You know what hell yeah.

This didn't go where I was expecting it to go but it was still fun. It's less monster/eldritch horror and more psychological. Although there is a monster and they do

have sex

. Just so you're aware.

The writing was really well done, and Lee Mandelo crafted a great sense of immersion. The setting was so perfect for a story like this; 1920s Appalachia, small conservative town for our trans main character. Horrifying. I do wish that the horror came more from Appalachian folklore but that's me wanting something completely different out of this book because I misled myself about the direction of the story. 

That being said, I felt like the horror elements worked perfectly for the story and the horror imagery tied in well with the themes of queer identity and religious bigotry. I wish this wasn't a novella, and we could spend a bit more time with some scenes and characters, but at the same time the fast pace helps add to the claustrophobic feeling. It felt super cinematic and tense! The main character has an interesting backstory that could have been explored more in a longer novel.

For me the only thing I really didn't like was the age gap between the main characters. That's honestly a minor thing but it bugged me a bit.