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The Woods All Black
The Woods All Black is equal parts historical horror, trans romance, and blood-soaked revenge, all set in 1920s Appalachia
Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service, under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Forged in the fires of the Western Front and reborn in the cafes of Paris, Leslie believes he can handle whatever is thrown at him—but Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond his nightmares.
Something ugly festers within the local congregation, and its malice has focused on a young person they insist is an unruly tomboy who must be brought to heel. Violence is bubbling when Leslie arrives, ready to spill over, and he'll have to act fast if he intends to be of use. But the hills enfolding Spar Creek have a mind of their own, and the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand.
The Woods All Black is a story of passion, prejudice, and power — an Appalachian period piece that explores reproductive justice and bodily autonomy, the terrors of small-town religiosity, and the necessity of fighting tooth and claw to live as who you truly are.
Leslie Bruin is assigned to the backwoods township of Spar Creek by the Frontier Nursing Service, under its usual mandate: vaccinate the flock, birth babies, and weather the judgements of churchy locals who look at him and see a failed woman. Forged in the fires of the Western Front and reborn in the cafes of Paris, Leslie believes he can handle whatever is thrown at him—but Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond his nightmares.
Something ugly festers within the local congregation, and its malice has focused on a young person they insist is an unruly tomboy who must be brought to heel. Violence is bubbling when Leslie arrives, ready to spill over, and he'll have to act fast if he intends to be of use. But the hills enfolding Spar Creek have a mind of their own, and the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand.
The Woods All Black is a story of passion, prejudice, and power — an Appalachian period piece that explores reproductive justice and bodily autonomy, the terrors of small-town religiosity, and the necessity of fighting tooth and claw to live as who you truly are.
150 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2024
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March 19, 2024
Small southern towns after WWI, could request they be sent a nurse from the Frontier Nursing Service. A lot of these backwoods places didn't even have a doctor, and during those times, that was a dangerous thing. Vaccinations can't help if there's no vaccinations or people to give them. In Spar Creek they got a bit more than vaccinations, and prescriptions, when Leslie Bruin arrived.
Leslie fought in the war himself, and then spent some time in Paris before joining with the FNS. Towns like Spar Creek don't often welcome outsiders with open arms and Leslie is definitely an outsider. He soon learns that he's not going to be able to do his job effectively. Between religious zealots, racists, and just plain small town meanness, he can barely open his mouth without getting into trouble. He soon learns there's a lot more going on in Spar Creek than he originally thought. Young Stevie for one thing, and those noises in the woods for another. Will Leslie be able to help the citizens of Spar Creek? Will he be able to help young Stevie or anyone at all? And maybe most importantly, will he be able to survive the beast skulking around his cabin every night? You'll have to read this to find out!
I very much enjoyed this novella and read it in two sittings. Spar Creek seemed like a few towns here in the northeast, at least in some ways. Religious zealots. Racists. Tightly knit and intolerant of anything that smells even slightly "different." Some places are still like that now, so it's easy to imagine how much worse it would have been in the early 20's. Small minded people in small minded places.
What added some spice here was the addition of the mysterious creature in the woods. This aspect kept the story interesting and while I can't say I was all that surprised, I think it took the story in an interesting direction.
I'm struggling to find more to say without spoiling anything, so let me sum up. Small town with a new arrival. Historical fiction with intriguing facts about the Frontier Nursing Service and life in the early 20's. A revenge story you can sink your teeth into. A trans protagonist, other interesting characters, (but mostly jerks), and a mystery monster lurking in the woods. Now, let me double check my math, (scribbling madly, carrying the one), and yep! All this adds up to a WINNER!
Highly recommended for fans of LGBTQ fiction, sexy times with monsters, historical fiction fans, and to those that love tales of revenge!
*ARC from publisher.*
Leslie fought in the war himself, and then spent some time in Paris before joining with the FNS. Towns like Spar Creek don't often welcome outsiders with open arms and Leslie is definitely an outsider. He soon learns that he's not going to be able to do his job effectively. Between religious zealots, racists, and just plain small town meanness, he can barely open his mouth without getting into trouble. He soon learns there's a lot more going on in Spar Creek than he originally thought. Young Stevie for one thing, and those noises in the woods for another. Will Leslie be able to help the citizens of Spar Creek? Will he be able to help young Stevie or anyone at all? And maybe most importantly, will he be able to survive the beast skulking around his cabin every night? You'll have to read this to find out!
I very much enjoyed this novella and read it in two sittings. Spar Creek seemed like a few towns here in the northeast, at least in some ways. Religious zealots. Racists. Tightly knit and intolerant of anything that smells even slightly "different." Some places are still like that now, so it's easy to imagine how much worse it would have been in the early 20's. Small minded people in small minded places.
What added some spice here was the addition of the mysterious creature in the woods. This aspect kept the story interesting and while I can't say I was all that surprised, I think it took the story in an interesting direction.
I'm struggling to find more to say without spoiling anything, so let me sum up. Small town with a new arrival. Historical fiction with intriguing facts about the Frontier Nursing Service and life in the early 20's. A revenge story you can sink your teeth into. A trans protagonist, other interesting characters, (but mostly jerks), and a mystery monster lurking in the woods. Now, let me double check my math, (scribbling madly, carrying the one), and yep! All this adds up to a WINNER!
Highly recommended for fans of LGBTQ fiction, sexy times with monsters, historical fiction fans, and to those that love tales of revenge!
*ARC from publisher.*
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May 25, 2024let’s go trans monster schlong
I think (adult!) fans of Andrew Joseph White would probably be really drawn to this story due to its themes and atmosphere.
Featuring terrifying religious bigotry, small town horror, trans rage, and gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis, this book has a lot of amazing and well-executed elements. I do think too much of the plot was saved for the very end, leaving some of the dropped pieces of candy in the earlier parts of this narrative tale to feel more confusing than impactful and causing a meandering and slow pace, but I overall really enjoyed this little novella.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
CW: religious bigotry, violence, blood & gore, sexual content, rape (off-page), sexual violence, pregnancy, abortion (offpage), death in childbirth, medical content, needles, gun violence, drowning, cannibalism, murder, transphobia, misgendering, misogyny, animal death, dismemberment, hallucinations, fire, eugenics, racism, war (past), insects, child death (mention), antisemitism (mention)
I think (adult!) fans of Andrew Joseph White would probably be really drawn to this story due to its themes and atmosphere.
