The Divine Flesh by Drew Huff

Jennifer and Darryl are a lovely couple. Upon adjusting my goggles, I see my mistake there. Beginning again, Jennifer and Darryl are most definitely not a lovely couple. Jennifer, a person prone to sabotage, recklessness, drug abuse, and an affinity for alcohol, is a problem. Darryl, with good intentions, equally has motivations for being with Jennifer. It’s what is inside her. Now, that may seem the most apparent thing to readers, but in this instance, it refers to something that coexists in Jennifer's body. The Divine Flesh, or DF for short. DF is a god, or as much of a god as one can be. DF loves Darryl, or as much as a godlike entity can feel for any human. DF is a being who wants to assimilate humankind so she can love them in return. Through various scenes of carnage and mayhem, DF and Jennifer are split into two beings. Multiple mysteries ensue, some of which require DF and Jennifer to both solve. A question arises: Are they even on the same side? As the mysteries build, this is only the beginning of a deranged story. One involving a being born of the light and one of darkness within the same womb. Concluding in unexpected twists that bend the mind.

I deeply exhale as I attempt to gather my thoughts. Confusion rings loudly. Why am I confused, you may ask? First of all, the cover art, in all its splendor, is a perfect representation of this book. Hearts with mouths, teeth upon rows of shark teeth, aptly describe this endeavor. It must be said that I applaud author Drew Huff and his creativity here. It is ambitious, and for that, he should be commended. With that said, it meandered in spots far too long. The DNF button looked me in the face; it said, C'mon, Orb, just do it; end your misery. I refused; I committed to sticking it through until the very end. That said, this was rocky. During the middle portion of my read, I was lost. The substance of the story leaped off the track, and it never regained its steam. However, while entering the last leg of my journey, I began to gain a small bit of understanding. Restoring my faith that I will endure during times of reading laboriousness.

The white light blinded me in a sense of serenity and calm, being on the hero’s team, vanquishing those draped eerily in darkness and evil. Luke Skywalker, clad in his billowing white garb, versus Darth Vader, cloaked in his onyx shroud of deception. However, in this story, there seemed to be a polar opposite take on this normal train of thought. To avoid giving readers any spoilers, there was an unexpected element of cleverness. I would not say I had an affinity toward any of the characters within the book, and in all fairness, this may have lent a bit to my frustration. There was a fair amount of “side quests” going on to probe and gain some understanding. I could not escape the fact that perhaps it could have been more streamlined to greater effect. We have shape-shifting mirror people, created by a woman/godlike being, for her to reproduce more of her kind on Earth. A town lynching by bigoted individuals, a fatal car crash, and drug deals gone wrong. There seemed to be many moving parts, and I, as a reader, wanted to focus solely on the main relationship and characters within that small circle.

In conclusion, has this been my best review? Certainly not. I might DNF my own review if I could. I struggle with this, as is apparent with the aloofness brought upon by my inability to articulate this review. I wanted to love this. The cover art demanded it! For me, this never reached that level. I am giving this 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Many thanks to Drew Huff for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

This book is an absolute rollercoaster of insanity and cosmic horror, blending grotesque imagery with a twisted, almost beautiful exploration of love. Jennifer, a flawed, self-destructive junkie, shares her body with the eldritch god Divine Flesh, who wants to assimilate everything in her path—including Jennifer’s husband, Daryl. Through a chaotic series of events, including Daryl’s murder, the struggle for control between Jennifer and Divine Flesh creates a brutal, mind-bending narrative that’s both unsettling and strangely heartfelt, leaving readers hooked from start to finish. If you're looking for something truly bizarre and unforgettable, this book is a wild ride you won't want to miss!

huge fan of body horror, and this was great. Never read Drew Huff before but I will be checking out more. Only criticism is it was a bit long for my tastes

This book was disgusting, bloody, gory and absolutely FANTASTIC. I loved everything about this book. From the Divine Flesh, to Jennifer doing her absolute best. Please write more books for me to read.

A Gore-Drenched Gnostic Nightmare - Yet Somewhat Lacking...

This is typically the type of book I'd go nuts for. Eldritch. Body Horror. Dark as hell. But "The Divine Flesh" by Drew Huff misses the mark for me.

- Things it Does Well:

GRISLY: If I had to conceptualize this work into one word, I think "visceral" might be it. There's an insane level of grisly detail on display here. Cronenberg would be pleased.

GNOSTIC: The author is well-versed in occult and gnostic terminology. I especially like the details concerning the number of teeth the Divine Flesh has (108), which is synonymous with Eastern tantric numerology. Additionally, there is a heavy Gnostic bent with the themes on display here. Demiurgic and wannabe-Demiurgic characters run amok. I certainly wish to see more themes such as this present in eldritch literature moving forward.

- Where it Falls Flat:

- PACING: The book could have used some serious shearing. "The Divine Flesh" would have been fantastic as a novella or something far shorter. I would characterize this as a page-turner despite its surreal and completely beyond-the-pale subject matter. This confounded me because, again, this is the type of book I usually fiend for.

