DNF at 27%.

First of all I struggled with the formating of this to start with, though I did end up getting used to it eventually I just personally didn't find the story interesting or gripping enough to continue

Dystopian yet disturbing, this book was fascinating. I’ve not read anything like it before. The body horror combined with the questions about humanity made for an all together haunting story. I really enjoyed it at first, but found the plot begin to drag towards the middle and the end. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending either, but I still found the entire novel interesting and well written.

This coming-of-age book is both surreal, uncomfortable and a dark read for me. This novel delves into the complexities of existence within women’s body.
The story revolves around Cassie, who was born with a knotted torso, as were her mother, grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. They inhabit a land called The Acre, where the Meat Quarry is located—a place where meat can be obtained by digging into the earth, a concept difficult to imagine in real life.
Etter’s writing style is engaging and thought-provoking. While reading the book can be unsettling at times, Cassie’s story is undeniably sad. The novel challenges the notion that physical transformation alone can fulfill the longings of our hearts and souls. So, if this theme suits you, you might want to try this book but don’t forget to check the trigger warning.

I’m not quite sure what I just read and I don’t know if I liked it or not, but I do know I finished it in 24 hours and struggled to put it down. This book is grotesque and unsettling, exploring themes of rape, sexism and beauty standards in an alternate world where meat is mined, and the women in a family are knotted. It pushes boundaries, certainly makes you think and is beautifully written, but it is an uncomfortable read.

Thank you Net Galley for providing access to this ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!!

4.5 stars rounded up!!


I was crying through the part 3 of this. I was relating so much to Cassie and her feelings of herself, her relationships with family, her emotions. Just wow with this book.

This is my second reading from Sarah Rose Etter and I just adore the way she writes. It's stunning and so poetic and tragic but holds so much emotion to me that feels like something I can embrace and hold on to. Wow. I will most definitely make any future work an auto read because apparently I just love to be emotionally wrecked by her work. Stunning.

I genuinely have no idea what I just read.
I have never in my life felt so confused by the purpose of a book. I have no idea what it was trying to do, or why. I read a wide variety of genres, and even though I don't enjoy every book I read I can usually see the authors intention, or an imagine a demographic that would enjoy it. I cannot say the same about this book.
There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but I also just didn't understand the objective of it. The only thing I thought was interesting was the unique formatting.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an arc of this.

A girl with a knot for a midriff, whose family own a meat quarry - where meat is mined. Honestly, this was a great read, great concept and enthralling. Cassie wants to live a 'normal' life, without this knot, which makes her a freak to her peers. Her mother, and grandmother, both had this knot, but it was a rare case with no cure but plenty of quack surgeons. Cassie trusted too easily and was abused by her s0-called friends, even her 'positive workplace boss' was a let-down.

I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it.

this was INSANE. It was eerie and visceral and completely bizarre and I loved it.
ive never read a book that followed a similar format before, and I thought this was potentially going to be a case of concern in my reading experience- but it just elevated the surreal beyond. This makes me want to read anything else that Sarah Rose Etter puts out into the world.

My only hold back was that I felt it a challenge to build a connection to Cassie, the main character. She felt beyond my touch, which I suppose only adds to the complex layers to this story, but I just wanted to be able to sympathise with her at one point so I could follow her progression and development.

All aside though this was fucking great.

I really enjoyed this book, I don't normally read books in a day, but I devoured this within 24 hours. Not perfect, as my review states, but Sarah Rose Etter is a great writer and I'm really glad I had a chance to read the arc in advance of the re-issue. Many thanks for that and I will be purchasing a physical copy of this and promoting it on my Instagram page.

As beautiful as it is bizarre, The Book of X is unlike anything I’ve ever before read. It is one of the most visceral, mind-bending reading experiences I have had in a very long time.

Now this is some gorgeous surrealism. The world was intriguing, shocking and disturbing but I didn’t want to put it down.

There were numerous interesting themes throughout this book with exploring loneliness and building senses of desperation.

