Existential horror, alien plant people, and queer themes, all wrapped up in a creepy, weird, gory tale about what it means to be human. Overgrowth had so many things I love to read about and was a book I really enjoyed!

I think the premise was so unique and there were so many creative and interesting ideas the author explored that gave me a lot to think about. I loved the found family aspect of this book and thought the entire cast of characters was fleshed out so well. Stasia's internal conflict and confused loyalties between her species and the humans she loved was so well-written and created such a great opportunity for social commentary and thought-provoking storytelling. It had a really creepy, but also quite camp aesthetic, and the tone was in just the right place between poignant and bizarre to make me absolutely love it. The characters, themes, writing, tone, and originality were all incredible, but aside from all of that, Overgrowth also just excelled at being a super fun, suspenseful alien invasion story!

However, like a few other people whose reviews I've seen, I did have an issue with the pacing. Sometimes this book would be hurtling forward, speeding through lots of action and revealing the answers to mysteries quicker than I can turn the page. But then this would be followed by a lot of sitting around, reflecting, and asking questions. The slow paced parts in particular were just a little difficult to get through at times and I wish the pacing had been smoothed out a little more.

Still, overall I really loved this and would absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror, sci-fi, or has ever felt like they don't belong. Even though this book isn't EXPLICITLY about being queer (although there is trans rep from one of the main characters that I thought was really great!) I do especially think that this book will resonate with queer readers who I think will relate strongly to the themes of alienation and identity like I did.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with this eARC in return for my honest review.

Oh this book was absolutely amazing I loved every minute of it. It is the perfect ecological sci-fi horror. I really liked the main character and her development throughout (from human being who tells everyone she is plant alien to actually being a plant alien). I also enjoyed how Mira Grant explored the complexities and importance of her relationships (both romantic and platonic) and how they evolved with the progression of the invasion and development of her species. I also thought the way that humanity was portrayed and the varied reactions presented were very interesting too. Looking at the flexibility applied to morality when humanity are trying to ensure the continuation of the human race.

I feel like I could ramble on for ages about the beautiful (and grotesque) imagery (especially of the natural world and botanical elements), the well developed and exciting plot and perfectly timed humour that runs throughout the novel. But in order to avoid any spoilers I am going to leave it there and simply suggest that everyone goes out and buys this book immediately.

It is interesting how new books echo each other. Overgrowth is the second book I've read this month where the female protagonists is certain she is an alien brought up as a human. Unlike Beautyland however, where the alienness may be a metaphor, delusion or true, there is no doubt here. Anastasia Miller is very open that as a child the original Anastasia Miller was abducted by an alien plant, which then grew the version narrating the book in a pod. If you ask her, she will openly tell you that, exasperating her teachers to a minor degree, and delighting the few friends she has. The problem is her alien plant overlords has seeded Earth with their duplicating pod plants, and thirty years later or so are now coming to pick up their progeny, and destroy Earth.

Overgrowth is a fascinating look at an alien invasion from the perspective of an unwitting advance guard. Much of the first third has to deal with this dual personality that Stasia has, on one side she is a customer service operative for a big Sillicon Valley tech company, living with her friends and with a scientist boyfriend away doing research. On the other side she starts having odd dreams, and when a signal is picked up from space, she knows exactly what it means. We get to discover her birthright with her, and her latter poisiton as a fugitive, scientific subject, and slowly turning alien. And in the last third of the book we get to watch the invasion in full, how Stasia feels about people getting wiped out and nature vs nurture plays out.

Grant has put in a lot of work here, her alien world-building is terrific, and whilst some of the chase sequences in the middle section seem a little scrappy, they certainly convince from people trying to work on the fly, not least when they realise their friend - who is slowly turning into a carniverous plant - was always telling the truth. I did feel that some of that midsection was a little long, the book could do with being a little tighter in places, not least because while a lot happens in it, it still feels like it is padded. That is a minor quibble though, it was a thoroughly original take on the alien invasion and one that makes sense, while Grant quote The War Of the Worlds and the Fermi Paradox with a comfort that knows she has thought about how this all fits together. Never trust someone with Audrey 2 pajamas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Anastasia Miller spends her days working in a call centre and being with her small circle of friends. Since she was 3 she has told everyone she meets that she is part of the vanguard for an alien invasion. The day has arrived and the invasion is about to begin.

