This was a quick, disturbing book to read. Set in the House of the Sacred Sisterhood, a convent, our main character is sheltered from outside catastrophe (climate change mainly) while enduring a violent environment.

The writing is brutal, but beautiful. The writing is quite stylized, using strikethroughs and parenthesis, which help convey the idea that this is the main character's secret diary. The writing describes the torments endured by the "unworthy" from the Superior Sister. I am grateful the book was so short--it would be hard to endure reading of the cruelty for a full length novel. Bazterrica is truly a literary master of Horror. I truly can't think of anything comparable to The Unworthy.

This book is absolutely not for everyone (especially if you hate to read about cockroaches), but it is compelling.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Post-apocalyptic, dystopian, feminine, atmospheric, gory, earthy, cult, bleak, pretty, ugly, Sapphic, moody...

Themes of environmental collapse, power, abuse, agency, sisterhood, religious extremism...
(it's Bazterrica, so you should know what you're in for...)

Now that I've read it-- it's quite an experience. Sort of like an old, silent film. A dream-- a nightmare-- a memory.
For as dark as it is, there is also a slant of moonbeam carrying us through.

This one is a MOOD.
Don't expect Tender Is The Flesh, just go in blind and take the journey.

Companions:
I Who Have Never Known Men
The Handmaid's Tale
The Devils
Black Narcissus

Wow, what can I say about The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica?
After finishing this book, I needed several hours to process what I’d just experienced. The style of this novel reminded me of one of my other favorite queer horror reads this year, A Dowry of Blood. The Unworthy struck me as a haunting and poignant love letter, though drenched in visceral horror, gore, and eerie, post-apocalyptic feminine cult vibes. It’s deeply atmospheric, to the point where it could easily be adapted into a silent horror film.

The plot remains subtle — yet terrifying — until the flashbacks start to unfold, adding layers of complexity and tension. I could see myself revisiting this book time and again, each time discovering something new. Between Bazterrica’s work and other Argentinian horror authors, I’m now even more eager to visit Argentina to experience the soul behind these unique narratives firsthand.

As a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, I found Bazterrica’s approach to the genre fresh and striking. While cults are a common theme in many works, I’ve never encountered one quite like this: an all-female convent, twisted and sinister, with a satanic undercurrent. Since reading Tender is the Flesh, Bazterrica has become one of my automatic-purchase authors, and I was thrilled to see this novel being published — even more so to receive an early copy. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Scriber for the opportunity!

Bleak, depressing, beautiful, horrific and raw. The Unworthy is a tale of a not-so-distant future and what happens to us when everything we know is suddenly ripped out from our hands. The story is told through journal / diary entries and the writing is beautiful. Almost like lyrical prose with old world flourish. The world of the book reveals itself in bits and pieces that cause you to put it together yourself, which I found engaging. The aura of mystery is so well hidden that the ending clicks together so well. With themes of societal collapse, cults, global warming, war and the dangers of humanity this book was both spooky (since it feels a tad too real) and depressing. I felt hollow upon finishing it and I loved it. Without faith, there is no refuge.

This novel is an absolute gem of a wild ride from start to finish, with some of the most beautiful prose and imagery I have had the pleasure of reading. Bazterrica does a fantastic job of building up a sensation of dread throughout the course of the story that is tempered at times by the gorgeous, soulful bites of humanity we experience via our narrator and the newcomer that has captivated her so.

While this book had such an interesting premise, it didn’t fully live up to its potential for me. I would have loved to see the world built out a little more, to have more answers, and for the characters to be developed a bit more. Her writing gets a little over inflated at points.
However, I did find it very readable, moody, and quick. I would recommend this book to those who want a quick, dark, atmospheric, feminist read who don’t mind missing answers/ slightly unsatisfying endings.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7006019052

Agustina Bazterrica has done it again. The Unworthy is a harrowing, visceral masterpiece that cements her place as a titan of literary horror. If Tender is the Flesh forced us to confront our complicity in systems of exploitation, The Unworthy takes us deep into the shadowy intersections of religious extremism, environmental collapse, and the fragility of memory and identity. This isn’t just a novel—it’s an experience, one that will haunt you long after the final page.

