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Tasmanian Gothic
A modern gothic thriller set in a decaying urban environment and lush mutant wilderness.
Solari wasn’t alive when the ozone layer split like a gutted fish above Tasmania and spilled radiation over the edge of the stratosphere, but she’s living with the consequences—the mutations, the gangland war, and the border wall that divides the affluent North from the contaminated South. Orphaned and alone in the southern reaches, Solari survives the chaos the only way she knows how: cooking the wildly addictive snowrock for local crime lord, Worcsulakz, and avoiding the mutants that skulk in the lush, untamed wilderness of the Fringes.
But, when her junkie ex-boyfriend puts Solari more firmly in Worcsulakz’s debt, she runs—escaping the promise of violent retribution with a stolen van and a pair of giant wings cleaved from a mutant moth. Grafting the wings to her body disguises Solari as one of Tasmania’s most reviled and hunted, but grants her refuge in the one place Worcsulakz won’t look for her—a mutant enclave.
There, Solari will form an unlikely alliance with another mutant and commence the dangerous journey through gangland strongholds and carnival towns to get to the Border Wall in the north. Hunted by Worcsulakz, the hidden terrors of the Fringes, the secrets in her family’s past, and the deception at the core of her fragile alliance, Solari will need to confront them all or stay condemned to a life of loneliness and brutality.
--
Don't miss this bold grimdark, biopunk thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world of danger and decay. Perfect for readers of dystopian, gothic, and new weird science fiction, and fans of China Mieville, Jeff Vandermeer, Kameron Hurley, and Tamsyn Muir.
Solari wasn’t alive when the ozone layer split like a gutted fish above Tasmania and spilled radiation over the edge of the stratosphere, but she’s living with the consequences—the mutations, the gangland war, and the border wall that divides the affluent North from the contaminated South. Orphaned and alone in the southern reaches, Solari survives the chaos the only way she knows how: cooking the wildly addictive snowrock for local crime lord, Worcsulakz, and avoiding the mutants that skulk in the lush, untamed wilderness of the Fringes.
But, when her junkie ex-boyfriend puts Solari more firmly in Worcsulakz’s debt, she runs—escaping the promise of violent retribution with a stolen van and a pair of giant wings cleaved from a mutant moth. Grafting the wings to her body disguises Solari as one of Tasmania’s most reviled and hunted, but grants her refuge in the one place Worcsulakz won’t look for her—a mutant enclave.
There, Solari will form an unlikely alliance with another mutant and commence the dangerous journey through gangland strongholds and carnival towns to get to the Border Wall in the north. Hunted by Worcsulakz, the hidden terrors of the Fringes, the secrets in her family’s past, and the deception at the core of her fragile alliance, Solari will need to confront them all or stay condemned to a life of loneliness and brutality.
--
Don't miss this bold grimdark, biopunk thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world of danger and decay. Perfect for readers of dystopian, gothic, and new weird science fiction, and fans of China Mieville, Jeff Vandermeer, Kameron Hurley, and Tamsyn Muir.
- GenresScience Fiction
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2022
18 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 29, 2022
4 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
Well, this book certainly made me feel a bit better about my life! I spent so much of it thinking, “This poor woman. Oh my gosh, this poor woman! Oh no, this poor woman.” She was alone in the world, indebted to two different crime lords through no fault of her own, had an abusive ex harassing her, and she managed to get injured, attacked, mauled, and maimed in like seven different ways within a matter of days. But it really made it feel believable and make sense when she decided to graft the mutant moth wings to her body. It was an awful experience, it could’ve killed her, and mutated people were reviled by society (including by Solari herself), but it really did seem like her best option at that point.
That being said, though the story was dark and filled with violence, death, and other sorts of horrors and brutalities, both graphic and implied, it wasn’t entirely bleak, at least not for the main characters. There was a bit of romance, a bit of friendship, and a bit of hope.
I really felt for Solari, and I couldn’t help but like her. She had so much strength and so much fight in her. She kept trying so hard to survive, and she did what she had to when it came down to it, and I couldn’t blame her. She was hardened by the life she’d had to live, and she made some mistakes, but she wasn’t cold or heartless. Alcaeus was great too, in a different way. He had his own traumas and difficulties, but he was gentler, and that was just what Solari needed. She was so used to men being violent and brutal and domineering that Alcaeus was a balm and a balance.
The mutations were cool, even though they didn’t do much. Sort of ornamental. They sounded pretty and interesting though.
I would’ve liked the story to continue on a bit more. Where it ended made sense as an ending point, and things were implied, but it still felt a bit abrupt. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* And I just was enjoying the book and wouldn’t have minded it being longer.
I noticed some nice and pretty writing at times. Never overdone or flowery, just good writing with a sentence or metaphor here and there that caught my attention.
Overall, this was a dark but enjoyable story. I couldn’t help but like and root for these hardened, but not heartless, characters.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes dark but not entirely bleak stories, post-apoc society, characters who fight to survive despite horrible situations, action, a hint of romance, and cool mutations on humans (like scales and wings).
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
Well, this book certainly made me feel a bit better about my life! I spent so much of it thinking, “This poor woman. Oh my gosh, this poor woman! Oh no, this poor woman.” She was alone in the world, indebted to two different crime lords through no fault of her own, had an abusive ex harassing her, and she managed to get injured, attacked, mauled, and maimed in like seven different ways within a matter of days. But it really made it feel believable and make sense when she decided to graft the mutant moth wings to her body. It was an awful experience, it could’ve killed her, and mutated people were reviled by society (including by Solari herself), but it really did seem like her best option at that point.
That being said, though the story was dark and filled with violence, death, and other sorts of horrors and brutalities, both graphic and implied, it wasn’t entirely bleak, at least not for the main characters. There was a bit of romance, a bit of friendship, and a bit of hope.
I really felt for Solari, and I couldn’t help but like her. She had so much strength and so much fight in her. She kept trying so hard to survive, and she did what she had to when it came down to it, and I couldn’t blame her. She was hardened by the life she’d had to live, and she made some mistakes, but she wasn’t cold or heartless. Alcaeus was great too, in a different way. He had his own traumas and difficulties, but he was gentler, and that was just what Solari needed. She was so used to men being violent and brutal and domineering that Alcaeus was a balm and a balance.
The mutations were cool, even though they didn’t do much. Sort of ornamental. They sounded pretty and interesting though.
I would’ve liked the story to continue on a bit more. Where it ended made sense as an ending point, and things were implied, but it still felt a bit abrupt. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* And I just was enjoying the book and wouldn’t have minded it being longer.
I noticed some nice and pretty writing at times. Never overdone or flowery, just good writing with a sentence or metaphor here and there that caught my attention.
Overall, this was a dark but enjoyable story. I couldn’t help but like and root for these hardened, but not heartless, characters.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes dark but not entirely bleak stories, post-apoc society, characters who fight to survive despite horrible situations, action, a hint of romance, and cool mutations on humans (like scales and wings).
