Woodworm by Layla Martinez came across my radar when I asked for recommendations for short novels to help break me out of a reading slump. I can’t remember who recommended it, but thank you! Told through the perspectives of a grandmother and granddaughter, this novel explores generational trauma and classism that takes a horrifying turn. The women are trapped in a house built with money earned from the exploitation of poor women, and shadows lurk in every corner. This house breathes, it is angry, and the women in the family can never leave. At least not for long.
The way this story unfolds is masterful. Martinez draws you in from the first sentences: “I walked in and the house pounced on me. It’s always the same with this filthy pile of bricks, it leaps on whoever comes through the door and twists their guts till they can’t even breathe.” It is clear from the outset that the house is important; it is more than just setting, it is a character in its own right. The story continues with the granddaughter telling what is happening in the present time and the grandmother filling in what happened in the family’s past. The two points of view weave together to give the reader a clear perspective on how actions taken long in the past by people who are dead and gone can impact the lives of both grandmother and granddaughter now. The story end in a twisted sort of justice that feels right, but is also horrifying.
Translated from Spanish by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott, Woodworm uses a rich evocative language that elevates simple descriptions into something breathtakingly beautiful. There were many times throughout the book when I would stop reading to go over the same sentence over and over because the diction was absolutely stunning. I know I’m going to want to reread this book many times over to revisit the gorgeous language.
Also, while I typically don’t care how a book is made—whether a mass market paperback, a trade paperback, or hardcover—I have to say the hardcover edition of this book is outstanding! I borrowed this book from my local library and it’s a bit smaller than most hardcovers with a canvas cover that has the art and back matter printed on it. The pages are thick and luxuriously smooth. Like I said, I’m not usually someone who cares about how a book is printed, but oh my goodness, this book feels so nice when you hold it in your hands! I had to immediately buy my own copy.
I highly recommend Woodworm by Layla Martinez and will be keeping my eye out for new books by this author.
Read-alike vibes: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson and Follow Me to Ground by Sue Rainsford for the small-town social tensions and contentious familial relationships. She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran for the twisted dynamic between a haunted house and the family that lives within it.
Publication Information:
Title: Woodworm
Author: Layla Martinez
Translators: Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott
Publisher: Two Lines Press
Publication Date: May 14th, 2024
Other new releases I highly recommend: Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker (Tordotcom, September 4th, 2024) and Sunbathers by Lindz McLeod (Hedone Books, September 6th, 2024)
