An old parasite has created a niche for itself amongst humanity. After taking over numerous hosts, it has developed in an intelligent, sentient community that has developed The Institute where members are medically-trained and dispersed around the land to take over as the main doctor in every region. Through its study of humans in this way, it has developed a remarkable library of knowledge and developed a medical procedure for spreading itself to knew hosts. For half a millennia, it has steadily grown and ruled the medical community. However, through hive mind communication, the newest doctor for a local baron has discovered and alerted the Institute and all its members of a competitor on the loose in and around the baron’s château infecting hosts and fighting for its own foothold in humanity. What transpires is a battle for dominance with humankind in the crosshairs.

This is a debut novel by this author and it is amazingly and impeccably written. I am always drawn in by science and there is plenty of scientific discourse in this book. The vocabulary enriches the story and brings depth to the plot. I was completely enthralled from beginning to end by the menagerie of characters and the care given to creating multi-dimensional personalities that the reader feels intense emotions about. This is a highly recommended read!

A glacially paced but incredibly unique book. The prose is very dense, with quite a bit of fake French, but I did enjoy it as it contributed to the claustrophobic, gothic feel.

The reading experience is purposefully disjointed and confusing, with not everything being explained. I ended up appreciating the book for what it is, but I can see how it may be a frustrating read for some.people.

Whew, where on earth do I begin with Leech? First, I don't know that I fully "got" it? Though I read some reviews that made a ton of sense, and made me kind of think "ohhhh okay now I get it" which actually makes me like the book more. Since it is a horror book, I obviously want to keep the details to a minimum, but explain what about it worked for me and what did not.

(Also, please do note, there are a lot of wild things that happen in this book, so while I do not have a full list of trigger warnings as it did not contain such, there are... lots. Including abuse and death/gore.)

What I Liked:

This whole book was so wonderfully messed up! I mean, you go into it expecting it to be dark, but hot damn, it brought what it promised, and then some! I read most of the book on a plane, and I am sure that my face reflected that I was reading some really bananas stuff. There is absolutely body horror, and just... damn. It's probably not for the squeamish, but I loved that part. The atmosphere is also incredible, as the story takes place in a creepy old mansion, in a fairly isolated town, in the dead of winter. I sort of inferred that it was supposed to be some kind of post-apocalyptic setting, where perhaps humanity was on its last legs, and since I like that concept, I am keeping it as my version of events.

What I Had Trouble With:

Like I mentioned before, I think I just didn't get it at times? Look, I fancy myself at least intelligent enough to comprehend a good amount of topics, so I get a little frustrated when I cannot. Now that I know more about it, I definitely think I would appreciate it more. And I did kind of start to understand more toward the end, which was good. The beginning was a little slow and confusing for me, but it definitely picked up. But it is not an easy book; it is dense in both concepts and content, so be prepared.

Bottom Line: It is so wonderfully messed up and wholly atmospheric, though at times a bit confusing. Still, definitely worth it for sci-fi/horror fans!

HIGHLIGHTS
~don’t go out after dark
~the twins are Not Okay
~medical mindfuckery
~parasitic possession
~seriously, eat the rich

Before we get started, can we take a moment to acknowledge how ridiculously beautiful that cover is??? Because it’s absolutely stunning and I have spent far too much time just staring at it.

Ahem.

*

Delicate is the word that comes to mind when I think of Leech; not fragile but fine, elegant, like an exquisite piece of jewelry or a spider’s web shining silver in the twilight. It’s something about Ennes’ prose, like the words are being spun out of silk as you read; it’s something about the subtle, careful, precise way the worldbuilding unfolds; it’s something about how the progression of the plot is like walking on a frozen lake as spring arrives, the sensation and knowledge that the ice is thinning under your feet with every step you take.

It would have been so easy for this story to be a hammer, for this premise to be executed as blunt and brutal. Ennes could have written Leech that way, and it would still have been horrifying! But instead of a hammer, Leech is a scalpel; instead of being beaten over the head with how scared you should be, the horror is an infection slowly spreading through your tissues…until before you know it, you’re in real trouble.

