Leech was one of my most anticipated titles of 2022. A post-post apocalyptic gothic horror; a medical drama; a dissection of identity and self-hood. This novel is going to be with me for a long time.

The less you know going into this novel the better, enjoy the journey it takes you on.

The prose is excellent. The body horror, made me squirm, but no matter how creeped out I got, I couldn't put the book down because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

Sign me up for whatever Hiron Ennes has in store for us next!

This is a slow-burn literary look into how humans connect with one another.

Our protagonist is a mysterious doctor, sent to replace a fallen comrade housed in the baron's chateau. The doctor quickly discovers a parasite that threatens humanity, but who is the real danger? The parasite or the Institute that has created the doctor?

This in-depth look at human connectiveness offers insight into body autonomy, symbiotic relationships, and humans' desires for freedom. Readers will sink into the narrative and take their time exploring the various themes within the slowly unfolding story. While some may consider the ending a tad underwhelming, the majority of the book holds readers captive with an unusual characters and gradually revealed mysteries. Ennes creates an intelligent and thought-provoking premise perfect for fans of literary horror.

What a strange and wonderful book. I was confused at first about what exactly the doctor was as far as lifeform, but that really ended up being part of the intrigue that kept me going.
The strange, unleashed medical emergency that is "leech" was definitely frightening. Some of the scenes were deliciously gruesome!
I say the book is strange and wonderful because I have never read anything that quite mashes genres together in this way. More than a gothic horror, more than a SF dystopian, it's a real talent who can blend such genres, and with such incredible prose. I

Really fantastic. One of the most original standalone horror fantasies I've read in a while. Lovely prose that embalms you in the oppressively bleak and wintry Gothic atmosphere, a protagonist whose physical and mental disintegrations works to examine what true autonomy and freedom really means, and worldbuilding that felt just the right amount of restrained and multi-layered.

What..? This book was such a wild ride right from the start all the way to the last page.

Leech is a dark sci-if following a doctor who travels to a remote town to research a mysterious illness that has killed the previous doctor of the town. I can’t say much more about the plot without spoiling anything, but trust me when I tell you this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

The beginning of this book has a dense scientific prose which took me a little while to get used to, but once the technical terminology settled down, this book was such a tense and exciting read. As the debut novel of Hiron Ennes, consider me impressed.
I did feel as though the ending was a little too abrupt. It could have benefited from having an extra 20 or so pages to close the book out, and I still feel as though there are some questions that are left unanswered. Besides these critiques, this was an incredible debut novel and I cannot wait to read more novels by this author.

Received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*Non comprehensive* list of some Content Warnings found in this book: Body shaming, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Animal death, Abortion, Homophobia, Death, Self harm, Pregnancy, Murder, Miscarriage , Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/injury detail, Infertility, Child death, Ableism, Gun violence, Gore, Blood, Body horror, and Violence

Thank you, Tordotcom, for allowing me to read Leech early!

Hiron Ennes' debut was such a creepy read. I loved it. It scared the bejeezus out of me.

Thank you to Hiron Ennes, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and NetGalley for the eGalley copy of Leech.

To put it frankly, this book is utterly bizarre. And it is precisely this unique take on a mysterious thriller, combined with a novel premise and completely unexpected journey that left me breathless. I simply couldn't put this book down and read it in half the time I typically spend on an enjoyable novel. Pick this one up for yourself folks, it won't disappoint.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. I will update Netgalley once I read & review a physical copy.

My review will be based on the physical ARC I read.

I can honestly say that I've never read a book quite like LEECH by Hiron Ennes. The closest thing I think I can come to it in "weirdness" is The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. Not in story mind you, but in total accumulation of wtf moments. I mean, how do you wrap your head around a story where the main character and narrator is a parasite that has taken over a number of hosts throughout the centuries, and whose latest body is a pathologist investigating a mysterious death inside the chateau of a reclusive baron. Oh and as that investigation unfolds, something even worse is discovered below the mines outside of the chateau grounds. Pretty cool-sounding plot, wouldn't you say? And that's just the first few chapters, the truly bizarre and intense stuff comes after that. Have I hooked you yet? Piqued your curiosity a bit?

As I said before, LEECH is an incredibly unique read to be sure. There are many instances where the narrative truly wraps you up and I felt myself being pulled into its tangled clutches for large stretches. Fair warning though, the language/dialogue is written in an older style, hearkening back to some of the works of 19th century novelists like Mary Shelley and Wilkie Collins. But that's also what makes the book stand out as it fits nicely with the desolate setting, which is very reminiscent of the frigid landscape scenes from Frankenstein and the dark wandering manor house halls from The Woman in White. So in that respect, the language definitely compliments this seemingly old school gothic horror/scifi tale.

I have to admit that I didn't really know what was going on when I first started reading this book. There were a few times when I put the book down in my lap, stared at the wall and thought what the heck just happened there? I'm really glad that I stuck with it though because as the story progresses, things that are merely hinted at in the beginning start to take on a sharper focus and become clearer. This is not a book for people who crave instant gratification, but rather it unfolds its secrets tantalizingly slowly. These can be the best types of books because the reward for paying close attention is so gratifying in the end.

Speaking of the end, the climax was not what I expected and that kept right in line with my whole reading experience with this one. I enjoyed LEECH and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good gothic read with some truly weird elements. This book is not for the squeamish as it does contain a fair amount of body horror, violence, and just plain icky scenes that left me making the squinty gross face pretty regularly. But I appreciated the compelling plot and also how author Hiron Ennes took chances and didn't sugarcoat anything with regard to many of the depictions of the characters. They truly have a solid grasp on their craft and the uniqueness of this book cannot be undersold. Definitely a wonderfully original book that took me out of my comfort zone at times but that I was so glad that I had a chance to read. Certainly check this one out because it is creepy and disturbing in all the right places and ultimately quite emotional. Very fitting that it will be released around the Halloween season too.

This book's premise is utterly ingenious and fascinating, and the execution pretty much lives up to the high standards set with that premise. The main character's voice is very Victorian, but the prose has a decidedly contemporary flavor at the same time, somehow. It's a very immersive story that's perfect for gothic lovers, particularly (of course) fans of the medical gothic.

This fascinating unique concept definitely blew my freaking mind.
Leech is not only one of the most unique fantasy|horror novels I've ever read, it's one of the most unique novels I've read period.
Hiron writing is just interesting. It's captivating, it's amazing. And I devoured it.
Disturbing, very fascinating and extremely mysterious read.
This post-apocalyptic world took me on an amazing journey. I hope others enjoy it as much as I did.
One of the best most disturbing gothic stories I've read so far in 2022.
I wish I could read it again for the first time.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Tordotcom,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

Atmospheric thriller with a sci fiction surprise! I can’t talk too much about this book without spoiling it for you and believe me you don’t want it spoiled. However I highly enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to find out what happened. Amazing story!