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Molly Southbourne #3
The Legacy of Molly Southbourne
From Arthur C. Clarke Award-winner Tade Thompson, The Legacy of Molly Southbourne continues his chilling series.
Whenever Molly Southbourne bled, a murderer was born. Deadly copies, drawn to destroy their creator, bound by a legacy of death. With the original Molly Southbourne gone, her remnants drew together, seeking safety and a chance for peace. The last Molly and her sisters built a home together, and thought they could escape the murder that marked their past.
But secrets squirm in Molly Southbourne's blood--secrets born in a Soviet lab and carried back across the Iron Curtain to infiltrate the West. What remains of the Cold War spy machine wants those secrets back, and to get them they're willing to unearth the dead and destroy the fragile peace surrounding the last copies of Molly Southbourne.
The Legacy of Molly Southbourne brings the story to a bloody end.
Whenever Molly Southbourne bled, a murderer was born. Deadly copies, drawn to destroy their creator, bound by a legacy of death. With the original Molly Southbourne gone, her remnants drew together, seeking safety and a chance for peace. The last Molly and her sisters built a home together, and thought they could escape the murder that marked their past.
But secrets squirm in Molly Southbourne's blood--secrets born in a Soviet lab and carried back across the Iron Curtain to infiltrate the West. What remains of the Cold War spy machine wants those secrets back, and to get them they're willing to unearth the dead and destroy the fragile peace surrounding the last copies of Molly Southbourne.
The Legacy of Molly Southbourne brings the story to a bloody end.
151 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2022
10 people are currently reading
838 people want to read
About the author
Tade Thompson
67 books1,235 followersTade Thompson is a British born Yoruba psychiatrist who is best known for his science fiction novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
April 17, 2022
3.5 Stars
This was a solid conclusion to this horror novella trilogy. The story has always been weird, straying from the usual tropes of the genre.
This third volume added more content for diehard Molly fans who just want to spend more time with her. The plot was good, but the ending is really brought the story home.
I would recommend this series to fans look for a fresh horror story, however you will want to start back at the beginning with The Murders of Molly Southbourne.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was a solid conclusion to this horror novella trilogy. The story has always been weird, straying from the usual tropes of the genre.
This third volume added more content for diehard Molly fans who just want to spend more time with her. The plot was good, but the ending is really brought the story home.
I would recommend this series to fans look for a fresh horror story, however you will want to start back at the beginning with The Murders of Molly Southbourne.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
June 12, 2022
3¾⭐
Ɱ◎◎ĐႽ…
⬧ Sci-Fi ⬧ Novella Length Series ⬧ Brutal & Bloody ⬧Strange & Peculiar
This series of novella-length books are some of the craziest shit I’ve ever read. You could read them for that reason alone. But, if you need more; this was taken from the blurb;
While I’m glad I’ve read them all the same, I still don’t believe these books are not without faults; one of which is the stilted/sparse writing style the other is character/plot development suffers from the short format, and the aforementioned writing style. But overall, the first book will kind of blow your mind, the second book fills in a few blanks and has a surprising ending and the final book, which I never knew was coming, gives you some, and I’m stressing the word some, insight as to how Molly ended up like this.
Total Score 7.21/10⬧Opening-7.5⬧Characters-7⬧Plot-7⬧Atmosphere-8⬧Writing Style-6⬧Ending-7.5⬧Overall Enjoyment-7.5
Ɱ◎◎ĐႽ…
⬧ Sci-Fi ⬧ Novella Length Series ⬧ Brutal & Bloody ⬧Strange & Peculiar
This series of novella-length books are some of the craziest shit I’ve ever read. You could read them for that reason alone. But, if you need more; this was taken from the blurb;
The rule is simple: don't bleed..
For as long as Molly Southbourne can remember, she's been watching herself die. Whenever she bleeds, another molly is born, identical to her in every way and intent on her destruction.
While I’m glad I’ve read them all the same, I still don’t believe these books are not without faults; one of which is the stilted/sparse writing style the other is character/plot development suffers from the short format, and the aforementioned writing style. But overall, the first book will kind of blow your mind, the second book fills in a few blanks and has a surprising ending and the final book, which I never knew was coming, gives you some, and I’m stressing the word some, insight as to how Molly ended up like this.
Total Score 7.21/10⬧Opening-7.5⬧Characters-7⬧Plot-7⬧Atmosphere-8⬧Writing Style-6⬧Ending-7.5⬧Overall Enjoyment-7.5
May 17, 2022
Ahoy there me mateys! I received an eArc of this sci-fi novella through NetGalley in exchange for me honest musings . . .
The first novella in the series is a perfect standalone that I still feel would make a fantastic, if bloody, movie. I didn't think I needed more Molly but I am still glad to have gotten two more. The conclusion to this series was awesome. This book had a perfect beginning and twist that made perfect sense but I didn't see coming. No plot information here because it is short and it is better to go in blind. I skipped the blurb before reading and it increased me enjoyment. The series is finished and ends well. However, I still can't help but wonder what Molly does next. Arrrr!
