I did not like this very much. I feel like I want to further collect my thoughts on this book because I really wanted to love it.

I am very indifferent, which I am so sad about because I enjoyed Tender is the Flesh so much, therefore I was sooo excited to get around to this. I feel like the pacing was off and I had a very hard time pushing through. It's very short but it took me 4 days to read, which is longer than what a 400-500 page novel would take me.

It is not bad and I would recommend to anyone who likes dystopian horror. Dystopian is already not my genre of preference and the pacing here made it difficult to get into. Nothing really happens until the last 20-25% and even then it was quite unsatisfying. I am a lit fic reader and ~no plot just vibes~ is totally my style, but not this one. I did not get enough of a character journey IMO. It simply wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this e-arc.

Hypnotic. Violent. Heartbreaking. Exhilarating.

I'm three for three now with loving Bazterrica's books, yet this one might be my favorite. It follows the story of a fanatic, post-apocalyptic religious sect and the women dehumanized within it. Think Harrow the Ninth rolled up with The Road. I'm obsessed with it, and that fact might be something I need to unpack within myself. *insert grimace-face emoji here*

I was gripped, transfixed from the first page and was gripping the edge of my desk by the last. Bazterrica's writing is always so visual and affecting, but she really kept the bar high for this entire novel. I want to re-read this one already. There is so much packed into this short and damn-near-perfect book, that a re-read would only heighten the work for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Agustina Bazterrica's The Unworthy is a disturbing, provocative follow-up to Tender is the Flesh. With the same darker subject matter, though, this one was an even more difficult read for me due to the graphic, graphic description that gave haunting images inside my mind.

From the beginning, Bazterrica leads the reader along a road which is discomforting and somber. In Tender is the Flesh, the emphasis had been on a system of human consumption that is industrialized, but in The Unworthy, the emphasis is placed on a more individual and deeply philosophical examination of what it is to be worth something—or not worthy—in a world that has no sense of compassion. The mood is somber, and Bazterrica's prose makes one confront the queasiness of these ideas.

This book was slightly tougher to read than the first, and not so much because of the subject, but because the graphic details made it harder for me to turn the pages. The visceral descriptions—especially the physical and mental agony the characters endure—are a lot more detailed here. Bazterrica really evokes a vision that I just can't shake, one where the appalling images linger for much longer than I wish they would. This was definitely a book that I had to come away from and ponder between reading sessions. Despite the brutality of the content, I liked the way that the narrative pushed boundaries and explored the depths of human depravity.

The idea of what it is to be "unworthy" was placed before me, forcing me to think about social constructs and the human condition in a way I never had before. But with the graphic descriptions, I found myself struggling with the brutality of the story, having to put it down sometimes to catch my breath before I could continue reading it. But in spite of its harder-to-read moments, I couldn't help but acknowledge the brilliance of Bazterrica's work. It's a novel that doesn't allow you to feel any less uneasy for it, but that's what ultimately made it stand out. I appreciate the experience because, while it was tough, it really forced me to think critically about the things it raised.

In short, The Unworthy is a dark and disturbing read that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it. It's not an easy read, but if you're willing to take on the challenge of difficult material and graphic descriptions, you'll find it to be an investment of time well spent. Bazterrica has once again proven herself capable of creating dark and uncomfortable worlds impossible to shake.

Damnit.

I had to sit with this one for a little bit, but I fear Agustina Bazterrica has done it yet again with her translated horror magic. Well I don’t fear, I congratulate, I suppose. I am so thankful to the team at Scribner for sending me a finished copy right before pub day (March 4th) I couldn’t put it down and will definitely be spreading the word on this beautifully written, sapphic, dystopian, trauma bonding horror.

In a very distant future our main character has found herself to be apart of The Unworthy - a sect of lowly participants under the guidance of the Sacred Sisterhood. This convent of sorts doesn’t follow the teachings of the erroneous God and the false mother, rather the Unworthy live in fear of flagellations and sacrifices from the foreboding Superior Sister, but they’ll take anything that’s not beyond the walls of the Sisterhood, for out there in the vast nothingness is a lawless world full of climate disasters, murderous adults, and pure starvation.

Our FMC, is logging all that she remembers of her previous life, to keep her story going, and continues to log the narrative as a wanderer finds her way into the convent’s territory. Lucia as she’s soon renamed catches the eye of fellow unworthy members, and other members of the sisterhood with leering suspicion of witchcraft as she evades the whippings and trials the average member.

Our FMC is soon whisked away by Lucia’s kindness and grace and longs to take her from this hell before the sisterhood can damn her even further.

The Unworthy had me feeling every range of emotion, and shit the tears fell. Such a good tale. Cannot wait for my re-read of this!

Bazterrica has been on my radar since Tender in the Flesh so I was definitely excited to check out her latest. This is a dark, evocative book where we’re never given all the answers. I tend to vibe well with books that are left up for interpretation but I do recognize many readers seek a more cohesive plot.

