Wow, this was daaaark.

If you are into disturbing horror that explores an extremely dysfunctional family relationship this is for you.

'My father. My horror' 

The story is narrated in second person. As in the son talks to you, the father, who is now dead and buried in their home garden.
The main character is one like I have never read before. He is obsessed with insects, mold, and decay, Napoleon (?) and there is lots of commentary on God and religion as it is practiced.

'God's tranquility was a damned empty room'.

'The night silence shook me and spread like a rotten smell, clinging to my body and leaving it mute.'

So many metaphors, heavy with magical realism elements, and a lot of bodily fluids and purposefully disgusting imagery. It talks about mental illness, abuse, death and neglect in ways that I have truly not read before.

The descriptions of the two men who take over the house are truly unsettling. You have been warned!

I cannot say I enjoyed it but it is a book that will stick with me for a while which is why I decided that a 3,5 rating is appropriate.

'Even now that you're well and truly dead father, you are still sometimes capable of unsettling my insides.'

Overall, gut wrenching and weird. Very weird! Definitely not for everyone but I understand the appeal and the author's undeniable talent. This works was translated from the Spanish. Original title is Nuestra piel muerta. Difficult work to translate so hands off to the translator Victor Meadowcroft.

PS: I thought this was odd and funny: 'women as horrid as parsley'.

PS2: Great illustrations of various insects along with the very clever and fitting chapter titles!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-copy