Brainwyrms

by

English language

Published Feb. 3, 2023 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.

ISBN:
978-1-250-86625-7
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(1 review)

When a transphobic woman bombs Frankie’s workplace, she blows up Frankie’s life with it. As the media descends like vultures, Frankie tries to cope with the carnage: binge-drinking, fucking strangers, pushing away her friends. Then she meets Vanya. Mysterious, beautiful, terrifying Vanya.

The two hit it off immediately, but as their relationship intensifies, so too does Frankie’s feeling that Vanya is hiding something from her. When Vanya’s secrets threaten to tear them apart, Frankie starts digging, and unearths a sinister, depraved conspiracy, the roots of which go deeper than she ever imagined. Shocking, grotesque, and downright filthy, Brainwyrms confronts the creeping reality of political terrorism while exploring the depths of love, pain and identity.

3 editions

reviewed Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt

Unsubtle. Hard to read, easy to parse.

The author adds her own content warning at the introduction, so I needn't provide that here. But do take her at her word. Presumably one is not reading a horror title by an author noted for being "unabashedly transgressive" expecting a pleasant ride, but I guess you never know. The blurb, "Shocking, grotesque, and downright filthy, Brainwyrms confronts the creeping reality of political terrorism while exploring the depths of love, pain and identity," about sums it up. Rumfitt and her metaphors are not subtle. For my taste, I would even say she is heavy-handed, though seemingly self-aware about it. I'm biased and a sucker for it anything accurately described as "grotesque," especially (it seems) related to trans body horror.