A review by aghoststory
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror by Tori Bovalino

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A GATHERING DARK is a folk horror anthology featuring thirteen stories that are all suspenseful, creepy, and dare I say a little cozy. I’ll explain.

This collection of stories felt incredibly reminiscent of all the urban legends and ghost stories I grew up obsessively reading about once I discovered the internet - lady of the lake, hitchhiking ghosts, Bloody Mary, and more. That familiar feeling of not being able to look away even though you were nervous to know what happened next. But it also felt so modern. A large part of this due to how unique and chilling each tale was and the liberties taken with beloved legends and archetypes. 

I believe it was really clever to weave together urban legends and folk horror because they go hand in hand. The stories featured in this anthology all have elements of folk horror we’ve come to expect- the isolation, rural towns, corruption of religion, the importance and power of nature, while also including more modern approaches of topics like female rage and toxic families. 

 

A GATHERING DARK is a really solid anthology with an amazing group of writers. Perfect for a rainy, autumn evening. 

And like all urban legends please heed their warnings….