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Rottenheart
Not yet published
Expected 4 Jun 26Revenge me. For I am murdered . . .
Odette and Cecilia are young women, living between their grand homes in Hampstead and the imposing, ancient Herne House in Suffolk. Though Odette's artist mother Lydia keeps a tight grasp on her, she and her beloved Cecilia are mostly left free to roam, to learn and to love.
But when Lydia inexplicably sickens and dies, a dark veil falls. As the funeral rites are performed, Odette's aunt, the cold and implacable Claudine, increasingly takes charge of the household, while her father retreats to his study. Odette, lost in grief, disappears into the shadows.
But as Claudine is announced as Odette's new stepmother, a sinister presence in the house makes itself known. To her horror, Odette realises that despite her death, Lydia never really left. And now she wants revenge . . .
Inspired by Hamlet, the ultimate revenge tragedy, Rottenheart is the stunning new sapphic gothic horror novel from Kat Dunn, the lauded author of Hungerstone and Bitterthorn. Set in the 1890s, this a story of love and grief, mothers and daughters, death and madness.
Odette and Cecilia are young women, living between their grand homes in Hampstead and the imposing, ancient Herne House in Suffolk. Though Odette's artist mother Lydia keeps a tight grasp on her, she and her beloved Cecilia are mostly left free to roam, to learn and to love.
But when Lydia inexplicably sickens and dies, a dark veil falls. As the funeral rites are performed, Odette's aunt, the cold and implacable Claudine, increasingly takes charge of the household, while her father retreats to his study. Odette, lost in grief, disappears into the shadows.
But as Claudine is announced as Odette's new stepmother, a sinister presence in the house makes itself known. To her horror, Odette realises that despite her death, Lydia never really left. And now she wants revenge . . .
Inspired by Hamlet, the ultimate revenge tragedy, Rottenheart is the stunning new sapphic gothic horror novel from Kat Dunn, the lauded author of Hungerstone and Bitterthorn. Set in the 1890s, this a story of love and grief, mothers and daughters, death and madness.
464 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 4, 2026
10395 people want to read
About the author
Kat Dunn
8 books1,203 followersKat Dunn is the author of HUNGERSTONE (2025), BITTERTHORN, and the Battalion of the Dead trilogy:
DANGEROUS REMEDY, MONSTROUS DESIGN and GLORIOUS POISON.
She grew up in London and has lived in Japan, Australia and France.
She has a BA in Japanese from SOAS and an MA in English from Warwick. She’s written about mental health for Mind and The Guardian, and worked as a translator for Japanese television.
DANGEROUS REMEDY, MONSTROUS DESIGN and GLORIOUS POISON.
She grew up in London and has lived in Japan, Australia and France.
She has a BA in Japanese from SOAS and an MA in English from Warwick. She’s written about mental health for Mind and The Guardian, and worked as a translator for Japanese television.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
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November 28, 2025sapphic and Shakespeare inspired. say less.
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November 13, 2025Oh hello, what are you ?? More sapphic gothic books from Kat Dunn !? 👀
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October 14, 2025New Kat Dunn book? More sapphic Gothic horror? I can't wait!
February 28, 2026
“she loves and is loved in return” oh my sweet haunted lesbians
May 2, 2026
I’m gonna be honest - I have no prior knowledge of Hamlet, nor do I know what it’s about, so I went into this blindly and purely for my love of Kat Dunn.
Rottenheart was an immensely enjoyable read, tearing my heart out from grief at one moment, and then from pure and utter yearning from Odette and Cecelia the next. I felt myself connecting so deeply with the story during many moments as someone with a mother just like both Lydia and Penelope. Being so full of anger and wrath towards someone, but also love and understanding - it just consumes you at times, and confuses you all the same, and you wonder why your life is shaped around their happiness. It’s almost like I could hear her muttering the words they were saying.
I’m not sure why I chose late at night to read this each time, as the horror elements were genuinely terrifying at times. Kat Dunn was able to describe the ghastly Lydia so well that I was able to picture everything so vividly and so clearly, which I find a lot of authors have a hard time doing.
