From the overabundance of Mycological eco horror on the current market, Wife Shaped Bodies managed to stand out with its captivating worldbuilding, unique prose, and the absolutely alien (yet uncomfortably familiar) circumstances we are thrown into as we follow Nicole as she enters her role as a Wife. Both physically and emotionally nauseating imagery holds the reader's attention while simultaneously making one wish they could take a step back and maybe take a shower. The evocation of the divine feminine connection was done in a way that felt true and real to our roots, seeking connection with ones self and community above all else. Stellar debut novel, I look forward to seeing what Cranehill does next.

This book was a trip! Dystopian, feminism, identity, body horror are all amazing elements of this story. It was extremely unique of a concept, and I just wanted to keep reading to understand these women and their make up! Women being promised to men when they are two was angering for me, and rightly so. As for the writing, the prose was beautiful and almost read like poetry. It is definitely a bit slow paced, but I think good horror is that way to ensure you connect with the characters and the plot builds until the end. I will be keeping an eye out for this author in the future!

Wife Shaped Bodies is a post-apocalyptic novel with feminist and queer themes. The book follows the story of Nicole, who is a wife living in a compound where the women's bodies are covered in mushrooms and they are bound by rules set by the men in the community. The story of Nicole takes some time for the reader to understand as she has spent most of her life confined to a small world that has mostly consisted of rarely leaving her house. As Nicole's world expands after her marriage, she begins to learn more and more beyond the secrets and lies that have filled her life up to that point. She forms a relationship with another wife named Teaghan who helps her to expand her world even further.

This book touches upon issues such as the cycle of abuse and coming to terms with one's body and sexuality while using the science of mycology as its background. The exploration of the symbiotic relationship that characterizes fungi was especially intriguing and worked well within the setting of a horror driven narrative. While this book may not be for everyone, I found it to be unique with multiple layers that will have me continuing to ponder for some time.