True story, I think that the desert would be the worst place to find oneself in during the apocalypse. It's hot, there's no water, and if you're as pale as me you're definitely dying of sun poisoning. There's illness, and sketchy creatures, and don't forget terrible humans, the biggest bad of all. So, welcome to the absolute hellscape of Desert Creatures!

Seriously, this place is bleak. It's set in what was the American southwest, and Magdala and her dad are heading with some others to Las Vegas, which has been heralded as some sort of saving grace in the middle of this otherwise hostile wasteland. Only, very few people make it more than a few miles in the desert, so Magdala finds herself alone and in some very precarious situations. Over, and over, and over, the poor girl can't seem to catch a break. She holds out a desperate hope that a purported saint in Vegas can miraculously fix her club foot, as it makes it extra difficult to traverse the brutal landscape with it.

Without giving much away, this book sure did an incredible job of delivering on the atmosphere and creating a very bleak look at the world. Sure, there were tiny pockets of hope, but overall, Magdala's situation (and that of everyone else who had survived) seemed quite dire. The book also had a very lonely and desolate vibe, making it perfectly clear how few people were left, at least in this part of the world. Magdala was able to meet some folks along the way, whose stories were fabulous additions. It showed the reader not only how Magdala interacted and formed relationships, but how others were faring in this world.

While I did find the ending a tad underwhelming, I loved reading about Magdala's journey, and the journeys of those she met along the way. I definitely enjoyed the element of survival, especially in such a desolate landscape, and I loved trying to decipher who among the survivors would be able to retain their humanity as the world- and the morality of society in general- collapsed around them.

Bottom Line: Set in a bleak and incredibly atmospheric wasteland, Desert Creatures looks at what exactly makes us human.

Content warning: death of a parent (father), ableism, body horror, misogyny, gun violence, realities of pregnancy, dead baby

Magdala is an eleven-year-old with a club foot, on the run from her settlement with her father across the Sonoran desert, where desert sickness overtakes more organic matter, turning them into horrifying corpse-cactuses. It’s a little bit Annihilation (the movie) and a little bit Red Dead Redemption with a creepy atmosphere and unexpected but delightfully unnerving Christian religious overtones. Where faith in humanity clashes with faith in the divine, it’s a great perambulation through a nightmare scape where everyone kind of sucks, but the supernatural dangers aren’t much better.

Chronister displays a command of both the Western and horror genres in this novel. The dread she builds develops independently from the shadiness of almost every individual Magdala and her father run into. They mesh together so well, building a heady atmosphere that’s bound to leave one as disoriented as the wayward pilgrims in this world. Desert sickness runs amok and, towards the end, even ghostly apparitions make an appearance. No one can be trusted, and the past literally haunts Magdala on her journey. So many horror things in one neat package.

The partitioning of this book is really interesting. We start with Magdala in her childhood, on the run with her father. They meet up with a posse and a series of tragedies and accidents leave her alone again. Then, through the perspective of a priest, we see her fiercely navigate a ruthless society while the priest ruminates on his excommunication and the choices that caused him to be kidnapped by a child. Finally, we have Magdala the adult on a heist to steal saint’s bones. If you like the trope of grizzled mercenary suddenly becomes a parent, this one is a treat. Each part builds on themes that lead before the other, but each contains its own story. In terms of flow, it works well and keep the reader familiar with the themes and dangers established in the section before it.

The prose is clean, and though the action comes in fits and starts, this is definitely a more meditative piece on survival and belief in the divine. Creepy, unnerving, with interesting perspective choices that still afford the central character, Magdala, a ton of agency in a world that would rather her have none.

This was a slow read that had plenty of potential but fell flat for me.

- It was disjointed with random time jumps, no explanation, and different POVs
- The lack of context on the post-apocalyptic world it is set in made the novel feel underdeveloped
- There were many elements in this book that went unexplained. What were these desert creatures? Is there no water? What happened to Vegas?
- The characters lacked depth, which made it hard to like or root for them
- Long chapters that dragged on

I initially requested this arc because the synopsis sounded super cool and I love dystopian novels, but this just wasn’t it for me.

Thank you @netgalley for providing me with this arc for an honest review.

This story is gorgeously grim.

As an illustration of this point...
"In every way that mattered, I considered myself as dead. I was only maintaining the sack of bone and flesh allotted to me out of some vestigial Catholic terror of the sin that can never be uncommitted. Alive by a technicality."