A parasite that infects humans to take them over has set itself up as the Institute – the storehouse of all medical knowledge in a far-future post-apocalyptic world. It uses its many bodies – each of which is best thought of as a limb of a single hivemind, albeit limbs with their own psychological and cerebral quirks – to minister to the medical needs of humanity. It only makes sense – without healthy human bodies to possess, our narrator would be nothing much at all. But the revelation that another, possibly competing parasite has come into play threatens, not just the carefully calibrated existence of the Institute, but the survival of humanity – because its presence may make it necessary to destroy one of the most vital resources this broken world has.

In many ways, Leech is very squarely Gothic Horror; we even have an enormous old house inhabited by a toxic family, complete with despotic patriarch and eerie twins. But I’ve never seen Gothic Horror in a post-apocalyptic setting before, and it’s one of those things where, if you’d asked me, I’d have guessed they wouldn’t mix well – and yet now that Ennes has gone and done it, I’m craving more of this combination. Writers, please take note: I want to see so much more of this! (And readers, if it already exists: let me know!)

I simply loved how the setting – and worldlbuilding – was slowly revealed, like uncovering a winter corpse in spring thaw. When I started reading, I actually didn’t know we were getting a post-apocalyptic story at all, and piecing that together – recognising bits of our present through the funhouse-mirrors that are the cast’s grasp of their past – was so much fun. But I wouldn’t have enjoyed it nearly as much – maybe at all – if Ennes’ world had fit the post-apocalyptic stereotype of burning earth and charred remains, which is pretty boring to me at this point. Leech takes place in snow and ice instead, in a North populated by unkillable monsters and people with vestigial tails, and there is something shivery about the soft, precise poetry Ennes uses to paint it for us.

Particularly because of whose mouth Ennes has put those words in: Leech is written in first-person, and our narrator is none other than the parasite/symbiote that is the Institute. Who is, perhaps surprisingly, not very alien – but then, how could it be? It’s been living in human bodies for a very long time, and since things like emotion are a lot more biological than we usually like to think about, the Institute has inevitably been experiencing most of the things humans experience for quite a while now. Which is not to say that it’s human – it very much isn’t, and I was positively gleeful at the glimpses we got of how it’s hivemind works; conversations between multiple bodies, dealing with the different wiring of individual brains, was just *chef’s kiss*. But the Institute never felt very Other to me, and there were times when I was pretty sympathetic to it and very much on its side!

But then, I am very weird when it comes to monsters. Your mileage may vary.

Honestly, there’s so much I want to say about that first-person narration, because it’s absolutely fundamental to the story in a way that only becomes clear towards the climax of the novel. Ennes has been incredibly clever with it – I am still both delighted and in awe of what they pulled off and how they pulled it off, and I regret that I can’t give you any details at all because Huge Spoilers. You’ll just have to trust me when I say that I can’t believe this is Ennes’ debut; it’s a perfectly crafted masterpiece of mindfuckery.

How’s the horror? There were definitely some moments that made me squeamish – in the first few pages of the book, the Institute removes the eye from a corpse, and that’s far from the only moment of – is it correct to call that body-horror? I think so? And I mean, this is intrinsically a body-horror story; we’re literally being narrated to by a Thing which has taken possession of a (live!) human body and person. Which has in fact taken possession of MANY human bodies and people! This is body-horror from the perspective of the horror-thing, which is audacious and brilliant and completely fucked-up – and the worst part is that the Institute is so smooth, so sympathetic, so reasonable, that the fucked-up-edness of it all doesn’t even really occur to you until near the end of the book. Ennes, like so many of the best horror writers, makes the reader complicit in the horror being perpetuated, and I simply Cannot Even.

Which all means that Leech is at least equal parts psychological horror as body-horror – if not more so.

I approve.

