There were a lot of unsettling moments when reading this book but it all added to its effect, seeing the religious trauma combine with horror elements. A great read overall.

I fell into this book immediately! The narrator's voice was so unique and easy to read. There was just enough detail about Bethel to fill it in for the length of this story and make it seem like a real town. Even the extremes felt commonplace, very much hammering home that this was ordinary life for Abigail and Nora. It made the whisper of supernatural with Nora seem all the more real as well.

The pacing was also excellent - it was hard to put this down! I needed to know what happened next, but of course Abigail had to share the relevant backstory as well. It all combined together to give a good picture of their relationship, so that everything felt important.

Will be buying it for the library I work at!

This was a heavy and haunting book that I read in one sitting and had to lay face down on the floor for an hour after finishing. Sometimes horrible, unforgivable acts are committed against queer folks, and those stories deserve to be told too, as hard as they are to read.

"Antenora" mixes religious horror with a queer coming-of-age narrative, highlighting aspects of the religious life often mentioned but rarely developped satisfyingly. This novella manages to convey subtly and accurately the anxiety and the claustrophobia of isolated religious communities, employing both familiar and unfamiliar patterns of narration. Told in first-person, in a calm, balanced voice, the story quietly describes -long after the fact- the progressive unraveling of a Pentecostal community's stance towards one of its young female members, the teenage girl Nora. It's important to note that the events reported are seen through some significant distance, which explains the subdued tone of the book. There's no bitterness or anger left to consume the narrator, Abigail, who found herself in love with Nora and witnessed the social unrest firsthand. This turns her narrative into a poignant story of queer love, with a few supernatural elements, mostly hinted at rather than openly described. It's interesting how the names of the protagonists refer to integral parts of the story: "Abigail" means "God's joy" and its impact is better and most impressively understood after the story's ending (God-fearin' fanatics may be unable to distinguish sainthood from possession); "Nora" obviously refers to the book's title, "Antenora", the country in Hell where traitors to one's party or homeland are found. In sum, this is an engrossing tale I unreservedly recommend.

3.5 stars

A quick horror novella, with the horror to the town being a young (seemingly queer) girl seen as possessed by her community and the real horror being the evangelical, insular community that pins everything bad in their town on a young girl who doesn't give in to the religiosity.

I think I need to sit with this one a little more, but the commentary, the atmosphere, and the way the story was told was excellent. Sometimes with a novella, I wish for something longer or more fleshed out, but this was exactly what it needed to be, and that was that!

Thank you so much to Dori Lumpkin and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

This hit me in ways I didn’t expect. It’s the story of two best friends, deeply connected in ways that go beyond what’s visible to the naked eye. Their friendship is tested when one of them may—or may not—be possessed by something evil. And to make things worse, they live in a tight-knit, overzealous Southern religious community that is obsessed with saving her soul. The stakes? Her life, her faith, and their bond.

What gripped me right away was the ominous, atmospheric vibe that just keeps building. Lumpkin paints this haunting picture of small-town judgment and the suffocating pressure of being under constant scrutiny. The girls face intense judgment from everyone around them, but what I loved most was how they never wavered—they stood strong for what they believed in, even when it felt like the world was crashing down.

This novella is tightly paced, pulling you in from the very first page. It’s not overly complex or weighed down by literary flourishes, which I appreciate. It’s very plot-driven and packs a punch in its short length. I couldn’t put it down because I *needed* to know how it would end. And let me tell you—the ending wasn’t my favorite, but it was powerful. Lumpkin leaves a lot open to interpretation, which gives the reader space to personalize the story and curve the tale towards their own sense of closure. It’s heart-wrenching, suspenseful, and keeps you thinking long after you’ve finished.

If you’re looking for a quick, tension-filled, high-stakes read with strong characters and a storyline that leaves you guessing, Antenora is definitely worth picking up. You’ll be pulled in, and you won’t want to leave until you know how it all unravels.

The vibes of Antenora were undeniably spooky. The cultlike, church-centered town of Bethel, Alabama was a perfect contrasting setting for the story of Nora and Abby.

Nora and Abby make a great pair. Nora has strayed from the godly path that the town of Bethel desperately wants to keep her on, and it seems that her rebellion is not totally within her own control. Abby, on the other hand, can't seem to disentangle herself from Nora, whether she wants to or not. Abby's staunch refusal to exile Nora from her life is a source of tension between Abby, her family, and the town.

Abby and Nora's friendship is clear and believable in this story, but I couldn't help wishing it was fleshed out more. While Abby is open-hearted and honest, Nora is closed off; not just to Abby, but also to the reader. Nora's lack of forthcomingness felt like it was meant to make her mysterious, but it made me feel like I didn't know much about Nora at all outside the realm of the events in the book. (For example, I can see and feel how Abby existed "before" this story begins, but it is harder to imagine Nora in the same way.)

The twist was spooky and delicious. I ended this novella rooting for Abby and Nora, and praying for a sequel or expanded version that offered more insight into Nora as a character.

A great novella studying a girl who was the menace of the town. It was beautifully written and had me invested the entire time I was reading it. But, I do find myself not really enjoying short stories. I almost view them as previews for the actual story. Still a beautiful view of how religious trauma can impact people, though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for providing a review copy.

The horror in this book is fairly subtle, but it's definitely there. If you have religious trauma, I'd tread lightly here, as the book deals with a snake handling Christian cult and two queer girls. The story is written as if it is in response to an inquiry into the events that take place. There is a strong sense of dread throughout the book and it is plainly, but beautifully written. 4 stars

A quick and ominous read. The feeling of isolation, mixed with the nostalgia of teen years, added to the horror of growing up being different from those around you. I can see a lot of people identifying with the narrator. Found this an enjoyable fall story and would recommend.

