I picked up But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo because I heard it was a fun sapphic horror novella, and because I’m always eager to read more genre fiction in translation. (This was originally published in Portuguese and was translated by the author.) At barely over 100 pages, it’s a quick sprint, perfect to read in one or two chilling sessions, and honestly although I would have also read a longer version, this was a perfect little bite: just enough world building to send a thrill down your spine, just enough tension to speed the narrative, and just enough grotesquerie to be delicious.
In an isolated house, Dália has just taken over as Keeper of the Keys, a role she’s been trained for ever since she was plucked from an orphanage. The previous Keeper, Ms. Mathilde, has been eaten by the mistress of the house, the terrifying Anatema, and yet Dália feels more fascination than terror. As she ascends to her duties on the third floor, she learns that Anatema, a giant spider-like creature that can mimic a human in small doses and who has a taste for laudanum, gourmet foods, and beautiful women (often literally), is on a tear because a thief has entered her domain and stolen one of her precious hand-woven memories. If Dália doesn’t figure out who did it, she may be next on the menu, as eating people remains Anatema’s primary problem-solving strategy.
I had immense fun zipping through this novella. The setting was so eerie—the poppy fields, the tarantula infestation, the isolated and lavish mansion. It’s a lush gothic setting with some details that keep things on the speculative side of fiction. I also greatly enjoyed the hints that Miss Anatema isn’t the only monstrous being around in the world, and they’re to be feared but respected. The setting is very claustrophobic too, with servants being raised into their positions and never leaving and staying on the floors they’re assigned to. One would think there would be an atmosphere of repressed terror, but the fact that the servants seem to regard the occasional person being eaten as largely business as usual lends a different form of terror to the reading.
In the midst of this ritzy terror, Anatema and Dália circle each other, ostensibly as employer and servant, but their clear fascination with each other shines through and through. I loved their weird dynamic to be honest—even the bitterly-resigned Miss Anatema is surprised by it, which is the funniest part to me. Could it have been explored in more depth in a longer story? Yes. But sometimes a romance is obsession at first lack-of-screaming. Sometimes a young lady reads “BE BOLD BUT NOT TOO BOLD” emblazoned on the floor and takes it as a challenge rather than a warning. The tension here is, how much of Miss Anatema’s behavior is instinctual? Faced with Dália’s calm resolve, can Anatema change her pattern or is it an impossible temptation to resist?
If you’re looking for a quick, delightfully weird read to beef up your end of the year book count, consider But Not Too Bold. If you’re looking for romance that’s off the beaten track and embeds itself firmly in the horror, try But Not Too Bold. If you’re interested in both gothic and fantasy elements, try But Not Too Bold. Hache Pueyo has brought forth a vision vivid with detail and atmosphere, and I am definitely keeping my eye out for her future offerings.
