She Treads Softly: Hidden Creatures

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Hidden Creatures

Hidden Creatures by Dino Martins
7/7/26; 336 pages
Knopf Doubleday

Hidden Creatures by Dino Martins is a very highly recommended intriguing and accessible look into the world of parasites. Dr. Martins, an award-winning entomologist, evolutionary biologist, and professor from Kenya, examines real parasites (not that relative who always wants more) in an enthusiastic, understandable, educational, and informative manner. The complete title of the book, Hidden Creatures: Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies, and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites, makes this quite clear.

Although I felt squeamish and perhaps a bit nauseous at times, I was totally engrossed throughout this informative book. Dr. Martins is a descriptive writer as well as a great teacher who takes delight in sharing his knowledge. Using a conversational tone and in poetic language he shares a plethora of fascinating, detailed information about a wide variety of parasites, their life cycles, treatments for them, as well as the interconnectedness of everything. This isn't simply a book about parasites, it's a detailed, factual book about Dr. Martins' educated, factual, and real life examinations of parasites. This makes all the difference. While reading you are experiencing remotely and at a safe distance his up close observations and interactions.

Chapters are delightfully (and the subject is a joy for Martins to discuss) are titled: 1. Practical Pinworms, Happy Hookworms and Remarkable Roundworms; 2. Marvelous Maggots; 3. Lovable Liver Flukes and Bountiful Bloodworms; 4. Magnificent Mosquitoes and Perfect Plasmodia; 5. Beautiful Bedbugs and Likable Lice; 6. Fabulous Fleas; 7. Mysterious Mites and Titillating Ticks; 8. Bashful Botflies; 9. Terrific Tapeworms; 10. Luscious Leeches; 11. Parable of the Leech; 12. Parasites Rising (And Falling); Acknowledgements and Notes. There are illustrations of various parasites included.

He said more than once while discussing parasites "Life begets death begets life," which is a poignant observation that is clearly exemplified through his elegant, immersive discussions of the various parasites that are a vital part of every ecosystem. A story of one of his experiences observing the activity surrounding an elephants corpse while collecting samples demonstrates this fact. Dr. Martins' book clearly shows the importance of really seeing and paying attention to what is going on around you every day. Also included in the text is a wealth of historical background.

The last chapter was quite interesting and begs for further studies. He discussed how the immune system of humans may be trained through the exposure to parasites and how the increase of allergies may be connected to the decrease of exposure in developed industrial areas. Allergies are rare in rural tropical areas where exposure to parasites is common. Also touched upon was the fact that there are very few new pathogens or parasites. Reports that are quick to claim something is a new foreign agent (ticks, mosquitoes) is a fallacy.

Hidden Creatures is an excellent choice for anyone interested in an accessible account of the world of parasites. I was admittedly simultaneously, fascinated, curious, disgusted, and engaged throughout the entire book. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.