Review: Brood 17: The Grooming of Misty Dawn by SE Reynolds

A haunting spree of psychological horror, Brood 17: The Grooming of Misty Dawn by SE Reynolds is a visceral and graphic plunge into psychosexual trauma.

Misty Dawn McCafferty is being held in a mental institution after ritually sacrificing her boyfriend, claiming that an insidious infection was to blame for her burst of brutal violence. Although Misty was discovered by the police in a pool of her partner’s blood after a halfway successful murder-suicide, she insists that her cicada-derived infection is what drove her to homicide. Ivan, a forensic psychologist working on the case, has two weeks to decide between insanity and psychopathy, knowing that his evaluation will determine the fate of this young woman.

As the good doctor slowly peels back the layers of her wickedly sharp and manipulative mind, the unapologetic madness of his young patient begins to seep into his own life, muddling the lines between sick, well, prisoner, jailer, victim, villain, and hero. The core relationship of the novel between Ivan and Misty is unconventional from the start, but when a far older legacy of evil is revealed, their connection spirals into something even darker.

The structure of the book – an extended evaluation session between psychologist and remorseless killer – allows for a long-form exploration of mental illness and wellness, on both sides of the doctor-patient binary. The question that lingers over this entire novel, creating much of the skin-crawling creepiness of the plot, is whether Misty is possessed by a hungry and malicious force that has lain dormant for seventeen years, or is simply the victim of her own traumatized, violated, and sex-addicted mind. Answering that question takes readers on an uncensored trip through a bloody string of deeply disturbed mental spaces.

The dialogic exchanges between doctor and patient are both riveting and disturbing, as are the screeds of Misty’s internal monologue, the way she analyzes her situation, the source of her infection, and the consequences it inevitably creates. Untrustworthy narrators can be difficult to write in a convincing way, but Misty is a compelling protagonist who detaches from reality and truth with ease. The revelations that readers are given about Ivan can be just as shocking, reminding us that the façade of mental wellness and professionalism can be fragile, or even transparent. Group scenes within the institution are also meticulously crafted, pulling back the curtain on the diverse causes and manifestations of severe mental illness, and highlighting the limitations of care and support for such patients.

Reynolds has a blunt authorial voice that can push the boundaries of political correctness, and some readers may find Misty unsympathetic or downright unlikeable, but the intensity of the prose makes the novel compulsively and bizarrely addictive, like a gruesome scene you somehow can’t stop watching. Some moments can be jarring and difficult to accept within character contexts, such as unethical behavior/dialogue from mental health professionals, or unbelievable but convenient levels of ignorance in certain characters, but the uncertainty and discomfort it creates may be precisely the author’s intention.

Generally, these issues are overshadowed by the sheer emotional force of the story. At times a difficult read, but just as difficult to put down, this latest from SE Reynolds is a chilling masterstroke in the genre.