I feel like the execution of this story did not do the idea justice. There was a lot of background for characters we did not yet know, and therefore had no investment in, which made the book feel slow and then rushed at the conclusion

Damn, this book hit hard. Antenora is a dark, witchy, and unapologetically queer story that stays with you long after you finish. It’s about Abby and Nora, two girls trying to survive in a suffocating, cult-like community obsessed with exorcisms and demons. Their love is raw, fragile, and totally taboo, and the way it’s woven into this tense, Gothic horror setting is just perfection.

The vibe is pure dread—think oppressive religion, witchy whispers, and snakes that might not stay dead. The horror isn’t just in the creepy, supernatural moments, but in the way the people around Abby and Nora weaponize faith and fear. It’s haunting, rebellious, and heartbreakingly queer in all the best ways.

If I had one complaint, it’s that it’s too short—I wanted more time in this eerie world, more depth to the story. But even at novella length, Antenora delivers a punch. It’s unsettling, emotional, and so beautifully queer. If you’re into sapphic love stories with cult vibes and a touch of witchcraft, this one’s a must-read.

Antenora is an intentionally crafted, small town horror story that explores female identity, queerness, and religion. For such a short book, the story is deeply layered with symbolism and meaning. I absolutely loved it.

This style of prose isn’t to my taste (a very direct to reader first person) which has definitely coloured my opinions of this. The author is great at creating an atmosphere for the reader and establishing character relationships but the style of this just wasn’t for me.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

I thought this was okay. It wasn’t really my vibe but it wasn’t bad either.

4.5 stars

Nora and Abigail meet and form a friendship as young girls in their small Pentecostal town of Bethel. Abigail recounts their lives before and after Nora murders 3 people and commits inhuman acts. The church and its people make it their mission to save Nora from the devil that has possessed her, or short of that save their town from Nora.

Abigail’s narration is equal parts plea and confession as she yearns for the girl she loves and shoulders heavy guilt of her inactions that contributed to Nora’s atrocities. The dynamic between Abigail and Nora was incredibly developed considering this is a novella, and I could empathise with both characters throughout.

Antenora places a queer reckoning inside horrific circumstances and a dangerous environment that you know will spell their doom. Abigail’s perspective of the people within the church almost paints them as an indistinguishable being, which helps Abigail and Nora stand apart as ‘the others’ in a hive mind religious sect. The author beautifully weaves together the real life horror of religious persecution and the fear of otherworldly forces.

I really recommend this for literary fiction & literary horror fans! If you like heavy atmosphere and foreboding, this definitely delivers.

What an emotional read with deep insights into religious trauma. I truly appreciated hearing the story from one of the main characters’ perspectives rather than the character it primarily focused on. This choice significantly enriched the dynamic between the two characters. Additionally, it features a Sapphic relationship, which I love seeing in the horror genre. The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is that I didn’t fully understand or relate to the religious trauma, and felt this could have been elaborated on a bit more.
 
However, I’m eager to read more from this author, as this novella had a lot to say.

Beneath the façade of piety and restraint, the novel exposes a world of oppression, repression, and violence. With complex, beautifully crafted characters, the story delves into the devastating consequences of forced submission and repressed sexuality. While delivering the expected chills and tension of a horror story, Antenora also breaks your heart with its poignant and thought-provoking portrayal of humanity. truly unforgettable

There is so much story in this novella! I have never read a book like this before and after I was finished, I could not stop thinking back to it. The bond the two main characters had was definitely heart wrenching as they live in a very religious town in the south.

This one left me with a bittersweet feeling after I ended my read. With the way the story Is told, in a non linear way, and Abby foreshadowing events that she hasn't told us yet, the whole read has a bittersweet taste.

I like and dislike the use of the first person narrator in the novella for the same reasons: It leaves me with the feeling that Abby Is not a completely reliable narrator. I don't really have reasons to feel this way yet in the back of my mind I have the feeling that some of Nora crimes/actions aren't real or didn't happen as she recollected them. It gives the story a dreamlike feel, like other have said before, but I kinda wanted a more straightforward retelling of Nora's actions, because she's such an interesting characters.

I think the story had more to tell and this could have been a liitte longer, but at the same time it doesn't feel incomplete nor rushed. It was a very good debut imo.

Haunting novella set in a cult like religious community. Abigail tells us the story of her first love, Nora, a girl unable to fit into this restrictive society. Tragedy is steeped into every page. Almost dreamlike in tone, I wasn't sure how many of Nora's "crimes" actually happened. I think the story could be expanded and both characters given more.
Dori Lumpkin is an interesting new voice and I will definitely read more from them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC.

Dori Lumpkin's Antenora masterfully intertwines subtle queer themes with the chilling atmosphere of a religiously oppressive Southern town. The narrative, set in Bethel, Alabama, delves into the lives of Nora Willet and her childhood friend, Abigail Barnes, as they navigate their deepening affections within a community that views their bond as a threat to its rigid dogma. Lumpkin's portrayal of their relationship is tender and authentic, capturing the nuances of forbidden love blossoming under the weight of societal condemnation. This delicate exploration of queer identity is seamlessly woven into the story, offering readers a poignant glimpse into the characters' inner worlds.

