“The Works of Vermin” by Hiron Ennes

This was absolutely, utterly bizarre. I also mostly didn’t really understand what was going on; I was loving it, but I didn’t understand it. Then there was a reveal that made me re-evaluate everything; I still didn’t understand it, but I loved it more. I’ve never enjoyed being completely baffled more than while reading this book.

I really don’t think I can accurately convey just how weird this is.

But anyway, the plot. This book is set in Tiliard, a city carved into the stump of a gigantic city-sized tree, growing on the banks of a river that is utterly toxic and regularly produces monsters that infest the city. No one knows where the river comes from, or where it goes; it’s strongly implied that every attempt to find the source or the mouth results in death. It’s also made clear that go far beyond the river valley and the world is barren and deadly. But none of that wider world stuff matters, I just want to make clear to those who like their worldbuilding concrete (i.e. Sanderson) … this book ain’t that.

In the lower reaches of Tiliard we have the trio of Guy, Guy’s little sister Tyro, and their roommate Dawn. Guy and Dawn both work as exterminators, dealing with the vermin that infest the city. Rather a more dangerous job than real-world exterminators, as the “vermin” in question are the terrifying monsters finding their way up from the river. Guy is determined to keep Tyro out of the exterminators and find her a better life; Dawn wants to protect her as well, but thinks Guy is being hopelessly naive.

In the upper city we have Aster, who is the perfumer to the Marshall in command of Tiliard’s military and police forces. Perfume in this book is, also, a more serious business than in the real world; thanks to the effects of some of the secretions of the city’s vermin, perfumes are more of an olfactory weapon than a fashion statement. She meets Mallory, a country boy coming to the city who takes the completely shocking step of not wearing any perfume at all.

We have two stories unfolding, the exterminators in the lower city struggling to survive, and the powerful in the upper city maintaining their power and playing their games. Obviously the stories come together eventually; I will admit to being taken by surprise by exactly how that happened.

This book also reminded me a lot of Daniel Abraham’s Kithamar books; like in the Kithamar books, I feel like the real protagonist here isn’t any of the characters so much as it is Tiliard itself.

I feel like this review is pretty incoherent, which honestly feels perfectly appropriate for this book. I don’t think I really can explain it; it has to be experienced. Do yourself a favor and experience it.