The Unworthy
A Novel
By Agustina Bazterrica
Read by Imani Jade Powers
Table of Contents
About The Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
The long-awaited new novel from the author of global sensation Tender Is the Flesh: a thrilling work of literary horror about a woman cloistered in a secretive, violent religious order, while outside the world has fallen into chaos.
From her cell in a mysterious convent, a woman writes the story of her life in whatever she can find—discarded ink, dirt, and even her own blood. A lower member of the Sacred Sisterhood, deemed an unworthy, she dreams of ascending to the ranks of the Enlightened at the center of the convent and of pleasing the foreboding Superior Sister. Outside, the world is plagued by catastrophe—cities are submerged underwater, electricity and the internet are nonexistent, and bands of survivors fight and forage in a cruel, barren landscape. Inside, the narrator is controlled, punished, but safe.
But when a stranger makes her way past the convent walls, joining the ranks of the unworthy, she forces the narrator to consider her long-buried past—and what she may be overlooking about the Enlightened. As the two women grow closer, the narrator is increasingly haunted by questions about her own past, the environmental future, and her present life inside the convent. How did she get to the Sacred Sisterhood? Why can’t she remember her life before? And what really happens when a woman is chosen as one of the Enlightened?
A searing, dystopian tale about climate crisis, ideological extremism, and the tidal pull of our most violent, exploitative instincts, this is another unforgettable novel from a master of feminist horror.
The long-awaited new novel from the author of global sensation Tender Is the Flesh: a thrilling work of literary horror about a woman cloistered in a secretive, violent religious order, while outside the world has fallen into chaos.
From her cell in a mysterious convent, a woman writes the story of her life in whatever she can find—discarded ink, dirt, and even her own blood. A lower member of the Sacred Sisterhood, deemed an unworthy, she dreams of ascending to the ranks of the Enlightened at the center of the convent and of pleasing the foreboding Superior Sister. Outside, the world is plagued by catastrophe—cities are submerged underwater, electricity and the internet are nonexistent, and bands of survivors fight and forage in a cruel, barren landscape. Inside, the narrator is controlled, punished, but safe.
But when a stranger makes her way past the convent walls, joining the ranks of the unworthy, she forces the narrator to consider her long-buried past—and what she may be overlooking about the Enlightened. As the two women grow closer, the narrator is increasingly haunted by questions about her own past, the environmental future, and her present life inside the convent. How did she get to the Sacred Sisterhood? Why can’t she remember her life before? And what really happens when a woman is chosen as one of the Enlightened?
A searing, dystopian tale about climate crisis, ideological extremism, and the tidal pull of our most violent, exploitative instincts, this is another unforgettable novel from a master of feminist horror.
Reading Group Guide
Reading Group Guide for The Unworthy
This reading group guide for THE UNWORTHY includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
In a world ravaged by catastrophe, a violent, secretive religious order arises behind the walls of a former monastery. Its strict hierarchy is enforced by the cruel Superior Sister and a mysterious man who never shows his face. Our narrator writes in her diary that she is one of the “unworthy,” though she dreams of achieving the highest level of holiness—that of the Enlightened. When a member of the Sacred Sisterhood is murdered and a stranger finds her way behind the wall, the narrator’s repressed memories from her life before begin to resurface and she starts to doubt the ways of the order. What really happens when a woman is chosen to become Enlightened? Will the world beyond the wall ever become safe again? And how do we hold onto our humanity when society has crumbled?
A searing, dystopian tale about the climate crisis, ideological extremism, and the tidal pull of our most violent, exploitative instincts, The Unworthy is an unforgettable novel from a master of feminist horror.
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. “Without faith, there is no refuge.” This phrase is repeatedly uttered by members of the Sacred Sisterhood. What do you think it means? How does their faith differ from traditional Catholicism, and why do you think they decry “the erroneous God, the false son, the negative mother”?
2. Why does the narrator want to be one of the Enlightened? Why do you think she and the other members of the Sacred Sisterhood so readily accept the authority of the Superior Sister and the mysterious “Him”? What roles do punishment and self-flagellation play in their devotion?