This is a book I will be RUNNING to buy when it is released, such a haunting, sorrowful, insanely messed up sapphic tragedy that made me feel like my heart is bleeding.
Thank you NetGalley and Zando for the ARC!
Rottenheart was an immensely enjoyable read, tearing my heart out from grief at one moment, and then from pure and utter yearning from Odette and Cecelia the next. I felt myself connecting so deeply with the story during many moments as someone with a mother just like both Lydia and Penelope. Being so full of anger and wrath towards someone, but also love and understanding - it just consumes you at times, and confuses you all the same, and you wonder why your life is shaped around their happiness. It’s almost like I could hear her muttering the words they were saying.
I’m not sure why I chose late at night to read this each time, as the horror elements were genuinely terrifying at times. Kat Dunn was able to describe the ghastly Lydia so well that I was able to picture everything so vividly and so clearly, which I find a lot of authors have a hard time doing.
This is a book I will be RUNNING to buy when it is released, such a haunting, sorrowful, insanely messed up sapphic tragedy that made me feel like my heart is bleeding.
Thank you NetGalley and Zando for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2026
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Holy god. I am a Shakespeare lover, and Hamlet is a particular favorite (I’ve watched as many adaptations of the tale as I can find). There is a dark magic woven into the tale of a prince driven mad by his father’s ghost to get righteous vengeance against his uncle…so what happens when Hamlet is not royal? What happens when Hamlet is a sapphic woman of mediocre standing in a world where women are dismissed, when the consequences play out on a much smaller board, but with repercussions every bit as painful? Enter: Rottenheart.
It took me some time to comprehend the flow of time in the novel, but once I got hold of it, I was engrossed. Odette and Cecilia are a beautiful, demented mess. Lydia’s ghost spends much more time with Odette than King Hamlet’s ever does with his son, and this allows for a chilling, deeper exploration of the idea that even the vengeful spirit of a lost parent can bring some twisted comfort to a grieving child. The villains are victims and the victims are villains; there is so much nuance injected into the story that I came out of it with some amount of sympathy for everyone involved (except George. I do not like George). The ending is at once sweet closure and a door thrown open. I’m so glad I have Hungerstone waiting at my library already…I need Dunn’s prose tattooed on my heart.
Holy god. I am a Shakespeare lover, and Hamlet is a particular favorite (I’ve watched as many adaptations of the tale as I can find). There is a dark magic woven into the tale of a prince driven mad by his father’s ghost to get righteous vengeance against his uncle…so what happens when Hamlet is not royal? What happens when Hamlet is a sapphic woman of mediocre standing in a world where women are dismissed, when the consequences play out on a much smaller board, but with repercussions every bit as painful? Enter: Rottenheart.
It took me some time to comprehend the flow of time in the novel, but once I got hold of it, I was engrossed. Odette and Cecilia are a beautiful, demented mess. Lydia’s ghost spends much more time with Odette than King Hamlet’s ever does with his son, and this allows for a chilling, deeper exploration of the idea that even the vengeful spirit of a lost parent can bring some twisted comfort to a grieving child. The villains are victims and the victims are villains; there is so much nuance injected into the story that I came out of it with some amount of sympathy for everyone involved (except George. I do not like George). The ending is at once sweet closure and a door thrown open. I’m so glad I have Hungerstone waiting at my library already…I need Dunn’s prose tattooed on my heart.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5/5✨
“We will love our mothers even when they starve us.”
Rottenheart takes a gothic, sapphic spin on Hamlet in the most devastatingly beautiful way.
All of Odette’s relationships are complicated. Her father George is aloof, her secret lover Cecilia is her live-in best friend, and her codependent mother Lydia is all-consuming of Odette’s affection.
Everything starts to fall apart when her estranged aunt, Claudine, arrives in their home. Her mother quickly becomes gravely ill and Claudine gradually usurps the as the matriarch of the home. Claudine and Lydia clearly have a messy past that no one will acknowledge. It eventually becomes clear that Lydia is dying, and Odette starts to panic. Her mother then dies under suspicious circumstances, and to everyone’s shock, her father marries Claudine shortly thereafter. Odette starts to unravel and see the ghost of her mother, who tells her she has been murdered. Odette sets on a mission to destroy everything around her, including her relationship with Cecilia. Cecilia worships Odette, but as Odette gets more wrapped up in her grief, that love feels forgotten. Tragedy begets tragedy as the search for answers to family secrets unfolds.
