I like to think I read quite widely, but in all honesty, most of my favorite books contain one, if not all, of the following:
– A young woman coming of age
– A haunted house
– A general sense of unease
– Witchcraft-fueled revenge on awful people (mostly men)
Wormwood, the astonishing debut from Layla Martinez (translated to English by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott) covers all of these beautifully.
Our two narrators, grandmother and granddaughter, are trapped in a house filled with spooks, saints, and a wardrobe that absolutely does NOT lead to Narnia. The house was built by the grandmother’s father to trap his wife inside, and the entrapment has flowed down the generations.
Our narrators isolate themselves, but are drawn into the public eye when the granddaughter is accused of a horrific crime. With no evidence, she is released from prison, but the damage is already done. It is through the unfolding narrative that the reader learns of a multi-generational family feud, and how the scales of justice must always be balanced.
I loved our narrators so much. Martinez’s writing is very readable, and I got really excited when the narrator switched between chapters, and a new layer of the story was introduced. There are some horrific examples of misogyny in Wormwood, apparently inspired by Martinez’s own family history, and I hope that writing this incredible novel was a cathartic experience. Be warned, this is not an easy read, but it is rewarding.
The ending! Oh my word, I love a strong ending and this was intense. I had to read the last two paragraphs a couple of times to really let the horror sink in.
Hello, Layla Martinez, and welcome to my list of favorite writers.
Woodworm is available right now. Please consider buying it directly from the publisher.
Huge thanks to Two Lines Press for the ARC.
California Reading 