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The Queen
“It’s impossible to know another person, isn’t it? To step past that locked door of their secretive inner self. . . . But honestly, do you even want to know?”
One sunny morning in June, Margaret Carpenter wakes up to find a new iPhone on her doorstep. She switches it on and is greeted by a text from her best friend, Charity Atwater. The problem is, Charity’s been missing for over a month. Most people in town – even the police – think she’s dead.
Margaret and Charity have been lifelong friends. They share everything, know the most intimate details about each other . . . except for the destructive secret hidden from them both. A secret that will trigger a chain of events ending in tragedy, bloodshed, and death. And now Charity wants Margaret to know her story – the real story.
In a narrative that takes place over one feverish day, Margaret follows a series of increasingly disquieting breadcrumbs as she forges deeper into the mystery of her best friend – a person she never truly knew at all. . . .
One sunny morning in June, Margaret Carpenter wakes up to find a new iPhone on her doorstep. She switches it on and is greeted by a text from her best friend, Charity Atwater. The problem is, Charity’s been missing for over a month. Most people in town – even the police – think she’s dead.
Margaret and Charity have been lifelong friends. They share everything, know the most intimate details about each other . . . except for the destructive secret hidden from them both. A secret that will trigger a chain of events ending in tragedy, bloodshed, and death. And now Charity wants Margaret to know her story – the real story.
In a narrative that takes place over one feverish day, Margaret follows a series of increasingly disquieting breadcrumbs as she forges deeper into the mystery of her best friend – a person she never truly knew at all. . . .
374 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 2024
826 people are currently reading
34351 people want to read
About the author
Nick Cutter
13 books8,377 followersHello Everybody!
I figured this bio was looking a little cobwebby, so here to update it a bit (Sept 2025). What's changed in the decade since I wrote my initial bio? Mmmm, not a lot. I still enjoy bubblebaths, strong coffee and passionate conversations, moonlit walks on the beach, eldritch horrors and biological horrors run amuck.
Oh, and I have a new book: The Queen!
The following years should see the arrival of The Dorians (2026?), The Coffin Worms and other Grotesques (2027?), The Invaders (2028?) Gravenhurst (etc), and republications of The Acolyte and The Breach ... after which I will likely devolve into a puddle of sentient goo (2030 - RIP).
I've been politely requested to be on Twitter again. I may pollinate to other social media locales in the coming months and years, but for now I can be found malingering around at:
@ItsNickCutter
Yrs,
Nick Cutter
(but not really)
I figured this bio was looking a little cobwebby, so here to update it a bit (Sept 2025). What's changed in the decade since I wrote my initial bio? Mmmm, not a lot. I still enjoy bubblebaths, strong coffee and passionate conversations, moonlit walks on the beach, eldritch horrors and biological horrors run amuck.
Oh, and I have a new book: The Queen!
The following years should see the arrival of The Dorians (2026?), The Coffin Worms and other Grotesques (2027?), The Invaders (2028?) Gravenhurst (etc), and republications of The Acolyte and The Breach ... after which I will likely devolve into a puddle of sentient goo (2030 - RIP).
I've been politely requested to be on Twitter again. I may pollinate to other social media locales in the coming months and years, but for now I can be found malingering around at:
@ItsNickCutter
Yrs,
Nick Cutter
(but not really)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,323 reviews
October 29, 2024
Out now!!
This was BRUTAL!!!
I think The Queen is Nick Cutter’s most disturbing book. It features some absolutely insane insectile body horror, very descriptive messed up imagery, and features all sorts of dark and depraved things in written in graphic detail- basically it’s like a normal Cutter book but somehow more intense.
The story takes place over the course of one day, and follows a teenage girl as she starts to uncover some devastating, life altering secrets about her friend who recently disappeared. The things she uncovers are pretty life shattering and will change the course of her life and everyone around her forever.
And yeah, things just get CRAZY!!! So wild. Nick is truly a maniac 😂 by the end I was pretty much numb bc of how much brutality there is.
I will say, I was a bit disappointed in the end (the END end, the final confrontation was insane), and there was some like teen slang stuff that kinda annoyed me, but overall this was everything I was hoping for and highly recommend, especially if you are a Cutter fan like I am!!
Also a heads up, this one doesn’t really feature animal cruelty like his other stuff does, other than bugs!
Thank you Gallery books for the gifted review copy!!
This was BRUTAL!!!
I think The Queen is Nick Cutter’s most disturbing book. It features some absolutely insane insectile body horror, very descriptive messed up imagery, and features all sorts of dark and depraved things in written in graphic detail- basically it’s like a normal Cutter book but somehow more intense.
The story takes place over the course of one day, and follows a teenage girl as she starts to uncover some devastating, life altering secrets about her friend who recently disappeared. The things she uncovers are pretty life shattering and will change the course of her life and everyone around her forever.
And yeah, things just get CRAZY!!! So wild. Nick is truly a maniac 😂 by the end I was pretty much numb bc of how much brutality there is.
I will say, I was a bit disappointed in the end (the END end, the final confrontation was insane), and there was some like teen slang stuff that kinda annoyed me, but overall this was everything I was hoping for and highly recommend, especially if you are a Cutter fan like I am!!
Also a heads up, this one doesn’t really feature animal cruelty like his other stuff does, other than bugs!
Thank you Gallery books for the gifted review copy!!
April 18, 2025
Wtf just happened
June 24, 2024
This book gave me nightmares about being chased by flying insects, so thank you for that, Nick Cutter. If you have an insect phobia, you should definitely not even think about picking up this novel. Trust me, you'll regret it.
But, anyway. I can't say that The Queen is anything like I thought it was going to be. There's some horror and Cutter certainly knows how to write gory scenes, but this book is much more science fiction-y than I expected. I guess I should have figured it out based on the talk of “gene manipulation” and “gene sequencing” in the blurb, but in the words of the great philosopher Forrest Gump, “I am not a smart (wo)man.” There's not a ton of scientific detail, but the entire premise of the novel revolves around a tech mogul's science experiment gone wrong (right?), so … yeah.
There are parts of this book that I mostly enjoyed. The flashbacks to Rudyard Crate's childhood are fantastic, and they are by far the most terrifying parts of the story. I've always been a big fan of ants, but I'll stick to our docile, non-flesh-eating northern climate ants, thank you very much. I also found Rudyard's bug fetish to be disturbingly entertaining, even if there are some serious WTF moments to be had. Rudyard's undoubtedly the villain of this book, but he's an interesting villain with a crazy origin story. I liked Harry as a character, too, and I absolutely did not see that twist (you'll know it when you get to it) coming.
There's also not as much animal cruelty in this one as in Cutter's other books, so it has that going for it. There's a few dead wasps but that's about it.