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 30, 2022
Tasmanian gothic felt for me like a poor man's mad max, with mutants. Or rather, a TV movie quality post-apocalyptic world, with some exotic mutant creatures tossed around for novelty. And the novel doesn't have any well-defined themes, narratives, or interesting motivations for the characters, other than those which seem reactionary.
There is this clique thread of discrimination against mutants, and how they are used as slaves and exotic pets by the affluent 'Northerners'. But it felt shallow and unimaginative, and I was reminded of the better treatment of this similar thread in the 2016 Australian TV series 'Cleverman'. At no point did I feel invested in the characters or the world, which for a sci-fi fantasy themed story is crucial.
Speaking of characters, our protagonist Solari, is someone who we find hard to connect to. Partly because half of her actions and development throughout the story, is reactionary, and lacks agency. She is either the drug mule for one crime lord, running away from another, going back and forth between humans and mutants, with an identity crisis, and just, most of the time, going with the flow, and not in the entertaining type of way.
She has this tragic backstory, involving family members one dead of disease, other of suicide, one missing. But rarely do we get to know them as people. Most of what we know of them, are through Solari's own commentary, we don't feel them to be flesh and blood characters. Which is true for most of the side characters who are introduced. And they are introduced in such a way, so as to only serve as plot points to progress story. Which makes them feel like NPCs who go sit in a box somewhere after their role is completed.
Then there is the repetitive action scenes. Usually Solari comes up against a danger/ obstacle, escapes due to serendipity, and immediately after that, faints. Only to wake up having been rescued and bandaged up by some strangers, many of whom we never again meet. This happens around 5 times in just the first half. So much so that I had to go back and check, whether or not they had printed it wrong.
The pattern of Solari and her cohorts, going from city A to city B, meeting thugs, engaging in some confrontation, before fleeing again becomes tedious fast. I have to admit, but the end, I was mostly skimming the pages to just see how it ends.
The prose is nothing to write home about. Filled with something like 'She felt the coppery taste of her own blood in her mouth', or 'then everything went dark'.
In conclusion, an OK attempt at pulp Sci-fi, lacking substance of engagement.
P.S. Thank you, Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC of this book.
There is this clique thread of discrimination against mutants, and how they are used as slaves and exotic pets by the affluent 'Northerners'. But it felt shallow and unimaginative, and I was reminded of the better treatment of this similar thread in the 2016 Australian TV series 'Cleverman'. At no point did I feel invested in the characters or the world, which for a sci-fi fantasy themed story is crucial.
Speaking of characters, our protagonist Solari, is someone who we find hard to connect to. Partly because half of her actions and development throughout the story, is reactionary, and lacks agency. She is either the drug mule for one crime lord, running away from another, going back and forth between humans and mutants, with an identity crisis, and just, most of the time, going with the flow, and not in the entertaining type of way.
She has this tragic backstory, involving family members one dead of disease, other of suicide, one missing. But rarely do we get to know them as people. Most of what we know of them, are through Solari's own commentary, we don't feel them to be flesh and blood characters. Which is true for most of the side characters who are introduced. And they are introduced in such a way, so as to only serve as plot points to progress story. Which makes them feel like NPCs who go sit in a box somewhere after their role is completed.
Then there is the repetitive action scenes. Usually Solari comes up against a danger/ obstacle, escapes due to serendipity, and immediately after that, faints. Only to wake up having been rescued and bandaged up by some strangers, many of whom we never again meet. This happens around 5 times in just the first half. So much so that I had to go back and check, whether or not they had printed it wrong.
The pattern of Solari and her cohorts, going from city A to city B, meeting thugs, engaging in some confrontation, before fleeing again becomes tedious fast. I have to admit, but the end, I was mostly skimming the pages to just see how it ends.
The prose is nothing to write home about. Filled with something like 'She felt the coppery taste of her own blood in her mouth', or 'then everything went dark'.
In conclusion, an OK attempt at pulp Sci-fi, lacking substance of engagement.
P.S. Thank you, Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC of this book.
August 3, 2022
The cover is what drew me to this book. I love a good sci-fi story. It had a Mad Max feel to it with an turned upside down world except with mutants. Solari the female protagonist was a force to be reckoned with. It was action packed and I found it very good. It even gave me some romance which is always my favorite part of every story. I highly recommend adding this to your list.
Thanks BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.
Thanks BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.
January 18, 2024
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I read this book as a judge for the third annual Self Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC), this review is solely my own and does not reflect the opinions of the whole team**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, injury, murder, death, harm to animal, domestic abuse, confinement, substance abuse, mention of cancer
--
Taking place in a post-apocalyptic Tasmania, radiation from the destruction of the ozone layer resulted in mutations all round and the state being split into the safe North, the contaminated South and the wild mutant infested Fringes. Solari is indentured to one of two gang lords that fight for control of the south and when her abusive ex comes knocking, reaching out for help means digging herself into a deeper hole. With nowhere else to run, the giant wings she acquired from a mutant moth in the Fringes has her eyeing one of the mutant enclaves for sanctuary. Thus begins her journey of escaping from one sticky situation to another.
This is one book where the action hardly lets up. The leading plot line is that of survival and despite it seeming little more than Solari sporadically charging to and from the circumstances she finds herself in (as well as fainting A LOT) I enjoyed following her story. Solari’s resourcefulness with her skills as a biochemist and her overall determinedness went hand in hand with the spontaneity of the events in the story.
Kopievsky’s writing is gripping and the consistency of the pacing really keeps you hooked in with all the tension. Even when things eventually slowed down a little towards the middle and there wasn’t as much action I still felt engaged.
The worldbuilding though brutal was also really interesting and extensively imagined but we get a mere a glimpse of it with how much of the focus is on Solari herself. I liked the romance subplot and how it showed Solari’s growth as a character in slowly learning to open up and trust others but I did find myself wishing the supporting characters had been fleshed out a little more.
I also found that things were resolved very quickly towards the end, especially this one major fallout which I was expecting to happen that came quite late in the book. Nevertheless, as a whole this was a really enjoyable read and the ending worked well regardless of the abruptness.
**I read this book as a judge for the third annual Self Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC), this review is solely my own and does not reflect the opinions of the whole team**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, injury, murder, death, harm to animal, domestic abuse, confinement, substance abuse, mention of cancer
--
Taking place in a post-apocalyptic Tasmania, radiation from the destruction of the ozone layer resulted in mutations all round and the state being split into the safe North, the contaminated South and the wild mutant infested Fringes. Solari is indentured to one of two gang lords that fight for control of the south and when her abusive ex comes knocking, reaching out for help means digging herself into a deeper hole. With nowhere else to run, the giant wings she acquired from a mutant moth in the Fringes has her eyeing one of the mutant enclaves for sanctuary. Thus begins her journey of escaping from one sticky situation to another.
