Empuzjon (The Empusium) by Olga Tokarczuk (2022)

This eerie horror story is set in a secluded health resort in 1913 Silesia. In September, young Polish engineering student mieczyslaw wojnicz arrives at görbersdorf, a village popular among tuberculosis patients. Wojnicz, having always had fragile health, is sent there by his father in hopes of a cure. He stays at a guesthouse run by the cold willi opitz. Wojnicz is anxious, panics in public, and hates undressing in front of others due to shame about his body. When resident physician doctor semperweiss asks him to strip for a check-up, he avoids it. The doctor insists on daily treatments and suggests willi drink alcohol.

At the guesthouse, wojnicz meets other patients, including another young man, thilo von hahn, an art student from Berlin weakened by health issues. The men share sexist views, arguing women are incapable of complex thoughts. Even when willi opitz’s wife klara commits suicide, the men continue their misogynistic discussions. Wojnicz and thilo are traumatized, especially wojnicz, who found klara’s body. Thilo, fascinated by morbid details, tells wojnicz that every autumn, a man from the village dies, seemingly killed by the forest. Wojnicz dismisses this as folklore but is unsettled.

Wojnicz continues his treatments, exposed to more sexist ideology about women’s inferiority. Herr august, an Austrian philosopher, promotes hygienist views and belittles the dead for giving up on life. The men drink heavily, and wojnicz tires of the treatments and atmosphere. He tries to talk with thilo and reminisces about his childhood. He writes to his father in Poland but only mentions the weather and food, unable to express his true feelings.