The sci-fi bits, though? Not my thing. I don't feel like I can say much without spoiling things, but just … no. It's a ridiculous premise and I still don't quite get the “why” or the “how” and it's probably one of the oddest things I've ever read. I also didn't buy Margaret and Charity's supposed friendship – they're best friends who love each other so much, yet Charity spends the entire novel basically torturing Margaret. I mean, I know it's and bloody hell I don't even understand this book at all.
My overall rating: 2.55 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy sci-fi/horror novels of the “science experiment gone wrong” variety, however, don't let my low rating deter you from reading The Queen since you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than I did. The other early reviews on Goodreads are mostly positive.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 29, 2024.
But, anyway. I can't say that The Queen is anything like I thought it was going to be. There's some horror and Cutter certainly knows how to write gory scenes, but this book is much more science fiction-y than I expected. I guess I should have figured it out based on the talk of “gene manipulation” and “gene sequencing” in the blurb, but in the words of the great philosopher Forrest Gump, “I am not a smart (wo)man.” There's not a ton of scientific detail, but the entire premise of the novel revolves around a tech mogul's science experiment gone wrong (right?), so … yeah.
There are parts of this book that I mostly enjoyed. The flashbacks to Rudyard Crate's childhood are fantastic, and they are by far the most terrifying parts of the story. I've always been a big fan of ants, but I'll stick to our docile, non-flesh-eating northern climate ants, thank you very much. I also found Rudyard's bug fetish to be disturbingly entertaining, even if there are some serious WTF moments to be had. Rudyard's undoubtedly the villain of this book, but he's an interesting villain with a crazy origin story. I liked Harry as a character, too, and I absolutely did not see that twist (you'll know it when you get to it) coming.
There's also not as much animal cruelty in this one as in Cutter's other books, so it has that going for it. There's a few dead wasps but that's about it.
The sci-fi bits, though? Not my thing. I don't feel like I can say much without spoiling things, but just … no. It's a ridiculous premise and I still don't quite get the “why” or the “how” and it's probably one of the oddest things I've ever read. I also didn't buy Margaret and Charity's supposed friendship – they're best friends who love each other so much, yet Charity spends the entire novel basically torturing Margaret. I mean, I know it's and bloody hell I don't even understand this book at all.
My overall rating: 2.55 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy sci-fi/horror novels of the “science experiment gone wrong” variety, however, don't let my low rating deter you from reading The Queen since you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than I did. The other early reviews on Goodreads are mostly positive.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 29, 2024.
July 17, 2025
Title/Author: THE QUEEN by Nick Cutter (a Night Worms book)
Page Count: 381 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: Physical Hardcover
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: The Troop, The Deep, The Acolyte, Little Heaven, The Handyman Method, The Breech (audiobook)
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978166802...
Release Date: October 29th, 2024
General Genre: Horror
Sub-Genre/Themes: Missing person, high school, friend groups, dual timelines, revenge, cell phones/texting, insects, body horror, dark humor, gruesome violence and descriptions
Writing Style: Dual timelines, multiple POVs, graphic descriptions
What You Need to Know: "From “one of the hottest horror authors on the planet” (Paste) and writer of the #HorrorBookTok sensation The Troop—a heart-pounding novel of terror about a young woman searching for her missing friend and uncovering a shocking truth."
My Reading Experience: If you have read any of Nick Cutter's books, you know exactly what you're getting into with The Queen.
Not sure if anyone listened to this Audible original, but it was DISGUSTING. Cutter leaned into the insect-horror, hard. The descriptions were so unsettling and disturbing. I remember taking my walks with a mask of horror on my face.
The Queen is similar but taken even further.
Don't read this book if you are at all squeamish about bugs. Cutter's descriptive language is like no other...the way he can describe a disgusting noise or a gorey mess is stomach-churning. There is one death in particular involving ants that is pure nightmare fuel.
Aside from the gruesome, graphic gore is a story of friendship and a suspenseful race against the clock as two friends follow clues to rescue their missing friend. The action happens over one day, so the chapters are very short. Some of the information comes via text messages, which also quickens the pace. I had no idea what this storyline was about, so I was pleasantly surprised it went in the direction it did, ultimately leading to a shocking conclusion. It was so fun reading this with my Fable Book Club. The discussions about the gorey scenes were hysterical.
Final Recommendation: The Queen is for die-hard Cutter-Horror. Those who know the depths of his goriest, most graphic scenes of horror. Lovers of the gruesome, the violent, and the bloody. Body Horror times a million. Cutter is a true legend in the craft of the gross-out.
Comps: The Troop by Nick Cutter, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes or What Kind of Mother by Clay MacLeod Chapman, Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy, The Swarm by Andy Marino, A Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons
Page Count: 381 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: Physical Hardcover
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: The Troop, The Deep, The Acolyte, Little Heaven, The Handyman Method, The Breech (audiobook)
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978166802...
Release Date: October 29th, 2024
General Genre: Horror
Sub-Genre/Themes: Missing person, high school, friend groups, dual timelines, revenge, cell phones/texting, insects, body horror, dark humor, gruesome violence and descriptions
Writing Style: Dual timelines, multiple POVs, graphic descriptions
What You Need to Know: "From “one of the hottest horror authors on the planet” (Paste) and writer of the #HorrorBookTok sensation The Troop—a heart-pounding novel of terror about a young woman searching for her missing friend and uncovering a shocking truth."
My Reading Experience: If you have read any of Nick Cutter's books, you know exactly what you're getting into with The Queen.
Not sure if anyone listened to this Audible original, but it was DISGUSTING. Cutter leaned into the insect-horror, hard. The descriptions were so unsettling and disturbing. I remember taking my walks with a mask of horror on my face.
The Queen is similar but taken even further.
Don't read this book if you are at all squeamish about bugs. Cutter's descriptive language is like no other...the way he can describe a disgusting noise or a gorey mess is stomach-churning. There is one death in particular involving ants that is pure nightmare fuel.
Aside from the gruesome, graphic gore is a story of friendship and a suspenseful race against the clock as two friends follow clues to rescue their missing friend. The action happens over one day, so the chapters are very short. Some of the information comes via text messages, which also quickens the pace. I had no idea what this storyline was about, so I was pleasantly surprised it went in the direction it did, ultimately leading to a shocking conclusion. It was so fun reading this with my Fable Book Club. The discussions about the gorey scenes were hysterical.
Final Recommendation: The Queen is for die-hard Cutter-Horror. Those who know the depths of his goriest, most graphic scenes of horror. Lovers of the gruesome, the violent, and the bloody. Body Horror times a million. Cutter is a true legend in the craft of the gross-out.