Featuring terrifying religious bigotry, small town horror, trans rage, and gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis, this book has a lot of amazing and well-executed elements. I do think too much of the plot was saved for the very end, leaving some of the dropped pieces of candy in the earlier parts of this narrative tale to feel more confusing than impactful and causing a meandering and slow pace, but I overall really enjoyed this little novella.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
CW: religious bigotry, violence, blood & gore, sexual content, rape (off-page), sexual violence, pregnancy, abortion (offpage), death in childbirth, medical content, needles, gun violence, drowning, cannibalism, murder, transphobia, misgendering, misogyny, animal death, dismemberment, hallucinations, fire, eugenics, racism, war (past), insects, child death (mention), antisemitism (mention)
February 27, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
Set in 1920's Appalachia, The Woods All Black blends horror, revenge, and erotic romance with a trans protagonist. The tone of this novella is unsettling from near the beginning, and draws on real historical fact to flesh out the world and conflicts. The story follows Leslie, a trans nurse who has been recently assigned to serve a small town rife with religious extremism and fear. He tries to blend in by adopting more feminine attire and attitudes, but the pastor has it out for him and another young trans man being pushed into marriage and "proper" gender roles. But there may be something dark out in the woods nearby...
This was an evocative read that kept me hooked and includes some interesting information about how queer people conceived of themselves during the time period. I'm not entirely sure how I felt about some elements of the ending, but in general it was satisfying and interesting. Definitely worth a look! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings include homophobia, gender-based violence, sexual assault (off-page), misogyny, death, abortion and unwanted pregnancy, graphic sex including with a non-human form
Set in 1920's Appalachia, The Woods All Black blends horror, revenge, and erotic romance with a trans protagonist. The tone of this novella is unsettling from near the beginning, and draws on real historical fact to flesh out the world and conflicts. The story follows Leslie, a trans nurse who has been recently assigned to serve a small town rife with religious extremism and fear. He tries to blend in by adopting more feminine attire and attitudes, but the pastor has it out for him and another young trans man being pushed into marriage and "proper" gender roles. But there may be something dark out in the woods nearby...
This was an evocative read that kept me hooked and includes some interesting information about how queer people conceived of themselves during the time period. I'm not entirely sure how I felt about some elements of the ending, but in general it was satisfying and interesting. Definitely worth a look! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings include homophobia, gender-based violence, sexual assault (off-page), misogyny, death, abortion and unwanted pregnancy, graphic sex including with a non-human form
April 22, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up. Lee Mandelo is my King of Queer horror. The way he incorporates this sense of claustrophobic, creeping dread heavily featuring nature in his stories is so effective to me. I find his writing craft to just be so atmospheric.
Set in the 1920s, in a remote Appalachian town, Leslie is a trans trauma nurse and fresh from the battle field of WWI working for the Frontier Nursing Service and finds himself struggling through a hostile town of fire and brimstone.
This is a story of identity, rage, revenge and monster fucking. What more could you want.
Set in the 1920s, in a remote Appalachian town, Leslie is a trans trauma nurse and fresh from the battle field of WWI working for the Frontier Nursing Service and finds himself struggling through a hostile town of fire and brimstone.
This is a story of identity, rage, revenge and monster fucking. What more could you want.
February 9, 2024
2.5 Stars
After loving the author's last two releases, I was dying to read another release from this author. I liked this one but I fully admit that I was underwhelmed. I didn't find this particularly memorable. This author is capable of reading incredibly complex characters so I was disappointed when these ones fell so flat. I wanted to love this one but it left me cold.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
After loving the author's last two releases, I was dying to read another release from this author. I liked this one but I fully admit that I was underwhelmed. I didn't find this particularly memorable. This author is capable of reading incredibly complex characters so I was disappointed when these ones fell so flat. I wanted to love this one but it left me cold.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
March 26, 2024
All I have to say is gaslight, gatekeep, boy-girlboss, and above all else fuck your monsters
March 20, 2024
Lee Mandelo really said this one’s for the monsterfuckers. The Woods All Black is a captivating gothic Christian-fundie horror novella. We follow Leslie, a war-hardened nurse, who’s been sent by the Frontier Nursing Service to this back-water Appalachian town of Spar Creek. There, he’s immediately faced with hostile suspicion by this isolated community, drummed to a fervor by the local pastor. And given the setting, something unnerving is lurking at the edges of the woods, evoked beautifully by Lee’s immaculate prose. Without giving much away, there are beasts prowling in the dark, Leslie slowly discovers whether they are friend or foe (see first sentence). Lee’s development of Leslie’s character, a trans man existing in a particularly hostile environment in the 1920s, is fascinatingly portrayed and the historical elements were interesting to learn about. As someone who grew up adjacent to Christian fundamentalists, Mandelo absolutely nails the horrific atmosphere even just one religiously-fervent pastor can wield, to an unnerving degree. I found myself struggling to read at times because of how uncomfortably accurate the zealotry was portrayed and had to stop and restart multiple times. Unfortunately, it means this book hits just a little too close to ever be a favorite, but regardless it is spectacularly written. Overall, I rate this book a 4.5/5.
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4/5
Lee Mandelo really said this one's for the monsterfuckers. Queer af, with delightful gothic writing. The religious horror means this will never be a favorite, but still a fantastic read.
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4/5
Lee Mandelo really said this one's for the monsterfuckers. Queer af, with delightful gothic writing. The religious horror means this will never be a favorite, but still a fantastic read.
March 28, 2024
Lee Mandelo has perfected the art of the novella. I genuinely wish more publishers would bring them back.
Spooky, atmospheric, cathartic, satisfying, and deliciously, deliciously queer. It's got a creepy rural town, the dangers of religious fundamentalism, a glimpse at historical queer life, a trans m/m romance, and as you've probably already heard, some no holds barred monsterfucking. Mr Mandelo is truly One of Us.