Dunn explores love and obsession from so many angles. What it is to have a mother whom you love (and hate?) so much she drives you mad even after she has died? How can you really ever separate when you used to be together in one body?
What if the love of your life had to be a secret? What if you realize your existence only means something if you can dedicate yourself to the person you love?
If you like a Victorian ghost story with a tragic end, I would highly recommend this.
Thank you to Kat Dunn and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“We will love our mothers even when they starve us.”
Rottenheart takes a gothic, sapphic spin on Hamlet in the most devastatingly beautiful way.
All of Odette’s relationships are complicated. Her father George is aloof, her secret lover Cecilia is her live-in best friend, and her codependent mother Lydia is all-consuming of Odette’s affection.
Everything starts to fall apart when her estranged aunt, Claudine, arrives in their home. Her mother quickly becomes gravely ill and Claudine gradually usurps the as the matriarch of the home. Claudine and Lydia clearly have a messy past that no one will acknowledge. It eventually becomes clear that Lydia is dying, and Odette starts to panic. Her mother then dies under suspicious circumstances, and to everyone’s shock, her father marries Claudine shortly thereafter. Odette starts to unravel and see the ghost of her mother, who tells her she has been murdered. Odette sets on a mission to destroy everything around her, including her relationship with Cecilia. Cecilia worships Odette, but as Odette gets more wrapped up in her grief, that love feels forgotten. Tragedy begets tragedy as the search for answers to family secrets unfolds.
Dunn explores love and obsession from so many angles. What it is to have a mother whom you love (and hate?) so much she drives you mad even after she has died? How can you really ever separate when you used to be together in one body?
What if the love of your life had to be a secret? What if you realize your existence only means something if you can dedicate yourself to the person you love?
If you like a Victorian ghost story with a tragic end, I would highly recommend this.
Thank you to Kat Dunn and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
(4.5 stars)
That line is on page 5 of the book and I knew instantly when I read it that this book was going to make me feral. I have absolutely no knowledge of the story of Hamlet outside of, well, the Lion King, so I had no idea what to expect from this story and even now couldn't tell you whether it "succeeded" as a reimagining. All I know is that I loved it.
While I was initially attracted to the sapphic element of the story, what I truly fell in love with was the relationship between Odette and her mother. The constant conflict within Odette between love and hate, between devastation at the loss of her and relief that she is gone. It was both compelling and stomach churning in equal measure and so incredibly well written. The haunting itself was tense and creepy and heartbreaking and I absolutely loved it.
Honestly, my only real criticism is that I wish it had stayed in Odette's pov. While I still loved Cecelia as a character, her story didn't grab me as much as Odette's, and there were a few things that were revealed early in Cecelia's pov that would have been much more impactful if we'd learned them later when they were revealed to Odette.
I still really enjoyed the relationship between Odette and Cecelia, and between all of the characters. I think this author has a real talent for writing complex character dynamics which are present in all of her books, but truly shine with this one.
Thank you so much to the publisher for the early access copy!
"How can she turn her mother away when she cries so? How can she, and not be a monster?"
That line is on page 5 of the book and I knew instantly when I read it that this book was going to make me feral. I have absolutely no knowledge of the story of Hamlet outside of, well, the Lion King, so I had no idea what to expect from this story and even now couldn't tell you whether it "succeeded" as a reimagining. All I know is that I loved it.
While I was initially attracted to the sapphic element of the story, what I truly fell in love with was the relationship between Odette and her mother. The constant conflict within Odette between love and hate, between devastation at the loss of her and relief that she is gone. It was both compelling and stomach churning in equal measure and so incredibly well written. The haunting itself was tense and creepy and heartbreaking and I absolutely loved it.
