I received this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review, thank you to Heather Parry, Pushwick Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this work.

In the Author's Note at the end of the novel, Parry states that the fundamental question this novel is asking is "who owns a woman's body?" And while I can see and understands the themes of autonomy, misogyny, and violation in the text, I asked myself a different, more concerning fundamental question. What right does this novel have to exist?

While there are several cases presented in the Authors Note, it would be dishonest to pretend that this novel doesn't primarily retell the story of Elena Milagro de Hoyos, a victim of a man who felt his desire to possess her was more important than her finding peace in death. This man was absolved by the courts, and Elena's corpse was further disrespected by being used as essentially a sideshow attraction during the case.

Seeing these specific detailed repeated in this novel, as told from the point of view of a fictionalized version of the vile and reprehensible man (whom I refuse to name) who did this to her. Seeing these horrific deeds done to an even younger girl in the fictionalized "Luci" who stands in for Elena. It feels deeply disrespectful and distasteful. What does this novel seek to tell us, to teach us, beyond what we can learn from the case itself? Is this author herself engaging in an act of resurrection- parading Elena's story before us under the thin guise of changing a few details- therefore equally violating her decency and autonomy? Is it really the place of readers to enjoy the gory details of how the sanctity of Elena's body was taken from her. This is a question typically reserved for the True Crime genre, which this doesn't seem to be marketing itself as, wether or not that is a fair presentation of the novel is up for debate.

I take the lack of mention of any surviving relatives of the victims in the Acknowledgements as an implicit admission that they were not consulted on wether or not they want Elena- and the other women mentioned in the Author's Note- story to be told in this way. I am personally of the belief that it is unethical to release this book, in its current state, without their approval. That is why I am rating this book one star, for the fact it could be actively harmful and disrespectful to the memories of these women. Sensationalizing their and their families trauma for profit.

As for the quality of the novel, while the content reviled me, I have to admit that the writing is very skillfully executed. I enjoyed the distinct voices of Von Tore and Gabriela, in particular Gabriela's chapters were a breath of fresh air after having to endure the POV of a deranged, racist, misogynistic, ex-Nazi piece of trash. I loved the tenderness with which Gabriela described her family, her home, and her sister. I found myself wishing Luciana herself got to have a POV, at least in the first half, as her story is only told through the lens of those who love and obsess over her. Another way which the narrative robs her of autonomy.

Were it not for how heavily this novel draws on it's real life inspirations, I believe I could've enjoyed reading it. The gothic elements are very well executed and the horror was palpable, but the entire time I read felt this knot of disgust in my stomach that ran deeper than just the repulsion I felt towards Von Tore, instead it was a disgust with the way this novel seems to champion feminist themes and claims to represent the importance of autonomy- all while discarding how that applies to the women outside of the bound of it's fiction.

As the Author's Note states: "I know that change does come." And the change I hope to see is one where we stop using the stories of murdered and abused women for our entertainment.

This book is unsettling in a way that gets under your skin slowly—and then refuses to leave. Orpheus Builds A Girl isn’t horror in the jump-scare sense; it’s horror in the “how is this real?” sense, the kind that sticks with you long after you close the final page.

Told through two starkly different perspectives - Wilhelm, a disgraced doctor with a god complex, and Gabriela, the protective sister of the woman he becomes obsessed with - this is a story about power, grief, and how narratives can be weaponized. Wilhelm’s chapters are disturbingly self-assured; he sees himself as a romantic, a savior, even as he descends into something monstrous. Gabriela, on the other hand, brings clarity and resistance. Her voice is raw, furious, and necessary, like a counter-spell to the doctor’s delusion.

That said, this isn’t a book for everyone. It’s deeply uncomfortable, sometimes repetitive, and emotionally exhausting by design. But it’s also thoughtful, well-crafted, and unflinching. It dares to reclaim a story that history has too often told from the wrong angle.

