I'm not sure how to feel about this one. Having picked it up based on the cover and blurb, I expected much more horror than we actually got, though there were good points here and there. The relationship between Noon and her mother had much more meat to it than the horror, though honestly it deserved more space than it got. The writing is solid all the way through, if narratively distant, and I can't say the queer aspects didn't forgive a lot for me. Still, it ends at a 3.5 rounded down because by the end I was barely invested.

A prominent part of the story is a big event that happened in Noon's past, hinted to be sexual assault. Unfortunately, she makes a point of never saying exactly what it is, and the deliberate obscuring of what exactly happened gets clunkier the longer it goes on, especially as we're in first person from the viewpoint of the person it happened to. It'd be one thing if she was trying to forget it, but she references it constantly, so it makes it awkward as a reader because it's a narrative device not a character element to obscure the event until a big reveal. Except that reveal never came, even when she killed the guy who was involved.

It's also wild that they get attacked by a cove full of algae powered zombies, including a traumatic discovery of the co-lead's mother, and still the biggest drama is the still obscured event at the cove prior to the hurricane. I think it just needed more to it: if this event is so traumatic, so intrinsic to how Noon is now, why does she never really react? She mentions it a lot but it doesn't inform her actions much, she never emotes much about it even in the privacy of her own head. It sits as a plot point and not a character defining event.

This is how a lot of the book goes. For all that we are in first person and intimately embedded in Noon's view, we do not benefit much from it. Noon's secrets remain secret, even in her head, and her feelings on most things are muted, sometimes missing alltogether.

It's all the more disappointing because the scene between her and her mother when we finally get some answers is really gutwrenching and well written. I think it would have been even more so with more build up.

"It’s strange, how little love you can survive on until you experience the warmth of people who choose you despite everything." Moments of genius like this brought the score up for me.

But then the climax struggles to build, with too many threads trying to pull together too late. The huge decisions and actions taken get very little reaction from Noon. She literally sheds her skin to get out of a cage at one point and just... moves on?

Another excruciating example: "“Your plan so far has been absolute shit.” For full effect, I fervently visualize the poop emoji."

Any tension we might have had deflated like a wet balloon here. It wasn't even funny enough to justify, as the narrative hasn't leant into this sort of humour enough for this to feel anything but out of place.

I think what broke this for me was telling not showing. First person lends itself to showing, as you have insight into the character's mind and viewpoint. However, Noon narrates her way through life changing occurrences like she's the author watching it, because she is. The divorce from emotion, despite everything that is happening and has happened, is frustrating because there are so many strong notes here for readers, if only the writing would lean in rather than retreating.

*Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

Monsterhood is a girl's body you don't belong in.

Can we just take a minute to appreciate that cover...absolutely stunning. Now, just to preface this review- I'm not usually a YA reader but I flew through this like there was no tomorrow. A perfect blend of Vietnamese folklore, horror and sci-fi elements. The social commentary on gender and self-identity was powerful throughout, it was intelligent and unique.
The story revolves around young Noon, a queer Vietnamese- American teen who scavenges mutated sea creatures to survive alongside her distant, mourning mother. When people start drowning under mysterious circumstances, Noon is forced to hunt down the creature responsible.

This had me in a chokehold with its southern gothic storyline, the imaginative body horror and the themes surrounding identity and grief.

My first read from this author but definitely not my last. Full of intrigue, intensity and mystery, this was a truly fascinating read and has made me want to read more from this author.

Creepy underwater infection leaning into the society around it, this was body horror and eco horror rolled into one. Really enjoyed it

If my memory serves me right, this is the first book I’ve read by a Vietnamese author — and wow, did it leave an impression! A true dystopian horror that begs to be adapted for the screen someday.

The world has changed. Fear, chaos, and uncertainty rule the land. Noon and her mother travel endlessly, clinging to the hope of finding the missing… or the monsters that survivors whisper about. A devastating hurricane and mysterious scientific experiments have unleashed unforgettable destruction, yet no one knows exactly what they’re dealing with. What is killing people? Where are they disappearing to? And what happens to them afterward? The world is gripped by fear — and Noon is no exception.

