Rottenheart: The unmissable new sapphic gothic horror novel from the author of Hungerstone - a queer, gender-swapped reimagining of Hamlet

Paperback Published on: 11/02/2027
Price: £9.99
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Published 11/02/2027
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Coming soon
Published 11/02/2027
No stock available in any shop.

Bookseller Reviews

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Rottenheart
Ghosts, Betrayal and Obsession
When I first heard about Rottenheart being a ‘sapphic retelling of Hamlet in the Victorian era’, I was already sold. Kat Dunn’s retelling takes place in la... READ MORE
Alicia Place at Lincoln
Rottenheart
Haunting, lyrical and incredibly quotable!
Rottenheart by Kat Dunn is a superbly written sapphic reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Combining Dunn’s beautiful prose against the backdrop of Victori... READ MORE
Alice Howarth at Lincoln
Rottenheart
Kat Dunn does it again!
Kat just has a way of writing about grief, death, madness and love which she does so beautifully.I found myself fully immersed in Odette and Cecilia's trag... READ MORE
Mairi
Rottenheart
Simply Incredible
Kat Dunn's sumptuous, evocative writing combined with the delicate and alluring atmosphere of the late Victorian era in a sapphic Hamlet retelling – what m... READ MORE
Clara at Barnet
Rottenheart
whatever kat dunn writes, i will read
this was a wonderful exploration of grief, obsession and how far we would go to get what we want. kat dunn is unique at telling stories about women who wan... READ MORE
guada
Rottenheart
Rottenheart
Kat Dunn has been an auto buy author for me since Hungerstone, and I have been excitedly waiting to get my hands on Rottenheart, a gender and period swappe... READ MORE
The Victorian Bookseller (Waterstones 630)
Rottenheart
An intoxicating Hamlet retelling.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of Rottenheart ahead of release in exchange for an honest review. The premise of Rottenheart was too g... READ MORE
Vicky at Ballymena
Rottenheart
Delicious Gothic horror
Rottenheart is a wonderfully delicious gothic ghost story full of gorgeously atmospheric prose. Billed as a sapphic reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, th... READ MORE
Louise at Waterstones Gateshead
Rottenheart
A beautiful exploration of grief, love, and belonging.
Rottenheart is a haunting, beautifully written sapphic gothic that feels far more interested in grief than it is in horror, and I loved it all the more for... READ MORE
Liberty at Richmond

Synopsis

THE UNMISSABLE NEW SAPPHIC GOTHIC HORROR NOVEL FROM KAT DUNN, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF HUNGERSTONE AND BITTERTHORN

'Feed this directly into my veins' TAYLOR JENKINS REID

'A darkly intoxicating and fierce sapphic retelling of Hamlet. Extraordinary' LUCY ROSE, author of The Lamb

Revenge me. For I am murdered . . .

Odette and Cecilia are young women, living between their grand homes in Hampstead and the imposing, ancient Herne House in Suffolk. Though Odette's artist mother Lydia keeps a tight grasp on her, she and her beloved Cecilia are mostly left free to roam, to learn and to love.

But when Lydia inexplicably sickens and dies, a dark veil falls. As the funeral rites are performed, Odette's aunt, the cold and implacable Claudine, increasingly takes charge of the household, while her father retreats to his study. Odette, lost in grief, disappears into the shadows.

But as Claudine is announced as Odette's new stepmother, a sinister presence in the house makes itself known. To her horror, Odette realises that despite her death, Lydia never really left. And now she wants revenge . . .

Inspired by Hamlet, the ultimate revenge tragedy, Rottenheart is the stunning new sapphic gothic horror novel from Kat Dunn, the lauded author of Hungerstone and Bitterthorn. Set in the 1890s, this a story of love and grief, mothers and daughters, death and madness.

Further praise for ROTTENHEART

'Sinister and devastating. I want to read it again and again and again' BEA FITZGERALD

'A darkly intoxicating, sinister story shot through with beautiful and delicate sapphic yearning. Hauntingly brilliant'JENNIFER SAINT

'Dunn's retelling of Hamlet turns the lights on the psychological horror of the story. A gripping tale of grief and love, splendid with detail and completely transporting' SARVAT HASIN, author of The Giant Dark

'A gut-wrenching and lavishly written sapphic reimagining of Shakespeare's Hamlet . . . A close to the bone portrait of human cruelty, of our maddening obligation to our parents, and of loving someone whose capacity to hurt us is so primal not even death can limit it' LEIGH RADFORD, author of One Yellow Eye

'Dark and twisty and full of excruciatingly delicious sapphic longing. A haunting tale that kept me hooked right to the very last word' AHANA VIRDI, author of Sour Fruit

'A dark, sensual delight'HEAT, Book of the Week

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Bonnier Books Ltd
  • ISBN: 9781786583987
  • Number of pages: 464
  • Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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Rottenheart
.
I never thought sapphic, gothic, Hamlet retelling would be something I would want to read but when Kat Dunn does it I can't help but be immediately intrigu... READ MORE
Paulina
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Rottenheart
Fascinating
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher. I loved Hungerstone by this author so I was very excited to see what... READ MORE
Jennifer Charlton
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.Verified Purchase
Rottenheart
A haunting obsession
This was a fantastic examination of loss, obsession, and the lengths we would go to in order to achieve our goals. Kat Dunn is exceptional at narrating tal... READ MORE
Lucie Scott
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Rottenheart
Fantastic
Rottenheart is a haunting and beautifully written masterpiece that proves Kat Dunn is a leading voice in modern gothic horror. Following the success of Hun... READ MORE
kostev09
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Rottenheart
A gothic haunting exploring themes of grief, betrayal, and the complex relationship between mothers and their daughters
Love her writing style! Beautiful descriptions of the time period and setting, felt truly immersed in the story. Kept me engaged throughout; I was never su... READ MORE
Polly Jones
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Rottenheart
A rich, mysterious and dark retelling
Rottenheart is the Gothic retelling of the Shakespearean classic, Hamlet. With gender-roles reversed, it is narrated by Odette and Cecelia, on the brink of... READ MORE
Laura
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.