Comps: The Troop by Nick Cutter, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes or What Kind of Mother by Clay MacLeod Chapman, Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy, The Swarm by Andy Marino, A Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons
May 31, 2025
Another great book from Nick Cutter! This book was a lot better than I was expecting, not as scary (until the very end) though.
My only issue for this book was some of the descriptions in this book just didn’t work for me, like I had a lot of trouble visualising some of what was described but not to the point were the whole book was ruined.
I loved pretty much everything else about this book tho. The scavenger hunt aspects were so good and really effective in putting you in the middle of the story.
My only issue for this book was some of the descriptions in this book just didn’t work for me, like I had a lot of trouble visualising some of what was described but not to the point were the whole book was ruined.
I loved pretty much everything else about this book tho. The scavenger hunt aspects were so good and really effective in putting you in the middle of the story.
October 23, 2024
Nick Cutter is a very well-known horror author, especially after his massive hit The Troop, so I was very excited to pick up his upcoming novel, THE QUEEN. Thank you @gallerybooks for this gifted copy! THE QUEEN is another installment of Nick Cutter's most disturbing body horror novels for sure. The novel showcases intense and graphic insectile body horror and it delves into Cutter’s signature dark and twisted storytelling. Set over the course of a single day, the story follows a teenage girl as she unravels life-altering secrets about her recently disappeared friend. The revelations are devastating and will have a lasting impact on her life and everyone connected to her.
The novel's tension escalates to a fever pitch, with an ending that is brutal and wild. Cutter's knack for relentless horror left me numb by the conclusion. Although the book takes place over the course of a day, the book is a very slow-burning horror, so just pace yourself and you'll be fine. For fans of his work, I highly recommend it.
The novel's tension escalates to a fever pitch, with an ending that is brutal and wild. Cutter's knack for relentless horror left me numb by the conclusion. Although the book takes place over the course of a day, the book is a very slow-burning horror, so just pace yourself and you'll be fine. For fans of his work, I highly recommend it.
Want to read
March 17, 2024A new Nick Cutter book? Yes please!
I really Loved The Troop. Did not care for The Deep, and I am going to start Little Heaven very soon. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on this one:)
I really Loved The Troop. Did not care for The Deep, and I am going to start Little Heaven very soon. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on this one:)
January 2, 2025
Jurassic Park meets Jennifer’s Body – but make it buggy . . .
I didn’t loooooooooooooooove this and definitely felt like there were serious lulls in the flow of the story (per usual, I feel nearly every book could be shorter), the Rudy/Charity connection took way too long to get around to even though it was super obvious what is was, the “Cherr” nickname for the character NOT named Charity was certainly a choice and the drawn out / gross-out climax is one that will certainly cost this book some Stars (but Cutter is KNOWN for being a gross-out king, so really WTF you reading this if you didn’t plan on packing a barf bag???). Yet somehow I couldn’t stop reading it.
I didn’t loooooooooooooooove this and definitely felt like there were serious lulls in the flow of the story (per usual, I feel nearly every book could be shorter), the Rudy/Charity connection took way too long to get around to even though it was super obvious what is was, the “Cherr” nickname for the character NOT named Charity was certainly a choice and the drawn out / gross-out climax is one that will certainly cost this book some Stars (but Cutter is KNOWN for being a gross-out king, so really WTF you reading this if you didn’t plan on packing a barf bag???). Yet somehow I couldn’t stop reading it.
November 5, 2024
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
’The poor don’t eat the rich. The rich eat themselves’
A fun fact about me is that I’m not scared of wasps. Now I know that isn’t a particularly special attribute to have, lots of people aren’t scared of wasps, but also a lot of people are. I grew up seeing other kids in the playground at school shrieking at the tops of their lungs and running, seemingly for their lives, when one appeared. I’ve seen my sister-in-law, a 34 year old woman, get up from the table in a pub garden and run inside. Now maybe this is because I’ve never been stung, by a wasp or any other insect that can sting, but I think in reality it’s because I don’t think wasps are that bad. Sure they’re pretty aggressive, but only when you get in their personal space or start flapping your arms. I think it’s quite funny that this little insect gets as annoyed with people as I do. I just think we all have a little wasp inside of us.
And for the people in this book, well they have a whole lotta wasp inside of them.
The Queen surprised me for a number of reasons. I didn’t go into this thinking I’d love it anywhere near as much as I did. I’m stuck in the mindset that nothing will ever come close to The Troop and how truly horrific that book is. While I still think that’s the case, The Queen didn’t reach those levels of oh my god please I have to stop reading before I throw up, it made a pretty good goddamn attempt. So yes, to answer the question on everyone’s minds, the gore and body-horror was fucking brutal. Disgusting, upsetting, vomit-inducing. It goes without saying that having wasps lay their eggs inside of you and subsequently have them hatch and crawl out of your skull, doesn’t make for pleasant reading. However, it does make for entertaining, and if you’re actually insane like me, fun reading. Once again, Nick Cutter managed to combine body-horror and animals (this time with a focus on insects) to make something truly revolting, and I am forever impressed and a little concerned by his talents.
But it wasn’t just his gore this time around that I loved. It was of course the plot and the characters that really stuck with me. I thought Margaret was a phenomenal final girl. Likeable, easy to root for, smart enough that I believed she thought of her ways to survive, and generally pretty fucking funny. I loved her points of view, and i genuinely wished I was her friend. The same goes for Harry, her companion for most of the books events. Equally hilarious and engaging, I was absolutely devastated by the end of his story. He was so damn cute!
Obviously I also have to mention Rudyard Crate. While he is a very stereotypical crazy rich dude who uses his wealth to make his strange bug fetish come to life (now I’ve typed it out it doesn’t sound that stereotypical actually) he was written so masterfully it didn’t even matter. His backstory was haunting, his reasoning utterly mental but by god did I have fun with his chapters. I love it when you can tell that authors are having the time of their lives while writing, and this was clear with Rudyard’s entries. Big up Nick and his eat the rich mentality.
I think the best part of the book for me was that it centred purely around friendship. I thought that the tragedy of Charity and Mags’s relationship with one another, how age and life in general can break apart even the seemingly strongest of bonds, really hit me. I have friends from childhood that I’m lucky to still have, and I can’t imagine life without. But it’s true that for a lot of people this is not the case, and teenage-girlhood is fucking hard enough. I’m just very impressed that Nick Cutter got this so right.
Overall, The Queen gets 5/5 stars. A hilarious, disgusting but sort of thought-provoking look at growing up.
