"I hear the bells. They're coming."

Our unnamed narrator writes her story in her cell with whatever she can find for ink; blood, dirt, ink. She is an unworthy within the Sacred Sisterhood in the new world plagued climate catastrophe. The convent is sealed off from the outside world, creating a new world within it's walls. But one day, another woman makes her way past the convent walls and joins the Sisterhood. As she befriends her, our narrator is forced to face why she can't remember her life before the Sisterhood? Why isn't she chosen to be an Enlightened? What does it mean?

First and foremost, this book is not Tender is the Flesh. It is a wholly unique story stamped between "I Who Have Never Known Men" and "The Handmaid's Tale." For the slim novel this is, it took a long time for me to be invested, but after finishing it, it is worth the sedated start. It's intentional and sets the tone for what happens in the rest of the book. Bazterrica orchestrated the most desolate, chilled setting. It left me feeling hungry and experiencing a cold so bone deep it hurt as I read how the Sisterhood punished the unworthy. And even more ache as we learn about our narrator's life before. There is an abruptness in the pages as it's a note written in secret. Ultimately, it's a story about love. And I loved Lucia and our narrator. This novel held the same visceral reactions as TITF, but it a quieter, bleaker way. There are so many questions I had after finishing, which added to the unsettledness I felt. "Someone might read me. Read us." It's dystopian, it's religious, it's cold, it's another winner from Bazterrica who holds a distinctive space in the horror world.

I highly recommend. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC of this novel. My rating is actually closer to a 4.5. This novel is written from the perspective of one of the low-ranked, “Unworthy,” sisters in a post-apocalyptic convent, who remembers very little of her life before coming to the sisterhood, and knows even less about the world before catastrophe. Because your perspective is fairly limited, the reader only learns about the world in bits and pieces, building a great deal of suspense and (a word I’ll probably use a lot in this review) tension. As the central plot builds you are still left putting together some of the pieces of the world around the narrator. While the “read and find out” method may not please all readers, I do think it keeps you emotionally tied to the narrator and turning page after page.

In terms of greatest strengths, I believe Bazterrica truly excels at characterization and mood. You read the words of the narrator, written in secret and in spurts, and you follow right alongside her as the world around her changes her, or at least reveals her. The tension comes in stolen moments and glances, flashbacks, and best laid plans, but is also joined by its fair share of abrupt revelations. I could physically feel myself tensing up while reading many different parts.

I wrestle with a 4.5 vs. 5 star rating, I do believe that the novel accomplishes the goals I assume Bazterrica had in writing it. My primary hesitation in a slightly higher rating is my desire for even more about the world and the convent, and some of the other characters. The trade off of having a single narrator with very limited knowledge is that the reader has a lot of unanswered questions. Bazterrica is intentionally giving us this world through this limited lens while hinting at a world that could fill volumes, and does so exceptionally well. I do think that a bit more length as well as depth to the world, even from this limited perspective, would have added to the overall messaging, but I certainly don’t find this to be a major stumbling block of the novel. If I read it again I may in fact decide that it is exactly detailed enough, but I do think this matter is worth noting.

Overall, if you’re looking for an atmospheric, emotionally tense, poetic, disturbing, and devastating read, The Unworthy is a perfect choice.

I didn’t know what to except going into this story after reading, and disliking, Tender is the Flesh, but I’m pleased to say I enjoyed this very much.

This story depicts a world ruined, destroyed by climate catastrophes, and it felt a little too real while reading the parts describing worldwide blackouts and biblical floods that obliterated the earth. The idea that a person/people would use this devastation and loss of faith in a god that is meant to protect us as a way to leverage power over other survivors is also hauntingly real. Really great modern horror that capitalizes on what so many of us are feeling as we watch our climate change and attempt to reclaim the earth in real time, and the fear of what could happen if you are one of the few that are tasked with creating a society in order to survive.

Bazterrica's newest translated work is eager to explore complex themes of desire, climate disaster, power, mercy, and sacrifice. Yet the slim novel lacks in execution. Our protagonist writes to us in secret, sharing her desire to rise from her position of Unworthy to Enlightened within the Sacred Sisterhood. The Enlightened are brutal, but outside the walls of the sacred convent remains a toxic wasteland ravaged by climate change. When a fresh face joins their ranks, the narrator begins to contend with her past and critically analyze the actions of those around her. I appreciate what the novel is trying to say about the state of the world, but the narrative style coupled with an endless loop of abuse ultimately lost my interest. The ending felt abrupt as well. I could see horror book clubs having a lot to discuss with this one. However, I personally won't be returning to this story.

Many thanks to Scribner for an ARC via Netgalley.