The story delivers a gripping and haunting narrative, packed with chilling descriptions and some brilliantly unexpected twists. Structurally, it feels like the book falls into three main parts: the beginning, where we meet the characters and get a sense of this strange new reality; the middle, where Noon and Covey set off on a hunt for the monster; and the ending, where the threads begin to tie together.

The beginning is especially strong — fast-paced and instantly immersive. The situation is so bizarre and dystopian that it’s impossible not to be intrigued. Was the scientific experiment a tragic accident or something deliberate? What really happened to Noon’s father and brother? What is the true nature of that red algae? What becomes of the dead? And who — or what — is moving in the water?

The middle section starts to steer toward answers, but at the same time raises even more questions. We’re introduced to survivors from Noon’s past and more of her complicated backstory. Personally, this part was the weakest for me. The pacing slowed, the plot became a bit harder to follow, and I’m not sure the addition of new characters was the right move — it felt slightly uneven compared to the rest of the book.

But the ending? Absolutely phenomenal. Yes, it gave me chills, and at times it was hard to stomach — but I simply couldn’t put the book down. What’s going to happen? How will this end? The questions demanded answers. If the middle was a slow drift, then the finale was a wild current. I loved the bold direction the author took, both for the characters and the readers. It was something unexpected, even surreal — dramatic, messy, and gloriously unhinged. There’s sadness, rage, and love all tangled together.

If you’re looking for something truly different — something refreshingly creepy and atmospheric — I highly recommend this book. A sharp, well-written, and unforgettable read! 😊

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for this memorable reading experience!

I read Trang Thanh Tran’s first novel, ‘She is a Haunting’, for season six of our podcast, ‘The Dark Academicals’, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel, especially when I learned we’d be exploring a flooded, algae-covered Louisiana.

Trang Thanh Tran is a master of weaving together haunting stories of loss and home and threat with themes of generational trauma, what it is to be caught between cultures, and the longing for things you don’t even fully understand and ‘They Bloom at Night’ ticked all of those boxes for me.


I’m a sucker for a Southern Gothic, especially when it combines the aftermath of climate-fuelled disasters that have creepy, body horror, bio aftereffects.

A red algae bloom has taken over Mercy, Louisiana, ever since a hurricane devastated the town. Mutated wildlife lurks in the water that rises by the day, but Mercy has always been a place where monsters walk in plain sight. Especially at its the Cove, where Noon's life was upended long before the storm at a party her older boyfriend insisted on.

Now, Noon is stuck navigating the submerged town with her mom, who believes their dead family has reincarnated as sea creatures. Alone with the pain of what happened that night at the cove, Noon buries the she is not the right shape.

When Mercy's predatory leader demands Noon and her mom capture the creature drowning residents, she reluctantly finds an ally in his deadly hunter of a daughter and friends old and new. As the next storm approaches, Noon must confront the past and decide if it's time to answer the monster itching at her skin.

The set up and setting of ‘They Bloom at Night’ is so captivating in its inherent threat to Noon and her mother, especially as that plays alongside her inability to leave Mercy without abandoning her mom and her obsessive need to find the ghosts of their family. It feels cloying and oppressive, even while they’re out on the open water, because it’s the water that provides a large portion of the threat. The red blooming algae has caused…changes in the wildlife and no one really knows what it’s capable of.


With the looming fear and trauma of an assault at a party and questions about her identity and sexuality added to the daily threats that Noon faces in Mercy, she lives a very risky and fraught life and it was so easy to care for her and hope hope hope that she gets out of the sticky situation she found herself in unscathed. I was so thoroughly swept away by the setting and the way that Noon navigated it with her mother and Covey that I was sad to leave Mercy behind when the book ended. I’m a sucker for a vibrant setting and ‘They Bloom at Night’ nailed it.