3. Discuss the world of The Unworthy. What happened to create this dystopian hellscape? Which threats mentioned in the novel feel most prophetic to you? If the internet went down permanently tomorrow, how do you think it would impact our lives?
4. The narrator is fascinated by insects. In one scene, she describes a trapped cockroach as “a small work of living art” (page 44); in another she refers to a dragonfly’s wings as a “fragile cathedral” (page 47); and when she encounters a dragonfly, she calls it “a sacred moment” (page 114). What do these reactions tell us about the narrator? Why do you think Bazterrica used religious language in these descriptions?
5. Discuss the role of family in the novel—from the narrator’s mother to the “tarantula kids” and other characters who might be considered her chosen family, like Circe. How does family make living through apocalyptic times easier—or harder?
6. Survival is another major theme of the novel. Consider what Ulysses’s mother tells him about her actions during the water wars: “There were no enemies . . . only people trying to survive, people dying of thirst and hunger” (page 100). What behavior becomes permissible in a disaster-ridden world like this one? Is self-preservation justifiable when it comes at a cost to others’ lives?
7. “The truth is a sphere,” Lucía tells the narrator. “We never see it whole, in its entirety” (page 117). How does this quote resonate with the narrator’s experiences in the novel? Does she ever see the truth “whole”?
8. What did you think of the character of Lourdes? Why does the narrator hate her so much? Why does Lucía show her mercy? What might have happened if Lucía and Helena had been in the convent at the same time?
9. What role does doubt play in the novel? Discuss the crossed-out parts of the narrator’s diary, like the paragraph on page 109. What do they reveal about her psyche?
10. What did you think of the novel’s framing device—that the book we’re reading is the narrator’s diary? What motivates her to keep writing, even though she knows it is dangerous? Consider the other diary the narrator encounters in an abandoned house on pages 136–37. How are they similar?
11. Discuss the reveal at the end of the novel about the mysterious “Him” and the Enlightened. Were you surprised, or had you picked up clues from earlier in the novel? What did you think of the narrator’s decision in the final scene, and what do you think happened to her—and her manuscript—after she stopped writing?
12. Which scene of the book disturbed or frightened you the most? What do these elements of horror or “femgore” add to the story?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Read Agustina Bazterrica’s novel Tender Is the Flesh, in which humans are farmed for meat after all other animal flesh becomes contaminated, and/or her macabre short story collection, Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird. Discuss the themes that echo throughout her work?
2. Learn more about the history and current events of Argentina, where The Unworthy was first published. Consider checking out the work of other contemporary Argentine writers like Mariana Enríquez and Samanta Schweblin.
3. Agustina Bazterrica’s work reached a wider audience after going viral on TikTok. Look up some of the popular videos about Tender Is the Flesh. How does this novel differ from other books popularized on BookTok, and why do you think people were drawn to making content about it?
This reading group guide for THE UNWORTHY includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
In a world ravaged by catastrophe, a violent, secretive religious order arises behind the walls of a former monastery. Its strict hierarchy is enforced by the cruel Superior Sister and a mysterious man who never shows his face. Our narrator writes in her diary that she is one of the “unworthy,” though she dreams of achieving the highest level of holiness—that of the Enlightened. When a member of the Sacred Sisterhood is murdered and a stranger finds her way behind the wall, the narrator’s repressed memories from her life before begin to resurface and she starts to doubt the ways of the order. What really happens when a woman is chosen to become Enlightened? Will the world beyond the wall ever become safe again? And how do we hold onto our humanity when society has crumbled?
A searing, dystopian tale about the climate crisis, ideological extremism, and the tidal pull of our most violent, exploitative instincts, The Unworthy is an unforgettable novel from a master of feminist horror.
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. “Without faith, there is no refuge.” This phrase is repeatedly uttered by members of the Sacred Sisterhood. What do you think it means? How does their faith differ from traditional Catholicism, and why do you think they decry “the erroneous God, the false son, the negative mother”?