That said, I would have liked if the final act went a little longer. Medyo bitin. And I wanted more time with the supernatural spookiness. Would love to see this author write a full blown novel again.
Spooky, atmospheric, cathartic, satisfying, and deliciously, deliciously queer. It's got a creepy rural town, the dangers of religious fundamentalism, a glimpse at historical queer life, a trans m/m romance, and as you've probably already heard, some no holds barred monsterfucking. Mr Mandelo is truly One of Us.
That said, I would have liked if the final act went a little longer. Medyo bitin. And I wanted more time with the supernatural spookiness. Would love to see this author write a full blown novel again.
June 24, 2024
Lee Mandelo loves a weird, gory story, and with The Woods All Black he's given us another one.
Leslie is a closeted transman working as a nurse in Spar Creek. He knows that the small Appalachian town doesn't trust him, but he's working to help as many people as possible - in particular, another transman by the name of Stevie - before the pastor kicks him out or the haunting presence over Spar Creek forces him to leave. Whichever happens first.
The Woods All Black is stranger than Mandelo's most popular work, Summer Sons, but contains some of the same DNA. The humid ache of a southern summer, the hardiness of learned violence by queer men, the rolling sense of dread over a tight community. But The Woods All Black is gnarlier, darker, heavily steeped in history while sacrificing some of its subtlety. Leslie is a compelling and nuanced main character; Mandelo shows how trans people - especially in the 1920s - might choose to either disguise or express their gender depending on the needs of the moment. There's a strong theme of survival vs. self-expression explored here that works well with the observations on different expressions of queer identity.
I think I wish there was more of a gothic lean to the book. There's some interesting ideas seeded into the background here that don't get fully explored: the cave, the woman who burned her house, the pastor's origins, Marge. The Woods All Black could have also benefited from a bit more escalation in the horror over the course of the story; I wanted Spar Creek to feel like a kettle about to boil over, but most of the action doesn't happen until the last 30-ish pages.
A note for the monster romance readers out there: You will like this one!
Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.
Leslie is a closeted transman working as a nurse in Spar Creek. He knows that the small Appalachian town doesn't trust him, but he's working to help as many people as possible - in particular, another transman by the name of Stevie - before the pastor kicks him out or the haunting presence over Spar Creek forces him to leave. Whichever happens first.
The Woods All Black is stranger than Mandelo's most popular work, Summer Sons, but contains some of the same DNA. The humid ache of a southern summer, the hardiness of learned violence by queer men, the rolling sense of dread over a tight community. But The Woods All Black is gnarlier, darker, heavily steeped in history while sacrificing some of its subtlety. Leslie is a compelling and nuanced main character; Mandelo shows how trans people - especially in the 1920s - might choose to either disguise or express their gender depending on the needs of the moment. There's a strong theme of survival vs. self-expression explored here that works well with the observations on different expressions of queer identity.
I think I wish there was more of a gothic lean to the book. There's some interesting ideas seeded into the background here that don't get fully explored: the cave, the woman who burned her house, the pastor's origins, Marge. The Woods All Black could have also benefited from a bit more escalation in the horror over the course of the story; I wanted Spar Creek to feel like a kettle about to boil over, but most of the action doesn't happen until the last 30-ish pages.
A note for the monster romance readers out there: You will like this one!
Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.
April 6, 2024
I really wanted to like this book. The premise is amazing! Unfortunately, the book is nothing like what the summary promises.
Specifically, here is where it failed to deliver:
"Equal parts historical horror, trans romance, & blood-soaked revenge." It most definitely is not. It's 95% historical fiction without an ounce of the implied paranormal elements, 5% a grown man falling in love with a teenage boy he barely knows (wtf was that about?), & about 2 pages of bigots getting anticlimactically murdered.
"The hills... have a mind of their own," "Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond [Leslie's] nightmares," "the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand." When I tell you literally NONE of this shit happens. This is a NORMAL FOREST. The darkness is the sun setting and the haunting is Christian bigotry. This is Leslie (a character from a city) being scared of the woods because he's never been in the woods. Maybe this book would be spooky scary to someone like Leslie, but to me (someone who's lived in the Appalachia region my whole life and is frequently in the woods) it's boring. This book was constantly trying to convince the reader of sPoOkY hApPeNiNgS without giving us any spooky happenings! This gave me the same feeling as those people on Tik Tok who try to tell you 'rural Appalachia is terrifying' when they've definitely never been here. The region is not intrinsically scary, so you'll need to actually write some horror to, y'know, write a horror novel. Sorry to anyone who watched 'Silent Hill' and thought it was a documentary.
As for the characters, they're all very flat and one-dimensional. Leslie, our protagonist, has one personality trait, and that is 'gets bitches.' I found this hilarious at first but as the story wore on and it became clear he wasn't going to get any character development, he began to annoy me. He had the potential to be a cool character but the author fumbled him. His motivations were difficult to pin down, especially nearing the end when he had no reason to stick around Spar Creek other than 'I have a savior complex over this androgynous teenager (Stevie) that wants nothing to do with me.' Stevie's character was just 'angry teenager.' He and Leslie had no basis to even be friends, other than them both being gender non-conforming, and certainly no romantic chemistry. Every other character is simply 'bigoted asshole.' Everyone was just bland.
Finally, the genres this book is listed under. This is marketed as a horror novel and tagged as horror. It is not horror. This lacks everything a horror novel should have: tension, building suspense, creepy scenes to put the reader on edge. I was so ready for this book to be viscerally unsettling but it wasn't even attempting to be scary. It was a huge letdown.
I need you all to know there is one singlular reason this was a 'horror' novel instead of just a queer historical fiction, and that's so the author had a reason for the . Was absolutely not expecting the story to go there. It was so jarring I thought I had clicked off the story and accidentally hopped onto Wattpad. What was the point of this book? Was it all just a lead up to ? I'm not against it (not for me but you do you) but like... really? That's all this story was trying to do? I can't think of any other theme or moral aside from 'don't be a bigoted asshole.' I guess?