DIALOGUE CONFUSION: The Divine Flesh, as a character, shares a body with a human being. This can cause issues with perspective regarding dialogue and understanding what is happening at any given time.

Now, I understand that the writing style for this work is intended to be trippy, surreal, and Burroughs-esque in its approach, I fear it may have missed the mark in terms of something that is easily digested (no alien meat-goddess joke intended... maybe).

CONCLUSION

While I didn't necessarily enjoy this book, I'm still extremely intrigued by what else Drew has up their sleeve in terms of content down the road. There's a uniqueness in voice, style, presentation, and hellion-esque attitude that is enticing.

Simply put, Drew Huff has a distinct voice, which is evident within the first few pages of this monolith of meat and depravity. If you've got a hunger for the truly out-there in terms of surreal writing topped with a candy-coated gore-infused frosting, give this one a read.

I requested this book because I like to enjoy a horror story once in a while. I don't mind gore and all that but I couldn't get into this one. It was confusing as hell and I had no idea what was going on half the time. I also felt the writing was convoluted and pretentious a lot of the time. I know this was intentional, it just didn't vibe with my style unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. This book was crazy. The divine flesh is trapped in Jennifer's body and they each despise each other. Jennifer takes an experimental drug and her ex husband help her to free herself from the divine flesh's control.

The Divine Flesh by Drew Huff is an intriguing fantasy novel that blends adventure with deep philosophical themes. The story follows Elira, a young woman who discovers that her body is connected to a divine power, leading her on a journey that challenges her beliefs and identity.

The novel does a great job of building a unique world where gods and mortals interact in complex ways. The main theme revolves around the idea of the human body as a vessel for divine power, and how this affects Elira’s understanding of herself and the world around her. As Elira grapples with her newfound abilities, she faces both external threats and internal struggles about faith and morality.

While the pacing can be slow at times, with multiple storylines unfolding gradually, the story ultimately comes together in a satisfying way. The ending leaves some open questions, setting up possibilities for future books.

Overall, The Divine Flesh is a thought-provoking read that combines rich world-building with a compelling character journey. It’s a good pick for readers who enjoy fantasy with deeper themes about faith, identity, and power.

I hate to dnf a book, but I couldn't find myself enjoying it. The synopsis sounds intriguing and I really wanted to like it as a big horrror fan, but when I started the book I found it repetitive and kinda underwhelming. I'd like to give it another chance, but maybe it's just not for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dark Matter INK for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m, not quite sure how to summarise this book other than “how gloriously batshit was that.” Body horror, flesh-goddesses, themes of love, power, autonomy and the self are all wrapped up in this small town murder mystery come inter dimensional drug trafficking ring slash coming of age, though it’s more like coming into one’s own body. Initially this was a 3.75 for me, but the more I sit on Huff’s talent and audacity, the more I love it.

Set in a small town in America - Rosetown, Idaho - Jennifer is part of an inter dimensional drug smuggling ring, and battles a daily fight for control of her own body and mind with the eldritch flesh goddess inhabiting her - The Divine Flesh. Now, when Daryl, Jennifer’s ex husband and whom The Divine Flesh happens to be currently in a relationship with, is murdered by small town bigots, Jennifer and TDF have to work together (if they can) to find the murderers. Along they way they become separated, Daryl resurrected, and they must all contend with the all-consuming hungers and desires of The Divine Flesh herself.

We follow - stumbling along in their wake - several key characters. Jennifer, The Divine Flesh, Susan, Daryl and Clay. Jennifer, our eldritch entity hosting drug mule, and The Divine Flesh, said eldritch entity, come as a pair; both inhabiting the same body, the same mind. Theirs is a relationship born of constant battle for control, of experiencing and denying hungers, of loss of autonomy, grief and trauma. Daryl, Jennifer’s ex and TDF’s current love, gets caught up in this pulsating mess of a story, flung around, taken apart and put back together and damn I feel for the guy. Susan and Clay are our Mirror People, an alien species and part and parcel of the inter dimensional drug racket Jennifer finds herself smuggling goods (Mirror People eggs).

I will say, I spent about 40% of this book oscillating between mild and moderate confusion; though I do think that this is just part and parcel of the premise.

This is, in its heart of (many mouthed, multiple) hearts, TDF is a love story; it’s a story about consent, autonomy, self acceptance, and the queasy nature of love as a force. TDF explores, in a hazy, whirlwind, trippy, confusing punch-in-the-brain sort of narrative, questions of what can be considered “love”; can something intensely volatile, possessive, controlling and domineering and still be love. It considers the power of repressed desires, examined through the lens of a flesh-hungry goddess who just wants to “love” (consume) flesh, with little understanding or concern for humanity.