I absolutely loved this book! I don’t think there’s been anything by Agustina Bazterrica I haven’t liked. I’m really into horror and stories about cults and this one really hit all the points for me.

This was so many things all at once. Sapphic. Horrific. Sadistic. Poignant? I love a book told from the perspective of an "unworthy" woman and this was no exception. I do think there was an opportunity for better pacing but still so good. So solid. So relevant. So awful.

What an interesting read! This book reminded me of I Who Have Never Known Men in terms of the perspective from which it is written; this book is written from the perspective of one of the “unworthy” women, so we only never know as much as she does. I don’t always enjoy this approach, but these two books were written in such a way that this aspect actually added to the experience, rather than taking away from it.
“Someone might read me, read us.” It almost makes the reader feel as if they are experiencing this situation with the narrator or, in this case, truly reading their journal.

“Why put myself in danger with this book … But I have to because if I write it, then it was real; if I write it, maybe we won’t just be part of a dream contained in a planet, inside a universe hidden in the imagination of someone.”

One aspect that really bothered me was the lack of chapters. There were page breaks, but no distinct chapters. I understand that this makes sense in the context of the FMC writing this as a form of journal / stream of consciousness, but nearly 200 pages without anything more than page breaks was a bit much. However, this could only be a feature of the ARC copy, tbd.

I think the biggest mistake I made going into this book was expecting it to be similar to Tender Is the Flesh. It’s similar in that it offers a unique commentary on societal issues, but that’s where the likeness stops.

The Unworthy is told as a forbidden journal. Disjointed entries that begin in a post-apocalyptic world from a woman in some sort of uncomfortably strict convent. From the beginning, the reader is dropped into the story attempting to piece together what the world outside the Sisterhood looks like and why the women within its walls seem all too willing to disfigure themselves and those them.
Sinister, violent, and often revolting, The Unworthy provides a shocking insight into a modern world destroyed by climate change and the downfall of technology.

I loved this book. Unfortunately, I felt like the first third of the story moved a bit slow and, at times, I was frustrated with the lack of background context the reader is given as to how the world outside looks and what the Sacred Sisterhood really was. But after a certain point, the story picked up for me and stayed strong to the end. I really enjoyed the religious extremism angle this took and thought the body horror was written very well. The characters are absolutely viscous and it was interesting to see how they were shaped by the Sisterhood, particularly the main character who, throughout the story, begins to remember who she was before arriving there.

I’d definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy horror novels. And whether or not you liked Tender Is the Flesh, this is a unique read that deserves a chance.

*Big thanks to Agustina Bazterrica, Scribner, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for honest review*

Reading the pages written by a sister living within the “safety” of the convent of the Sacred Sisterhood after a climate disaster, we witness the brutality and sadism within those walls. Women are “chosen”to ascend undergoing bodily mutilation in the process. All under the supervision of an ominous unseen “He” as well as the menacing Superior Sister. A newcomer arrives changing everything and awakening forgotten emotions and memories.

It’s no secret that I love Augustina Bazterrica’s writing. I know I can expect something visceral, upsetting, reflective, at times beautiful, and impactful. The Unworthy is all these things and absolutely brutal. Within it climate disaster, religious control and subjugation, and feminist horror are explored. It’s dark, dark, dark, yet balanced with beautiful prose and the hopefulness of the transformative power of love. I could not put it down and I can’t stop thinking about it.

I think this would appeal to people looking for dystopian literary horror.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Unworthy by Augustina Bazterrica is an intoxicating literary horror.
The world is in ruin, and in the fight for survival, acid rain falls from the skies, and cities no longer exist. People are starving to death, and one religious group survives.
A group of women are living in a convent following a sadistic religious order. Which woman will be chosen to purify the earth and atone for the sins of the world?
I loved this just as much as Tender is the Flesh. Bazterrica has a unique ability to highlight the monstrosities of human nature.

This book may be small, but it certainly packs a mean punch!

Of all the horror readers I know, I’m one of the few who wasn’t entirely captivated by Tender is the Flesh. While that book’s relentless bleakness left me feeling detached, The Unworthy is an entirely different story—it gleams darkly and brilliantly. It’s like Bazterrica took every theme I adore in horror and wove them into one taut, terrifying masterpiece.

Post-apocalypse? ✅️
Religious horror? ✅️
Body horror? ✅️
Sapphic romance? ✅️
Cults? ✅️

The Unworthy balances its grim themes with razor-sharp storytelling, immersing the reader in a world that feels both alien and alarmingly familiar. The characters’ struggles feel raw and visceral. This isn’t just horror—it’s horror that gets under your skin and stays there, challenging you to think, to feel, and to confront the unsettling truths it reveals.

