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The Slow Unpeeling: A Splatterpunk Body Horror Novella
Jacob feels invisible and undesirable.
All he wanted was to settle down and instead he finds himself stuck.
Unhappy with where he's at he takes drastic action.
This is a full frontal, splatterpunk body horror.
All he wanted was to settle down and instead he finds himself stuck.
Unhappy with where he's at he takes drastic action.
This is a full frontal, splatterpunk body horror.
- GenresHorrorSplatterpunk
42 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 16, 2026
3.5 stars. I think that Jacob here and my lead, Chuck, from Last Meal would have much to discuss. This was really gory and will appease fans of body horror to the utmost degree. Now, having a history of self harm and knowing the mindset that put me into that funk for many years, I appreciated the plot points introduced by the author. Blaming yourself for everything and taking all your anger, frustration, and depression out on your body. It’s what I said, how I look, how I acted….me, me, me. Because it allows you to feel like you’re in control when, in reality, you’re not. Again, loved the depth here and it was orchestrated in a way to be accurate while still a bit theatrical, too. My main critiques here are focused around the brevity, quick pacing, and lack of established POV at several points. Nothing that took away from the experience, but, with some tweaks to all those aforementioned points, it would have taken this from good to great. Still enjoyable for any brand of gorehounds.
March 25, 2026
You know that feeling when you’re not comfortable in your own skin? That’s how Jacob feels. After noticing his body changing, he decides to deal with it… layer by layer.
The Slow Unpeeling is the story of a man with a rough past, as in an unhappy childhood, a failed relationship, and now the creeping realisation that he’s getting older, something he hasn’t yet come to terms with. So Jacob decides to take control of his life, starting with his body.
This book will make your skin crawl, and as the main character lets his intrusive thoughts take over, he becomes increasingly numb, delivering visceral and graphic scenes, but yet in some twisted way, mesmerising.
It also explores themes like mental health, loneliness, self esteem, and desperation, all wrapped up in a really emotional story with some intense body horror.
All of this in just 42 pages that will stick in your head for a long time.
…or just leave you staring at the wall.
Either way, KD did a phenomenal job!
This review and more here:
Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube
The Slow Unpeeling is the story of a man with a rough past, as in an unhappy childhood, a failed relationship, and now the creeping realisation that he’s getting older, something he hasn’t yet come to terms with. So Jacob decides to take control of his life, starting with his body.
This book will make your skin crawl, and as the main character lets his intrusive thoughts take over, he becomes increasingly numb, delivering visceral and graphic scenes, but yet in some twisted way, mesmerising.
It also explores themes like mental health, loneliness, self esteem, and desperation, all wrapped up in a really emotional story with some intense body horror.
All of this in just 42 pages that will stick in your head for a long time.
…or just leave you staring at the wall.
Either way, KD did a phenomenal job!
This review and more here:
Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube
June 1, 2026
Great body horror and commentary on what low-self esteem/insecurities/trauma can do to you! I just wish it would've pushed it a little further, but I loved the very ending, it took a turn I did not expect!
April 12, 2026
S tier body horror and a short but meaningful story
This one definitely resonates with me as a former cutter, this truly is how I felt at times when my depression was very bad, how you feel you can be different but this is the only way. This was fantastic and there's nothing I love more than a short what the fuck read. Self mutilation in extreme horror/ splatterpunk is something i always look for and read because it reminds me alot of my struggles and how I overcame them but let's be honest, it never goes away but we can always try to be the best versions of ourselves. It's not easy as just "oh dont do that" its not like that at all. It's hard, its a daily struggle and when you have other things going on along with it then its room for more problems. KD Davies Author delivered a fantastic, gorey and sad novella with this one. The ending was a unexpected also in my honest opinion. This gets a 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ its brutal but has meaning, its a fantastic read.
This one definitely resonates with me as a former cutter, this truly is how I felt at times when my depression was very bad, how you feel you can be different but this is the only way. This was fantastic and there's nothing I love more than a short what the fuck read. Self mutilation in extreme horror/ splatterpunk is something i always look for and read because it reminds me alot of my struggles and how I overcame them but let's be honest, it never goes away but we can always try to be the best versions of ourselves. It's not easy as just "oh dont do that" its not like that at all. It's hard, its a daily struggle and when you have other things going on along with it then its room for more problems. KD Davies Author delivered a fantastic, gorey and sad novella with this one. The ending was a unexpected also in my honest opinion. This gets a 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ its brutal but has meaning, its a fantastic read.