Honestly, my only real criticism is that I wish it had stayed in Odette's pov. While I still loved Cecelia as a character, her story didn't grab me as much as Odette's, and there were a few things that were revealed early in Cecelia's pov that would have been much more impactful if we'd learned them later when they were revealed to Odette.
I still really enjoyed the relationship between Odette and Cecelia, and between all of the characters. I think this author has a real talent for writing complex character dynamics which are present in all of her books, but truly shine with this one.
Thank you so much to the publisher for the early access copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A beautifully decaying story about love that refuses to let go even when it should. This is gothic horror at its most intimate and unsettling. The writing is lush without being overwhelming, and the atmosphere is one of the strongest I’ve read in a while.
The atmosphere is heavy, almost claustrophobic. You can feel the damp walls, the dim corridors, the sense that something is always just behind you. If you’re here for vibes, this absolutely delivers. But this is less a ghost story and more a story about what grief does when it’s left to fester. Odette’s relationship with her mother is the beating heart of the novel. Lydia isn’t just haunting the house she’s haunting Odette’s entire emotional world. The emotional horror is where the book really shines. The way love twists into control, the way memory becomes manipulation.
But the trade-off is momentum. Odette’s internal spiral is compelling, but it starts to loop into grief, confusion, obsession, repeat without much variation which did effect pacing. Though the pacing is definitely slow, but for me, it worked more often than it didn’t.
I also really appreciated the portrayal of Odette and Cecilia’s relationship. It’s messy, strained, and shaped by everything happening around them, which makes it feel real rather than idealized. There’s tenderness there, but it’s constantly under pressure.
Overall, Rottenheart is a beautifully written, quietly devastating gothic about grief, obsession, and the kind of love that doesn’t let you go, even after death.
The atmosphere is heavy, almost claustrophobic. You can feel the damp walls, the dim corridors, the sense that something is always just behind you. If you’re here for vibes, this absolutely delivers. But this is less a ghost story and more a story about what grief does when it’s left to fester. Odette’s relationship with her mother is the beating heart of the novel. Lydia isn’t just haunting the house she’s haunting Odette’s entire emotional world. The emotional horror is where the book really shines. The way love twists into control, the way memory becomes manipulation.
But the trade-off is momentum. Odette’s internal spiral is compelling, but it starts to loop into grief, confusion, obsession, repeat without much variation which did effect pacing. Though the pacing is definitely slow, but for me, it worked more often than it didn’t.
I also really appreciated the portrayal of Odette and Cecilia’s relationship. It’s messy, strained, and shaped by everything happening around them, which makes it feel real rather than idealized. There’s tenderness there, but it’s constantly under pressure.
Overall, Rottenheart is a beautifully written, quietly devastating gothic about grief, obsession, and the kind of love that doesn’t let you go, even after death.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC of Rottenheart by Kat Dunn.
Rating:3/5 stars
-Hamlet retelling
-Gender swapped
-Gothic horror
-Haunting/paranormal
-Sapphic
First let me say I am grateful for being able to read this ARC early. I absolutely loved Hungerstone. So when I heard there was another gothic sapphic retelling by Kat Dunn I was in.
As always Kat Dunn’s writing, brilliantly creates and weaves a gothic atmospheric haunting. This is a gender swapped retelling of Hamlet. I think lovers of Shakespeare’s Hamlet will really enjoy this retelling or for those who have not read Hamlet will still enjoy this gothic horror.
The only reason I gave it 3 stars is because parts of it seemed really slow to me and kind of dragged. Even though the time jumps are clearly labeled for me personally it just threw me. I’m not really sure why. It’s been so long since I’ve read Hamlet but I know there are time jumps in there as well. When the story is back into the present with the haunting, those are the parts I really liked. Accumulating with the confrontation at the end of the story. I don’t want to give too much away just in case a reader hasn’t read Hamlet. Overall solid read and for lovers of Kat Dunn’s other works I recommend it.
Rating:3/5 stars
-Hamlet retelling
-Gender swapped
-Gothic horror
-Haunting/paranormal
-Sapphic
First let me say I am grateful for being able to read this ARC early. I absolutely loved Hungerstone. So when I heard there was another gothic sapphic retelling by Kat Dunn I was in.
