Someone You Can Build A Nest In - John Wiswell Book Review

Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell is a weird and wonderful book. I was honestly hooked the moment I read the summary, and the story absolutely delivered. Nest takes after its shape-shifting protagonist and combines elements of horror, comedy, mystery, adventure, and queer romance into one tale that will definitely stand out amongst your 2024 TBR.

Shesheshen’s hibernation is disrupted by two monster hunters and a very loud and gilded nobleman. Annoyed by their intrusion, the shape-shifting monster strings her body together from leftover bones, tools, and a chain to confront the humans ruining her slumber. When the confrontation goes poorly, Shesheshen is forced to visit town in search of a meal to aid in her healing. But her appearance does not go unnoticed, and in her haste to find safety, Shesheshen ends up in the company of a warm and kind stranger. As the town and powerful local family decide to hunt and kill the monster once and for all, Shesheshen will take shape, make a stand, and fall deeply in love.

Shesheshen is a great narrator and the main reason why I enjoyed this story so much. Her perspective is interesting, morbid, and incredibly funny. We’re learning about the world through the eyes of a reclusive monster who has a limited view of how humans operate. This makes for entertaining interactions as Shesheshen assumes a human shape and enters society. She is naive about humans while incredibly observant, making blunt commentary about the way they live and treat both humans and monsters alike. The humor sprinkled throughout the story is completely unintentional, thanks to Sheseshen’s unflappable ability to be honest and straightforward, and it made me laugh out loud several times.

There is a lot of commentary about what makes someone or something monstrous. As soon as the story begins, Wiswell has us questioning this definition and why some acts are accepted while others are horrifying. Our narrator, Shesheshen, is a monster and must absorb people to survive which can be a gruesome experience described in detail. However, Wiswell subtly hints that Shesheshen mostly minds her own business, and targets terrible people when she must feed or as a means of protecting herself when confronted. In comparison, many of the humans in this story are awful, so awful that I was rooting for Shesheshen to eat them at every turn. Unfortunately for me, Shesheshen had more sense and patience than the meat sacks walking around her.

I appreciate the attention that Wiswell gave to trauma in this story, especially by showing the way characters have been shaped by it and how it manifests. At the end of the climax, the story actually makes us sit with the trauma, guilt, and pain that comes from all the desperation, fear, and violent actions of the plot. There were no quick fixes to the panic attacks or solutions for the personalities molded by all the ways people failed the characters. Wiswell doesn’t go too in-depth here, but he calls it out and makes sure space is held for the realities of hurting and healing.

Someone You Can Build A Nest In was monstrously fun and heartfelt. It’s a horror-adventure-love story that will make you uncomfortable but also creates a safe space for you to come home to.

Rating: Someone You Can Build A Nest In – 7.5/10
-Brandee