Reviews

Dehiscent by Ashley Deng

monovev's review

mysterious medium-paced

3.0

richtate's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

At its core, this is a story about life, death, and rebirth in the middle of a climate change apocalypse. There are secrets lurking in the attic.

serendysm's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

hauntedorchid's review

5.0

“The house provides.”

Normally, I write my book reviews the minute I finish reading, but some books demand time and careful consideration to get the most out of them. Dehiscent is one such novella. After I put it down, I knew I would need time to process and ruminate upon what I had just read.

Dehiscent is the story of Yi, whose magical house provides her family with everything they need to live comfortably in a post-apocalyptic world, while the community around them suffers. But although the house provides, it requires something in return, and when Yi discovers the truth, she is forced to fully contemplate the unfairness of her situation for the first time.

This is a subtle, slow-paced, multi-layered coming of age story that speaks to our generation’s fears about climate change and inequality. Quietly chilling and thought-provoking, it offers up unexpected depths long after you finish reading. Very much worth a read.

micahcastle's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

bonescholar's review

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

bravesirtoaster's review

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

ericarobyn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional lighthearted mysterious sad slow-paced

4.5

Dehiscent by Ashley Deng is an unsettling ecological horror tale that centers around a young girl who lives in a house that provides. 

Yi is a young girl growing up in a world that is either swelteringly hot or terrifyingly cold. She understands just how lucky she is to be living in an old home on the edge of town with her family. 

Of course, this isn’t just any house. This house provides for its inhabitants. Fruit grows in cabinets, meat arrives in boxes, and Choy sprouts all over. 

Yi is grateful for everything the house gives them, frequently receiving strawberries, candies, and a cold shower. But soon her curiosity outweighs her willingness to follow her parent’s rules about going into the attic. 

Once she knows how the house provides for them, will she be able to keep up her appreciation? 

Oh man, there were so many times that I thought living in this house would be amazing! Having something that anticipates your needs sounds wonderful. But I certainly wouldn’t be able to deal with the heat or the other things required of this family. Plus, having stuff show up in random places would drive me nuts. I need everything in its designated place.

I loved Yi so much. Her determination to find a way to share even when she knew sharing could be a bad thing, was such a relatable element. I can’t imagine how difficult it was for her to see her friends and classmates struggling when help was right at her fingertips.

The pacing of this tale is wonderful. It’s such a smooth and slow story that focuses on everyday survival and the calmness of being at home safe with family. 

My Favorite Passages from Dehiscent by Ashley Deng – 

There was still frost on the ground, dusting the wispy grass like lace while the sheets of ice crunched underfoot. It was a weird feeling, being cold and humid at the same time; she was sweating under her layers when the surface of her skin still felt so cold.

Today felt like she was standing on the ever-shifting slush of melting ice, just barely thick enough to hold her weight. She wanted to fall through just to get it over and done with.

My Final Thoughts on Dehiscent by Ashley Deng – 

Ecological and apocalyptic fans, you gotta check out this quick read. It will totally draw you in and chill you with the atmosphere that the author has created. I really enjoyed this quiet little horror tale! 

For those that have read this already, could you live in this house?

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

blackmetalblackheart's review against another edition

2.0

Dehiscent is an eco-horror tale of a young girl and the mysterious house she lives in. The novella takes place in a world ravaged by climate change. Deng uses this landscape to explore what it costs to survive and what people are willing to do for the sake of security. That makes it sound like it could be a story filled with violence, but it is actually a quiet, subdued tale. I found the house to be the most interesting part of the story. Unfortunately, the rest left me feeling flat. Even at 80 pages, this novella felt bloated. There was a lot of repetitive actions and thoughts that made it a drudgery to push through, and ultimately the reveal did not feel like a surprise or shock. It was anticlimactic. I think there is a cool world here that could be explored more, but this novella left me wanting.

itsviviactually's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The true horror in Dehiscent, a mournful story about struggling to survive in the face of ecological collapse, isn’t the secret lurking in the Zhu house’s attic. It isn’t even the look at the sacrifices one might make to survive. It’s the glimpse at the sort of world that is coming, only none of the children will have a house that provides.

Haunting with hints of hope, Dehiscent is a fantastic bit of weird fiction.

I received an ARC and am leaving an honest review.