Katie's Reviews > The Woods All Black

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.