Readers will need a reasonably strong stomach for body-horror, and there’s one thing in particular that deserves a trigger warning, although I’ll put it under a spoiler-tag because it is plot-relevant: View Spoiler ». But – despite occasionally needing to put the book down for a few minutes after a body-horror moment! – I loved this book. Leech is quietly, terrifyingly brilliant, tapping into the node of morbid fascination in all of us to all but seduce us to the final pages. It’s a beautiful, elegant sickness without a cure – just as it should be.

3.5⭐️

“A corpse, especially a fresh one, is a fine gift for my laboratories.”

I usually prefer to read shorter books, but this is the rare exception that I wish the book was longer. At 336 pages, I felt that there was still so much unexplored that could have been fleshed out. Because of this, I’ve given Leech a moderate 3.5 star rating. Not bad, as I did enjoy the story, but I wanted so much more out of it.

A doctor who is part of the Interprovincial Medical Institute makes the journey to Chateau de Verdira to find out why one of its bodies has died. The doctors of the Institute are connected as part of a hive mind, but it seems this one has gone off on their own. The Institute’s bodies are sexless, nameless humanoids whose only job is to be doctors. When Doc gets to the chateau, however, they find that the doctor, who named himself Stanislas, has a mysterious fungus or pathogen growing in his eyeball. This caused him to take his own life.

There was so much to this novel, that it felt rushed. As soon as you got into one part of the story, it quickly moved to another part. The general plot was very interesting, and we all know I love a good microbe story, but it definitely felt lost. It was reminiscent of the gothic age, and having read What Moves the Dead recently, I had pretty high hopes. This wasn’t my favorite novel, but I still want to recommend it to anyone who loves fungus as much as I do, as well as a nice gothic story.

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

CW for body horror, death, animal death, suicide, human experimentation, domestic violence, blood, graphic birth scene, animal cruelty, emotional abuse, death of a child, disease, and fire

In the cold windswept North, a doctor has come to replace a fallen comrade. But the doctor is not alone. She is hosting a Leech, an organism living in a multitude of physicians simultaneously in this eerie future world. The organism was also within the fallen doctor. But it cannot recall what caused his death. The new physician extracts a parasite from within the deceased’s eye socket. Is there a new organism trying to control the humans? The Leech must find its source and eradicate it before it kills or controls all the humans.

This book is a merging of old-fashioned gothic horror and hard science fiction. Think of Frankenstein set in an apocalyptic future Earth. I’ve never read anything quite like it. The plot winds around your mind almost like it is a parasite itself. It does have a few problems associated with gothic fiction. It is extremely slow paced particularly in the beginning. Be prepared to have no clue what is going on for several reading hours. But when the onion starts unpeeling, you are in for a haunting treat!

Leech is an original plot submerged in an old timey writing style. If you are willing to take your time reading it, it will remain with you for a long time. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

Thanks to Tordotcom and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Leech by Hiron Ennes is a unique take on the hive-mind/parasitic horror trope. I greatly enjoyed the majority of the story, but felt it got a little lost toward the end. It felt as if the author wrote themselves into a corner and had to figure out how to end it... rather than the story reaching a natural ending itself. Leech is still a great read, with unique takes on parasite tropes and second dark ages.

I received this book from NetGalley. I have to say, it is weird. If you like horror and the weird sci-fi this is for you! It is a slow burn, gothic, and very creepy story. The Doctor has died and a new one has arrived. I was a little thrown at first because they refer to themselves in the multiple, and you realize they use host bodies. They find a parasite that is killing people, and have a mystery to solve. This book is unlike anything I have read before.

I can't say this book was for me, but I definitely think it is worth the read, and would recommend to those who enjoy this specific genre and style of writing.

I’m torn with saying what emotion dominates me most right now. After a captivating first chapter, I’ll admit that I struggled through a fairly dense and slow-paced first half. All of my neurons had to unite and rally the brain power to make sense of everything happening in that first half. But the second half!? No words. It really takes off. Absolutely fantastic. The perfect blend of gothic horror and sci-fi. There were some truly disgusting moments, hello parasites and body horror, but the meaningful themes made this such a profound read. I could write an essay on this damn book, that’s how much there is to unpack. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what Ennes writes next if this is how hard they went for their debut.