2. Why does the narrator want to be one of the Enlightened? Why do you think she and the other members of the Sacred Sisterhood so readily accept the authority of the Superior Sister and the mysterious “Him”? What roles do punishment and self-flagellation play in their devotion?
3. Discuss the world of The Unworthy. What happened to create this dystopian hellscape? Which threats mentioned in the novel feel most prophetic to you? If the internet went down permanently tomorrow, how do you think it would impact our lives?
4. The narrator is fascinated by insects. In one scene, she describes a trapped cockroach as “a small work of living art” (page 44); in another she refers to a dragonfly’s wings as a “fragile cathedral” (page 47); and when she encounters a dragonfly, she calls it “a sacred moment” (page 114). What do these reactions tell us about the narrator? Why do you think Bazterrica used religious language in these descriptions?
5. Discuss the role of family in the novel—from the narrator’s mother to the “tarantula kids” and other characters who might be considered her chosen family, like Circe. How does family make living through apocalyptic times easier—or harder?
6. Survival is another major theme of the novel. Consider what Ulysses’s mother tells him about her actions during the water wars: “There were no enemies . . . only people trying to survive, people dying of thirst and hunger” (page 100). What behavior becomes permissible in a disaster-ridden world like this one? Is self-preservation justifiable when it comes at a cost to others’ lives?
7. “The truth is a sphere,” Lucía tells the narrator. “We never see it whole, in its entirety” (page 117). How does this quote resonate with the narrator’s experiences in the novel? Does she ever see the truth “whole”?
8. What did you think of the character of Lourdes? Why does the narrator hate her so much? Why does Lucía show her mercy? What might have happened if Lucía and Helena had been in the convent at the same time?
9. What role does doubt play in the novel? Discuss the crossed-out parts of the narrator’s diary, like the paragraph on page 109. What do they reveal about her psyche?
10. What did you think of the novel’s framing device—that the book we’re reading is the narrator’s diary? What motivates her to keep writing, even though she knows it is dangerous? Consider the other diary the narrator encounters in an abandoned house on pages 136–37. How are they similar?
11. Discuss the reveal at the end of the novel about the mysterious “Him” and the Enlightened. Were you surprised, or had you picked up clues from earlier in the novel? What did you think of the narrator’s decision in the final scene, and what do you think happened to her—and her manuscript—after she stopped writing?
12. Which scene of the book disturbed or frightened you the most? What do these elements of horror or “femgore” add to the story?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Read Agustina Bazterrica’s novel Tender Is the Flesh, in which humans are farmed for meat after all other animal flesh becomes contaminated, and/or her macabre short story collection, Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird. Discuss the themes that echo throughout her work?
2. Learn more about the history and current events of Argentina, where The Unworthy was first published. Consider checking out the work of other contemporary Argentine writers like Mariana Enríquez and Samanta Schweblin.
3. Agustina Bazterrica’s work reached a wider audience after going viral on TikTok. Look up some of the popular videos about Tender Is the Flesh. How does this novel differ from other books popularized on BookTok, and why do you think people were drawn to making content about it?
About The Author
Photograph by Lina Botero
Agustina Bazterrica
Agustina Bazterrica, born in Buenos Aires in 1974, has a degree in arts from the University of Buenos Aires and works as a cultural manager and jury member in various literary contests. She is the author of the short story collection Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird, and the novels Matar al niña and Tender Is the Flesh, the latter of which was awarded the Clarín Novel Prize. Tender Is the Flesh established Bazterrica as a bestselling author worldwide, with translations into thirty languages and half a million copies sold in English alone. Tender Is the Flesh is currently being adapted for television. Her latest novel, The Unworthy, was published in Spanish in 2023 and received the same enthusiastic reception as Tender Is the Flesh, affirming Bazterrica’s status as a prominent author in contemporary literature.
About The Reader
Imani Jade Powers
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (March 4, 2025)
- Runtime: 4 hours and 36 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797190198
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Unworthy Unabridged Audio Download 9781797190198
- Author Photo (jpg): Agustina Bazterrica Photograph by Lina Botero(0.1 MB)
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