’The poor don’t eat the rich. The rich eat themselves’
A fun fact about me is that I’m not scared of wasps. Now I know that isn’t a particularly special attribute to have, lots of people aren’t scared of wasps, but also a lot of people are. I grew up seeing other kids in the playground at school shrieking at the tops of their lungs and running, seemingly for their lives, when one appeared. I’ve seen my sister-in-law, a 34 year old woman, get up from the table in a pub garden and run inside. Now maybe this is because I’ve never been stung, by a wasp or any other insect that can sting, but I think in reality it’s because I don’t think wasps are that bad. Sure they’re pretty aggressive, but only when you get in their personal space or start flapping your arms. I think it’s quite funny that this little insect gets as annoyed with people as I do. I just think we all have a little wasp inside of us.
And for the people in this book, well they have a whole lotta wasp inside of them.
The Queen surprised me for a number of reasons. I didn’t go into this thinking I’d love it anywhere near as much as I did. I’m stuck in the mindset that nothing will ever come close to The Troop and how truly horrific that book is. While I still think that’s the case, The Queen didn’t reach those levels of oh my god please I have to stop reading before I throw up, it made a pretty good goddamn attempt. So yes, to answer the question on everyone’s minds, the gore and body-horror was fucking brutal. Disgusting, upsetting, vomit-inducing. It goes without saying that having wasps lay their eggs inside of you and subsequently have them hatch and crawl out of your skull, doesn’t make for pleasant reading. However, it does make for entertaining, and if you’re actually insane like me, fun reading. Once again, Nick Cutter managed to combine body-horror and animals (this time with a focus on insects) to make something truly revolting, and I am forever impressed and a little concerned by his talents.
But it wasn’t just his gore this time around that I loved. It was of course the plot and the characters that really stuck with me. I thought Margaret was a phenomenal final girl. Likeable, easy to root for, smart enough that I believed she thought of her ways to survive, and generally pretty fucking funny. I loved her points of view, and i genuinely wished I was her friend. The same goes for Harry, her companion for most of the books events. Equally hilarious and engaging, I was absolutely devastated by the end of his story. He was so damn cute!
Obviously I also have to mention Rudyard Crate. While he is a very stereotypical crazy rich dude who uses his wealth to make his strange bug fetish come to life (now I’ve typed it out it doesn’t sound that stereotypical actually) he was written so masterfully it didn’t even matter. His backstory was haunting, his reasoning utterly mental but by god did I have fun with his chapters. I love it when you can tell that authors are having the time of their lives while writing, and this was clear with Rudyard’s entries. Big up Nick and his eat the rich mentality.
I think the best part of the book for me was that it centred purely around friendship. I thought that the tragedy of Charity and Mags’s relationship with one another, how age and life in general can break apart even the seemingly strongest of bonds, really hit me. I have friends from childhood that I’m lucky to still have, and I can’t imagine life without. But it’s true that for a lot of people this is not the case, and teenage-girlhood is fucking hard enough. I’m just very impressed that Nick Cutter got this so right.
Overall, The Queen gets 5/5 stars. A hilarious, disgusting but sort of thought-provoking look at growing up.
Want to read
June 17, 2024
November 20, 2024
Nick Cutter but somehow it's more Nick Cutter-y than ever? A book that will crawl and burrow under your skin with its gruesome insectile body horror and unsettling narrative, themes of friendship, love and revenge make this a coming of age with a disturbing twist, gripping, visceral and gross this was everything you'd expect from Cutter plus a bit more.
November 2, 2024
Wait wait wait wait.... seriously? I'd rather have been stung by a fucking queen bee than wrap my head around this monstrosity. 😂
May 26, 2025
When a brand-new phone arrives at high-school student Margaret’s door, she turns it on only to find a text from her best friend, Charity. The thing is, Charity’s been missing for several weeks. Charity’s texts lead Margaret on a hunt to find out what happened to her friend…and she’ll discover horrors she never could have imagined lurking in her small Canadian city.
I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book because I hated the beginning. We’re immediately thrust into a prologue taking place later in the story which gives the reader no sense of what’s going on. After that, we go straight into a dream sequence. In these early chapters, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t. There was no sense of grounding at the start of the book and I felt a bit unmoored.
However, the story gets better from there, and by the 40% mark I found myself eagerly turning the pages. There’s one twist in particular where I felt like I knew where the story was going and was delighted to find that I was completely wrong. The characters felt fully fleshed-out, and the story has some interesting things to say about socioeconomic class. I found the very end of the book to be particularly strong.
If you’re into weird horror, I definitely recommend this.
I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book because I hated the beginning. We’re immediately thrust into a prologue taking place later in the story which gives the reader no sense of what’s going on. After that, we go straight into a dream sequence. In these early chapters, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t. There was no sense of grounding at the start of the book and I felt a bit unmoored.
However, the story gets better from there, and by the 40% mark I found myself eagerly turning the pages. There’s one twist in particular where I felt like I knew where the story was going and was delighted to find that I was completely wrong. The characters felt fully fleshed-out, and the story has some interesting things to say about socioeconomic class. I found the very end of the book to be particularly strong.
If you’re into weird horror, I definitely recommend this.
February 6, 2025
“She has now descended to the realm of an ideal, and ideals function best without the baggage of personhood, people are always letting you down, people are made of fleshy failing stuff, ideals are impregnable.”
October 4, 2024
Review in the October 2024 issue of Library Journal
You all....this book.....Came out of nowhere to surprise me. It is very good.
Three Words Describe This Book: visceral, gripping, genetically altered wasps
Draft review thoughts. Cutter is on the top of his game here providing another intensely visceral and utterly gripping tale, a novel pushing 400 pages where the pages fly by, a story that can best be described as a battle of wills between Stephen King’s Carrie and Stephen Graham Jones’s Jade, as told by Mira Grant, and oh yeah....don't forget the wasps.
I need people to know this is a book that will stay with you, that you will have to scrape off of yourself both literally and figuratively.
Draft Review: Margaret and Charity have been bestfriends since elementary school, but as senior year is coming to a close, they have begun to drift apart, and now Charity has gone missing, along with three boys who may or may not have raped her. Margaret has begun to question everything she thought she knew about her best friend, with good reason. When a cell phone shows up on her doorstep a month after Charity’s disappearance, Margaret is led, via texts, on a dangerous scavenger hunt to piece together the truth about what happened to Charity, a trail that goes back 20 years and involves a billionaire with a bug obsession. But is it too late to stop Charity from becoming the monster she was destined to become all along? Opening with a near perfect prologue, placing the reader in the final act of the action before pulling back 24 hours, with frequent timestamps that ratchet up the pacing and suspense, this is one of the most entertaining novels your readers will encounter this year. However, it is also disturbing on every level, from the graphically vivid and scientifically realistic body horror to the unsettlingly frank discussions of class and female friendships, to the ethical discussions of genetic alteration experiments, readers will be engulfed by the story from the moment they begin reading while the echoing hum of what they just experienced will buzz around in their heads for days, (maybe weeks) after completing.
