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Dichotomy
Not yet published
Expected 30 Mar 27On a rainy spring evening on an island in Lake Ontario, a research project erupts in violence. Dichotomy pits those still alive fighting for survival against assimilation in its most sacred, feral, and feminine form.
- GenresHorror
244 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 30, 2027
About the author
Katherine Silva
25 books183 followersKatherine Silva is an award-winning ace Maine horror author, a connoisseur of coffee, and victim of cat shenanigans. Her favorite flavors of the genre mix grief and existentialism which she combines with her love of the New England wilderness in her works. She’s a two-time Outwrite Scary Award Winner for her novel, Where The Soul Goes and three-time Maine Literary Award finalist for speculative fiction. Katherine is also editor-in-chief of Strange Wilds Press. You can find out all about her work at katherinesilvaauthor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Yeah, so I’m afraid of rabbits now.
I love a book with atmosphere, and Dichotomy delivered! Not only was the setting eerie, brutal, tense, and isolating, but it also highlights the characters' inner worlds. The book follows a few characters, but two women, Doctor Metery and postal-worker Alfre, stand out.
Their experiences also mirror the mental health wards on the island, making it a wonderfully thematic read! I’m trying to keep this review spoiler-free, but my favorite line that encapsulates the entire book was: “They are broken women who have finally found their spines.”
I greatly enjoyed this book. It’s woven together from feminine rage, poetic prose, and a deep sense of justice.
And thank you to Strange Wilds Press for the ARC copy!
I love a book with atmosphere, and Dichotomy delivered! Not only was the setting eerie, brutal, tense, and isolating, but it also highlights the characters' inner worlds. The book follows a few characters, but two women, Doctor Metery and postal-worker Alfre, stand out.
Their experiences also mirror the mental health wards on the island, making it a wonderfully thematic read! I’m trying to keep this review spoiler-free, but my favorite line that encapsulates the entire book was: “They are broken women who have finally found their spines.”
I greatly enjoyed this book. It’s woven together from feminine rage, poetic prose, and a deep sense of justice.
And thank you to Strange Wilds Press for the ARC copy!
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October 5, 2026I've been reading Silva's work for years now and every book she has only improved on her craft, and Dichotomy really shows how much she's grown as a writer and storyteller.
Dichotomy reminds me of Resident Evil in setting, atmosphere, and cult horror mixed with Annihilation with ecological horror and an affinity for rabbits, although it's not a zombie story like the former or stray heavy into the Weird like the latter.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.
Dichotomy reminds me of Resident Evil in setting, atmosphere, and cult horror mixed with Annihilation with ecological horror and an affinity for rabbits, although it's not a zombie story like the former or stray heavy into the Weird like the latter.
Overall, I enjoyed the book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was great. Thrilling. From my blurb:
"Katherine Silva's DICHOTOMY--what can I say? I was enthralled. Reading breathlessly any time I picked it up. Beautiful, sad, cinematic, kinetic and haunting. I relished every scene."
"Katherine Silva's DICHOTOMY--what can I say? I was enthralled. Reading breathlessly any time I picked it up. Beautiful, sad, cinematic, kinetic and haunting. I relished every scene."
September 2, 2026
I burned through this in a day—I could not put it down. Silva has painted a terrifying landscape with this one. Bonus points for a smart allegorical commentary on the treatment of women by the American health care system.
October 11, 2026
“Dichotomy” - 🐇 “Fear of white bunnies unlocked.”
★★★★★
This was my first novel by Katherine Silva and I can safely say it won’t be my last.
Sometimes you come across a story that will linger and stay with you long after you’ve finished it, “Dichotomy” is one of those stories.
Without giving anything away (because you need to simply experience this one) I can say that this was a wonderfully dark, tragically beautiful and an intensely emotional experience. Keeping me in a chokehold from beginning to end.
“Dichotomy” has a message that holds to this very day, packed in an original tale that simultaneously feels as old as time. Stay Feral Ladies!
Thank you to the author for granting me an ARC, I leave this review voluntarily and in my own words.
★★★★★
This was my first novel by Katherine Silva and I can safely say it won’t be my last.
Sometimes you come across a story that will linger and stay with you long after you’ve finished it, “Dichotomy” is one of those stories.
Without giving anything away (because you need to simply experience this one) I can say that this was a wonderfully dark, tragically beautiful and an intensely emotional experience. Keeping me in a chokehold from beginning to end.
“Dichotomy” has a message that holds to this very day, packed in an original tale that simultaneously feels as old as time. Stay Feral Ladies!
Thank you to the author for granting me an ARC, I leave this review voluntarily and in my own words.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Katherine Silva has delivered one of those books that sits in the recesses of your brain only to jump back out at you in the middle of the night and have you checking corners. DICHOTOMY follows postal worker, Alfre and her package’s recipient Dr. Metery as they fight to survive a patient outbreak on an island research facility.