If you liked this book, that is great. I'm glad other people got something out of this. This is the 2nd book I've read by this author that I didn't like so maybe I am the problem lol
Specifically, here is where it failed to deliver:
"Equal parts historical horror, trans romance, & blood-soaked revenge." It most definitely is not. It's 95% historical fiction without an ounce of the implied paranormal elements, 5% a grown man falling in love with a teenage boy he barely knows (wtf was that about?), & about 2 pages of bigots getting anticlimactically murdered.
"The hills... have a mind of their own," "Spar Creek holds a darkness beyond [Leslie's] nightmares," "the woods are haunted in ways Leslie does not understand." When I tell you literally NONE of this shit happens. This is a NORMAL FOREST. The darkness is the sun setting and the haunting is Christian bigotry. This is Leslie (a character from a city) being scared of the woods because he's never been in the woods. Maybe this book would be spooky scary to someone like Leslie, but to me (someone who's lived in the Appalachia region my whole life and is frequently in the woods) it's boring. This book was constantly trying to convince the reader of sPoOkY hApPeNiNgS without giving us any spooky happenings! This gave me the same feeling as those people on Tik Tok who try to tell you 'rural Appalachia is terrifying' when they've definitely never been here. The region is not intrinsically scary, so you'll need to actually write some horror to, y'know, write a horror novel. Sorry to anyone who watched 'Silent Hill' and thought it was a documentary.
As for the characters, they're all very flat and one-dimensional. Leslie, our protagonist, has one personality trait, and that is 'gets bitches.' I found this hilarious at first but as the story wore on and it became clear he wasn't going to get any character development, he began to annoy me. He had the potential to be a cool character but the author fumbled him. His motivations were difficult to pin down, especially nearing the end when he had no reason to stick around Spar Creek other than 'I have a savior complex over this androgynous teenager (Stevie) that wants nothing to do with me.' Stevie's character was just 'angry teenager.' He and Leslie had no basis to even be friends, other than them both being gender non-conforming, and certainly no romantic chemistry. Every other character is simply 'bigoted asshole.' Everyone was just bland.
Finally, the genres this book is listed under. This is marketed as a horror novel and tagged as horror. It is not horror. This lacks everything a horror novel should have: tension, building suspense, creepy scenes to put the reader on edge. I was so ready for this book to be viscerally unsettling but it wasn't even attempting to be scary. It was a huge letdown.
I need you all to know there is one singlular reason this was a 'horror' novel instead of just a queer historical fiction, and that's so the author had a reason for the . Was absolutely not expecting the story to go there. It was so jarring I thought I had clicked off the story and accidentally hopped onto Wattpad. What was the point of this book? Was it all just a lead up to ? I'm not against it (not for me but you do you) but like... really? That's all this story was trying to do? I can't think of any other theme or moral aside from 'don't be a bigoted asshole.' I guess?
If you liked this book, that is great. I'm glad other people got something out of this. This is the 2nd book I've read by this author that I didn't like so maybe I am the problem lol
August 4, 2024
Alright, Lee Mandelo is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors.
December 6, 2023
the only thing I love more than vicious revenge is monsterfucking so this was always gonna be a winner winner chicken dinner
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2024
this was such a tense & compelling read that i really enjoyed - it's the first work i've actually read by lee mandelo (although Summer Sons has been on my list for like a year at this point) and i'll definitely be reading more by him! he does a really excellent job of blending the cloying horror of appalachian forests, the trauma of front-line nursing during world war 1, the 1920s queer experience, religious trauma, AND monsterfucking all into a punchy little novella that was EXACTLY MY SHIT.
just so good. i was immediately hooked by the setting and distinctive character voice, and mandelo does an excellent job of keeping the tension high throughout the story without things feeling too rushed. (although admittedly i would've loved to see more of leslie's backstory). there's a lot going on here and while a few plotlines seemed to fall by the wayside at times, overall it's a really impressive effort that succeeds 80% of the time. my only real complaint would be that i wanted more time for leslie and stevie's relationship to grow - i feel like that storyline would've benefited from a bit more space to breathe, but given the plot's time constraints i can see why the author went the direction he did. also lets be real, when you grow up in an abusive conservative town in the 1920s with no other queer people, you don't fuck around! you go for that bdsm relationship with the sexy older trans nurse when you get that opportunity!!
there was also graphic, enthusiastic, and gory monsterfucking and honestly i think every horror book could benefit from that so god bless lee mandelo for leading the charge.
just so good. i was immediately hooked by the setting and distinctive character voice, and mandelo does an excellent job of keeping the tension high throughout the story without things feeling too rushed. (although admittedly i would've loved to see more of leslie's backstory). there's a lot going on here and while a few plotlines seemed to fall by the wayside at times, overall it's a really impressive effort that succeeds 80% of the time. my only real complaint would be that i wanted more time for leslie and stevie's relationship to grow - i feel like that storyline would've benefited from a bit more space to breathe, but given the plot's time constraints i can see why the author went the direction he did. also lets be real, when you grow up in an abusive conservative town in the 1920s with no other queer people, you don't fuck around! you go for that bdsm relationship with the sexy older trans nurse when you get that opportunity!!
there was also graphic, enthusiastic, and gory monsterfucking and honestly i think every horror book could benefit from that so god bless lee mandelo for leading the charge.
December 4, 2023
Love some Appalachian horror! A great blend of scary and funny and sexy and violent. Although I don’t think this is quiiite perfect, I enjoy how Mandelo is always trying to DO something. More authors should go for it like he does!
April 28, 2024
When Frontier Nursing Service and World War 1 frontline nursing veteran Leslie Bruin is requested to serve as resident nurse in small town Spar Creek, KY, the trans-man encounters more than he bargained for. The people of Spar Creek are far from welcoming, the pastor preaches brimstone and hellfire, and something dark lurks in the woods. It's clear Leslie isn't wanted here. But when he encounters another kindred queer spirit in a budding young trans-man named Stevie, Leslie knows he’ll do anything to help Stevie escape.
