Masks of Meat by Ben O’C Williams
Overall Rating - 4.5
Emotional Impact Score - 4.75
Thought-Provoking Score - 4.5
Character Score - 4.25
Plot Score - 4
Worldbuilding Score - 3.5
Prose Score - 4.5
My stomach boiled acid, and each breath rasped through a trachea of broken glass.
This is going to be a book where I scratch my head for a while. The prose of this was haunting, beautiful, and utterly disgusting all at the same time.
There weren’t too many outright emotionally hitting moments but some of the characters entire arc is very relatable. Between struggling with addiction and guilt and feeling of belonging.
There were many parts of this that made me scratch my head. I’m still not sure I entirely understand the ending. It’s on the tip of my tongue but it just manages to escape and lose me.
Everything was stolen from me, and I was all that was left, an empty ribcage not even the crows would eat.
The characters in this book were overall pretty good. I don’t think all of them were fleshed out as entirely as others but that feels intentional. Some of them served as a way to further other character’s journeys.
The plot is pretty straightforward. There’s not too much in the way of twists or turns. There’s some stuff that’s unanswered outright but it’s not out and out confusing.
A puppet of meat and misery, my body tethered to tubes that sustained a life I no longer wanted.
There’s not too much exposition on the overall world the story takes place in. There’s just enough to understand the requirements for the plot.
I will say that the prose of this book is incredible. The description is gross, awful, and I love it. It very much did what it needed to do to set the tone.
I’m not sure if this is building up to a series but it was satisfying as-is. If you like science fiction tinged fantasy and horror, this might be right up your alley.
Thank you, Ben, for the opportunity to read this early.