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thecozyintrovert's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Great book. There was not even one dull moment in the entire thing. I was intrigued and thoroughly entertained the entire time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Rape, Murder, Incest, Miscarriage, Suicide, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
kdahlo's review against another edition
3.0
This was pretty good, but I didn't love it. I do generally like this author, I just wasn't particularly keen on this setting. Twisty (no surprise) and in that thriller/mild horror space.
akevaa's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Good and creepy. Excellent for the one time, but I think once you know how it all unravels a re-read isn't really in the cards (at least not for me). This is generally how I feel about Ward's works; Looking Glass Sound being an exception where re-reading is an excellent idea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: War, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Suicide
jasmeaniethebookish's review against another edition
4.0
Synopsis: “A great day is upon us. He is coming. The world will be washed away.”
On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth.
The Adder is coming and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction.
A reckoning beyond Eve’s imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong.
And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered.
*
*
*
*
There is very little I love more than a new (or newly republished) Catriona Ward book, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw Little Eve on my upcoming list. Ward writes stories that transport you to another world immediately, and while I didn’t love this as much as Needless St and Sundial, Eve was still pretty great. There’s a reason I beeline to request these books as soon as humanly possible. I’ve seen in reviews that Eve is a little convoluted, which is true, but it doesn’t affect the overall story too much.
I’d recommend Ward’s books all day, every day, so this is 100% a biased review. Take that as you will.
Thanks so much to TorNightfire and Edelweiss for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth.
The Adder is coming and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction.
A reckoning beyond Eve’s imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong.
And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered.
*
*
*
*
There is very little I love more than a new (or newly republished) Catriona Ward book, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw Little Eve on my upcoming list. Ward writes stories that transport you to another world immediately, and while I didn’t love this as much as Needless St and Sundial, Eve was still pretty great. There’s a reason I beeline to request these books as soon as humanly possible. I’ve seen in reviews that Eve is a little convoluted, which is true, but it doesn’t affect the overall story too much.
I’d recommend Ward’s books all day, every day, so this is 100% a biased review. Take that as you will.
Thanks so much to TorNightfire and Edelweiss for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
jinxei's review against another edition
5.0
I love Catriona Ward. Any time I see her name, I know I have to have it. The author has a way with transporting you directly to the pages of her works with her writing style. Her mysteries are gripping and always manage to throw me for a loop and keep me burning through the pages.
Little Eve is no exception. The perfect spooky season read, Little Eve is a dark, gothic, atmospheric read that centers around a haunted mansion and the rituals that have taken place there. The murders are graphic, gruesome, and gory. There were characters I wanted to pull from the pages to protect, and others that I definitely wanted to end up with a less optimistic ending.
Do yourself a favor and save this as a late night, spooky season read to get that setting just right and really amp up the adrenaline.
Thank you to the author and Macmillan/ Tor- Forge for the ARC copy.
Little Eve is no exception. The perfect spooky season read, Little Eve is a dark, gothic, atmospheric read that centers around a haunted mansion and the rituals that have taken place there. The murders are graphic, gruesome, and gory. There were characters I wanted to pull from the pages to protect, and others that I definitely wanted to end up with a less optimistic ending.
Do yourself a favor and save this as a late night, spooky season read to get that setting just right and really amp up the adrenaline.
Thank you to the author and Macmillan/ Tor- Forge for the ARC copy.
burghbooksandbrews's review against another edition
4.0
Little Eve is a wonderfully eerie and atmospheric story set in the perfect setting on the coast of Scotland. It has very cultish vibes and one of the most interesting main characters I have read in a while in Evelyn or Eve. Catriona Ward’s writing is beautifully poetic and really makes you feel like you are there with this cult family on the island of Altnaharra.
The Adder is truly a villainous character as head of a cult where he isolates the young people under his care and turns them against one another. The story starts off with a bang describing the murders that the rest of the story will culminate in, but everything may not be what it seems.
I highly recommend this one to anyone that appreciates a spooky story with substance but also beautiful prose. It is certainly a slower burn story with not a lot of “outright horror.” But it so well done, and this solidifies my love of Ward’s work!
The Adder is truly a villainous character as head of a cult where he isolates the young people under his care and turns them against one another. The story starts off with a bang describing the murders that the rest of the story will culminate in, but everything may not be what it seems.
I highly recommend this one to anyone that appreciates a spooky story with substance but also beautiful prose. It is certainly a slower burn story with not a lot of “outright horror.” But it so well done, and this solidifies my love of Ward’s work!
dietzt23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
calyxconcision's review against another edition
5.0
I utterly adored this book. It's about the lives of two girls who have been indoctrinated into a cult, living on an isle separated from the outside world. Their captor, "Uncle", forces them to ingest a hallucinogenic drug they named "benison" - meaning blessing - to keep them under his thumb and make them believe a great serpent will come from the ocean and cleanse the world of impurity.
The story follows Eve and her journey as she makes contact with the outside world more often, grows into herself, and becomes disillusioned with Uncle. It's a wonderful story about survival, the danger of cults, freedom, family, trauma, and loss with a surprise twist at the end I didn't see coming at all.
The story follows Eve and her journey as she makes contact with the outside world more often, grows into herself, and becomes disillusioned with Uncle. It's a wonderful story about survival, the danger of cults, freedom, family, trauma, and loss with a surprise twist at the end I didn't see coming at all.
katiebeth80's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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
3.75
vbkelly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0