I'm struggling to find the words to describe how I feel about this book. As a born and raised Appalachian, something about horror plotlines hinging on zealous evangelical cults in isolated “backwater” Kentucky deep in the “creepy woods” rubs me raw. This book is marketed as a horror, and the author uses the forest backdrop to instill creeping dread – but it just doesn't work, because there's nothing *wrong* with the woods. The woods aren't actually a problem.
The horror relies on overplayed tropes and leaves the story underdeveloped:
1. “This land is cursed” By what? I dunno. Why? Idk. Never comes up again.
2. “There's a demon in the woods.” Okay, but why? What magic made it? How'd it get there? *Shrug* Vague appropriation of some kind of cultural magic, probably?
3. “An outsider was invited into an isolated community. But it's clear they're not wanted here.” WHY? Why was Leslie personally invited to this place and then immediately rejected? It's never answered.
4. “The preacher is scary because he's a zealot.” Okay, scary but overplayed.
5. “The woods are spooky.”
The worldbuilding is thin. Nothing is ever explained, and instead of it being creepy, it's just annoying? There's nothing satisfying about the book (except for certain warranted deaths). The characterization is shallow. I know absolutely nothing about who these characters are aside from the most surface level things. All I know about Leslie is that he’s unbearably horny. Excuse my frankness, but you can't go 2 chapters without Leslie eyeballing and sexualizing someone’s cleavage like a nipple-seeking missile. It's an abnormal amount of horny. And who is Stevie outside of his gender identity? Who knows?
I don't think I can accurately classify what this book is. It's got horror themes, but it also heavily features an age-gap queer “romance.” I hesitate to call it a romance because the characters don't even really know each other? They're just horny for someone else that shares their experience. Leslie is 30 and Stevie is 18, and that wasn't something I was expecting. That kind of age gap paired with the power dynamics and trauma is uncomfortable at best for me. It made me cringe every time Leslie referred to Stevie as “boy” and “brat,” because it acknowledges that Leslie knows there's a power imbalance and is into it. He even calls him “an older child” at one point. I hesitate to say that the sex scenes are gross, but they honestly gave me psychic damage with words like “hole” and “guts” thrown around. It's not candid; it's just lewd.
If you haven't read the book, you should know that the main horror element is that Stevie becomes a pather-like monster, a literal embodiment of the Appalachian woods to avenge himself against the man that raped him and the hellfire preacher that excused the assualt. I honestly imagined something like a Wampus Cat, and it would've been interesting to see the author lean into that lore more. But all we get is that the woods chose Stevie to have this power. Ambiguous. The only thing I liked about this book was the idea that someone like Stevie, a born and raised Appalachian, could become a vessel for the land and hold their ground against outside prejudice (the preacher, who was not born in Spar Creek). Stevie did that…and then he left for the “civilized world.” *big sigh* I would've preferred for Stevie to slaughter the town and then live in the woods.
My tiniest nitpick in the grand scheme of things is that the town of Spar Creek felt so much like an afterthought. I didn't feel like I was reading about an Appalachian town. The characters spoke like a spaghetti western, without common Appalachian colloquialisms. And the culture just felt off in general.
I wanted to love this book. I'd had it wishlisted since before the cover dropped, but it unfortunately didn't land for me. We get so little good representation of the Appalachian region in literature, because most of it focuses on “backwards culty hillbillies terrorizing civilized folk” like this one.
2 stars
I'm struggling to find the words to describe how I feel about this book. As a born and raised Appalachian, something about horror plotlines hinging on zealous evangelical cults in isolated “backwater” Kentucky deep in the “creepy woods” rubs me raw. This book is marketed as a horror, and the author uses the forest backdrop to instill creeping dread – but it just doesn't work, because there's nothing *wrong* with the woods. The woods aren't actually a problem.
The horror relies on overplayed tropes and leaves the story underdeveloped:
1. “This land is cursed” By what? I dunno. Why? Idk. Never comes up again.
2. “There's a demon in the woods.” Okay, but why? What magic made it? How'd it get there? *Shrug* Vague appropriation of some kind of cultural magic, probably?
3. “An outsider was invited into an isolated community. But it's clear they're not wanted here.” WHY? Why was Leslie personally invited to this place and then immediately rejected? It's never answered.
4. “The preacher is scary because he's a zealot.” Okay, scary but overplayed.
5. “The woods are spooky.”
The worldbuilding is thin. Nothing is ever explained, and instead of it being creepy, it's just annoying? There's nothing satisfying about the book (except for certain warranted deaths). The characterization is shallow. I know absolutely nothing about who these characters are aside from the most surface level things. All I know about Leslie is that he’s unbearably horny. Excuse my frankness, but you can't go 2 chapters without Leslie eyeballing and sexualizing someone’s cleavage like a nipple-seeking missile. It's an abnormal amount of horny. And who is Stevie outside of his gender identity? Who knows?
I don't think I can accurately classify what this book is. It's got horror themes, but it also heavily features an age-gap queer “romance.” I hesitate to call it a romance because the characters don't even really know each other? They're just horny for someone else that shares their experience. Leslie is 30 and Stevie is 18, and that wasn't something I was expecting. That kind of age gap paired with the power dynamics and trauma is uncomfortable at best for me. It made me cringe every time Leslie referred to Stevie as “boy” and “brat,” because it acknowledges that Leslie knows there's a power imbalance and is into it. He even calls him “an older child” at one point. I hesitate to say that the sex scenes are gross, but they honestly gave me psychic damage with words like “hole” and “guts” thrown around. It's not candid; it's just lewd.
If you haven't read the book, you should know that the main horror element is that Stevie becomes a pather-like monster, a literal embodiment of the Appalachian woods to avenge himself against the man that raped him and the hellfire preacher that excused the assualt. I honestly imagined something like a Wampus Cat, and it would've been interesting to see the author lean into that lore more. But all we get is that the woods chose Stevie to have this power. Ambiguous. The only thing I liked about this book was the idea that someone like Stevie, a born and raised Appalachian, could become a vessel for the land and hold their ground against outside prejudice (the preacher, who was not born in Spar Creek). Stevie did that…and then he left for the “civilized world.” *big sigh* I would've preferred for Stevie to slaughter the town and then live in the woods.
