Goddess of Filth by V. Castro
Goddess of Filth by V. Castro is a horror novella that was published on March 30, 2021 by Creature Publishing. It weighs in at 86 pages.
The title of this book is what first caught my eye, but I was also intrigued by the cover. Once I got started reading, it was hard to put down! There are so many exciting characters and plots to hold your attention and drive the story forward. V. Castro has a fresh and thrilling take on horror, and I am so glad I picked up a copy of this book.
In this gripping novella, a group of high school girls is having a sleepover to celebrate one of their birthdays. It’s a big deal since it’s their senior year, and Fernanda, the birthday girl, is heading off to college soon. They decide to hold a seance, not expecting their efforts to amount to anything. It’s quite a surprise when a spirit answers their call and turns their lives upside down. Despite the help of a priest, the spirit isn’t willing to leave its corporeal home so soon. What follows is a coming-of-age story about two girls, each discovering things about themselves they’d never have known if the possession hadn’t happened.
This story has a great deal of strong Latinx characters. I really enjoyed watching them learn how to overcome their struggles to find their footing in the world despite many obstacles. Castro pulls back the curtain to show the reader what it’s like to be a young Latinx woman - both the good and the bad expectations. She also does a wonderful job showing the reader the rules of being a female. This book leaves you with a feeling of girl power, hope, and the courage to do what needs to be done.
On a nerdy note, I love hearing folk tales and learning more about other cultures through their stories. In Goddess of Filth, we get a taste of Aztec mythology and are introduced to a character who specializes in indigenous languages and pre-Columbian history. Castro did a great job keeping my interest throughout the book with these kinds of characters and situations. The details helped propel the story forward and make you understand why this particular spirit responded to the girls during their seance. Even if the story hints at the fantastical, you also find it to feel realistic and believable.
Not only do you get to follow these brave young women as they try to figure out how to handle the possession, you’ll be introduced to a priest who seems to be battling his own demons. Castro does a fantastic job blending the stories together to bring the reader thrills and suspense on top of supernatural horror. One of my favorite themes Castro also includes is a sense of action based on a strong belief of righteousness and justice. I cheered numerous times as I read this, because I do love when a shady character gets his “comeuppance.”
Since this is a coming of age story, it isn’t shocking that there are a variety of scenes involving sexuality. Castro isn’t afraid to throw the subject in the forefront, and she does a great job using it to propel the story. It is necessary, not gratuitous, and she uses it to help introduce the beliefs and agenda of the girl’s spirit inhabitant as well as show the changes the possessed girl experiences along the way.
I really enjoyed Goddess of Filth and hope you will, too.
