I'm gonna have to dnf this at 20% for now. Not because I think I wont like the story but because there are SO MANY words missing or half finished in the epub that it's disrupting the overall flow of the book. I expect arcs to have some formatting and spelling errors that I can read through but this is at least 3 times a page.

I wont be reviewing anywhere else for now and will wait for the official published version.

Holy shit , Orpheus Builds a Girl is wild! Heather Parry’s first book is a creepy Gothic horror that’s got me. Based on that insane Carl Tanzler story, it’s all about obsession, messed up medical stuff, and sisterly love that hits hard. Wilhelm, this dying creep, rambles about his “soulmate” Luci like it’s some epic love story, but it’s so twisted. Then Gabriela, Luci’s sister, comes in hot with the real, gut-wrenching truth. Parry’s writing is sharp as hell, spooky, gorgeous, and straight-up haunting. It’s not perfect! some characters are meh, and I wanted more WWII Dresden grit. But, damn, it hooks you and won’t let go. The way it rips into toxic love and power is chef’s kiss. If you love Machado or Clark like me, this gem’s gonna mess you up big time.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.

I really did try with this book.

I don't think i've ever given anything on NetGalley less than 4 stars, mainly because I try to choose books I know I will enjoy instead of picking all willy nilly, so that's what I did here.

I read other reviews before choosing the "read now" option for this book, and i've been sorely disappointed.

I don't know if the epub was atrocious because it was so close to the archive date, or if the epub just regularly was missing half of words, the beginnings of words, and random letters just to start with, but it made reading this HORRID.

I figured I could push through, that the story would eventually hook me and I wouldn't really notice missing letters and my brain would fill in the half words -- well.. no.

I made it to 26% and we still haven't had contact between the two main characters. When I pick up a novel that's promising horror, I need something compelling to keep me reading as we go along, until the big finish. The crumbs we got with Wilhelm and his grandmother in corpse form at about 15% in were all we got, and i've since seen reviews saying it started to turn around at the 40% mark.. that simply seems like too long for me personally.

I may have made it there had the words in the epub not been cut in half every four seconds, and to top it off, the pacing is incredibly slow and I have a hard time believing this has more horror elements at all.

I think the description of this book does it a huge disservice for readers here for the "gothic horror" they've been promised. There is so much backstory that has yet to prove necessary to the plot. I just cannot push myself through the rest of this.

Orpheus Builds a Girl is a cross between a Frankenstein retelling, and the telling of the true crime case of Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos - nearly perfectly, in fact, save for name changes and a shift in dates.

Wilhelm von Tore is an extremely unhinged Nazi and as unreliable as a narrator as you can get, he's a deranged mad man who believes he can put the soul of a dead person back into their body and give them a second life, and there are moments where you might actually believe him.

Gabriela's sister, Luciana, is the unfortunate soul who falls victim to Wilhelm's madness, and it's through Gabriela that we view Luci's early years and later the truth of Wilhelm's story as she is the one who rights the narration put forth by Wilhelm.

Something Heather Parry does extremely well in this book is emotion, specifically around that feeling of hopelessness and loss. I found myself vastly preferring the Gabriela chapters for this reason, while loathing the Wilhelm ones. There are a number of moments where I wished I could reach into the book and shake a character by the shoulders out of frustration, or moments of being furious that Wilhelm was manipulatively trying to make me feel sympathetic towards him.

Gabriela and Luciana were a highlight for me, the chapters set in Cuba especially! The imagery brought Cuba to life in beautiful colour, with all the sounds and smells that go with it; smoky cigars, music, chattering neighbours, and stray dogs barking in the street. I would love to see more like this from Heather Parry.

Wilhelm, I noticed, tended to talk in circles. He'd mention something and then a few sentences later reword it and repeat it. Most of this I chalked up to his derangement, that maybe he was rambling. Since Wilhelm's chapters were more of a scientific journal - especially towards the end - they sometimes felt a little more far fetched and leaned into the sci-fi.

