With a name like The Butcher, no one could be expecting a smooth ride.
Laura Kat Young’s latest novel focuses on Lady Mae, an 18-year old who is heir to a grisly role of The Butcher in the small town where they live.
People who have been deemed to have done wrong will basically lose limbs and other parts of their body as punishment for their crimes.
This practice is considered the norm by the town, and although the titular Butcher is despised amongst the townsfolk, people understand the order of things.
When an incident thrusts Lady Mae to the top job, we shift gears into what becomes a brutal coming of age.
It is quite refreshing to see authors such as Young take on stories such as The Butcher, taking old sensibilities and traditions and injecting fresh and interesting characters into these scenarios.
The Butcher really focuses on the darker side of humanity and the pain we inflict to maintain control.
Not for the faint-hearted of squeamish.
The Butcher by Laura Kat Young is available now in paperback and e-book formats from Titan Books.
Bloody Flicks 