This is one book where the action hardly lets up. The leading plot line is that of survival and despite it seeming little more than Solari sporadically charging to and from the circumstances she finds herself in (as well as fainting A LOT) I enjoyed following her story. Solari’s resourcefulness with her skills as a biochemist and her overall determinedness went hand in hand with the spontaneity of the events in the story.
Kopievsky’s writing is gripping and the consistency of the pacing really keeps you hooked in with all the tension. Even when things eventually slowed down a little towards the middle and there wasn’t as much action I still felt engaged.
The worldbuilding though brutal was also really interesting and extensively imagined but we get a mere a glimpse of it with how much of the focus is on Solari herself. I liked the romance subplot and how it showed Solari’s growth as a character in slowly learning to open up and trust others but I did find myself wishing the supporting characters had been fleshed out a little more.
I also found that things were resolved very quickly towards the end, especially this one major fallout which I was expecting to happen that came quite late in the book. Nevertheless, as a whole this was a really enjoyable read and the ending worked well regardless of the abruptness.
February 2, 2024
I am one of the judges of team Space Girls for the SPSFC3 contest. This review is my personal opinion.
Status: Semifinalist!
Read: 100%
All I can say about this book is that it is a mindblowing read! I usually tread far away from Grimdark stories (and one starring a Biochemist that cooks drugs for a volatile drug lord Breaking Bad style? Oh my!), but the way the story flows and envelops the reader makes you want to continue reading until the very end.
The prose veers into literary fiction in some scenes of the story, while also addressing themes of domestic abuse, disability, sex trafficking (of women and children), self mutilation, trauma, and trying to survive when all the odds are against you. I quite liked Solari as a protagonist who is still paying off the debt she owes to a mobster and trying to lay low in the hopes of gaining her freedom.
When hell comes loose and the mobster issues ridiculous demands that risk her life, Solari has to choose the least worst of two very bad options, and so she begins a story of self discovery thwarting the dangers of a gang infested Hobart, Tasmania, common criminals, dangerous animals of the wild jungles, terrible injuries she sustained that are getting infected, the truth about what really happened to her mother, and her own predjudices.
There's tons of themes going on in this story that a reader could analyze in all sorts of different ways, and maybe they will never truly understand the full scope of this highly ambitious book. I enjoyed every minute of the story, and salute the author for such a creative work that I will be reccomending readers for years to come.
4.5 stars!
Status: Semifinalist!
Read: 100%
All I can say about this book is that it is a mindblowing read! I usually tread far away from Grimdark stories (and one starring a Biochemist that cooks drugs for a volatile drug lord Breaking Bad style? Oh my!), but the way the story flows and envelops the reader makes you want to continue reading until the very end.
The prose veers into literary fiction in some scenes of the story, while also addressing themes of domestic abuse, disability, sex trafficking (of women and children), self mutilation, trauma, and trying to survive when all the odds are against you. I quite liked Solari as a protagonist who is still paying off the debt she owes to a mobster and trying to lay low in the hopes of gaining her freedom.
When hell comes loose and the mobster issues ridiculous demands that risk her life, Solari has to choose the least worst of two very bad options, and so she begins a story of self discovery thwarting the dangers of a gang infested Hobart, Tasmania, common criminals, dangerous animals of the wild jungles, terrible injuries she sustained that are getting infected, the truth about what really happened to her mother, and her own predjudices.
There's tons of themes going on in this story that a reader could analyze in all sorts of different ways, and maybe they will never truly understand the full scope of this highly ambitious book. I enjoyed every minute of the story, and salute the author for such a creative work that I will be reccomending readers for years to come.
4.5 stars!
May 1, 2022
A fascinating swirl of Breaking Bad’s mad chemistry, the X-Men’s mutational variety, and the “we have to get out” ethos of East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. All told in Kopievsky's gorgeous prose. Loved it.
August 26, 2022
"Tasmanian Gothic" by Mikhaelya Kopievsky is a gothic dystopian masterpiece. It's, violent, malicious, gruesome, disturbing, and absolutely merciless in its delivery. The story unfurls at a breakneck speed, making it impossible to put the book down until it's finally over and even then readers will be thirsting for more.
Solari is an orphan in a world divided between north, south, and the Fringes--a place where bloodthirsty mutants thrive. In the South, Solari is caught in the midst of a gang war, surviving the only way she knows how: by making a highly addictive drug to sell to a warlord as a way of paying off her debt. Yet when an abusive ex makes a reappearance in her life, stirring up trouble and jeopardizing her safety, Solari has no choice but to run.
The only option Solari has left is to find safety in a mutant enclave, which means becoming the very thing she hates. Yet the further Solari hides, the more danger she finds herself in until she has no choice but to rise up against those who hunt her or to be brutally and painfully tortured to death.
Everything about this book is worth reading. From the highly imaginative world-building, the freakish mutants resulting from ozone radiation, the mystery surrounding Solari and her family, and the non-stop action that occurs from start to finish. Solari is tough as nails and full of unyielding resilience as she fights her way tooth and nail toward freedom. She's absolutely badass and a hardcore female lead that readers will love and rave about. One aspect about Solari that made her more relatable was her flaws, especially the flaw in her opinion toward mutants. It was nice to have a character that wasn't perfect or had minor flaws that could be overlooked. It took time for her to come to terms with the mutants and it was nice that it didn't take a handsome knight in shining armour to completely change her outlook. The way Solari felt about mutants was entirely up to her to change.
Overall, I really enjoyed the grittiness of this story. It reminded me a lot of X-Men, Divergent, the Hunger Games, and all those other stories where people are fighting against the system and looking for a better life for themselves and their community, with a little bit of a freakish fantasy mix thrown in. I love the mash-up of genres, where it's a little bit of horror, a bit of dystopian and fantasy, along with punk and sci-fi. It really adds a whole new fresh feel to the story that makes it easy to pick up and impossible to put down.
There's a little bit of everything in this story for readers to enjoy and it's definitely a book worth picking up and giving a chance at reading because the story is so beautiful and unique, even though it is brutal and vicious. It's worth being aware of the content warnings before picking it up as there is quite a lot of verbal and physical abuse, as well as gore and strong language.
"Tasmanian Gothic" by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky is out now and available for purchase! If this seems at all interesting, it is 100% worth giving a read.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for giving me a free e-arc copy of this story and for the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.
Solari is an orphan in a world divided between north, south, and the Fringes--a place where bloodthirsty mutants thrive. In the South, Solari is caught in the midst of a gang war, surviving the only way she knows how: by making a highly addictive drug to sell to a warlord as a way of paying off her debt. Yet when an abusive ex makes a reappearance in her life, stirring up trouble and jeopardizing her safety, Solari has no choice but to run.
