I just finished The Unveiling by Quan Barry, and it was an incredibly thought-provoking read. The novel follows a group of women in a cloistered convent as they struggle with the limitations and expectations placed on them by both society and their faith. When one of the nuns begins to experience strange visions and unsettling events, the entire community is thrown into turmoil, and they must confront their deepest fears and secrets.

What struck me most about this book was how it blended psychological suspense with elements of spirituality and self-discovery. The atmosphere was tense and immersive, and Barry’s writing really made me feel the weight of the isolation and inner turmoil the characters were experiencing. The pacing was excellent, and I found myself eager to see how each character would evolve as the story progressed.

The characters themselves were fascinating. Each woman had her own unique journey, filled with personal conflict, and I appreciated how Barry took the time to delve into their complex emotions and backgrounds. The story’s exploration of faith, doubt, and the struggle for personal freedom resonated deeply, and I found myself reflecting on it long after I’d finished the book.

This book is a love letter to everyone who spent their childhood voluntarily terrifying themselves by inviting the masters of horror into their imaginations. Quan Barry overtly references Lovecraft, Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, and the Twilight Zone in the very beginning of the story, which gives a good inkling of what to expect: suspense, mystery, and some real gore. And it’s all overlayed with a race analysis that propels the story forward and backward in zigs and zags.

I have recommended “She Weeps Each Time You’re Born,” to countless people since it read it many years ago, but I haven’t clicked yet with her other novels. For fans of Barry, be prepared to read a true horror novel—she goes in hard and fast to the tropes of the genre. You have a kayak expedition gone terribly wrong, a motley crew of survivors, creepy kids saying creepy things, and enough bending of perspective and reality to give a hell of a horror story.

Very excited for horror fans to get their hands on this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book will haunt you. For a very long time.

Striker is a location scout, and her job has given her the rare opportunity—and a hefty paycheck—to experience Antarctica firsthand, capturing images for a proposed film about Shackleton. As the only Black person on the boat, she is keenly aware of both her race and her vulnerabilities.

It’s almost Christmas when a small group of tourists—mostly wealthy and white—embarks on a seemingly routine kayaking excursion to a remote island. But something goes horribly wrong. The survivors are left stranded, forced to confront a truth so unimaginable, so terrifying, that it threatens to consume them.

Immersed in themes of Blackness, race, and contemporary societal tensions, The Unveiling is a chilling, thought-provoking read. It evokes the creeping dread of VanderMeer’s work, leaving you shivering in broad daylight yet craving more.

#TheUnveiling #QuanBarry #GroveBooks