Olga Tokarczuk's Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead was my favorite book of 2021. Needless to say, I had high hopes for The Empusium - especially since it marked a foray into horror for Tokarczuk. A favorite author dabbling in a favorite genre? Sign me up!

Alas, though, I found The Empusium to be a little too subtle and slow-paced for my taste. The themes, however, were impeccable. Misogyny and misguided medical intervention were the horrors of this novel and Tokarczuk effortlessly wound them into a very surprising and satisfying crescendo. However, as aforementioned, the pacing up until then left a lot to be desired. Some of the earliest scenes in Empusium were painfully drawn out and repetitive to the point where I was bored! Ultimately, though, I am glad I persisted because I genuinely appreciated the way it all came together in the end.