The Divine Flesh started off strong. I loved the parasitic relationship between Jennifer and The Divine Flesh and the love triangle with Darryl. Even though the Divine Flesh was full of tendrils and gore, it felt erotic, disgusting, and grotesque. Then, the world got too big in Part 3 and Part 4 completely lost me. In a way, it felt very Lynchian, and you need to pay very close attention to details because everything is connected.

A cosmic body horror WTF read that will leave you reeling! From the description, I knew this would be a wild ride from the description, but I couldn't even imagine how wild! Well written with excellent world building, I highly recommend it.

The Divine Flesh by Drew Huff is a strikingly ambitious and thought-provoking novel that delves into themes of spirituality, human vulnerability, and the intersection of faith and identity. Set in a world where the physical and metaphysical are intricately intertwined, Huff crafts a narrative that challenges readers to confront profound questions about the nature of the body and soul.

The novel follows a central character who grapples with both external and internal struggles that span across religious, emotional, and philosophical realms. Huff's prose is rich and layered, and he uses vivid imagery to bring to life the complex journey of self-discovery. The text is often poetic, with moments of intense reflection that encourage readers to consider their own relationship to the divine and the material world.

One of the book's key strengths is Huff's ability to balance spiritual introspection with grounded character development. While the book certainly invites readers to consider deep existential ideas, it never loses sight of the humanity of its characters. This balance makes The Divine Flesh not just a theological exploration, but a very human one as well.

However, the novel does require patience. Its slow pacing and occasional philosophical digressions might feel overwhelming to some readers, but for those willing to invest the time, the payoff is significant. Huff’s narrative is layered, and every detail seems to serve a larger purpose in unfolding the intricate themes of the story.

Overall, The Divine Flesh is a compelling and sophisticated work that will resonate with readers who enjoy literature that challenges both the mind and the spirit. Drew Huff has written a book that is both deeply introspective and universal in its exploration of the human experience.

What a strange, grotesque story, lol.

Very splatter punk, very body horror - toeing the line of eldritch horror, very wild and confusing.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the writing style was incredibly unique, it's chaotic and the occasional pov change adds to the chaotic feelings in the story.

Jennifer-baby just goes from one problem to the next, with little to no reprieve in between. Damn girl, what a burden to bare.

I did however find that the subplots kind of felt "other" to the story. They were very much their own stories and I felt like they didn't add enough to the main story line and dragged down the pacing.

Overall beautifully horrifying.

This book is a freaking fever dream! So many times, I had to stop what I was doing & say to myself “WTF am I reading?!” I could NOT put this down! Forever reading anything this author puts out. The first half was full of me questioning my sanity, and trying to figure what is happening. Second half, me questioning my sanity because of how OBSESSED with this book I became.

I have already made anybody that would listen to me, sign up for NetGalley & get this book because I NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH PEOPLE WHO KNEW WHAT THE HELL WAS HAPPENING!

This was my entry into extreme horror & I’m so happy it was. This book has every trigger under the sun but damn, the writing draws you in. I could visualize almost every word in full color.
Divine Flesh is and will be the only of its kind. Award for the most unique thing I’ve read. I originally gave it 3 stars but after thinking about this book almost every day for weeks since I’ve read it, I felt it deserved the 5 stars.

Thank you, thank you to the author, publisher & Netgalley for this eARC.

This cosmic chaos was not for me. I was excited to get this arc because the premise sounds truly intriguing, and this cover is amazing, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it.

What started as a fun read, quickly turned out too confusing and chaotic for me to follow. It was not a pleasant read for my brain, between the bizarreness of the narrative, the abrupt switch of POV and the numerous characters, I felt like a lost ship at sea in the middle of a storm. This was not a good experience.

I did like the visuals, and descriptions. It was extremely graphic and sometimes disgusting. It was grotesque, absurd, and sincerely not for the weak. I would say this was more on the splatter-punk side, because some descriptions were gory, but it was well written.

I know there is a solid story beneath all these layers of chaos. I could glimpse some of it, a story of control and abuse disguised as love in the most unique way. I have to say I never read anything like it, but sadly I couldn’t appreciate it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is… a garden. A beautiful, impossible garden, sprouting alveoli studded flagella, and artery laced pseudopods, glistening with a million, billion bejeweled eyes, breathing intricate fractal tapestries of living, sculpted meat which festoon the air, singing: Love, love, love… Yud-Hey-Va-Hey.

