finds himself with a terrible infection that causes him to develop a monstrous appetite. Soon, his new family and old family come to a head as he attempts to survive a society that threatens to push everyone off the edge.
I loved Xavier’s interactions with his mother. Leena attempts to imitate what a loving mother should be, only to fall short of what a true mother is. Shanice Coates isn’t the perfect parent, but she tries to give Xavier everything she didn’t have. She almost reminds me of my own mother-in-law in her resilience alone. And though Xavier’s unfortunate luck has led him to a terrifying corner, his infection continues to pin him in, she doesn’t give up. She tries her damndest. Their relationship mirrors the community that the residents of Leigh Pierce have built for themselves. There’s a healthy system of interdependence that the residents have with each other, a neighborhood that can (somewhat) make up for the lack of professional care. There’s a reason why so many mental health folks, myself included, ask someone at risk of suicide and/or homicide, “Hey, do you have someone you can talk to? Do you have someone (or something) to live for?” A lot of someone’s strength comes from the family they have and the friends they surround themselves with. Of course, the residents may keep to themselves more often than not, and soon, they’re about to be in hotter water than the boiling liquid that is their lives. But they are there for each other. Even down to Rashon, Xavier noticed, even if no one else did.
This sharply contrasts with the aforementioned Leena and her family. Leigh Pierce’s residents have to stay close to each other (affordable housing is hard to come by these days), so they choose to look out for each other; it’s easier to live when everyone is, at the very least, tolerant of each other. Cyril and Leena, on the other hand, take their children by force. Ari and Camille didn’t ask to be in this family. Leena has taken the worms’ hive mind and felt that this was family, that she has expectations and latches onto them, then heaps these expectations on others and wants them to follow. True, they're struggling on the fringes of society that millions of families in America go through. But there’s a fine line between teamwork and “I-love-you-because-of-the-worms-feasting-on-my-flesh.”
I worked at a community mental health center for a few years. I was also working with a couple of organizations that work with homeless populations and those who can’t afford insurance. Unfortunately, Xavier’s situation isn’t new. There’s a waitlist for many centers across Texas, and for providers who are willing to do sliding scale, their waitlist can sometimes be months long. And for anyone who’s worked in community health, things can go from bad to worse in a heartbeat. I’ve seen folks who have lost everything overnight; suddenly, the people who have made it a point to give to the less fortunate rely on the same systems they’ve supported. They find resilience in their struggles, and they do everything they can to survive. They find meaning, but that doesn’t make their lives any easier.
Even down to my family. Without revealing too much, my own folks had to rely on doctors and other providers who would take them for cash pay. And even with those appointments, they needed to be ready to shell out hundreds of dollars for 15-30 minutes. When my husband and I were switching health insurances, I didn’t realize we were choosing an affordable option that few doctors in our area even accept. So for a few months, we were stuck in the same situation. Did you know that a visit to the Urgent Care for two people is around $350? I didn’t. But now I do.
There were times it was hard to distinguish the parasites’ thoughts from our characters' thoughts, though I feel Cox made that very intentional. I loved how callous the doctors were, and how Dr. Michaels suddenly sprang to action, too little too late. I like the discussion questions after; they all remind me of the old adage, “The greatness of a nation can be judged by how it treats its weakest member.” Although it did take me a while to warm up to the book, it left a lasting impression that makes it worth multiple reads. As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and recommend it to readers who enjoy racial horror, impending apocalypses, and fans of the movie, The Crazies.
Indigent, by Briana Cox, is a dark, parasitic horror about the residents of Leigh Pierce Estates who are already on the brink and are desperately trying to claw their way out, in one way or another. Live-in handyman Xavier notices that one of the residents, Rashon Wilkinson, has recently passed away. After encountering the cause of Rashon’s death, Xavier finds himself with a terrible infection that causes him to develop a monstrous appetite. Soon, his new family and old family come to a head as he attempts to survive a society that threatens to push everyone off the edge.
I loved Xavier’s interactions with his mother. Leena attempts to imitate what a loving mother should be, only to fall short of what a true mother is. Shanice Coates isn’t the perfect parent, but she tries to give Xavier everything she didn’t have. She almost reminds me of my own mother-in-law in her resilience alone. And though Xavier’s unfortunate luck has led him to a terrifying corner, his infection continues to pin him in, she doesn’t give up. She tries her damndest. Their relationship mirrors the community that the residents of Leigh Pierce have built for themselves. There’s a healthy system of interdependence that the residents have with each other, a neighborhood that can (somewhat) make up for the lack of professional care. There’s a reason why so many mental health folks, myself included, ask someone at risk of suicide and/or homicide, “Hey, do you have someone you can talk to? Do you have someone (or something) to live for?” A lot of someone’s strength comes from the family they have and the friends they surround themselves with. Of course, the residents may keep to themselves more often than not, and soon, they’re about to be in hotter water than the boiling liquid that is their lives. But they are there for each other. Even down to Rashon, Xavier noticed, even if no one else did.
This sharply contrasts with the aforementioned Leena and her family. Leigh Pierce’s residents have to stay close to each other (affordable housing is hard to come by these days), so they choose to look out for each other; it’s easier to live when everyone is, at the very least, tolerant of each other. Cyril and Leena, on the other hand, take their children by force. Ari and Camille didn’t ask to be in this family. Leena has taken the worms’ hive mind and felt that this was family, that she has expectations and latches onto them, then heaps these expectations on others and wants them to follow. True, they're struggling on the fringes of society that millions of families in America go through. But there’s a fine line between teamwork and “I-love-you-because-of-the-worms-feasting-on-my-flesh.”
I worked at a community mental health center for a few years. I was also working with a couple of organizations that work with homeless populations and those who can’t afford insurance. Unfortunately, Xavier’s situation isn’t new. There’s a waitlist for many centers across Texas, and for providers who are willing to do sliding scale, their waitlist can sometimes be months long. And for anyone who’s worked in community health, things can go from bad to worse in a heartbeat. I’ve seen folks who have lost everything overnight; suddenly, the people who have made it a point to give to the less fortunate rely on the same systems they’ve supported. They find resilience in their struggles, and they do everything they can to survive. They find meaning, but that doesn’t make their lives any easier.
Even down to my family. Without revealing too much, my own folks had to rely on doctors and other providers who would take them for cash pay. And even with those appointments, they needed to be ready to shell out hundreds of dollars for 15-30 minutes. When my husband and I were switching health insurances, I didn’t realize we were choosing an affordable option that few doctors in our area even accept. So for a few months, we were stuck in the same situation. Did you know that a visit to the Urgent Care for two people is around $350? I didn’t. But now I do.
There were times it was hard to distinguish the parasites’ thoughts from our characters' thoughts, though I feel Cox made that very intentional. I loved how callous the doctors were, and how Dr. Michaels suddenly sprang to action, too little too late. I like the discussion questions after; they all remind me of the old adage, “The greatness of a nation can be judged by how it treats its weakest member.” Although it did take me a while to warm up to the book, it left a lasting impression that makes it worth multiple reads. As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and recommend it to readers who enjoy racial horror, impending apocalypses, and fans of the movie, The Crazies.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC via NetGalley. Thank you to Briana N. Cox for this copy.
Briana N. Cox’s Indigent centers on two families who are living in Leigh Pierce Estates. There is the young, live-in handyman, Xavier, and his mother, Shanice, and there is Leena, her husband Cyril, and their children. As residents begin disappearing as a parasitic infection breaks out within the complex, they deal with the situation differently. Xavier's infection becomes a burden for him as he is trying to find a better future for himself, while the infection unites Leena’s family through an unhealthy, horrific way of life. Soon, all these families’ lives intersect, and together, they spin out of control as they try to find stability amid the pressure of institutional neglect.
In telling a story about an urban plague, Cox conveys it through multiple consciousnesses. This narrative style can effectively depict characters who are losing their bodies and minds as they become further dissociated. It lets us invest in Xavier’s anxieties and his hunger, which only intensified as the infection’s side effects worsened. Meanwhile, we also read about Leena and Cyril as they adapt to their baffling definition of family unity. Cox creates a raw approach that lets readers put themselves in her characters’ minds as they deteriorate in an already deteriorating state. There’s also a lot of grotesqueness related to the infection, whether that be displayed through the appearances of these parasites or graphic, gory actions that are underlined by desperation and madness. Signs of the consequences that are caused by a broken healthcare system that serves as an enabler for the infection itself, as part of Cox’s social commentary on the topic.
I admired Cox’s approach to getting the reader into her characters’ psychologies, but I still hesitate when it switches between perspectives, which can be disorienting in following every one of them. With enough patience, I could easily understand the residents of the Leigh Pierce Estates and how they feel their conditions have forced them to do what they choose to do. It just took a bit of reading to understand the connections, and I found myself dreading the fates that could befall these characters.
Through body horror, Cox has allowed herself to craft a meaningful social commentary on the disparities of the healthcare system in marginalized communities through Indigent. I recommend this urban nightmare.
