Crypt of the Moon Spider by Nathan Ballingrud weaves a unique lunar space gothic that's like nothing I've ever read.
The story takes place at a mental asylum on the moon during a retro-futuristic version of the 1920's. It follows Veronica, a new patient there, who’s promised that an experimental surgery involving removing parts of her brain and replacing them with spider silk will cure her melancholy.
Now, I typically love bizarre medical horror along the lines of A Cure for Wellness. However, this novella suffers from serious pacing and structural issues. The first half feels incredibly rushed and disjointed. It's riddled with so many scene breaks to the point that I feel like scenes weren't properly built up to create suspense.
Then there’s an abrupt POV switch in the second half. Here we finally get necessary background context for the story that I really wish had been foreshadowed in the first half so that the later plot twists feel earned within the story.
It's a shame because parts of the story are so conceptually brilliant and we do get some fantastic moments of body horror. They're just haphazardly stitched together in a way that didn't feel satisfying to me as a reader.
Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Nightfire, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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