Bitters

The Man, a copper-colored nude statue, measuring 60 men high, has been the protector of a community for generations. McNubbin works as a carrier, spending his days feeding dead bodies into the mouth of the Man. Their decaying corpses marinate together, creating a precious juice, “the Bitters,” that is tapped from the toe. Residents are protected with good health because of it, and others flock to their town annually to partake. An entire industry and social structure revolve around this gruesome industry. But when severely damaged young girls keep showing up for disposal, McNubbin starts to question it all. Deeply entrenched in classic dystopian fiction and set in a world just slightly askew from reality, Warren’s highly unsettling novella masterfully assaults readers’ five senses, immersing them in a strikingly original story that demands to be read in one sitting.