The first novella in the series is a perfect standalone that I still feel would make a fantastic, if bloody, movie. I didn't think I needed more Molly but I am still glad to have gotten two more. The conclusion to this series was awesome. This book had a perfect beginning and twist that made perfect sense but I didn't see coming. No plot information here because it is short and it is better to go in blind. I skipped the blurb before reading and it increased me enjoyment. The series is finished and ends well. However, I still can't help but wonder what Molly does next. Arrrr!
May 26, 2022
I loved the first book in this series. Thompson took a simple premise -- whenever Molly bleeds, she creates a murderous duplicate of herself -- and took us through her life and all she had to do to manage those duplicates. It didn't need much explaining, but it had a lot of heart, a lot of character (a WHOLE lot of violence), and kept me reading the whole book in one sitting.
The second and third books, though want to expand on that idea a bit, and I feel like they suffer a bit for it. Thompson still tells a good tale, and keeps us reading, but the simplicity of the first book is replaced with government experiments, assassinations, intrigue, and a whole lot of rewritten history. It feels forced (moreso as the conclusions for books two and three feel rushed), and I find myself reading these to reignite that feeling I got while reading the first book. It's not a great feeling.
I wonder, though: Had Thompson written a single novel telling this whole story, would I feel differently about how he concludes the series? Would it be different reading the whole thing together, instead of interspersed over five years?
The second and third books, though want to expand on that idea a bit, and I feel like they suffer a bit for it. Thompson still tells a good tale, and keeps us reading, but the simplicity of the first book is replaced with government experiments, assassinations, intrigue, and a whole lot of rewritten history. It feels forced (moreso as the conclusions for books two and three feel rushed), and I find myself reading these to reignite that feeling I got while reading the first book. It's not a great feeling.
I wonder, though: Had Thompson written a single novel telling this whole story, would I feel differently about how he concludes the series? Would it be different reading the whole thing together, instead of interspersed over five years?
June 1, 2022
A good conclusion to the Molly trilogy. I really liked Myke's chapters and her backstory and the return of the tamaras.
March 19, 2023
Ja, jobban örültem volna, ha ez megmarad egyetlen kis történetnek az első kötettel
Nem volt rossz azért
Nem volt rossz azért
September 30, 2022
4.0⭐
A fine conclusion to the Molly Southbourne trilogy.
Thompson brings his tale to a satisfyingly logical end ( I can do ambiguous endings if I have to- *if* they work), expanding the backstory, filling in the blanks, throwing in a few tricky twists. He even manages to wrap up his three volume gore fest on a hopeful note.
Molly Southbourne is a woman with a problem. Every time she bleeds a murderous duplicate of Molly is created and tries to kill her. The trilogy follows her life as she figures out why this is happening and what to do about it. The first and third novellas are solid 4 star reads, the second one, as middle books tend to do, sags a bit, but it's still a 3 star set-up.
My experience with Tade Thompson's work is uneven but this book and series shows he's capable of tightly written, inventive, exciting stories.
A fine conclusion to the Molly Southbourne trilogy.
Thompson brings his tale to a satisfyingly logical end ( I can do ambiguous endings if I have to- *if* they work), expanding the backstory, filling in the blanks, throwing in a few tricky twists. He even manages to wrap up his three volume gore fest on a hopeful note.
Molly Southbourne is a woman with a problem. Every time she bleeds a murderous duplicate of Molly is created and tries to kill her. The trilogy follows her life as she figures out why this is happening and what to do about it. The first and third novellas are solid 4 star reads, the second one, as middle books tend to do, sags a bit, but it's still a 3 star set-up.
My experience with Tade Thompson's work is uneven but this book and series shows he's capable of tightly written, inventive, exciting stories.
June 4, 2022
WOW! I did NOT expect this story to go in the direction it did. Yet, I'm glad it did because not only did the narrative in this book tie the trilogy together, but also it answered the questions readers did not know they had! The wait for this final chapter in this horror thriller novella series was worth it! If you have not read this series yet, then I recommend you do as the series is complete! Just don't bleed.
Complete RTC!
Complete RTC!
February 26, 2023
3.5 stars
August 26, 2022
Had been looking forward to this concluding book in the trilogy, but as it had been about eight months since reading the first two books, I reread them both this week so I wouldn't be confused by this new one.
Well.…of course I was still, confused, but rereading the other books definitely helped.
As with the previous books, major points to Thompson just for grabbing and then holding my attention, because you NEVER know where any of these stories are going. This time around, he piles on even more surprises than usual, using several different interweaving story lines; and so despite this again being a relatively short novella, it is neither a quick nor easy read. Still, it does wrap everything up fairly well. Also, there's more more of a "Jason Bourne/Treadstone" spin to the story, as opposed to the more "horror" angle of the first two - an interesting turn of events.
Anyway, worthy conclusion, and I'll watch to see what Thompson does next, (I've already read and enjoyed his full-length Far from the Light of Heaven).