The only option Solari has left is to find safety in a mutant enclave, which means becoming the very thing she hates. Yet the further Solari hides, the more danger she finds herself in until she has no choice but to rise up against those who hunt her or to be brutally and painfully tortured to death.
Everything about this book is worth reading. From the highly imaginative world-building, the freakish mutants resulting from ozone radiation, the mystery surrounding Solari and her family, and the non-stop action that occurs from start to finish. Solari is tough as nails and full of unyielding resilience as she fights her way tooth and nail toward freedom. She's absolutely badass and a hardcore female lead that readers will love and rave about. One aspect about Solari that made her more relatable was her flaws, especially the flaw in her opinion toward mutants. It was nice to have a character that wasn't perfect or had minor flaws that could be overlooked. It took time for her to come to terms with the mutants and it was nice that it didn't take a handsome knight in shining armour to completely change her outlook. The way Solari felt about mutants was entirely up to her to change.
Overall, I really enjoyed the grittiness of this story. It reminded me a lot of X-Men, Divergent, the Hunger Games, and all those other stories where people are fighting against the system and looking for a better life for themselves and their community, with a little bit of a freakish fantasy mix thrown in. I love the mash-up of genres, where it's a little bit of horror, a bit of dystopian and fantasy, along with punk and sci-fi. It really adds a whole new fresh feel to the story that makes it easy to pick up and impossible to put down.
There's a little bit of everything in this story for readers to enjoy and it's definitely a book worth picking up and giving a chance at reading because the story is so beautiful and unique, even though it is brutal and vicious. It's worth being aware of the content warnings before picking it up as there is quite a lot of verbal and physical abuse, as well as gore and strong language.
"Tasmanian Gothic" by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky is out now and available for purchase! If this seems at all interesting, it is 100% worth giving a read.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for giving me a free e-arc copy of this story and for the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.
August 2, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
A dystopian world with mutants? What else could I possibly ask for?
Solari has a large debt with a local crime lord that she didn't accumulate. She is forced to work for this crime lord and if she doesn't the consequences are severe. In an act of desperation Solari decides to run and hide in the only place she can think of. She soon finds herself in an unlikely alliance and uncovers secrets that could change everything.
I really enjoyed the story although, I wish it would have had more mutant action. I found there wasn't really all that much happening involving the actual mutants other than what was absolutely required for story progression. For me this felt like crime fiction meets dystopia. It isn't my favorite combo but in this case I feel like it really worked.
Solari was a well done main character. She was interesting to watch as she grew as a person. Her character unfolded like new wings and she picks herself back up from even the most darkest of circumstances.
I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a dark dystopian with a touch of mutation.
A dystopian world with mutants? What else could I possibly ask for?
Solari has a large debt with a local crime lord that she didn't accumulate. She is forced to work for this crime lord and if she doesn't the consequences are severe. In an act of desperation Solari decides to run and hide in the only place she can think of. She soon finds herself in an unlikely alliance and uncovers secrets that could change everything.
I really enjoyed the story although, I wish it would have had more mutant action. I found there wasn't really all that much happening involving the actual mutants other than what was absolutely required for story progression. For me this felt like crime fiction meets dystopia. It isn't my favorite combo but in this case I feel like it really worked.
Solari was a well done main character. She was interesting to watch as she grew as a person. Her character unfolded like new wings and she picks herself back up from even the most darkest of circumstances.
I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a dark dystopian with a touch of mutation.
May 1, 2022
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and I devoured it in a couple of days. I really enjoyed Kopievsky's first book 'Resistance', and while there are similar themes running through 'Tasmanian Gothic' - a divided world, a dark underbelly of society, a morally questionable main characters, and an unlikely/unexpected relationship - this offering is darker by shades and leans much more towards the weird and punk end of the spectrum, rather than the standard dystopian/post-apocalyptic end.
There are real moments of brutality and desperation in this novel, but also genuine moments of connection and hope. A carnival-like atmosphere - with its gypsy quarter, mutant enclave, and border wall towns - helps to balance the darker, war-torn streets and constant threat of violence from the gangland war. And these two tones are woven together seamlessly - the book never lingering too long in the darkness or in the levity.
Definitely recommended for fans of dark speculative fiction with punk vibes and complicated characters.
There are real moments of brutality and desperation in this novel, but also genuine moments of connection and hope. A carnival-like atmosphere - with its gypsy quarter, mutant enclave, and border wall towns - helps to balance the darker, war-torn streets and constant threat of violence from the gangland war. And these two tones are woven together seamlessly - the book never lingering too long in the darkness or in the levity.
Definitely recommended for fans of dark speculative fiction with punk vibes and complicated characters.
August 24, 2022
i’m not gonna lie guys when mik first got in touch asking if i wanted to review her book i was so hesitant because i’ve barely read any gothic dystopian novels but considering the wide array of genres i read i thought fuck it i may as well give it a go and OMG i’m so glad i did. ⠀
⠀
within the first 5% the protagonist almost dies three times: once from drug poisoning inhaling toxic fumes in her lab, second from a gross abusive boyfriend harassing her for drugs and third by a mutant moth. as you can tell from this, it was a very enthralling read. ⠀
⠀
this book mainly focuses on the population of human mutants and it broke my heart, i’m just such a slut for groups of outcasts who find each other and recognise that they are incredible and deserve to live a normal life 😭🥹 ugh my heart. ⠀
⠀
but, saying that, it was the opposite of a sad book. it was insane, action-packed and never had a dull moment. i’d highly advise to check trigger warnings before reading though, i recall a domestic violence/abuse scene which was hard to read and there were mentions of cancer and substance abuse. take care of yourself as always lovelies. ⠀
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this is the definition of don’t judge a book/blurb by its cover, it does not do this beauty justice! ⠀
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thank you mikhaeyla for trusting me with your baby! 💗
⠀
within the first 5% the protagonist almost dies three times: once from drug poisoning inhaling toxic fumes in her lab, second from a gross abusive boyfriend harassing her for drugs and third by a mutant moth. as you can tell from this, it was a very enthralling read. ⠀
⠀
this book mainly focuses on the population of human mutants and it broke my heart, i’m just such a slut for groups of outcasts who find each other and recognise that they are incredible and deserve to live a normal life 😭🥹 ugh my heart. ⠀
⠀
but, saying that, it was the opposite of a sad book. it was insane, action-packed and never had a dull moment. i’d highly advise to check trigger warnings before reading though, i recall a domestic violence/abuse scene which was hard to read and there were mentions of cancer and substance abuse. take care of yourself as always lovelies. ⠀
⠀
this is the definition of don’t judge a book/blurb by its cover, it does not do this beauty justice! ⠀
⠀
thank you mikhaeyla for trusting me with your baby! 💗
August 10, 2022
Tasmanian Gothic is brutal. It’s Mad Max meets X-Men — a violent and gritty take on a future where mutants are abused amidst a post-apocalyptic gangland. But it’s also a sweet tale of ‘love conquers all,’ and this juxtaposition works brilliantly. There’s a kind of beauty in its bizarre blend of despair and hope — making it a grimdark, bittersweet surprise.
