Thrum Book Review - No Spoilers
Last night, I lit a candle, wrapped myself in my favorite blanket, and let the hum of rain against the windows carry me away. I opened Thrum and instantly felt that eerie tug of isolation and mystery. I knew from the first chapters this was not going to be a comfort read—and I loved it. The sense of dread crept in, and I found myself leaning in. Even in the dark, its voice stayed with me until dawn.
Plot Summary
Thrum tells the story of Ami, who awakes from years in stasis to discover she is the only surviving member of her crew, stranded at the edge of deep space. She sends out a distress signal and is answered by an entity who calls himself Dorian—he offers to bring her aboard his enigmatic ship. But the vessel itself seems alive, with corridors that shift and a pulsing hum that haunts Ami’s mind. The deeper she goes, the more questions arise: about Dorian’s true motives, the nature of the ship, and the secrets buried in her own memories. It’s a novella that blends science fiction, horror, and romance with artful ambiguity.
Why I Love This Book
I love how Smitherman balances dread and longing in just over a hundred pages. She doesn’t rush emotion or atmosphere, and every silence, every corridor, feels charged. Ami’s isolation and vulnerability pulled at me; Dorian’s weird allure unsettled me. The tension is unnerving in a delicious way. I also appreciate that she doesn’t give easy answers. The uncertainty lingers—and that’s part of the thrill. Even when I’d set it aside, I kept thinking about the hum, the half-glimpsed truth, and what I might have missed.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy psychological horror, sci-fi romance, or stories that leave you unsettled in all the best ways, this is for you. Lovers of gothicism, cosmic dread, and lovers-in-the-dark will find a lot to savor. It’s intimate, creepy, and evocative. Just know: it leans dark, with themes of isolation, manipulation, and psychological unease.
⚠️ Trigger warning: psychological horror, mind manipulation, implied violence or threat, dark romance dynamics, themes of isolation and trauma.
Tagged As
sci-fi romance, horromance, gothic sci-fi, dark romance, novella, cosmic horror, isolation, uneasy alliances, psychological tension, alien entity, ambient dread
Steam Level
The spice in Thrum is moderate: there are sensual undertones and erotic tension, though the explicitness is restrained. The emphasis is more on mood, psychological pull, and emotional charge than on extended sex scenes. It fits the story’s disquieting atmosphere perfectly.