I can never resist the opportunity to read something that Mira Grant writes, and this book has only strengthened that impression. The novel starts with a shock and from then on there is a growing sense of tension as the inevitable approaches. There are moments of visceral body horror reminiscent of The Ruins, as well as tender moments and strong relationships. It is not for the faint-hearted, but some things you can't look away from. Like all the best speculative fiction it does raise questions of what it means to be human, and to examines the choices we all make.

If you like a little horror along with your sci fi, then I would recommend this without hesitation. The second I finished this I was already excited for whatever Mira Grant might write next.

The premise of Overgrowth by Mira Grant really had me so intrigued and when I received the arc I was delighted.

I made it to 65% and had to finally give up, which is a shame because the first few chapters were so good!

When Anastasia is 3 years old she goes into the forest alone and encounters a strange plant, and from that day on Anastasia is replaced by an alien plant species, being sent as a vanguard to assimilate into humanity.

30 years later, the invasion is finally on its way and Anastasia is grappling with the realisation that the human life she has lead is about to come to an end. And whilst she was most definitely an outcast, she has also managed to make friends who unfortunately will most likely die once the invasion begins.

Which side does she want to be on? Her alien plant species or on the side of humanity?

After those amazing first chapters, almost 60% of the book is pre-invasion analysis of Anastasia and her friends’ thoughts about said invasion with not much action to move the plot along.

So unfortunately, I lost interest. I needed more horror, more action, more plants, more carnage!

Mira Grant is obviously a very talented writer, but this book needed a big edit.

Thanks to Daphne Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

Was so excited for this, was not disappointed. Really enjoyed it, love the writing style. Love that there's trans representation. Got to page 100 and I am getting a physical copy as I struggle to read on screens and couldn't download it to my kobo.

There are so many things I enjoyed about this. Possibly the most exciting was realizing that the closer I got to the end, the less likely it seemed the two species could find peace. Really, when you think about the way the story unfolded, was there ever a chance we'd root for the humans?

Big fan of the way Graham's trans experience dovetailed with Stasia's alien experience, how much he trusted her even when she didn't trust herself, and the way she kept her friends close. It detailed such a specific aspect of the human social bond. We'd rather save the few people we care about than a huge number of strangers. And that final reveal? When the aliens tell her how this all could have been avoided? That gut punched me. It's so simple, and it's absolutely something no one ever would've considered doing.

If you love classic sci-fi, plant monsters, and NASA lowkey being the villain, you need to pick this book up.

Stasia isn't human. She's told everyone at every possible opportunity to since she was very little.

Grant's writing is a triumph. I haven't read any of her other books, but will definitely be picking them up after this one. Overgrowth is a poignant book about what it is and feels like to be human. It is very complicated and also quite gruesome at times, and the starting event is written in such a way that it sets the undertones of the book instantly. Stasia is such a lovable and caring character, it's hard not to root for her.

If you enjoy biological/body horror and alien invasions, then this is definitely the book for you. It captured my attention the entire way through, and the ending was not one I saw coming.

Well this author certainly knows how to write an original and somewhat creepy story. We know that Stasia isn't human, she realises that she isn't human and she tells everyone that she meets but still everything comes crashing down when her 'family ' return for her. Stasia finds herself on the run looking for answers and yet finding out that those who love her will also have to make life changing decisions.
I think essentially this is about what it is to feel human and finding humanity is not always what you might expect. For this reader when the aliens arrive it lost my attention a smidge although my favourite was without a doubt blink and you miss it a dragon ! Perhaps I enjoyed the human interactions more as I wasn't comfortable with my planets sentient lifeforms being consumed but I cannot fault that these characters make choices for themselves which felt both shocking and ultimately right for them. A perfect read if you just want to escape reality whilst looking up at the stars because there really are a lot of them !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts are I believe fair

First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Daphne Press for providing an ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