Drew Huff paints the most lurid, Cronenburgian, and disturbing scenes with language that makes them inescapably alluring. Despite the horror of what’s being described, you find yourself unable, or perhaps unwilling to look away.
This beautiful trove of forbidden delights and exquisite prose, tell a story of hopelessness, despair, love, and redemption. A self destructive woman, a deeply broken man and a shattered god.
It is a story which shows that even the most broken, unredeemable and monstrous of us can find redemption if we can but find the capacity within us for love.
If you struggle with addiction, as your humble reviewer does, I couldn’t recommend this book more highly. If I hadn’t stopped drinking six years ago, this book may very well have been the inspiration to do so.
But as someone in recovery, I found it incredibly meaningful as well. Despite whatever mistakes I may have made or stupid things I may have done, I too am redeemable.
Yud-Hey-Va-Hey

The cover is pure perfection and the book matches it cover. I really enjoyed this dark and gruesome book. The writing is nice and the pacing perfect. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

I think it's obvious from the cover, but this book is gruesome. The interesting thing is that it's gruesome in an almost casual way. Like the trauma and the gore and the horror is so non-chalant that it doesn't feel traumatizing to read. An excellent book. I will say, it felt a bit chaotic at times, it could have used a BIT more structure. But still EXCELLENT.

The premise if this book was reareally good, however I feel like it was a bit all over the place. I do really like structured books, so it could just be me. Regardless really enjoyed it.

Drew Huff’s The Devine Flesh is a wild, unapologetic dive into a world filled with gore, vulgarity, and gripping emotional intensity. Following the chaotic life of Jennifer Plummer, this book is a rollercoaster ride that doesn’t hold back, immersing readers in a dark, raw story about trauma, survival, and the divine.

The story centers on Jennifer Plummer, a woman struggling through a life clouded by drugs and alcohol. As if her existence wasn’t already a challenge, she harbors a literal goddess inside her body. Through Jennifer’s journey, readers are thrown into a world of visceral body horror, devastating despair, and moments of resilience that will leave you reeling.

One of the most striking aspects of The Devine Flesh is its rawness. This was my first introduction to a book filled with such vulgar language and gore, and it was absolutely captivating. Jennifer’s natural, almost nonchalant way of dealing with the horrific situations she’s thrown into left me flabbergasted. It opened my mind to a new type of protagonist—one whose trauma shapes their actions in believable and often shocking ways.

The characters, too, felt incredibly real. Every villain introduced had a clear and understandable reason for their cruelty, making them complex and believable rather than caricatures of evil. Huff’s ability to create characters that feel grounded, even in a world filled with divine and horrific elements, is a true strength of the story.

Jennifer is undeniably the heart of this story. Despite all her wrongs, I couldn’t help but root for her. She’s messy, flawed, and utterly human, even in her extraordinary circumstances. Her despair felt authentic, and I found myself deeply invested in her journey. She’s the kind of character you stick by, no matter how bad things get.

Then there’s Daryl. Oh, Daryl. I have such a like-hate relationship with him. Not even “love-hate”—just “like.” It’s frustrating because I want to dislike him so badly, but I can’t completely dismiss his perspective. He’s written in such a way that his actions, while often infuriating, still make sense. That kind of complexity makes him a fascinating character, even if he’s not entirely likable.

Honestly, I can’t point out any weaknesses here. This was my first foray into a book like this, and it delivered on every front. The gore, the trauma, the moral ambiguity—it all felt intentional and well-executed. For me, every element of the story felt purposeful and impactful.

At its core, The Devine Flesh explores trauma, resilience, and the complexity of human nature. Jennifer’s journey highlights the despair of living through unimaginable circumstances and the strength required to face them. It’s a story that challenges readers to empathize with deeply flawed characters while contemplating the line between humanity and divinity.

The Devine Flesh is a chaotic, gut-wrenching ride that doesn’t shy away from the grotesque or the emotional. Drew Huff has created a story that feels deeply personal yet universally relatable in its exploration of trauma and survival. I’d recommend this to readers who are ready for a dark, visceral tale with complex characters and unflinching honesty.

If you’re looking for a book that will shock you, challenge you, and stay with you long after you’ve finished it, this one is worth the ride.

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an honest review 😊
#Netgalley

2.5 stars.

While I really liked the body horror, the cosmic horror, and the Eldritch monsters, I'm not sure if this really worked out as a full-length novel.

I think a novella would've sufficed, since the main plot and subplots felt like they were dragged out to reach a word count. As much as I loved the idea of multiversal monsters like the Divine Flesh and the mirror people laying their eggs and birthing their spawn across the dimensions, we only got a glimpse of that concept because this story took place solely on present-day Earth.