Parts of this book feel like scurrying through a Resident Evil game, watching your corners, keeping track of your inventory, and never trusting a single person lurking at the end of a hall. Other parts wear Dichotomy’s gothic influences on its sleeve, with dense atmosphere, beautiful prose, and heartbreak. Then there’s the eco horror and body horror and it is all woven together so beautifully, held together by impeccable character work.
There’s so much about this book that I love but going over my thoughts for review, I realized the strength of the characters on the page is what pulls it all together. No one here is perfect. Through the glimpses we’re given of their pasts, Katherine Silva makes sure we understand why they make the decisions they make, even if we don’t agree with them, even if they’re contradictory, it always makes sense. They are complete people full of trauma and hopes, both realized and unrealized, and it makes every POV compelling for their own unique reasons.
Through their eyes, we explore what it means to actually be free in a world built around diminishing you. Though set in post-World War II America, the stories of the women are still sadly pertinent today, demanding us as readers to consider how much viciousness is acceptable to release yourself from shackles cast upon you by violent people and systems.
It’s genuinely a book I could talk about for ages, but I don’t want to give away even an iota of plot as I believe it’s such a great ride from start to finish that speaking on its beats would be a disservice. There’s so much tension, heart, discomfort, and true scares - it’s truly one of the must-read books of the year.
Parts of this book feel like scurrying through a Resident Evil game, watching your corners, keeping track of your inventory, and never trusting a single person lurking at the end of a hall. Other parts wear Dichotomy’s gothic influences on its sleeve, with dense atmosphere, beautiful prose, and heartbreak. Then there’s the eco horror and body horror and it is all woven together so beautifully, held together by impeccable character work.
There’s so much about this book that I love but going over my thoughts for review, I realized the strength of the characters on the page is what pulls it all together. No one here is perfect. Through the glimpses we’re given of their pasts, Katherine Silva makes sure we understand why they make the decisions they make, even if we don’t agree with them, even if they’re contradictory, it always makes sense. They are complete people full of trauma and hopes, both realized and unrealized, and it makes every POV compelling for their own unique reasons.
Through their eyes, we explore what it means to actually be free in a world built around diminishing you. Though set in post-World War II America, the stories of the women are still sadly pertinent today, demanding us as readers to consider how much viciousness is acceptable to release yourself from shackles cast upon you by violent people and systems.
It’s genuinely a book I could talk about for ages, but I don’t want to give away even an iota of plot as I believe it’s such a great ride from start to finish that speaking on its beats would be a disservice. There’s so much tension, heart, discomfort, and true scares - it’s truly one of the must-read books of the year.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is one of those times I am mad at myself for taking so long to finally dive into a story by an author who has had a few books under their belt and people tend to like. Finally, with
Dichotomy
, I decided to take the plunge and am better for it in the end. Dichotomy by Katherine Silva is a terrifying and atmospheric feminist horror that had me gripping the pages tight from start to finish.
On a rainy spring evening on an island in Lake Ontario, a research project erupts in violence. Dichotomy pits those still alive fighting for survival against assimilation in its most sacred, feral, and feminine form.
Silva has been one of those authors around the horror scene in New England people have been raving about, but I hadn't gotten around to reading. I felt that Dichotomy was a good place to start, which has made me want to read so much more. This story is one that immersed me in the tale on this island where things go terribly wrong and the frightening moments are almost as terrifying at the deeper meaning the book brings to light.
A remarkable horror is one that scares you, unsettles you, but also timely and poignant at the same time. We live in a horrible time and things don't seem to be getting better, especially for certain groups of people. Mix this with terrifying storytelling and you get one frightening novel.
Dichotomy is an intense story from start to finish. Silva weaves in elements that almost feel like a Resident Evil story (minus the undead) with a beautifully sad and emotional core. Fast-paced action along with deeper and emotional moments that ground the story. A mix that can sometimes be hard to accomplish but Silva does with ease. Not to mention carrying the weight of exploring how women at treated by the healthcare system in a way that blends well within a horror tale. Silva knew how to grab this reader and not let go.
"This story will stay with you" sounds just like a thing you should say after reading a good book, but I truly feel this now that I have closed the final page. Silva has a way of crafting dialogue, descriptions, imagery, and setting to creep under your skin and park for a good long while. It's not a cop-out to say that I will be sitting in Dichotomy for a bit now and will continue to think back to what Silva put on the page. It honestly can sometimes be hard to put your feelings into a review after reading a story such as this.
