Deliciously disgusting is how I would describe my latest read/obsession: The Troop by Nick Cutter.

I feel I’m a little late to the Nick Cutter party. The man has invaded book book-tok and Instagram (book-stagram?). At least for me he has. And for good reason…Cutter can write.

Scout Master Tim Riggs and his troop of five grade-school boys have found themselves on their annual outing to Falstaff Island, putting their survival skills to the test. (And dear god, do they.) When an unexpected guest stumbles on to the shore of the island, things immediately take a turn for the grotesque. The stranger’s gruesome appearance, combined with his insatiable hunger, insights panic amongst the troop. As they dig deeper into what exactly is ailing this man, they realize things might be more dire than they anticipated. Seemingly cut off from the mainland, the members of the troop are left to survive on their wit and will alone as tensions rise and a strange sickness starts to spread.

Never has a book caused me to have such a strong visceral reaction. The Troop was truly disgusting…and I loved every minute of it. I found myself washing my hands profusely after stints of reading. And for that, I applaud Nick Cutter. This book is filled with such stunning detail both grotesque, beautiful, and horrifying. Cutter is a true master of imagery, never failing to depict a disgusting moment. A few chapters in, there is a scene shared between Scoutmaster Tim, Max, and the Stranger that has the same energy as the iconic Alien chest-burster scene.

Cutter also does an excellent job of capturing moments of beauty and meaning amongst the terror he invokes. He paints a stunning image of the natural beauty of the island, and he carefully crafts scenes that show the complex relationships these characters—these kids—have with themselves, each other, and the world.

It really is Cutter’s cast of characters and the relationship they have with one another that makes this story so interesting. There is Kent, the so-called alpha male of the group whom the other kids tend to follow, primarily due to his sheer size. There is Ephraim, the hot-tempered kid who is the human equivalent of a firecracker. There is Shelley, that weird kid in the corner of the room who is best to stay away from—mainly because you’re never quite sure what disturbing things might be swimming around in his mind. And there is my favorite, Newt, the chubby nerdy kid that often acts as the group’s punching bag, but he may just surprise people with how much he is capable of. As someone who was picked on because of their weight, I enjoyed and related to Newt’s character so much.

Oh wait, and there is Max…who is there. I am not fully convinced of Max’s necessity as a character. But he is certainly there.

The Troop, with its interesting characters and relationships, explores the idea that when someone is faced with a life-or-death situation, they reveal their true self. In the midst of this truly horrifying situation, we get to see who these kids really are outside of their assumed roles in the school hallway.

In addition to his intricate character building, Cutter really immerses his readers in his story with some excellent world building through the well-executed inclusion of newspaper clippings, diary entries, and police interviews concerning the events that happen on the island. The inclusion of these elements not only elevates the main story but creates a trail of breadcrumbs for readers to follow to a disturbing conclusion.

If you can stomach body horror to the level of the movie Cabin Fever, I highly recommend Nick Cutter’s book The Troop. Now if you’ll excuse me…I have to go wash my hands again after writing this.