Solari cooks drugs for a crime lord, and like everyone else, she hates mutants. Things get complicated when her junkie-ex begins torturing her to give him a quick fix. To get rid of him, she’ll end up owing the mob much more than she can ever repay, and in a desperate attempt to escape, she’ll graft moth-wings to her back to pass as a mutant and make it to an enclave. There, she slowly falls in love with a half-reptilian man. Together, they try to navigate a way to freedom in a desperate attempt to escape prejudice against mutants, and in the process, they’ll find each other.
There’s a savage and unflinching sincerity contained in razor-sharp prose which adds a sort of poetry to the book. The sentences are lush and a pleasure to read, but their content can be graphic and will make you want to look away. But it’s so gripping, you won’t be able to stop reading. Solari’s struggle pulls at you right from chapter one, and never lets go, and the book doesn’t provide any filter to the torment she undergoes. You’ll wince. You’ll shake your head. And you’ll come back for more.
A huge strength of the book is the immersive world — a Tasmania that’s so easy to imagine, and could be the backdrop to any number of horror stories. The cities have an “I Am Legend” kind of emptiness, where hidden threats lurk in every shadow. The jungles feel like a horror version of that scene in Willy Wonka where they first enter the factory — they’re alive with pure imagination. And the fringes are chilling in their scarcity and grotesque menace.
Then there’s the mutants. In this bleak future, humans can develop any number of inventive mutations, and become the target of society’s hatred. Anti-mutant feelings run deep and strong, and there’s a prescient warning about prejudice that lands throughout this book. But as we see more of the mutants’ world — as Solari’s perspective shifts — the true nature of those feelings are explored in stark honesty.
Solari’s story is a transformative one. As she goes from one helpless situation to the next, she changes, becoming more of a mutant, feeling more at home among the misfits and outcasts than the humans who despise them. It’s apt that she has moth wings — her journey is like a cocoon. She emerges as a totally different person when she reaches the other side.
The book’s elements fuse together to make it a serious read, despite how bizarre it is. There’s a boldness about the way it’s written which is admirable. And the relationship between Solari and Alcaeus (a mutant with patches of metal scales) is easy to root for right from the beginning. The story takes a while to get into their romance, but once it does, it really hits its stride.
Overall, Tasmanian Gothic is strangely hypnotising. It’s a surprisingly grounded, realistic fantasy that’ll make you want to break the barriers which separate society. It’s an ode to empathy, and a timely one at that. And although it can be a challenging read at times, it’s definitely worthwhile.
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
Solari cooks drugs for a crime lord, and like everyone else, she hates mutants. Things get complicated when her junkie-ex begins torturing her to give him a quick fix. To get rid of him, she’ll end up owing the mob much more than she can ever repay, and in a desperate attempt to escape, she’ll graft moth-wings to her back to pass as a mutant and make it to an enclave. There, she slowly falls in love with a half-reptilian man. Together, they try to navigate a way to freedom in a desperate attempt to escape prejudice against mutants, and in the process, they’ll find each other.
There’s a savage and unflinching sincerity contained in razor-sharp prose which adds a sort of poetry to the book. The sentences are lush and a pleasure to read, but their content can be graphic and will make you want to look away. But it’s so gripping, you won’t be able to stop reading. Solari’s struggle pulls at you right from chapter one, and never lets go, and the book doesn’t provide any filter to the torment she undergoes. You’ll wince. You’ll shake your head. And you’ll come back for more.
A huge strength of the book is the immersive world — a Tasmania that’s so easy to imagine, and could be the backdrop to any number of horror stories. The cities have an “I Am Legend” kind of emptiness, where hidden threats lurk in every shadow. The jungles feel like a horror version of that scene in Willy Wonka where they first enter the factory — they’re alive with pure imagination. And the fringes are chilling in their scarcity and grotesque menace.
Then there’s the mutants. In this bleak future, humans can develop any number of inventive mutations, and become the target of society’s hatred. Anti-mutant feelings run deep and strong, and there’s a prescient warning about prejudice that lands throughout this book. But as we see more of the mutants’ world — as Solari’s perspective shifts — the true nature of those feelings are explored in stark honesty.
Solari’s story is a transformative one. As she goes from one helpless situation to the next, she changes, becoming more of a mutant, feeling more at home among the misfits and outcasts than the humans who despise them. It’s apt that she has moth wings — her journey is like a cocoon. She emerges as a totally different person when she reaches the other side.
The book’s elements fuse together to make it a serious read, despite how bizarre it is. There’s a boldness about the way it’s written which is admirable. And the relationship between Solari and Alcaeus (a mutant with patches of metal scales) is easy to root for right from the beginning. The story takes a while to get into their romance, but once it does, it really hits its stride.
Overall, Tasmanian Gothic is strangely hypnotising. It’s a surprisingly grounded, realistic fantasy that’ll make you want to break the barriers which separate society. It’s an ode to empathy, and a timely one at that. And although it can be a challenging read at times, it’s definitely worthwhile.
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
December 16, 2023
I read Tasmanian Gothic as part of a judging team for the third annual Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC3), where it is a quarterfinalist.
Tasmanian Gothic takes place in a dystopian Tasmanian, rife with mutants and controlled by two competing mob bosses. Between her own family history and a truly disturbed ex, the lead finds herself under the thumb of one of them, looking for escape any way she can.
This book delivers plenty of deeply tense scenes, as the lead bounces back and forth from mortal peril to mortal peril. There are a few phrases that feel a bit like writing tics, but by and large, the prose is intense and evocative.
The plot structure, on the other hand, was a tougher sell for me. It fell into the thriller pacing of “a bunch of action scenes strung together with exposition” that rarely hits for me, and there were times where it felt like the story was relying on trope familiarity to move the plot along as opposed to really establishing actions in-universe. Mob bosses treating valuable assets terribly is just what we expect of mob bosses. Attempted rape in the bad part of town is just what we expect of bad parts of town. Even the goal of reaching the north—notorious for enslaving southerners!—was never entirely convincing.
It was very easy to sympathize with the lead, and the action scenes brought her perils to vivid life. Those elements made for a pretty solid read. I just would’ve liked a little bit more connective tissue—it felt like there were too many shortcuts to move the plot along instead of letting it grow organically. (Reader beware: I am a grump about thriller pacing, take all this with a grain of salt).
First impression: 13/20. Full review and SPSFC score to come at www.tarvolon.com
Tasmanian Gothic takes place in a dystopian Tasmanian, rife with mutants and controlled by two competing mob bosses. Between her own family history and a truly disturbed ex, the lead finds herself under the thumb of one of them, looking for escape any way she can.
