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Book Review: THIS IS MY BODY

Thank you to Quirk Books for sending me a copy of This Is My Body in exchange for an honest review. This Is My Body is the second horror novel by Lindsay King-Miller, who earned notoriety with her debut, The Z Word. While I haven't had a chance to check out The Z Word yet, I will soon, based on the strength of This Is My Body. A tale of possession, exorcism and intergenerational Catholic trauma, This Is My Body is as hard to put out of your mind as the most stubborn and persistent of demons. This Is My Body In This Is My Body, we're introduced to Brigid Byrne. A gay single mother and business owner, Brigid lives in the (fictional) small mountain town of Bristlecone, Colorado. She lives with her daughter, Dylan, a teenager who has entered an exceptionally rough patch. Brigid also runs her shop, Tenth Muse, which sells Tarot cards, magick books, trinkets and colored candles to tourists. Brigid isn't a true believer, but her two employees are. Dylan's difficulties at school and home are growing more severe. After an altercation with a boy who used to be her friend, she is facing disciplinary action. Meanwhile, a figure from Brigid's past appears in the shop. This is Eileen Mulligan, mother of Brigid's long-lost first love, Alexandra 'Zandy' Mulligan. RELATED: Book Review: Crueler Mercies Brigid and Zandy used to be neighbors back when they were both teens living in Denver. In those days, Brigid lived with her (now late) mother, Adelaide, and her mother's brother, Father Angus. However, her mother and uncle were both oppressively Catholic. When Brigid's fledging romance with Zandy was discovered, Brigid was forbidden from ever seeing her first love again. Ultimately, Brigid left home when she was old enough to go to college and never looked back. But as Brigid reconnects with Zandy, she learns Angus is still a fixture in the neighborhood. As the two women begin to rekindle their relationship, Dylan's troubles grow more pronounced. Soon, they escalate to new and unignorable depths. However, Angus had a specialty: exorcisms. With nowhere left to turn, Brigid must bring her daughter to the one place she'd never considered bringing her before: home. Father Uncle Exorcist A tight, tense horror novel that neither skimps on nor is bogged down by its depth, This Is My Body is an excellent and irresistible read. As the novel progresses, the narrative steadily rises until it reaches a rolling boil in the climax. I couldn't put this book down. I started reading it on Wednesday afternoon and finished it by Friday at five. Now, I don't think I will be alone in this. And as horrific as the story can be at times, I enjoyed spending time with the characters throughout. As usual, the trick with these reviews is to share my thoughts without sharing any spoilers. Suffice it to say that one of my favorite parts of the novel is the way the core theme becomes clear not in the earliest pages but in the story's climax. Like the best reveals, this serves as a key that retroactively contextualizes the entire book. Much is made these days about horror with a deeper meaning (not that it's actually anything new). RELATED: Book Review: A Far Better Thing But while some high-profile horror is characterized by its facile engagement with its ostensible themes, that's not the case with This Is My Body. As a queer woman who was raised Catholic and subsequently left the Church, I found this novel's thematic explorations to be meaningful, thoughtful and satisfying. There's another element of my personal history that played into my enjoyment of this novel as well. I lived in Colorado for a decade when I was younger. This Is My Body does a superb job of including details about the state that really makes the setting come alive. It is very clear that King-Miller is writing the Mile High State from a place of personal experience. Available August 5 While the release date is a month away, you'll want to mark August 5 on your calendar. This is because you'll want to devour this book as soon and as quickly as possible. RELATED: Book Review: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil This Is My Body is a meaningful and engaging horror novel. And following on the heels of the critically acclaimed The Z Word, her sophomore outing may just cement King-Miller as the heir to the American horror writer throne. The only question is: which horror subgenre will she tackle next? This Is My Body will be available at your local bookstore and/or public library beginning on August 5, 2025. Book Review: PETER MILES HAS TO DIE Avery Kaplan (she/her) is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. With her spouse Ollie Kaplan, Avery co-authored the middle school textbook on intersectionality Double Challenge: Being LGBTQ and a Minority. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 - 2024 Cartoonist Studio Prize Awards and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, the Gutter Review, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, in the Comics Courier and in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.