I would say that Orpheus Builds a Girl has a slow burning plot, since the two point-of-view characters don't even meet each other until around halfway through the book. If you're not a patient person then this likely won't be the book for you.

I’m also glad to see there’s an author's note at the end that mentions Maria and what happened to her. Since other reviewers have mentioned a lack of acknowledgement I can only assume this is a new addition, and one that is obviously extremely important.

Overall I’d describe Orpheus as a dark book with flickers of light, and like how von Tore haunts Luciana’s family, he also haunts the pages of the book - a Nazi demon that makes the journey so much more difficult to continue.

I almost DNF-ed this book a number of times close to the end as certain events crossed a line into too much, too dark, not necessary.

Orpheus Builds A Girl is a novel that retells the true events of a case from 1931z

With that in mind, I was subjected to horror that is not found in other work, as the despicable things actually happened.

Told in two streams, Wilhelm provides the intimate details of his thoughts around caring for a young TB patient, Luciana, who he becomes obsessed with and doesn’t relent with his unwanted advances, disguised under the care of a physician.

Through Gabriella’s pages, we learn about the early life of the family in Cuba, the revolution moving them on to the, in hindsight, treacherous Key West, where the family meet the aforementioned Wilhelm.

This took a little time to read, partially as it starts off as two separate threads entirely, and it was a little hard to see how they’d come together; But when they do, it’s an explosive tale of deceit and obsession of disgusting amounts.

Thank you NetGalley and Steerforth & Pushkin (Pushkin Press) for an ARC of this book!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
this is a rerelease of a novel originally published in 2022. This book was on my radar then, and I am glad I got to read it now! I will say that this book is not for the faint of heart or of stomach. It is very emotional and at times stomach turning through descriptions of corpses and gore. 'Orpheus Builds a Girl" is a dual perspective story based on real events and stories. In one perspective you follow Wilhelm, a doctor from Germany whose life has been informed by loss. When he moves to Florida, he becomes involved with the treatment of a sick Cuban girl named Luciana. The second perspective is Luciana's sister Gabriela. In her perspective we learn about the family's immigration to America, and the life of her sister. As Wilhelm treats Luciana he becomes obsesses with her, and even declares the girl as his wife. But when Luciana dies, Wilhelm turns to drastic measures to cope with the loss and restore his wife.
The core plot of this book does not begin until at least the 60% mark of this book. The first 40% of the book really is dedicated to character development and an exploration into the circumstances which informed both Gabriela and Wilhelms choices. This division did slow down the pacing quite a bit, which is what led to the lower rating.
If you do want to pick up this book, I would highly encourage you to check out the full list of trigger warnings. Normally, I am not a reader who is affected by descriptions of gore and death, but I do have to admit, I did have to put this book down a few times because I was overwhelmed by the content.

Orpheus Builds A Girl is a previously published (2022) Gothic novel steeped in sick obsession, medical abuse and manipulation under the banner of "love". This book is horrifying in many ways, none more than it was inspired by true events. Yes, you read that right. The amount of times I uttered "... what??" and stared off into the void were many. HOLY. HECK. This is a depraved, Frankenstein-esque tale, but also one of a man who feels he "owns" a woman. The topic of agency throughout is a heavy one. Wilhelm is convinced that Luciana is promised to him, years before they even met. The most deranged of love stories ever told ensues. He is mentally unwell and the death of his grandmother, who he loved dearly, only fueled the dumpster fire he is. This book is, despite its very heavy subject matter, beautifully written. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it but I ended up loving it. It is a slowly smoldering, bleak tale that should not be missed. This book is getting new life via Pushkin Press. Thank you to them and NetGalley for the ARC. You can pick this up September 30, 2025, wherever you buy your books.

I received this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review, thank you to Heather Parry, Pushwick Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this work.

In the Author's Note at the end of the novel, Parry states that the fundamental question this novel is asking is "who owns a woman's body?" And while I can see and understands the themes of autonomy, misogyny, and violation in the text, I asked myself a different, more concerning fundamental question. What right does this novel have to exist?