From the opening sentences, Bazterrica’s prose grips you in a chokehold. The narrator, cloistered in the eerie, punishing confines of the Sacred Sisterhood, pours her story onto the page using whatever materials she can scavenge. Her voice is raw, fragmented, and profoundly human, capturing the oppressive, almost claustrophobic atmosphere of the convent while hinting at the larger, crumbling world outside its walls. Through her narration, we’re drawn into a disorienting and brutal reality where safety is synonymous with control and salvation comes at the cost of autonomy.

The convent itself is a chilling microcosm of ideology taken to its most violent extremes. The rigid hierarchy, with its Enlightened and unworthy, mirrors the social stratifications of the outside world. Bazterrica masterfully unpacks the ways power operates, especially in systems that exploit fear and promise salvation. The Superior Sister is a terrifyingly believable figure—part dictator, part zealot, and entirely emblematic of the horrors wrought by blind devotion.

At its heart, though, The Unworthy is a deeply personal story. The arrival of a stranger disrupts the narrator’s carefully managed existence, forcing her to confront not just the truth of her past, but also the sinister underpinnings of the Sisterhood. The tension between the two women crackles on the page, evolving from suspicion to something far more profound. Their relationship provides a glimmer of humanity in an otherwise unrelentingly bleak narrative.

Bazterrica’s themes are as bold as ever. The backdrop of environmental devastation is woven seamlessly into the story, serving as both a catalyst for the novel’s events and a stark reminder of the unsustainable trajectory of modern life. The way she juxtaposes the physical collapse of the world with the ideological collapse within the convent is nothing short of brilliant.

Yet, what truly sets The Unworthy apart is its relentless exploration of violence—both overt and systemic. Whether it’s the physical punishment inflicted on the unworthy or the psychological toll of indoctrination, every moment of suffering feels purposeful, demanding readers engage with the questions the novel raises. What does it mean to survive? At what cost do we pursue safety, order, or enlightenment?

For all its darkness, there’s a strange, aching beauty to this book. Bazterrica’s descriptions are hauntingly vivid, capturing everything from the stark austerity of the convent to the decaying beauty of the outside world. The narrative is laced with moments of startling tenderness, which stand in sharp contrast to the brutality that pervades the story.

Final thoughts: The Unworthy is not an easy read, nor is it meant to be. It’s a novel that challenges, provokes, and unsettles, all while delivering a deeply intimate portrait of one woman’s struggle for meaning in a chaotic, fractured world. Fans of Tender is the Flesh will find themselves equally captivated and horrified by Bazterrica’s unflinching look at humanity’s capacity for both destruction and resilience.

Would I recommend this book? Without hesitation. Would I be able to stop thinking about it? Not a chance. Agustina Bazterrica has solidified her place on my auto-buy list, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

This was so good! I wouldn’t say this matched tender is the flesh—I don’t think any book could but this was a phenomenal, gory, well written second novel by the author. Cemented this author as an auto buy for me.

I received an ARC of *The Unworthy* from the publisher and NetGalley, for which I am incredibly grateful. Having read the author's previous work, I was already familiar with her writing style, and it truly shines in this book. *The Unworthy* doesn't hold back—it delivers a bold and unflinching narrative. Without giving too much away, it offers a powerful critique of capitalism and explores the potential trajectory of government control. This was an amazing read, earning a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

I didn't think I could ever love anything as much as I loved Tender is the Flesh, but Agustina did it again. I sit here in complete awe and freshly traumatized again in the absolute best way possible. The set up of the story was unique and the prose had me unable to out this book down. The main character's completely and utter religious psychosis mixed with a brutal self awareness of her situation was so beautiful. And it was so gay. Just the amount of gay I needed. Agustina has not failed me yet and I happily fear she never will. Truly on of the most unique and incredible authors of our generation. I can not wait to see what else she writes.

"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.