Lol’d SO HARD at the acknowledgements “Helen and Stan, who asked to be characters. I’m sorry. You asked.”

This is one that you have to stick with for a bit before you get a better understanding of what is going on but boy does it pay off! It's written in old style English which goes fantastically well with the Gothic vibe. I have to admit, it's unlike anything else I've ever read, very unique and satisfying in an odd way. Not for the squeamish as there's quite a bit of body horror and violence but it definitely is for those of us that seek the odd and original.

Thank you @netgalley and @tordotcom for my advanced reader's copy.

This title will be available 9/27/22 perfect to start off spooky season!!

Physician, Heal Thyself

Leech is an exceptionally satisfying read.

Hiron Ennes has created a strange and blasted land, a hostile environment still disrupted by the decay of a long ago devastated civilization that may or may not be Earth's. The surviving remnant of something-like-people live in far-flung settlements under tyrannical rule by aristocrats, a dystopian society within which we can glimpse a possible future of our own world.

Although they don't quite know it, all live in thrall to the apparently beneficent but totalitarian rule of the Institute.

Reading Leech required my full attention because, for no-spoilers' sake, it just does. Hiron Ennes offers a wealth of description that makes the world of Leech easy to visualize, but full understanding of the story's perplexing circumstances requires patience and an eye for nuance. The reader must follow meager clues meted out a morsel at a time.

I prefer to learn particulars as they're revealed by the plot instead of through prosy narrative that slams the brakes on suspense-building. Ennes's use of that tactic not only made revelations more powerful but made me care more deeply for the survival of the central characters.

Leech provides terrifying scenes that drove my mind too fast to see where the scene was leading and made the sedentary act of reading a cathartic rush. I may have been confused at times, but I was irresistibly lured by the secrets only hinted at and the outcome exceeded my expectations.

I loved this book. Though not similar to them in most ways, I expect that its themes will stick in my mind just as other deeply affecting novels like Ursula K LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness and Walter M Miller's A Canticle For Leibowitz have done.

I thank the author, publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a free advance reader's copy of Leech. They've placed no obligation to do so on me, but I offer my endorsement with enthusiasm. Leech is a phenomenal read and Hiron Ennes is an extraordinary writer.

Hauntingly atmospheric. Hiron Ennes is a beautiful wordsmith, building an apocalyptic thriller encompassing medical mysteries. This dark, cold new world, infested with Leeches, commandeering the medical profession is rocked on its heels when a new parasite enters the battle for control of this barren, wasted world. A true glimpse of how an apocalypse can be repeated over and over, how seemingly good deeds turn deadly is a story you will want to immerse yourself in, and cower from all at the same time. With writing as fluid as watching a film, this is one not to miss.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @torbooks for a copy of this e-ARC.

Synopsis: In a desolate frozen north, the doctor of a baron has died unexpectedly, and quite frankly, strangely. His replacement comes up from the Interprovincial Medical Institute, but they are horrified by what they find. A strange parasite appears to have lead to the death of the doctor: a parasite not unlike those that already control the doctors themselves.

Review: At it’s core, Leech is a gothic sci-fi horror novel set in a dystopian future. The publisher describes it as “genre-bending,” and they are 100% correct about that. Our narrator is a doctor, but they are also not human. They are a body-snatching parasite working to preserve what is left of humanity for the benefit of their symbiotic relationship. The whole concept of this book is incredibly unique. I can safely say I have never picked up a book that is exactly like this, and the choice to have the narrator be a parasite in control of a human body was an intelligent one.