It's a beautifully written book which discusses deeply depressing subjects. It is dystopian, post-apocalyptic, religious, spiritual, & terrifying. Thankfully there is also growth, progress, & redemption... however, like most things in this desert wasteland, nothing is as it seems.

I will honestly admit that I chose to request this read because of its intriguingly stunning blurb & cover. I've never been drawn to dystopian fiction but I'm glad I opted to take a chance with Chronister's latest work. I found myself immersed in the lyrical language that made me feel as though I was being told stories and truths by ancient and wise leaders while seated around a massive bonfire.

The setting was described with details yet always seemed to feel vague. The pacing was disjointed at times with no warning before the setting or time changed. It's true that both of these aspects could be confusing but for me, it also always felt right given the experiences and landscapes the characters traversed as well as the stories that were being told. The situation could appear unclear because it wasn't clear for the characters either. I appreciated that atmospheric extension that I experienced but it may not be everyone's glass of sarsaparilla.

I thoroughly enjoyed the, at times horrifying, imagery, the characters' development and insight, as well as the author's vision of what the world could become in the not so distant future.

"Same things that happen to everybody, probably. Something ate them or they turned on each other."

Thank you to Netgalley and Erewhon Books for this eARC.

Desert Creatures is a post-apocalyptic, distopian horror story with cowboys and religious fanatics.
Seriously, what did I just read?? 😂
And I liked it! I could not put this book down once I started reading it.

I loved the vibes in this book. It's really atmospheric and has some very disturbing descriptions that will definitely creep you out. And while this is definitely a horror book, it's not your typical horror.
It's really poetic and the worldbuilding of the post-apocalyptic southwestern USA was amazing! Easily my favourite thing about this book.

Character-wise I felt it was sometimes lacking, especially since this book is really character driven and there isn't that much of a plot. The only character that really got fleshed out to the extent that was needed was Magdala. I missed a lot of that character building in all the other characters.

“Desert Creatures” by Kay Chronister ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Feminist Eco-Horror. Location: Arizona and Nevada, USA. Time: Near future.

After the apocalypse (the heat, the poisonous rain, the collapse of everything), there is only the Remainder in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. Nine-year-old Magdala and her father join a dangerous pilgrimage to Las Vegas, where holy vigilante saints live, so Magdala’s clubfoot can be healed. One by one, pilgrimage members share their sometimes metaphorical stories, and one by one they die-leaving Magdala alone. This trek is told from 9-year-old Magdala’s point of view.

It’s 7 years before Magdala and an exiled priest head for Las Vegas again. They trek through the vicious desert, where ravenous plants fuse themselves into humans, forming grotesque hybrids called stuffed men. The few humans left struggle for survival. This 2nd trek is told from the priest’s point of view, interspersed with his backstory.

The 3rd trek, back to Arizona, takes us again to Magdala’s point of view-only now she’s an adult, battered and hardened by the cost of survival. Through her dystopian plot, author Chronister asks us to consider the endurance-and compromises-required of women to survive in hostile worlds. She builds a frighteningly imaginative and horrifying world full of eco and human terrors. Her writing is intensely poetic and fluid, slowly immersing us in her blended-genre world.

Desert Creatures is a lyrically beautiful horror of a tale about the human, animal, and hybrid inhabitants of a ferocious desert world, and it’s definitely 5 stars from me 🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️ Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon books for the advance copy.

Definitely an unusual tale of the last small group of desert survivors living in a lost world somewhere in the barren Sonoran wasteland, trying to find a way back to one of the few cities still standing... the haven for "hereticals" in (wait for it) the ruins of Las Vegas. There are crazy cactus-people, wild lone outlaws, and miracle faith-healers, young and old. While I can't quite give it a 5-star rating, it WAS beguiling, and I DO recommend it. You definitely will not be bored.

*My sincere thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this advance copy without charge."

In this post-apocalyptic horror story we follow one person as they cross the desert in search of safety, freedom, and answers. But everything comes with a cost and the price must be paid no matter what.
With a surprisingly lush description of this barren wasteland we follow Magdala at different points in her life as she struggles to survive. But survive she does.
There was a lot of religious undertones and it did play a quite significant role in the story as whole, at least to me which isn't always my cup of tea.
Overall, it was an interesting horror and I loved the dessert setting.
Thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in the near-future, post-apocalyptic Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, Kay Chronister’s novel Desert Creatures combines bleakness with weirdness. In fact, one of the main themes I see in the story is of hybridization—from pidgin some characters speak, to mules, to Chronister’s desert creatures to name a few examples. Saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert, which to me resemble humans raising their arms toward the sky, have long been important to indigenous cultures as sources for food and other products, as well as inspiration for folklore. Their inclusion in this novel takes their mythology and uses to new places.

