Moonflow
On sale
2nd September 2025
Price: £24.99
Genre
‘MOONFLOW will sink its tendrils into you and infest you with its spores . . . and you’ll enjoy it’ Drew Huff
Moonflow is three-time Hugo Award nominee Bitter Karella’s debut horror novel – a gloriously queer and irreverent psychedelic trip into the heart of an eldritch wood and the horrors of (cis)terhood. Answer the call of the forest, if you dare.
I see something out there, in the woods. It does not have a face.
They call it the King’s Breakfast. One bite and you can understand the full scope of the universe; one bite and you can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. And it only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tight that the forest floor is pitch black day and night, where rumors of strange cults and disappearing hikers abound.
Sarah makes her living growing mushrooms. When a bad harvest leaves her in a desperate fix, the lure of the King’s Breakfast has her journeying into those vast uncharted woods. Her only guide is the most annoying man in the world, and he’s convinced there’s no danger. But as they descend deeper, they realize they’re not alone. Something is luring them into the heart of the forest, and they must answer its call.
‘A triumph of queer, horny, hippy horror that’ll make you cackle, gasp, and scream! With its cast of iconic characters, imaginative enchanted setting, gripping story, and mind-bending horrific imagery, Bitter Karella’s Moonflow is a trip to die for’ Eve Harms, author of Transmuted
‘Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I’m in awe of Bitter Karella’s incredible gift for creating biting satire without a shred of cruelty. Moonflow made me laugh out loud while genuinely caring about its wild cast of characters . . . I had a f*cking blast’ Joe Koch, author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands and Invaginies
Reader Reviews, Goodreads:
‘Weird botanical/fungus horror is something I can’t get enough of’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Highly recommended read this fall’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Horrifying and terrifying’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Gloriously psychedelic’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I could not put the book down!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Messed me up and made me feel things. Horror with heart, teeth, and mushrooms’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I finished it last night and have already recommended it to four people. I will be thinking about this one for the rest of my life.’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Unflinchingly vivid, brutal… I came out the other end shell shocked, and not really sure of anything other than what a great time I’d had’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Give me more weird girl horror forever!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Splatterpunk with a soul, equal parts body horror and biting satire, with moments of heartbreaking clarity buried beneath the ooze and madness’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Moonflow is three-time Hugo Award nominee Bitter Karella’s debut horror novel – a gloriously queer and irreverent psychedelic trip into the heart of an eldritch wood and the horrors of (cis)terhood. Answer the call of the forest, if you dare.
I see something out there, in the woods. It does not have a face.
They call it the King’s Breakfast. One bite and you can understand the full scope of the universe; one bite and you can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. And it only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tight that the forest floor is pitch black day and night, where rumors of strange cults and disappearing hikers abound.
Sarah makes her living growing mushrooms. When a bad harvest leaves her in a desperate fix, the lure of the King’s Breakfast has her journeying into those vast uncharted woods. Her only guide is the most annoying man in the world, and he’s convinced there’s no danger. But as they descend deeper, they realize they’re not alone. Something is luring them into the heart of the forest, and they must answer its call.
‘A triumph of queer, horny, hippy horror that’ll make you cackle, gasp, and scream! With its cast of iconic characters, imaginative enchanted setting, gripping story, and mind-bending horrific imagery, Bitter Karella’s Moonflow is a trip to die for’ Eve Harms, author of Transmuted
‘Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I’m in awe of Bitter Karella’s incredible gift for creating biting satire without a shred of cruelty. Moonflow made me laugh out loud while genuinely caring about its wild cast of characters . . . I had a f*cking blast’ Joe Koch, author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands and Invaginies
Reader Reviews, Goodreads:
‘Weird botanical/fungus horror is something I can’t get enough of’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Highly recommended read this fall’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Horrifying and terrifying’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Gloriously psychedelic’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I could not put the book down!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Messed me up and made me feel things. Horror with heart, teeth, and mushrooms’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I finished it last night and have already recommended it to four people. I will be thinking about this one for the rest of my life.’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Unflinchingly vivid, brutal… I came out the other end shell shocked, and not really sure of anything other than what a great time I’d had’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Give me more weird girl horror forever!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Splatterpunk with a soul, equal parts body horror and biting satire, with moments of heartbreaking clarity buried beneath the ooze and madness’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Reviews
A triumph of queer, horny, hippy horror that'll make you cackle, gasp, and scream! With its cast of iconic characters, imaginative enchanted setting, gripping story, and mind-bending horrific imagery, Bitter Karella's Moonflow is a trip to die for
I've never read a book like Moonflow before! It has the energy of a John Waters movie: crass, profane, populated with memorably bizarre and grotesque characters, packed with social commentary and bittersweet pathos-the type of art that is necessary for the current moment
Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I'm in awe of Bitter Karella's incredible gift for creating biting satire without a shred of cruelty. Moonflow made me laugh out loud while genuinely caring about its wild cast of characters, from its all too relatable failed protagonist, to its mondo trash cinema meets Women Who Run With The Wolves villain. This is the queer splatterpunk salvation/dissolution comedic relief narrative we need in these dark times. I had a f*cking blast
Wow-what a trip. Literally! The kind of book that you have to strap into, because it's going to buck you off if you're not prepared. There's genuinely no predicting what the hell awaits you around the next bend. This book is a prime example of why horror will literally always be timely and necessary; it finds beauty in the grotesque with some of the most stomach-turning description and heartfelt self-exploration I've ever read. I can honestly say that this is the first time that I've been genuinely scared by a book. Moonflow is simultaneously a Tarantino car chase sequence and an Ari Aster monster reveal; it's fun, and it's disgusting, and it's just a damn good time. But at the heart of it all, it's a bleeding, beating heart and an earnest heroine just trying to make it work
Bitter Karella is a powerhouse of horror. Moonflow is equal parts ridiculous, revolting and charming. It rockets into your psyche with drug-fueled mommy milker cults at 200mph and I loved every second of it
Weird, wild, and oh-so-wretched, Moonflow is the trans botanical horror we need in the world right now. Moonflow will sink its tendrils into you and infest you with its spores...and you'll enjoy it
Moonflow is a deranged horny dayglo escapade that is so utterly queer to its core. Beyond the delirious visions, there's a profound exploration of community and belonging. I adored this weirdo book