PERSONAL NOTE: While I enjoy novellas, these suckers are getting just WAY too expensive; to buy all three of these book - just 350 pages total - would cost $45 at full price. But then that's what libraries are for, I guess…
Well.…of course I was still, confused, but rereading the other books definitely helped.
As with the previous books, major points to Thompson just for grabbing and then holding my attention, because you NEVER know where any of these stories are going. This time around, he piles on even more surprises than usual, using several different interweaving story lines; and so despite this again being a relatively short novella, it is neither a quick nor easy read. Still, it does wrap everything up fairly well. Also, there's more more of a "Jason Bourne/Treadstone" spin to the story, as opposed to the more "horror" angle of the first two - an interesting turn of events.
Anyway, worthy conclusion, and I'll watch to see what Thompson does next, (I've already read and enjoyed his full-length Far from the Light of Heaven).
PERSONAL NOTE: While I enjoy novellas, these suckers are getting just WAY too expensive; to buy all three of these book - just 350 pages total - would cost $45 at full price. But then that's what libraries are for, I guess…
November 24, 2022
L’héritage de Molly Southbourne apporte une conclusion trépidante à une trilogie décidément surprenante. Moins audacieux mais plus accessible que les précédents, ce dernier volume nous embarque dans un rythme trépidant apportant des réponses et une fin efficace. Difficile à lâcher par son découpage en chapitres courts et son alternance de points vue, cette novella m'a emporté sans peine malgré ses défauts.
Critique complète sur yuyine.be !
Critique complète sur yuyine.be !
May 21, 2022
This was a really good conclusion to the Molly Southbourne trilogy.
If you've even read one of these horror novellas, you know it's quite the ride. I didn't fully grasp what was going on in book one, but I enjoyed it anyway. I think I struggled with the second book the most. We got additional POVs and a lot of little twists. We had a few added layers in this final book, but they were actually pretty helpful in the end. And while I was still left a little flabbergasted in some areas, this conclusion brought a lot of answers and helped enlighten me along the way.
These books are so short that it's a challenge not to spoil things the longer this review goes. But I will say it was a satisfying ending to the trilogy, and in some ways, I may have enjoyed this book the most out of all three.
A great conclusion with some marvelous twists.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Tordotcom for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you've even read one of these horror novellas, you know it's quite the ride. I didn't fully grasp what was going on in book one, but I enjoyed it anyway. I think I struggled with the second book the most. We got additional POVs and a lot of little twists. We had a few added layers in this final book, but they were actually pretty helpful in the end. And while I was still left a little flabbergasted in some areas, this conclusion brought a lot of answers and helped enlighten me along the way.
These books are so short that it's a challenge not to spoil things the longer this review goes. But I will say it was a satisfying ending to the trilogy, and in some ways, I may have enjoyed this book the most out of all three.
A great conclusion with some marvelous twists.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Tordotcom for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2022
I was unsatisfied with the second entry in this series, so I was not expecting a lot from The Legacy of Molly Southbourne. Ultimately, I think this entry is a decent ending to Molly's story. It gives a lot of background and brings the disparate pieces together. Like the second, it does not come close to matching the excellence of the first book. In the end, I do not think this needed to be a whole series, but I am not mad with where this book leaves us.
December 26, 2023
2.5 rounded up
Probably a solid end to the trilogy but i was just bored.
Probably a solid end to the trilogy but i was just bored.
Read
February 13, 2024“There was once a girl called Molly who made people when she bled.” 🩸
What if every time you bled, from your blood, you created a new you? Now, what if that new you was intent on killing you almost immediately and without hesitation? That is the world Tade Thompson explores. The world of Molly Southbourne, plagued by duplicates. 💉
I have to admit, I f*cked up. I was given this novella without realizing it was part of a three part novella series. And although it stands wonderfully well on its own, I feel there is a wealth of value the first two novellas must bring. 🥋
That being said, if you’re looking for an international government covert ops/Jason Bourne style story with a dark, biological twist, this series is excellent. 👌🏼
The novella takes one sitting to binge which I imagine would hold true for its predecessors. The writing style is clipped and effectively so, delivering suspense and action-packed punches. Mixed martial arts fighting styles you can both visualize and feel. 👀 I would have gladly binged this whole series in one weekend had I owned the first two editions. But alas, even by its own, the third installment is an awesome ride! 🫀
What if every time you bled, from your blood, you created a new you? Now, what if that new you was intent on killing you almost immediately and without hesitation? That is the world Tade Thompson explores. The world of Molly Southbourne, plagued by duplicates. 💉
I have to admit, I f*cked up. I was given this novella without realizing it was part of a three part novella series. And although it stands wonderfully well on its own, I feel there is a wealth of value the first two novellas must bring. 🥋
That being said, if you’re looking for an international government covert ops/Jason Bourne style story with a dark, biological twist, this series is excellent. 👌🏼
The novella takes one sitting to binge which I imagine would hold true for its predecessors. The writing style is clipped and effectively so, delivering suspense and action-packed punches. Mixed martial arts fighting styles you can both visualize and feel. 👀 I would have gladly binged this whole series in one weekend had I owned the first two editions. But alas, even by its own, the third installment is an awesome ride! 🫀
February 16, 2023
So, Legacy now, me reading for the first time. First of, I loved reading all 3 in row over 3 days. I never do that, I mean, I read very few series to begin with but I definitely don't read them in so close together, and doing that now was wonderful. Even more so since I read these amazing novellas during a personally challenging time. But zoning in on the single book of "The Legacy of Molly Southbourne" it left me a bit with the feeling of wondering wether this was a needed entry into the series, or more so if I personally needed this third book. Arguably the first book stands extremely well on its own so maybe the 2nd one wasn't truly needed either but for me No 2 adds a lot, to the universe and to the subtext. No 3 though seems to not do that much for me, it is entertaining, it gives some answers to the mysteries involved in the series but I don't take much deeper meaning away from it. But I also didn't appreciate "Survival" as much on the first read as I did on the reread, so take this how you want.