PLANTED

In the vein of classics like Little Shop of Horrors, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Day of the Triffids, but with a huge twist (the point of view here is the alien's), Mira Grant's return to full-length fiction is a first-contact-meets-coming-of-age story packed with thought-provoking questions and social/cultural commentary. Set in a very near future (2031) over the span of a month, it chronicles the days preceding a plantlike alien armada's invasion of our planet, and the invasion itself, through the eyes of a hybrid character - alien in nature, human in appearance and by nurture - who both knows (and states) she's an alien and at times doubts she's deeply deluded...but mostly, simply, KNOWS. Then again, she has a lot of questions about herself and her origins, especially because more than thirty years have passed since when she allegedly fell on Earth and claimed the body of three-years-old Anastasia, and her people - who equipped her with a compulsion to announce their invasion plans - are taking their sweet time coming back for her.

BOUQUET

One of Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire's strengths is the ability to create fleshed out, complex characters who often straddle the line between "human" and "monster" in different ways (just think of her InCryptid series), yet are surprisingly easy to empathise with. Stasia is no exception, and being in her head while she tries to reconcile her Earthly upbringing with her burgeoning alien nature (no pun intended) both entertains and elicit questions about what it means to be human, or simply, to belong - especially if, as it's the case here, you don't like the human race much as a whole, but love some of its specimens a great deal. On the other hand, Stasia's dilemma is also that of her friends', every one of which used to have a different stance on her alleged alien nature, and now must not only put their beliefs in perspective, but also decide if they want to be allies and risk their very life to have Stasia's back. I loved the nuanced, complicated found family of lovers, friends and accidental associates at the core of the story (also, this wouldn't be a Grant book without a mad scientist of sorts whom you can root for and be annoyed at and find funny in equal measure 😂), and the discourse about identity and the different shades in which otherness may come (I can't speak for a group I'm not a part of, but personally, I found the trans-man rep to be handled with utmost care and empathy).

THORNS

Besides being a story about humanity and lack thereof, nature and nurture, and the fine line between the two pairs, Overgrowth can (I'll go as far as to say "ought to") be read as an allegory of colonialism and its acting under the pretense of having a higher moral ground than the people (here, planet) it decides to subjugate. And granted, Grant's near future is anything but a utopia - among other things, she touches upon climate change and the proverbial under-the-rug approach to such issue (does it sound familiar?). Only, if we draw a parallel between the alien invasion and your average human ones, we run into a problem...despite the rationale behind the first (which follows an articulate, yet somehow simplistic pattern you'll have to read the book to discover), in reality no one "asks" or deserves to be invaded. So you have to take the parallel between the alien armada and a military force taking over a real country with a grain of salt.
Apart from this potentially problematic point, I do have a couple of quibbles about the plot - for instance, a certain twist hinges on the government's not knowing who Stasia's friends are (not very likely), and we're left with questions about some of her family members (cat included), especially one who only gets mentioned for a specific purpose and is never heard of again. Anyhow, nothing that managed to impact my enjoyment of the story on a significant level. Imaginative worldbuilding/aliens, mad biology you can absolutely buy into (I'm in awe), well-rounded and mostly lovable characters, striking sociopolitical commentary and a bold epilogue that you probably won't see coming: welcome back, Mira Grant - it was worth the wait.

heartfelt, terrifying, exciting, full of complicated characters and eerie as hell. i was not expecting a book about body snatching plant aliens to leave me in tears, but here we are. anastasia miller was 3 years old when she found a beautiful plant in a forest and vanished for 3 days. the girl who came back was not the same. 30 odd years later, after telling people her whole life she was an alien and they were coming to invade, she finally got the proof she’d been telling the truth the whole time. from the very first line of this book, i was intrigued. this sci fi horror kept me hooked throughout, even with its lengthy chapters. the counting down to the inevitable invasion day had me in suspense, and i loved getting to know these characters who all meant something in some way to stasia knowing how high the stakes were about to get! she had her ride of dies, and i was all in with them. i loved the way this started and ended, the real reason she was telling this story - she doesn flit between thoughts and what she’s talking about a lot but that is pretty similar to how my brain works so i found it didn’t bother me in any way. i had not anticipated how this would all play out, but i had a blast finding out. kept me intrigued and guessing until the very end. not exactly a horror reader usually, it this has made me interested to check out more of mira grant’s work!
thank you NetGalley and publishings for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

For a book about alien plants, 'Overgrowth' is, if you'll forgive the pun, *meaty*. Thick with allegory (like all the very best of science fiction) it examines "otherness" -- and by extension, belonging -- smartly, compellingly and with a deliciously cynical misanthropy.

