On the whole, I liked this book. The whole atmospheric setting was eerie and immersive, the plot was well thought through.
The only thing I found whilst reading, was that it seemed a bit disjointed. The writing was a bit repetitive at times, but didn’t have a flow to it, which made it difficult to concentrate on at times.

The entire book is one huge semicolon and needs a good editor. Couldn't do it. It took away from the story completely.

Rot
Richard Coiley 

3.75 / 4

Ok, so ... 

I really liked a lot of things about this story. 

It immediately made me feel cold and damp and uneasy... Setting the scene of a difficult, dreary, monochromatic UK winter. 

It was easy for me to feel pity and pain and admiration and frustrations with the older woman, our protagonist. 

I had a lot of empathy for her throughout, and that kept me engaged, wanting to know which direction things were going to go for her ... I feel depressed FOR her. 

There were elements of the story I found a bit repetitive. 

For instance, there's probably 20 or more pages that kinda repeat the same things ... whether it be thoughts from the MC's POV, or the repetitive nature of her day to day. 

I mean, I get that we're meant to understand that her life is small and sad and the monotony and boredom mixed with the pain and the alcohol ... I get why it's written this way. It just didn't make it anymore pleasant to read those parts. 

But, overall, I think this is a very interesting horror novel with a lot going for it. Was it all I wanted from it? No. But it had plenty to say, and it was a solid (and sad) horror story. 

I'll definitely be recommending this one, and checking out more from this author.

Thanks for a copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

Rot by Richard Coiley is, quite frankly, one of the most disappointing books I have encountered in recent memory. Despite my best efforts to remain positive and balanced, this novel fell short on nearly every front.
Beyond pacing issues, the lack of relatability and the repetitive nature of the storytelling contribute to the book’s low rating. Coiley’s atmospheric prowess couldn’t fully compensate for these shortcomings, leaving me with mixed feelings about Rot

I was absolutely mesmerized by the writing in this book. I could NOT put this book down and is one of my 5 star reads for the year. The levels of horror written into this book was beautifully done.

Update: The publisher reached out to me after posting this review, to say that the uploaded text was an older version that wasn't properly edited, and that the published version would be the correctly edited version. They provided me with the published version, and it does seem the errant punctuation is fixed there.

My original review:

Rot is a bad novella, there's no two ways about it. It's badly constructed. It's badly written, down to a sentence level. Its worldbuilding is too loose and vague. Its one character is completely underdeveloped and doesn't change much. The book badly needs a proficient editor.

The main character is depressed. Her life is shit. She only has her inner monologue, and it's that inner monologue you as reader are saddled with. It's written in first person, but the writing itself is clunky and clumsy, with strangely constructed sentences that only have the effect of making the reader feel distanced from what's happening:

"But it wasn’t until I was passing the airing cupboard that I felt, observed, and the full-length landing mirror up ahead of me, just walking towards it made me feel uncomfortable."

Another problem rears its head in the sentence above - the punctuation is all over the place. It almost never makes sense, and it's everywhere. (Granted, I read a review copy, so maybe this will have been fixed in the final version.)

"It’s like nothing much has changed in this country since the times of Dickens and his characters Scrooge, or Oliver Twist."

(Why those two Dickens characters specifically? What is happening-)

Reading these hobbled sentences feels a bit like riding a bicycle over a gravel road. What is supposed to be tense and horrific never becomes anything more than boring. Dread isn't built up slowly - things start very bad and stay stagnant.

The author's bio says he "developed a visual approach to storytelling". If he did, I didn't read it here, I'm afraid. The world and what happens in it is underdescribed, and the main character's relationship to that world and its happenings are underdeveloped.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC of the book. I enjoyed the story and the character development. I was engaged from the very beginning. As a fan of thrillers, I loved this story.
The mystery and intrigue was there and I found myself staying up late to finish chapters.

This was dark! Beginning like a dark look into the life of an unlucky woman and then becoming more and more horrendous. The format was perfect, too much of this book would make feel bad. It has followed me around for some time after reading it and that is usually a very good grade for a book.

I found this story to be incredibly dark and depressing. It is about a woman slowly deteriorating mentally and physically every day. We hear her inner-most thoughts and views on the world and the people around her. She is cynical, depressed, angry, and lost. It shrouds her moods every day. This is definitely a book that needs to be read in a certain kind of mood.

#NetGalley #Rot

Trapped by poverty, despair, alcoholism and severe gout our MC is living a nightmare and things aren't about to get any better. As a horrific snowstorm rages outside something invades her home leaving behind death and destruction. This was a horrifying read about our MCs descent into madness and the fears about what lurks in the dark. Watching the very real struggles she has to face is a hard read. This had some gruesome scenes and some terrifying ones too. This wasn't quite what I thought it would be but still highly recommend if you're looking for a short horror story.

**"Rot" is a haunting exploration of despair and decay, a novel that deftly intertwines personal suffering with a chilling supernatural threat. This dark and evocative story plunges readers into the life of a once-noble nurse whose fall from grace leads her into a nightmarish existence defined by poverty, alcoholism, and self-loathing.

The protagonist, a figure tormented by both physical and mental anguish, serves as a compelling focus for this atmospheric tale. Once a caregiver, she now grapples with the debilitating effects of gout and a life marred by regret and self-destruction. Her isolation and inner turmoil are vividly rendered, setting the stage for the novel’s escalating horrors.