This is a very plotty book compared to the other ones, we follow several view points and arcs, there is time for character moments but it felt like there was a lot more going on here than in the other stories. There is a certain twist that we build towards to that I thought was obvious from the beginning on (the one connected to the character Myke) and I am not sure I really liked anything connected with it, also because it retcons past events and not for much of a reason. I mean do we gain something really interesting from that? I don't think so, so what was the point? Generally, the spy element of these was always the aspect I cared for the least. Now to get more of that in here was never going to elevate the story for me.
I did enjoy watching the evolution of the Mollies though, the family they have formed and the life they have shaped for them. That was the heart of this story and I wish we had a bit more of that. The other thing I miss a bit is a more Horror feel. These books were always very genre bending but with the last 2 I could always justify that category, this one is a bit tougher though. It is mostly a spy action piece at this point, even the violent moments seemed a bit tamer than in the other installments. Which is why I think for me it comes in at a 3* rather than a 4*. I always liked reading it but overall I think it moved too far from what I loved about the series in the first place.
This is a very plotty book compared to the other ones, we follow several view points and arcs, there is time for character moments but it felt like there was a lot more going on here than in the other stories. There is a certain twist that we build towards to that I thought was obvious from the beginning on (the one connected to the character Myke) and I am not sure I really liked anything connected with it, also because it retcons past events and not for much of a reason. I mean do we gain something really interesting from that? I don't think so, so what was the point? Generally, the spy element of these was always the aspect I cared for the least. Now to get more of that in here was never going to elevate the story for me.
I did enjoy watching the evolution of the Mollies though, the family they have formed and the life they have shaped for them. That was the heart of this story and I wish we had a bit more of that. The other thing I miss a bit is a more Horror feel. These books were always very genre bending but with the last 2 I could always justify that category, this one is a bit tougher though. It is mostly a spy action piece at this point, even the violent moments seemed a bit tamer than in the other installments. Which is why I think for me it comes in at a 3* rather than a 4*. I always liked reading it but overall I think it moved too far from what I loved about the series in the first place.
July 26, 2022
As all my followers will know I had hoped Book#2 would be the last "Molly" installment, since I didn't see a need for any specific conclusion or backstory/explanation. Some ideas should just exist without all that errata. Alas, we had to have a trilogy, didn't we?!? Ugh, fucking trends! This wasn't awful, but it sure lacked the imagination, energy, and gory loveliness of the first two books. An easy read that gives us answers I guess someone was asking for? I sure wasn't. The information we get here could have been incorporated into Books #1 and #2, making them slightly longer but keeping the energy and nastiness at its peak. The remainder of this book is just not much of anything intriguing or different or satisfying or necessary, if I am being honest. But since I am a completist by nature, I read it. Now I will move on to something better, I hope.
May 16, 2022
I regret not rereading the first two books before tackling this one (because all I remembered was Molly makes clones any time she bleeds/spits/trims her nails and they immediately want to kill her). But honestly there wasn't much substance to this. The mollies are playing house, the tamaras are being an efficient community, someone wants to kill one or both...
Honestly, there aren't enough real consequences outside of the scope of Molly, Tamara, Myke. There are a few throwaway lines about how cloning will serve to combat rising infertility.
At least the mollies are in therapy!
{Thank you Tor.com for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
Honestly, there aren't enough real consequences outside of the scope of Molly, Tamara, Myke. There are a few throwaway lines about how cloning will serve to combat rising infertility.
At least the mollies are in therapy!
{Thank you Tor.com for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
September 1, 2022
La verdad es que después de la segunda novella, la expectación sobre la conclusión era muy alta. Y para mi gusto no ha llegado al nivel de las anteriores. Me ha parecido una conclusión demasiado rápida y desde luego le hubiera sentado mejor un formato más largo. A pesar de ello, hay escenas super locas y una acción bastante bien llevada, pero es imposible no comparar algunas cosas con escenas de la segunda novella, y eso no le sienta bien.