Briana N. Cox’s Indigent centers on two families who are living in Leigh Pierce Estates. There is the young, live-in handyman, Xavier, and his mother, Shanice, and there is Leena, her husband Cyril, and their children. As residents begin disappearing as a parasitic infection breaks out within the complex, they deal with the situation differently. Xavier's infection becomes a burden for him as he is trying to find a better future for himself, while the infection unites Leena’s family through an unhealthy, horrific way of life. Soon, all these families’ lives intersect, and together, they spin out of control as they try to find stability amid the pressure of institutional neglect.
In telling a story about an urban plague, Cox conveys it through multiple consciousnesses. This narrative style can effectively depict characters who are losing their bodies and minds as they become further dissociated. It lets us invest in Xavier’s anxieties and his hunger, which only intensified as the infection’s side effects worsened. Meanwhile, we also read about Leena and Cyril as they adapt to their baffling definition of family unity. Cox creates a raw approach that lets readers put themselves in her characters’ minds as they deteriorate in an already deteriorating state. There’s also a lot of grotesqueness related to the infection, whether that be displayed through the appearances of these parasites or graphic, gory actions that are underlined by desperation and madness. Signs of the consequences that are caused by a broken healthcare system that serves as an enabler for the infection itself, as part of Cox’s social commentary on the topic.
I admired Cox’s approach to getting the reader into her characters’ psychologies, but I still hesitate when it switches between perspectives, which can be disorienting in following every one of them. With enough patience, I could easily understand the residents of the Leigh Pierce Estates and how they feel their conditions have forced them to do what they choose to do. It just took a bit of reading to understand the connections, and I found myself dreading the fates that could befall these characters.
Through body horror, Cox has allowed herself to craft a meaningful social commentary on the disparities of the healthcare system in marginalized communities through Indigent. I recommend this urban nightmare.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had the very, very good fortune of first reading this book when I was working for an indie press as the acquisitions manager and the author submitted it to us. That was a while ago, so I sat down to reread the book and re-familiarize myself with the story and the characters.
Some things never change. As back then, I wound up reading this book in one sitting. I do feel that it is a book that commands your full attention because there are a lot of characters and a lot going on. That is not an insult, though; I consider it to be the highest compliment when a book just draws you in like that.
The writing was perfect. I loved the stream of consciousness type writing. I loved wondering when it was the person and when it was a parasite. It was so engaging and I will definitely be reading anything else that Briana writes with great eagerness. The story never felt rushed but never felt stalled either, always moving forward and keeping me guessing as to what would happen next. (Good thing I have a terrible memory, eh?)
I enjoyed the characters and found it spectacular that Briana could so well flesh out so many different people. Of course, it's no surprise that Xavier was my favourite character; I don't know how he couldn't be. He was a very, very enjoyable MC and whilst I found myself wanting the best for most of the cast, he was the one that I really, really wanted to come out stronger and better.
I cannot speak on the issues of race that was so heavily touched upon in this book other than to say that it definitely made me think a lot. The commentary both on race and poverty really sat with me. (The poverty one I could relate to. Housing like that, I could relate to. It felt so real and exact and I never once thought that Briana had no idea what was being written about.I trusted Briana entirely and was not disappointed.)
Overall, I cannot tell you how excited I am that this book is being published. I am eagerly keeping an eye on various websites to see when the preorder for the physical copy drops, because this is a book I need physically on my shelf. This is a book YOU need, either physically or in ebook format. Whilst this book is not a knock down, drag you by your hair kind of scary, it has an unsettling, creeping eeriness that will be eating at you for days to come and I think, personally, that's the best kind of horror there is.
Some things never change. As back then, I wound up reading this book in one sitting. I do feel that it is a book that commands your full attention because there are a lot of characters and a lot going on. That is not an insult, though; I consider it to be the highest compliment when a book just draws you in like that.
The writing was perfect. I loved the stream of consciousness type writing. I loved wondering when it was the person and when it was a parasite. It was so engaging and I will definitely be reading anything else that Briana writes with great eagerness. The story never felt rushed but never felt stalled either, always moving forward and keeping me guessing as to what would happen next. (Good thing I have a terrible memory, eh?)
I enjoyed the characters and found it spectacular that Briana could so well flesh out so many different people. Of course, it's no surprise that Xavier was my favourite character; I don't know how he couldn't be. He was a very, very enjoyable MC and whilst I found myself wanting the best for most of the cast, he was the one that I really, really wanted to come out stronger and better.
I cannot speak on the issues of race that was so heavily touched upon in this book other than to say that it definitely made me think a lot. The commentary both on race and poverty really sat with me. (The poverty one I could relate to. Housing like that, I could relate to. It felt so real and exact and I never once thought that Briana had no idea what was being written about.I trusted Briana entirely and was not disappointed.)