Trang Thanh Tran is a beautiful and thought-provoking writer and she’s on her way to becoming an author who’s books that I eagerly anticipate. ‘They Bloom at Night’ is a cloying, oppressive, and tantalising exploration of what lurks beneath the surface, both personally and literally.

Thank you to Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for the review copy.

Written by Sophie

This is very atmospheric, and I loved how the author wove nature and horror elements together to create a very gory yet meaningful story. The imagery is strong, to the point where I had to stop reading multiple times to shake the images from my head because they were freaking me out! It's also got a bit of a coming of age element to it which I appreciated, but I do think the author was packing a lot into a short space of time, with this book being less than 300 pages long, and I think if the book had been longer we could have spent more time unpacking each element to the story.

I ended up DNF as I found the book to be ambiguous for me and the horror themes were too intense. I recommended it to my partner who enjoys the genre more and he was happy to read it once the book came out. In this instance I have linked his review as he finished the book.

I shared this review onto the stories of my instagram too.

They Bloom at night - Trang Thanh Tran

Wholelotta hype, it’s ok. Not as good as I thought it would be but there are also a lot worse stories told. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I was nervous given the YA tag on this one but im glad I gave it a go. The usual writing of a YA novel which is just a bit too juvenile for my taste, but the story was interesting enough that I happily made it to the end

Thank you to NetGalley and to Bloomsbury for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: body horror, gore, blood, murder, rape, sexual assault, racism, transphobia

Mercy, Louisiana. A town engulfed entirely by red algae and mutated, dangerous wildlife ever since a devastating hurricane. Abandoned by the government, and now the entire world, Mercy operates to its own rules- but even with monsters prowling, it’s always been a terrible place. Years ago Noon went down to The Cove with her older boyfriend and that destroyed her life, leaving her feeling as if she no longer fits in her skin. Now Noon is trapped in Mercy alongside her mother, who won’t leave because she’s convinced their dead family will be reincarnated as sea creatures. Made to take on work hunting the mutated fish and shrimp, Noon can’t escape the memories of the Cove and the terrible things that happened: and now she is not the right shape anymore. When Noon and her mother are blackmailed into working for the leader of Mercy to hunt down the creaturing drowning residents, they’re joined by his daughter, Covey, who has her own reasons to search Mercy and friends from Noon’s past. As the next hurricane approaches, and the mystery and secrets become too much for her to bear, Noon must decide if she’s going to give into the monster inside.

I raced through this book. It's a brilliantly paced, spooky YA based on Vietnamese folklore following a teen in the middle of a disaster zone, all while she’s struggling with the loss of her family, her traumatic past and the reality of having to reconcile with yourself. Noon is an excellent main character and I connected with her so quickly. She's got so much to deal with (especially her mother’s belief that their family might come back to life) but she’s incredibly resilient and brave. I loved how this book weaves together race, trauma, violence, sexuality, gender, family relationships and expectation into a story about survival and hope despite the dark subject matter. The environment of Mercy is vivid and genuinely scary, you can imagine the algae covering the town and the kind of mutated animals Noon comes across. Her experiences with Covey as they hunt the monster are so well written and I really liked the way their relationship grew and changed. Noon plays so many roles in this book- the loyal daughter, the despairing and grieving teenager, the victim of a terrible experience- and the way the author describes her discomfort is so visceral. ‘They Bloom At Night’ is deeply atmospheric, a tight paced adventure with some incredibly disturbing moments as Noon and Covey wander Mercy looking for the truths behind everything. I initially picked this one up because I loved the cover but I stayed for the brilliant storytelling.

