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All Things Devour
Is it the nature of monsters to be drawn to the dark, or is it fear which drives them to hide within its empty embrace?
All Theodore Villin has ever known is hiding from his own monsters—be that the feminine stranger he sees in the mirror, the sinful cravings that claw at the pits of his stomach, or the devil Father Thompson says has taken root in his very soul. His running never ends.
But when the abandoned manor atop Widow’s Peak is purchased at last, Theodore finds himself surrounded by monsters he does not wish to hide from. An artist who paints death and decay. A ghost being devoured by the wallpaper. And himself, whose monster lingers behind his teeth and waits.
He need only open his mouth,
and eat.
All Theodore Villin has ever known is hiding from his own monsters—be that the feminine stranger he sees in the mirror, the sinful cravings that claw at the pits of his stomach, or the devil Father Thompson says has taken root in his very soul. His running never ends.
But when the abandoned manor atop Widow’s Peak is purchased at last, Theodore finds himself surrounded by monsters he does not wish to hide from. An artist who paints death and decay. A ghost being devoured by the wallpaper. And himself, whose monster lingers behind his teeth and waits.
He need only open his mouth,
and eat.
Paperback
First published May 1, 2026
10 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Mawce Hanlin
4 books66 followers(They/Them)
Mawce Hanlin is a queer, neurodivergent author and editor with a Master’s of Arts in English and Creative Writing through Southern New Hampshire University.
When they aren’t writing, they’re playing D&D or hunched over some sort of creative project—whether that be digital art, cosplay creation, or whatever recent hyperfixation has sunk its claws into their brain.
Currently living in Oklahoma with their partner and fur babies, Mawce writes fantastical stories that focus on queer and disabled characters learning to love themselves, finding their people, and finding their home.
Mawce Hanlin is a queer, neurodivergent author and editor with a Master’s of Arts in English and Creative Writing through Southern New Hampshire University.
When they aren’t writing, they’re playing D&D or hunched over some sort of creative project—whether that be digital art, cosplay creation, or whatever recent hyperfixation has sunk its claws into their brain.
Currently living in Oklahoma with their partner and fur babies, Mawce writes fantastical stories that focus on queer and disabled characters learning to love themselves, finding their people, and finding their home.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 13, 2026
Thank you to the author for the ARC! I've been eager to read ATD the moment I saw the cover and the blurb.
The first 20% of the book had me crashing out in the best way possible. The language, the metaphors, the Gothic setting and themes, the way things were revealed about each character, and how they saw each other and those around them. Theo and Azizi talking about paintings and how the art is beautiful but there is nothing to see in it. Brilliant! I especially liked how Kolfina was introduced and how she observed Theo and Azizi, and her description of Mr. Allard made me kick my feet in delight because what is up with that man, tell me!
I'm a bit conflicted if I liked how all three main characters are artists but at the same time they had different art mediums and strengths and insecurities about their work. So it wasn't too redundant but all three of them had a macabre tone to their work. Theo writes dark fairytales, and Azizi paints carnage and gore, which made them a bit indistinguishable. While Kolfina composes piano pieces about being trapped like a caged bird, that added to the mystery around her and her death (and is foreshadowing to her future as a ghost). But with Theo and Azizi, I honestly didn't see why their work had to be dark and gory. I understand that Azizi is at her best when she explores such themes, but not how she discovered this is her domain. It also felt strange that members of a supernatural society called "The Macabre Court" were put off after seeing Azizi's gory paintings. Azizi's relationship with her siblings (especially Jonas) and her father was endearing, and I wish there was more about them as a family unit. The chapter with the different drafts of the letter to her father was amazing, brilliant storytelling, one of my fav chapters and usage of the epistolary!
