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alittlemixofvix's review against another edition
4.0
A great collection of folk horror and I love the fact it's set in The Fens, which is very close to where I grew up - so I have heard some of the folklore (and know to steer clear of the lantern men).
The cover is stunning too, I love the colours and the abstract face of (I'm presuming) The Fen King.
Some very creepy stories, and the language was quite poetic in a few of them. My particular favourites were "The Hucker Hole" and "Why Doth Nana Cleave Me So".
"The Hucker Hole" had a great build-up, then a nice twist ending.
"Why Doth Nana Cleave Me So" was just down right gruesome - the vivid imagery was something else.
Whilst "The Bowls" was the longest story, I felt it wasn't long enough. There is so much more that needs to be explored - it could be a whole story all to itself.
Every time I drive past the "Welcome to Fenland" sign, I will be thinking of this book. If you like folk horror then this is for you.
The cover is stunning too, I love the colours and the abstract face of (I'm presuming) The Fen King.
Some very creepy stories, and the language was quite poetic in a few of them. My particular favourites were "The Hucker Hole" and "Why Doth Nana Cleave Me So".
"The Hucker Hole" had a great build-up, then a nice twist ending.
"Why Doth Nana Cleave Me So" was just down right gruesome - the vivid imagery was something else.
Whilst "The Bowls" was the longest story, I felt it wasn't long enough. There is so much more that needs to be explored - it could be a whole story all to itself.
Every time I drive past the "Welcome to Fenland" sign, I will be thinking of this book. If you like folk horror then this is for you.
davemusson85's review
5.0
I’ve always found folk horror a slog. Most of the previous examples I’ve read have been too pretentious, too earnest, and too boring to get me enthused. But, it turns out I just needed the right person to guide me in, and that person turned out to be Jay Alexander.
As Jay himself notes in his afterword, this is his first attempt at this genre. And, reader, he nails it. The seven tales here are bloody, goorey, and creepy as anything. More than anything though, they’re brilliantly told; Jay’s narrative voice has the pacing and mystique of a camp fire orator - his words draw you in, and take you down paths you would never normally dream of treading, before bringing you out in a clearing full of all sorts of awful horrors. It’s a thrilling ride.
There’s something noteworthy about every single story collected here. The blood, snow, and antlers of Elken lulls you in before a quite terrifying and heart-racing climax, The Hucker Hole is dark, disturbing, and shocking, while the Fen King’s structure and story are both disorientating and tense. The Soft Parts is grim and gross before hitting with a surprise finale, The Bowls interweave a plethora of timelines with a really strong pair of nasty lead characters, while Black Dogs in the Dark bring the infamous Norfolk tale of the Black Shuck to life vividly.
But, it’s Why Doth Nana Cleave Me So? that takes the prize as my favourite here. It is devilishly dark, shockingly violent, and downright bleak. Also, the way the author uses the sentence ‘the pain was incredible’ made me wince as my guts twisted and whole body shuddered.
It’s obvious that the writer behind these tales is a talented one, but Starving Grounds is impressive for more than just being of incredibly high quality. They nail the folk horror brief because they feel well-worn, lived in, like they’ve been handed down through the generations - as well as being all kinds of scary. You can feel the wind whipping your face, smell the musty undergrowth of those creepy woods, and the thought of sunset will make you shiver.
Jay’s passion for the wilderness, and the stories hidden within, are evident and it feels like he has truly found his niche. If this is how good his first attempt is, I can’t wait to read more.
Thanks to the author for the ARC.
maddys_needful_reads's review
5.0
This is a collection of seven tales of folk horror that take you to the dark, gory, horrifying, and beautiful forests and marshes of rural Britain. They're chock full of exactly what I want from folk horror: antlers, mud, blood, skulls and bones, cults and pagan churches, unknown gods.
I give every story in this collection five stars. They are each so different in regards to style and plot, but they work together well. The stories are original, and most of the endings completely surprised me. I'm not going to review/describe each story individually because I had so much not knowing what was coming next while reading, and I don't want to ruin that for anyone else. Just know that they were beautiful and terrifying (and a little gross).
Jay Alexander's writing is wonderful. I find it very easy to read - it's not simple (in fact, it's highly detailed), but everything flows so well that I get lost in it. One of the stories is written in second person, which I normally can't stand, but he pulls it off, and the effect is very unsettling. I also appreciate that the dialogue is realistic and natural.
I cannot recommend Starving Grounds enough. Seriously, if you like horror, you have to read this. It is easily one of my favorite short story collections.
Thank you so much to Jay Alexander for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I give every story in this collection five stars. They are each so different in regards to style and plot, but they work together well. The stories are original, and most of the endings completely surprised me. I'm not going to review/describe each story individually because I had so much not knowing what was coming next while reading, and I don't want to ruin that for anyone else. Just know that they were beautiful and terrifying (and a little gross).
Jay Alexander's writing is wonderful. I find it very easy to read - it's not simple (in fact, it's highly detailed), but everything flows so well that I get lost in it. One of the stories is written in second person, which I normally can't stand, but he pulls it off, and the effect is very unsettling. I also appreciate that the dialogue is realistic and natural.
I cannot recommend Starving Grounds enough. Seriously, if you like horror, you have to read this. It is easily one of my favorite short story collections.
Thank you so much to Jay Alexander for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
booksandbacon's review
4.0
I was offered an eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
After reading "The Launching" which I loved, I was offered the opportunity to read "Starving Grounds" and I'm so glad to say what a fantastic collection of creepy/gory/haunted stories all bundled together as a great read.
The collection comprises seven folklore horror stories, each creepy and violent with plenty of mutilated bodies and gallons of blood.
They're all very creepy but my favourites are:
The Bowels is a mysterious hole in the woods together with a very strange hotel where guests are welcomed but not allowed to leave.
Why Doth Nana Cleave Me So? this one really got me! A bit unsettling but creepy as hell, left me wanting more.
Jay's writing style is something else, especially when explaining what Nana does with the cleaver, which left me a bit squeamish but wanting more.
So, overall a great read and looking forward to his future projects.
After reading "The Launching" which I loved, I was offered the opportunity to read "Starving Grounds" and I'm so glad to say what a fantastic collection of creepy/gory/haunted stories all bundled together as a great read.
The collection comprises seven folklore horror stories, each creepy and violent with plenty of mutilated bodies and gallons of blood.
They're all very creepy but my favourites are:
The Bowels is a mysterious hole in the woods together with a very strange hotel where guests are welcomed but not allowed to leave.
Why Doth Nana Cleave Me So? this one really got me! A bit unsettling but creepy as hell, left me wanting more.
Jay's writing style is something else, especially when explaining what Nana does with the cleaver, which left me a bit squeamish but wanting more.
So, overall a great read and looking forward to his future projects.
harrieteverend's review
4.0
This whole collection of stories from Jay were delightful to read. The attention to detail in each one is incredible and I slowly noticed they might all be interconnected with one another (apologies if I'm wrong). If I had to choose my top three favorite stories, I would say Elken, The Bowls and Black Dogs in the Dark (couldn't help that one - there's a character with my name!!), but they are all incredible. Jay knows how to tell a creepy tale to his audience and does so brilliantly. It'll stay with you for days after reading. If you love short stories, folk horror and stories with high attention to detail, you do not want to miss out on this collection!
chibichapters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Torture, Murder, and Gore
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