This book delivers plenty of deeply tense scenes, as the lead bounces back and forth from mortal peril to mortal peril. There are a few phrases that feel a bit like writing tics, but by and large, the prose is intense and evocative.
The plot structure, on the other hand, was a tougher sell for me. It fell into the thriller pacing of “a bunch of action scenes strung together with exposition” that rarely hits for me, and there were times where it felt like the story was relying on trope familiarity to move the plot along as opposed to really establishing actions in-universe. Mob bosses treating valuable assets terribly is just what we expect of mob bosses. Attempted rape in the bad part of town is just what we expect of bad parts of town. Even the goal of reaching the north—notorious for enslaving southerners!—was never entirely convincing.
It was very easy to sympathize with the lead, and the action scenes brought her perils to vivid life. Those elements made for a pretty solid read. I just would’ve liked a little bit more connective tissue—it felt like there were too many shortcuts to move the plot along instead of letting it grow organically. (Reader beware: I am a grump about thriller pacing, take all this with a grain of salt).
First impression: 13/20. Full review and SPSFC score to come at www.tarvolon.com
August 9, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the advanced reader copy.
This week’s headline? “Easy, stormgirl.”
Why this book? The cover looked cool.
Which book format? ARC
Primary reading environment? Parents’ guest room
Any preconceived notions? I think I’ll like it well enough.
Identify most with? Solari (sort of, but not really)
Three little words? “considered going rogue”
Goes well with? Crack (just kidding), balaclavas
Recommend this to? People who love gothic thrillers about post-apocalyptic worlds.
Other cultural accompaniments: https://oxfordre.com/literature/view/...
Grade: 3/5
I leave you with this: “The journey passed in silence as the night crept up on them and turned the road ahead dark.”
📚📚📚
Tasmanian Gothic is a “modern gothic thriller” and a slightly entertaining read. We start off in a post-apocalyptic world where a young woman makes Tasmania’s equivalent of highly addictive drugs called tetra for one of the local crime lords while avoiding her abusive ex. Also, due to a hole in the ozone layer some people have developed mutations.
While she has a fairly developed backstory, our main character Solari is very reactionary and doesn’t seem to have much agency. The writing is fine as far as writing goes but nothing special. I think Kopievsky’s story idea is interesting but the execution wasn’t all the way there due to repetition and other characterization and overall structure not feeling fleshed out. That being said, I think I want to check out Kopievsky’s Divided Elements series.
Tasmanian Gothic is available now.
tw: racial slur, death, maiming, drugs
This week’s headline? “Easy, stormgirl.”
Why this book? The cover looked cool.
Which book format? ARC
Primary reading environment? Parents’ guest room
Any preconceived notions? I think I’ll like it well enough.
Identify most with? Solari (sort of, but not really)
Three little words? “considered going rogue”
Goes well with? Crack (just kidding), balaclavas
Recommend this to? People who love gothic thrillers about post-apocalyptic worlds.
Other cultural accompaniments: https://oxfordre.com/literature/view/...
Grade: 3/5
I leave you with this: “The journey passed in silence as the night crept up on them and turned the road ahead dark.”
📚📚📚
Tasmanian Gothic is a “modern gothic thriller” and a slightly entertaining read. We start off in a post-apocalyptic world where a young woman makes Tasmania’s equivalent of highly addictive drugs called tetra for one of the local crime lords while avoiding her abusive ex. Also, due to a hole in the ozone layer some people have developed mutations.
While she has a fairly developed backstory, our main character Solari is very reactionary and doesn’t seem to have much agency. The writing is fine as far as writing goes but nothing special. I think Kopievsky’s story idea is interesting but the execution wasn’t all the way there due to repetition and other characterization and overall structure not feeling fleshed out. That being said, I think I want to check out Kopievsky’s Divided Elements series.
Tasmanian Gothic is available now.
tw: racial slur, death, maiming, drugs
June 24, 2022
* I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. *
In a grim future, Tasmania is a walled-off state separating the prosperous North from a lawless South beset by strange mutants arising from nuclear radiation. Solari is a biochemist on the run from a violent drug lord. In a desperate move to escape, she commits an act of self-mutilation in order to pass as a mutant and enter one of the secure enclaves where they live.
Things do not get much better for Solari, as she finds she in not so safe within the enclave either. She also learns that the mother she thought was dead is still alive, so she once again risks capture in order to head North and seek out her long-lost mother. She is accompanied in her flight by the mutant Alcaeus, who has been exuled from the enclave.
This book is a wildly imaginative tale which hearkens back to Tasmania's colonial past, when indigenous minorities were also persecuted and driven out. The criminal elements of the plot are firmly grounded in the drug and vice worlds of today and completely believable. The only aspects of Kopievsky's story that I could not accept where why Solari's human immune system did not immediately reject her self-mutilations, and just why she became so obsessed with tracking down a mother that she had barely ever seen, despite the enormous cost that this quest imposed on her and others.
If you can suspend your disbelief a bit more than I was able to, then this is a cracking story in the dystopian fantasy genre.
In a grim future, Tasmania is a walled-off state separating the prosperous North from a lawless South beset by strange mutants arising from nuclear radiation. Solari is a biochemist on the run from a violent drug lord. In a desperate move to escape, she commits an act of self-mutilation in order to pass as a mutant and enter one of the secure enclaves where they live.
Things do not get much better for Solari, as she finds she in not so safe within the enclave either. She also learns that the mother she thought was dead is still alive, so she once again risks capture in order to head North and seek out her long-lost mother. She is accompanied in her flight by the mutant Alcaeus, who has been exuled from the enclave.
This book is a wildly imaginative tale which hearkens back to Tasmania's colonial past, when indigenous minorities were also persecuted and driven out. The criminal elements of the plot are firmly grounded in the drug and vice worlds of today and completely believable. The only aspects of Kopievsky's story that I could not accept where why Solari's human immune system did not immediately reject her self-mutilations, and just why she became so obsessed with tracking down a mother that she had barely ever seen, despite the enormous cost that this quest imposed on her and others.
If you can suspend your disbelief a bit more than I was able to, then this is a cracking story in the dystopian fantasy genre.
August 16, 2022
Climate changes is out of control and the hole in the ozone layer widening. The effects hit Tasmania hard mutating much of the island. From flora to fauna and even part of the human population. Solari, a self taught chemist, cooks tetrahydron crystal to pay off a debt that she inherited. She is use to dealing with the mutant plants and wildlife to collect the ingredients she needs but has a biases against the mutated humans. When Solari finds herself between a rock and a hard place, she escapes by becoming what she despises. Now as a mutant herself, Solari learns more about life and herself than she could without her wings.
