Author: Hiron Ennes
Narrator (from AnyPlay): Abigail Thorn
Playtime 13h 6m
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Genre: Horror, Gothic, Sci-Fi
Book Description (from GoodReads): In an isolated chateau, as far north as north goes, the baron’s doctor has died. The doctor’s replacement has a mystery to solve: discovering how the Institute lost track of one of its many bodies.
For hundreds of years the Interprovincial Medical Institute has grown by taking root in young minds and shaping them into doctors, replacing every human practitioner of medicine. The Institute is here to help humanity, to cure and to cut, to cradle and protect the species from the apocalyptic horrors their ancestors unleashed.
In the frozen north, the Institute's body will discover a competitor for its rung at the top of the evolutionary ladder. A parasite is spreading through the baron's castle, already a dark pit of secrets, lies, violence, and fear. The two will make war on the battlefield of the body. Whichever wins, humanity will lose again.
Review:
Most intriguing quote: "What are you?"
It's exciting being that we follow. In the end, did we have an example of first contact or not? It was hard to decide if this was an alien or simply a very particular being with Earthy origins.
I definitely love science-heavy stories, even in this very out-there manner. This can be categorized as weird.
It starts off a bit slow in the first few chapters. It starts with an arrival, but the timeline is hard to guess from that introduction. It seems to be a futuristic or post-apocalyptic setting. But you are not getting the whole picture, as the story progresses you are kept guessing. It's definitely VERY intriguing. I love it, it's one of those times where you do not see what's coming next and it leaves you with more questions than before, but in a good way.
The storytelling is clear and to the point not flowery but super immersive; with a continuous stream-of-consciousness first-person perspective using multiple viewpoints. Very eerie and somewhat unique storytelling - the beginning of an epidemic from the perspective of a parasite (leech).
It starts with the sudden death of the baron's doctor in this isolated Chateau. The doctor's replacement arrives, and they all come from the Institute. As "she" arrives, we follow her perspective so first its to overcome the rejection of the people in the Chateau, and we get the first mystery. The doctor has a hive mind, has had several bodies, and their knowledge is shared, so in theory, they are immortal except when they die without sharing their experiences as it happened to the doctor in this place.
The replacement doctor has no individual identity, not introduced by any name other than a doctor. They discover that there is something buried in the mines lurking and waiting to attack and expand as soon as it can access the humans.
To give you an idea here's the most impactful paragraph:
“I’m . . .” In truth, I’m not sure what to tell him. I am not quite myself anymore, and I’m certainly not the child who ascended the Institute’s steps nearly a decade ago. I don’t know if I’m even human, or if I’m only the synthesis of all my infections, if bits and pieces of Pseudomycota and the Institute and every other organism that has colonized me are still fighting in my blood, trying to conquer the territories of my muscles and consciousness. I don’t know if I’m only an accumulation of organized cells that has deluded itself into thinking it’s something more.
In the end, I decide to offer my hand. “I’m Simone.”
This feels so deep, especially after the whole idea of oneness and sharing knowledge, you came to know about in this leech.
It is creepy and unsettling and if that's your cup of tea you will love it!
It was not used for any specific challenge, this is another example of a book picked for no other reason than because I had run out of options. It was a nice surprise.
Comments