Not quite a page-turner in the traditional sense, but more like a slow, inevitable march toward horror

Thank you to Steerforth and Pushkin for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Orpheus Builds a Girl by Heather Parry is listed as a horror fiction title, most likely due to some taboo-breaking unsavory actions on the part of one of the two narrators. However, it would be closer to list it as historical fiction, because it’s a fictionalization of a true story: that of Elena Milagro Hoyos. The author fills in details and dialogue, changing only a few of the major facts of the case in her own rendition.

Have you ever been stuck on a public bus next to someone raving at you wildly, and you know from the first second they start talking that something is very wrong? But you can’t seem to extricate yourself from the situation so you find yourself very much walled in, nervous and also annoyed that you seemingly can’t get out? That’s the literary equivalent of this book. Kudos to the author for creating a distinct voice for Wilhelm von Tore, because he’s a raving, racist, odious old crackpot who really does try to illicit sympathy. Gabi, by comparison, is an astute and observant breath of fresh air. There is no denial that this author was able to do the dual narrator style well because of such sharp delineation between not only the characters but their ways of speaking.

To me, the thing that I enjoyed most was the author’s decision not to have this set in the time period that the real counterparts lived, but several decades later. This served two purposes which actually were the best executed elements of the book for me; the implication that von Tore is a Nazi and the Cuban revolution forcing the family to Key West. I think this is where the author did her most artful creating; for the family it created an economic and cultural tension that starts wearing the family thin before von Tore ever appears in their life. I also thought that the author was sparing yet very deft with making sure that while von Tore never directly owned up to his Naziism, that the dogwhistles and historical allusions were there. It really underscored the fact that the character was underhanded, selfish, and fully willing to rewrite history for his own gain.

Unfortunately I did find that Orpheus Builds a Girl was not as successful in some of its aims as I would have hoped.

Before anything else, the real issue was the pace and action of the book was plodding verging on absolutely torturous at times. The events of the story happen very slowly, with lots of pseudo philosophy and context between moments. This is further heightened by the fact that half the narration is done in a style that’s persnickety, self aggrandizing, and overly explanatory. The character is already unsympathetic and his glacial pace of narration doesn’t help the feeling of being very much stuck.

Something that, for me, made this book very difficult to read, was that it is almost directly inspired from the real death and postmortem abuse of a real woman under very similar circumstances. In her real life and death this woman has been defined by her lack of agency, her tragic death, and horrible postmortem treatment by an old man who stalked her. Who she was has largely faded into the background under the mythology of the crimes against her. She was an object of morbid fascination, and was reduced to the undignified freak-show effigy she was reduced to. This book felt like, as she never speaks for herself and is always defined and observed by other people, that she and her story weren’t better understood or served. Effectively it felt like Elena Hoyos’ story was mined for trauma and macabre sexual details. Instead of creating insight into a young woman who had agency before things turned unspeakably grim, she is an idea or an object for most of the story. The sister character kept things from being egregious, but part of me felt more unsettled by how it felt like this wasn’t a fresh understanding on this story, but a rehashing of what a creep Carl Tanzler/Wilhelm Von Tore was. I think that there was a somewhat exploitative feeling to the story. Rather than add elements to create a new story or one that humanized, it felt like a too-similar rehashing without the empathy that this story called for.

My favorite parts of Orpheus Builds A Girl were where the author departed from the reference material and created her own depth and context. Unfortunately, I came away from this feeling like the treatment of the inspiration didn’t resonate with me. 2.75/5 rounded up to 3.

I enjoyed this messed up story. Much like Frankenstein and the plot kept me so invested. The characters were solid, while disturbing. I look forward to seeing more by this author.