Other than Jennifer and her estranged husband (who's obsessed with the Divine Flesh in a gross, yet comedic, way) going around trying to stop the Divine Flesh and the mirror people, the plot was really thin. The Divine Flesh rambled a lot, terrorized people, rambled some more, terrorized more people, and rinse and repeat.

The mirror people egg subplot was kinda cool, but like the Divine Flesh plotline, it dragged out too long after the 50% mark and I found myself eager for it all to be over.

I had fun while it lasted, and I actually wouldn't mind reading more from Drew Huff.

Thank you to Dark Matter INK and NetGalley for this arc.

**Thank you so much to Drew Huff/Dark Matter INK for providing this ARC in return for an honest review via NetGalley. Expected pub date March 04, 2025**

This novel feels like an acid induced, cosmic horror, possession nightmare- and I enjoyed every last minute of it! I couldn't put this book down!
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This 448 page novel is written in nonlinear format, which worried me at first because of the length of the novel (and quite frankly my ADHD). I feel like sometimes longer, nonlinear style novels can get confusing if they're not executed properly- and thus- you end up rereading pages and filing back through the novel trying to figure things out. That doesn't happen in this novel - Drew Huff is quite gifted at controlling the pace of the story as well as keeping you intrigued the whole way. I was invested in this story and it's characters from the very beginning. I could tell reading this novel that Drew Huff takes great pride in her craft. The novel felt polished even though it's an ARC.
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I definitely need to read all the things from Drew Huff now! I definitely recommend reading this novel if you love cosmic horror/possession horror.

I think I liked this book, but totally have to sit with it a while before I’m sure lol. It was really confusing for me, but the writing style was enjoyable. I was hooked instantly but it stayed vague throughout and made me loose a little interest. Liked the cosmic horror aspect a lot.

Absolutely stunning writing style, and the heavy dramatic gruesome details, the start of the book was slightly slow but about halfway there it had me completely HOOKED


Thank you for sending me the ARC I enjoyed this book and will look forward for more Drew Huff books!!!

WHAT IS THIS.

First off, I’m so grateful to have had the chance to pick this up early (huge thanks to NetGalley!). I have to say, this book made me feel like something was crawling under my skin while reading it—in the best possible way. I absolutely love stories that evoke this kind of visceral reaction.

The premise immediately hooked me, and the potential of the story had me excited to dive in. Unfortunately, I felt it didn’t fully deliver on its promise. The writing style is quite unusual so I thought it intriguing and ambitious at first, but it soon felt like it was trying to do too much at once. As the narrative progressed, I found my initial enthusiasm waning, and it became harder to feel excited about picking it back up. That and that I just coudn't connect with any of the characters like, at all.

I’ve noticed a lot of readers enjoyed the disorienting quality of the book— we all love to be confused sometimes. I’m not convinced that being perpetually confusing is a strength, tho. For me, it just pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me deeper into it.

“Some people have mommy issues, some have daddy issues, but everyone has God issues.”

A fascinating bit of SFF horror.

The prose is quirky, interesting, has a good, chewy texture; the characters are unique and so very flawed; and the lore is plentiful, engaging, strange. In some ways, I wanted so much more — more world building, more lore — but I think the author does a nice job of keeping the focus on current events.

Equal parts body horror, horny, and heartfelt, I loved the whiplash between POVs, and you get many. And unlike some books, each character lends something to the narrative. The only detractor is that the pacing does falter toward the middle before picking up again for the last part of the story.

For all the eldrich horrors, gods, and abominations, this is really a story about what it means to be human. Is happiness — true or otherwise — worth giving up the things that make you truly you? For all your despicable actions, can you still be redeemed? Can god be killed? The themes were delightful and unexpected. For anyone into religious types of horror, and who isn’t squeamish, this one is for you.

All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

This was a DNF for me. I enjoy cosmic horror and the premise was very interesting, but the plot felt disjointed and confusing. I would definitely try out any other books by this author, but was disappointed by this one.

The synopsis sounded good and interesting, but for me it didn't deliver what I thought it would. Some things I sort of enjoyed, namely the gore-elements, but that doesn't build a story.

This book was INSANE! A crazy concept. I liked this book…didn’t love it. I found it hard to sometimes navigate the “inner” convos between the Divine Flesh and the characters. Crazy and disgusting ride overall. Know this book is trigger heavy.