Verdict: Cutter is on the top of his game here providing another intensely visceral and utterly gripping tale, a novel pushing 400 pages where the pages fly by, a story that can best be described as a battle of wills between Stephen King’s Carrie and Stephen Graham Jones’s Jade, as told by Mira Grant, starring genetically altered wasps.
Also Haunting of Velkwood by Kiste!!!!!
You all....this book.....Came out of nowhere to surprise me. It is very good.
Three Words Describe This Book: visceral, gripping, genetically altered wasps
Draft review thoughts. Cutter is on the top of his game here providing another intensely visceral and utterly gripping tale, a novel pushing 400 pages where the pages fly by, a story that can best be described as a battle of wills between Stephen King’s Carrie and Stephen Graham Jones’s Jade, as told by Mira Grant, and oh yeah....don't forget the wasps.
I need people to know this is a book that will stay with you, that you will have to scrape off of yourself both literally and figuratively.
Draft Review: Margaret and Charity have been bestfriends since elementary school, but as senior year is coming to a close, they have begun to drift apart, and now Charity has gone missing, along with three boys who may or may not have raped her. Margaret has begun to question everything she thought she knew about her best friend, with good reason. When a cell phone shows up on her doorstep a month after Charity’s disappearance, Margaret is led, via texts, on a dangerous scavenger hunt to piece together the truth about what happened to Charity, a trail that goes back 20 years and involves a billionaire with a bug obsession. But is it too late to stop Charity from becoming the monster she was destined to become all along? Opening with a near perfect prologue, placing the reader in the final act of the action before pulling back 24 hours, with frequent timestamps that ratchet up the pacing and suspense, this is one of the most entertaining novels your readers will encounter this year. However, it is also disturbing on every level, from the graphically vivid and scientifically realistic body horror to the unsettlingly frank discussions of class and female friendships, to the ethical discussions of genetic alteration experiments, readers will be engulfed by the story from the moment they begin reading while the echoing hum of what they just experienced will buzz around in their heads for days, (maybe weeks) after completing.
Verdict: Cutter is on the top of his game here providing another intensely visceral and utterly gripping tale, a novel pushing 400 pages where the pages fly by, a story that can best be described as a battle of wills between Stephen King’s Carrie and Stephen Graham Jones’s Jade, as told by Mira Grant, starring genetically altered wasps.
Also Haunting of Velkwood by Kiste!!!!!
November 19, 2024
I loved this book. Nick Cutter has always been one of my favourite authors and The Troop is one of my absolute favourite horror novels, so I had high hopes for The Queen and it absolutely delivered. This book is grotesque and twisty and beautiful all at the same time.
October 3, 2024
(Rounded from 3.5)
Nick Cutter definitely has a skill for getting under your skin, doesn’t he? This fast-paced, coming-of-age body horror will keep you squirming on the edge of your seat. The world-building and atmosphere are tangible, giving a great experience of late teenage awkwardness from someone sitting as far away from the cool kids’ table as possible. The main character feels complicated and genuine, and the constant flip-flopping, or tug-of-war, which comprises her emotional journey feels both earned and relatable. And the horror set pieces, which are well spaced throughout the story, are violent and gooey, visceral and upsetting. The writing is strong and propulsive too, combining first-person narration with text messages and voice mails when we follow our main character, and then a close third-person when we follow an ancillary character, the main (human) antagonist. We spend far more time with the MC than not, but this movement back and forth does a good job at keeping you engaged and really creating a shape to the story.
All that well-earned praise out of the way, I did experience a few stumbles with this book. I enjoyed the “treasure hunt,” or cat-and-mouse, quality of the majority of the book, our MC following an evolving trail of breadcrumbs to reach the climactic events. But the more I thought about it, it is hard to really reconcile why Charity, the titular Queen, would send her friend on this kind of hunt. I understand the need for our MC, Margaret, to bear witness. The heady and confusing amalgamation of attraction and repulsion, desiring validation and also revenge, all of that makes sense and it fits with the story… but this whole treasure hunt situation just feels contrived. I have no problem suspending disbelief for regarding the scientific and horrific elements of the story, but in part suspending that disbelief depends on all of the other scaffolding to be not just solid but impregnable. This narrative device, while it was fun and did keep the story moving, didn’t feel like it was grounded in any genuine or understandable motivation. Basically, it felt like something that came from the author not the character, and that isn’t an experience I generally want when reading, even when that narrative device is used to good effect in terms of pacing and unraveling the story’s mysteries. Speaking of pacing, I did think it was really strong. The prologue starts with a great bit of terror to get you hooked, then goes back a day so you have a foreboding knowledge of what is to come as you go through the more mundane actions of the story. And right when the story feels like it may be getting a little soft we switch to the POV of a new character and get a horrific flashback that feeds our need for the grotesque. Like this he does a great job at inserting little bits of violence and mayhem throughout the story, never giving us a chance to get bored, with horrific scenes that are disturbing and will make you skin crawl. However, with that said, going back to that original flashback, which serves as our (human) antagonist’s origin story… yeah, I’m not buying it. I mean, I buy that scene, that event, in all its upsetting detail. But how that trauma lead to his eventual obsession and the poisonous, deadly fruit it wrought? It just feels like a stretch, one I had a hard time making. It might have worked for me if there was more connecting the trauma to his eventual obsession, but that connective tissue was lost, and what is left made it really hard for me to ground his actions or motivations in any meaningful way, which just kept him at a distance for me, which just let some of the seams of the story show when they should have been hidden. And as long as I am kvetching, the last section before the Epilogue, which was more than 10% of the book’s length, felt like a giant distraction. The whole thing is written as an Esquire article that is exploring the events of the book, and it totally takes us away from the perspective of the characters that we cared about. Instead, it has a middle-aged male journalist, clearly standing in for Cutter himself, telling us how the whole events of the book make him feel, somewhat bluntly hitting us over the head with some of the themes and ideas the book itself is exploring. It feels like Cutter maybe didn’t trust us to see the nuance in his story, and he wanted to make sure we realized there was a lot more grey than black and white? I don’t know. It does give some follow-up information, a kind of high-level narration/summarization, but I would have loved for that to have come in Margaret’s voice. I appreciate what having an outsider to the events brought to it, an exploration of how a single story can infest a country’s collective attention span, can have a far larger blast radius than it might seem at first. There is a kind of honesty to what the after-effects of this horror story might look like in terms of government response and public safety/obsession, which I enjoyed. I just think I would have enjoyed it all more if it was time spent with our main character, so we could see her navigating the after-effects, her dealing with these multiple traumas, while also processing how the world outside of her was interpreting events. Instead of telling her story it felt like she became a specimen, pinned to a board to dissect, which felt contradictory to the intimacy of the rest of the journey.