May 20, 2026
Wildly unsettling and visceral with a load of emotional trauma
March 24, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮
🌶️ - 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
🔥🔥🔥 - 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽
🩸🩸🩸 - 𝓰𝓸𝓻𝓮
🖤 𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼🖤
Jacob & Claire
🖤 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼🖤
📕overgrown body hair
📕filth-covered living spaces
📕grotesque descriptions
📕potato peeler
📕excessive gore
🖤 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀🖤
I was reading this and started to feel the pain Jacob was causing himself while repeatedly trying to make himself more presentable. It’s a book with a lot of symbolism around depression, using his lifestyle as a metaphor for the overwhelming flood of melancholy. This book goes from zero to a hundred real quick once he discovers his body hair so be prepared for the sickening details Davies puts the readers through. This is body horror for the ones that have strong stomachs.
*spoilers*
Jacob lives alone in his solitude of filth after his girlfriend of three years drops him after deciding she wasn’t ready for the commitment. The thing he longed most. Having a family of his own. Now, he stays in a disgusting household of rot with his dog, Buddy.
Feeling revolted on his appearance and smell, often repeating that it was his downfall that pushed her away. You can really hear the remorse in his thoughts about wha he could have, or should have done in order for her to have stayed. The emotional heartache made him become the person he didn’t want to become. His parents. See, they were atrocious to him growing up. Always strung out on drugs while he starved. The school offered him free dinners but the kids would make jokes at him over it.
But back to the body hair. See, every time he attempts to shave the hair, it grows back quicker and leaves bloody welts on his skin that pulsate with agony. But he continues to try to clear his body in order to like himself again. To make it possible for him to still get the dream he’s always wanted of a family of his own. And when his trusted electric shaver breaks down, he turns towards a potato peeler to help rid himself of the vastly growing hair. But it doesn’t stop there with the endless self-torture… it gets undoubtedly worse.
This book is like that scene from Martyrs (2008), if the main character skinned herself alive. It’s unnerving. Deeply disturbing. With a climactic scene you can’t peel your eyes away from. It’s 40 pages of utter chaos with an ending so bizarrely bleak, you won’t feel it coming. As my first read from Davies, it definitely won’t be my last. Satisfyingly good on the gore department.
🌶️ - 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
🔥🔥🔥 - 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽
🩸🩸🩸 - 𝓰𝓸𝓻𝓮
🖤 𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼🖤
Jacob & Claire
🖤 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼🖤
📕overgrown body hair
📕filth-covered living spaces
📕grotesque descriptions
📕potato peeler
📕excessive gore
🖤 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀🖤
I was reading this and started to feel the pain Jacob was causing himself while repeatedly trying to make himself more presentable. It’s a book with a lot of symbolism around depression, using his lifestyle as a metaphor for the overwhelming flood of melancholy. This book goes from zero to a hundred real quick once he discovers his body hair so be prepared for the sickening details Davies puts the readers through. This is body horror for the ones that have strong stomachs.
*spoilers*
Jacob lives alone in his solitude of filth after his girlfriend of three years drops him after deciding she wasn’t ready for the commitment. The thing he longed most. Having a family of his own. Now, he stays in a disgusting household of rot with his dog, Buddy.
Feeling revolted on his appearance and smell, often repeating that it was his downfall that pushed her away. You can really hear the remorse in his thoughts about wha he could have, or should have done in order for her to have stayed. The emotional heartache made him become the person he didn’t want to become. His parents. See, they were atrocious to him growing up. Always strung out on drugs while he starved. The school offered him free dinners but the kids would make jokes at him over it.
But back to the body hair. See, every time he attempts to shave the hair, it grows back quicker and leaves bloody welts on his skin that pulsate with agony. But he continues to try to clear his body in order to like himself again. To make it possible for him to still get the dream he’s always wanted of a family of his own. And when his trusted electric shaver breaks down, he turns towards a potato peeler to help rid himself of the vastly growing hair. But it doesn’t stop there with the endless self-torture… it gets undoubtedly worse.
This book is like that scene from Martyrs (2008), if the main character skinned herself alive. It’s unnerving. Deeply disturbing. With a climactic scene you can’t peel your eyes away from. It’s 40 pages of utter chaos with an ending so bizarrely bleak, you won’t feel it coming. As my first read from Davies, it definitely won’t be my last. Satisfyingly good on the gore department.
June 15, 2026
Jacob is sent spiraling into a severe depression after Claire leaves him, and no matter how much time passes, it never fades, becomes better or even bearable. Jacob is plagued with thoughts of a life he'll never have - the simple things all his friends take for granted - kids, spouse, a shared life.