While there are several cases presented in the Authors Note, it would be dishonest to pretend that this novel doesn't primarily retell the story of Elena Milagro de Hoyos, a victim of a man who felt his desire to possess her was more important than her finding peace in death. This man was absolved by the courts, and Elena's corpse was further disrespected by being used as essentially a sideshow attraction during the case.

Seeing these specific detailed repeated in this novel, as told from the point of view of a fictionalized version of the vile and reprehensible man (whom I refuse to name) who did this to her. Seeing these horrific deeds done to an even younger girl in the fictionalized "Luci" who stands in for Elena. It feels deeply disrespectful and distasteful. What does this novel seek to tell us, to teach us, beyond what we can learn from the case itself? Is this author herself engaging in an act of resurrection- parading Elena's story before us under the thin guise of changing a few details- therefore equally violating her decency and autonomy? Is it really the place of readers to enjoy the gory details of how the sanctity of Elena's body was taken from her. This is a question typically reserved for the True Crime genre, which this doesn't seem to be marketing itself as, wether or not that is a fair presentation of the novel is up for debate.

I take the lack of mention of any surviving relatives of the victims in the Acknowledgements as an implicit admission that they were not consulted on wether or not they want Elena- and the other women mentioned in the Author's Note- story to be told in this way. I am personally of the belief that it is unethical to release this book, in its current state, without their approval. That is why I am rating this book one star, for the fact it could be actively harmful and disrespectful to the memories of these women. Sensationalizing their and their families trauma for profit.

As for the quality of the novel, while the content reviled me, I have to admit that the writing is very skillfully executed. I enjoyed the distinct voices of Von Tore and Gabriela, in particular Gabriela's chapters were a breath of fresh air after having to endure the POV of a deranged, racist, misogynistic, ex-Nazi piece of trash. I loved the tenderness with which Gabriela described her family, her home, and her sister. I found myself wishing Luciana herself got to have a POV, at least in the first half, as her story is only told through the lens of those who love and obsess over her. Another way which the narrative robs her of autonomy.

Were it not for how heavily this novel draws on it's real life inspirations, I believe I could've enjoyed reading it. The gothic elements are very well executed and the horror was palpable, but the entire time I read felt this knot of disgust in my stomach that ran deeper than just the repulsion I felt towards Von Tore, instead it was a disgust with the way this novel seems to champion feminist themes and claims to represent the importance of autonomy- all while discarding how that applies to the women outside of the bound of it's fiction.

As the Author's Note states: "I know that change does come." And the change I hope to see is one where we stop using the stories of murdered and abused women for our entertainment.

This book is unsettling in a way that gets under your skin slowly—and then refuses to leave. Orpheus Builds A Girl isn’t horror in the jump-scare sense; it’s horror in the “how is this real?” sense, the kind that sticks with you long after you close the final page.

Told through two starkly different perspectives - Wilhelm, a disgraced doctor with a god complex, and Gabriela, the protective sister of the woman he becomes obsessed with - this is a story about power, grief, and how narratives can be weaponized. Wilhelm’s chapters are disturbingly self-assured; he sees himself as a romantic, a savior, even as he descends into something monstrous. Gabriela, on the other hand, brings clarity and resistance. Her voice is raw, furious, and necessary, like a counter-spell to the doctor’s delusion.

That said, this isn’t a book for everyone. It’s deeply uncomfortable, sometimes repetitive, and emotionally exhausting by design. But it’s also thoughtful, well-crafted, and unflinching. It dares to reclaim a story that history has too often told from the wrong angle.

Not quite a page-turner in the traditional sense, but more like a slow, inevitable march toward horror

Thank you to Steerforth and Pushkin for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Orpheus Builds a Girl by Heather Parry is listed as a horror fiction title, most likely due to some taboo-breaking unsavory actions on the part of one of the two narrators. However, it would be closer to list it as historical fiction, because it’s a fictionalization of a true story: that of Elena Milagro Hoyos. The author fills in details and dialogue, changing only a few of the major facts of the case in her own rendition.

