Seeing as how we wanted a “spooky” read, BBS pick of the month was Hiron Ennes’ debut novel, Leech. After reading it, I would say there are many genres that could possibly fit this, including horror, science fiction, and gothic fiction. We follow a doctor from the Interprovincial Medical Institute that makes their way to an isolated chateau to replace the previous doctor there that mysteriously died.
There were many things about the novel that I liked or learned to like. For starters, there is no denying the author knows how to write – as seen in many of the lyrical and descriptive prose throughout the novel (pretty typical of a gothic genre). The idea was also very interesting; without revealing too much, the idea of this institute and its doctors and the problem they face when arriving at the baron’s chateau, all while taking place in a posotapololypic future was very intriguing.
Unfortunately, that is as far as my praise goes on the surface. I think that the novel was particularly slow and didn’t fully take advantage of some of the more interesting parts of the story – it was a very slow burn.
Also, the genre for me started to feel less and less about horror or even science fiction, and more about other things, which was a bit disappointing. At some point, I did adjust the lens I was reading this as to something closer to a social commentary sexual violence, false care, and even so far as a displacement for women’s rights and body ownership ideas. Reading it in this new light made more sense to me and was able to appreciate the reading a bit more.
Overall, I would rate this as a 5/10, I think there is something different for different people to take away from this. I encourage anyone interested in any of the genres listed above or the social commentary mentioned to give this a read.