Overall, I cannot tell you how excited I am that this book is being published. I am eagerly keeping an eye on various websites to see when the preorder for the physical copy drops, because this is a book I need physically on my shelf. This is a book YOU need, either physically or in ebook format. Whilst this book is not a knock down, drag you by your hair kind of scary, it has an unsettling, creeping eeriness that will be eating at you for days to come and I think, personally, that's the best kind of horror there is.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Indigent is a horror stream of consciousness. Readers will see bones break, friends ache, and macabre deaths through this stream of thoughts and dialogue. This presentation of horror is interesting because it provides a first-person perspective into the events and you feel a pacing that never ends. The novel is fast paced by nature and it stirs up this string of anxiety through your bones. This is horror that does what horror is supposed to do – get under your skin and really make you think. Horror that is gut-wrenching and eerie to the core until you face the fears that society has conjured up.
This is a narrative about the need for a cultural reset and the way we tackle human rights and equality. Briana Cox is exceptional at highlighting key inequality and systemic racism that plague our real society with horrors. This is going to get under your skin and make you cringe from the sheer macabre detail – but you will not be able to look away. These are how these injustices are going to make you feel because the fiction is inspired by the unfortunate reality of the society. Society is scary when you think of all the ways it makes you look away from the very things that are harmful to society.
I love a narrative that forces you to sit with your thoughts as you navigate this stream of consciousness. That is what books are designed to be and this narrative is political by nature. It is well detailed and structured to force the readers into a place that may make them uncomfortable. The discomfort is what is going to stick with you and to force you to look at things you may be privileged to shy away from. A truly unique spectacle of a horror narrative I indulge you read this March! Thank you Briana Cox and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews, recommendations, and tarot readings, visit my blog, https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
This is a narrative about the need for a cultural reset and the way we tackle human rights and equality. Briana Cox is exceptional at highlighting key inequality and systemic racism that plague our real society with horrors. This is going to get under your skin and make you cringe from the sheer macabre detail – but you will not be able to look away. These are how these injustices are going to make you feel because the fiction is inspired by the unfortunate reality of the society. Society is scary when you think of all the ways it makes you look away from the very things that are harmful to society.
I love a narrative that forces you to sit with your thoughts as you navigate this stream of consciousness. That is what books are designed to be and this narrative is political by nature. It is well detailed and structured to force the readers into a place that may make them uncomfortable. The discomfort is what is going to stick with you and to force you to look at things you may be privileged to shy away from. A truly unique spectacle of a horror narrative I indulge you read this March! Thank you Briana Cox and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews, recommendations, and tarot readings, visit my blog, https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
January 20, 2026
Thanks to Briana N Cox and Net Galley for a copy of this ARC
You know a books gonna be good when its hook leaves you tense and a little confused. A girl alone in a strangers car. Not naive , but not afraid either. It only get grosser and more gory from there
Xaviers decent into a wriggling horror is heartbreaking. Cox takes the time to really flesh him out. You feel for him, understand him, and desperately want him to escape his newly infested home. How can you leave when you are infested too? As a protagonist you really couldn’t ask for much more. A tender and smart young man who routinely tries to reach out to others with kindness. His pain hurts and I felt myself hoping against hope that he’d somehow escape unscathed.
Indigent is a book that is has visceral horror at its surface that will satisfy a gore hound but is also chock full of symbolism and meaning ripe to dig around in. It’s confusing, painful and hits like a parasitic infection.
It did take me a bit to sort out the characters from each-other, and to keep the timelines strait but i did feel like there was a payoff for it
Cox really shines in the dialog. The conversations felt full and robust. Each character had a voice that felt uniquely their own
I want to re read this and annotate. I feel like this would be a great book for it !
Id recommend this to people who like the alien franchise, Root Rot by Saskia Nislow, thought the hive mind of sinners was the worst part of getting bit in sinners, and thought that nick cutters Troop just didn’t have bad enough worms
You know a books gonna be good when its hook leaves you tense and a little confused. A girl alone in a strangers car. Not naive , but not afraid either. It only get grosser and more gory from there
Xaviers decent into a wriggling horror is heartbreaking. Cox takes the time to really flesh him out. You feel for him, understand him, and desperately want him to escape his newly infested home. How can you leave when you are infested too? As a protagonist you really couldn’t ask for much more. A tender and smart young man who routinely tries to reach out to others with kindness. His pain hurts and I felt myself hoping against hope that he’d somehow escape unscathed.