That seems like a lot of complaining, especially when compared to how fun this story is. Because the truth of it is that it is a fun, brutal story that does a great job balancing graphic horror with genuine emotion. The writing is clear, direct, and effective, and the pacing is skillful and energetic. From a bird’s eye view the story is not completely original, something Cutter himself points out in his Acknowledgments, but it never feels derivative. Instead, it feels like a fresh take on the trials and tribulations of a coming-of-age story, just set against the backdrop of genetically modified monstrosities and Cronenberg-ian body horror. It is a fun, quick read that keeps you invested and a little grossed out the whole time, and it is definitely worth picking up.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Gallery Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Nick Cutter definitely has a skill for getting under your skin, doesn’t he? This fast-paced, coming-of-age body horror will keep you squirming on the edge of your seat. The world-building and atmosphere are tangible, giving a great experience of late teenage awkwardness from someone sitting as far away from the cool kids’ table as possible. The main character feels complicated and genuine, and the constant flip-flopping, or tug-of-war, which comprises her emotional journey feels both earned and relatable. And the horror set pieces, which are well spaced throughout the story, are violent and gooey, visceral and upsetting. The writing is strong and propulsive too, combining first-person narration with text messages and voice mails when we follow our main character, and then a close third-person when we follow an ancillary character, the main (human) antagonist. We spend far more time with the MC than not, but this movement back and forth does a good job at keeping you engaged and really creating a shape to the story.
All that well-earned praise out of the way, I did experience a few stumbles with this book. I enjoyed the “treasure hunt,” or cat-and-mouse, quality of the majority of the book, our MC following an evolving trail of breadcrumbs to reach the climactic events. But the more I thought about it, it is hard to really reconcile why Charity, the titular Queen, would send her friend on this kind of hunt. I understand the need for our MC, Margaret, to bear witness. The heady and confusing amalgamation of attraction and repulsion, desiring validation and also revenge, all of that makes sense and it fits with the story… but this whole treasure hunt situation just feels contrived. I have no problem suspending disbelief for regarding the scientific and horrific elements of the story, but in part suspending that disbelief depends on all of the other scaffolding to be not just solid but impregnable. This narrative device, while it was fun and did keep the story moving, didn’t feel like it was grounded in any genuine or understandable motivation. Basically, it felt like something that came from the author not the character, and that isn’t an experience I generally want when reading, even when that narrative device is used to good effect in terms of pacing and unraveling the story’s mysteries. Speaking of pacing, I did think it was really strong. The prologue starts with a great bit of terror to get you hooked, then goes back a day so you have a foreboding knowledge of what is to come as you go through the more mundane actions of the story. And right when the story feels like it may be getting a little soft we switch to the POV of a new character and get a horrific flashback that feeds our need for the grotesque. Like this he does a great job at inserting little bits of violence and mayhem throughout the story, never giving us a chance to get bored, with horrific scenes that are disturbing and will make you skin crawl. However, with that said, going back to that original flashback, which serves as our (human) antagonist’s origin story… yeah, I’m not buying it. I mean, I buy that scene, that event, in all its upsetting detail. But how that trauma lead to his eventual obsession and the poisonous, deadly fruit it wrought? It just feels like a stretch, one I had a hard time making. It might have worked for me if there was more connecting the trauma to his eventual obsession, but that connective tissue was lost, and what is left made it really hard for me to ground his actions or motivations in any meaningful way, which just kept him at a distance for me, which just let some of the seams of the story show when they should have been hidden. And as long as I am kvetching, the last section before the Epilogue, which was more than 10% of the book’s length, felt like a giant distraction. The whole thing is written as an Esquire article that is exploring the events of the book, and it totally takes us away from the perspective of the characters that we cared about. Instead, it has a middle-aged male journalist, clearly standing in for Cutter himself, telling us how the whole events of the book make him feel, somewhat bluntly hitting us over the head with some of the themes and ideas the book itself is exploring. It feels like Cutter maybe didn’t trust us to see the nuance in his story, and he wanted to make sure we realized there was a lot more grey than black and white? I don’t know. It does give some follow-up information, a kind of high-level narration/summarization, but I would have loved for that to have come in Margaret’s voice. I appreciate what having an outsider to the events brought to it, an exploration of how a single story can infest a country’s collective attention span, can have a far larger blast radius than it might seem at first. There is a kind of honesty to what the after-effects of this horror story might look like in terms of government response and public safety/obsession, which I enjoyed. I just think I would have enjoyed it all more if it was time spent with our main character, so we could see her navigating the after-effects, her dealing with these multiple traumas, while also processing how the world outside of her was interpreting events. Instead of telling her story it felt like she became a specimen, pinned to a board to dissect, which felt contradictory to the intimacy of the rest of the journey.
That seems like a lot of complaining, especially when compared to how fun this story is. Because the truth of it is that it is a fun, brutal story that does a great job balancing graphic horror with genuine emotion. The writing is clear, direct, and effective, and the pacing is skillful and energetic. From a bird’s eye view the story is not completely original, something Cutter himself points out in his Acknowledgments, but it never feels derivative. Instead, it feels like a fresh take on the trials and tribulations of a coming-of-age story, just set against the backdrop of genetically modified monstrosities and Cronenberg-ian body horror. It is a fun, quick read that keeps you invested and a little grossed out the whole time, and it is definitely worth picking up.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Gallery Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 7, 2024
I don’t even know where to start with this book because it’s just SO dang brilliant! Without a doubt THE best horror novel I have read or will read this year. Absolutely nothing can top this book! I’ve read and been obsessed with Nick Cutter before but this book brings that to a whole new level. It’s definitely the best he’s ever written and I honestly don’t know how he can possibly top it, it’s just that good! In typical Cutter fashion it is gory as all hell and certain parts kind of made my stomach turn but that’s what I’ve come to love and expect from him at this point. I really can’t recommend this one highly enough, it’s absolutely mind blowing how good it is!
December 21, 2024
WTF did I read is a very good description of my feelings surrounding The Queen by Nick Cutter. I decided to read this since not only did I love the cover, but I also loved The Troop and The Saturday Night Ghost Club which is written under his real name Craig Davidson. This is nothing like either of those books, and it felt like it had no idea what it wanted to be. We started out with ants, and then made the transition to bees, but ants were also still somehow involved? It was frankly straight up weird and confusing, and there were way too many things going on.
I did love the underlying mystery as well as the technique of using the cell phones to provide the breadcrumbs for Margaret and Harry to follow. The audiobook was also a spot of light in this otherwise odd experience, and I loved that there were four different narrators. To be fully transparent, I knew there were 2, but honestly knowing there were actually 4 surprises me. Maybe I was just getting lost in the weird storyline, who knows, but it was an excellently done audiobook experience. Read this if you like books with graphic body horror, unique storylines, and insane tension!