Theo's relationship with his father was a welcome contrast to how the rest of the village treated him. I want to punch Louis in the mouth but, sadly, his was behaving exactly as you'd expect for someone in his situation. Father Thompson was also a bit of a cliche ye ol' priest who resorts to violence instead of forgiveness and understanding. The descriptions of him being a beast who "craves the violence of holy retribution" and how he looks at Theo as "not a soul to be saved, but a demon to be expelled", were really spot on. Theo's arc has multiple instances of where he's mistreated and beaten, and based on his hunger/beast (and the company he keeps), the reader is sure to expect some kind of retribution to fall Fritz and Father Thompson. However, once it happens, that retribution wasn't satisfying for me because there wasn't enough details to make sense of how we got to those scenes. How did Theo manage to get and drag Fritz in the woods when a few pages ago he was getting his ass wooped by him? Father Thompson just barging in Azizi's house and letting himself in (for a famous haunted house, people sure kept trespassing, huh), and as a result getting killed. I kinda wish neither of these losers had died because when we got glimpses of both Azizi and Theo's moral conundrums over killing them, you could see that they wanted to take their vengeance but the price wouldn't be worth it. Lastly, in terms of Theo, we never find out why he's the way he is. I suspect it might have something to do with getting lost as a kid and waking up in the forest that grants what you desire but why does he desire to eat flesh? The scenes where he was looking at the butcher and fantasising about eating him, or how he wants to eat his lovers, were very good. Everyone supporting Theo (including his father) and telling him to let go and live his life and that it doesn't matter what he is, is all fine and well but it feels unfinished... forgotten even to not get a resolution. He ends up looking less supernatural and more like a kid with a weird eating disorder who is lovingly referred to as "beasty". People don't just wake up and out of the blue want to eat raw meat, even in Gothic novels.
Meanwhile Kolfina's past and her marriage to Walden didn't also feel fully fleshed out. The focus (for some reason) was on the paranormal and metaphysical, instead of unveiling the mystery around her death. We never learn anything about her and Walden before they're married (they're both part of the Court but it doesn't sound like they knew about it which is a strange plothole to have). Then there's more telling than showing that the husband is gaslighting Kolfina and slowly driving her mad. I'm a sucker for when it turns out that the husband has a dark past and multiple secret marriages, but here the execution was poor, and Walden (literally) wearing a black robe while holding a knife and chanting in an unknown language....just took me out of it completely. There were some elements to the story and character's actions (and dialogue) that came off as goofy caricatures and the effect was more comical than thrilling.
Overall, ATD starts of promising, great usage of imagery, slightly unreliable narrators (who are either withholding information or can't remember), interesting cast where the main trio is different in their problems and ambitions. Despite the slight instalove, I do like their relationship and how once they got together they weren't glued together. They continued to pursue their interests and goals. I loved Theo describing Azizi in a way that could either mean she's some dangerous creature or an alluring lady of the house. I especially liked how nobody did the classic "that's just a legend, that kind of magic/creature doesn't exist" (while they're doing magic and/or are magic creatures themselves) when something new or unexplained happened. Everyone just went with it, and was there for the ride and vibes. Love to see more of that in the SFF genre! The guest appearance of characters from "The Skeletons in Our Closet" took me by surprise and I don't know the story behind this crossover but it was a fun Easter egg! ATD is a good dark fantasy/revenge tragedy, yet it didn't turn out to be the story I expected and my very-special-and-uber-pretentious-reader checklist I keep having every time I read contemporary. I'm curious to see what future projects the author has in store since I'm still haunted by some of the writing, there were a lot of bangers!
"I imagine my name etched into their skin by the shape of my hunger — my devotion."
"Memory is such a fragile thing beneath the weight of time, after all."
"She is nothing but colours on cotton, painted by someone who looked but could not see."
"Sometimes, I wonder if God is not some great, ineffable being who watches us from the heavens and judges our souls, but instead a feeling. An emotion. I wonder if he is the grief that doesn't quite fit within our bodies and floods the world in great, heaving sobs."
"(...) there is no warmth in willful ignorance and false acceptance."
"The wallpaper is so loud and the house is so quiet (...)."
"My love for them is a death of my own making. An undoing and a remaking."
"(...) I could lie to God, but I cannot lie to my father."
"Songbirds cannot swim, but oh, they are exceptional at drowning."
The first 20% of the book had me crashing out in the best way possible. The language, the metaphors, the Gothic setting and themes, the way things were revealed about each character, and how they saw each other and those around them. Theo and Azizi talking about paintings and how the art is beautiful but there is nothing to see in it. Brilliant! I especially liked how Kolfina was introduced and how she observed Theo and Azizi, and her description of Mr. Allard made me kick my feet in delight because what is up with that man, tell me!