I enjoyed being hurled along with TDF herself; as though she, naturally, was a character with an utterly foreign mindset being an eldritch flesh goddess and all, Huff’s writing was visceral and tangible. TDF’s desires, motivations and reasonings were expressed in a way that could, and did, resonate - the absurdity of the strength of her power conveys the absolute overwhelm of emotions when someone presses them down. Her innate call for love can resonate with someone starved of it. Her grief speaks to those still processing their own pasts.

What I loved however was Jennifer - at times a passenger in her own body, her own mind, she was the driving force for me during this bloody, gory, hallucinogenic feeling ride. Damaged by her past, and her, you know, constant state of sharing her soul with a flesh goddess clamouring to feed and deal death, Jennifer is a lost soul trying to find herself, to reclaim what’s been taken from her. Due to the breakneck speed of the plot, we don’t really have too many contemplative moments with Jennifer or Daryl, but Jennifer’s journey is one I found satisfying - if not intensely overwhelming.

Essentially, read THE DIVINE FLESH if you want a body horror that’s breakneck, filled with telepathy, an aching hunger that crawls from the pages and feasts on your organs. A relentless pace with no concern for whether you understand which reads like ‘buckle up buddy, we’re going feasting and a’murdering and you better just strap in.’ It’s brutal and wild, confusing and relentless, and I’ll definitely be reading it again to find everything I missed on the first go.

This was the cosmic horror of my dreams. My only complaint is that it got a little bit long. Other than that, the interdimensional drug mule who is also dealing with being the third wheel to the flesh goddess that possesses her being in a relationship with her ex-husband, Daryl, is an extremely fun protagonist to follow. This was also a surprisngly touching book, in between some of the most fun body horror I experienced in probably ever.

What in the fever dream cosmic fuck is this? 🤣 This book is so weird and gross, and full of the love of a monster. The Divine Flesh is easily the most interesting God (monster) I’ve read and her babies (creatures, assimilated humans, what the fuck ever) were freaky and disgusting. You’d think the most evil, horrible character in the book would be one of the Eldritch Gods; the ones trying to assimilate the population or fill their bodies with larvae, but you’d be wrong. It’s a man, and he’s the fucking worst. I think this was longer than necessary, but it was a weird, wild, ride and I liked it for the most part.

What a wild ride! Full of gore and felt like a surreal trippy ride on acid (totally in a good way). Full of body horror that made my skin crawl. Loved!

This book stands out in every way, yet it kept me completely engrossed. It’s both disturbing and gripping. The story centers on Jennifer, the main character, who is not only battling her own inner demons but is also sharing her body with a powerful eldritch goddess named Divine Flesh. As if that weren’t enough, both Jennifer and Divine Flesh are in love with the same man—Daryl, Jennifer’s husband. This creates a maddening power struggle, leading to shocking and often violent outcomes.

DNF at 30%.

I was so hopeful for this but the writing was choppy and repetitive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dark Matter INK for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a weird, wild ride and my favorite read of 2025 so far. I haven't encountered a setting that embraced its weirdness so fully since Library at Mount Char, which is high praise! I loved that the reader was thrust into this bizarre landscape as seen through the eyes of a delightfully fucked up protagonist and trusted to put the pieces together along the way. This book had everything: phenomenal fleshy goopy body horror, a serial killer, cosmic and existential terror, and giant insect shenanigans.

The cover drew me in and the plot sounded intense. And I was right to pick it up. That was a fever dream of body horror and I'm all here for it.

I recognize this as an insanely creative story and as beautifully written I just simply think this book wasn’t for me. I’m usually not overly interested in the “alien” side of things so I was weary going into this book to begin with for that reason. The body horror was written so vividly that it is what made the book for me. I will be reading more from Drew Huff and have a few books from them on my tbr that I am anticipating reading. If you love alien weird sci-fi with a ton of descriptive body horror, check this out!

This would be a four star read - if not a full five - if I had any clue what the f*ck was going on!

In this book we follow Jennifer, a young alcoholic/drug mule who shares her body with the Divine Flesh, a cosmic entity. Jennifer is married to Daryl, though they are estranged and mostly married for insurance benefits.

I tried to figure out a way to summarize this, but my head is spinning. The main attraction is that Jennifer and the Divine Flesh are separated for the first time and all hell breaks loose. But there are some subplots that get so confusing: space larvae as drugs? A murderous real estate agent? Daryl and the Divine Flesh being in love?

This was such a cool concept, and the characters were entertaining, but the execution suffered a bit. We are thrust RIGHT into the story with very little to no explanation of what’s going on. There’s a more concrete explanation given towards the very end, but by that point I had scratched my head so many times in confusion that I could barely comprehend anything.

Oh, but the body horror was top tier! Some really creative moments there.

Overall, I think this could’ve done better had it been simplified just a LITTLE. It was very involved, but not very clear.

i'm still not entirely sure what i read, this was such a confusing rollercoaster of a fever dream, but it made sense. words twirled around each other like veins and parts of it just swept me along. a few parts actually did make me gag as well, which doesn't happen with body horror for me often. i would definitely love to read more of drew huff's books.