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I did love the underlying mystery as well as the technique of using the cell phones to provide the breadcrumbs for Margaret and Harry to follow. The audiobook was also a spot of light in this otherwise odd experience, and I loved that there were four different narrators. To be fully transparent, I knew there were 2, but honestly knowing there were actually 4 surprises me. Maybe I was just getting lost in the weird storyline, who knows, but it was an excellently done audiobook experience. Read this if you like books with graphic body horror, unique storylines, and insane tension!
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
June 11, 2025
I can’t even …. 😭😭😭
Can authors please stop writing teen main characters in adult horror? PLEASE?!
Some authors nail this style, and others (looking at you Cutter) just DO NOT AT ALL! Listen, I don’t need to read or hear about high school hormones, angst, drama. Let’s get 30-60year olds dealing with real life on top of the other horror aspects, ok? Like that is terrifying to me in general, I want people I can relate with.
This was soooo awful- yes the very beginning was awesome and gross. Then this cat and mouse game just had me cringing with the lame characters, interactions, dialogue, and motivations. The “evil scientist” has the stupidest back story and ongoing issues/kinks.
I just absolutely cannot with this story. Also the audiobook probably made it worse, for the love of god I was going crazy with all the phone alerts being narrated out loud.
Can authors please stop writing teen main characters in adult horror? PLEASE?!
Some authors nail this style, and others (looking at you Cutter) just DO NOT AT ALL! Listen, I don’t need to read or hear about high school hormones, angst, drama. Let’s get 30-60year olds dealing with real life on top of the other horror aspects, ok? Like that is terrifying to me in general, I want people I can relate with.
This was soooo awful- yes the very beginning was awesome and gross. Then this cat and mouse game just had me cringing with the lame characters, interactions, dialogue, and motivations. The “evil scientist” has the stupidest back story and ongoing issues/kinks.
I just absolutely cannot with this story. Also the audiobook probably made it worse, for the love of god I was going crazy with all the phone alerts being narrated out loud.
December 8, 2024
Summary:
Margaret wakes up to find an iPhone delivered to her with messages from her best friend who had gone missing over a month ago.
Opening lines:
It's impossible to know another person, isn't it?
Review:
I'm not gonna waste a ton of time reviewing this godawful book. I won't get into how under researched it was, how terrible the writing was, how the plot fizzled into nothing, or how the body horror was so mismanaged it ended up being boring. All I will say is this book made me despise Nick Cutter. This author doesn't have any respect for his book, his characters, himself, or his audience. Do not read this crap.
Margaret wakes up to find an iPhone delivered to her with messages from her best friend who had gone missing over a month ago.
Opening lines:
It's impossible to know another person, isn't it?
Review:
I'm not gonna waste a ton of time reviewing this godawful book. I won't get into how under researched it was, how terrible the writing was, how the plot fizzled into nothing, or how the body horror was so mismanaged it ended up being boring. All I will say is this book made me despise Nick Cutter. This author doesn't have any respect for his book, his characters, himself, or his audience. Do not read this crap.
December 19, 2024
A YA horror novel that’s particularly good, really scary and thoughtful. But it has more of a TV teen horror feel. In some ways it works for it. Strong female characters, feminist monster themes. Dark ending with monster action. High school students will LOVE this.
December 20, 2024
3.4ish Stars, rounded down!
This was a very well-written horror/science fiction novel, that features insectile body horror to an extreme I've never read before! While reading this I couldn't help but become paranoid that something was crawling up my leg and burrowing itself into my flesh - it's intensely visceral, and definitely not for the faint of heart!
This story centers around Margaret Carpenter, who's best friend, Charity, vanished over a month ago. One morning, Margaret discovers a mysterious iPhone left on her doorstep. As she delves into its contents, she discovers this is Charity's phone and begins uncovering fragments of clues about her disappearance, left by Charity. The more she unearths, the more Margaret becomes determined to find the truth of what really happened and bring her friend back home. Thus, begins Margaret's horrific journey into darkness, and what a journey indeed!
This entire novel unfolds over the course of a single day, which might suggest a fast-paced narrative, however, I found the pacing to be one of the story's major flaws, as it didn't maintain the momentum you'd expect from such a compressed timeline. I appreciated how deeply the author delved into the world of insects, providing an abundance of information I never knew before. Unfortunately, it might have been a bit too much information, as it made the book feel more like science fiction than the horror I was expecting, and prefer. This is sure to be a divisive novel, but I believe it will largely resonate with Cutter's fans. I found myself torn about this novel after finishing it, so I gave it a rating right down the middle. Despite my experience, I still recommend this for horror and sci-fi fans!
This was a very well-written horror/science fiction novel, that features insectile body horror to an extreme I've never read before! While reading this I couldn't help but become paranoid that something was crawling up my leg and burrowing itself into my flesh - it's intensely visceral, and definitely not for the faint of heart!
This story centers around Margaret Carpenter, who's best friend, Charity, vanished over a month ago. One morning, Margaret discovers a mysterious iPhone left on her doorstep. As she delves into its contents, she discovers this is Charity's phone and begins uncovering fragments of clues about her disappearance, left by Charity. The more she unearths, the more Margaret becomes determined to find the truth of what really happened and bring her friend back home. Thus, begins Margaret's horrific journey into darkness, and what a journey indeed!
This entire novel unfolds over the course of a single day, which might suggest a fast-paced narrative, however, I found the pacing to be one of the story's major flaws, as it didn't maintain the momentum you'd expect from such a compressed timeline. I appreciated how deeply the author delved into the world of insects, providing an abundance of information I never knew before. Unfortunately, it might have been a bit too much information, as it made the book feel more like science fiction than the horror I was expecting, and prefer. This is sure to be a divisive novel, but I believe it will largely resonate with Cutter's fans. I found myself torn about this novel after finishing it, so I gave it a rating right down the middle. Despite my experience, I still recommend this for horror and sci-fi fans!
November 8, 2024
Is this novel a coming of age story? Yes. Is it body horror? Definitely. It's also about friendship, love, and revenge while set against an amoral billionaire with a disturbing bug fetish. It's all these things wrapped in a delightfully disgusting and unnerving narrative.
Margaret receives an iPhone on her doorstep one day and starts to receive text messages from her best friend, a girl who's been missing for a month along with three other classmates.
These messages will lead her and another classmate to various locations that were a big part of their friendship. Each one brings memories, good and bad alike, and new twisted horrors to discover.
This will eventually lead to a disturbing and terrifying discovery from a billionaire trying to play god by genetically birthing human/insect hybrids with oozy, unthinkable, murderous results.
These two narratives will come together and form an unimaginative terror straight from your worst nightmares.