As always Kat Dunn’s writing, brilliantly creates and weaves a gothic atmospheric haunting. This is a gender swapped retelling of Hamlet. I think lovers of Shakespeare’s Hamlet will really enjoy this retelling or for those who have not read Hamlet will still enjoy this gothic horror.
The only reason I gave it 3 stars is because parts of it seemed really slow to me and kind of dragged. Even though the time jumps are clearly labeled for me personally it just threw me. I’m not really sure why. It’s been so long since I’ve read Hamlet but I know there are time jumps in there as well. When the story is back into the present with the haunting, those are the parts I really liked. Accumulating with the confrontation at the end of the story. I don’t want to give too much away just in case a reader hasn’t read Hamlet. Overall solid read and for lovers of Kat Dunn’s other works I recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating rounded up to 4,25⭐
In its exhumation of Hamlet's very core, ROTTENHEART shows the reader the definition of "what is grief if not visceral love that has nowhere to go?" and what happens when there is, in fact, a place for it to find home again.
How delicious it was to get swallowed whole by this story. I was completely enchanted by Kat Dunn's prose from the very beginning and how you could feel Odette's despair at every turn.
This is indeed a love story and how love can be turned into pure and raw madness that will get you to a point where you will do anything, including to kill. And yet, at the same time, love is also salvation, it is the one thing that undid Odette but also put her back together.
Throughout the entire book, I was completely consumed by Odette's anger and pain, her uncertainties, and her overwhelming love for Cecilia. I can say with enough confidence that Kat Dunn made a good job into transferring to ROTTENHEART the spine that carried Hamlet and that you will find joy in reading this sapphic reimagining.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC.
In its exhumation of Hamlet's very core, ROTTENHEART shows the reader the definition of "what is grief if not visceral love that has nowhere to go?" and what happens when there is, in fact, a place for it to find home again.
How delicious it was to get swallowed whole by this story. I was completely enchanted by Kat Dunn's prose from the very beginning and how you could feel Odette's despair at every turn.
This is indeed a love story and how love can be turned into pure and raw madness that will get you to a point where you will do anything, including to kill. And yet, at the same time, love is also salvation, it is the one thing that undid Odette but also put her back together.
Throughout the entire book, I was completely consumed by Odette's anger and pain, her uncertainties, and her overwhelming love for Cecilia. I can say with enough confidence that Kat Dunn made a good job into transferring to ROTTENHEART the spine that carried Hamlet and that you will find joy in reading this sapphic reimagining.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“She loves and is loved in return.”
Rottenheart is a story about grief, love, and the relationship between a mother and daughter that outlasts even death. Raw and moving, it was written with immersive prose that could truly transport you back to the 19th century. I’ve always been a sucker for gothic sapphic horror, and this definitely nailed the craving I’ve been having for that. Embarrassingly, I’ve had no interaction with Hamlet before this, so I can’t speak for its canon-compliant accuracy, but the plot itself had me hooked. I loved loved loved Cecilia and Odette, and it was such a joy to accompany them through the gradual decline of their relationship!!
The only issue I really have with this book is that I was waiting for the moment when George would be punished, but that never came. Still, the ending felt fitting and I would definitely recommend this to any other gothic horror enjoyers!!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando for the e-ARC!!!!!
Rottenheart is a story about grief, love, and the relationship between a mother and daughter that outlasts even death. Raw and moving, it was written with immersive prose that could truly transport you back to the 19th century. I’ve always been a sucker for gothic sapphic horror, and this definitely nailed the craving I’ve been having for that. Embarrassingly, I’ve had no interaction with Hamlet before this, so I can’t speak for its canon-compliant accuracy, but the plot itself had me hooked. I loved loved loved Cecilia and Odette, and it was such a joy to accompany them through the gradual decline of their relationship!!
