Book Review: Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell (horror fantasy)

Title: Someone You Can Build a Nest In
Author: John Wiswell
Publication Date: April 2, 2024
Publisher: DAW
Genres: Horror, Fantasy
Protagonist Gender: Female

Judging by the blurb, I was expecting Someone You Can Build a Nest In to be a weird, creepy-cute, original bit of literary fun. The concept sounded great, and the story sounded like it might offer something truly different than from what we normally see coming out of mainstream SFF publishers. It was most definitely weird and original, more creepy than cute, but I’m afraid fun is a word I can’t use to describe it.

Critically, I’m sure John Wiswell’s debut will receive all sorts of accolades for its originality and its messaging. It is indeed like nothing I’ve ever read before, and I’m pleased that DAW took a chance on such a book. Shesheshen is a well-developed monster, a truly ‘other’ creature whose biology is like nothing we’re familiar with. Initially, she even seems to think differently, which I admire, but it made it hard to connect with her as a narrator. Eventually, Wiswell does fall into the trap of simply putting familiar thoughts into unfamiliar bodies, making the story more accessible, but there are still shadows of that otherness.

Personally, I regret to say I didn’t enjoy it. The narration didn’t engage me, the pacing made it difficult to get invested in the story, and I never really connected with any of the characters. As for the romance, I never bought into it, never felt anything between the characters, and that’s a huge disconnect for me. There was so much potential, so many other ways Wiswell could have approached it, but I freely admit those choices would have taken away from the otherness of the book. It didn’t work for me, didn’t engage me as the fun read I expected, but I can see how others (especially sci-fi fans who are used to alien otherness) might have a far different reaction.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In didn’t work for me. I struggled to keep reading, and found myself reluctantly returning to the story. That’s just me, though. It’s admirable in what it does, and other readers have given it rave reviews, so give it a chance – if it works for you, it’ll likely work very well.

Rating:

My sincere thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.