In The Unworthy we’re thrown into this world where the Earth has been entirely devastated. Our nameless narrator has taken refuge at the Sacred Sisterhood which is kind of like a convent run by a psychotic woman and a man referred to only as He. The women aren’t even allowed to see the man’s face and spend much of their time being tortured or milled for minor indiscretions. Our narrator has very few memories of “before” but is one of the only members who can read and write. As she does begin to remember her tale is a compelling one. The Sisterhood is divided into factions which often seem superior to another but are all terrible existences.

Bazterrica does a lot in this short space. Her descriptions of the ravaged Earth were one of the most terrifying parts of the book. The prose is beautiful and while readers are given many of the puzzle pieces, it’s a book that will leave some wanting more understanding. I really enjoyed it. I like weird books that are subjective and this hit that note for me. I’d recommend this to my more literary dystopian fiction crowd.

Man, that ending 😱😱😱. I just love literary horror and the writing that takes place is spellbinding.

This was my first experience with this author. I do own Tender Is The Flesh and look forward to reading it.

This is a dystopian tale where a woman is writing from her cell in a convent, The Sacred Sisterhood. She has to write in secret, usually with blood, stolen ink or whatever she can get her hands on.

The story she tells is PURE BRUTAL. Horrifying. Gut-wrenching. The story of The Unworthy. Be prepared and know that most triggers apply.

Massive thanks to Scribner, Augustina Bazterrica and NetGalley for the opportunity.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out now

I looove Agustina Bazterrica. I had the pleasure of meeting her for the spanish release of this book, so i have read it in both languages, and it was worth reading it twice! She just has such a unique style and this might have been better than tender is the flesh in my opinion. This book’s quieter. Absolutely recommend.

What a fever dream of a novel. It is one of those books where you read it through the first time because it grips you and takes you along for the crazy dark ride, and then you read it again slower to really pull from it the things you need. I would say fans of Bunny will like this one not because the subject matter is similar, but the prose will envelope you in the same way. Highly recommend for people who want terrifying literary horror.

I absolutely adore Bazterrica’s writing, and her newest novel is no exception. The Unworthy is a spectacularly ominous reminder of just how horrific and gruesome her writing can be, as well as just how effective she is at getting under readers’ skin with her truly poetic prose.

I’ve read both Tender Is The Flesh and Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird, and this might be my favorite work of Bazterrica’s yet.

Set in a convent where the standard of body horror for its devotees is set from the first page, this is a gothic take on post-apocalyptic horror and Sapphic elements. It’s written as a series of near-diary entries that are initially literally carved out in blood by a young “unworthy” convent resident who is supposed to be seeking enlightenment, but finds herself called toward something more.

Aspects of it periodically reminded me of one of my favorite podcasts, Within the Wires, and of Stephen King’s The Stand. I absolutely loved this, it devastated me, and I couldn’t put it down. Circe, I will always love you.

Thank you so much to Scribner and Agustina Bazterrica for gifted e-ARC!

Like many others, I requested The Unworthy because Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica was one of the most arresting, memorable books I’ve ever read. While The Unworthy had many of the same elements, they didn’t come together for me in the same impactful way.

The sparse, functional prose that felt so atmospherically appropriate for the propulsive story in ‘Flesh’ felt thin when paired with The Unworthy’s more meandering plot. As for The Unworthy’s framing as a diary/memoir, I feel incredibly conflicted.

On the one hand, I loved the way Bazterrica played with the self-censorship and mid-sentence interruptions that came with the narrator’s clandestine writing. On the other, a more omniscient narrator could have cleared barriers that prevented me from connecting more with the plot — How does the Sacred Sisterhood corrupt its members to the point that they take pleasure in their own torture? Why does the arrival of a new Sister suddenly allow our protagonist to recall the previously forgotten details of her childhood?

Even so, it’s difficult not to connect with this brief, brutal tale of a religious cult capitalizing on the tragedy of a world ravaged by the climate crisis. 3*.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for providing this e-arc.

The Unworthy somehow felt similar to Tender Is the Flesh in terms of atmosphere, yet completely different in execution—and I honestly don’t know how else to describe it. There’s something about the unsettling, almost claustrophobic dread that both books evoke, a bleak and harrowing sense of inevitability that keeps you hooked even as it makes your skin crawl.

This was a dark, gut-wrenching dystopian tale, one that doesn’t just explore horror on a surface level but digs deep into the psychological and societal rot at its core. The world-building was oppressive in the best way, suffocating in its hopelessness, yet impossible to look away from. It’s the kind of book that lingers, leaving you unsettled long after you’ve turned the last page.

It takes a lot of skill to develop a character you hate to the depths of her soul but also want to embrace in a warm hug of feminine solidarity. Like Tender is the Flesh, The Unworthy is not for the faint of heart. It is brutal in its simplicity. It is frightening in the context of what could happen. It reflects the worst of human nature and the resilience of humanity when there is drive to survive despite immense suffering.

Yes, this is a book about dystopian religion from the perspective of one woman's story told in a found manuscript, but it is so much more. In a way, it is even a love story.

It is horrifying and deplorable in all the best ways.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I felt like this book had a lot of potential to expand upon several different interests aspects of the story but focused more on extraneous details and glossed over said aspects of they were elaborated on. While I don't regret reading this book at all, I'm not sure I would recommend it to others.