This is not a full or accurate review - and I’m not planning on publishing it anywhere because I don’t want my DNF to be misrepresented - because I do think I will read and potentially really like this book. I love Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the story of Orpheus, and lived myself in Germany. I don’t have an issue reading uncorrected proofs, that’s what ARCs are. I can read past some formatting and spelling errors. But almost every sentence in this ebook is missing letters. It would be disingenuous to write a review based on sentences like, “ as I approach my nal months” or “ e end of conict is an aphrodisiac like no other,” or “ was e ectively conned to her bed.” They are pretty big and frequent errors and I don’t want the frustration of not understanding the meaning of a sentence to color my view of a book that I might actually really like!

wow this was a gruesome tale. and one of those good ones that you somehow cant look away from.i just had to know how this story would go. was i looking for explanations? was i looking for a why? im not sure because im not sure you could ever explain the happening in this book with a reasonable answer. but it was an intriguing read all the same.
it had that Gothic tone to it. like Dracula or Frankenstein but modern. just that dark tone to it that brought a sense of chill and unease.
this book is about a doctor who becomes obsessed with one woman. and ends up wanting to revive her. yeh, you heard! we get to know the story or their version by both him and the woman's sister.
its a grim book. and iwas never quite sure why i was reading it. but i also new why i was. i was hooked. i wanted to know just how this was going to play out. i like to give myself over to 'different from my norm' books every now and then. and this one was certainly that for me.
what i keep gleaning from this book as it goes on is that this man is either disturbed or evil or maybe both. his work during the war gives me a feeling hes more evil. as disturbed 'ill' people is often such a sweeping statement and i dont like how its handed over to people who do wrong as it adds stigma. but the two might co-exist. this man even from young just seemed very disturbed indeed(his grandma, what?)
all in all i had a mad time with this book but i wasn't mad about it, lol. and im glad i picked it as my 'not the norm' read as it certainly was that.

I’m not sure how to feel about this book. I get it’s fiction based off an actual true crime event, but the author’s decision to not change anything about the real life story and the fictionalised version (other than names) was an odd choice. Why not write it as a non-fiction true crime book instead?

What’s more so confusing is having a whole feminist reasoning for writing this book but then having the female characters get no justice, nor changing the outcome to be supportive is just very bleak and intensely so.

I also found that the main characters not meeting until about page 126 is way too long to have backstory and set up that I almost DNF’d it. I didn’t care for the sister’s story, she’s supposed to be telling her sister’s story for her yet the whole first half of the book is about herself not her sister. This could have been condensed a lot for both the sister and the main male character as the pacing was far too slow and a struggle to get through.

I don’t think this book is for me but I think marketing it as a dark love story is completely unhinged. It’s an actual event that happened and continues to happen nowadays, people should not be shipping them or calling it a love story by any means.

All that said, I’m grateful to have read it to find out it’s not my cup of tea.

This is sooooo fucked up!!! I can totally understand how this may not be your thing - definitely read the content warnings and reviews if you're on the fence - but this was actually my thing. It's definitely got elements of frankenstein but it also has elements of the delusion in a mona awad book as well.

A slow start but when it goes down, it truly goes down. This story was fascinating to me because I already knew about the real case. I knew how horrifying the story was going to be, or so I thought. Nothing prepares you for the written words, the gory details, but most of all, the ultimate form of betrayal.
Now, I can go on and on about the way this book disgusted me and how painful the story actually is. Yet, I think the best part of the entire book lies in the author's note. Incredibly important read.

4.5/5 ⭐️

This book started out a bit slowly (for my taste), but later gripped me and did not let go until I turned the last page. “Orpheus Builds A Girl” is a novel about dark consequences of obsession and sisterly love’s battle against them. I realized after reading that it was based on a true story and am still horrified and disgusted by that discovery.

The story is told through two POVs - Wilhelm, a doctor consumed by (in his eyes) love for Luciana, a Cuban girl dying of tuberculosis, and her sister, Gabriela, who interjects in between Wilhelm’s medical account of (again, in his eyes) saving Luci from death. Gabriela’s perspective pulls back the curtain on the reality of his proceedings and gives the reader another viewpoint on what’s happening with Luci and her family.

This dual narrative really worked for me and helped see (and, to some extent, understand) both sides of the story. And both were compelling to me in their own ways. I am in equal awe and disgust of the mind of the author and their ability to write this. Similarly, I love and loathe the use of Orpheus in the title - it is both genius and repulsive, which only drives up my rating.