Have you ever been stuck on a public bus next to someone raving at you wildly, and you know from the first second they start talking that something is very wrong? But you can’t seem to extricate yourself from the situation so you find yourself very much walled in, nervous and also annoyed that you seemingly can’t get out? That’s the literary equivalent of this book. Kudos to the author for creating a distinct voice for Wilhelm von Tore, because he’s a raving, racist, odious old crackpot who really does try to illicit sympathy. Gabi, by comparison, is an astute and observant breath of fresh air. There is no denial that this author was able to do the dual narrator style well because of such sharp delineation between not only the characters but their ways of speaking.

To me, the thing that I enjoyed most was the author’s decision not to have this set in the time period that the real counterparts lived, but several decades later. This served two purposes which actually were the best executed elements of the book for me; the implication that von Tore is a Nazi and the Cuban revolution forcing the family to Key West. I think this is where the author did her most artful creating; for the family it created an economic and cultural tension that starts wearing the family thin before von Tore ever appears in their life. I also thought that the author was sparing yet very deft with making sure that while von Tore never directly owned up to his Naziism, that the dogwhistles and historical allusions were there. It really underscored the fact that the character was underhanded, selfish, and fully willing to rewrite history for his own gain.

Unfortunately I did find that Orpheus Builds a Girl was not as successful in some of its aims as I would have hoped.

Before anything else, the real issue was the pace and action of the book was plodding verging on absolutely torturous at times. The events of the story happen very slowly, with lots of pseudo philosophy and context between moments. This is further heightened by the fact that half the narration is done in a style that’s persnickety, self aggrandizing, and overly explanatory. The character is already unsympathetic and his glacial pace of narration doesn’t help the feeling of being very much stuck.

Something that, for me, made this book very difficult to read, was that it is almost directly inspired from the real death and postmortem abuse of a real woman under very similar circumstances. In her real life and death this woman has been defined by her lack of agency, her tragic death, and horrible postmortem treatment by an old man who stalked her. Who she was has largely faded into the background under the mythology of the crimes against her. She was an object of morbid fascination, and was reduced to the undignified freak-show effigy she was reduced to. This book felt like, as she never speaks for herself and is always defined and observed by other people, that she and her story weren’t better understood or served. Effectively it felt like Elena Hoyos’ story was mined for trauma and macabre sexual details. Instead of creating insight into a young woman who had agency before things turned unspeakably grim, she is an idea or an object for most of the story. The sister character kept things from being egregious, but part of me felt more unsettled by how it felt like this wasn’t a fresh understanding on this story, but a rehashing of what a creep Carl Tanzler/Wilhelm Von Tore was. I think that there was a somewhat exploitative feeling to the story. Rather than add elements to create a new story or one that humanized, it felt like a too-similar rehashing without the empathy that this story called for.

My favorite parts of Orpheus Builds A Girl were where the author departed from the reference material and created her own depth and context. Unfortunately, I came away from this feeling like the treatment of the inspiration didn’t resonate with me. 2.75/5 rounded up to 3.

I enjoyed this messed up story. Much like Frankenstein and the plot kept me so invested. The characters were solid, while disturbing. I look forward to seeing more by this author.

This is not a full or accurate review - and I’m not planning on publishing it anywhere because I don’t want my DNF to be misrepresented - because I do think I will read and potentially really like this book. I love Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the story of Orpheus, and lived myself in Germany. I don’t have an issue reading uncorrected proofs, that’s what ARCs are. I can read past some formatting and spelling errors. But almost every sentence in this ebook is missing letters. It would be disingenuous to write a review based on sentences like, “ as I approach my nal months” or “ e end of conict is an aphrodisiac like no other,” or “ was e ectively conned to her bed.” They are pretty big and frequent errors and I don’t want the frustration of not understanding the meaning of a sentence to color my view of a book that I might actually really like!