The story is beautifully narrated from the POV of Anastasia, one of a vanguard of aliens who have been sent to earth ahead of their invading armada. This narrative device is used to great effect as Anastasia is an oddly empathetic lead given she represents such a violent existential threat to the human race.

Through Anastasia and her very human interconnections and relationships, Grant is able to subvert the traditional, instinctual response we as readers might have to a planetary threat by making us question if we truly deserve to be saved. That's quite the feat.

At times, there was slightly too much exposition (always a danger of the genre) and there was a repetitive quality to the internal debate we witness through Anastasia's evolution, but otherwise it was a great, thoughtful read.

Delightfully dark and yet, ultimately hopeful, I really enjoyed this book.

I've been a huge fan of Mira Grant since the first moment I've read her book. I can't even express how excited I was when I saw the announcement of a new book by my favourite writer. And this one brings everything I love about her books.

There's a core group of characters, that involves friends and annoyances, that are impossible not to fall in love with. There's an amazing world building that takes inspirations from some classics like little shop of horrors and invasion of body snatchers, and then runs with the idea itself into a deeply intricate world of aliens that's impossible to not want more from. And then there's of course the dread and terrifying violence of Mira Grant's horror books which I personally love.

This book starts with a horrifying event that I think sets the tone of the whole book. Even when things seem to be slow and building up to the big events, the opening is constantly in your head reminding you that this story isn't going to have heroes in your traditional sense. I love all the little reveals of the story and the small and quiet tragedy of some of the choices the humanity didn't make.

It's a story that's a commentary on immigration, climate change, love and friendship and somehow it makes it work without feeling overwhelming or preachy. And I'm already looking forward to the next adventure the author will take me on.

I cannot express enough how beautiful Mira Grant's writing is, from the first few pages I was hooked and knew I would be adding her entire back catalogue to my TBR list.

This sci-fi takes inspiration from classics such as Day of the Triffids and the Midwich Cuckoos (both name-dropped in the book) but adds a clever, modern twist to the tale.

I found Stasia to be a fascinating and unique MC, and really enjoyed spending time with her. While this is, at its core, an alien invasion tale, it's also so much more than that, it's about politics, gender, sexuality and overall, found family. I adored most of the side characters and found them well-written and believable.

I also can't end with review without mentioning the world-building, you may think a novel set on Earth doesn't need much world-building, you'd be wrong. Mira Grant's beautiful, lush and evocative writing helped me picture the changing world and the alien influence on it perfectly.

My only criticism is that it felt a bit slow in the middle and slightly overlong. However that doesn't detract from how brilliant this book is.

I have to admit that I had no idea what to expect from this. I just got insanely curious. The cover made me curious. The summary made me curious. The concept made me curious. The genre made me curious. I just had to know what kind of book this was. Luckily Daphne Press granted me a digital review copy through Netgalley.

It's hard to describe this book and how I felt while reading it. This book is complicated and intriguing and in a way also gruesome, but strangely enough also sort of beautiful. The book starts with a very vivid description of how a little girl is eaten by an alien plant. At the time we have no idea where the story will go, but it does set the scene. This is not gonna be a completely pleasant story. These plants are up to no good.

And yet, I did really care about the heroine and her journey. I think it's hard not to. She might be an alien, but she's still a caring one. She cares about her friends, she cares about their fate and she's willing to fight for them, even if it means having to fight her own people. It's therefore really intriguing to see her manoeuvring through this crisis. And although not all decisions seem smart, they all make sense knowing the heroine and understanding the circumstances.

I also really liked the mythology of this story. We're never overwhelmed with information and technical details, but we learn just enough to understand what's going on. Since our heroine is also not very familiar with her own people, it also feels very natural that everything is explained to her, and therefore to us. I also really believe that this is the kind of extraterrestrial life that we will encounter one day. And no matter how gruesome they are, their goal is strangely enough kinda noble and beautiful.