The only issue I really have with this book is that I was waiting for the moment when George would be punished, but that never came. Still, the ending felt fitting and I would definitely recommend this to any other gothic horror enjoyers!!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Zando for the e-ARC!!!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you for the gifted copy
📚 Rottenheart
🖋️ Kat Dunn
✨ Standalone
🖤 This sapphic gothic horror set in the 1890s follows Odette as she reels from her mother’s death, only to realize her mother may not be gone at all and wants revenge. What makes this one special is the haunting mother daughter relationship at the center of it all. My favorite part was easily the push and pull in Odette’s grief, that mix of love, hatred, devastation, and relief felt so sharp and unsettling in the best way.
✨ Tropes & Vibes
🕯️ sapphic gothic horror
👻 haunting revenge story
🖤 grief and madness
🏰 eerie old house vibes
📚 Hamlet inspired retelling
💔 messy mother daughter relationship
📖 Read this if you like...
🌙 atmospheric gothic fiction
🖤 complicated female relationships
👻 heartbreaking hauntings
📚 literary horror with emotional depth
✨ sapphic historical stories
#Rottenheart #KatDunn #GothicHorror #SapphicBooks #BookReview @ZANDO
📚 Rottenheart
🖋️ Kat Dunn
✨ Standalone
🖤 This sapphic gothic horror set in the 1890s follows Odette as she reels from her mother’s death, only to realize her mother may not be gone at all and wants revenge. What makes this one special is the haunting mother daughter relationship at the center of it all. My favorite part was easily the push and pull in Odette’s grief, that mix of love, hatred, devastation, and relief felt so sharp and unsettling in the best way.
✨ Tropes & Vibes
🕯️ sapphic gothic horror
👻 haunting revenge story
🖤 grief and madness
🏰 eerie old house vibes
📚 Hamlet inspired retelling
💔 messy mother daughter relationship
📖 Read this if you like...
🌙 atmospheric gothic fiction
🖤 complicated female relationships
👻 heartbreaking hauntings
📚 literary horror with emotional depth
✨ sapphic historical stories
#Rottenheart #KatDunn #GothicHorror #SapphicBooks #BookReview @ZANDO
April 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy
Since Hungerstone was the absolute best book I read in 2025, Rottenheart was actually my most anticipated read of the year. I do believe that nobody does retellings quite like Kat Dunn and I constantly hope that more people discover the amazing author that she is. I hadn't ever read Hamlet nor did I know anything about it, so in preparation for Rottenheart I read it. I knew upon finishing it that it was not my favorite Shakespeare, so I think that might have been an indicator about how I would feel about a retelling of it. While I did enjoy the book and really enjoyed Odette as a character, I thought that the book was a little slow paced and could be quite confusing. I strongly recommend to anyone picking this book up to make a list of the characters as you meet them along with their relationships to each other. Once I started doing that, it was a bit easier to understand.
Since Hungerstone was the absolute best book I read in 2025, Rottenheart was actually my most anticipated read of the year. I do believe that nobody does retellings quite like Kat Dunn and I constantly hope that more people discover the amazing author that she is. I hadn't ever read Hamlet nor did I know anything about it, so in preparation for Rottenheart I read it. I knew upon finishing it that it was not my favorite Shakespeare, so I think that might have been an indicator about how I would feel about a retelling of it. While I did enjoy the book and really enjoyed Odette as a character, I thought that the book was a little slow paced and could be quite confusing. I strongly recommend to anyone picking this book up to make a list of the characters as you meet them along with their relationships to each other. Once I started doing that, it was a bit easier to understand.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Mothers and daughters. Mothers and daughters. Mothers and daughters. My God this book peeled back the layers of that relationship and played with all emotions possible.
I loved this book, loved the writing and the characters. The author gave me everything I hoped for; especially the gothic prose, it bled off the page and those haunting, ghostly moments were to die for.
My favourite part was the descriptions of grief, Odette was so broken and I thought it would consume me but then there were these moments of longing and yearning between Odette and Ceclia that balanced everything out so well. I will definitely say this book is heavy on the emotions, everything felt heightened for the characters which meant I was reeling but in a beautiful way.
Gothic, ghostly and full of grief, what more could I want. A truly stunning and visceral experience!
Release date: 4th June
*AD/Gifted @manilla_press thankyou my loves
I loved this book, loved the writing and the characters. The author gave me everything I hoped for; especially the gothic prose, it bled off the page and those haunting, ghostly moments were to die for.