wow this was a gruesome tale. and one of those good ones that you somehow cant look away from.i just had to know how this story would go. was i looking for explanations? was i looking for a why? im not sure because im not sure you could ever explain the happening in this book with a reasonable answer. but it was an intriguing read all the same.
it had that Gothic tone to it. like Dracula or Frankenstein but modern. just that dark tone to it that brought a sense of chill and unease.
this book is about a doctor who becomes obsessed with one woman. and ends up wanting to revive her. yeh, you heard! we get to know the story or their version by both him and the woman's sister.
its a grim book. and iwas never quite sure why i was reading it. but i also new why i was. i was hooked. i wanted to know just how this was going to play out. i like to give myself over to 'different from my norm' books every now and then. and this one was certainly that for me.
what i keep gleaning from this book as it goes on is that this man is either disturbed or evil or maybe both. his work during the war gives me a feeling hes more evil. as disturbed 'ill' people is often such a sweeping statement and i dont like how its handed over to people who do wrong as it adds stigma. but the two might co-exist. this man even from young just seemed very disturbed indeed(his grandma, what?)
all in all i had a mad time with this book but i wasn't mad about it, lol. and im glad i picked it as my 'not the norm' read as it certainly was that.

I’m not sure how to feel about this book. I get it’s fiction based off an actual true crime event, but the author’s decision to not change anything about the real life story and the fictionalised version (other than names) was an odd choice. Why not write it as a non-fiction true crime book instead?

What’s more so confusing is having a whole feminist reasoning for writing this book but then having the female characters get no justice, nor changing the outcome to be supportive is just very bleak and intensely so.

I also found that the main characters not meeting until about page 126 is way too long to have backstory and set up that I almost DNF’d it. I didn’t care for the sister’s story, she’s supposed to be telling her sister’s story for her yet the whole first half of the book is about herself not her sister. This could have been condensed a lot for both the sister and the main male character as the pacing was far too slow and a struggle to get through.

I don’t think this book is for me but I think marketing it as a dark love story is completely unhinged. It’s an actual event that happened and continues to happen nowadays, people should not be shipping them or calling it a love story by any means.

All that said, I’m grateful to have read it to find out it’s not my cup of tea.

This is sooooo fucked up!!! I can totally understand how this may not be your thing - definitely read the content warnings and reviews if you're on the fence - but this was actually my thing. It's definitely got elements of frankenstein but it also has elements of the delusion in a mona awad book as well.

A slow start but when it goes down, it truly goes down. This story was fascinating to me because I already knew about the real case. I knew how horrifying the story was going to be, or so I thought. Nothing prepares you for the written words, the gory details, but most of all, the ultimate form of betrayal.
Now, I can go on and on about the way this book disgusted me and how painful the story actually is. Yet, I think the best part of the entire book lies in the author's note. Incredibly important read.

4.5/5 ⭐️

This book started out a bit slowly (for my taste), but later gripped me and did not let go until I turned the last page. “Orpheus Builds A Girl” is a novel about dark consequences of obsession and sisterly love’s battle against them. I realized after reading that it was based on a true story and am still horrified and disgusted by that discovery.

The story is told through two POVs - Wilhelm, a doctor consumed by (in his eyes) love for Luciana, a Cuban girl dying of tuberculosis, and her sister, Gabriela, who interjects in between Wilhelm’s medical account of (again, in his eyes) saving Luci from death. Gabriela’s perspective pulls back the curtain on the reality of his proceedings and gives the reader another viewpoint on what’s happening with Luci and her family.

This dual narrative really worked for me and helped see (and, to some extent, understand) both sides of the story. And both were compelling to me in their own ways. I am in equal awe and disgust of the mind of the author and their ability to write this. Similarly, I love and loathe the use of Orpheus in the title - it is both genius and repulsive, which only drives up my rating.

As someone who wants a book to spark feelings in me, no matter if positive or negative, “Orpheus Builds A Girl” did that and more. It’s a beautiful commentary on female bodily autonomy, even in death, the importance of the fate of our body after passing, even if we eliminate religion from the equation, and truly terrible lengths someone might go to if they deem them necessary in the name of “love”.

Both beautiful and disgusting, this was a perfect horror novel for me.

4 1/5 stars.