I'm a bit conflicted if I liked how all three main characters are artists but at the same time they had different art mediums and strengths and insecurities about their work. So it wasn't too redundant but all three of them had a macabre tone to their work. Theo writes dark fairytales, and Azizi paints carnage and gore, which made them a bit indistinguishable. While Kolfina composes piano pieces about being trapped like a caged bird, that added to the mystery around her and her death (and is foreshadowing to her future as a ghost). But with Theo and Azizi, I honestly didn't see why their work had to be dark and gory. I understand that Azizi is at her best when she explores such themes, but not how she discovered this is her domain. It also felt strange that members of a supernatural society called "The Macabre Court" were put off after seeing Azizi's gory paintings. Azizi's relationship with her siblings (especially Jonas) and her father was endearing, and I wish there was more about them as a family unit. The chapter with the different drafts of the letter to her father was amazing, brilliant storytelling, one of my fav chapters and usage of the epistolary!
Theo's relationship with his father was a welcome contrast to how the rest of the village treated him. I want to punch Louis in the mouth but, sadly, his was behaving exactly as you'd expect for someone in his situation. Father Thompson was also a bit of a cliche ye ol' priest who resorts to violence instead of forgiveness and understanding. The descriptions of him being a beast who "craves the violence of holy retribution" and how he looks at Theo as "not a soul to be saved, but a demon to be expelled", were really spot on. Theo's arc has multiple instances of where he's mistreated and beaten, and based on his hunger/beast (and the company he keeps), the reader is sure to expect some kind of retribution to fall Fritz and Father Thompson. However, once it happens, that retribution wasn't satisfying for me because there wasn't enough details to make sense of how we got to those scenes. How did Theo manage to get and drag Fritz in the woods when a few pages ago he was getting his ass wooped by him? Father Thompson just barging in Azizi's house and letting himself in (for a famous haunted house, people sure kept trespassing, huh), and as a result getting killed. I kinda wish neither of these losers had died because when we got glimpses of both Azizi and Theo's moral conundrums over killing them, you could see that they wanted to take their vengeance but the price wouldn't be worth it. Lastly, in terms of Theo, we never find out why he's the way he is. I suspect it might have something to do with getting lost as a kid and waking up in the forest that grants what you desire but why does he desire to eat flesh? The scenes where he was looking at the butcher and fantasising about eating him, or how he wants to eat his lovers, were very good. Everyone supporting Theo (including his father) and telling him to let go and live his life and that it doesn't matter what he is, is all fine and well but it feels unfinished... forgotten even to not get a resolution. He ends up looking less supernatural and more like a kid with a weird eating disorder who is lovingly referred to as "beasty". People don't just wake up and out of the blue want to eat raw meat, even in Gothic novels.
Meanwhile Kolfina's past and her marriage to Walden didn't also feel fully fleshed out. The focus (for some reason) was on the paranormal and metaphysical, instead of unveiling the mystery around her death. We never learn anything about her and Walden before they're married (they're both part of the Court but it doesn't sound like they knew about it which is a strange plothole to have). Then there's more telling than showing that the husband is gaslighting Kolfina and slowly driving her mad. I'm a sucker for when it turns out that the husband has a dark past and multiple secret marriages, but here the execution was poor, and Walden (literally) wearing a black robe while holding a knife and chanting in an unknown language....just took me out of it completely. There were some elements to the story and character's actions (and dialogue) that came off as goofy caricatures and the effect was more comical than thrilling.
Overall, ATD starts of promising, great usage of imagery, slightly unreliable narrators (who are either withholding information or can't remember), interesting cast where the main trio is different in their problems and ambitions. Despite the slight instalove, I do like their relationship and how once they got together they weren't glued together. They continued to pursue their interests and goals. I loved Theo describing Azizi in a way that could either mean she's some dangerous creature or an alluring lady of the house. I especially liked how nobody did the classic "that's just a legend, that kind of magic/creature doesn't exist" (while they're doing magic and/or are magic creatures themselves) when something new or unexplained happened. Everyone just went with it, and was there for the ride and vibes. Love to see more of that in the SFF genre! The guest appearance of characters from "The Skeletons in Our Closet" took me by surprise and I don't know the story behind this crossover but it was a fun Easter egg! ATD is a good dark fantasy/revenge tragedy, yet it didn't turn out to be the story I expected and my very-special-and-uber-pretentious-reader checklist I keep having every time I read contemporary. I'm curious to see what future projects the author has in store since I'm still haunted by some of the writing, there were a lot of bangers!
"I imagine my name etched into their skin by the shape of my hunger — my devotion."
"Memory is such a fragile thing beneath the weight of time, after all."
"She is nothing but colours on cotton, painted by someone who looked but could not see."
"Sometimes, I wonder if God is not some great, ineffable being who watches us from the heavens and judges our souls, but instead a feeling. An emotion. I wonder if he is the grief that doesn't quite fit within our bodies and floods the world in great, heaving sobs."