Wow, thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the eARC of this novel.

I was first introduced to Agustina Bazterrica when I read Nineteern Claws and a Black Bird, which made me fall in love with Agustina's writing and storytelling. This new work, The Unworthy, was its own beautiful creation. I loved how Agustina used language in the book to help bring to life the main character and the story. I was basically sucked in 200%, and I can't wait for others to read Agustina's novel. Wonderfully weird storytelling at its finest. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for allowing me the opportunity to read this book and give my thoughts!
I have read Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, and the author always brings that shock factor! The gore, the twisted mentalities, and the dark elements are very well done & give you that ominous atmosphere! In this dystopian society, the protagonist in the book (I don't believe a name was mentioned) writes her memoirs, which were written in a sort of poetic way, which I enjoyed. Yet, it leaves some questions unanswered and not much of a resolution with this style of storytelling. I was left wanting more and wanting more details about the religious society she found herself in.
There was one scene when the protagonist remembers her life outside the convent & encounters a strange creature! That made my stomach turn! Yet, there are lots of insane things going on.
And Circe... if you know, you know!
It didn't stick with me like Tender is the Flesh, but overall, I thought it was fantastic! It was a quick read, but it was worth it! The way it was told was definitely unique and worked, in my opinion! It gave a twisted yet realistic view of the world if it really was to end and humanity was to fall.

Trigger Warnings (very strong content)

Agustina Bazterrica really is the queen of the dystopian earth horror. When she mixed in the religious cult aspects, I was fully hooked. This was a fever dream from start to finish that was so easy to picture in my mind. Ultimately this book is about compassion and love but there are so many wild obstacles. I was fully immersed and there are so many good quotes. I will continue to read anything that Agustina writes!

Ty to Scribner and NetGalley for the ARC <3

After reading Tender is the Flesh, I was super excited to see another book on the horizon for Agustina Bazterrica. I really can't compare the two, however when it comes to unsettling dystopia, AB has hit the mark again.

What I liked:
The growing sense of dread throughout the story

The descriptive horror of life in the Sacred Sisterhood

Not one character was really very likeable. Normally I'd hate that, but for this type of story it works. It shows who we all could become when society breaks down and morals don't count for much

What I didn't like:
I wanted to understand the setting a bit more. How did the Sacred Sisterhood come to be? Who is the Superior Sister, how did she rise to leadership? And who is "he" that became God within their convent? You find out the protagonist's backstory, but you don't really learn much about where she is at the present other than her daily life and experiences. There's not much context to go by and I feel like it was an attempt to be mysterious and set you on edge, but really it's more confusing than anything

Plot holes abound... not much is resolved and by the end you're just as clueless as you started. Again, I'm sure that's a plot device but personally I'd like a little more clarity

I don't know that I would categorize this as horror. Sure, it's a little gory and there's a definite sense of foreboding, but it wasn't scary. Creepy, yes. Scary, no.

I'm not sure I could recommend this to someone who enjoyed Tender is the Flesh, because they're two very different books. I'd compare The Unworthy to A Handmaid's Tale, but not quite as good. Take that how you will.

I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in return for my honest opinion and review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Set in an extreme religious cult in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, this little book was dark, scary, and very atmospheric. Bazterriza does a great job of making us feel as if we are in her novel's world. The narrator of the book is easy to sympathize with. I also really liked the queer/sapphic aspect of this story. I just wish there was more to it overall - it felt like a small vignette out of a larger novel that I wish I could read.

i was fascinated by ‘tender is the flesh’ but didn’t enjoy ’nineteen claws and a blackbird’, so i was really curious to see where ‘the unworthy’ would fall for me.

while the concept itself was interesting, the way we’re just dropped into the story with no context is a bit confusing. i’ve always been intrigued by cults, but for the purpose of this story, i wish we’d been given more information about the outside world (ravaged by the climate crisis) and how our nameless narrator, one of the unworthy, found herself living with the sacred sisterhood a bit sooner and with more detail. what really saved this story for me was the introduction of lucía, watching their relationship bloom and agustina’s beautiful writing style.

thank you to agustina bazterrica, scribner, simon & schuster and netgalley for the arc 🖤

This book was okay…? I didn't enjoy it as much as Agustina's other work that I've read (Tender is the Flesh and Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird). The writing style was weird, difficult to get into, and difficult to read, I felt like.

The Unworthy is about an extreme female religious cult after the world as we know it has ended due to what appears to be some type of climate crisis. It was written in the form of secret journal entries from our MC, with the hopes that someday someone would discover them and know the world she lived in.

It honestly sounds a lot more interesting than it was. The story was bleak and devastating, which I feel like painted the dystopian setting nicely. However, not much of interest really happened throughout the book. It just felt like the story was really lacking. It was confusing and difficult to read for the first half for me. Even when I finally did understand what was going on, it was lackluster. The ending felt lame and abrupt.

While I didn't love my time with this book, I didn't hate it either. It wouldn't be a book that I would recommend to others like I have with Tender is the Flesh.

Thank you, Agustina Bazterrica, Scribner, and NetGalley, for the ARC of this book.