Thank you for the advance reader copy to read and review.

If there had not been any mentions of stately institutions of the United States of America, this story could have also been set in medieval times. The deeply religious community (or better cult) of Bethel despises one of its members: Nora is critical of religion, authority, and even worse… she´s a lesbian! *gasp* so the community including her brainwashed totally-not-girlfriend performs an exorcism on her.

The horror of this story felt way too real. The real horror was not in Nora potentially being possessed by a Demon for real, but in the perspective, it is told: We experience the story through Abbygail, Noras best friend and totally-not-girlfriend. And she is completely religiously brainwashed. Even though Abby empathizes with her friend, she doesn’t consider the system flawed. Beyond that, she´s not even considering the world outside her 500 people village could provide more options for her than getting married at 18 or becoming a seamstress. A frustrating and deeply horrifying perspective to read – amazingly executed by the author.

The story provides a social commentary about religiousness and how religious authority can abuse its power. The characters had depth and were tridimensional. The queerness war was handled very well. BUT: It would probably have helped the case of Abbygale being the innocent victim of religious and misogynist power if she wasn´t also a three-times murderer. But I can turn a blind eye to that and interpret it as Nora lashing out at an unfair society.

I thought Dori Lumpkin has a strong writing ability, with the atmosphere and setting fleshed out well - I could picture the town and surrounding areas well, and was gripped when the action began. There are some really lovely sections of prose, and I read the whole novella in one sitting. The relationship between Nora and Abigail was well done, and I felt sympathy for Nora, even with not understanding why she was doing the things she was doing, and I enjoyed the ambiguous ending.
Having said this, I think that Abigail not asking questions or responding to Nora's behaviour was frustrating as a reader, I wanted to know more about Nora so I could form some sort of opinion about what she was/why she did the things she did. I also would have liked more information about the other townspeople, specifically the three brothers, why do the town follow them etc. I think I would have liked even one chapter from the view of Nora, just to give me a little more information.

Oh. Well.

I'll start by saying that this was a really, really good book. The writing was good and the two main characters were both very likable. The author has a real way with storytelling that keeps you engaged and eager to read the next page.

I don't want to give any spoilers for this book, but I will say that... this book depressed me. This was a beautiful, heartbreaking, frustrating book where you just want to wrap both of the main characters up in a blanket and keep them safe from everything and everyone. I had so many feelings I still don't even know what to do with them.

This is a book that will sit with me for a long time. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for quiet but deep horror, someone who is looking for love and loyalty and the way religion can just get so out of hand. Honestly? I just recommend it if you want a good book, period.

This novella is a captivating work, both terrifying and poignant. The most notable aspect is undoubtedly the narrator's compelling voice, which masterfully sets the tone and atmosphere. However, there were moments where it seemed lacking in depth, leading one to wonder if it was intended to be either expanded into a novel or condensed significantly. Furthermore, the climactic revelation lands with a heavy impact. Finally, I found myself uncertain of the time period in which the story takes place, leaving me to question if this was a deliberate artistic choice.

A great novella. I read it in one day. Narrated by Nora's friend, Abigail, this story describes Nora's troubles (and differences) in an isolated, religious town. I enjoyed Abigail's voice, the way she portrayed thoughts and emotions. The horror of a religion that takes beliefs or ideals too far.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC.

This is a lovely novella, horrifying and heartbreaking. The strongest element is probably the narrator's voice, it's extremely evocative and creates the perfect atmosphere. It did feel slightly underdeveloped, like it was meant to either be expanded into a novel or abbreviated considerably, but the reveal does drop like a lead balloon. Also, I had no idea what time the novel took place, unsure if that was intentional.

Simple but effective folk horror tragedy. Loved the unreliable narrator. Would recommend as a solidly written quick read for any horror fan.

Though brief, it makes a profound impact and stayed with me for days. The book conveys powerful messages subtly, shedding light on the unique culture of the Bible Belt. Its eerie and unsettling atmosphere resonated deeply with me, reflecting my own experiences and thoughts in a way that felt both disturbing and enlightening.

this is hands down my favorite novella of the year, dori lumpkin knows how to write a story in less than 150 pages and pack just as hard of a punch as a 300+ page novel. from the very first page you can feel the humidity in the air, hear the snakes rattling and the desperation between these two young girls stuck in a small southern town that's deeply engrossed in a religious fervor. both nora and abigail are at two different ends of the spectrum when living in a religious community but they've managed to build a closeness you can't find anywhere else in this story. i was so so immersed in this and normally would wish it was longer but its 134 pages were exactly enough for this novella.

I read this novella in one sitting and I loved it! Southern Gothic is one of my favorite genres/aesthetics to consume media in (i.e. True Detective, Sharp Objects, etc.) The suffocating aura of that coupled with the repressive beatdown of fanatic tent revival religion run by hungry men had me feeling like I needed to run away. We follow Abigail as she and her closest and dearest friend Nora navigate their adolescence in the community in which they were raised. Nora has always been different and Abigail likes different even though she thinks she shouldn't. Their friendship is tested like other adolescent friendships are, expectations, other peers, and burgeoning identities. Though nothing tests it more than the religious community that centers their lives and no one challenges those tests more than Nora. Part coming of-age, part horror, part romance, this novella provides a quick, gruesome, and brutally honest tale that makes you more than relieved you're not a member of Bethel.