July 1, 2022
This volume was really only a three-star read for me, but it ties up the series, fills in the gaps (maybe too neatly) and the whole arc is such a dark, freakish, and original concept that I think it deserves four.
July 31, 2023
Troisième et dernier volet de cette trilogie de novella consacrée à Molly Southbourne.
Le premier récit de Tade Thompson m'avait époustouflé, le second un peu déçu.
Cette conclusion est un peu entre les deux : elle conclut bien l'histoire de Molly, mais la magie, la violence initiale s'est un peu tarie.
Au final, je ne suis pas totalement convaincu de la nécessité de ces suites, tant le matériau initial était réussi.
Néanmoins, j'ai eu plaisir à retrouver cette histoire et la fin, bien qu'un peu rapide, donne de vrais rebondissements et conclut l'histoire.
Le premier récit de Tade Thompson m'avait époustouflé, le second un peu déçu.
Cette conclusion est un peu entre les deux : elle conclut bien l'histoire de Molly, mais la magie, la violence initiale s'est un peu tarie.
Au final, je ne suis pas totalement convaincu de la nécessité de ces suites, tant le matériau initial était réussi.
Néanmoins, j'ai eu plaisir à retrouver cette histoire et la fin, bien qu'un peu rapide, donne de vrais rebondissements et conclut l'histoire.
May 24, 2022
why did they have to kill molina :(
BUT GETTING MOLLY'S MOM'S BACKSTORY!!!!!!!!
BUT GETTING MOLLY'S MOM'S BACKSTORY!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2022
Molly and the other mollys are just trying to live their day-to-day life when they start being hunted.
I loved the first book in this series and didn't really think the second was necessary (though I liked it as well). Now, having seen what the author was going for with the entire trilogy of novellas, I want to turn around and re-read them all! This was an excellent series with some great creepy moments (both body horror and mental horror) along the way.
I loved the first book in this series and didn't really think the second was necessary (though I liked it as well). Now, having seen what the author was going for with the entire trilogy of novellas, I want to turn around and re-read them all! This was an excellent series with some great creepy moments (both body horror and mental horror) along the way.
April 3, 2023
I loved this whole series. Usually weird fiction is a miss for me but when it does work it sticks with me.
May 26, 2025
6/10
Should've been 1 book, really!
This one adds some new characters and once again widens our sphere of universe here. I like the additions, I like the pacing of widening our scope each installment, so that's good.
Kind of a lackluster ending, really sudden. Not dissatisfying so I'm still okay with it!
I hope everyone, even Russian spies, can have a happy ending! I don't think teaching your child to be a killing machine was that bad, idk! Especially since it came in handy when lots of people want to kill/subdue you for potentially nefarious reasons! Justice for this chick's mom, honestly!
Should've been 1 book, really!
This one adds some new characters and once again widens our sphere of universe here. I like the additions, I like the pacing of widening our scope each installment, so that's good.
Kind of a lackluster ending, really sudden. Not dissatisfying so I'm still okay with it!
I hope everyone, even Russian spies, can have a happy ending! I don't think teaching your child to be a killing machine was that bad, idk! Especially since it came in handy when lots of people want to kill/subdue you for potentially nefarious reasons! Justice for this chick's mom, honestly!
August 1, 2022
The third novella in Thompson's Molly Southborne series marks a very welcome return to the quality of the initial book. However, I think most readers have given up after the rather horrid The Survival of Molly Southbourne, which is a pity.
May 28, 2022
This was very scattered and generally plot-less.
October 24, 2022
I make it no secret that I love Tade Thompson’s work. Ever since the Rosewater Trilogy I’ve been hooked and eagerly anticipate any new releases with his name on them. However, I waited until The Legacy of Molly Southbourne was released before diving into his trilogy of horror novellas.
I make it no secret that I love Tade Thompson’s work. Ever since the Rosewater Trilogy I’ve been hooked and eagerly anticipate any new releases with his name on them. However, I waited until The Legacy of Molly Southbourne was released before diving into his trilogy of horror novellas.
Molly Southbourne has no problem killing herself. In fact, ever since she was child, it’s all her mother really taught her to do. Well, only after don’t bleed and run. You see, whenever Molly bleeds, another molly appears. Sometimes it’s days, sometimes it’s hours, but you can always count on one to show up, even after a tiny cut. And they really want to kill Molly. So her mother, Mykhaila, teaches her how to fight, and how to fight dirty, in order to survive the hell that she was born into. It’s hard to live a normal life when you might have to kill yourself at any moment. Molly tries, with varying degrees of success. But does she actually have to kill the other mollys?
(For consistency, I will refer to the original as Molly, and her murderous doppelgangers as molly, as they are in the books.)
In all honesty, this series will be hard to talk about as a whole without some spoilers for the first two books, The Murders of Molly Southbourne and The Survival of Molly Southbourne. So I will split this review into three parts, each diving slightly into the successive books. They are short, incredibly fun, and an entirely unique experience. So if you’re a fan of horror, whether because of its incisive commentary, the fact that it can be a bloody good time, or the perfect combination of both, you owe it to yourself to check these novellas out.