The novel's dark, cult-like setting amplifies the tension, with Bethel's fervent religious practices—including snake handling—casting a menacing shadow over Nora and Abigail's lives. Nora's unique connection with snakes and her defiance against the town's oppressive norms lead to harrowing consequences, reflecting the dangers of nonconformity in such an environment. Abigail's internal conflict, torn between her loyalty to Nora and the community's expectations, adds depth to the narrative, highlighting the personal turmoil that arises when love clashes with deeply ingrained beliefs. Lumpkin's storytelling is both haunting and evocative, making Antenora a compelling read that lingers long after the final page.

3.25 stars

Good little horror novella that packs a punch. I read it in a single sitting. There were a couple times I was thrown off the timeline due to the way it was written but overall a very enjoyable horror story.

Thank you to Creature Publishing for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Antenora is a novella from author Dori Lumpkins about the haunting fate of a teenage girl in a high-control religious community, as told through the lens of a friend left behind. The story touches on a couple of themes; high-control religions, queer love and the complications of living in anti-LGBT communities, sin, and the duality of victimhood.

(Trigger warnings: snakes, religious trauma, dead animals, gore, violence, mentions of suicide)

Something that this novella does very well is create the discussion around victimization and actions of those in power. I think that at its core the argument is what happens when the “good” or empowered do things that are immoral or cruel to maintain their status quo? And how do we respond to violence or injustice against victims who don’t conform to our idea of “good” or “worthy.” Nora, the girl most of the story concerns, faces much ostracism and violence from the community. However, she herself can be flippant, disrespectful and prone to her own violence with terrible consequences. Do her perceived sins mean that extrajudicial violence or cruelty is warranted? Thematically, this runs throughout the book in a very deft way. I think that it’s probably the strongest element of the book.

I do not think the brevity of the story does it any favors. While the chapters about the events and the main character’s relationship were well crafted, there was little context to the community save for some short statements within a few paragraphs. We only know what the narrator tells us, but we see very little. I think some length would have built a history of friction between Nora and the community, not just the few isolated incidents. It just felt as if the story needed more context and description to build the complete setting and community dependent interactions.

Overall it’s an interesting short read. The narrator’s voice is unique and compelling, and the action is highly interesting. 3/5 stars.

Part of what didn’t work for me was the writing style. It’s written as the protagonist telling “you” about Nora and the events leading up to the final confrontation. This didn’t work as well for me as I wanted, as it led to the use of many foreshadowing phrases and kept it difficult to emotionally connect with the characters. I wanted more from Nora, not only to learn more about her, but also more action from her towards the end. The ending as a whole was a little underwhelming, and I wanted more from the “horror” aspects of the work though there were certain unsettling moments that were done well.

A big thing that didn’t work for me is that there is no mention of when this story takes place, and I couldn’t find any context clues relating to this. While this is something that frustrates me, not all readers may care. What I did like was how well written Abigail’s and Nora’s friendship/relationship was and how realistic it felt. While I didn’t necessarily connect with the characters, I could feel the connection between them.

This novella was good and worth reading if you’re interested in small communities governed by religion set in the southern U.S. My thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Many thanks to Creature Publishing and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I received a limited digital Advanced Reader Copy to read in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This is a lovely debut, and I am very excited to see how Lumpkin grows as an author and what they write next. Antenora centers around two girls who are ostracized by their insular religious community; Nora is actively troublesome and scares the devout villagers, and Abigail develops a bad reputation by association. They have a beautiful, unconditional friendship that is also obsessive and unhinged. I LOVE it. The persecution they experience is only slightly exaggerated, and is hard to stomach, but equally hard to put down.

Antenora is beautiful in so many ways, but is also filled with incomplete thoughts. Lumpkin chose too many ideas to touch upon: religious education, isolation and insulation, the resulting simplicity of thought and undying loyalty to the church, <spoiler>persecution of queer youth, discovery of homosexuality whilst being devout (and the stages of grief therein), religious fervor to the point of abandoning your child,</spoiler> etc. Unfortunately, they didn't have enough time to complete those points. The author either needed more time in order to flesh everything out, or should have focused on less key themes that they had time to fully develop in this novella.

Book comparisons: <spoiler>Slewfoot by Brom, somewhat Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle</spoiler>

I found this book tense and atmospheric, with inevitable tragedy alluded to throughout. Narrator Abigail has some doubts about her Pentecostal small town, led by Pastor David and his brothers. Nevertheless, she participates in the town's rituals of shaming, hurting, and casting out those who fall out of line and must be "saved." That is, until she befriends Nora, a wild and rebellious spirit unafraid to stand out. The relationship between these two characters is heartfelt and makes the ending wrenching. I will say the ending itself feels a bit rushed and doesn't bring in some of the themes and images so consistently present in the book up to this point. I still found this an intense read that was difficult to put down.

"Antenora" by Dori Lumpkin is a hauntingly beautiful tale that blends mythology, mystery, and raw human emotion. The story dives into themes of betrayal and redemption, with characters so vividly written that they feel alive. Lumpkin’s prose is lush and poetic, creating an atmosphere that’s both eerie and captivating. The world-building is intricate, pulling you into a narrative filled with twists and deep moral questions. It’s a book that stays with you, making you think long after you’ve finished. If you enjoy dark, thought-provoking stories with a mythological twist, "Antenora" is a must-read.

This novella packs a punch for sure. It is centered around a religious community and friendship.

I will say writing style throws me off alittle and took me out of the story at times.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC

This was an interesting short read! It kept me reading and I finished in one sitting (I’ve been in a reading slump and a horror short story is the perf way to get out of it)

I feel like there were some points where I was confused by the time we were in …if it was the main character recalling a memory or if it was something that was just happening but it was an entertaining read.

I would definitely read something else by this author