Jacob let his apartment fall into filth, and has let himself go, as well. One day, he finally decides to try and tackle his overgrown body hair, but the instant he shaves it off, it regrows thicker - the razor taking his skin off with it. Eventually he throws it, breaking it in frustration. He goes to the kitchen and finds a potato peeler. With this, he's able to make some real progress! He likes what he's beginning to see. When this dulls, he goes for the electric carving knife... Eventually people report Jacob missing, and Claire and her colleagues find the brutal scene. Claire is not devastated, or horrified - in fact, she loves the gore and artistry of it all.
-----------------
My first story by this author - very short and quick. Definitely gross and entertaining. You can't help but feel for Jacob, who only wanted someone to share his life, and build a family with. Looking forward to something maybe full-length next time!
Jacob let his apartment fall into filth, and has let himself go, as well. One day, he finally decides to try and tackle his overgrown body hair, but the instant he shaves it off, it regrows thicker - the razor taking his skin off with it. Eventually he throws it, breaking it in frustration. He goes to the kitchen and finds a potato peeler. With this, he's able to make some real progress! He likes what he's beginning to see. When this dulls, he goes for the electric carving knife... Eventually people report Jacob missing, and Claire and her colleagues find the brutal scene. Claire is not devastated, or horrified - in fact, she loves the gore and artistry of it all.
-----------------
My first story by this author - very short and quick. Definitely gross and entertaining. You can't help but feel for Jacob, who only wanted someone to share his life, and build a family with. Looking forward to something maybe full-length next time!
July 18, 2026
The Slow Unpeeling - K. D. Davies
This book is incredibly well written and descriptive. It’s unsettling and sad and the author showcases what it’s like to be in a depressive episode and you have insecurities. It’s a really interesting book and I would honestly love to see a sequel because I do think it would be interesting to see how life has progressed after Jacob.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
# of Pages 🌙 42 Pages
Release Date 🌟 3/29/26
Format 💫 Digital
Series 🌙 Not Applicable/Unknown
Genre/Tropes ✨ Splatterpunk, body horror, horror
Favorite Character ☀️ Jacob
Favorite Line 🌟 ‘The thought of aging terrified him. He hadn’t settled down despite wanting to, and his biological clock was ticking ever closer to death, denying him the chance of procreating.’
This book is incredibly well written and descriptive. It’s unsettling and sad and the author showcases what it’s like to be in a depressive episode and you have insecurities. It’s a really interesting book and I would honestly love to see a sequel because I do think it would be interesting to see how life has progressed after Jacob.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
# of Pages 🌙 42 Pages
Release Date 🌟 3/29/26
Format 💫 Digital
Series 🌙 Not Applicable/Unknown
Genre/Tropes ✨ Splatterpunk, body horror, horror
Favorite Character ☀️ Jacob
Favorite Line 🌟 ‘The thought of aging terrified him. He hadn’t settled down despite wanting to, and his biological clock was ticking ever closer to death, denying him the chance of procreating.’
June 15, 2026
3.5 stars
This one was good ~ it was short & sweet and packed full of gore & body horror. I listened to the audio for this & I enjoyed the narrator, but I was torn on whether to rate this book 3.5 or 4 stars. while I enjoyed the overall story, i wish it had juuuust a little bit more to it to round it out a bit more, which is why I’m rating it 3.5. However, I did really like the ending & it was not something I expected, so that was fun to stumble across. Despite my rating, I would recommend this book to others who are wanting a quick & gross story, and I’d recommend the audio version as well.
This one was good ~ it was short & sweet and packed full of gore & body horror. I listened to the audio for this & I enjoyed the narrator, but I was torn on whether to rate this book 3.5 or 4 stars. while I enjoyed the overall story, i wish it had juuuust a little bit more to it to round it out a bit more, which is why I’m rating it 3.5. However, I did really like the ending & it was not something I expected, so that was fun to stumble across. Despite my rating, I would recommend this book to others who are wanting a quick & gross story, and I’d recommend the audio version as well.
June 15, 2026
It had a weirdly great explanation of what trauma and depression can do to a person. I wish for the ‘peeling’ parts of the book to be a bit more crazy, but I guess that was more left for the ending. Speaking of which, I am a little conflicted about. It was a great plot twist per se, but at the same time it also felt a little random. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it.
