I’ve been excited about Lee Mandelo’s The Woods All Black for a long time. Back on November 29th it was my Can’t Wait Wednesday, where I fangirled about how much I couldn’t wait for an Appalachian novella with a sf/f/h bent. Unfortunately, I didn’t completely love it.
| Title: The Woods All Black | Author: Lee Mandelo |
| Release Date: March 19, 2024 | Genre: Queer Historical Fiction / Horror |
| Publisher: Tordotcom | Page Count: 160 |
Synopsis
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.
Review:
I’m so torn. Did I love the setting? Absolutely. An atmospheric 1920s Appalachian small-town is what horror dreams are made of. At least, that’s what my horror dreams are made of. Unfortunately, The Woods All Black didn’t meet my horror expectations.
*** spoilers ahead ***
When I picked up this book, it was tagged as Horror, Queer, and Historical Fiction on Goodreads and Sci-Fi & Fantasy on Netgalley. Other than Historical Fiction and Queer, I don’t feel like I got those genres. What I unexpectedly got was a monster romance, which isn’t my cup of tea. In addition to the (fairly graphic) surprise monster sex scene, I was also pretty turned off by the way the main character called the eighteen-year-old love interest “boy” repeatedly – not because of the queer implications, but because the love interest was so much younger than the main character.
Ultimately, this just wasn’t the book for me. I enjoyed the prose and queer characters. I really liked learning about the Frontier Nursing Services. I loved the Southern setting. It just wasn’t what I expected. The Woods All Black has over a 4-star rating on Goodreads, so please take my review with a grain of salt. If you like monster romances or romantic horror/suspense, you might like it more than I did.
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Thanks to Tordotcom for providing me with an advanced review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.
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