Every time she bleeds a murderer is born. Experience the horror of Tade Thompson’s The Murders of Molly Southbourne.The rule is simple: don’t bleed. For as long as Molly Southbourne can remember, she’s been watching herself die. Whenever she bleeds, another molly is born, identical to her in every way and intent on her destruction.Molly knows every way to kill herself, but she also knows that as … every way to kill herself, but she also knows that as long as she survives she’ll be hunted. No matter how well she follows the rules, eventually the mollys will find her. Can Molly find a way to stop the tide of blood, or will she meet her end at the hand of a girl who looks just like her?
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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This is a twisted little nugget of a book. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything else like it. Based on the blurb, one would expect to read a suspense novel or a thriller, but it really wasn’t either. Molly Southbourne faces nearly impossible circumstances, because her blood can spontaneously reproduce into murderous replicas of herself. I say murderous, but they don’t set their sights on any old target, just on Molly herself. Despite this, Molly chooses to leave behind the insular life she has lived on her parents’ farm and attend university. In the end, The Murders of Molly Southbourne is a story about a girl facing factors outside her control and still trying to find a way to live life on her own terms.
I would recommend this book to more mature readers who don’t mind delving into the gray areas of morality. There is extensive bloodshed, but it is acknowledged in a very clinical manner, so it doesn’t come across as being gory.
If you bleed, blot, burn and bleach.
This is the mantra Molly lives with day after day. If she doesn’t follow it, she must kill herself. Every time Molly bleeds, there is a risk a new molly will be created. The mollys start off innocent, wanting simple things like comfort and companionship, but it is only a matter of time until they turn against her and anyone that gets in their way.
This macabre story will take hold of you and refuse to let go. Molly is a girl forced to grow up in isolation on her parent’s farm. Before being allowed into the real world, she must learn how to deal with her condition. If she bleeds, Molly must quickly destroy the blood. But when she can’t, Molly learns how to disassemble a body for easy disposal and clean up. After all, you can’t leave dead mollys lying around for someone to find.
But killing copies of yourself takes its toll on Molly. Emotions do not come easy to her. When she is finally ready to leave the farm, she will have to learn how to function like a normal human. Dealing with the residue fears that arise from her trauma and the difficulties of forming a relationship.
This is not a book to pass on. I highly recommend it. Tade Thompson is extremely talented to have created such a story in fewer than 100 pages.
I don’t know what i think about it. it has interesting concept. characters were okay but not great. execution was okay. but i wanted some more history but as novella it was good enough. i think i’ll like it more if i read the second book in series. looking forward to that.
The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson is such an original horror story filled with life, death, and lots of blood. While reading, I felt very unsettled and anxious throughout; I loved it!
What an amazing plot! I thought it was so interesting that clones were created whenever Molly bled and didn’t dispose of the blood properly. What a terrifying idea, especially for a woman! And then to top it off, you could never guess how quickly a molly would turn on her. One second they could be friends, the next they’re fighting to the death! Phew!
Check out this quick passage:
The rules are simple. If you see a girl that looks like you, run and fight. Don’t bleed. If you bleed, blot, burn, and bleach. If you find a hole, find your parents.
I get the chills each time I read that!
I thought that Molly was such an incredible character! I really enjoyed seeing her grow up while dealing with her very unique issue. I mean, it’s confusing enough to go through puberty, but add this on top of it all?
I also really enjoyed Molly’s relationship with her parents and how real it all seemed, especially during her teenage years!
The writing style and the pacing of the novel was perfect; it started with a bang and swept right me along. I was totally captivated with each and every page!
When I finished the last page, I was so happy with where the author had taken the story. I loved that it circled back to end this book in a wonderful way that could be left as a standalone (if you wanted to stop there of course), but an ending that also that leads perfectly into a second book.
What a page-turner. What a ride. A great read!
A great short read you cannot put down. Awesome!
A strange, PG15 sci-fi tale that can be finished in about four hours. I received an advance copy and this voluntary review is my own opinion.