This Is My Body

In this surprising horror outing, King-Miller (The Z Word) takes on exorcism and possession with a modern perspective and unexpected results. As a child, Brigid witnessed her uncle Angus, a fanatical priest, and her mother, Adelaide, perform a home exorcism on a stranger. Now an adult and a lesbian, she’s cut off her homophobic family entirely. However, memories of that childhood exorcism have followed her up until the present day, when she’s a single mother struggling with her adolescent daughter Dylan’s behavioral issues. Things take a darker turn when it becomes clear that Dylan’s “issues” aren’t simple teenage blues. Out of options, Brigid does the unthinkable and returns to her family home to face her uncle, save her daughter, and finally assert her identity as a queer woman. By turns exhilarating and disgusting, moving and monstrous, the novel posits self-acceptance as the ultimate antidote to darkness. Brigid is a standout among a cast that can fade into the background, and though the flurry of action can be chaotic, King-Miller’s descriptions are cinematic and exciting. Fans of queer horror looking for a fresh take on a familiar trope will be hooked. (Aug.)