Equal parts heartfelt, gross, and thrilling, this fast paced horror novel will have you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend it.
Margaret receives an iPhone on her doorstep one day and starts to receive text messages from her best friend, a girl who's been missing for a month along with three other classmates.
These messages will lead her and another classmate to various locations that were a big part of their friendship. Each one brings memories, good and bad alike, and new twisted horrors to discover.
This will eventually lead to a disturbing and terrifying discovery from a billionaire trying to play god by genetically birthing human/insect hybrids with oozy, unthinkable, murderous results.
These two narratives will come together and form an unimaginative terror straight from your worst nightmares.
Equal parts heartfelt, gross, and thrilling, this fast paced horror novel will have you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend it.
August 14, 2024
well. as the kids would say, this was a "flop." maybe i wouldnt have hated it so much if nick didn't try to cram teen lingo and pop culture so hard into this book- it really dates it and left a bad taste in my mouth. it was more egregious than handyman method's on-the-nose satire of masculinity.. this just seems to be a trend that keeps escalating with each new book he writes. and not a trend i enjoy.
the horrors of being a teenage girl and having a destructive kindof gay teen friendship and turning into a monster with a girlheart and the insect body horror is so good and such a wealth of material but i just could not care about it until the very end, where it seems to coalesce into the point nick cutter was trying to make, but the journey to that point is not worth it imo. i see what you were trying to do but let someone else write it, i think.
the horrors of being a teenage girl and having a destructive kindof gay teen friendship and turning into a monster with a girlheart and the insect body horror is so good and such a wealth of material but i just could not care about it until the very end, where it seems to coalesce into the point nick cutter was trying to make, but the journey to that point is not worth it imo. i see what you were trying to do but let someone else write it, i think.
December 4, 2024
DO NOT read this if you have a major fear of bugs. You will regret it 😅
The Queen brings Nick Cutter's signature gruesome body horror into a fast paced mystery involving gene manipulation and a weird human-insect situation. The story starts with Margaret getting odd text messages that are seemingly from her best friend, Charity, who has been missing and presumed dead for some time. Margaret is sent deeper into the rabbit hole as each text message brings a new shocking discovery into the puzzle that is Charity's disappearance. The whole thing takes place over one day so this is a very quick moving story, but still enriched with detailed backstories, emotion, and disgusting horror.
I really enjoyed the bizarreness of this one and found it to be fascinating as well! I wasn't a huge fan of the very end, but it was an enjoyable read otherwise.
The Queen brings Nick Cutter's signature gruesome body horror into a fast paced mystery involving gene manipulation and a weird human-insect situation. The story starts with Margaret getting odd text messages that are seemingly from her best friend, Charity, who has been missing and presumed dead for some time. Margaret is sent deeper into the rabbit hole as each text message brings a new shocking discovery into the puzzle that is Charity's disappearance. The whole thing takes place over one day so this is a very quick moving story, but still enriched with detailed backstories, emotion, and disgusting horror.
I really enjoyed the bizarreness of this one and found it to be fascinating as well! I wasn't a huge fan of the very end, but it was an enjoyable read otherwise.
August 8, 2024
4.5
The Troop is one of my favorite horror books of all time; I recommend it to anyone looking at getting into the horror genre (I do have to warn them about the whole turtle business though lol). This didn't top it but it further solidifies my fervent love for Cutter's fucked up mind.
I will say there is a scene rather early on in the book that confuses me...like I don't know if it's a "me" thing or what. It was also on the long side, but not painfully long by any means.
Now! For the adoration:
This is the kind of strange, stomach-turning horror that I LOVE. Unhinged characters in an unhinged storyline. A cross between a really...really horrible trip and a nightmare straight from the fiery depths of the underworld. This was exciting stuff my dudes!
The Troop is one of my favorite horror books of all time; I recommend it to anyone looking at getting into the horror genre (I do have to warn them about the whole turtle business though lol). This didn't top it but it further solidifies my fervent love for Cutter's fucked up mind.
I will say there is a scene rather early on in the book that confuses me...like I don't know if it's a "me" thing or what. It was also on the long side, but not painfully long by any means.
Now! For the adoration:
This is the kind of strange, stomach-turning horror that I LOVE. Unhinged characters in an unhinged storyline. A cross between a really...really horrible trip and a nightmare straight from the fiery depths of the underworld. This was exciting stuff my dudes!
November 6, 2024
I feel so guilty for not loving this - and I love Nick Cutter. I’m so sorry Nick, I’m so sorry. 3.5 rounded up.
So I didn’t love it… I didn’t hate it, so there’s that. I really liked Rudyard, especially his backstory - I found him fascinating. But Margaret, Harry, Charity - I found it so hard to care. I don’t know if it was the format (the book takes place in a day) or the dark, depressing, kinda chaotic nature… idk. I just didn’t jive with it.
The body horror was superb. It was gross and, well, just great.
So I didn’t love it… I didn’t hate it, so there’s that. I really liked Rudyard, especially his backstory - I found him fascinating. But Margaret, Harry, Charity - I found it so hard to care. I don’t know if it was the format (the book takes place in a day) or the dark, depressing, kinda chaotic nature… idk. I just didn’t jive with it.
The body horror was superb. It was gross and, well, just great.
May 9, 2025
This was a crazy story that truly gets under your skin and I loved it , the only reason I gave it 4 stars was because I liked the ending but didn’t LOVE the ending. I love the body horror ,one of my biggest fears are bees/wasps 😂so this one really got to me but it was great. This story is also a lot deeper than I was expecting with the coming of age,friendship,revenge and the misuse of power a person with wealth can have that also has an obsession with bugs. I enjoyed the scenery and locations this story took place because I actually don’t live far from these locations so it kinda resonates with me, yay for Canadian authors!
Margaret receives a text from her missing best friend, Charity, after finding a new iPhone on her doorstep.This leads Margaret on a harrowing journey to uncover the truth about Charity's disappearance, revealing a secret experiment under Project Athena that has transformed Charity and triggered a terrifying chain of events. The novel explores themes of friendship, trauma, and the potential horrors that can arise from unchecked manipulation of human biology.
Margaret receives a text from her missing best friend, Charity, after finding a new iPhone on her doorstep.This leads Margaret on a harrowing journey to uncover the truth about Charity's disappearance, revealing a secret experiment under Project Athena that has transformed Charity and triggered a terrifying chain of events. The novel explores themes of friendship, trauma, and the potential horrors that can arise from unchecked manipulation of human biology.
November 21, 2024
i loved this. i love nick cutter. this book was so good, so so so good. it was gross and full of absolutely nasty insect related body horror, but he is just such a good story teller. this made me deeply emotional at times while also grossing me out so bad
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