The Monster of Elendhaven was my next pick for the Ladies of Horror Fiction 2 year anniversary readathon. #sorrynotsorry there’s gonna be a few more of these posts still. I read a lot!
This selection hit the prompts for:
- Been on your TBR forever
- Something short
Edition:
Hardcover
Synopsis:
The city of Elendhaven sulks on the edge of the ocean. Wracked by plague, abandoned by the South, stripped of industry and left to die. But not everything dies so easily. A thing without a name stalks the city, a thing shaped like a man, with a dark heart and long pale fingers yearning to wrap around throats. A monster who cannot die. His frail master sends him out on errands, twisting him with magic, crafting a plan too cruel to name, while the monster’s heart grows fonder and colder and more cunning.
These monsters of Elendhaven will have their revenge on everyone who wronged the city, even if they have to burn the world to do it.
Award Nominations:
- Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Horror (2019)
My Thoughts:
The Goodreads reviews on this book are a fascinating mix of “I loved it,” “I hated it,” “I didn’t get it at all,” and “I couldn’t finish it.” That is always a good sign to me, when people are divided over a book. Strong feelings, you know?
Personally, I enjoyed the hell out of this story. It’s a sort of dark fantasy set in a world that reminds me a lot of Dickensian London, but with a whole shit-ton of dark magic heaped upon it. And, you know, an icky black body of water that legend holds will spit out creatures similar to golems or homunculi if you perform a certain ritual to a certain goddess. I actually can’t articulate quite what made it seem Dickensian to me now that I’m thinking about it, but somehow it still did. Maybe because I pictured everything as urban and rather sooty but still old-timey?
I also love a good monster-centric story, and this one is certainly that.
“Don’t underestimate me. I’m more than vile; I’m an honest-to-god monster.“
What a world it is when the monster isn’t the worst thing out there? Well, frankly, it’s Elendhaven. Johann is a monster, yes – but you’ll meet far worse than him in this short tale.
Honestly, my only complaint is that I felt that this story was interesting enough that it deserved greater length. It felt like it wanted to be much more complex than it ultimately was, and that’s a damn shame. I would have loved to wallow in the filth of Johann and Florian’s world for at least twice as long as I got to. I mean, plagues, dark magic, a dying city, and revenge cannot really adequately be explored in a 160 page book…
About the Author:
(Taken from the author’s website)
Jennifer Giesbrecht is a horror-fantasy writer and freelance editor from the stormy coast of Atlantic Canada. She has a degree in modern history, a background in street performance, and ten years experience running tabletop games. Her works have appeared in publications such as Nightmare Magazine, Imaginarium and Apex.
Jennifer lives in a quaint, historic neighbourhood in Halifax, Nova Scotia with two of her closest friends and five loving cats. She currently works for ‘What Pumpkin Studios’.
Rating:
I just wanted more!
The Monster of Elendhaven By Jennifer Giesbrecht Tor.com ISBN: 125022568X Published: September 24, 2019 Hardcover, E-book, Audiobook 160 Pages Author's Website