Happy publication day to Overgrowth and many thanks to Daphne Press for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Horror and sci-fi are not usually my typical genres, but the summary of the plot was really intriguing and I must admit I was not disappointed. I have since find out that the author is sort of a giant in the genre and so I shouldn't be so surprised that the story structure was so robust, which is a welcome deviation from my usual reads, which tend to be quite lacking when it comes to world building or character development or both.

As soon as the second alien character was introduced, I enjoyed how different his personality was from the main character's, it really made me stop and think "of course, just because all these aliens are from the same species it doesn't mean that they all feel the same about humans and about their species invading Earth". Effectively these characters were strangers to each other, each a product of their own upbringing and geography, so of course they weren't going to be a monolith but I do think another author, in the same situation, would have struggled with giving them distinct voices and personalities.

I also particularly enjoyed the compulsion element - the MC has a stock phrase that she uses to explain she is part of an invading alien plant species, and this is not something that she consciously chooses to say or can keep hidden, it's presented more as like an unavoidable reflex which I thought provided some light comic relief. It also adds a lot to the plot, because if she had been able to keep her identity a secret then the premise of the book would have been very different.

In short, this is a book that I would not hesitate to recommend to others - even if, like me, they normally stick to other genres. Aside from some references to classic horror films which I understand are one of the main interests of the author, it is very easy to follow the story and I hugely appreciate the diverse cast of characters being distinguishable, a very rare quality these days.

I always love the way Grant turns biology into a mystery, focussing on our very biological composition to create fear. Characters excellent, writing nothing flashy but you don’t want it to be. Just a fun story!

Overgrowth is a gripping story that blends body horror, alien invasions, and a surprising amount of humor into a book that’s hard to put down. Grant wastes no time pulling readers into a tense, atmospheric narrative filled with high-stakes action.

What really stands out are the characters. They're complex, relatable, and often funny in the face of terrifying circumstances. Their reactions ground the story’s more outlandish sci-fi elements, and their interpersonal dynamics keep the tension alive even in quieter moments. Grant’s exploration of identity and humanity—what makes us us—adds depth to the gore and suspense, making the horror feel meaningful.

Despite being new to Grant’s work and sci-fi in general, I found Overgrowth to be immediately accessible. It never bogs down in exposition or drags through filler. The result is a page-turner that balances existential horror with just enough levity to make the darkness enjoyable rather than oppressive.

If you enjoy narratives where the monstrous and the human blur in unsettling ways, Overgrowth should be on your list.

I have been a massive fan of Mira Grant (and all of their works under Seanan McGuire too) for a good few years now and Overgrowth seriously delivers. This book saved me from a reading slump that was lurking right around the corner, keeping me up at bedtime to get through more of the story.

This is such a strong novel with incredibly nuanced themes. The idea of looking at the alien invasion through the perspective of one of the aliens who’s lived most of her life on earth was so interesting. It added another layer to the horror elements of the novel because it allows us to look at the ugliest parts of humanity and then fully sympathise with the ‘enemy’.

*minor spoilers in this paragraph* but I was so moved by the idea that if the humans had just asked the aliens to leave them alone, they would have. That if, instead of treating them with hostility and Independence Day levels of violence, they had just had a conversation with the aliens, everything would’ve been fine. We are doomed as a species because this is exactly how it would all play out.

I loved this book but nothing is without its flaws. There was occasional lapses in logic, loose ends to minor plot points, and character decisions that didn’t make a lot of sense. But overall, I thought this was gripping and eerie and emotional. Not to mention, i LOVED the ending.

Day of the tryfids meets body snatchers meets little shop of horrors.

I loved the unique take on an alien invasion by telling the story from the POV of the alien plant (pun intended). Whilst an interesting story of alien invasion I also enjoyed the social commentary on what it takes to be human and what determines someone identity. Based in a near future that doens’t feel to far away given what’s happening in the world at the moment.

Her friends commitment to protecting and helping her despite knowing everything they do was beautiful.

It was a clever and enjoyable read, creepy and disturbing at times and heartbreaking.