We follow young Magdala, who had to escape into the desert on foot with her father to survive. The harsh conditions and Magdala’s clubfoot make her trek excruciating, which I experienced along with her in the first part of the book. As Magdala grows older, the pace increases and we learn more about the desert creatures and the humans who inhabit this xeric landscape, with Las Vegas being central to the story.

Although I read the book in small increments, especially in the first part, I always picked it back up to see what strange new things were waiting for me. I relished the small kindnesses, the sparks of hope, and the tenacious bravery and humanity of Magdala. This book took a lot out of me but gave back much more, for I saw the transformation of a young girl into a young woman who stays true to herself and her beliefs as she discovers who she is and what she believes in a brutal world that also allows for beauty.

I thank Erewhon Books and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy.

Desert Creatures was a post-apocalyptic horror story following the life of Magdala. We begin the story when Magdala is 9 as she has to flee her home with her father. Throughout their travels she learns that in Las Vegas, there are saints who may be able to heal her clubbed foot. Magdala travels and struggles throughout the Mojave Desert which is overrun with outlaws and desert sick monsters/animals in her quest to heal herself. This was unsettling horror with many religious themes, so if that floats your boat, definitely check out this one. For me, I am very not into religion, so I gave this book 3 stars.

Categories: Western, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, adventure, religious horror, bio-horror

The Premise: The world isa desert that is alive. It claims people and animals, changing them into plants and monsters. There are numerous parties of people that practice different religious beliefs and pray/worship various saints. Most people are unfriendly and untrusting.

The Review: I was a little torn on how to rate this story. I loved the premise of the world and the changes the desert made on people. I liked the idea of saint-touched people that could perform miracles. I liked some of the groups that were introduced, like the cactus-sitters. However, a lot of the characters were lacking depth. This novel was also, essentially, three novelettes stitched together. Each part is a story that can stand on its own. One character is featured forward throughout. I would have preferred the author put these stories together as one in a more fluid way, or just stick to one and expand upon it. Also, the world that is promised is very cool but hardly used. For example, the desert claims people and animals, changing them. I expected and wanted far more of that than we received.

Drawbacks: The three-part structure feels incomplete in the sense it tells three stories that can stand on their own. // In Part 1, the character tell stories of saints and martyrs and themselves, but each time I was taken out of the active story as a result. // The presented world is loosely described and should have been expanded. The monstrous animals and people were very lacking, as if forgotten. // Some sequences we're played out too quickly and lacked detail. // Most characters were weak, just names to follow. // I never really understood why the heretic was allowed to leave with the girl. I understood their trade but it didn't seem like the Pope would be gone for it. And why was he collecting the heretics to begin with? All of that was very weakly explained.

Highlights: The presented world is an awesome one that brings to mind The Last of Us in a Wid West setting. // When the desert-claimed people an animals are present, my imagination went wild. // The writing is mostly engaging, despite some quickly told moments and underdeveloped characters. // The lead girl had a lot of potential as a forerunner. The heretic was also interesting. // The idea of saint-touched people delivering miracles was a nice touch.

Verdict 3.5/5.0

Kay Chronister’s 2022 Desert Creatures is a stand-alone post-apocalyptic horror novel. (more at other end of link)

After fleeing their violent neighbors, Magdala and her father take shelter in the desert with a patriarchal colony. There, Magdala finds hope that the bones of a saint in Las Vegas could cure her clubbed foot. She refuses to allow the horrors of the desert stop her from fulfilling her destiny.

“‘No certain thing in this world now,’ Alma said, stabbing a prickly pear pad with her fork. ‘Not even death.’”*

This book, which takes place in a dystopian world, is super bleak. Between the desperate, blood thirsty humans, the deadly abominations, and the poisoned landscape, the setting is seriously toxic. The aspect of traveling through such a harsh world gave vibes of Cormac McCarthy’s THE ROAD and the character of the Deputy contained shades of Judge Holden from BLOOD MERIDIAN. The world itself also felt akin to the Mad Max universe.