As someone who wants a book to spark feelings in me, no matter if positive or negative, “Orpheus Builds A Girl” did that and more. It’s a beautiful commentary on female bodily autonomy, even in death, the importance of the fate of our body after passing, even if we eliminate religion from the equation, and truly terrible lengths someone might go to if they deem them necessary in the name of “love”.

Both beautiful and disgusting, this was a perfect horror novel for me.

4 1/5 stars.

I was enraptured with this book, reading it well into the night over the course of two evenings. I had to know what happened next! "Orpheus Builds A Girl" is a story of manipulation, obsession, medical abuse, <spoiler>abuse of a corpse, perhaps even necrophilia. </spoiler> Despite the dark and disturbing events in the second half of the book, the story is set on two beautiful sunny islands - that of Cuba in the 1950s, and Key West in the later decades.

Elena and Lucinda grow up two carefree daughters of Cuba, until their family is forced to flee to Florida at the rise of Castro. Finding their circumstances changed once in the US, the immigrant family struggles to fit into their new world. Unfortunately, they happen upon a creepy old man, Wilhelm, in the hospital, whose obsession with Luci takes over the narrative in an abusive and ultimately, repulsive way.

Readers with a squeamish stomach should stay away from the second half of the book, which is filled with graphic narratives of the creep handling the dead and decaying body as it decomposes. In addition, these scenes are described from Wilhelm's perspective, which is twisted in his love of the dead Luci.

I stumbled upon this book because I was attracted to the title. I knew Orpheus, but I didn't think he built a girl. He was the guy who went to hell and brought back his dead wife Eurydice. And then, palm to forehead smack, and it all came together.

The author's endnotes describes the historical origins of this story, and holy hell I must admit I was gob-smacked that the book's events closely parallel the real story of what became known as the Corpse Bride of Key West. Fucking hell, even worse! Florida Man!

I found an interesting write up of the real events here, with some telling photographs. https://historycollection.com/the-real-corpse-bride-carl-tanzlers-horrifying-obsession/

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and the author for this opportunity, and for Pushkin Press for re-releasing this amazing novel. I've found a new author to admire and follow, and I'm off to find her latest, [book:Carrion Crow|206665425].

Is a woman ever in control of her own autonomy? is a woman ever safe? Even in death? This book bring those questions to the front of your mind as it soaks you in rage, twists your stomach with disgust and makes you feel appalled to be apart of what we call the human race. A tale which will have you relived that its fictional until you find out that it is based on real events!
I have never been as angry at a character as I have at Wilhelm Von Tore. A strong emotive connect is built between the reader and Luciana despite only seeing her story through the eyes of others.
This is a book that will stay with me in the back of mind and when the pits of my stomach coil it will be because of the lasting memory and impact this book has had one me.

Orpheus Builds a Girl is a dark and deeply disturbing story. The book is told from two POVS: a written account by Wilhelm Von Tor, a doctor and medical researcher, who writes about his everlasting, passionate, love for a young woman, Luci. The other POV is told by Gabriela, Luci’s sister, who explains how Von Tor forced his way into their family and how his obsession with Luci destroyed their lives.

Von Tore is an absolutely despicable person, but he is an excellent unreliable narrator. This man is one of the worst human beings I could imagine, but somehow he is completely oblivious to his own evilness, and often feels he is the victim of this story. The cognitive dissonance is honestly astounding. Sometimes I read books with evil characters that just don’t feel believable - they feel evil for the sake of being evil, and I can’t understand why they are the way they are. That is not the case in this book. Von Tore is written fantastically - I absolutely believe his POV portrays his true (if edited) thoughts and I could understand his motivations and behavior, even if he is a sick, deluded individual. Seeing the story through his eyes was amazingly terrible.

Gabriela’s POV is also great, but in a completely different way. She will not let her sister’s story be controlled by her tormentor, and demands that the truth is told, even if it is a truth people don’t want to hear. Her POV is so much more real, and much more emotionally impactful.