‘They Bloom at Night’ is a gorgeous fusion of a queer coming-of-age story combined with a fantasy/ folklore sentiment. Noon is a captivating narrator and the entire story felt really original in premise but still poignant and relatable in terms of the struggles she faces growing into herself.
Tran has constructed a brilliant story; layered with complicated family dynamics and the struggles of body identity, all set in this dystopian/ hurricane battered landscape. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this horror but more so a story that blurs the lines across so many genres but I was so impressed with the character arcs and the way Noon guides us through her story.
So many lines from this novel will haunt me in the best way for a very long time to come.
4.5 stars

If you’re looking to settle down with something a little spookier while the nights are still dark, They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran (Bloomsbury, £8.99) is a perfect choice. Set in Mercy, Louisiana, a small town which has been invaded by a red algae since a hurricane struck, this is an eerie and haunting tale. Noon and her mother live in Mercy, trying to navigate a life in the submerged town, where only mutated wildlife and a few humans remain. When they are approached by the town’s self-titled leader to help him, Noon must band together with a group of survivors to make it through as another hurricane approaches. This novel is dark and mysterious, a beautiful blend of modern horror and Vietnamese folklore.

Ahhhhhhhhh Trang Thanh Tran has done it again, and I loved it. They Bloom at Night is such a haunting, atmospheric way about it, and it is entirely unrelenting in its approach to the tension built throughout. I love atmospheric horror, especially anything set on the Bayou, and so this was an almost guaranteed 5-star read for me. Noon is a young lady fighting the monster beneath her skin while trying to keep her mum from falling apart, in the setting of a post-hurricane town full of mutated sea creatures. One thing Trang Thanh Tran does so well is allow her young characters to explore their sexuality against the backdrop of horrific situations, and I cannot wait for her next book already.


Thank you to the publisher and author for this book.

requested this to sell in and now I am just writing 100 characters so that I can submit my review. Side note, I loved this. So creepy!

This was brilliant. Incredibly atmospheric, a great cast of characters with fantastic LGBTQ+ rep and I loved the inclusion of Noon and her mum speaking their native language.

A plot and setting so unique that I've been recommending it to everyone.

Firstly round of applause for the cover!

Secondly I read this in 1 sitting! The powerful messages woven within this book were just incredible and absolutely make you think.

The mixture of genres was done so well I absolutely loved this!

3.5 stars. I know they say not to judge a book by its cover but this cover is truly captivating ane caught my eye immediately.

This was a really unique idea - I loved the links to Vietnamese mythology and this book touches on a lot of really key social issues - racism, gender identity, environmental and natural disaster concerns but a lot more. The relationships in this book are complex despite the length of the novel and it comes together well.
I did find myself struggling with this book towards the end as the pace suddenly changes but overall I enjoyed the experience reading this.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Such a beautifully haunting book about identity, acceptance, culture and trauma.

I adored the writing style so much and found the book hard to put down. I was desperate to find out more about the characters and the troubles they faced both in their past and in the new world they are discovering after the hurricane.

A story of found family, found self and love of the sea.

Trang Thanh Tran’s novel presents a setting that sounds undeniably intriguing: a small Louisiana town overwhelmed by a toxic red algae bloom, mutated wildlife lurking in the floodwaters, and a protagonist grappling with both external monsters and her own internal turmoil. On paper, this blend of swampy atmosphere, horror elements, and personal struggles seemed like the kind of story I would normally enjoy. Unfortunately, it did not work for me in execution.

The central character, Noon, is weighed down by past trauma and a mother who believes their family members have been reborn as sea creatures. While that premise is unique, I struggled to form any real connection to Noon or the people around her. Even the mother’s eccentric beliefs, which might have been a captivating subplot, felt underexplored and distant. The introduction of Mercy’s menacing leader and his skilled hunter of a daughter initially hinted at a complex power dynamic, but the tension never fully developed into something I could invest in.

The constant threat posed by the mutated environment was described in detail, yet for all the novel’s focus on horror, it never evoked a strong emotional reaction. By the time Noon had to make her fateful decisions, I felt more detached than invested. While others may find the coastal lore and the eerie mood compelling, I personally found it difficult to latch onto any character or narrative thread. Despite its promising premise, the story ultimately fell flat and left me wanting more clarity and depth.