"A bizarre and fiercely original splatterpunk phantasmagoria of queerness. Deranged and gleefully weird as f*ck, this is an impressive debut from a singular literary talent." —Eric LaRocca, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
Annihilation meets Manhunt in three-time Hugo Award nominee Bitter Karella’s debut horror novel—a gloriously queer and irreverent psychedelic trip into the heart of an eldritch wood and the horrors of (cis)terhood.
I see something out there, in the woods. It does not have a face.
They call it the King’s Breakfast. One bite and you can understand the full scope of the universe; one bite and you can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. And it only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tight that the forest floor is pitch black day and night, where rumors of disappearing hikers and strange cults that worship the divine feminine abound.
Sarah is a trans woman who makes her living growing mushrooms. When a bad harvest leaves her in a desperate fix, the lure of the King’s Breakfast has her journeying into those vast uncharted woods. But as she descends deeper, she realizes she's not alone. Something in the forest is waking up. It's hungry—and it wants her.''
★ ‘As eldritch and grimy as the terrifying forest it’s set in. I loved this book!" —Trevor Henderson, author of Scarewaves
★''"Weird, wild, and oh-so-wretched, Moonflow is the trans botanical horror we need in the world right now." —Drew Huff, author of The Divine Flesh ★ ‘Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I’m in awe of Karella’s incredible gift for creating biting satire. I had a f*cking blast.’ —Joe Koch, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands
Genre: Horror
Annihilation meets Manhunt in three-time Hugo Award nominee Bitter Karella’s debut horror novel—a gloriously queer and irreverent psychedelic trip into the heart of an eldritch wood and the horrors of (cis)terhood.
I see something out there, in the woods. It does not have a face.
They call it the King’s Breakfast. One bite and you can understand the full scope of the universe; one bite and you can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. And it only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tight that the forest floor is pitch black day and night, where rumors of disappearing hikers and strange cults that worship the divine feminine abound.
Sarah is a trans woman who makes her living growing mushrooms. When a bad harvest leaves her in a desperate fix, the lure of the King’s Breakfast has her journeying into those vast uncharted woods. But as she descends deeper, she realizes she's not alone. Something in the forest is waking up. It's hungry—and it wants her.''
★ ‘As eldritch and grimy as the terrifying forest it’s set in. I loved this book!" —Trevor Henderson, author of Scarewaves
★''"Weird, wild, and oh-so-wretched, Moonflow is the trans botanical horror we need in the world right now." —Drew Huff, author of The Divine Flesh ★ ‘Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I’m in awe of Karella’s incredible gift for creating biting satire. I had a f*cking blast.’ —Joe Koch, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands
Genre: Horror
Praise for this book
"Wow-what a trip. Literally! The kind of book that you have to strap into, because it's going to buck you off if you're not prepared. There's genuinely no predicting what the hell awaits you around the next bend. This book is a prime example of why horror will literally always be timely and necessary; it finds beauty in the grotesque with some of the most stomach-turning description and heartfelt self-exploration I've ever read. I can honestly say that this is the first time that I've been genuinely scared by a book. Moonflow is simultaneously a Tarantino car chase sequence and an Ari Aster monster reveal; it's fun, and it's disgusting, and it's just a damn good time. But at the heart of it all, it's a bleeding, beating heart and an earnest heroine just trying to make it work." - Megan Bontrager
"Moonflow is a deranged horny dayglo escapade that is so utterly queer to its core. Beyond the delirious visions, there's a profound exploration of community and belonging. I adored this weirdo book." - Jane Flett
"Bitter Karella is a powerhouse of horror. Moonflow is equal parts ridiculous, revolting and charming. It rockets into your psyche with drug-fueled mommy milker cults at 200mph and I loved every second of it." - Lor Gislason
"A triumph of queer, horny, hippy horror that'll make you cackle, gasp, and scream! With its cast of iconic characters, imaginative enchanted setting, gripping story, and mind-bending horrific imagery, Bitter Karella's Moonflow is a trip to die for." - Eve Harms
"Weird, wild, and oh-so-wretched, Moonflow is the trans botanical horror we need in the world right now. Moonflow will sink its tendrils into you and infest you with its spores...and you'll enjoy it." - Drew Huff
"Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I'm in awe of Bitter Karella's incredible gift for creating biting satire without a shred of cruelty. Moonflow made me laugh out loud while genuinely caring about its wild cast of characters, from its all too relatable failed protagonist, to its mondo trash cinema meets Women Who Run With The Wolves villain. This is the queer splatterpunk salvation/dissolution comedic relief narrative we need in these dark times. I had a f*cking blast." - Joe Koch
"I've never read a book like Moonflow before! It has the energy of a John Waters movie: crass, profane, populated with memorably bizarre and grotesque characters, packed with social commentary and bittersweet pathos-the type of art that is necessary for the current moment." - Briar Ripley Page
"Moonflow is a deranged horny dayglo escapade that is so utterly queer to its core. Beyond the delirious visions, there's a profound exploration of community and belonging. I adored this weirdo book." - Jane Flett
"Bitter Karella is a powerhouse of horror. Moonflow is equal parts ridiculous, revolting and charming. It rockets into your psyche with drug-fueled mommy milker cults at 200mph and I loved every second of it." - Lor Gislason
"A triumph of queer, horny, hippy horror that'll make you cackle, gasp, and scream! With its cast of iconic characters, imaginative enchanted setting, gripping story, and mind-bending horrific imagery, Bitter Karella's Moonflow is a trip to die for." - Eve Harms
"Weird, wild, and oh-so-wretched, Moonflow is the trans botanical horror we need in the world right now. Moonflow will sink its tendrils into you and infest you with its spores...and you'll enjoy it." - Drew Huff
"Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I'm in awe of Bitter Karella's incredible gift for creating biting satire without a shred of cruelty. Moonflow made me laugh out loud while genuinely caring about its wild cast of characters, from its all too relatable failed protagonist, to its mondo trash cinema meets Women Who Run With The Wolves villain. This is the queer splatterpunk salvation/dissolution comedic relief narrative we need in these dark times. I had a f*cking blast." - Joe Koch
"I've never read a book like Moonflow before! It has the energy of a John Waters movie: crass, profane, populated with memorably bizarre and grotesque characters, packed with social commentary and bittersweet pathos-the type of art that is necessary for the current moment." - Briar Ripley Page
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