This is a dark and terrible book, but I could not put it down. It was just so horrible that I couldn’t look away. I was completely engrossed from start to finish. What’s even more disturbing is that this is based on a true story - and, unfortunately, the real story is just about as disturbing and outrageous as this fictional imagining. This book isn’t scary in the way that books with monsters, hauntings, or even violent gore-filled stories are. Instead, it is scary in its depiction of the depravity that exists within humanity. It’s horrifying but so, so good.

If you like evil, unreliable narrators, and books that focus on the darkest aspects of humanity, I would recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Steerforth & Pushkin Press for providing me an e-arc in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thought-provoking, dark, twisted… there’s nothing more I need.
This was probably the most disgusting book I’ve ever read and the fact that it is based on a true story is even more horrifying. However I have to say that it was masterfully written, the descriptions felt so real (even too real at times) and the fact that the author writes the character of this manipulative and evil man in such a skilled way… hats off.
I have to say that it was very difficult for me at the beginning to get fully absorbed in the story however it kicks off after 40%.
I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.

4.5/5 🌟

my gosh, girl, allow me to breathe. i couldn’t count how many times i stared at random spots because this was a lot to take in.

first off, while i was informed in the foreword section that this was based on a true story, i wasn’t made aware until the latter half that it was a fictionalized account (the scenes, the dialogues, the names, are all made up) of the real-life individuals Carl Tanzler and Elena de Hoyos (God bless her soul).

what started as a fascinating story of a man obsessed with the idea of metaphysics and “second death”, a concept to him that a dead can be transformed back to life (aka resurrection), turned macabre and disturbing the moment he acted it out on an actual human being.

but what truly captivated me was the dual pov and how it was delivered: between the actual account of Wilhelm and Gabriela (the sister of Luciana, the one Wilhelm was obsessed with), it gave us not only different perspectives but also an in-depth understanding of how everything came to be.

this book wrapped everything up well, especially in the final chapters, which grew even more grotesque and page-turning as you’re left wondering just how far Wilhelm would go to hide it all, and what Luciana's family did to uncover the truth.

for anyone who loves true crime documentaries, this might be a good read for you (but proceed with caution, lol). overall, despite the gruesome details in the book, it did not fail to give justice to the life of Luciana. 🥹

I’m always drawn to books based on real-life events, and Orpheus Builds a Girl didn’t disappoint. Heather Parry has created something truly chilling and unique. The writing is sharp, haunting, and at times even poetic, pulling you deep into a story that’s as macabre as it is fascinating.

The novel is told through two interwoven narratives. One is from Dr. Wilhelm, a fictionalised version of Carl Tanzler, a man consumed by obsession and control, whose voice becomes increasingly disturbing as the story unfolds. The other comes from Gabriella, the sister of Luciana, the woman at the centre of his obsession. Gabriella’s voice brings heartbreak, clarity, and a fierce sense of protection over Luci, offering a vital counterbalance to Wilhelm’s delusion.

The alternating voices throughout kept the tension high and gave the story a layered, unsettling intimacy. It also sent me straight down a rabbit hole afterwards, reading up on Carl Tanzler and the bizarre true story behind the novel. I always find fiction rooted in real events more compelling, and this is a brilliant example of how to do it well.

If you’re into gothic fiction, morally grey characters, or stories that explore obsession and control in deeply uncomfortable ways, I’d definitely recommend this. It wasn’t an easy read emotionally, but it was absolutely worth it.

Creepy, atmospheric, and thought-provoking.
A solid 4 stars from me.

Honestly, props to Ms. Parry, because godfuckingdamn, being able to write a truly deranged POV of a man who believes he's entitled to the body (both in life and death) of a patient of his who he straight up kills with malpractice and uses the apparatus of the state to separate her from her family and leave her even more vulnerable to his predation, and make me truly root for the opposing pov (the sister of the patient who sees and knows exactly what he is trying to do) and the ultimate ending like this, is a very good mark of craft. There is necrophilia, in case you haven't figured it out by now. The afterword continues to be deeply relevant as 2025 goes on. Highly recommended read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

It is rare that I will read a horror novel and have a visceral reaction to it, particularly one where I feel repulsed enough to taste bile. I remember only very select instances of it across my life, and it takes a lot of effort. ‘Orpheus Builds A Girl’ decided to put in that effort, and boy, does it pay off.

