After rising from his grave, Oscar awakens in a desolate afterlife where the dead are trapped in endless existence, clinging to sanity by a thread. Joined by Nathaniel, a man shattered by the world’s cruelty, and Daria, a woman he comes to see as a sister, they set out on a brutal quest to find Dean Theodore, a figure rumoured to hold the secrets of eternity.

This novel was a gruesome visceral descent into a nightmarish vision of hell. Ylikangas spares no detail in painting the bleak, grotesque landscape and the depravity that humanity is driven to when trapped in such a merciless place.

You never really learn why they’re in Hell, nor do you get much of the others’ backstories, since everything unfolds through Oscar’s perspective. I actually appreciated this vagueness - it avoids the usual notion of it being a place of punishment for bad person and instead presents the idea it’s simply a place where everyone, innocent or not, is trapped in endless suffering.

What struck me most was how immersive the writing was - every scene felt raw and immediate, pulling me deeper into the torment and despair of this twisted afterlife. I’m not into world building but this was done effortlessly. At the same time, moments of fragile connection between the characters brought a sense of humanity that made the story all the more powerful. I found the balance of horror, philosophical undertones, and gory adventure made this a gripping read from start to finish.

I was left both nauseated and impressed (all in good ways!) and I would absolutely love to explore more of Ylikangas’s work in the future. 4/5

Thanks to the publisher and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What an incredibly descriptive book. I was really put into the setting and living the experiences of the characters. Full of adrenaline, heartbreak, and wandering, Hell Pulp takes the reader on a journey of what afterlife and “death” really means. The characters and relationships were beautiful and realistic. The threats were scary and stomach-churning.

If you are not looking for descriptive and graphic gore, this may not be the book for you. But if you are, I highly recommend this book!

For a debut novel, I am highly impressed and will be looking forward to more works by Matias.

Hellish landscapes, cannibals, and forbidden chemistry—Oscar and Nathaniel’s journey grips you.

This novel is led by our unreliable narrator, Oscar—a newborn found in a cemetery at the ripe age of his mid-twenties. The story slowly unravels, building to a big climax that, honestly, delivers more suspense than payoff.

Oscar is rescued by Nathaniel, who guides him on a journey to find Dean Theodore. Along the way, they traverse a hellish landscape filled with vicious people, including cannibals. The suspense and thrills kept me on edge, constantly wondering how our heroes would survive.

The writing is richly descriptive, and the dialogue crackles with chemistry—especially between Oscar and Nathaniel, whose connection had me rooting for them. The relationship’s buildup falters slightly at the end, but it fits the story’s overarching theme: in Hell, we all suffer and lose who we once were. It’s a grim, thought-provoking finish that left me wanting more.

4 slays out of 5.

Thank you NetGalley and Matias Ylikangas for the ARC and my honest review.

The cover and blurb together when I first saw them were giving horror, maybe a little heavier of a book.

But wow was it so much more than I expected. Especially for a debut novel.

I am a sucker for a zombie story. And this was the idea of a zombie in a completely different way than I have ever seen. Undead but not, immortal now but fully aware. There were no monsters in the literal sense as there were, 'horrors of mankind,' which is always a favorite. The idea of forever in an absolute hellscape with nothing at the end and no way to make things better, stuck with the worst of humanity running wide? Ugh.

The concept of eternity is questioned, tested, and questioned again. The highs and lows of humanity are thrown in your face repeatedly as Oscar and Nathaniel carry on their way trying to find Dean Theodore, a man who just might have the answers they seek. There is plenty of horror but also plenty going on between the characters, and sometimes setting heavy stories can lack in their character build. This one does not.

I was left feeling heavy from this meat of this story but man was it worth the suffering to go through this journey with these men.

I received a gifted ARC of this book on Netgalley.

The concept of this book should be right up my alley, but for whatever reason, I just really couldn't get into it fully. I loved the body horror scenes, but found other parts to drag on and almost read a little YA for my taste, which made me a bit confused. I'm glad to see this is getting great reviews from other readers, which makes me think it is more likely just a me problem. I would be open to trying this again in the future with a fresh set of eyes.

4.5 🌟 rounded up

I loved this. Why? I barely know.

It was haunting, never-ending, all-consuming dread throughout the entire book. If I had to describe this novel in just one word, it would be BLEAK.

Read the synopsis. Is that up your alley? Then absolutely go for it. You may inexplicably love it, too. If you're hesitating or existential dread is not your default mode, pick up literally anything else. You'll probably feel better afterwards.

I feel like I need a long shower after reading this. Somehow, I mean this as a compliment.