Tasmania Gothic is the latest novel by speculative fiction writer Mikhaeyla Kopievsky. This bio-punk thriller is a quick paced read with a few moral lessons thrown in. Kopievsky explores some tough learned life and morality lessons. Many minorities find comfort in “mutant” stories but with Solari’s choice to don a pair of wings in order to hide is a different twist on the subject. Solari does experience first hand the cruelty inflicted on mutants but in reality no one gets to choose to be something they are not. This provocative story does give the reader a lot to think about while providing a fun bio-punk yarn.
Tasmania Gothic is the latest novel by speculative fiction writer Mikhaeyla Kopievsky. This bio-punk thriller is a quick paced read with a few moral lessons thrown in. Kopievsky explores some tough learned life and morality lessons. Many minorities find comfort in “mutant” stories but with Solari’s choice to don a pair of wings in order to hide is a different twist on the subject. Solari does experience first hand the cruelty inflicted on mutants but in reality no one gets to choose to be something they are not. This provocative story does give the reader a lot to think about while providing a fun bio-punk yarn.
January 14, 2023
Dark? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely
Solari, a young a girl forced to become a woman before she was ready. Thrust into a world unfamiliar but determined to survive, her bide for freedom does not come without challenges.
Kopievsky gives us a near dystopian world, of mutated humans viewed as less than animals, seeking safe haven from ravaged streets, crime lords vying for total control and 'normal' humans keeping their heads lest they be targeted. The world is split between the North and South, Solari need to make it out of one and into the other.
Along her race for freedom she picks up Alceaus, her rock, her reason, her white angel manifest when from the other shoulder whispers control and unrighteousness anger. Kopievsky didn't need to devolve to explicit sex scenes to portray the connect between the two. It was slow and simple. Next, Nico, though their connect isn't strong its there3 and has the ablilty to grow. In a nutshell Kopievsky gives us a gauntlet of emotions and situations to work through along with Solari a fight some of us has to go through in one way or another. A very relatable read.
Solari, a young a girl forced to become a woman before she was ready. Thrust into a world unfamiliar but determined to survive, her bide for freedom does not come without challenges.
Kopievsky gives us a near dystopian world, of mutated humans viewed as less than animals, seeking safe haven from ravaged streets, crime lords vying for total control and 'normal' humans keeping their heads lest they be targeted. The world is split between the North and South, Solari need to make it out of one and into the other.
Along her race for freedom she picks up Alceaus, her rock, her reason, her white angel manifest when from the other shoulder whispers control and unrighteousness anger. Kopievsky didn't need to devolve to explicit sex scenes to portray the connect between the two. It was slow and simple. Next, Nico, though their connect isn't strong its there3 and has the ablilty to grow. In a nutshell Kopievsky gives us a gauntlet of emotions and situations to work through along with Solari a fight some of us has to go through in one way or another. A very relatable read.
August 14, 2022
Tasmanian Gothic Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW. Violence, Dystopian Themes.
Thankyou to Insta book tours and the author for gifting me a digi copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
“A modern gothic thriller set in a decaying urban environment and lush mutant wilderness”.
Through the third person narrative, we meet Solari (neither protagonist or antagonist) a complex and deeply injured young woman, living amongst a wasteland of gangs, drugs, violence and mutations caused by radiation from climate change.
This dystopian world, has flashes of colour and hope, with the introduction of allies such as the healers of the ‘gypsy quarter’ and a young boy looking for a transport to escape the town and cross the border to safety.
Without giving away too many spoilers… this story is a Quentin Tarantino shoot out scene, combined with mutations seen in a superhero movie, and set in this Book of Eli type of setting.
Beautiful, unsettling, shocking, and with so many twists and turns for the characters and their relationships with each other.
I’m not generally a fan of dystopian fiction, but from the fourth chapter I was hooked by the cliffhangers, needing to know what happened to Solari next.
Thank-you to InstaBookTours for inviting me to review the book, and to the author for writing this impressive story. Wondering if a sequel is coming?!
TW. Violence, Dystopian Themes.
Thankyou to Insta book tours and the author for gifting me a digi copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
“A modern gothic thriller set in a decaying urban environment and lush mutant wilderness”.
Through the third person narrative, we meet Solari (neither protagonist or antagonist) a complex and deeply injured young woman, living amongst a wasteland of gangs, drugs, violence and mutations caused by radiation from climate change.
This dystopian world, has flashes of colour and hope, with the introduction of allies such as the healers of the ‘gypsy quarter’ and a young boy looking for a transport to escape the town and cross the border to safety.
Without giving away too many spoilers… this story is a Quentin Tarantino shoot out scene, combined with mutations seen in a superhero movie, and set in this Book of Eli type of setting.
Beautiful, unsettling, shocking, and with so many twists and turns for the characters and their relationships with each other.
I’m not generally a fan of dystopian fiction, but from the fourth chapter I was hooked by the cliffhangers, needing to know what happened to Solari next.
Thank-you to InstaBookTours for inviting me to review the book, and to the author for writing this impressive story. Wondering if a sequel is coming?!
November 23, 2023
A post-apocalyptic near-future story set in a brutal gangland mutant dystopia.
Solari is an indentured servant making drugs for a gang lord with dreams of escaping to the mythical ‘North’ where people are beautiful and violence is not a way of life. After she is brutalized by an ex-lover, she is forced to flee south, to the place where mutated humans seek refuge from enslavement and worse. Along the way, the narrative immerses the reader in an original and creative world full of danger and horror.
The character development is compelling as Solari transforms from total helplessness to a single-minded determination to better her life. The romantic subplot adds depth, addressing discrimination and the power of love. Although the middle section felt slow and the brutality excessive, the hopeful conclusion and the author's beautiful prose make it a worthwhile read. Because this is the author’s debut, my initial 4 stars is upgraded to 5!
Disclaimer: I read this book as a judge for SPSFC#3, as part of the Team Tar Vol On. Opinions are my own and don’t reflect the consensus of my fellow teammates.
Solari is an indentured servant making drugs for a gang lord with dreams of escaping to the mythical ‘North’ where people are beautiful and violence is not a way of life. After she is brutalized by an ex-lover, she is forced to flee south, to the place where mutated humans seek refuge from enslavement and worse. Along the way, the narrative immerses the reader in an original and creative world full of danger and horror.
The character development is compelling as Solari transforms from total helplessness to a single-minded determination to better her life. The romantic subplot adds depth, addressing discrimination and the power of love. Although the middle section felt slow and the brutality excessive, the hopeful conclusion and the author's beautiful prose make it a worthwhile read. Because this is the author’s debut, my initial 4 stars is upgraded to 5!
Disclaimer: I read this book as a judge for SPSFC#3, as part of the Team Tar Vol On. Opinions are my own and don’t reflect the consensus of my fellow teammates.
August 16, 2022
Brutal but brilliant
Kopievsky has outdone herself in this fabulous gothic horror thriller. Tasmanian Gothic picks at the environmental catastrophe possibilities and rains down ruin on our island state. As you would expect from this author, her prose is tight and terse, conveying the strands of a debased culture, the complex fight for survival and the compulsive highs and lows of family loyalty with supreme storytelling. This is a dark and violent page turner told with its own grey zone of morals woven to challenge the reader, in a wonderfully created dystopian world. And the ending? Over all too quickly for my liking.