June 5, 2026
Ok so I love a good disgusting read and this one was it. There is not much that really makes me sick to my stomach but one scene in this actually made me gag 🤢 if body horror is your thing, this is the book for you
April 10, 2026
The first body dysmorphia novella I have ever read and it didn’t disappoint with gore and grossness!
May 27, 2026
This was wild. Just his sheer willpower to power through doing this to himself was insane. And definitely earned this book an extra star.
I also loved the ending and with the doggo. 🥰
3.5-3.8
I also loved the ending and with the doggo. 🥰
3.5-3.8
July 18, 2026
The Slow Unpeeling by K.D. Davies was a solid splatterpunk horror read that delivers plenty of gore while also exploring deeper themes of body dysmorphia and insecurity.
What stood out to me was how the horror tied into the main character's struggles with self-image, especially in the aftermath of a breakup. The emotional wounds felt just as important as the physical ones, and the story does a good job showing how insecurities can consume someone when they're already vulnerable.
As expected from splatterpunk, this book doesn't hold back. The graphic scenes are brutal and unsettling, but they serve the story rather than feeling like shock value for the sake of it. Beneath all the blood and body horror is a character dealing with self-worth, rejection, and the desire to become someone else.
The ending caught me completely off guard. I thought I had a pretty good idea of where things were headed, but the final reveal changed everything. It also left me wondering if K.D. Davies is planning a sequel because it feels like there's still more story to tell. I'd definitely pick up a follow-up if one gets announced.
If you're a fan of splatterpunk that mixes graphic horror with themes of body image, insecurity, and the aftermath of heartbreak, The Slow Unpeeling is worth checking out.
What stood out to me was how the horror tied into the main character's struggles with self-image, especially in the aftermath of a breakup. The emotional wounds felt just as important as the physical ones, and the story does a good job showing how insecurities can consume someone when they're already vulnerable.
As expected from splatterpunk, this book doesn't hold back. The graphic scenes are brutal and unsettling, but they serve the story rather than feeling like shock value for the sake of it. Beneath all the blood and body horror is a character dealing with self-worth, rejection, and the desire to become someone else.
The ending caught me completely off guard. I thought I had a pretty good idea of where things were headed, but the final reveal changed everything. It also left me wondering if K.D. Davies is planning a sequel because it feels like there's still more story to tell. I'd definitely pick up a follow-up if one gets announced.
If you're a fan of splatterpunk that mixes graphic horror with themes of body image, insecurity, and the aftermath of heartbreak, The Slow Unpeeling is worth checking out.
July 6, 2026
An awesome introduction to splatterpunk...
As someone who is new to this genre, I prepared myself for what I was about to dive into. This is the first splatterpunk that I have ever read. Honestly, my go to genre is romance but I have wanted to branch out into others.
That being said, this was a gripping, well written, short read filled with emotional turmoil and self inflicted gore. I found myself gasping and whispering to myself as I read. For such a short book, this was brilliantly detailed. I felt for Jacob and everything he went through, there was so much to his backstory weaved theough this but I just knew by the end of the carnage something unexpected would happen... and it did! That ending! What a twist!
As someone who is new to this genre, I prepared myself for what I was about to dive into. This is the first splatterpunk that I have ever read. Honestly, my go to genre is romance but I have wanted to branch out into others.
That being said, this was a gripping, well written, short read filled with emotional turmoil and self inflicted gore. I found myself gasping and whispering to myself as I read. For such a short book, this was brilliantly detailed. I felt for Jacob and everything he went through, there was so much to his backstory weaved theough this but I just knew by the end of the carnage something unexpected would happen... and it did! That ending! What a twist!
March 30, 2026
Just finished this filth... KD Davies Author... Are you okay? 🤢🫣😂
Jacob splits with his partner Claire.
He had a future planned, with that smashed to smithereens Jacob starts to fall apart, emotionally, physically and somewhat literally!
He starts to sculpt himself into a better version of himself, whilst his faithful companion Buddy the Golden retriever looks on.
It's difficult to say too much without ruining parts, what I will say is this was fan'fucking'tastic!
#booktok #book #horror #splatterpunk
Jacob splits with his partner Claire.
He had a future planned, with that smashed to smithereens Jacob starts to fall apart, emotionally, physically and somewhat literally!
He starts to sculpt himself into a better version of himself, whilst his faithful companion Buddy the Golden retriever looks on.
It's difficult to say too much without ruining parts, what I will say is this was fan'fucking'tastic!
#booktok #book #horror #splatterpunk
March 21, 2026
“The Slow Unpeeling” - Fleetwood Mac song references in novels are my fave.