"(...) there is no warmth in willful ignorance and false acceptance."
"The wallpaper is so loud and the house is so quiet (...)."
"My love for them is a death of my own making. An undoing and a remaking."
"(...) I could lie to God, but I cannot lie to my father."
"Songbirds cannot swim, but oh, they are exceptional at drowning."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to be given an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.
All Things Devour is a story of pain, belonging, and finding love within yourself and among others
Though gothic and dramatic, the story does not have a large high-stakes plot as much as it has strong subplots that are centraled on each of the three leads. Romance is also a central aspect of the story, and it's a beautifully developed medium-burn that allows the leads to support and love each other within their respective arcs, rather than emphasizing a will-they-wont-they tension that a slower burn story might have done.
Concerning the romance itself, I could very much appreciate how none of the pairs within the triad overshadowed the other, which is relatively common in other books that feature a poly romance. You could see why each of them fell in love with the other, and at no point were one of them ever on unequal ground.
As for the leads themselves, each of them had their time to shine in their own stories, which were:
Azizi, a vampire with an incredible talent and passion for art, who is struggling to regain her confidence in her work after a recent disaster (for me, her story was the weakest of the three though Azizi herself is an excellent character. I suppose its only fair that one of the three can have a calmer story to balance out the pure drama of the others.)
Theodore, a human who struggles as an outcast in his village for his otherness in his personal identity and for a violent, insatiable hunger he struggles to keep tamed.
And for who I would say was the star of the show - as much as there could be one in a novel like this - Kolfina, a ghost who cannot remember a single thing about her life before and is confined to her manor that is trying to trap her within its walls
Overall, the story was developed wonderfully, and the writing was pretty and smooth - I especially liked the inclusion of poetry snippets from Theodore's chapters. The pacing itself was also as well, though therein lies my only gripe with the book:
While the three subplots were balanced well, I felt that at times one point of view ended rather abruptly to continue with another nearly unrelated one. Sometimes it almost felt like the author waited until right at the moment for things to get exciting to switch the focus, so you are constantly hit with mini cliff hangers. While it got a bit frustrating at times, it was never enough to really take me out of the story, so it wasn't a big deal.
Overall, this was a great read with three-dimensional characters and a lovely romance that is totally worth the read.
All Things Devour is a story of pain, belonging, and finding love within yourself and among others
Though gothic and dramatic, the story does not have a large high-stakes plot as much as it has strong subplots that are centraled on each of the three leads. Romance is also a central aspect of the story, and it's a beautifully developed medium-burn that allows the leads to support and love each other within their respective arcs, rather than emphasizing a will-they-wont-they tension that a slower burn story might have done.
Concerning the romance itself, I could very much appreciate how none of the pairs within the triad overshadowed the other, which is relatively common in other books that feature a poly romance. You could see why each of them fell in love with the other, and at no point were one of them ever on unequal ground.
As for the leads themselves, each of them had their time to shine in their own stories, which were:
Azizi, a vampire with an incredible talent and passion for art, who is struggling to regain her confidence in her work after a recent disaster (for me, her story was the weakest of the three though Azizi herself is an excellent character. I suppose its only fair that one of the three can have a calmer story to balance out the pure drama of the others.)
Theodore, a human who struggles as an outcast in his village for his otherness in his personal identity and for a violent, insatiable hunger he struggles to keep tamed.
And for who I would say was the star of the show - as much as there could be one in a novel like this - Kolfina, a ghost who cannot remember a single thing about her life before and is confined to her manor that is trying to trap her within its walls
Overall, the story was developed wonderfully, and the writing was pretty and smooth - I especially liked the inclusion of poetry snippets from Theodore's chapters. The pacing itself was also as well, though therein lies my only gripe with the book:
While the three subplots were balanced well, I felt that at times one point of view ended rather abruptly to continue with another nearly unrelated one. Sometimes it almost felt like the author waited until right at the moment for things to get exciting to switch the focus, so you are constantly hit with mini cliff hangers. While it got a bit frustrating at times, it was never enough to really take me out of the story, so it wasn't a big deal.
Overall, this was a great read with three-dimensional characters and a lovely romance that is totally worth the read.