I was enraptured with this book, reading it well into the night over the course of two evenings. I had to know what happened next! "Orpheus Builds A Girl" is a story of manipulation, obsession, medical abuse, <spoiler>abuse of a corpse, perhaps even necrophilia. </spoiler> Despite the dark and disturbing events in the second half of the book, the story is set on two beautiful sunny islands - that of Cuba in the 1950s, and Key West in the later decades.

Elena and Lucinda grow up two carefree daughters of Cuba, until their family is forced to flee to Florida at the rise of Castro. Finding their circumstances changed once in the US, the immigrant family struggles to fit into their new world. Unfortunately, they happen upon a creepy old man, Wilhelm, in the hospital, whose obsession with Luci takes over the narrative in an abusive and ultimately, repulsive way.

Readers with a squeamish stomach should stay away from the second half of the book, which is filled with graphic narratives of the creep handling the dead and decaying body as it decomposes. In addition, these scenes are described from Wilhelm's perspective, which is twisted in his love of the dead Luci.

I stumbled upon this book because I was attracted to the title. I knew Orpheus, but I didn't think he built a girl. He was the guy who went to hell and brought back his dead wife Eurydice. And then, palm to forehead smack, and it all came together.

The author's endnotes describes the historical origins of this story, and holy hell I must admit I was gob-smacked that the book's events closely parallel the real story of what became known as the Corpse Bride of Key West. Fucking hell, even worse! Florida Man!

I found an interesting write up of the real events here, with some telling photographs. https://historycollection.com/the-real-corpse-bride-carl-tanzlers-horrifying-obsession/

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and the author for this opportunity, and for Pushkin Press for re-releasing this amazing novel. I've found a new author to admire and follow, and I'm off to find her latest, [book:Carrion Crow|206665425].

Is a woman ever in control of her own autonomy? is a woman ever safe? Even in death? This book bring those questions to the front of your mind as it soaks you in rage, twists your stomach with disgust and makes you feel appalled to be apart of what we call the human race. A tale which will have you relived that its fictional until you find out that it is based on real events!
I have never been as angry at a character as I have at Wilhelm Von Tore. A strong emotive connect is built between the reader and Luciana despite only seeing her story through the eyes of others.
This is a book that will stay with me in the back of mind and when the pits of my stomach coil it will be because of the lasting memory and impact this book has had one me.

Orpheus Builds a Girl is a dark and deeply disturbing story. The book is told from two POVS: a written account by Wilhelm Von Tor, a doctor and medical researcher, who writes about his everlasting, passionate, love for a young woman, Luci. The other POV is told by Gabriela, Luci’s sister, who explains how Von Tor forced his way into their family and how his obsession with Luci destroyed their lives.

Von Tore is an absolutely despicable person, but he is an excellent unreliable narrator. This man is one of the worst human beings I could imagine, but somehow he is completely oblivious to his own evilness, and often feels he is the victim of this story. The cognitive dissonance is honestly astounding. Sometimes I read books with evil characters that just don’t feel believable - they feel evil for the sake of being evil, and I can’t understand why they are the way they are. That is not the case in this book. Von Tore is written fantastically - I absolutely believe his POV portrays his true (if edited) thoughts and I could understand his motivations and behavior, even if he is a sick, deluded individual. Seeing the story through his eyes was amazingly terrible.

Gabriela’s POV is also great, but in a completely different way. She will not let her sister’s story be controlled by her tormentor, and demands that the truth is told, even if it is a truth people don’t want to hear. Her POV is so much more real, and much more emotionally impactful.

This is a dark and terrible book, but I could not put it down. It was just so horrible that I couldn’t look away. I was completely engrossed from start to finish. What’s even more disturbing is that this is based on a true story - and, unfortunately, the real story is just about as disturbing and outrageous as this fictional imagining. This book isn’t scary in the way that books with monsters, hauntings, or even violent gore-filled stories are. Instead, it is scary in its depiction of the depravity that exists within humanity. It’s horrifying but so, so good.

If you like evil, unreliable narrators, and books that focus on the darkest aspects of humanity, I would recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Steerforth & Pushkin Press for providing me an e-arc in exchange for my unbiased review.