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

What an achingly beautiful book. Dori Lumpkin take a bow. A tale that is an exploration of life in a small town in the deep south, riddled with christianity and hypocrisy, questionable preachers and abuse thinly veiled in and disguised as religion.

A story of obsession and possession and the innocent coming of age love that blossoms between two teenage girls - one, Nora, left bereft of a present father who rebels against everything the small town stands for; and her closest and only friend - our protaginist - Abby-Girl; who is shackled to a family entrenched in staunch beliefs and rigid judgementalism.

Nora lashes out. Initially we know not if this is a possessed thing or rebellious teen thing. The darkness blooms within her, and so does our dread. Church meetings and holy snake saving ceremonies set to cure Nora only end in bloodshed and thusly the ire and hysteria builds omenously.

All we can do is watch, enraptured and horrified by the slow-mo incoming disaster as religious zealots target a young girl for a terrible, revengeful punishment.

A stunning book. A heartbreaking, poetic, balletic thing that has lived in my head since I finished it to the extent that I had to digest it for a few days before writing this review. I'm still in the town of Bethel, and already miss the two best friends who had to take on a community - one head on, and one in secret. I cannot recommend this book enough.

I just knew this book could be perfect for me, and I wasn't wrong!

"There's a snake speaking to me, Abby-girl"

This is what Nora always says to her best friend right before doing something wicked, troubling or dangerous (VERY dangerous I'd say). Abigail is her childhood friend. (but are they really ONLY friends?) and they only have each other, so Abby puts up with everything Nora does and forgives her everything.

These two lives in Bethel, a city isoleted from the outside by mountains. The culture here is strictly linked to religion and everyone follows the Church's rules and Pastor David (and his two brothers)'s word. Everyone except Nora, who's always bene special and free, and this causes her a lot of hatred and prejudice among the other citizens.

Damn! Let me tell you, this was SUCH A GOOD STORY! I loved it soooo freaking much! It was well written, with a good use of flashbacks (and those are very useful when you're reading a hundred(ish) pages story that describes a relationship of many years), with a lot of suspence and sense of regret and melancholy.

There are so many good messages hidden in the story, and it makes you think about religion, justice, progress, society imposition, love... That was deep. Really deep. And there's a magical / creepy (black magic??? Demoniac possession???) twist too! It was just my cup of tea, I already knew it when I first saw that wonderful cover (I love snakes so much, I'm obsessed) but I found out it was better than what I was expecting (and I was expecting A LOT!).

I hope this story will go viral and be succesfull and a lot of people get to know it (and its author too, of course) around the world.

P.s.: oh I hated Pastor David and his brothers so very much!

southern gothic, sapphic, religious horror…everything an ethel cain girly could want. honestly not surprised at how much i loved this book. There were some parts that I wished were a bit more explored but overall I thought it was so good for such a short book. Anything having to do with religous trauma, queer girlhood, and creepy cultish communities are def for me!!! Thanks for the earc netgalley!!

*Dori Lumpkin’s* *Antenora* is a haunting and beautifully written debut that weaves together Southern gothic horror, forbidden love, and the dark side of religious zeal. The story of Abigail and Nora is as tender as it is terrifying, with richly developed characters and a gripping exploration of community and repression. This novella kept me hooked with its chilling atmosphere and emotional depth—an unforgettable read that lingers long after the last page.

It is nothing short of remarkable when a story completely knocks the air out of your lungs. ANTENORA tells the tale of a young woman who doesn't fit into a small and very religious community from the perspective of someone (the only person really) who cared very much for her. A story that will feel like a familiar old friend for some folks.

A quick read that will grab your attention and not really let it go!

The imagery and connections throughout the book were wonderfully placed! I loved how complex the story was!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

i think this was a good novella, but from my personal perspective it felt slightly lost, i don't think i completely understood what was going on the entire time, and the plot wasn't entirely my thing. maybe that's my mistake as i'm not really a horror reader, but i thought i'd give it a try anyway.

it's not a bad book at all, just lacked a bit of something for me, and the lack of definitiveness isn't my taste. i wanted to enjoy it a lot, but it was a struggle for me to start reading and i think that impacted the rest of my experience overall.

i can however, see the appeal, and if you enjoy horror, especially around religion and the devil, this would definitely be for you.