I do have a major issue with this book though: the first half is terribly tedious. The prose reads very gothic and is heavily laden with words that are unusual, totally made up, and from other languages. The native tongue of the characters can be hard to follow. The entire story also takes place in a world that is not adequately explained. I’m not sure if this is our own world post-apocalypse in the vein of the Hunger Games or if this is an entirely made up fantasy world. All of the places are fictional, but the foreign language feels decidedly French (but I couldn’t confirm via google) or Latino depending on whether the person speaking is from the north or the south. The reader is also never told what year it is or given any real context for time. On top of this, nothing really happens in the first 50% of the book. I won’t lie, it took me a while to get through it.

The second half of this book, however, saves it. Once events begin to pick up and more horror elements are introduced, the prose feels far less tedious and the story ends very well. After the 55% mark I was hooked and finished this in 1 sitting. The body horror is superb in one scene in particular, but I won’t spoil which. Towards the end Leech begins to read like a horrific fever dream in the best way. Despite the slow beginning, I found myself wanting more of the story by the time the book ended.

Overall, if you enjoy sci-fi horror and/or dystopian horror, give Leech a go. Just keep in mind that if the beginning feels too stagnant, the payoff is worth it to push through. Unfortunately because of the lack of balance to the story and the lack of world-building, I can’t give Leech 5 stars. This is a 3.5 rounded up to 4 because the second half was really good and I appreciate the uniqueness of the story.

This was an incredible creepy ride. Ennes conjures up a vividly terrifying world of intense cold, claustrophobic isolation, and slow-burn paranoia. I enjoyed this Gothic mystery's evocative atmosphere and dense, lush prose.

There was definitely a lot packed into this book. I loved the plot of this book as well as the medical aspect of this book. And honestly I wasn't expecting to like this--I feel like sometimes medical horror/apocalypse horror just lets me down, but I was really happy with the way this book unfolded layer by layer. Super creepy, stellar horror. I absolutely recommend this to all my horror fans!

So horrifying good. Hiron Ennes writes a truly original story. A parasite that has infected part of the human population (or what’s left of it after many apocalypses) is headed to the northern most north. One of it’s hosts has been killed and it needs to investigate. It must quietly try to discover what is going on in the chateau where it has been employed for many generations while navigating a family with many secrets.
When it discovers another parasite that is attempting to take humans as well it must decide how to fight back.
Told as if peeling back layers one at a time, this atmospheric read was disturbing and creepy and true horror. Get ready for the chills and perfectly disgusting descriptions. I honestly can’t believe this was a debut.

The gothic and scientific nature of this book are standout qualities, but I found that I had to take quite a number of breaks in order to digest the amount of words I had read.

This was an incredibly unique and original book. I have not read anything like it before. It begins with the death of the baron’s doctor at an isolated Chateau. The doctor's replacement from the Institute arrives and has a mystery (or two) to solve. Btw, the replacement is quite unusual as it has used "host bodies" over the years. Creepy. Plus, the replacement doctor finds that something is lurking at the Chateau deep below in the mines.

This is a very Gothic and atmospheric read that had me scratching my head a couple of times. This book took me a little bit of time to get into and the thought of an organism trying to study another organism was very interesting. This took creepy to a new level. Plus, the book has a very cold feel to it. It's chilling and dark which adds to the overall feel of the book.


Many times, I put this book down while reading it, then found myself coming back to this highly unusual book. I applaud the author for being creative and original. It took me some time to wrap my head around this book. This began on the slow side, and I struggle with slow builds, the book did pick up speed in the second half when things begin to get very real.

Gothic, atmospheric and unique. If you are looking for something a little different, look no further!

#Leech #NetGalley

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tordotcom and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I went into this book with high hopes, but was sadly disabuse of them early on. The premise was excellent, the execution less so. Not only was this book a struggle to read, I felt it could have been half the length it even, if not even shorter. The characters never pulled me in, the local dialect was a tad confusing, and the story had no forward motion for far, far too long. I really wish I could say otherwise, but this book was not for me in almost any way.

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Macmillian-Tor/Forge for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very strange book that has 18th century Gormenghast Frankenstein vibes. I felt thrown into a world I didn't understand and LOVED IT. This book gives you context clues and helps you along the way without spoon feeding, and I highly recommend it.