May 2, 2026
5/5. If, right now, you were to ask me what author lives inside my soul and never quite seems to leave its confines, I’d give you this one’s name. With my whole fucking chest. From the stunning and thought-provoking artwork interspersed between eloquent and rich storytelling, to the heart and devotion found woven in every line from beginning to end, every bit of it is worth more than any praise, adoration, or exaltation someone could ever give. No amount of screaming appreciation from on high would touch what each book I’ve read from them has done to me on a cellular level. I waited up for the release, and then only stopped reading when I fell asleep sitting up or had to answer to reality. I swear, someone needs to teach my family how to do things like cook and rinse a dish, because sometimes I just need to be left alone to sink into a story until I have no choice but to come up for air. And snacks. I put reality to bed, and spent every moment since engrossed, finishing near-enough to dawn to say I pulled an all-nighter, and I have zero regrets. I also have an unwavering obsession with these characters and wish they were real. I want to be friends with them, but that feeling is nothing new, considering I’m still hopelessly in love with the group from Under the Dragon Moon. Is it weird to think some authors deserve sainthood? Is that a thing? It should be. Aside from my creepy fawning, it could use a smidge of proofing, but nothing could make me give this book any less than what stars are available to me to give. That’s two fucking books in a row that have changed me, and I feel rather hopeful that’s some sort of luck I’ve never experienced but desperately want to latch onto and ride out. If you don’t take any other recommendations I give, trust me when I tell you it’s a you problem if you don’t take the one I’m offering to lose yourself in the brilliant imagination of this author. My eyeballs burn, I’m going to close the lids on them now.
February 24, 2026
4.5
I received an ARC from the author. Thank you!
CW: transphobia, deadnaming, moments of blood/gore, murder/dismemberment, and a wee bit of cannibalism.
This was a well-crafted story about, more or less, finding your people. A vampire, a “beast”, and a ghost all finding one another within a long abandoned manor and falling in love amidst trials in their lives.
It seems hard to believe that pacing was an issue in a book of this length, but Kolfina’s backstory felt a bit like it came out of nowhere about three quarters of the way through the book, and suddenly we learned some pretty pertinent information that perhaps should’ve been hinted at a bit earlier. It felt like throughout most of the book, she was simply there, before her past was really delved into.
Despite this one complaint, I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would definitely recommend checking it out once it releases!
I received an ARC from the author. Thank you!
CW: transphobia, deadnaming, moments of blood/gore, murder/dismemberment, and a wee bit of cannibalism.
This was a well-crafted story about, more or less, finding your people. A vampire, a “beast”, and a ghost all finding one another within a long abandoned manor and falling in love amidst trials in their lives.
It seems hard to believe that pacing was an issue in a book of this length, but Kolfina’s backstory felt a bit like it came out of nowhere about three quarters of the way through the book, and suddenly we learned some pretty pertinent information that perhaps should’ve been hinted at a bit earlier. It felt like throughout most of the book, she was simply there, before her past was really delved into.
Despite this one complaint, I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would definitely recommend checking it out once it releases!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
*Received an ARC from the Author*
All Things Devour is an achingly beautiful book, one that I'll think for for a long time coming. It is unashamed to look into blood and decay to see the beauty within.
The prose and writing really swept me away at times. (I have so many highlights!!)
The characters spring to life and you can feel their struggles and desperation as if they were your own. Theodore, Azizi, and Kolfina hold a special place in my heart and they deserve the world!! Their dynamic is so sweet and really lovely to watch unfold. (also the spice...emotional and raw in the best way)
Themes of self acceptance, being truly seen, and finding your people really hits. Sprinkle in realizing the 'otherness' within you that you thought could only be weakness but really it was one of your greatest strengths? chefs kiss!
Devour the world and all it has to offer, all you have to do it take that first bite
All Things Devour is an achingly beautiful book, one that I'll think for for a long time coming. It is unashamed to look into blood and decay to see the beauty within.
The prose and writing really swept me away at times. (I have so many highlights!!)
The characters spring to life and you can feel their struggles and desperation as if they were your own. Theodore, Azizi, and Kolfina hold a special place in my heart and they deserve the world!! Their dynamic is so sweet and really lovely to watch unfold. (also the spice...emotional and raw in the best way)
Themes of self acceptance, being truly seen, and finding your people really hits. Sprinkle in realizing the 'otherness' within you that you thought could only be weakness but really it was one of your greatest strengths? chefs kiss!
Devour the world and all it has to offer, all you have to do it take that first bite
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the second book from Mawce Hanlin I read and I really love their writing style. I'm so happy to have gone beyond my fear of a certain trope (I usually don't like anything about cannibalism but this is not a book about cannibalism, it's one of the themes yes but there's so much more) because this book is FABULOUS.
