He pretended to be human for seven years. Until he couldn’t.

PLOT SUMMARY:

He’s a traveling salesman named Paul Cattaneo, except he isn’t. He’s a Mirror Person–a hyper-empathetic eldritch abomination. He found the human Paul Cattaneo’s mangled corpse seven years ago and decided to mimic it. It’s just what Mirror People do. Mimic. Absorb. Control.

But breeding season for Mirror People comes around every seven years, inducing a sociopathic state… and Paul’s time is up. Unable to avoid the reality of what he truly is, Paul has a mental breakdown, goes on a cross-country road trip…and runs afoul of something far, far more inhuman and dangerous than himself.

GRADE: B+

REVIEW:

I’ll start by saying this is the first book I’ve read by this author—and I’m not usually drawn to cosmic horror. But the premise was just too compelling to pass up, and I’m so glad I gave it a shot.

The story follows Paul, who has lived for seven years as a human… until his dormant parasite instincts awaken. Suddenly, he’s forced to choose between embracing his true nature or continuing to pretend to be something he’s not. It’s a fascinating, unsettling concept—what does identity mean when your biology tells you you’re something else entirely?

There’s plenty of horror and gore for fans of the genre (which I definitely am), and the writing is sharp and confident. I won’t spoil the plot—this is a short novella, and I really think it’s best experienced with as little context as possible. Going in blind made the experience all the more intense and unpredictable.

After this, I’ll absolutely be checking out Huff’s earlier work and anything she releases next. If you’re into cosmic horror with a sci-fi twist, this is one to put on your list.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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