Siphon

First of all, let's be fair: I think I would've enjoyed this book if I had known nothing at all about it before picking it up. While I didn't know the twist ahead of time, I had seen so many reviews calling this novella shocking and disgusting that I think I hyped myself up for something I thought would be truly appalling. And don't get me wrong, I have no doubts that many readers will have their stomachs turned by this story — well, one scene in particular — and I'm not judging at all! It's just not something that grosses me out and I felt like too many of my expectations surrounding this short story revolved were based on those very high expectations.

That said, I tried to rate this novella as if I'd gone into it with no expectations, because none of what I've said so far is the author's fault. Without considering my own personal disappointment, it was just an okay read for me. I never felt particularly invested in the narrator or anything going on with him, I wasn't shocked or creeped out in any ways, and I didn't love the writing style (it isn't bad, just not for me). I kept feeling like Siphon could have been so much more fleshed-out and gruesome, and it consistently fell slightly short of what I wanted it to be.

Content warnings for blood-drinking, period oral sex, voyeurism, stalking, murder, animal death, mentions/descriptions of suicide, a few brief transphobic comments about a sex worker