I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht Published by Tor.com on September 24 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Horror
Pages: 160
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
The nitty-gritty: A sinister, blood-soaked story steeped in myth and darkness.
Monster, Monster, Monster, Johann said to himself, the first half a kiss, the second a hiss.
I wanted to squeeze in one more review this month, so I decided to grab one of my September novellas in order to make that happen. And wow, what a great choice! The Monster of Elendhaven was such a wonderful surprise, a dark Gothic tale that drew me in with its unconventional characters and atmospheric setting. And surprise, this is one novella that actually felt like just the right length! I know readers always complain that novellas are too short, but not so this time.
Also, I’m keeping this review fairly short because this is a story you need to experience for yourself. There are all sorts of dark mysteries to discover and I certainly don’t want to spoil them.
The story takes place in the bleak, dying city of Elendhaven, a soot-stained, stinking place where legend says that monsters emerge from the black waters of the harbor. One such monster, a man named Johann, can’t remember exactly where he came from, but he does know that he isn’t like other men. His limbs are long and pale, and he discovers after an accident that he cannot die.
A chance meeting with a sorcerer named Florian Leickenbloom sets Johann on a dangerous path of murder and revenge, and together the two men begin an experiment that could destroy what’s left of Elendhaven. When a group of outsiders visit the city to see if the old silver mine can be reopened, Florian knows they will fit in perfectly with his plans for revenge, and he drags the reluctant Johann along with him.
Folks, this story is dark. Elendhaven is not a nice place, and Johann and Florian are not very nice people. Johann had a terrible childhood on the streets, where he learned to kill in order to survive, and Florian, despite his flamboyant appearance, is actually quite tortured, being the only surviving member of his family after everyone died of the plague. In fact, that experience has shaped him and is the driving force behind his quest for revenge. About halfway through the story, we discover that he had a beloved twin sister named Flora, and her tragic tale added another layer that made me love this story even more.
Giesbrecht creates a mythology for her dastardly town in the form of a god. Hallandrette is the God-queen of the ocean, and people say that if you throw your most beloved possession into the sea, a hallankind, or companion, will be born from the waters. I loved how the author uses this myth in her story, and there is a horrifying twist surrounding it at the end that involves Johann, Florian and Florian’s dead sister Flora.
There’s also a relationship (of sorts) between Johann and Florian, although it’s about as far from “healthy” as you can get. Johann is clearly the aggressor of the relationship, and this imbalance of power made me so uncomfortable, but it did fit with the rest of the story, and I honestly wouldn’t change a thing.
Jennifer Giesbrecht has a writing style perfectly suited to her story. Her prose is lush and beautiful and both counteracts and enhances the darkness of Elendhaven. I’m not sure how she pulled that off, but I do know that I will now read anything this author writes!
The Monster of Elendhaven is a bitter, twisted treat that should not be missed. If dark and horrific is your jam, you’re going to love this book.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
I’m so glad you liked it! This is one that I was considering but I hadn’t seen a review yet. I usually love stories that feature intentionally toxic relationships, so I think this could work for me as well. Great review!
Acqua recently posted…Two Books, One Stone Book Tag
Thanks, I hope you get the chance to read it:-)
:O Definitely adding this to the TBR for October!!
Yes, perfect for October!
😀
Excellent review Tammy! I’m so happy you enjoyed this one. It’s one of my more anticipated releases this fall.
I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Man, I need to work this into Monsterathon. It would be perfect!
Oh yeah, it would be perfect. Plus it’s pretty short and easy to squeeze in.
Wow, this sounds really special, Tammy. I love how you’ve described the writing. It sounds perfect for a story like this. Lovely review!
Thanks Jennifer:-)
Great review! Totally something I’d like… I’m really getting into more novellas lately, so this should be good for me.
This is the perfect length, too:-)
Can’t wait to read this!
It’s great, I’d love to hear what you think:-)
Great review! You’ve sold me!
Thanks Lauren:-)
I need this book! 🙂
Hope you get to read it!
An arresting cover for what promises to be a dark but fascinating read…
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…Short Story Review: DEATH OF AN AIR SALESMAN, by Rich Larson
Yes, that cover is fantastic, right? And fits the story so well.
Lol the “nitty-gitty” section immediately sold me on it. Definitely adding it to my TBR because gothic feel and lush, beautiful prose are things I gravitate to as well.
I just love her writing, and it’s a perfect style for the story.
I hope to get to this one at some point, as soon as I’m done Gideon the Ninth, probably – one Tor.com book at a time, lol! Glad you enjoyed this so much, it sounds awesome!
Ha ha, yeah maybe not the best thing to read right after Gideon. But I really loved it.
You had me at ‘gothic’. I definitely want to read this one. It sounds like something I would love and the cover is fantastic.
Plus, it’s good to know that this feels spot on in terms of length.
Lynn
I love the cover too, and it fits well with the story.
I’ve been looking forward to a review of this from someone since I saw it on tor.com’s Instagram. Sounds like something I’m going to enjoy … gleeeee!
Hope you get the chance to read it, Mayri!
Great review! I like the sound of this one. It was already on my TBR but I’m making a note to order a copy.
Hope you enjoy it!
I love dark, and I’m glad to hear this is so good. My request on NG has been pending for months so I don’t think I’m getting an ARC lol, but I still want to read it!
Oh rats, sorry about the NetGalley approval. There’s still three weeks before release date, hopefully it will come through.
Wow, great review and I am so glad you enjoyed this one! I have been considering this and now definitely want to read it. 🙂
Kal @ Reader Voracious recently posted…Reading Around the Globe: Esther in the Netherlands
I loved it, as long as you are on board with “dark dark dark” you’ll love it too:-)
Oh, I’ve seen this book around and was waiting to start seeing reviews for it! Ever since watching the anime “Monster,” I am especially particular to monsters named Johann. xD This novella sounds soooo good. I’m going to have to check it out!
Sammie @ The Writerly Way recently posted…Books I Was Hesitant to Read (But Loved Anyway)
It’s very good, hope you get the chance to read it:-)
This looks like a really good one! Glad you enjoyed it. I want to add this one to my list but I don’t know when I’ll get around to it. I’ll definitely keep it in mind though!
The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht sounds like a good read. Thanks for your review.
This sounds really well-written–I was going to say something about the style “enhancing” the sinister elegance, but you’ve said something to that effect!
Dark, twisty delights, just in time for Halloween reading. Thanks.
Your review has me wanting to read this. I generally prefer lengthy reads, but this sounds darkly delicious.
Great review! You definitely have me interested in reading this!
I have an ENDING SPOILER question:
I was confused by the ending. It said that a hallankind dies once its master dies. At the end, it’s a reborn Johann that goes off to spread death and evil (at least that’s who I assume it is). How is that possible if the master (Florian) is dead?
I got the impression that someone else conjured Johann, but I think its left up to the reader to decide what the ending means.