Magdala makes a great protagonist in that she’s strong, driven, and compassionate, and she transforms throughout her journey. Most of the book is told through her perspective as a young girl and as an adult, but the middle section is given from Elam’s perspective. He’s in exile from the church of Las Vegas for claiming to be “saint-touched” and thus capable of performing miracles.

The brutality of the first section of the book was really hard for me to read, but I am so happy that I powered through to the end. I loved how the tale wove together and how the various people Magdala meets are changed by her. I found the weirdness of the world fascinating and the touches of magic and kindness brought the hope of a delicate flower on a cactus.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks Erewhon Books for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

A young girl makes multiple attempts to cross an unwelcoming and violent desert in order to heal her deformity.

A Dystopian trek through the wild west was the perfect setting for Kay Chronister’s novel, Desert Creatures. The story follows three different time periods of main character Magdala’s life as she begins a journey through the desert to Las Vegas to be healed of her club foot. The best thing about this story is the beautiful writing to really put the reader in that scorching desert setting. As we follow Magdala’s journey we also see a tremendous amount of growth and resilience. This was a great read.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Magdala, Her Abusers & Redemption
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿: The Desert
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Easy
𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Novel
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Post apocalyptic horror-ISH adventure
4.7/𝟱

🌱THE EXCELLENT
~ Creative world, filled with excellent descriptions of fused desert beings, wandering madness and cactus sitters
~ Brilliant writing that sits on your chest
~ Morally grey characters in a morally grey world
~ Nothing about this story is light (except the rising sun)
~ Cowboy-ish vagrant feel
~ Stunning cover

In a post apocalyptic world where Las Vegas is basically a Mecca 😏🤭 with its Cowboy Saints. Here, desert madness, desert sickness & desert creatures, infest the dry remains of civilization. Magdala, initially young, feisty & bound by a clubbed foot in an unforgivingly dangerous world, must convince her dad & the other men she meets to take her on a pilgrimage into the heart of Vegas, that is, until she must escape with her sanity & will intact.

🌵
The writing is EXCELLENT, heavy & descriptive. However, our MC is a victim - always at the mercy of men ‘better & stronger’ than her, in this wild wild world *yawn*. 🙄 I was not convinced that naive Magdala would have survived the unmercifully unforgiving world portrayed- but maybe you will be. Otherwise, the story was a rewarding & eerie experience.

✨𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱.

🌱THE MEH
~ Sigh 😔 I am so tired of girls/women being assaulted! LEAVE GIRLS/WOMEN ALONE!
~ Victim women
~ Women being bound by random kids 🙄

♡🌱 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 ;)

Desert Creatures was definitely one of the oddest books I've read -- I think I appreciated it without liking it per se, and I am not sure if I currently have many people I'd handsell it to. But I definitely want to compliment the author on the way it felt very much like a book of the America Southwest.

Desert Creatures
by Kay Chronister
Fantasy Dystopia
NetGalley ARC

The world is dying, and the desert claims those who die as they try to survive, twisting their bodies into creatures, and those desperate enough to eat or drink what is in the desert become sick, and wander into the desert until they too die.

Many like Magdala attempt to cross the desert, and pilgrimage to Las Vegas, now a holy city where dead saints are rumored to still have the power to heal.

The book cover is cool, creepy, and the blurb is haunting.

But the story is a disappointment. I would call it more of a tale that one would tell over a campfire, (they did this and then that), including the lack of details and depth for the characters, the settings, and the creatures. They were supposed to add to the creepy, but they are vaguely described as if they were an afterthought so as to match the cover. But everything in this story is brushed over, basically only saying brown hair, blue this, red that. There's no substance, nothing creepy, let alone scary. The blurb is more interesting; “Strange horrors of the desert” “hideous sickness”, I wish they had been described in this story.

What really started to irritate me was the preaching, I guess you could call it. It was almost as if this book started out as an outline for a sermon, then characters were added. Yes, I get that religion is part of the story, but there was too much with not a lot of detail to make me feel anything for it or the characters except boredom. And contrary to what the blurb says, there is no 'ferocious imagination' let alone 'poetic precision'. It was dull and very disappointing.

1 Star

This was fairly wonderful. A sort of dystopian survival Western in the setting of <b>Annihilation</b>, I devoured this in a way I didn't anticipate. This was good all the way through, but truly shone in the scenes that exposed the strangeness of the desert: the stuffed men, the cactus-sitters, the desert sickness. Just, quite frankly, pretty great.