Reviews with content warning for Ableism - Sister, Maiden, Monster

I really liked about the first third of this book - Erin's story has some interpersonal drama, compelling pandemic fiction, and an interesting point of view character. Unfortunately once the POV switches the book just fell apart for me. I get that Savannah is a bad person but she uses such cringy language and a lot of the narrative choices felt a little iffy to me (using the full first and last name of a real child victim of a sex crime, the bizarre scene where a ghost castigates her for killing the only Black woman in the book). While Mareva's story at least felt like it had a point, the King in Yellow stuff felt very silly, the thee/thou dialogue was terrible, and I felt like it just didn't match up to the expectations that Erin's chapters had set for me.

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l_will8889's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Did I enjoy reading this book? Not really. Was I also too invested in the plot to DNF? Yes. Do with that information what you will.
DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH! Like at all. Seriously. Check those content warnings and HEED THEM.

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kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Just when I thought I’d figured out what was going on, I realized I was wrong, over and over until the end of this book. It was beyond fucked up. Creepy, terrifying, otherworldly, apocalyptic. I won’t forget about this one anytime soon.

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gondorgirl's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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livlamentloathe's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Oh my god oh my god oh my god.

That was basically the thought running through my mind throughout this book. Despite being quite adverse to body horror, I powered through this novel. First and foremost, I'd like to issue a thank you to my brain for not being imaginative enough to fully picture most of said body horror. A lot of it, especially Mareva's role, made me pretty queasy but I rallied.

I found this book to be fascinating. At first, I was slow to get into the story, but toward the end of Erin's story and then definitely with the shift to Savanah's POV, I became enraptured.

Things I liked; how the idea of religion played into the story and throughout the characters. Erin wanting to embrace it but being too logical to believe, Savanah accepting it only when she discovered whatever new religion came with the Archivists. And finally, Mareva, the divine "Mother" of the future fully bucking her role in the new world. I think it says something for the title "Sister, Maiden, Monster," that it was hard to figure who was what or if they were all three. All were sisters. All maidens. All made to be monsters. By forced physicality, as with Erin, by choice/calling (Savanah), and finally violently forced to create as Mareva was.

There was something beautiful about the brutally honest way womanhood was captured by Snyder. Despite how icky it was and felt, the mix of religious bigotry/prophesizing, male violence, abandonment, lack of culpability, and ableism toward the violently sick community was so depicted in a truthful and full realized way.. The government over-control, violence, and ignorance were a clear mirror of how things have escalated under both Trump and the pandemic. What I thought was info-dumping at first, quickly seemed to mesh into the world. It showcased how ordinary society subjugates women and the disabled. How those in the minority have no choices or rights. Erin slowly losing all rights, then dating Betty in secret a la early-mid 20th century back door meetups. Savanah forced to violence by a lying, deceitful Gregory, then becoming a monster to forge an autonomous, "special" identity for herself. And Mareva being forced to incubate and create life despite being clearly asexual and wanting to live her life alone and at peace. Maybe I'm over-reading into things but I have to believe these were purposeful choices.

Sometimes I didn't like the info dumping. Especially with Erin's POV. It felt like everything was a bit over-explained, but it did later help to show how few options those left had. This was definitely one of those I-need-to-think-on-it books. I don't know if I've fully digested what I read just yet. My thoughts are quite fuzzy and unsure. But I appreciated the terrifying brutality

, not of the Archivists, but

of the government, of legislation, healthcare, of ignorant citizens and establishments. No one had clean hands.

This book was A LOT. However, I would recommend anyone who can stomach body horror and wants to read a better take on the subjugation of marginalized communities in SciFi/Horror/Fantasy. The treatment of the marginalized was not about subjugation or equality for the Archivists. They devoured equally, they combined without thoughts for ability or gender. The violence against the marginalized was coming from inside the house. It's already there. We feed it by continuing our own cycles of violence.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audio-ARC of this great new book!

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