The Murders
Book one starts with a molly, tied up and beaten. She doesn’t know where she is, but she knows that the Molly is directly in front of her, and boy oh boy does she have a story to tell. Molly recounts the first twenty some years of her life to this tied up molly, digging into every gory detail. She explains her condition, the battles she has won, the war she has lost, and the incessant despair she wakes up to everyday. It’s a brutal life I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
Thompson succeeds in relaying the story in a way that emphasizes the pain Molly goes through. Whether it’s physical, psychological, or emotional, Molly is put through the ringer. It’s captured in a way that shows her slowly coming to grips with everything as she gets older. She’s confused, curious and scared as a child. She doesn’t know how to react except by listening to her parents. The rules govern her life, and she barely has any freedom to be someone outside of who her mother has made her. She sees her mother destroy mollys without hesitation. Her father, while skeptical, only looks on, not really intervening.
The danger increases when she leaves home to go to college. She doesn’t have her martial arts guru mother to watch her back when she sleeps. She has to constantly look over her shoulder to make sure a molly doesn’t sneak up on her, or show their face to a fellow student. It’s an exhausting way of life, and leads to Molly having very few friends. Hell, even her classes take a back seat to the constant invasion of mollys.
There are some weirder aspects that I won’t delve into too much here. Some of it due to spoilers, some of it due to horror aspects, and some of it involves darker but still human subjects. But Thompson handles them deftly, making them both horrifying, sobering and sad.
The Survival
This is the final warning, spoilers for book 1 lie ahead.
Molly kills herself at the end of book 1. Not just a molly, she ends her own life. The molly we heard the stories through, she becomes the new “prime.” Though she doesn’t quite know it yet, she���s been given a chance to live her life as she wants. Oddly, when she bleeds, new doppelgangers do not appear. But that doesn’t stop the missing and unknown mollys from showing up at her door with vengeance in their eyes. And while her body sings a silent siren song to her sisters, people from her mother’s past take an interest. They want her powers, skills, and knowledge, though to what end, Molly does not know.
Enter Tamara, another woman who seems to have the same affliction as Molly. However, she lives and works with all of her sisters. They take on different jobs, support each other, and don’t kill one another the second a new one is brought into the world. Tamara is strong and determined, though to what ends, it’s hard for Molly to tell. The only thing she really knows is that Tamara wants Molly to train the Tamaras in her frantic, dirty and successful fighting style. Tamara has given her a glimpse of how to live with the various aspects of herself, but does Molly really want to live like Tamara? And does Tamara really have Molly’s best interests at heart?
I enjoyed the exploration of Molly’s freedom. She has the ability to make choices for herself, free from the curse that plagued her forebear. She has history and baggage to clean up, but she herself does not have the blood of her sisters on her hands. She knows the horror the original had to live through and tries her damndest not to repeat those mistakes. Try as she might though, the remaining mollys still want her dead. I especially liked how Molly used her skills to subdue the other mollies, so she can later talk to them. This one is not a killer, and almost dies several times trying to save her sisters.
The horror is still strong, with a mysterious side plot that comes to fruition in a way that only deliciously gory body horror does. It’s gruesome, gross and honestly a little fun. There are also some upsetting features as well. Thompson does a great job walking the line of when something should be seen as amusing horror and the solemn horror of realization.
The Legacy
I did not enjoy the final book in the same way as the previous two the first time I read it. It felt disjointed, and while I understood the story and felt it was necessary, I wasn’t particularly into it. But after some time, and a reread of the whole series, I came to appreciate Legacy.
The Legacy of Molly Southbourne is not so much about Molly, as it is about the people who surround Molly. Yes there are bits and pieces showcasing Molly as she lives with three other mollys (each adopting their own name) as they go through group therapy, whilst hiding their big secret. These are fun and tense scenes as the various sisters talk about how much they want to kill one another interspersed with ruminations on how they want to live their life. I loved watching them try to get to know each other and get past the innate urge to destroy one another.
But a large portion of the book is dedicated to Myke. Yes, it’s Molly’s mother, and Thompson definitely does not try to hide it. But the name change is definitely a huge part of her story. But Myke is here to clean up. The mollys killed her Molly and it’s time for vengeance. We see her backstory, and the cold war spying she went through that led to Molly’s curse. It’s both schlocky cold war conspiracy stuff mixed in with heartfelt horror. I won’t go into too much detail, but it’s definitely an eye opener for the rest of the characters.
The whole book has a weird feeling to it. It’s got Thompson’s classic genre mashup atmosphere, where it feels like three or four different genres of movies. Yes, I said movies because it has that level of pacing and the feel of action movies from the time period, but with a little more grime and emotion attached to it. There are several satisfying moments that make you whoop as if you’re in a theater. It’s a rollicking time.