My tiniest nitpick in the grand scheme of things is that the town of Spar Creek felt so much like an afterthought. I didn't feel like I was reading about an Appalachian town. The characters spoke like a spaghetti western, without common Appalachian colloquialisms. And the culture just felt off in general.
I wanted to love this book. I'd had it wishlisted since before the cover dropped, but it unfortunately didn't land for me. We get so little good representation of the Appalachian region in literature, because most of it focuses on “backwards culty hillbillies terrorizing civilized folk” like this one.
2 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
May 14, 2024Aaaaand I’m on page 12 and I think I’m going to DNF. :( A lot about The Woods All Black seems very cool, but there’s this moralizing tone hanging over the whole thing that doesn’t particularly work for me.
Interestingly, I thought the central conceit of this novella SHOULD have been the central conceit of Mandelo’s previous novella: the main character is trans and the third-person narration uses the correct pronouns, but the world around them does not—highlighting the incongruence between the character’s true gender and the world’s perception.
The thing is, with Mandelo’s previous novella, Feed Them Silence, my theory that this was happening emerged gradually, and it slowly recast the story in a new light. (Then I turned out to be wrong—apparently everyone just kept referring to the butch lesbian as profiting from male privilege??) In The Woods All Black, where Mandelo is doing this on purpose, there is Zero Subtlety. And there’s a time and place for books with Zero Subtlety, sure, but it’s not for me. Hence the DNF.
I could be convinced to keep going, since I’m not very far in, but I’m trying to be better about DNFing—and if I’m not jiving with the writing style on page 12, I doubt I’ll be jiving with it on page 200.
Interestingly, I thought the central conceit of this novella SHOULD have been the central conceit of Mandelo’s previous novella: the main character is trans and the third-person narration uses the correct pronouns, but the world around them does not—highlighting the incongruence between the character’s true gender and the world’s perception.
The thing is, with Mandelo’s previous novella, Feed Them Silence, my theory that this was happening emerged gradually, and it slowly recast the story in a new light. (Then I turned out to be wrong—apparently everyone just kept referring to the butch lesbian as profiting from male privilege??) In The Woods All Black, where Mandelo is doing this on purpose, there is Zero Subtlety. And there’s a time and place for books with Zero Subtlety, sure, but it’s not for me. Hence the DNF.
I could be convinced to keep going, since I’m not very far in, but I’m trying to be better about DNFing—and if I’m not jiving with the writing style on page 12, I doubt I’ll be jiving with it on page 200.
May 15, 2024
Not this book making me read monster smut for the first time against my will
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2024
Part small-town historical horror, part erotic trans romance, The Woods All Black is a short yet incredibly powerful novella that feels like one big fucking rage against the machine.
Through the eyes of trans frontier nurse Leslie Bruin, we are transported back to a small town teeming with extremist religious bigotry in 1920s Appalachia. By leaning into his more feminine assets, Leslie can just barely manage to escape too much scrutiny from the vicious pastor and prejudiced townspeople. That is, until he crosses paths with another young trans man who is pushed into marriage and ‘proper’ gender roles, and then all hell breaks loose.
Now, I absolutely adored Mandelo’s debut Summer Sons, and while that is probably still my favourite work by him, I think it is exceptionally cool to see how he has grown and evolved as a storyteller and writer. This novella packs a lot of weighty subject matter in just a few pages, and in the hands of a lesser author it could so easily have crashed and burned, but Mandelo handled and executed it all with effortless grace.
Seriously, the genderfuckery in The Woods All Black is unmatched, just… chef��s kiss. Leslie immediately captured my heart in the very first chapter, and I think his resilience, rebellious and snarky sarcasm, and strong sense of self really carried me through the more harrowing, delirious, and monstrous parts of this story.
And sweet baby jesus, do things get monstrous, on both a human and a supernatural level. I mean, if you’d have told me beforehand that I would end up adoring a story with monster erotica, I would have burst out laughing in disbelief, but here we are. The dynamic between Stevie and Leslie kept me in a chokehold, and I loved the exploration of gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis in their unconventional yet heartwarming romance.
I do have to say that the pacing was a bit rocky for me, with too much of the power and meat of this novella lying in the final few chapters, but at the same time that only made the brutal ending more intense. And then add to that an utterly satisfying and hopeful epilogue, making this an absolute banger of a novella.
If you are looking for a short but absolutely unforgettable romantic horror novella that takes you on a revenge journey unlike you have ever experienced before, I can’t recommend The Woods All Black highly enough. It’s dark yet hopeful, it’s dirty yet beautiful, it’s angry yet tender, and most of all, it is just so god damned gloriously queer; I loved it!
Through the eyes of trans frontier nurse Leslie Bruin, we are transported back to a small town teeming with extremist religious bigotry in 1920s Appalachia. By leaning into his more feminine assets, Leslie can just barely manage to escape too much scrutiny from the vicious pastor and prejudiced townspeople. That is, until he crosses paths with another young trans man who is pushed into marriage and ‘proper’ gender roles, and then all hell breaks loose.
Now, I absolutely adored Mandelo’s debut Summer Sons, and while that is probably still my favourite work by him, I think it is exceptionally cool to see how he has grown and evolved as a storyteller and writer. This novella packs a lot of weighty subject matter in just a few pages, and in the hands of a lesser author it could so easily have crashed and burned, but Mandelo handled and executed it all with effortless grace.
Seriously, the genderfuckery in The Woods All Black is unmatched, just… chef��s kiss. Leslie immediately captured my heart in the very first chapter, and I think his resilience, rebellious and snarky sarcasm, and strong sense of self really carried me through the more harrowing, delirious, and monstrous parts of this story.
And sweet baby jesus, do things get monstrous, on both a human and a supernatural level. I mean, if you’d have told me beforehand that I would end up adoring a story with monster erotica, I would have burst out laughing in disbelief, but here we are. The dynamic between Stevie and Leslie kept me in a chokehold, and I loved the exploration of gender euphoria through monstrous metamorphosis in their unconventional yet heartwarming romance.
