I don’t think I’ll ever fully wrap my head around The Unworthy. There’s something about its haunting, fragmented nature that left me feeling disoriented, emotionally drained, and yet, completely mesmerised.
Plot Summary
Set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by climate disaster, The Unworthy follows an unnamed protagonist who lives within the confines of the Sacred Sisterhood—a brutal religious cult that rules through punishment, fear, and sacrifice. Women deemed “Unworthy” endure constant suffering in hopes of gaining divine favour, their existence shaped by pain and obedience.
The protagonist secretly documents her experiences, writing on scraps of paper with ink made from berries, charcoal, and even her own blood. When a new girl, Lucía, arrives, the tightly controlled hierarchy starts to unravel, leading to revelations that are both horrifying and heartbreaking.
Themes
ThemesBazterrica weaves themes of:
- Climate Change & Apocalypse – A world left in ruins, where survival comes at a terrible cost.
- Religious Oppression & Cult Mentality – The Sacred Sisterhood thrives on manipulation, submission, and blind faith.
- Power & Objectification – The novel explores how power is wielded over vulnerable women and the brutality of their circumstances.
- Artificial Intelligence & War – Hints of technological collapse and warfare add layers to the dystopian backdrop.
- Survival & Resistance – Acts of defiance, however small, become profound symbols of hope.
What truly captivated me was the sapphic love story—an unexpected act of resistance within an environment designed to suppress autonomy. The romance between two women in a world that only values their suffering felt defiant, brave, and beautifully tragic.
What Worked
What Worked- Lyrical, fragmented writing – The prose is poetic yet sparse, amplifying the protagonist’s isolation and trauma.
- Slow-burn storytelling – The memories are revealed in devastating bursts, mimicking the confusion and PTSD of living under constant oppression.
- Atmospheric horror – While not gory, the psychological horror is deeply unsettling. The convent’s oppressive silence, the enforced rituals, the absolute control—all of it lingers long after the book is closed.
- Unforgettable emotional weight – There’s a particular character death that hit me hard, leaving me with an aching lump in my throat.
Who May Enjoy This Book
Who May Enjoy This Book- Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) and Tender Is the Flesh (Bazterrica’s previous work).
- Readers who love unsettling, dystopian horror with a literary edge.
- Those who appreciate slow-burning, fragmented narratives that challenge conventional storytelling.
- Anyone who enjoys cult horror, oppressive environments, and themes of resistance.
Final Thoughts
I’m still grappling with The Unworthy. It’s disorienting, bleak, yet strangely beautiful. Bazterrica offers no easy answers—her world-building remains ambiguous, her characters suffocated by the unknown, and her themes deeply unsettling.
Would I read it again? Absolutely. There’s so much buried within these pages that I know I missed the first time around. And while I don’t think I fully “get” everything Bazterrica was trying to say, that’s exactly why The Unworthy will haunt me for a long time. Gut-wrenching. Poetic. Horrifying. Highly recommended but I am aware this will not be for everyone. Check the trigger warnings before diving in.
Thank you to Exclusive Books for the chance to read this book!
About the Author
Agustina Bazterrica is an Argentinian novelist and short-story writer. She is a central figure in the Buenos Aires literary scene, working as a cultural organiser and workshop curator. She has received several awards for her writing, most notably the Premio Clarín Novela for her second novel, Tender is the Flesh, which has been translated into over 20 languages and is also available from Pushkin Press. Sarah Moses is a Canadian writer and translator of French and Spanish. Her translations include Tender is the Flesh, Urgent Matters by Paula Rodríguez and Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, which was longlisted for the International Booker Prize, among other awards. (blurb from Exclusive Books)