In the end, Molly Southbourne is a wild ride. It’s a story about neglect, and how you can really fuck up your kids through rigidity. It’s about learning to love yourself, even the aspects you hate and quite understand. It’s about learning from others about how to live your life. It deals with how fucking weird it is to be a human being, and how one’s curiosity about oneself and the world can easily be stamped out by simple mantras. There is so much more I can list all the different things these books made me think about until I am red in the face. But instead, if you have a stomach for body horror, a curiosity for the grotesque and heart enough to take it all in stride with compassion, I highly recommend you read The Murders of Molly Southbourne and it’s sequels.
Rating: Molly Southbourne – 8.5/10
-Alex
An ARC of The Legacy of Molly Southbourne was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.
I make it no secret that I love Tade Thompson’s work. Ever since the Rosewater Trilogy I’ve been hooked and eagerly anticipate any new releases with his name on them. However, I waited until The Legacy of Molly Southbourne was released before diving into his trilogy of horror novellas.
Molly Southbourne has no problem killing herself. In fact, ever since she was child, it’s all her mother really taught her to do. Well, only after don’t bleed and run. You see, whenever Molly bleeds, another molly appears. Sometimes it’s days, sometimes it’s hours, but you can always count on one to show up, even after a tiny cut. And they really want to kill Molly. So her mother, Mykhaila, teaches her how to fight, and how to fight dirty, in order to survive the hell that she was born into. It’s hard to live a normal life when you might have to kill yourself at any moment. Molly tries, with varying degrees of success. But does she actually have to kill the other mollys?
(For consistency, I will refer to the original as Molly, and her murderous doppelgangers as molly, as they are in the books.)
In all honesty, this series will be hard to talk about as a whole without some spoilers for the first two books, The Murders of Molly Southbourne and The Survival of Molly Southbourne. So I will split this review into three parts, each diving slightly into the successive books. They are short, incredibly fun, and an entirely unique experience. So if you’re a fan of horror, whether because of its incisive commentary, the fact that it can be a bloody good time, or the perfect combination of both, you owe it to yourself to check these novellas out.
The Murders
Book one starts with a molly, tied up and beaten. She doesn’t know where she is, but she knows that the Molly is directly in front of her, and boy oh boy does she have a story to tell. Molly recounts the first twenty some years of her life to this tied up molly, digging into every gory detail. She explains her condition, the battles she has won, the war she has lost, and the incessant despair she wakes up to everyday. It’s a brutal life I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
Thompson succeeds in relaying the story in a way that emphasizes the pain Molly goes through. Whether it’s physical, psychological, or emotional, Molly is put through the ringer. It’s captured in a way that shows her slowly coming to grips with everything as she gets older. She’s confused, curious and scared as a child. She doesn’t know how to react except by listening to her parents. The rules govern her life, and she barely has any freedom to be someone outside of who her mother has made her. She sees her mother destroy mollys without hesitation. Her father, while skeptical, only looks on, not really intervening.
The danger increases when she leaves home to go to college. She doesn’t have her martial arts guru mother to watch her back when she sleeps. She has to constantly look over her shoulder to make sure a molly doesn’t sneak up on her, or show their face to a fellow student. It’s an exhausting way of life, and leads to Molly having very few friends. Hell, even her classes take a back seat to the constant invasion of mollys.
There are some weirder aspects that I won’t delve into too much here. Some of it due to spoilers, some of it due to horror aspects, and some of it involves darker but still human subjects. But Thompson handles them deftly, making them both horrifying, sobering and sad.
The Survival
This is the final warning, spoilers for book 1 lie ahead.
Molly kills herself at the end of book 1. Not just a molly, she ends her own life. The molly we heard the stories through, she becomes the new “prime.” Though she doesn’t quite know it yet, she���s been given a chance to live her life as she wants. Oddly, when she bleeds, new doppelgangers do not appear. But that doesn’t stop the missing and unknown mollys from showing up at her door with vengeance in their eyes. And while her body sings a silent siren song to her sisters, people from her mother’s past take an interest. They want her powers, skills, and knowledge, though to what end, Molly does not know.
Enter Tamara, another woman who seems to have the same affliction as Molly. However, she lives and works with all of her sisters. They take on different jobs, support each other, and don’t kill one another the second a new one is brought into the world. Tamara is strong and determined, though to what ends, it’s hard for Molly to tell. The only thing she really knows is that Tamara wants Molly to train the Tamaras in her frantic, dirty and successful fighting style. Tamara has given her a glimpse of how to live with the various aspects of herself, but does Molly really want to live like Tamara? And does Tamara really have Molly’s best interests at heart?
I enjoyed the exploration of Molly’s freedom. She has the ability to make choices for herself, free from the curse that plagued her forebear. She has history and baggage to clean up, but she herself does not have the blood of her sisters on her hands. She knows the horror the original had to live through and tries her damndest not to repeat those mistakes. Try as she might though, the remaining mollys still want her dead. I especially liked how Molly used her skills to subdue the other mollies, so she can later talk to them. This one is not a killer, and almost dies several times trying to save her sisters.