★★★☆☆
This was my second novel by K.D. Davies and I can safely say she really has found her “own way“ (see what I did there) to tell creepy stories.
If I ever feel old again, I’ll think of this story to remind myself that there is really bad ways to handle a midlife crisis. Short, Sad, Sick and with a nice twist this one will get under your skin!
★★★☆☆
This was my second novel by K.D. Davies and I can safely say she really has found her “own way“ (see what I did there) to tell creepy stories.
If I ever feel old again, I’ll think of this story to remind myself that there is really bad ways to handle a midlife crisis. Short, Sad, Sick and with a nice twist this one will get under your skin!
May 4, 2026
This book hit me hard. The way I read it, I felt like this was a book written to describe how body dysmorphia feels to the person experiencing it. This book was wild and gory. It was well-written, and it was a wild ride! I loved Jacob! My heart broke for him as he had to experience the post-breakup grief! He deserved so much better. I adored his dog, but felt awful for the life it had to live! If you're looking for a book that hits many topics like body image, grief, and a little bit of hoarding, this is the book for you! It is extremely violent and gory, but if that's not a problem for you, pick this one up!
July 2, 2026
For what is suppose to be a short novella with just 42 pages this one packed quite a punch, and if youre a huge fan of splatterpunk and body horror, this will make you think twice about making major changes to your body because you suffer from low self esteem especially since you've gone through a massive break up!
KD definitely went hammer and tong with this one, and she's def made me see that theres more than one way to use a potato peeler 🤢🤮 YIKES!!!
KD definitely went hammer and tong with this one, and she's def made me see that theres more than one way to use a potato peeler 🤢🤮 YIKES!!!
March 20, 2026
This is the first book I have read from KD Davies and oh my god!! How gruesome! But so captivating!! I read in one sitting because I couldn’t stop!! Written very well and super gut wrenching. And the dog!!! Oh my god the dog!!!
The gore level didn’t hold back on this one and I loved it! The gorier the better!!
Epic book. Would recommend!!
The gore level didn’t hold back on this one and I loved it! The gorier the better!!
Epic book. Would recommend!!
July 15, 2026
dark and fantastically written
Even though this is fiction towards the end it made me reflect how in real life demented individuals get into certain roles in society to enable the act out of their depravity without raising alarm or blinking a radar fantastic read hooked to the end
Even though this is fiction towards the end it made me reflect how in real life demented individuals get into certain roles in society to enable the act out of their depravity without raising alarm or blinking a radar fantastic read hooked to the end
May 14, 2026
Brilliantly visceral and lovely little book to pass the time.
July 11, 2026
Just gross but whatever
May 3, 2026
What a disgusting book. Absolutely sickening.
Loved it! Felt like I was there 1st hand witnessing it.
If you need a quick read that will make you sick to your stomach then this is the one for you!
Loved it! Felt like I was there 1st hand witnessing it.
If you need a quick read that will make you sick to your stomach then this is the one for you!
May 25, 2026
This was pretty nasty haha but I thought it was well written. Ill probably read more of her work. For being such a short read im suprised how much i liked the writing.
July 22, 2026
Twisty body horror
It's a good job that this was only 42 pages because the facial expression I had for the entirety of the book would have made my wrinkles worse.
We start off with an MC who we might feel a little sorry for and it quickly turns into a nightmare.
Gore, body horror, unpleasant surprises and a twist that was impossible to predict at the end.
Fantastic!
It's a good job that this was only 42 pages because the facial expression I had for the entirety of the book would have made my wrinkles worse.
We start off with an MC who we might feel a little sorry for and it quickly turns into a nightmare.
Gore, body horror, unpleasant surprises and a twist that was impossible to predict at the end.
Fantastic!
June 6, 2026
Jesus this book made my skin crawl and itch.. I’ll never look at a spud peeler in the same way again. .. it’s a deadly weapon.
July 27, 2026
After going through a really rough breakup from his gf, Jacob is very unhappy how his life is turning out. He goes into madness and decides he wants to make his body better! Well to do that, he thinks a potato peeler or meat carver will do the trick. What a great fast paced and fun read. Definitely packed a punch for being such a short book. Had a blast with it!
July 29, 2026
Super fast paced, disturbing, and gross. Body horror is my fave.
June 4, 2026
A short, punchy, gruesome horror that will make you consider going vegetarian! Davies explores the impact self-esteem can have on an individual and how far people will go to "fix" themselves. The ending was unexpected, yet delicious 🤭
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews