Review: Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo

*I received a copy of this book from Tordotcom in exchange for an honest review.

Cabaret in Flames

by Hache Pueyo

March 10, 2026 

Goodreads Summary:

Hache Pueyo returns after But Not Too Bold with her new novella Cabaret in Flames, where Interview with the Vampire meets Certain Dark Things in an alternate-Brazil where brutal flesh-hungering Guls stalk the night streets and manipulate the government from their glittering cabaret

Guls can be brutal. Few know this better than Ariadne, who lost half her body to their appetites, but their brutality is a predictable constant amid Brazil’s political chaos. Now, she treats them in the specialized clinic she inherited from Erik Yurkov—the mentor who rescued her as a child, trained her in medicine, built her prostheses, and disappeared without a trace.

Ariadne’s routine is disturbed when Quaint knocks on her door: a charming, tattooed gul claiming to be Erik’s oldest friend. Quaint suspects foul play in Erik’s disappearance, and they soon discover Erik sought asylum at Cabaré, an infamous club in Rio de Janeiro frequented by the gul elite.

Together, Ariadne and Quaint will unravel the conspiracy behind their friend’s disappearance, navigate the labyrinthine world of Ariadne’s memories, and discover what Erik means to them—and what they are starting to mean to each other.

Review

Cabaret in Flames is not my typical read but what an emotional story it was. I’m certain I’m not the first and won’t be the last to say this but this novella should be a full-length novel. We need more pages to unpack and digest all the revelations.

Cabaret in Flames is not a book for the faint of heart. The more I read, the more warning bells went off in my head. My heart kept twisting one reveal after another. I can’t say much without spoilers but just know that this was not an easy read. it was dark despite the goodness.

I would not use lovely to describe anything in Cabaret in Flames except its characters. They were gentle and resilient, and I was deeply moved by their stories. “I learned nothing about you from his journals. I learned only what another person thought of you at a moment in time. Only you can show me if his conclusions are true or not.” (p. 121-122) Ms. Hache Pueyo created some truly unique characters.

Cabaret in Flames evoked many feelings but I didn’t quite enjoy the romance. Ariadne and Quaint got together fairly quickly. As smooth as it seemed to happen, their feelings just weren’t that convincing. Between her past trauma and rejections and his decades of heartaches and experience, I would’ve expected both of them to be more careful (with their hearts and bodies). I wish Ariadne and Quaint interacted just a bit more before anything physical happened.

I went out of my comfort zone with Cabaret in Flames and I’m so happy it was a success. The story was distressing yet thought-provoking, visceral yet logical. For such a short book, this novella packed a big punch.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.