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Persona Novel Review: Queer Horror That Will Haunt You

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Engadget recommends two new titles for your reading list this weekend. Aoife Josie Clements' deeply unsettling novel Persona explores identity and exploitation through a trans woman's discovery of disturbing pornography she has no memory of making. The story unfolds in four increasingly surreal parts, blending horror with commentary on internet culture and economic precarity.

Also featured is the first issue of Bleeding Hearts from the relaunched DC Vertigo imprint. Written by Deniz Camp with art by Stipan Morian, this zombie tale follows two undead characters in a post-apocalyptic world where humans are nearly extinct. The story balances dark themes with playful buddy humor, introducing memorably named characters like Mouse-Pokes-Golf-Ball-Out-Of-Head-Hole.

Persona is available now for $16 on Amazon and comes highly recommended for fans of queer horror. The novel's disorienting prose and uncomfortable descriptions create a reading experience that's both horrifying and impossible to put down. Readers might want to follow it with something lighter. Meanwhile, Bleeding Hearts marks an intriguing start for Vertigo's comeback, promising a slow-burn descent into themes of love, obsession, and monstrosity.