05/08/2025: Sonja Ska Reviews 'The Lamb'

An eleven-year-old girl finds multiple fingers in her bathroom drain, but she doesn't freak out because she remembers eating the rest of the bodies.

I don't know how else to lead into this absolute mindfuck of a book, so if you're into weird, disturbing literature, you really need to read The Lamb by Lucy Rose. It follows Margot, a young girl living in a remote cabin with a mother who has taught her how to trap and eat the lost souls they stumble upon in the forest (people, they're eating people). However, their lives change when a visitor disrupts their rhythm, making them re-evaluate each other and their cravings.

There's so much I love about The Lamb, but one of my favorite things is how hunger can represent this dark, hollow thing that can't be sated in some people and a fragile, secret hope to become better in others. Exploring the difference plunges you into heart-wrenching mother-daughter dynamics, a yearning to be loved, and a harrowing journey to become your own person. But the journey isn't a disjointed and painful one. Raw in only the ways a book about cannibalism can be, and too messy to properly clean up the blood once it's been spilled.

Here's the thing: The Lamb is a slow and sleepy read. Instead of relying on an outright plot - though there is one - it feels more like a character study, one made up of joints, tendons, and so much heart. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of visceral scenes of muscles being cut open and thighs being tenderized that will leave you squirming, but somehow, that all takes a back seat as you get more invested in Margot and her journey.

The Lamb is perfect for people interested in cannibalism, both in practice and as a symbol for secret cravings and desires, stories of rage and pain and trying to find yourself when the world seems like a bizarre place. Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063374609/?bestFormat=true&k=the%20lamb&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_8&crid=1F14E9A27024U&sprefix=the%20lamb