I do have to say that the pacing was a bit rocky for me, with too much of the power and meat of this novella lying in the final few chapters, but at the same time that only made the brutal ending more intense. And then add to that an utterly satisfying and hopeful epilogue, making this an absolute banger of a novella.
If you are looking for a short but absolutely unforgettable romantic horror novella that takes you on a revenge journey unlike you have ever experienced before, I can’t recommend The Woods All Black highly enough. It’s dark yet hopeful, it’s dirty yet beautiful, it’s angry yet tender, and most of all, it is just so god damned gloriously queer; I loved it!
January 7, 2024
Because of Lee Mandelo’s immersive writing style, I was able to place myself in “The Woods All Black”. I repeatedly said to myself, “This isn’t going to end well.” and “Run. Get out of there!” It’s best to go into the story blind and let the story unfold as it happens. For this novella, my emotions ran the gamut from sadness, disgust, anger, shock to elation. Read if you like queer horror. Thanks to Tordotcom Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.
August 18, 2024
I was expecting a lot from this book, but monster erotica involving a shadowy forest creature with a shape shifting dick, I will admit, was a punch to the gut from left field.
This is the third book I’ve read from Lee Mandelo, and it might actually be my favorite. This is a 1920s Appalachian horror novella taking place in a small god fearing town. We follow Leslie, a genderqueer nurse from the city who is called in to inoculate the town and perform any midwife duties needed. Upon arrival he is met with hostility from the residents and their reverend who view him as a “failed woman” due to his unmarried working status and propensity for wearing pants. Leslie is eager to complete his duties and get out of dodge. That is until he meets Stevie, someone who he thinks might be like him. And who is currently at the center of malicious attention of the entire town who are trying to squash him into their mold. Leslie can’t resist trying to help Stevie, even if it means he gets caught in the crossfire.
I was honestly enraptured from page one. I liked how the horror leaned more into the cultishness of small towns and the unsettling nature of their righteous eyes and gossip. And I loved Leslie’s background as a nurse on the western front. I often find that authors tend to shy away from WWI and the immense impact it had on Americans, so it was really refreshing to encounter a character who is struggling with the lasting effects of that experience. The exploration and depictions of queerness and gender were just *chef’s kiss*.
I give Mandelo extra points for including a bibliography at the end. I love when authors provide a list of sources they consulted for research on their book. Not only is it a great reading list for me to choose from, but it’s also a nice nod to the historians who dedicated years to compiling the research.
This is the third book I’ve read from Lee Mandelo, and it might actually be my favorite. This is a 1920s Appalachian horror novella taking place in a small god fearing town. We follow Leslie, a genderqueer nurse from the city who is called in to inoculate the town and perform any midwife duties needed. Upon arrival he is met with hostility from the residents and their reverend who view him as a “failed woman” due to his unmarried working status and propensity for wearing pants. Leslie is eager to complete his duties and get out of dodge. That is until he meets Stevie, someone who he thinks might be like him. And who is currently at the center of malicious attention of the entire town who are trying to squash him into their mold. Leslie can’t resist trying to help Stevie, even if it means he gets caught in the crossfire.
I was honestly enraptured from page one. I liked how the horror leaned more into the cultishness of small towns and the unsettling nature of their righteous eyes and gossip. And I loved Leslie’s background as a nurse on the western front. I often find that authors tend to shy away from WWI and the immense impact it had on Americans, so it was really refreshing to encounter a character who is struggling with the lasting effects of that experience. The exploration and depictions of queerness and gender were just *chef’s kiss*.
I give Mandelo extra points for including a bibliography at the end. I love when authors provide a list of sources they consulted for research on their book. Not only is it a great reading list for me to choose from, but it’s also a nice nod to the historians who dedicated years to compiling the research.
March 20, 2024
To say this has an unexpected element in it would be an.. understatement. Hoo-wee.
Ahem.
So I accidentally went from one WW1 book to another but other than both featuring nurses who had worked on the front lines, and dealt with things few can even imagine, that's really where the similarities end. Because this quickly gets.. uncomfortable. Eerie. Claustrophobic. And, well, all sorts of phobic. This has that small-town bigot patriarchal religious zeal vibe going for it in spades and even in novella form it's a lot. It also, not surprisingly, smashes itself up against the painful realities of what reproductive care and education looked like (and that, somehow, in some places, we're stupidly reverting to these days.. insert silent rage-filled scream here). But then, just when you're sitting there seething, fuming, frustrated, things get.. weird. And that's where I'll leave you.
If you like dark fantastical horror revenge stories, and very queer ones at that, you should definitely give this a go.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Ahem.
So I accidentally went from one WW1 book to another but other than both featuring nurses who had worked on the front lines, and dealt with things few can even imagine, that's really where the similarities end. Because this quickly gets.. uncomfortable. Eerie. Claustrophobic. And, well, all sorts of phobic. This has that small-town bigot patriarchal religious zeal vibe going for it in spades and even in novella form it's a lot. It also, not surprisingly, smashes itself up against the painful realities of what reproductive care and education looked like (and that, somehow, in some places, we're stupidly reverting to these days.. insert silent rage-filled scream here). But then, just when you're sitting there seething, fuming, frustrated, things get.. weird. And that's where I'll leave you.
If you like dark fantastical horror revenge stories, and very queer ones at that, you should definitely give this a go.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
May 1, 2024
Finally read The Woods All Black after the many many many months I’ve waited for it and… I’m underwhelmed.
I second the messages the author has decided to explore, and I think he nailed the Gothic Aesthetic, but I found myself unsatisfied as I wanted More. The people of the village weren’t insidious enough and I didn’t feel the effect of the escalation of events (this may be because the novella is short and there was not enough time to develop the thrumming energy of hate? maybe?), and in general I could feel no tension whatsoever, whether it was in the story itself or between characters.
I figured that the reason I didn’t click with it was maybe the fact that I wasn’t a big fan of the prose, I kept getting distracted while reading and had to reread a lot of sentences to keep up with the book, which is really unfortunate because as I said everything from the concept to the aesthetic is right up my alley.
