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Leech

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Leech

Written by: Hiron Ennes
Narrated by: Abigail Thorn
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About this listen

A surreal and horrifying debut, Hiron Ennes's Leech defies our understanding of identity, heredity, and bodily autonomy.

“A wonderful new entry to Gothic science fiction, impeccably clever and atmospheric. Think Wuthering Heights... with worms!”—Tamsyn Muir

MEET THE CURE FOR THE HUMAN DISEASE

In an isolated chateau, as far north as north goes, the baron’s doctor has died. The doctor’s replacement has a mystery to solve: discovering how the Institute lost track of one of its many bodies.

For hundreds of years the Interprovincial Medical Institute has grown by taking root in young minds and shaping them into doctors, replacing every human practitioner of medicine. The Institute is here to help humanity, to cure and to cut, to cradle and protect the species from the apocalyptic horrors their ancestors unleashed.

In the frozen north, the Institute's body will discover a competitor for its rung at the top of the evolutionary ladder. A parasite is spreading through the baron's castle, already a dark pit of secrets, lies, violence, and fear. The two will make war on the battlefield of the body. Whichever wins, humanity will lose again.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com.

 Fiction Gothic Horror LGBTQIA2S+ Creators Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Scary
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The story itself is absolutely excellent, but what really steals the show is Abigail Thorn's narration. I've heard hundreds of audiobooks and this might be my most favorite performance I've ever heard.

One of the best audio performances I've ever heard

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What a hauntingly beautiful story about cycles of abuse, generational trauma and gender. Ennes whisks us off into their strange world with no time for us to catch our breath. Thorn’s narration is the best I’ve heard in a very very long time, perfectly capturing two internal personalities at war. I would give it 6 out of five stars if I could.

Absolutely amazing

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Everything about it is grim and melancholy, but the characters are cartoonish and fun, even though their actions aren't. The book is hard to follow, and things aren't explained. After 3 hours, I realized the book was set in the post apocalypse and not the 1800s. The narrator is good but not in the way a narrator is usually good. They take liberty with how lines are spoken and the volume can get too loud or too quiet sometimes. The book feels like 3 different stories about the same place and characters all happening at the same time, but it kind of works.
Overall, it is a strange and fascinating read.

It's sooo weird.

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This story takes you on quite the bizarre adventure with some amazing twists, didn't really expect the story to go on for as along as it did! I loved every minute of it.

Absolutely love this book!

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Leech is a finely crafted gem of a suspenseful, menacing, slow burn gothic horror/scifi/fantasy novel, starring all of your favourite gothic tropes: Creepy manor house full of horrible aristocrats! Inclement weather! Mysterious sickness! Spooky twins! Ghosts! A tangled web of dark secrets!

But now also starring: Hive minds, body horror, worker uprisings, settle-colonialism and genocide, queer and trans characters.

Leech is honestly brilliant. I kept expecting it to end suddenly with everyone dying tragically and horrifically, but then I'd check and realize I still had a massive amount of book left to read and no idea where Ennes was going to go next.

Audiobook features the voice of the inimitable Abigail Thorn, which is an absolute treat.

Suspenseful, menacing, slow burn gothic horror

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