Dichotomy is a story that will make you feel terrified and uncomfortable while having something important to say and Katherine Silva delivers all of this without losing sight of the characters and emotion at the center of the tale. Dichotomy is a ferocious and atmospheric horror story that got in my head and refuses to leave.
Dichotomy hits bookstores everywhere on March 30, 2027 from Strange Wilds Press.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Dichotomy from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
On a rainy spring evening on an island in Lake Ontario, a research project erupts in violence. Dichotomy pits those still alive fighting for survival against assimilation in its most sacred, feral, and feminine form.
Silva has been one of those authors around the horror scene in New England people have been raving about, but I hadn't gotten around to reading. I felt that Dichotomy was a good place to start, which has made me want to read so much more. This story is one that immersed me in the tale on this island where things go terribly wrong and the frightening moments are almost as terrifying at the deeper meaning the book brings to light.
A remarkable horror is one that scares you, unsettles you, but also timely and poignant at the same time. We live in a horrible time and things don't seem to be getting better, especially for certain groups of people. Mix this with terrifying storytelling and you get one frightening novel.
Dichotomy is an intense story from start to finish. Silva weaves in elements that almost feel like a Resident Evil story (minus the undead) with a beautifully sad and emotional core. Fast-paced action along with deeper and emotional moments that ground the story. A mix that can sometimes be hard to accomplish but Silva does with ease. Not to mention carrying the weight of exploring how women at treated by the healthcare system in a way that blends well within a horror tale. Silva knew how to grab this reader and not let go.
"This story will stay with you" sounds just like a thing you should say after reading a good book, but I truly feel this now that I have closed the final page. Silva has a way of crafting dialogue, descriptions, imagery, and setting to creep under your skin and park for a good long while. It's not a cop-out to say that I will be sitting in Dichotomy for a bit now and will continue to think back to what Silva put on the page. It honestly can sometimes be hard to put your feelings into a review after reading a story such as this.
Dichotomy is a story that will make you feel terrified and uncomfortable while having something important to say and Katherine Silva delivers all of this without losing sight of the characters and emotion at the center of the tale. Dichotomy is a ferocious and atmospheric horror story that got in my head and refuses to leave.
Dichotomy hits bookstores everywhere on March 30, 2027 from Strange Wilds Press.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Dichotomy from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dichotomy by Katherine Silva is a gripping horror story that explores women's grief and rage over our exploitation by the patriarchy. Set in the aftermath of World War II, we are introduced to a secluded military facility-turned-research institution in which catatonic women are being experimented on to try to restore their faculties. Except, something goes terribly wrong.
What I love about this book is it's not just a story of zombies and flesh-eating rabbits. Those are creepy as all get-out, but what really sets this book apart is how it delves into the way misogyny and internalized misogyny shape and limit women's lives. We see it firsthand through the POV characters but also through reflections on parents and siblings. No one gets away unscathed. It's a stark reminder too that while things have changed for women in the US, they haven't changed enough.
I really appreciated the poems interspersed between chapters that gave us a brief look into each of the patient's minds and experiences. It can be easy in a story like this to lose the voices of those who can't easily speak for themselves. I thought the poems were a great way to still give them a say in their own stories.
If you're looking for a feminist horror story that will haunt you in more ways than one, you'll definitely want to put Dichotomy on your radar. The book comes out on March 30th, 2027.
What I love about this book is it's not just a story of zombies and flesh-eating rabbits. Those are creepy as all get-out, but what really sets this book apart is how it delves into the way misogyny and internalized misogyny shape and limit women's lives. We see it firsthand through the POV characters but also through reflections on parents and siblings. No one gets away unscathed. It's a stark reminder too that while things have changed for women in the US, they haven't changed enough.
I really appreciated the poems interspersed between chapters that gave us a brief look into each of the patient's minds and experiences. It can be easy in a story like this to lose the voices of those who can't easily speak for themselves. I thought the poems were a great way to still give them a say in their own stories.
If you're looking for a feminist horror story that will haunt you in more ways than one, you'll definitely want to put Dichotomy on your radar. The book comes out on March 30th, 2027.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Gah! The emotional gamut this book took me on. Holy hell. I literally uttered the words “this book is scary”!
The intensity of both the physical and psychological horrors in this read are truly unnerving. Katherine Silva is a powerhouse in grief horror and her latest solidifies that position. Mix in some awesome ecological horror, feminine rage, and a seriously creepy setting and Silva is showing off all her talents in this one.
I highly recommend getting yer preorder in!
The intensity of both the physical and psychological horrors in this read are truly unnerving. Katherine Silva is a powerhouse in grief horror and her latest solidifies that position. Mix in some awesome ecological horror, feminine rage, and a seriously creepy setting and Silva is showing off all her talents in this one.
I highly recommend getting yer preorder in!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews