Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

Tell Me I'm Worthless

by Alison Rumfitt

Three years ago, Alice spent one night in an abandoned house with her friends Ila and Hannah. Since then, things have not been going well. Alice is living a haunted existence, selling videos of herself cleaning for money, drinking herself to sleep. She hasn't spoken to Ila since they went into the House. She hasn't seen Hannah either. Memories of that night torment her mind and her flesh, but when Ila asks her to return to the House, past the KEEP OUT sign, over the sick earth where teenagers dare each other to venture, she knows she must go. Together Alice and Ila must face the horrifying occurrences that happened there, must pull themselves apart from the inside out, put their differences aside, and try to rescue Hannah, who the House has chosen to make its own.Cutting, disruptive, and darkly funny, Tell Me I'm Worthless is a vital work of trans fiction that confronts both supernatural and real-world horrors as it examines the devastating effects of trauma and the way fascism makes us destroy ourselves and each other.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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Book Summary:

Sometimes all it takes is one moment to haunt us. Other times, it's a collection of events, of traumas, that linger in the darkness. This trauma lies in wait, knowing the perfect moment to strike and unravel us.

Years ago, Alice spent one night in an abandoned house. Years later, the trauma from that night still lingers. Yet Alice can't walk away when offered the opportunity to spend another night there. In fact, it might be exactly what her nightmares demand.

My Review:

Wow. Tell Me I'm Worthless is one of those books that hits HARD. Don't read this book before bed because it'll get to you. Ironically, it may just cause a nightmare or two, and justifiably so.

This book is not one for the faint of heart, and I adore that Alison Rumfitt included a trigger warning at the beginning (see triggers below). It is very much warranted in this case, so please keep that in mind.

If you're looking for a novel that will make you think while tackling heavy and human subjects such as phobias, trauma, and identity, Tell Me I'm Worthless is absolutely the book for you.

Highlights:
Dark
LGBTQ+
Transgender
Strong Horror Elements

Trigger Warnings:
Sexual assault
Transphobia
Antisemitism
Racism
Trauma

Thanks to Cipher Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 January, 2023: Finished reading
  • 27 January, 2023: Reviewed