by T. Kingfisher
Since the death of her father, Sonia Wilson has had to put aside her beloved profession of being a scientific illustrator and become an art teacher. With only a few friends and an oppressive headmistress, she seeks employment elsewhere…but there aren’t a lot of positions available, because she is, after all, a woman in the late 1800s. So when the reclusive scientist Dr. Hadler hires her to illustrate his work of bugs, worms and squiggly, squirming critters, she willingly obliges.
After trekking through the woods with creepy Mr. Phelps, who offered to chaperone her and narrate the nightmarish folktales of devils and blood thieves you would meet in the woods, she arrives at Dr. Hadler’s North Carolina mansion….wonderfully creepy, atmospheric.
Sonia soon realizes that the doctor’s work is rather odd and that the artist before her disappeared under mysterious circumstances, compounded by the fact that the animals in the area are behaving rather creepily, she begins to regret her decision to work. Also, what is with the creepy shed on the property, a place that the doctor brings live chickens and keeps under lock and key?
The story is narrated by Sonia, whose voice is so personable and funny (which is wonderfully juxtaposed against the creepy atmosphere). I really wanted to be her friend and, over a bottle of wine, hear all about her experience. Just a heads up, if you don’t like bugs and blood, this novel may not be for you. Kingfisher is quite graphic in her descriptions.
Except for a few parts that seemed somewhat redundant (especially when Sonia is questioning the reality of a horror she saw), the novel is humorous, suspenseful, and everything I expected from the author.
…oh, and I absolutely loved the Kents.
This is an great Southern Gothic to add to you audio book list.
I listened to the audio of this novel. Mary Robinette Kowal is the narrator, and she is absolutely wonderful. She is very effective with voices, accents, and intonation of emotion. I would definitely listen to other audiobooks she narrates.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the copies.
You’ll be able to buy Wolf Worm at the end of May.
Ink And Spine 