We are presented with a story that is rooted in reality but is made alarmingly real within the book. I think there’s a certain art to being able to make such a reprehensible character as Wilhelm presents as. Initially, he ducks around quite how bad he is - an allusion to the Hitler youth that could be passed off as Scouts, various lies about where he comes from, and an ‘honourable’ interest in science. Is he ever good? No. Could people see him as such to begin with? Possibly.

We follow him into a dissatisfying life, followed by the attempted (or did he even actually try?) saving of Luciana, a young woman who is dying of tuberculosis. He turns her into a possession even in life, gives her wants and needs that she clearly does not have, and, upon her death, engages in the most heinous and reprehensible conduct one could ever think of.

The commentary this book provides on the commodification of the female body is fantastic too. There’s so much to be said for the ‘value’ of women to men, and how easily we can be discarded or ‘possessed’ depending on intention. This book emphasises that women are not viewed as humans, but rather as objects, and it sets a small flame in the heart that I feel will be there for quite a while.

The first half of this book creeps up on you, and the second half is just absolutely reprehensible in terms of what it describes. I feel like this is what modern gothic literature should be- so appalling you can’t look away, and willing to push into territory that makes you feel slightly nauseous. Which, realistically, is what a lot of horror is missing these days.

Oh My God…

The fact that this is based on multiple true stories is insane, and yet also all too believable. I enjoyed the note from Parry at the end discussing the multiple inspirations for this story and her experience writing it. In this story, an older doctor meets a young tuberculosis patient, Luci, in the hospital and is convinced she is the bride he was promised in a vision when he was younger. He attempts to nurse her to health, but when that is unsuccessful he refuses to let their “union” die with her. The story is told in chapters from the point of view of the doctor interspersed with chapters from the point of view of Luci’s sister.

to summarize: men are terrifying.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

""...No one is held above the injustice that is done to them; they are dragged down by it, diminished, and everyone who comes after them is diminished too. Everyone who comes later must rise above, rise above, and if they dare to refuse, they are damned twice."

I feel very conflicted with this book.

Orpheus Builds A Girl is a harrowing tale told from two different perspectives--Wilhem and Gabriela. The book alternates perspectives between the two, giving the reader two sides of the same story. I found this method of storytelling extremely effective for this book, as the narrators' stories have an unreliable tone in some places.

The main story centers around Luciana, who is Gabriela's sister and Wilhem's obsession. Her life and death are told through two different sets of eyes as they battle for control of her fate. While I enjoyed the prose of this book, I feel that some of the language was repetitive, especially in Wilhem's chapters, and was slow to start.

What I didn't know going into this book, was that this is heavily based on a true story. Luciana is based on Elena Milagro de Hoyos, who died of tuberculosis in 1931 and was subsequently defiled by a man named Carl Tanzler (Wilhem in the book). If it had not been for the authors note at the end, I would not have known Elena's story, and for that I applaud the author for bringing her story to light.

However, the main issue with modern true crime is the unwilling vilification of the victims and their families. While Parry cites that this story was based on true events, she does not give any indication of whether or not Elena's real sister, or any of her family for that matter, were notified that this story was being published, or if they had any insight into the project at all.

Let me be clear, I do not think that Parry had any malicious intentions when writing this novel. In fact, I think that she truly wanted to bring this story to light as a means of portraying a poignant message -- the only person whom owns a women's body is herself. I think the author's note clearly gets this point across, but I don't think that dedicating half of a novel to the insights of a monster like Tanzler is doing this message justice.

In fact, I think this novel would have been infinitely more impactful if we had heard from Luci's perspective. She is either infantilized and lusted after by Wilhem, or critiqued and vilified by her sister. She was never given the opportunity to tell her own story.

Overall I think that this is a well-written story, but I urge that others go into this knowing that this is a retelling of someone's actual life and the horrors they face.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel. This review is completely honest and voluntary.