Despite all that it’s an enjoyable book, and I’m glad Mandelo didn’t shy away from the gory details, big fan of that decision (I do suggest looking up trigger warnings for the faint of heart though).
I second the messages the author has decided to explore, and I think he nailed the Gothic Aesthetic, but I found myself unsatisfied as I wanted More. The people of the village weren’t insidious enough and I didn’t feel the effect of the escalation of events (this may be because the novella is short and there was not enough time to develop the thrumming energy of hate? maybe?), and in general I could feel no tension whatsoever, whether it was in the story itself or between characters.
I figured that the reason I didn’t click with it was maybe the fact that I wasn’t a big fan of the prose, I kept getting distracted while reading and had to reread a lot of sentences to keep up with the book, which is really unfortunate because as I said everything from the concept to the aesthetic is right up my alley.
Despite all that it’s an enjoyable book, and I’m glad Mandelo didn’t shy away from the gory details, big fan of that decision (I do suggest looking up trigger warnings for the faint of heart though).
July 22, 2023
Wow. An incredibly immersive, deeply creepy, and hugely rage-inducing book about control, patriarchy, arrogance and conformity - and those fey queer creatures who stand against it.
The claustrophobia of the setting pours out of every line, and the sense of otherness perfectly mirrors the 'otherness' of the trans characters, perceived as they are as wicked monsters, while the actual monster is possibly the most human of them all.
A masterclass.
The claustrophobia of the setting pours out of every line, and the sense of otherness perfectly mirrors the 'otherness' of the trans characters, perceived as they are as wicked monsters, while the actual monster is possibly the most human of them all.
A masterclass.
January 7, 2024
Nope. Nuh-uh. No way. WTF did I just subject myself to?!?!
I was ok with the queerness and with it being set in backwoods Appalachia, but the monster porn? Yeah, no. That was a genre line I was not expecting to cross.
... My 2024 reading year is NOT off to a good start you guys...
I was ok with the queerness and with it being set in backwoods Appalachia, but the monster porn? Yeah, no. That was a genre line I was not expecting to cross.
... My 2024 reading year is NOT off to a good start you guys...
December 14, 2023
finally some good transfag content
March 28, 2024
Come for the monsterfucking, stay for cathartic queer revenge.
Oh, I loved this fucked up queer horror novella just as much as I thought I would. I love atmospheric gothic horror with creatures lurking in the woods, though of course, the real horror is the hold Christian fundamentalism has on the community. Any deviation from gender norms is severely punished and Leslie soon finds himself shunned, yet he sticks around, compelled to help a local youth who might be in a similar predicament. There is so, so much justified queer anger in this book, and the ending felt so very right.
All in all, amazing. Would highly recommend.
Enjoyment: 5/5
Execution: 5/5
Content warnings: period-accurate homophobia, transphobia, and racism; religiously motivated bigotry; sexual violence (offscreen)
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Oh, I loved this fucked up queer horror novella just as much as I thought I would. I love atmospheric gothic horror with creatures lurking in the woods, though of course, the real horror is the hold Christian fundamentalism has on the community. Any deviation from gender norms is severely punished and Leslie soon finds himself shunned, yet he sticks around, compelled to help a local youth who might be in a similar predicament. There is so, so much justified queer anger in this book, and the ending felt so very right.
All in all, amazing. Would highly recommend.
Enjoyment: 5/5
Execution: 5/5
Content warnings: period-accurate homophobia, transphobia, and racism; religiously motivated bigotry; sexual violence (offscreen)
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
August 31, 2024
I was hand-sold this by an independent bookseller, and damn, I’m glad I got it. The Woods All Black is kind of everything one needs in a one-sitting queer read: freaky, mostly-human entities, sinister churches, IMMENSELY sexy sex scenes, historical felicity, and sweet, sweet revenge. It’s hard to believe that Mandelo packed all of this into 150 pages, believably developing Les and Stevie as people and intimates while leaving space for reader interpretation (and, of course, projection). If you’re looking for a pre-Halloween read, or some nice trans/queer Appalachian catharsis, this is your book.
April 3, 2024
Holy shit, this was wild. Badass. Atmospheric. Very queer. Very trans. I absolutely loved it. A slow build-up with a wonderfully horrific conclusion. Lee Mandelo knows what he is doing.
Do take the content warnings seriously!
Do take the content warnings seriously!
October 22, 2023
Thank you for this e-arc! You know, I am not a monster-fucker, but the rest of this book was so good that I will ignore it lol. Historical trans angst? Religious nefariousness? Appalachian horror? All great!
March 19, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
This is a dark romance — emphasis on the dark — and comes with strong trigger warnings for religious homophobia, mob violence, gun violence, rape, victim blaming, pregnancy because of rape, murder, attempted murder, abortion, homophobia, death in childbirth, and the shunning and casual cruelty of a small town turning against one of their own. It’s also a story of two kindred souls finding one another, aware of the pain they share between them, and turning fear and loneliness into love. But, again, it’s a dark book and will not be for everyone.
If you enjoy dark stories of revenge and justice — and remember to mind the trigger warnings — this book is definitely something you might enjoy. If you like good characters bringing the hand of retribution to bigots, of seeing someone get tired of playing polite turn around and give someone a piece of their mind, and of two kindred spirits finding one another and igniting a bonfire of a glorious reckoning on someone who roundly deserves it, consider reading this book.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
This is a dark romance — emphasis on the dark — and comes with strong trigger warnings for religious homophobia, mob violence, gun violence, rape, victim blaming, pregnancy because of rape, murder, attempted murder, abortion, homophobia, death in childbirth, and the shunning and casual cruelty of a small town turning against one of their own. It’s also a story of two kindred souls finding one another, aware of the pain they share between them, and turning fear and loneliness into love. But, again, it’s a dark book and will not be for everyone.
If you enjoy dark stories of revenge and justice — and remember to mind the trigger warnings — this book is definitely something you might enjoy. If you like good characters bringing the hand of retribution to bigots, of seeing someone get tired of playing polite turn around and give someone a piece of their mind, and of two kindred spirits finding one another and igniting a bonfire of a glorious reckoning on someone who roundly deserves it, consider reading this book.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
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