I don't know what I can say, I'm an emotional mess since I finished it.
Each of the 3 main characters pulled me within them, I feel like I lived the story with them. I can feel, I can touch their feelings, this is so immersive.
The atmosphere is haunting like a vibration in your core. The characters are so well fleshed out, even the secondary ones.
I loved so much the relationships, the inner growth and self understanding via art and connection.
I want to live with them in the château! I live in France do I'll find it 🤣
Thank you, thank you, thank youuuu Mawce Hanlin for the ARC.
I don't know what I can say, I'm an emotional mess since I finished it.
Each of the 3 main characters pulled me within them, I feel like I lived the story with them. I can feel, I can touch their feelings, this is so immersive.
The atmosphere is haunting like a vibration in your core. The characters are so well fleshed out, even the secondary ones.
I loved so much the relationships, the inner growth and self understanding via art and connection.
I want to live with them in the château! I live in France do I'll find it 🤣
Thank you, thank you, thank youuuu Mawce Hanlin for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was incredible. I generally read quickly but this one was one I had to savor because it was decadent.
I fell in love with each of the characters and their stories were moving and haunting.
The way Mawce wrote about the rejection and violence Theodore faced was so deep.
Their writing makes me feel so entranced that I feel the emotions deep in my own body.
There are so many great quotes and I can talk in length about how this book moved me, the love and admiration between the characters was so strong even in the direct face of their deepest fears.
Definitely read this one!
I fell in love with each of the characters and their stories were moving and haunting.
The way Mawce wrote about the rejection and violence Theodore faced was so deep.
Their writing makes me feel so entranced that I feel the emotions deep in my own body.
There are so many great quotes and I can talk in length about how this book moved me, the love and admiration between the characters was so strong even in the direct face of their deepest fears.
Definitely read this one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Please know that I would give (and will be giving) a 4.5 if I could.
There's a lot of really intriguing threads at play here, from religious trauma to having to legitimately ask if relations with a possessed corpse is still necrophilia and if you care. Multiple character PoVs are really difficult to pull off in novels, and I am pleased to say that all the PoV characters are well fleshed out, without the typical pitfall of Clearly The Favorite having the best chapters with the others left in the lurch. Also, a polycule without stupid jealousy?? Let's go, this book has that too.
A quite lovely, Gothic little time, even for someone like me who is a little skittish with gore and the like.
The author has told us that the final copy is expected to have internal illustrations as well, which I am sure will only make this book more worth buying.
Please know that I would give (and will be giving) a 4.5 if I could.
There's a lot of really intriguing threads at play here, from religious trauma to having to legitimately ask if relations with a possessed corpse is still necrophilia and if you care. Multiple character PoVs are really difficult to pull off in novels, and I am pleased to say that all the PoV characters are well fleshed out, without the typical pitfall of Clearly The Favorite having the best chapters with the others left in the lurch. Also, a polycule without stupid jealousy?? Let's go, this book has that too.
A quite lovely, Gothic little time, even for someone like me who is a little skittish with gore and the like.
The author has told us that the final copy is expected to have internal illustrations as well, which I am sure will only make this book more worth buying.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mawce Hanlin’s All Things Devour is a lyrical, evocative, and visceral love letter to Gothic literature. It very much evokes the sublime; everything is heightened and in florid, grotesquely beautiful detail. The characters are vicious and monstrous, and like one character paints macabre portraits, Hanlin paints a vivid atmosphere. There is also a tenderness throughout the narrative, too. The haunted setting is alive with its own story and past tragedies. If you want to read something with bite and a Gothic flourish, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mawce Hanlin's All Things Devour is romantically haunting, poetically stunning, and will strike a visceral chord with anyone who has ever hungered for a taste of belonging. Theo, Azizi, and Kolfina are each brilliantly crafted and Hanlin brings them to life in a way that will leave you yearning to witness their respective arts with your own senses. This is a triumphant work of gothic romance that I could not put down!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an early copy of this book for the purpose of writing a blurb. Many thanks to Mawce for the ARC!
ALL THINGS DEVOUR is a story of otherness as freedom, finding support and love in the most unlikely communities, and art as fulfilment. Drenched in emotions and draped in lyrical prose; ALL THINGS DEVOUR is a catharsis of being different–and being loved for it.
May 5, 2026
This is so poetic that now I can hark to reality’s songs
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews