Critiquing Cult Reads: C.G. Drews’ “Hazelthorn”

image c/o C.G. Drews

---

By Rowen Murphy
Entertainment Columnist 

On our second edition of Critiquing Cult Reads, I am thrilled to introduce the latest work of C.G. Drews. This novel revolves around a murder mystery and is set in a sprawling New England estate that is bracketed by a gothic garden. C.G. Drews’s novel Hazelthorn horrifies and delights as it delves into the recesses of autistic trauma and the inherent rage therein. 

Welcome to Hazelthorn Manor, where something shifts between the branches of its unknowable gardens. Here we meet Evander and Laurie. Evander begins this story locked away in his bedroom as though a princess in a remote tower. He is the sickly creature of this manor, told over and over he is ill despite feeling fine, and always made to choke down medicine – sedatives – he does not want. As a character, Evander paints an accurate portrait through his anxiety and autistic experiences, in that both have the potential to leave you emotionally and physically exhausted at times. He is shown caught in the throes of violent episodes as a result of overstimulation, exemplifying melt-downs and shut-downs from an internal perspective. Autistic readers will see the most visceral aspects of their lived experience on page through the eyes of Evander.

Then comes Laurie, who we are told tried to kill Evander in the gardens when they were ten years old. Yet, there seems to be more to this story that no one is willing to share. The mask of Laurie’s persona begins to shift after the death of his grandfather, the proprietor of the Hazelthorn estate and the subsequent naming of Evander as its sole heir. Cutting Laurie out of the will sets him on a collision course with Evander, one that leads them to unearth truths long since buried in the loamy soil of the estate’s tangled garden.

Drews’ writing never ceases to amaze. Having completed my second read of them, I find that Hazelthorn exists in a similar vein to their previous work, Don't Let the Forest In. While both are tagged as YA, Hazelthorn was a far more twisted and unsettling reading experience. Of the two, I preferred Don't Let the Forest In as I felt more connected to the blight the characters underwent. While these novels have differences in tone, Drews' stays true to their macabre prose throughout both. They evoke such interesting imagery with their attention to gorgeously decrepit language, earthy plant-themed body horror, as well as an entirely unique and engaging way of describing bodily sensations and emotions in the onset of autistic overwhelm. The language reads as claustrophobic and anxiety-inducing in a way that feels reminiscent of my own experiences as a person with late-diagnosed autism. While it was difficult to read at times, it was worthwhile in its murky storybook reflection.

As this story is quite intense in nature, please be sure to check the trigger warnings before reading it, as there are on-page occurrences of many warnings. As a whole, this story focuses on representing the experiences of people who are queer, autistic, and those who suffer from chronic illnesses. Consider all that awaits before choosing to unlock the doors of Hazelthorn Manor.