This is a debut novel. WTF. I haven't felt this dumbstruck since reading A Short Stay In Hell by Steven Peck.

A definite contender for one of my top books of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

💀 on another level of "otherworldly" horror
🤯 mind-bending & thought-provoking
💔 will tug at your heartstrings

That was quite the emotional journey—reading Hell Pulp! My mind is still processing the contents of what I've read, in a horrifically thought-provoking, but beautiful manner! I'm blown away with how much of an emotional chord was struck within my soul by Oscar's story—as well as the stories of all those characters we met along the way 😭💔

I devoured this book from start to finish and couldn't stop myself from becoming heavily invested in the outcome of this extremely visceral and disturbed exploration into the depths of unforeseen depravity 👀

What a debut novel, Matias Ylikangas! 👏🏻 I will be on the watch for your next horror masterpiece! A big thank-you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this exceptional ARC XP! 😍

Unfortunately I did not finish this book. I was disappointed that there were not any trigger warnings and personally found the first couple scenes too intense for me to carry on. From what I did read, it was well written and can see this book appealing to horror readers.

So good. So gross. 4 stars.

Hell Pulp doesn’t waste any time, we’re thrown in the deep end (or maybe straight into a shallow grave). That opening feeling of disorientation is wild and really sets the tone for the rest of the book.

The afterlife that Matias Ylikangas creates here is so vivid and messed up. There’s a lot of body horror mixed with some trippy psychological stuff, and honestly, some of it made me squirm…but in the best way. What surprised me most is how much depth the characters had. Imagine being in this situation and having complex thoughts (I could never).

It’s a short read, gross in all the right ways, and super easy to get through. I really enjoyed it, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from Matias in the future!

Totally honest reviews! Thank you so much to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for my first ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Horror is a really difficult genre to walk the tightrope of in some ways. It can be so hard to manage the ins and outs of what people find scary. Hell, in particular, is a tough concept to explain in a way that’s both scary and fascinating.

Hell Pulp manages to create a version of hell that we haven’t seen before, which I admire. This was a bare, dog-eat-dog description of hell, where everyone is half crazed and seeking the best possible way to survive while clinging to their sanity.

I felt like the narrative voice of Oscar was a little lacking. I admire the tenacity of the author in jumping right into our main character crawling out of a grave, but at the same time, it means we’re learning on our feet about who we’re making the journey with. I don’t know if I liked him as a main character, but to be fair, I’m not sure whether we were meant to. It did mean that sometimes there was a bit of a struggle to connect with the book, though.

I found that the story really picked up in the second half too, and it felt in a way like two different stories. I think the second half of the book was definitely the shining example, but the first half could have taken a really different direction with a different story.

All in all, this one is well worth a read, I just wish it were a little more scary and a little bit more together in terms of characters. It’s worth it for the concept alone though, to be honest!

This book has a lot of promise. The concept is interesting and I really liked the overall shape of the plot. The characters were engaging and really fit the story. This book had some really great moments of atmosphere and suspense. Unfortunately, there were parts of this book where I could really tell it’s a debut novel. The emotional arcs of this book felt rushed and I didn’t really believe any of the character interactions. It felt like I was being told that the characters cared about each other rather than shown. The ending also felt rushed and, while I see where it was built up to, it felt really random. I did enjoy this book and found it really engaging. I would 100% read future work from Matias Ylikangas, this one just wasn’t the strongest book.

Nice debut! This was a dope read. I always have liked literal interpretations of the afterlife and Ylikangas has done a fantastic job with his portrayal of an incredibly bleak and inconsequential existence. Hell Pulp follows Oscar when he regains consciousness while extracting himself from a grave. He has no memories and limited physical and mental functions and has no idea what is happening. Ylikangas is so vivid in his descriptions of Hell. While there is the whole fire and brimstone thing going on, what really stuck me was how profound the loss of purpose can have on the psyche. The misery is palpable and there isn’t this gentle smattering of hope you may find in other reflections of Hell. It’s just all terrible.

Oscar ends up in the company of another man, Nathaniel, on a vague journey through some dangerous lands. There’s some gnarly cannibals plus an array of just bad dudes that draw out some serious gore.

The genesis of the story is more explanatory in nature and the heavy action doesn’t get going until around the mid point. From there it’s a rapid descent into this literal muck of humanity. The last bit unexpectedly goes existential and this was a really nice way to tie things together. I did want more from the ending. Ylikangas has woven such a visceral tale, but I would have loved to learn more regarding Oscar’s purpose. All in all a really interesting debut and this is an author to watch.

Hell Pulp was an entertaining and wildly imaginative read, but it didn’t fully stick with me. I appreciated the chaotic energy and dark humor—it had moments that were genuinely clever—but at times the story felt a bit disjointed, which made it harder to stay fully immersed. Still, the creativity and unique voice make it worth checking out if you’re in the mood for something unconventional and unpredictable.

4.5 ⭐️
Imagine waking up, covered in dirt, and unable to trust anyone or anything. This is the situation Oscar finds himself in. He gets himself into a dangerous situation, and is saved by someone who needs him.

The writing and pacing of this are fantastic. I was never bored and really took my time. Though I normally fly through books, I really wanted to savor this. I'm so excited I got to review this and get to hype it up to everyone I know. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Matias Ylikangas for the ARC

It had the musings of something great but didn’t hit the mark. Which is a shame because I love the concept.

Left me unsettled and uncomfortable the whole time. EXACTLY what I look for in a horror story. The details and worldbuilding sucked me in. I devoured this book.

I really don't want to give too much, I recommend going in blind, honestly.

I guarantee you that you'll be hooked within the first couple pages.

Hell Pulp is a wonderful title with a great cover that immediately got my attention. This book had some interesting concepts and seemed to be a huge undertaking. Our main character, Oscar, leads us on a journey rising from his grave through the trenches of Hell but there are no flames and demons here. This book had some really interesting concepts to ponder. When your basic needs are met, when there is no looming threat of an afterlife, how will humans react? In this hell, it isn't the demons doing the torturing but fellow humans. I enjoyed the horror elements in the story and did appreciate a number of unique torture scenes related to the dead cast of the book.

That being said, the world building was a bit lackluster for my personal liking. We did get some description but nothing that would indicate our characters were anywhere but earth. I wanted to know what the air tastes like in hell, to feel the grimness on our character's tongue. To get a better understanding of the land. The story felt much more apocalyptic than a journey through a new realm. There were a lot of unanswered questions throughout the book, as well. I'm fine being in the dark about some aspects, especially if our character's can't explain what they're experiencing but some information did seem to contradict itself. They don't die in hell but do, they don't need to drink but water is prominent throughout the book, they have the knowledge they died with but some can learn, they come from graves but have tools, books, rope, etc. I also think the bulk of the book surrounded the journey and not necessarily the reason for it/the ending, lowering the stakes for me.

All in all, I think world building an entire unique hell that counters everything we've been been told hell is in literature is a huge feat for a debut novel. I would be interested to see what this writer accomplishes in the future.

From the start of Hell Pulp, I was fully expecting to be in love with it. The darkness, world building, and interesting ideas on what Hell is, and how we get there, were amazing.

That said, I found the book felt longer than it should have. It felt like during the parts that were most action heavy, it didn’t quite manage to change the gear fully and get into place before it was over.

That said, it felt very much like a part one of a series, with the amazing amount of world building, and I’d be interested to see where things go for Oscar next, if it comes to fruition.

I thought this was a good read, would recommend it to my friends, but it just felt like it was missing a little something to tip it over to really great!

Hell Pulp lives up to its name in that it chewed me up and spat me out complete with disgusting mastication that left me haunted for days. That is to say, I loved it. Even as someone who enjoys body horror, there is something quite raw about it in a world where no one dies. This book truly shines as it explores the idea of eternity, and what it would really mean to remove death as the defining escape of our lives.

The ride starts slow, but it picks up speed quickly. I really wanted it to keep digging in to those grounded, primal, and human moments that bring questions to existence in such a viscerally philosophical manner. Perhaps I haven’t read enough horror lately, but I felt a bit bereft by the ending, that didn’t quite feel like the scab or scar I wanted from a harrowing journey. But I feel that may be more personal taste, as it did ring true with several themes that follow our characters throughout the book.

The characters and world show a remarkable amount of depth despite the little we know of them. It very much gives a tempting tip-of-the-tongue that makes you yearn for more. I often felt that the prose wasn’t quite as graceful or potent as I wanted at expressing the ideas, feelings, and conversations happening around it. But that slight shortfall just shows the great promise that Ylikangas has, and I hope they continue writing, because I believe their ability will only get better.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants a ruinous horror that considers the human condition, including all our fleshy senses and squishy emotions.

Wow. Loved this! It was so unashamedly gross in the best way possible. The characters journey through hell was terrifyingly stressful and uncomfortable and hooked me right from the very start. The feeling of dread and helplessness that the author created was relentless, I just needed to know what happened!