My favourite part was the descriptions of grief, Odette was so broken and I thought it would consume me but then there were these moments of longing and yearning between Odette and Ceclia that balanced everything out so well. I will definitely say this book is heavy on the emotions, everything felt heightened for the characters which meant I was reeling but in a beautiful way.
Gothic, ghostly and full of grief, what more could I want. A truly stunning and visceral experience!
Release date: 4th June
*AD/Gifted @manilla_press thankyou my loves
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Est. Release Date: Oct 13, 2026
Stunning. Brilliant. Beautiful.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This sapphic reimagining of Hamlet brought ALL the tea. To me, this was definitely more domestic drama than I expected, but I really enjoyed it.
While I, admittedly, am not one who has much knowledge or experience with classical literature, I have been absolutely loving these reimaginings.
While Rottenheart maintains its ability to be incredibly easy to digest, there are also so many instances that either quote or nod to other pieces of classic works beyond Hamlet.The depth, layers and rollercoaster of emotions are truly amazing to see and unravel.
4.5✨️
Huge thank you to Kat Dunn and Zando for providing this eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏻
Stunning. Brilliant. Beautiful.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This sapphic reimagining of Hamlet brought ALL the tea. To me, this was definitely more domestic drama than I expected, but I really enjoyed it.
While I, admittedly, am not one who has much knowledge or experience with classical literature, I have been absolutely loving these reimaginings.
While Rottenheart maintains its ability to be incredibly easy to digest, there are also so many instances that either quote or nod to other pieces of classic works beyond Hamlet.The depth, layers and rollercoaster of emotions are truly amazing to see and unravel.
4.5✨️
Huge thank you to Kat Dunn and Zando for providing this eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏻
April 24, 2026
this was a wonderful exploration of grief, madness and how far we would go to get what we want.
kat dunn is unique at telling stories about women who want, women who desire more than what they have. this book is intoxicating, each thread so well crafted, each character so profound.
i don’t want to get into the details as i don’t want this to be long, but do yourself a favour and read this book. kat dunn never disappoints. it was an excellent hamlet retelling, and a breath of fresh air to the recent wave of feminist retellings. you can tell she had something to say, a plot to explore. not one word was wasted.
she has become one of my favourite authors now, i will be definitely waiting for her next book.
kat dunn is unique at telling stories about women who want, women who desire more than what they have. this book is intoxicating, each thread so well crafted, each character so profound.
i don’t want to get into the details as i don’t want this to be long, but do yourself a favour and read this book. kat dunn never disappoints. it was an excellent hamlet retelling, and a breath of fresh air to the recent wave of feminist retellings. you can tell she had something to say, a plot to explore. not one word was wasted.
she has become one of my favourite authors now, i will be definitely waiting for her next book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Hungerstone was an absolute delight of a read for me so naturally when I saw Rottenheart was available for an ARC, I had to hop on.
Rottenheart doesn't have the same intense female rage as Hungerstone, but the sapphic angst and paranormal/psychosis dance? Ugh. So good.
I don't always resonate with historical fiction, a cross over like this hits the mark.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rottenheart doesn't have the same intense female rage as Hungerstone, but the sapphic angst and paranormal/psychosis dance? Ugh. So good.
I don't always resonate with historical fiction, a cross over like this hits the mark.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you netgalley and Zando for the advanced eARC!
This was griping from the very start. Dunn's books always have a way of drawing me in and begging for more. The writing is not only beautiful but possessive, broody, and dark.
I was promised gothic horror and I was not disappointed! This story will surely haunt me and you.
Yet again, Kat Dunn doesn't miss!
4.5
This was griping from the very start. Dunn's books always have a way of drawing me in and begging for more. The writing is not only beautiful but possessive, broody, and dark.
I was promised gothic horror and I was not disappointed! This story will surely haunt me and you.
Yet again, Kat Dunn doesn't miss!
4.5
Want to Read
October 22, 2025I cannot wait for this!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review to come
April 25, 2026
3.5 stars would defo be more if I was more familiar with the story of hamlet
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