The Monster of Elendhaven

June 3, 2019
Full of foul, intoxicating odors and fouler characters, this disquieting short novel employs serial suicide and multiple homicides to offer criticism of its decadent setting. In vaguely Victorian, coal-grimed Elendhaven, Johann, a supernatural companion mistakenly summoned by sorcerer Florian Leickenbloom, becomes Florian’s assistant in crafting a plan to reintroduce a deadly plague. Florian, last heir of the fallen Leickenbloom fortune, schemes to collapse Elendhaven’s nouveau riche elites and take vengeance on the neighboring countries who profited on the devastation wrought by the previous plague outbreak. Opposing him and Johann is a Mage Hunter who’s charged with removing either Florian’s magic or his life. Giesbrecht tries for a sardonic tone in showing how societies deserve the monsters that they produce, but the imagery of pestilence and splattered bodily fluids tips the balance from picaresque to grotesque. Her work goes beyond grimdark to something more like grimglum, and few readers will be able to stick it out even for the brief length of this misery-marinated story.

Starred review from July 1, 2019

DEBUT In this vicious bruise of a novel, a thing washes up on the shores of Elendhaven. He's small and short but grows and gives himself a name, Johann, gaining an identity at the same time, monster. Johann is something different in Elendhaven, a land where magic has died out. He can gruesomely hurt himself and heal quickly, over and over. He can harm others, and they won't recover. When Johann meets Florian, it's a match made in hell: Florian is a powerful sorcerer who hides in plain sight as an accountant. He also wants to watch his world destroyed in a plague of his own creation. There's an immediate attraction between them, but it's hard to find a quiet moment to explore it as they try to bring their city down. VERDICT Elendhaven is as fully formed as Mervyn Peake's "Gormenghast" series with truly repellent characters who don't possess a shred of moral fiber. Yet the right readers will still love them, as newcomer Giesbrecht is a fantasy writer to watch with a sure command of her world.--Jennifer Mills, Shorewood-Troy Lib., IL

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
In her dark, atmospheric fantasy debut, Giesbrecht paints a tale of violence and revenge set against the chilling backdrop of a fictional Nordic town born of magic and industry, but now dying from disaster and greed. Johann is a monster, surviving by his own strength and wits in the unforgiving streets of Elendhaven. Florian is a different kind of monster: he is the last of his family, which has suffered greatly at the hand of the town and outside influences. Florian enlists Johann in a plot to take revenge on those that wronged him, and Johann, devoted to Florian, is eager to assist. Violent, visceral and a tad romantic, the book follows the two as they embark on a journey that will either destroy them or fulfill their destinies. The uncovering of secrets and the evolving relationship of Johann and Florian is a true delight and is supported by crisp dialogue and narration. With elements of gothic, horror, and fantasy, the story will appeal to readers who enjoy witty and dark tales smeared with blood and vengeance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)