The formatting was odd at first however I really enjoyed it and had me reading SUPER FAST. I felt it flowed well and almost felt conversational with how quickly things were changing but there were also added snippets. I definitely enjoyed the body horror aspects.

I loved the factual point breaks and felt like they both came at good times but also they were all relevant and interesting facts.

I am yet to read Ripe but this book makes me want to read that and anything Sarah Rose Etter puts out.

Thank you to netgalley and verve books for the arc.

Alright, here we go.
3,5 stars rounded up.
Cassie is born with a stomach knot; a knot which becomes a cause for abuse and mistreatment, dysmorphia and a symbol for her life stages.
Content warning; multiple - verbal abuse, sexual abuse, suicide…

Etter’s a master of her craft. Her prose is snappy, energetic and fits well with the themes of this book.
Without giving any spoilers, this book is structured into small sections - I enjoyed these the first couple of times however, the content of this book, the story, the writing and the characterisation are so intriguing, smart and gritty that I found the facts sections and the repetition of the title ‘vision’ a bit distracting and predictable (formulaic) for such an intense, amazing work. If the book were structured differently, my star rating could have been 4.5. Yet, this is still negligible to some extent. I am eager to read Etter’s other work as her writing is exactly my cup of tea and fresh.

The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter is highly imaginative and creative but relatably real at the same time. The writing is lyrical and poetic and visceral. I look forward to reading more from this author.

The Book of X is a beautiful, surreal, and emotive read that i greatly enjoyed.
It follows the journey of Cassie, who is born with a knot, the same as her mother and her mother before. Throughout this novel it feels so realistic while throwing out some really surreal concepts which blur the line in a wonderful way.

It follows the growing up of Cassie and her heartache, her trauma, and the struggle she faces with self acceptance.

I thoroughly enjoy Sarah Rose Etter's writing within style throughout this book and found it easy to follow, and really was invested in Cassie and her choices.

I would recommend this book!

3.5

Ripe was easily my favourite read of 2023, so the moment The Book of X popped up on NetGalley, I requested it! While this book was first published in 2019, it’s been released by Verve with a swish new cover and slated to hit the shelves in December 2024!

What worked for me:
● The formatting is unusual but once I got into the rhythm, I really enjoyed it. It flows well and held my attention by breaking the story into paragraphs.
● I liked the sections with the bullet point facts
● The writing is excellent - Sarah Rose Etter has a great writing style and I really enjoy how she tells her stories
● Cassie was a complex, interesting character that, at times, deeply frustrated me but I cheered her along the whole way
● The themes and commentary on capitalism, gender roles, womanhood, body image were expertly crafted
● I could see some of the themes and ideas that would go on to produce Ripe emerging in this story
● The surrealism vibe

What I wasn’t so keen on:
● It’s a personal preference but I don’t enjoy body horror. There was a lot of imagery, explicit detail, and all-too-real-pain in this book that made me squeamish and slightly nauseous.
● This is a very bleak book.
● Overall, this wasn’t quite as polished to perfection the way that Ripe was.

Folks who are keen for an expansion of the themes of Ripe but with more body horror, this could be for you! Please check the content warnings before diving in.

I said it in my review for Ripe, and I’ll say it again: Sarah Rose Etter is an author to watch. Now, technically, The Book of X is an older book that Ripe and from Etter’s back catalogue. Giving the development in Etter’s style and writing, I’m deeply excited to see what she pens next!

I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thank you so much, Verve Books!

Visceral, raw, devastating, surreal but incredibly human simultaneously. I don't think I've ever read a book like The Book of X and I'm not sure that anything will ever come this close again. This is my second book by Sarah Rose Etter and I love it as much as I loved Ripe. I'm so glad that VERVE is republishing this because this is girlhood in a book and everyone should read it.

Thank you so much to VERVE Books for the ARC and the opportunity to read this before the book is released in ebook on 8th August 2024 and in paperback on 5th December 2024. I'm preordering my copy this afternoon! #TheBookOfX #NetGalley