As winter sets in, the protagonist’s already grim life becomes even more nightmarish with the onset of a mysterious rot. This insidious force begins to spread throughout her home, infecting everything and everyone it encounters. The rot is not merely a physical phenomenon but a malevolent entity that preys on the soul, leaving its victims in a state of decay and madness.

The imagery of the rot is both grotesque and symbolic, representing the protagonist’s internal decay and the unraveling of her tenuous grip on reality. The novel’s descriptions of the spreading rot are visceral and unsettling, creating a palpable sense of dread that enhances the narrative’s emotional impact.

masterfully blends psychological horror with supernatural elements, crafting a story that is both deeply personal and universally terrifying. The protagonist’s struggle to escape the rot mirrors her fight against her own despair and addiction, adding layers of complexity to the horror. The novel explores themes of isolation, the consequences of past actions, and the nature of true horror, making it a thought-provoking and eerie read.

**"Rot"** is a stark and compelling tale that will resonate with readers who appreciate psychological depth and atmospheric dread. It is a powerful reminder of how external horrors can mirror internal suffering, and it showcases [Author's Name]'s ability to weave a narrative that is both deeply disturbing and emotionally resonant. This is a must-read for fans of gothic and psychological horror, offering a chilling journey into the darkest corners of the human psyche.

This was a quick read but packed quite a spooky punch! Very unsettling, and it does a good job of tapping into that primal fear of sensing SOMETHING is there but not quite seeing it or knowing what it is. I wouldn’t say there’s much real resolution or understanding by the time you reach the end of the story; it gets very very surreal and I think any sort of intended conclusion was lost on me. But an excellent read nonetheless, would be a perfect one for spooky season.

I firstly want to thank Netgalley for an advanced ARC of this short Novella.

It took me time to read this when I normally can knock out a novella this short in no time and the permiss did sound promising but I felt it never really delivered.

The idea of a woman with acute depression going through hard times & we are supposed to see her slowly lose her mind and so much more.

Unfortunately, I didn't see the horror I was hoping for and kept reading excepting more but felt like the ending I was hoping for never came

Now there may be others who do love and appreciate this book than I did, but also maybe this is something new that I do not understand but I am happy I gave it a try.

Rot is a gripping read packed with raw emotion. The story centers on a former nurse who now lives in isolation with her cat, grappling with both an alcohol dependency and severe gout. As a fierce winter storm rages outside, a mysterious "rot" begins to spread through her home, contaminating everything in its path. The narrative keeps you on edge, questioning whether she will find a way to escape the encroaching decay or be overwhelmed by it.

The story revolves around a profoundly sad woman living in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. She battles deep-seated depression while contending with a range of health issues. Her struggles are portrayed with stark clarity, highlighting the emotional and physical challenges she faces in a world still reeling from the effects of the pandemic.

The ending is a true emotional whirlwind, and the final line is absolutely unforgettable.

Rot is a quick read that had a lot of emotion rolled into it.
Readers follow the main character, a former nurse who now lives alone with her cat and has an alcohol problem. She also has a terrible case of gout. During a brutal winter storm, a "rot" spreads through her house and affects everything. You have to wonder if the main character will escape or be consumed by this rot.

You get to see into the mind of this woman, but you are so unsure if she is intoxicated the whole time or if there is an evil being pulsating through her house. Instead of being confused, it was interesting to not really know what was truly going on. I found it similar to LaRocca books, quick and gritty. This was not really my type of read, but the inner thoughts of the main character about not loving herself and her depression seemed extremely raw and well-written.

I know I requested this title after the publication date, but the description…I just couldn’t miss out!

Holy wow! This is such a dark and disturbing read! I went after this hoping for possession elements and the mc’s background of a nurse! Both paid off so well together. Not a full 5/5 simply for the rough wording and level of writing.

This delivered mega creepy scenes! The setup for the mc was wonderfully carved out, the momentum was tormenting and truly effective. I really enjoyed myself with the unrelenting experiences of uncertainty and chaos.

Honestly, I wish I could unread this book... it was so sadistically gross that I may need to read something happy now. This book, while very short, is only 96 pages, and it's very heavy with emotion. It follows a very sad women set in post covid times. She has obvious depression and struggles with health issues. Honestly, if I dont ever see the word "gout" ever again, it will be too soon. She soon finds herself being tormented by something demonic and fights for her life. If you dont like books with paranormal involvement, then this book isn't for you. Also, poor Toby, I will NEVER forget the horrific scene involving him!!!

Thank you so much to publisher The Book Guild, Author Richard Coiley, and Netgalley for the advanced copy! This book comes out July 27th, 2024. Read at your own risk!

Although I loved the idea of this novella, a middle aged woman fighting against her depressed mental state, I just couldn't empathize with the character. I found there to be no depth to her. Everything was repeated over and over. Perhaps it would have been better as a short story.
Unfortunately I cannot recommend this book.

While a short book, this is an extremely dense book filled with a lot of heavy emotion and despair. The main character is simply filled with torment both emotionally and physically. The ending, especially, is just an absolute roller coaster and that final line is killer.

For such a short book it still ends up over staying it's welcome a lot. I felt nothing for the character we follow and the voice we are given just ends up being annoying. I do think there is a good story here but boy does it need a little more work put into it.