All of my thanks to Netgalley & Scribner for the ARC! <3

Tender is the Flesh is one of the most haunting books I've ever read, so I was very excited to see Agustina Bazterrica's new book on Netgalley. This is another sort of post apocalyptic story, but this one is significantly more of a horror story. Yes, Tender is the Flesh is about cannibalism and obviously horror, but part of that book's horror comes from how normal cannibalism has become. This book is full of straight up body horror and torture from the jump. The imagery reminded me a lot of this video game called Blasphemous, even though that story is based around Catholicism and the cult in this one is very explicitly anti-Catholic. Likely because of all the flagellations and talk of saints and what not. I really liked the writing style as well. It seems like other reviewers weren't a fan of the stream of conscious style and relatively light plot, but I feel like a lot of modern Latin American horror authors write that way and always enjoy it. Plus, the story is basically the main character's diary, so it makes sense in context. It was wildly dark and depressing, which I'm coming to expect from this author, but I enjoyed it and feel like most people with a high tolerance for extreme religious horror and body horror would like it as well.

I finished The Unworthy, the new novel from Agustina Bazterrica (writer of Tender is the Flesh). It's one of those books that leaves you feeling mentally exhausted - the kind where you need to watch something light after reading a little to reset your brain. Picture another messed-up dystopian world, but unlike Tender is the Flesh, which throws you right into the horror, this one takes its time building out the awful setting by people doing awful things. Most of the book is spent establishing this convent and the nightmare world around it, with all the really intense stuff crammed into the last bit.
It feels like Bazterrica took one of her short stories from Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird and stretched it into something bigger and darker. Not quite the same brutal punch as Tender is the Flesh, but still the kind of story that makes you grateful it's just fiction. If you're planning to read it, maybe have something happy lined up to read after.

Agustina Bazterrica's latest novel, The Unworthy, is a haunting and thought-provoking exploration of religious extremism and the destructive power of ideology. Set in a dystopian future ravaged by climate change, the story follows a young woman trapped within the walls of a secretive convent.

The author's vivid descriptions of the claustrophobic convent and the desolate world outside create a sense of dread and isolation. The narrator's voice is both vulnerable and defiant, as she grapples with her past and questions the morality of the Sisterhood. The author's exploration of themes such as power, control, and the human capacity for both good and evil is both timely and timeless.

While the pacing may be slow at times, the author's elegant prose and the suspenseful atmosphere keep readers engaged. The ending is both shocking and satisfying, leaving a lasting impression.

The Unworthy is a powerful and disturbing novel that will challenge readers to confront their own beliefs and biases. It's a must-read for fans of literary horror and dystopian fiction.

ARC provided by Netgalley


Tender Is the Flesh is in the top five books that I've read this year. I was so looking forward to reading The Unworthy, and unfortunately I feel let down. Agustina Bazterrica is an incredible writer, and she's able to paint such a picture with how well she describes her settings, but I hated the stream of consciousness writing style. After reading The Unworthy, I'm left with more questions than answers. We're given hints about what happened to the world, but I just wanted to know more.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was eager to dive into The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica after loving Tender Is the Flesh. While the book was engaging and kept my attention, it left me craving more depth in terms of world-building and background. The story revolves around a woman navigating life within a religious cult after a climate crisis devastates the world. Though the vivid and brutal details of the cult were compelling, I found myself wanting a clearer picture of the world outside the cult. The narrative briefly touches on a mysterious sickness and the collapse of plant life, but these elements felt underdeveloped—or perhaps I simply wished the book had been longer to explore them further, as the concept was so intriguing. That said, the writing was strong, and the translation captured its essence beautifully. Overall, an interesting and bizarre read that left me wanting more.

The Unworthy has such intense atmosphere and worldbuilding. The characters are intense and complex. Our main character is literate, queer, and questioning of so many things. What she eventually finds behind the carved black door is horrifying.

This dystopian story touches on so many things I wished had been resolved - WHY, was the butterfly real, what's the deal with the crystals? But foremost, how did we get here? Hints are given throughout but I want more!

I also want to know what happens next! But, of course, that isn't possible by the end.

Engaging and so atmospheric, this book kept my attention throughout.

I really liked this book.
It is cruel, heartbreaking, bewildering story of loss and I am here for that!
#NetGalley

3.5 This book is absolutely terrifying. But I really hated the format. The stream of consciousness, journaling was really hard for me to follow or get in to. HOWEVER! This book is definitely scary so if you can get down with the format, I think you’ll love it.

A commentary on climate change and religious extremism. Very unsettling. This book really pulls you in and makes you want to know more about the cult and what happened to the outside world. Fantastic writing that really engages the reader.