The horror is still strong, with a mysterious side plot that comes to fruition in a way that only deliciously gory body horror does. It’s gruesome, gross and honestly a little fun. There are also some upsetting features as well. Thompson does a great job walking the line of when something should be seen as amusing horror and the solemn horror of realization.
The Legacy
I did not enjoy the final book in the same way as the previous two the first time I read it. It felt disjointed, and while I understood the story and felt it was necessary, I wasn’t particularly into it. But after some time, and a reread of the whole series, I came to appreciate Legacy.
The Legacy of Molly Southbourne is not so much about Molly, as it is about the people who surround Molly. Yes there are bits and pieces showcasing Molly as she lives with three other mollys (each adopting their own name) as they go through group therapy, whilst hiding their big secret. These are fun and tense scenes as the various sisters talk about how much they want to kill one another interspersed with ruminations on how they want to live their life. I loved watching them try to get to know each other and get past the innate urge to destroy one another.
But a large portion of the book is dedicated to Myke. Yes, it’s Molly’s mother, and Thompson definitely does not try to hide it. But the name change is definitely a huge part of her story. But Myke is here to clean up. The mollys killed her Molly and it’s time for vengeance. We see her backstory, and the cold war spying she went through that led to Molly’s curse. It’s both schlocky cold war conspiracy stuff mixed in with heartfelt horror. I won’t go into too much detail, but it’s definitely an eye opener for the rest of the characters.
The whole book has a weird feeling to it. It’s got Thompson’s classic genre mashup atmosphere, where it feels like three or four different genres of movies. Yes, I said movies because it has that level of pacing and the feel of action movies from the time period, but with a little more grime and emotion attached to it. There are several satisfying moments that make you whoop as if you’re in a theater. It’s a rollicking time.
In the end, Molly Southbourne is a wild ride. It’s a story about neglect, and how you can really fuck up your kids through rigidity. It’s about learning to love yourself, even the aspects you hate and quite understand. It’s about learning from others about how to live your life. It deals with how fucking weird it is to be a human being, and how one’s curiosity about oneself and the world can easily be stamped out by simple mantras. There is so much more I can list all the different things these books made me think about until I am red in the face. But instead, if you have a stomach for body horror, a curiosity for the grotesque and heart enough to take it all in stride with compassion, I highly recommend you read The Murders of Molly Southbourne and it’s sequels.
Rating: Molly Southbourne – 8.5/10
-Alex
An ARC of The Legacy of Molly Southbourne was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.
July 28, 2022
Eh I wasn’t a fan of this last novella. I’m happy trilogy is done honestly. This book only answered a couple things I had questions about and nothing else. It was boring. The first novella is still the best one.
September 7, 2022
How did I miss this conclusion to the Molly Southbourne trio of novellas on its original publication? Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad I saw it at the library, because this third entry is just the action-packed, twisty end this story needed.
The story picks up a little while after the events of The Survival of Molly Southbourne. The Mollys are making a go of it, but the Cold War is ending, and someone wants to wrap up loose ends. An older agent, Myke, and former frenemy clone, Tamara Koleosho and her tamaras, are all looking for Molly... Though some unanticipated mollys that seem to have an unquenchable penchant for violence may affect the outcome.
I think I read this thing in 90 minutes. So like yeah, the story moves fast! I recommend you set aside a couple of hours and just give yourself over to it.
There are two things you can count on in a Tade Thompson joint: realistic fighting/violence, and science. These are both on display here. And while he does gloss a bit over the exacts of the cloning process, there ARE some answers and explanations offered here, which is a nice payoff after two novellas spent wondering and suspending disbelief.
But my favorite bits were the reveal of Myke's background and how it ties into the definitions of family that this series has always considered. The theme of found or made family was strong in this final novella, aided by some perspective chapters from Tamara and the alternate Mollys.
Overall, the cycle comes to a satisfying close. Very glad I read this, and that Thompson wrote it.
The story picks up a little while after the events of The Survival of Molly Southbourne. The Mollys are making a go of it, but the Cold War is ending, and someone wants to wrap up loose ends. An older agent, Myke, and former frenemy clone, Tamara Koleosho and her tamaras, are all looking for Molly... Though some unanticipated mollys that seem to have an unquenchable penchant for violence may affect the outcome.
I think I read this thing in 90 minutes. So like yeah, the story moves fast! I recommend you set aside a couple of hours and just give yourself over to it.
There are two things you can count on in a Tade Thompson joint: realistic fighting/violence, and science. These are both on display here. And while he does gloss a bit over the exacts of the cloning process, there ARE some answers and explanations offered here, which is a nice payoff after two novellas spent wondering and suspending disbelief.
But my favorite bits were the reveal of Myke's background and how it ties into the definitions of family that this series has always considered. The theme of found or made family was strong in this final novella, aided by some perspective chapters from Tamara and the alternate Mollys.
Overall, the cycle comes to a satisfying close. Very glad I read this, and that Thompson wrote it.
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