Indigent is a book that is has visceral horror at its surface that will satisfy a gore hound but is also chock full of symbolism and meaning ripe to dig around in. It’s confusing, painful and hits like a parasitic infection.
It did take me a bit to sort out the characters from each-other, and to keep the timelines strait but i did feel like there was a payoff for it
Cox really shines in the dialog. The conversations felt full and robust. Each character had a voice that felt uniquely their own
I want to re read this and annotate. I feel like this would be a great book for it !
Id recommend this to people who like the alien franchise, Root Rot by Saskia Nislow, thought the hive mind of sinners was the worst part of getting bit in sinners, and thought that nick cutters Troop just didn’t have bad enough worms
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC for this book from NetGalley for free.
This book is about parasitic worms that take over human bodies, enter their brain and make them so hungry that they turn violent and cannibalistic. The story begins in an apartment complex where an infected family comes to find temporary shelter.
I personally really enjoy stories set in apartment complexes, especially if we get to follow a lot of different characters and their interactions. At the beginning we're introduced to a lot of different characters and I just loved reading about them. But soon after the book mostly focuses on our main character Xavier who gets infected and how the infected family wants to make him join their worm ridden nightmare existence.
I thought how the worms entered the hosts brain and even when moving to a new body, they kept some lingering memories from former hosts, was a really interesting idea and I liked how it was executed in the book.
I was kind of disappointed how little we followed some of the other characters in the apartment complex. I also found the stylistic choices of how the worm ridden characters and their thoughts were written a little annoying to read, even if I understood why the author decided to write them that way. Also I felt a little disappointed with the ending of the story as I expected something more grand.
Overall an interesting reading experience and I’m interested to see what the author comes up with in the future.
This book is about parasitic worms that take over human bodies, enter their brain and make them so hungry that they turn violent and cannibalistic. The story begins in an apartment complex where an infected family comes to find temporary shelter.
I personally really enjoy stories set in apartment complexes, especially if we get to follow a lot of different characters and their interactions. At the beginning we're introduced to a lot of different characters and I just loved reading about them. But soon after the book mostly focuses on our main character Xavier who gets infected and how the infected family wants to make him join their worm ridden nightmare existence.
I thought how the worms entered the hosts brain and even when moving to a new body, they kept some lingering memories from former hosts, was a really interesting idea and I liked how it was executed in the book.
I was kind of disappointed how little we followed some of the other characters in the apartment complex. I also found the stylistic choices of how the worm ridden characters and their thoughts were written a little annoying to read, even if I understood why the author decided to write them that way. Also I felt a little disappointed with the ending of the story as I expected something more grand.
Overall an interesting reading experience and I’m interested to see what the author comes up with in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Indigent” by Briana Cox had an interesting idea (and STUNNING cover might I add) but the story didn’t pull me in the way I had hoped…
I struggled to connect with the story and it was hard to stay focused in my opinion. This could just be my ADHD mind as it is hard to stay focused with some writing. 🧠
I definitely encourage other readers to give her work a try because it is so important to support POC queer authors!!! 🏳️🌈💓
I definitely will be giving her other pieces of literature a try sometime in the future! :D
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Briana Cox for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review📖🤗
“Indigent” by Briana Cox had an interesting idea (and STUNNING cover might I add) but the story didn’t pull me in the way I had hoped…
I struggled to connect with the story and it was hard to stay focused in my opinion. This could just be my ADHD mind as it is hard to stay focused with some writing. 🧠
I definitely encourage other readers to give her work a try because it is so important to support POC queer authors!!! 🏳️🌈💓
I definitely will be giving her other pieces of literature a try sometime in the future! :D
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Briana Cox for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review📖🤗
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The message is dark, emotional, bloody, and wiggling with horror which deserves praise. With that said I back tracked often to remind myself what was happening, but I was still getting lost with who was who often. I did enjoy the idea of what I was seeing play out when scenes were coming together for me. I've never read a book written in this style, so I don't want to hold that against the Author. I will revisit this book in the future because I want to restart the story with the knowledge I have now about how it is scripted. The elements and the idea behind the plot alone make this a great horror read regardless.
January 26, 2026
the cover and description of this book pulled me in immediately. the concept is so interesting but unfortunately i think there were too many POVs (especially towards the beginning) and the plot gets muddy and confusing in some parts. i spent a good long chunk of this book not knowing a single thing that was going on and kind of not really caring. i liked the concept of the parasitic infestation— how our characters are connected to each other and to past hosts. i wish there was a little more backstory on leena and cy though, it would have been interedting to know how this all started.
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