A great read.
Kopievsky has outdone herself in this fabulous gothic horror thriller. Tasmanian Gothic picks at the environmental catastrophe possibilities and rains down ruin on our island state. As you would expect from this author, her prose is tight and terse, conveying the strands of a debased culture, the complex fight for survival and the compulsive highs and lows of family loyalty with supreme storytelling. This is a dark and violent page turner told with its own grey zone of morals woven to challenge the reader, in a wonderfully created dystopian world. And the ending? Over all too quickly for my liking.
A great read.
April 27, 2022
I've had the privilege of reading this book while it was still in its developmental stage but I instantly fell in love with the characters and the situation Kopievsky placed them in. The protagonist is feisty and her situation dire enough for the reader to root her on. The way Solari attempts to solve her problem by joining up with the very people her society shuns grabbed me as a reader and urged me to read on. A book written by a talented writer. I recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy, esp dystopian.
August 21, 2022
I went into this book not quite knowing what to expect apart from that it was dystopian (and I'm a sucker for anything dystopian!)
Whilst I enjoyed the book I wasn't blown away with it! I can't quite decide if I like Solari or not (though the fact she wasn't perfect makes her a good character) whilst there was a lot of action and lots going on I felt there was something missing
While this may not have quite been the book for me I would definitely recommend it for any fell dystopian fans out there!
Whilst I enjoyed the book I wasn't blown away with it! I can't quite decide if I like Solari or not (though the fact she wasn't perfect makes her a good character) whilst there was a lot of action and lots going on I felt there was something missing
While this may not have quite been the book for me I would definitely recommend it for any fell dystopian fans out there!
October 31, 2022
Tasmanian Gothic was a good post-fall-of-society (I wouldn’t say full on post-apocalyptic) tale of one woman who has had enough of being enslaved by one gang land boss or another. She seeks solace by attaching mutant moth wings to her body and being allowed into a mutant colony.
The feeling of desperation in the main character was well established and conveyed. While the plot was necessarily one of her finding a course of action over time, the pacing felt a little slow without a clear goal for a lot of the book.
The ending came like a total damp squib with me left wondering “so what”. I guess this was hinting towards the desolation of the world at that stage (nothing gets fixed, everything is broken) but readers tend to want a little more or something more satisfying.
With a bit more pace this would be a great story.
The feeling of desperation in the main character was well established and conveyed. While the plot was necessarily one of her finding a course of action over time, the pacing felt a little slow without a clear goal for a lot of the book.
The ending came like a total damp squib with me left wondering “so what”. I guess this was hinting towards the desolation of the world at that stage (nothing gets fixed, everything is broken) but readers tend to want a little more or something more satisfying.
With a bit more pace this would be a great story.
August 12, 2022
This was such a good read! I love dystopian books and this was exactly that. Set in an edgy, post-apocalyptic world where there's danger around every corner for mutant and human alike and crime, drugs and gangs are rampant.
Solari is such a badass and I really enjoyed following her through all the different places, waiting to see what will happen next. It's a story that'll keep you on your toes!
Solari is such a badass and I really enjoyed following her through all the different places, waiting to see what will happen next. It's a story that'll keep you on your toes!
March 1, 2024
Dnf at 83%
This has some really cool plot hooks; Mutants, mafia, a Breaking Bad vibe and the fallout of climate change. I was excited.
It's set in Tasmania. I don't think I have ever read a book set in Tasmania before.
The cover is stunning, the plot is all over the shop and the pacing is inconsistent.
By the time I hit 50% I was pretty done but figured I'd keep going, but the characters decisions made no sense I stopped caring.
This has some really cool plot hooks; Mutants, mafia, a Breaking Bad vibe and the fallout of climate change. I was excited.
It's set in Tasmania. I don't think I have ever read a book set in Tasmania before.
The cover is stunning, the plot is all over the shop and the pacing is inconsistent.
By the time I hit 50% I was pretty done but figured I'd keep going, but the characters decisions made no sense I stopped caring.
June 20, 2025
What a wild, mind-bending ride! Tasmanian Gothic by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky drops you into a mutant-filled dystopia that’s equal parts eerie and fascinating. The worldbuilding is rich, the characters are layered, and the plot? Totally one-of-a-kind. Honestly, I didn’t expect to be this hooked—but it completely won me over!
November 23, 2022
While the author has talent, this book was a little too violent for my taste. Stylistically, it wasn't enjoyable.
I appreciate that Netgalley and the publishers gave me the opportunity to reWhilead the ARC. This is my honest review.
I appreciate that Netgalley and the publishers gave me the opportunity to reWhilead the ARC. This is my honest review.
August 9, 2022
A free book from Voracious Readers thank you
A mad tale of mutants and humans in a post apocalyptic Tasmania. Crime lords rule and fight for territory using humans and mutants for their own gain
A mad tale of mutants and humans in a post apocalyptic Tasmania. Crime lords rule and fight for territory using humans and mutants for their own gain
Read
January 3, 2023This wasn’t really the book for me.
Read
March 4, 2024DNF
August 9, 2022
'Sometimes you have to become the thing you hate in order to find the one you love'.
Dont you just love that line!! Tasmanian Gothic is a fascinating dystopian thriller, with a romantic backstory.
Set after the ozone layer split, leaving a country that's riddled with urban decay, drug lords and a mutant population offshoot.
Solari flees her current situation and forms an unlikely alliance to seek out the secrets of her past and becomes, quite literally, what she hates the most.
I enjoyed this book alot. Solari is a strong, determined MC and the book sweeps you along, taking several plot twists along the way including a little romance, plenty of danger and a few omg moments.
I liked the way the story unfolded, it's a dark, hard look at a world where survival falls to the fittest.
Its a great book and I'd be interested to see if the story continues in a second book which I'd be keen to read.
Definitely worth a read if you like dystopian or modern gothic books.
AD / PR - I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Dont you just love that line!! Tasmanian Gothic is a fascinating dystopian thriller, with a romantic backstory.
Set after the ozone layer split, leaving a country that's riddled with urban decay, drug lords and a mutant population offshoot.
Solari flees her current situation and forms an unlikely alliance to seek out the secrets of her past and becomes, quite literally, what she hates the most.
I enjoyed this book alot. Solari is a strong, determined MC and the book sweeps you along, taking several plot twists along the way including a little romance, plenty of danger and a few omg moments.
I liked the way the story unfolded, it's a dark, hard look at a world where survival falls to the fittest.
Its a great book and I'd be interested to see if the story continues in a second book which I'd be keen to read.
Definitely worth a read if you like dystopian or modern gothic books.
AD / PR - I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews