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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
was listening to this book and it was very hard to follow because there was no variation on when a different person was speaking
Little Eve is a dark, gothic tale of two sisters raised in a small secret doomsday cult off the coast of Scotland, on the isolated isle of Altnaharra, and the events leading to, and aftermath of, a bloody reckoning that leaves only one survivor on the island.
On the morning of January 2, 1921, the bodies of the inhabitants of the island are found ritually murdered. Dinah is the only one who manages to survive the brutal slaughter, just barely, and Eve, who wielded the knife, is missing.
The story unfolds across two alternating timelines. Dinah writes from the aftermath, living with the trauma of her upbringing and the horror from the night of the murders. Through Eve, the events leading up to that bloodstained day uncoil, revealing the true circumstances guiding her hand.
Despite the body count, the horror of Little Eve is more literary and psychological than blood and gore (though there is some of that). The island snake cult is dark, creepy, and twisted, a feeling perfectly mirrored in the crumbling castle and isolated landscape of Altnaharra. Eve, despite, or maybe as a result of, being a product of her environment, comes off as a sympathetic character, especially when you realize she’s only about 17 at the time of the murders.
The brief description of this book did not do it justice. When I tell you I could not put this book down, I’m not even exaggerating. I was turning pages, biting my nails, and gasping out loud. The author uses unreliable narrators artfully and skillfully to tell a twisted story that keeps the reader on edge and hooked.
Little Eve is a hidden gem of a literary gothic novel with the same gloomy, isolated vibes as The Others or The Woman In Black. The atmosphere, the characters, the twists and turns, the tension, the reveals - Little Eve is my favorite kind of gothic novel. The author’s been making a name for herself in the gothic horror/thriller genre and I’ve heard good things about her other books, so I'll absolutely be checking those out soon.
*thank you to the publishers for a review copy
On the morning of January 2, 1921, the bodies of the inhabitants of the island are found ritually murdered. Dinah is the only one who manages to survive the brutal slaughter, just barely, and Eve, who wielded the knife, is missing.
The story unfolds across two alternating timelines. Dinah writes from the aftermath, living with the trauma of her upbringing and the horror from the night of the murders. Through Eve, the events leading up to that bloodstained day uncoil, revealing the true circumstances guiding her hand.
Despite the body count, the horror of Little Eve is more literary and psychological than blood and gore (though there is some of that). The island snake cult is dark, creepy, and twisted, a feeling perfectly mirrored in the crumbling castle and isolated landscape of Altnaharra. Eve, despite, or maybe as a result of, being a product of her environment, comes off as a sympathetic character, especially when you realize she’s only about 17 at the time of the murders.
The brief description of this book did not do it justice. When I tell you I could not put this book down, I’m not even exaggerating. I was turning pages, biting my nails, and gasping out loud. The author uses unreliable narrators artfully and skillfully to tell a twisted story that keeps the reader on edge and hooked.
Little Eve is a hidden gem of a literary gothic novel with the same gloomy, isolated vibes as The Others or The Woman In Black. The atmosphere, the characters, the twists and turns, the tension, the reveals - Little Eve is my favorite kind of gothic novel. The author’s been making a name for herself in the gothic horror/thriller genre and I’ve heard good things about her other books, so I'll absolutely be checking those out soon.
*thank you to the publishers for a review copy
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Check out my review on https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/little-eve/
One-word summaries: ugh. Meh. Yawn. Sigh.
Main thought while reading: is it over yet?
Take-away: last attempt at this author
The blurb is SO great! A fanatic little sect found murdered in an isolated castle - with just two survivors. What great fun! The perp is obvious, the evil Eve and her machinations. The timeline is, as so often, then and now, through two perspectives, Eve and Dina. We follow them and their lives in the cult, leading up to the inevitable disaster.
I figured out the main plot twist in the first chapter and should I have had any doubts, they were confirmed and re-confirmed throughout. It's supposed to be gothic, but all it is, is boring.
Main thought while reading: is it over yet?
Take-away: last attempt at this author
The blurb is SO great! A fanatic little sect found murdered in an isolated castle - with just two survivors. What great fun! The perp is obvious, the evil Eve and her machinations. The timeline is, as so often, then and now, through two perspectives, Eve and Dina. We follow them and their lives in the cult, leading up to the inevitable disaster.
I figured out the main plot twist in the first chapter and should I have had any doubts, they were confirmed and re-confirmed throughout. It's supposed to be gothic, but all it is, is boring.
Ward's work is a slow burn, gothic horror that is completely worthy of all hype! Multiple narratives deftly fill in the events of 1921 around a murder and the twist is not what I expected. So glad this work has now been published in America!
A quick read, that I think readers of horror, mystery, historical fiction, gothic gloom, and slow burn unexpected plot twists will enjoy this work by Catriona Ward.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.
A quick read, that I think readers of horror, mystery, historical fiction, gothic gloom, and slow burn unexpected plot twists will enjoy this work by Catriona Ward.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley, TorNightfire and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy!
WOW that was good. It was slow and eerie and creepy. Gothic horror with cults!! Definitely check trigger warnings. The way the story unfolds and the mystery of it all is so unique and interesting! The cult aspect of it had me hooked from the start. Super disturbing, super creepy, I loved it. The perfect autumn read!
WOW that was good. It was slow and eerie and creepy. Gothic horror with cults!! Definitely check trigger warnings. The way the story unfolds and the mystery of it all is so unique and interesting! The cult aspect of it had me hooked from the start. Super disturbing, super creepy, I loved it. The perfect autumn read!
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes