sashareads's Book Journey

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc of this book!

You know how books always have it in their blurbs that the fans of XYZ will love this! This book also has compares itself to other books. But out of the gate, this book is a lot like If We Were Villains, and not only because both stories are about Shakespeare and have Hamlet in it. Being compared to that story is a huge compliment from me, believe me. What can I say about Thoughts Be Bloody, if not that I loved it so much.

The writing. It was simply so beautiful, so evocative and atmospheric. It takes you right to the scene, and it also makes you feel so many times. So suspenseful as well, and Horatio is such a good unreliable narrator. This book deals so much with memory and time, so it's all muddled up with confusion and mystery; this story has such a good way of depicting that and making you feel just a little confused as well. I know that a lot of reviewers ended up DNFing this book because of the unconventional writing style, the back and forth between different tenses, but I am such a sucker of unconventional writing styles that are meant to reflect the story, and so I loved this so much. One of the best things about the book honestly.

This is such a beautiful love letter to Hamlet as well. I don't think you have to necessarily read the play in order to enjoy this book, but it's makes for such a lovely experience if you have read and loved the play. If you have read Hamlet, you know what is going to happen, since it has similar story beats, but it doesn't take away from the experience at all. It just fills you with a sense of dread (in a good way) of what's about to come. It was also really fun identifying the little details that come from the play itself!

The representation, so good. The main character of this book is a trans man, with one of his love interests being a trans woman, and I think it's handled so well. It's a very touching portrayal, and the fact that Horatio is trans also plays a significant part in this complex he has about feeling very small and weak, very not powerful compared to his peers. Lia was lovely, and my heart breaks for her suffering, for how she just cannot catch a break.

Now I really want to re-read Hamlet and get around to reading a few more retellings.

Okay, huddle up my fellow lovers of anything queer, tragic, magic and dark academia; this one is for us! Oh, and if undiluted yearning is your thing then you’re not gonna want to miss this either.

I have so many thoughts about this book, but most of them wander straight into spoiler territory, so I’ll keep myself contained. This is a book best experienced in its full, spiralling intensity.

Thoughts Be Bloody is a Hamlet retelling that places Horatio Bithersea at the centre and gives him a depth I feel is missing from the original play - he is also trans in this retelling.❤️‍🔥

The novel explores identity, loneliness, insecurity, loyalty, obsession, and the way fear of returning to isolation can twist itself into fierce devotion. It shows how ferociously we cling to the person who feels like they brought light into a dark room - even when that loyalty forces us to question who we are and who we’re becoming.

It’s a story about wanting, losing, and grieving so deeply it threatens to consume you. And threaded through all of this is a sharp examination of classism: how privilege shapes opportunity, how neglect shapes everything else, and how those divides echo through every hallway of the school and every branch of its magic.

Horatio tells the story himself, but the telling is so vivid that the line between hearing his memories and living inside them blurs. The structure won’t be everyone’s preference - it’s strange, nonlinear, and intentionally disorienting - but Patrick Auden makes that choice work beautifully. The writing itself is alive, pulsing with Horatio’s fear, devotion, and unraveling.

As the tragedy unfolds (and it is a tragedy; it wouldn’t be Hamlet otherwise), Horatio’s reality frays in a way that is exquisitely depicted. My heart sped up in rhythm with his, and the gothic atmosphere wrapped itself around every scene. It’s one of the most atmospheric books I’ve read in a long time, with prose that is both gorgeous and unsettling. I found myself postponing picking it back up because I didn’t want it to end.

The magic system is another standout. It expands steadily without becoming confusing, and the rules are both clear and flexible, shaped by ongoing magical research. The school and its magic aren’t just a backdrop; they’re integral to how the book handles classism and the ways knowledge and power are distributed.

The novel also offers an unflinching depiction of how loneliness, insecurity, and isolation can make someone vulnerable to manipulation. Horatio and Hamlett’s toxic dynamic is a striking example of how easy it is to lose yourself trying to become what someone else wants, especially when that person is charismatic and knows exactly what buttons to press. If you haven’t experienced that kind of relationship yourself, this book offers a clear window into how quickly self‑blame and rationalisation can take root - how easy it becomes to convince yourself that you are the problem, that they’d never do that, and forgive them when they do it anyway.

Of course, this is shaped by Horatio’s point of view, and there’s plenty to analyse from Hamlett’s side as well - but I’ll leave that to another reader.

It only feels appropriate to touch a little on how Thoughts Be Bloody holds up as a retelling of Hamlet. Doing so without spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read, seen, or heard Shakespeare’s play is, of course, its own challenge. Even so, the novel marvelously preserves the structural DNA of the original. The truth is ever‑shifting, and in Horatio and Hamlett we see revenge complicated by hesitation and emotional paralysis.

If it isn’t already clear: I loved this book. I honestly can’t believe it’s a debut novel.

Thank you to DAW and Netgalley for the ARC. The thoughts above are entirely my own.

Okay, huddle up my fellow lovers of anything queer, tragic, magic and dark academia; this one is for us! Oh, and if undiluted yearning is your thing then you’re not gonna want to miss this either.

I have so many thoughts about this book, but most of them wander straight into spoiler territory, so I’ll keep myself contained. This is a book best experienced in its full, spiralling intensity.

Thoughts Be Bloody is a Hamlet retelling that places Horatio Bithersea at the centre and gives him a depth I feel is missing from the original play - he is also trans in this retelling.❤️‍🔥

The novel explores identity, loneliness, insecurity, loyalty, obsession, and the way fear of returning to isolation can twist itself into fierce devotion. It shows how ferociously we cling to the person who feels like they brought light into a dark room - even when that loyalty forces us to question who we are and who we’re becoming.

It’s a story about wanting, losing, and grieving so deeply it threatens to consume you. And threaded through all of this is a sharp examination of classism: how privilege shapes opportunity, how neglect shapes everything else, and how those divides echo through every hallway of the school and every branch of its magic.

Horatio tells the story himself, but the telling is so vivid that the line between hearing his memories and living inside them blurs. The structure won’t be everyone’s preference - it’s strange, nonlinear, and intentionally disorienting - but Patrick Auden makes that choice work beautifully. The writing itself is alive, pulsing with Horatio’s fear, devotion, and unraveling.

As the tragedy unfolds (and it is a tragedy; it wouldn’t be Hamlet otherwise), Horatio’s reality frays in a way that is exquisitely depicted. My heart sped up in rhythm with his, and the gothic atmosphere wrapped itself around every scene. It’s one of the most atmospheric books I’ve read in a long time, with prose that is both gorgeous and unsettling. I found myself postponing picking it back up because I didn’t want it to end.

The magic system is another standout. It expands steadily without becoming confusing, and the rules are both clear and flexible, shaped by ongoing magical research. The school and its magic aren’t just a backdrop; they’re integral to how the book handles classism and the ways knowledge and power are distributed.

The novel also offers an unflinching depiction of how loneliness, insecurity, and isolation can make someone vulnerable to manipulation. Horatio and Hamlett’s toxic dynamic is a striking example of how easy it is to lose yourself trying to become what someone else wants, especially when that person is charismatic and knows exactly what buttons to press. If you haven’t experienced that kind of relationship yourself, this book offers a clear window into how quickly self‑blame and rationalisation can take root - how easy it becomes to convince yourself that you are the problem, that they’d never do that, and forgive them when they do it anyway.

Of course, this is shaped by Horatio’s point of view, and there’s plenty to analyse from Hamlett’s side as well - but I’ll leave that to another reader.

It only feels appropriate to touch a little on how Thoughts Be Bloody holds up as a retelling of Hamlet. Doing so without spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read, seen, or heard Shakespeare’s play is, of course, its own challenge. Even so, the novel marvelously preserves the structural DNA of the original. The truth is ever‑shifting, and in Horatio and Hamlett we see revenge complicated by hesitation and emotional paralysis.

If it isn’t already clear: I loved this book. I honestly can’t believe it’s a debut novel.

Thank you to DAW and Netgalley for the ARC. The thoughts above are entirely my own.

Okay, huddle up my fellow lovers of anything queer, tragic, magic and dark academia; this one is for us! Oh, and if undiluted yearning is your thing then you’re not gonna want to miss this either.

I have so many thoughts about this book, but most of them wander straight into spoiler territory, so I’ll keep myself contained. This is a book best experienced in its full, spiralling intensity.

Thoughts Be Bloody is a Hamlet retelling that places Horatio Bithersea at the centre and gives him a depth I feel is missing from the original play - he is also trans in this retelling.❤️‍🔥

The novel explores identity, loneliness, insecurity, loyalty, obsession, and the way fear of returning to isolation can twist itself into fierce devotion. It shows how ferociously we cling to the person who feels like they brought light into a dark room - even when that loyalty forces us to question who we are and who we’re becoming.

It’s a story about wanting, losing, and grieving so deeply it threatens to consume you. And threaded through all of this is a sharp examination of classism: how privilege shapes opportunity, how neglect shapes everything else, and how those divides echo through every hallway of the school and every branch of its magic.

Horatio tells the story himself, but the telling is so vivid that the line between hearing his memories and living inside them blurs. The structure won’t be everyone’s preference - it’s strange, nonlinear, and intentionally disorienting - but Patrick Auden makes that choice work beautifully. The writing itself is alive, pulsing with Horatio’s fear, devotion, and unraveling.

As the tragedy unfolds (and it is a tragedy; it wouldn’t be Hamlet otherwise), Horatio’s reality frays in a way that is exquisitely depicted. My heart sped up in rhythm with his, and the gothic atmosphere wrapped itself around every scene. It’s one of the most atmospheric books I’ve read in a long time, with prose that is both gorgeous and unsettling. I found myself postponing picking it back up because I didn’t want it to end.

The magic system is another standout. It expands steadily without becoming confusing, and the rules are both clear and flexible, shaped by ongoing magical research. The school and its magic aren’t just a backdrop; they’re integral to how the book handles classism and the ways knowledge and power are distributed.

The novel also offers an unflinching depiction of how loneliness, insecurity, and isolation can make someone vulnerable to manipulation. Horatio and Hamlett’s toxic dynamic is a striking example of how easy it is to lose yourself trying to become what someone else wants, especially when that person is charismatic and knows exactly what buttons to press. If you haven’t experienced that kind of relationship yourself, this book offers a clear window into how quickly self‑blame and rationalisation can take root - how easy it becomes to convince yourself that you are the problem, that they’d never do that, and forgive them when they do it anyway.

Of course, this is shaped by Horatio’s point of view, and there’s plenty to analyse from Hamlett’s side as well - but I’ll leave that to another reader.

It only feels appropriate to touch a little on how Thoughts Be Bloody holds up as a retelling of Hamlet. Doing so without spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read, seen, or heard Shakespeare’s play is, of course, its own challenge. Even so, the novel marvelously preserves the structural DNA of the original. The truth is ever‑shifting, and in Horatio and Hamlett we see revenge complicated by hesitation and emotional paralysis.

If it isn’t already clear: I loved this book. I honestly can’t believe it’s a debut novel.

Thank you to DAW and Netgalley for the ARC. The thoughts above are entirely my own.

Okay, huddle up my fellow lovers of anything queer, tragic, magic and dark academia; this one is for us! Oh, and if undiluted yearning is your thing then you’re not gonna want to miss this either.

I have so many thoughts about this book, but most of them wander straight into spoiler territory, so I’ll keep myself contained. This is a book best experienced in its full, spiralling intensity.

Thoughts Be Bloody is a Hamlet retelling that places Horatio Bithersea at the centre and gives him a depth I feel is missing from the original play - he is also trans in this retelling.❤️‍🔥

The novel explores identity, loneliness, insecurity, loyalty, obsession, and the way fear of returning to isolation can twist itself into fierce devotion. It shows how ferociously we cling to the person who feels like they brought light into a dark room - even when that loyalty forces us to question who we are and who we’re becoming.

It’s a story about wanting, losing, and grieving so deeply it threatens to consume you. And threaded through all of this is a sharp examination of classism: how privilege shapes opportunity, how neglect shapes everything else, and how those divides echo through every hallway of the school and every branch of its magic.

Horatio tells the story himself, but the telling is so vivid that the line between hearing his memories and living inside them blurs. The structure won’t be everyone’s preference - it’s strange, nonlinear, and intentionally disorienting - but Patrick Auden makes that choice work beautifully. The writing itself is alive, pulsing with Horatio’s fear, devotion, and unraveling.

As the tragedy unfolds (and it is a tragedy; it wouldn’t be Hamlet otherwise), Horatio’s reality frays in a way that is exquisitely depicted. My heart sped up in rhythm with his, and the gothic atmosphere wrapped itself around every scene. It’s one of the most atmospheric books I’ve read in a long time, with prose that is both gorgeous and unsettling. I found myself postponing picking it back up because I didn’t want it to end.

The magic system is another standout. It expands steadily without becoming confusing, and the rules are both clear and flexible, shaped by ongoing magical research. The school and its magic aren’t just a backdrop; they’re integral to how the book handles classism and the ways knowledge and power are distributed.

The novel also offers an unflinching depiction of how loneliness, insecurity, and isolation can make someone vulnerable to manipulation. Horatio and Hamlett’s toxic dynamic is a striking example of how easy it is to lose yourself trying to become what someone else wants, especially when that person is charismatic and knows exactly what buttons to press. If you haven’t experienced that kind of relationship yourself, this book offers a clear window into how quickly self‑blame and rationalisation can take root - how easy it becomes to convince yourself that you are the problem, that they’d never do that, and forgive them when they do it anyway.

Of course, this is shaped by Horatio’s point of view, and there’s plenty to analyse from Hamlett’s side as well - but I’ll leave that to another reader.

It only feels appropriate to touch a little on how Thoughts Be Bloody holds up as a retelling of Hamlet. Doing so without spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read, seen, or heard Shakespeare’s play is, of course, its own challenge. Even so, the novel marvelously preserves the structural DNA of the original. The truth is ever‑shifting, and in Horatio and Hamlett we see revenge complicated by hesitation and emotional paralysis.

If it isn’t already clear: I loved this book. I honestly can’t believe it’s a debut novel.

Thank you to DAW and Netgalley for the ARC. The thoughts above are entirely my own.