Book: Fervor by Meg Smitherman
Reviewed by Rallie X
Rating: 4/5
This character-driven gothic horrormance explores a very specific human experience - "anguish" takes into account grief, rage, shame, pain, and guilt; it is none of those things but also is all of them. Meg Smitherman does something really cool in this little novella by making anguish something both outside and inside the Self, something controlling or controllable but only by the person to whom it "belongs" - it can be weaponized by others but only so long as you don't claim it and own it yourself.
Also included in this package: creepy white lady cults, banging alien gods, cute alien lambs bred to accept their slaughter, and a little light cannibalism on the side.