Sister, Maiden, Monster

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I loved the way the breakdown of society is seen through three unique female voices (Erin, Savannah and Mareva) whom are all impacted in hugely different ways from the early days in hospital isolation to later periods when the government have snipers on building roofs looking for anything suspicious. This was Covid-19 multiplied by a thousand as the three try to survive (or embrace) the virus which is destined to change humanity. Snyder uses these characters’ voices to make pointed commentary on women’s health, capitalism, human rights, surveillance apps and various other very current valid topics, frequently and not very subtly, but then subtle isn’t at all what she’s going for. In fact, it’s all completely in your face excessive—the sex, the gore, the violence, the absolutely absurd leaps and bounds from earth to the gods know where. It’s a B movie, it’s cosmic horror meets Cronenberg meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets your worst Biblical nightmare. Can one connect gratuitous body horror, the grotesque, explicit sex, violence and gore to modern day critiques of gender, sexuality, socioeconomic politics and race? Sure. It is all just too much? Yes, but then so is the world of this novel. Snyder constructs the novel in a similar way, and introduces little familiar (but not quite the same) tropes that we may have come across before, such as: obtaining memories by eating brains (iZombie, Warm Bodies) drinking blood in erotic scenarios (TruBlood.. vampires in general right?) as well as an all-out attempt to treat the terrifying condition, and reintroduce sufferers into society, rather than kill the infected (In The Flesh). Snyder alludes to all these things, but never outright says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ until suddenly it all becomes clear.

A blood-and-brains splattered shotgun-blast romp through the apocalypse that will simultaneously excite and disgust readers with equal pleasure.”– PHILIP FRACASSI, author of Boys in the Valley Oh, and did I mention that in addition to Erin's milder diet of things like bananas and applesauce, she eats brains? Your words to God’s ears,” he said. “Anyhow, let’s talk about something more cheerful. How was your day?” To watch Lucy’s evolution as a writer is a marvel. With Sister, Maiden, Monster, we see that there’s not only beauty in the abyss, but equal doses terror and wonder.This story is like taking a peek into her mind just to see how this dark magic happens.”— MAURICE BROADDUS, author of Breath of Oblivion Absolutely recommended for readers of the cosmic and gloriously horrific.”―Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling authorUnflinchingly gory, fast-paced and full of disasters both expected and unexpected — every twist is earned and becomes another piece in this intricate puzzle that begins as a medical mystery. I promise you have never read another cosmic horror like this. It’s impossible to look away as we witness everything it takes to end this world in full, intimate detail.” With Sister, Maiden, Monster, we see that there’s not only beauty in the abyss, but equal doses terror and wonder.” — Maurice Broaddus, author of Breath of Oblivion A mutant hybrid of weird science and cosmic horror, Sister, Maiden, Monster is deliciously cerebral and unflinchingly feminist. Violently beautiful, this novel is a tale for our times. Resounding.” — Lee Murray, Bram Stoker Award-winner and author of Grotesque: Monster Stories Sensuous, sinister, and sinewy; a blood-and-brains splattered shotgun-blast romp through the apocalypse that will simultaneously excite and disgust readers with equal pleasure.” — Philip Fracassi, author of Boys in the Valley A deadly pandemic. Lovecraftian gods. Graphic sex and violent gore. Sister, Maiden, Monster is an apocalyptic tale of cosmic horror unfolding in the middle of an outbreak of PVG, or polymorphic viral gastroencephalitis. Told in three parts, it follows the lives of a trio of women who each take on the title roles in their own unique way.

Snyder’s story follows three infected women; each is given a unique voice and perspective thanks to the vocal talents of Arielle DeLisle, Katherine Littrell, and Lindsey Dorcus."― Library Journal Absolutely recommended for readers of the cosmic and gloriously horrific.” — Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author Thoughts: This was an incredibly weird and demented collection of three interconnected novellas that I ended up really enjoying. Snyder always comes up with some crazy stuff and doesn't shy away from the gory details. I really enjoyed her Jessie Shimmer series and continue to enjoy her writing here as well. Sister, Maiden, Monster is the feminist Cronenberg I didn’t know I needed. Gleeful, gory, and unrelenting.” I thoroughly enjoyed the three main women's perspectives, how their stories overlapped and crossed paths, the destiny of it all before they even knew what was happening. But the body horror was truly unique such that even in my wildest Hellraiser-esque dreams I couldn't have predicted those horrific things. This is nothing but nightmare fuel in the plainest sense of the term that played vividly in my brain like a movie as I read, and I think it will likely haunt me for some time to come.My company was headed that direction, too, but it would be another week at least. Universal Corporate Computing had a huge, stegosaurian bureaucracy; change came slowly, when it came at all. Erin, once quiet and closeted, acquires an appetite for a woman and her brain. Why does forbidden fruit taste so good? Centering around the deadly—and thankfully fictional—PVG virus (polymorphic viral gastroencephalitis), Sister, Maiden, Monster is structured as three vignettes, each concerning a woman with a pivotal part to play in the ongoing apocalypse. Though there is little to connect Erin, Savannah and Mareva in their day to day lives, they’re all infected with PVG. It’s not long before their symptoms start manifesting in vastly different, horrifying ways. Timely, sharp, sexy, and gory…this might just be Snyder’s best, and that’s saying a lot.” — Gabino Iglesias, author of The Devil Takes You Home I got it at a new place called Oiwai Sushi.” He smiled. “My boss took our team there for lunch last week. I was really impressed with their tako sashimi. It was nice and firm and fresh. Not watery and limp.” He made a face. “The last time I got it at Hibachichan, it was really disappointing. Like it had been frozen and thawed a couple of times.”